Category: For Fun

First Lines Friday – 13/03/2026

Posted on March 13, 2026 by fantasyst95

***Today’s First Lines Friday contains an affiliate link to Amazon if you wish to purchase the book. If you follow this link, I will earn a small commission from that purchase at no cost to you.

If you wish to obtain a copy of the book based on this review, I would really appreciate you following this link and showing my content some support by making your purchase.***

When I shared my plan for this First Lines Friday in my Sunday Summary, I challenged myself to feature an author I’ve read recently. This author featured on my February TBR.

Why not read the below opening lines and see if you can guess the author!

“Can you please tell us what happened, Mrs. Cass?” “Am I under arrest?”

“Why do you ask that?”

“I know what you found. I know what you must be thinking.”

“What do you think we found, Mrs. Cass?”

“A… a dead body.”

“And can you explain how this happened?”

“I…”

“Mrs. Cass?”

“Am I under arrest? Please just tell me.”

The Perfect Son – Freida McFadden

Genre: Thriller

Pages: 320

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Hollywood Upstairs Press

Publication Date: 08 Oct 2019

Goodreads – The Perfect Son

Amazon Purchase Link

All families have secrets. But some secrets are deadly.

Erika Cass has a perfect family and a perfect life. Until one quiet evening, two detectives show up at her front door.

“Mrs. Cass, we were hoping your son could answer a few questions about the girl who disappeared last night…”

A high school girl has vanished from their quiet neighbourhood, and the police suspect the worst. Erika’s teenage son, Liam, was the last person to see the girl alive.

Erika has always sensed something… different in her seemingly perfect oldest child. He’s charming, smart, and popular, but mothers have the best instincts. Erika knows there’s more to her son than meets the eye.

She wants to believe he’s innocent, but as the evidence mounts, she can’t deny the truth? Liam may have done the unthinkable.

My Thoughts…

When I planned this First Lines Friday, I knew I wanted to feature Freida McFadden. I was introduced to her through her Housemaid series. They’re highly popular books, but there is also a film on the first book now if you want to try her work that way.

In my Highly Anticipated Releases of 2026 video, I shared my first read and release of the year to look at was a Freida McFadden book. The title? Dear Debbie. This read went down every bit as well as I expected. My review will follow on YouTube soon, so if you want to look out for that, I’d suggest subscribing so you get notified when it comes out.

Needless to say, now I’ve read and loved the latest release by Freida, I’m free to explore her backlist. I sampled a few books before deciding on today’s First Lines Friday feature. All sounded good, but this one had the most gripping intro for the purpose of this post. I also looked at Never Lie and Want to Know a Secret. Over time, I plan to read all of these…

Have you read The Perfect Son or one of the MANY other reads by Freida McFadden?

Don’t forget, you can support me as a creator and follow this purchase link to get yourself a copy. 😊 If you want to read and discuss the book, let me know you want to buddy read!

Thanks for checking out today’s First Lines Friday, and I’ll see you in my next post!

Shelf Control #101 – 06/03/2026

Posted on March 6, 2026March 6, 2026 by fantasyst95

***Today’s Shelf Control post contains an affiliate link to Amazon if you wish to purchase the featured book. If you follow this link, I will earn a small commission from that purchase at no cost to you.

If you wish to obtain a copy of the book based on this post, I would really appreciate you following this link and showing my content some support by making your purchase***

Shelf Control is a meme run by Lisa at Bookshelf Fantasies. It’s a celebration of the unread books on our shelves! The idea is to pick a book you own but haven’t read and write a post about it (suggestions: include what it’s about, why you want to read it, and when you got it), and link up.

If you want to read more about the Shelf Control feature, check out Lisa’s introductory post.

This latest Shelf Control features a spy thriller. Not a genre I read a whole lot of! However, it’s written by an author I discovered several years ago. The other book I read of theirs, The Dead Tell Lies, was an easy 5* book. I said then I’d have no hesitation reading more for this author.

Let’s hope that day isn’t too far away! I read my first book from them in July 2020. It’s already been over 5 years… so it’s about time I gave them another try. That’s what I like about these Shelf Control posts; they’re a chance to look ahead at my upcoming reading list and get excited for these books.

66 Metres – J. F. Kirwan

Genre: Spy Thriller

Pages: 305

Audience: Adult

Publisher: HQ Digital

Publication Date: 25 Aug 2016

Amazon Purchase Link

Goodreads – 66 Metres

The only thing worth killing for is family.

Everyone said she had her father’s eyes. A killer’s eyes. Nadia knew that on the bitterly cold streets of Moscow, she could never escape her past – but in just a few days, she would finally be free.

Bound to work for Kadinsky for five years, she has just one last mission to complete. Yet when she is instructed to capture The Rose, a military weapon shrouded in secrecy, Nadia finds herself trapped in a deadly game of global espionage.

And the only man she can trust is the one sent to spy on her…

My Thoughts

I added 66 Metres to my TBR after reading The Dead Tell Lies. Whereas this book is a psychological thriller and 66 Metres is a spy thriller, I’m confident that I’ll get on with the book just as well. The Dead Tell Lies is the type of thriller that had me thinking about the plot in overtime. Not only was I fully engrossed reading it, but also trying to work out what was going on even when the book wasn’t open. If I remember rightly, The Dead Tell Lies had an interesting twist to it too. Let’s hope for more of the same in 66 Metres.

Admittedly, it’s entirely on the merits of this first book I’ve read that I’ve added this second one. However, that means I’m not going into the book with too much of an idea of the plot and can’t be spoiled for it. I have gone into it with an idea of what to expect, though. With such high expectations set in this first book, I can only hope 66 Metres likes up to my expectations.

Summary

Do you love a spy thriller novel? Want to read along with me? Why not get a copy of the book here and readalong with me!

Thank you for checking out today’s pretty short but sweet Shelf Control post! Have you read 66 Metres or The Dead Tell Lies already?

First Lines Friday – 27/02/2026

Posted on February 27, 2026 by fantasyst95

***Today’s First Lines Friday contains an affiliate link to Amazon if you wish to purchase the book. If you follow this link, I will earn a small commission from that purchase at no cost to you.

If you wish to obtain a copy of the book based on this review, I would really appreciate you following this link and showing my content some support by making your purchase***

I’m looking forward to reading a retelling. A specific retelling at that. I featured this book in a recent YouTube video about an upcoming attempt to complete the 2026 Goodreads Winter Challenge. It’s also a book on my fixed list of reads that I shared in my 2026 Resolutions post.

Can you guess what it is from the list? If not, the opening might give you a hint!

It was the man from records who began it, him all unknowing in his prim, grim way, his above-it-all, oldthink way. He was the one Syme called ‘Old Misery’.

He wasn’t truly new to Julia. Fiction, Records and Research all took second meal at thirteen hundred, so you got to know everyone’s face. But up to then, he’d really just been Old Misery, the one who looked like he’d swallowed a fly, who coughed more than he spoke. Comrade Smith was his right name, though ‘Comrade’ never suited him somehow. Of course, if you felt foolish calling someone ‘Comrade’, far better not to speak to them at all.

Julia – Sandra Newman

Genre: Dystopian Fiction

Pages: 400

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Mariner Books

Publication Date: 24 Oct 2023

Goodreads – Julia

Amazon Purchase Link

London, chief city of Airstrip One, the third most populous province of Oceania. It’s 1984 and Julia Worthing works as a mechanic fixing the novel-writing machines in the Fiction Department at the Ministry of Truth. Under the ideology of IngSoc and the rule of the Party and its leader Big Brother, Julia is a model citizen – cheerfully cynical, believing in nothing and caring not at all about politics. She knows how to survive in a world of constant surveillance, Thought Police, Newspeak, Doublethink, child spies and the black markets of the prole neighbourhoods. She’s very good at staying alive.

But Julia becomes intrigued by a colleague from the Records Department – a mid-level worker of the Outer Party called Winston Smith, she comes to realise that she’s losing her grip and can no longer safely navigate her world.

Seventy-five years after Orwell finished writing his iconic novel, Sandra Newman has tackled the world of Big Brother in a truly convincing way, offering a dramatically different, feminist narrative that is true to and stands alongside the original. For the millions of readers who have been brought up with Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four, here, finally, is a provocative, vital and utterly satisfying companion novel.

My Thoughts…

Next month, which starts this weekend, I’m reading a modern take on George Orwell’s acclaimed dystopian novel, 1984. I’m reading both of these books together to compare the traditional, well-known narrative with the feminist version from the perspective of Julia.

I’m looking forward to this retelling and what new angle it can explore from Julia’s side. It’s funny, because when I first read 1984 in school, I didn’t enjoy it. In hindsight though, it wasn’t so much the book I took umbrage with as opposed to the way I was forced to study it. Fast forward to my re-read as an adult, I loved it!

Dystopian fiction is one of my favourite genre of all time. I have no doubt I’ll enjoy both my re-read, as well as this new perspective.

Have you read either 1984 or Julia? Does this feminist dystopian narrative appeal to you?

Don’t forget, you can support me as a creator and follow this purchase link to get yourself a copy. Then, readalong with me! 😊 I’m reading the book this March along with the original 1984. So, if you want to read and discuss either book, let me know!

Thanks for checking out this First Lines Friday!

Shelf Control #100 – 20/02/2026

Posted on February 20, 2026 by fantasyst95

***This Shelf Control post contains an affiliate link to Amazon if you wish to purchase the book. If you follow this link, I will earn a small commission from that purchase at no cost to you.

If you wish to obtain a copy of the book based on this review, I would really appreciate you following this link and showing my content some support by making your purchase***

My latest Shelf Control features a historical classic novel I started years ago whilst in my high school years, but didn’t really get into. I suspect I wasn’t quite mature enough for the book and its themes yet. However, now I’m older, I need to get cracking and read this classic book.

It would also be perfect for anyone looking for a Black History Month read! Before I get into the details of the book, as I usually do, here’s a recap of what Shelf Control is all about.

If you want to read more about the Shelf Control feature, check out Lisa’s introductory post.

The Colour Purple – Alice Walker

Genre: Historical fiction/ Classic

Pages: 287

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Penguin Books

Publication Date: 10 Dec 2019

Amazon Purchase Link

Goodreads – The Colour Purple

A powerful cultural touchstone of modern American literature, The Color Purple depicts the lives of African American women in early twentieth-century rural Georgia.

Separated as girls, sisters Celie and Nettie sustain their loyalty to and hope in each other across time, distance and silence through a series of letters spanning twenty years, first from Celie to God, then the sisters to each other despite the unknown.

Abused repeatedly by the man she calls ‘father’, Celie has two children taken away from her and is trapped into an ugly marriage. But then she meets the glamorous Shug Avery, singer and magic-maker – a woman who has taken charge of her own destiny.

And gradually Celie discovers the power and joy of her own spirit, freeing her from her past and reuniting her with those she loves.

Beloved by generations of readers, The Color Purple broke the silence around domestic and sexual abuse, narrating the lives of women through their pain and struggle, companionship and growth, resilience and bravery. Deeply compassionate and beautifully imagined, Alice Walker’s epic carries readers on a spirit-affirming journey towards redemption and love.

My Thoughts

I regret not picking up The Colour Purple yet. It’s a highly rated book, and no doubt a must-read for many people – myself included!

The Colour Purple is a well-known title that I’m looking forward to ticking off my TBR. It’s a classic, and one I feel is already overdue to be read. So much so, I included this book on my fixed TBR of books I want to get to in 2026. You can see that, as well as the other books on this list, in my 2026 Resolutions post.

The book is not without its difficult topics. If you’re not for reading about domestic and sexual abuse, then maybe pass on this one. However, I’m not one to shy away from difficult topics and in fact, I deliberately try to read them. Only by recognising difficult truths can we be transparent about them and try to prevent reoccurrence.

Summary

Want to read along with me? Get a copy of the book here and join me in picking up this historical fiction classic. Race is a topic I’m already enjoying reading about in Barack Obama’s Dreams from my Father. Why not continue the discussion by reading The Colour Purple soon?

Thank you for reading my Shelf Control post! Have you read The Colour Purple?

Books That Inspired Me to Pick Up Another Read

Posted on February 9, 2026 by fantasyst95

I love picking up a book because I’ve been inspired by another. This can happen in a number of ways. Some are more obvious; continuing a series because you liked the first book is one reason, but not one I feature in today’s Books That Inspired Me to Pick Up Another Read post.

No, today’s features are about books with more tenuous links. They may not seem obvious in their link, but make sense when I explain them. At least, I hope so…

I have read:

Dreams from My Father…

Because I Read A Promised Land

I just finished Dreams from My Father by Barack Obama and really enjoyed this exploration Barack takes of his lineage and heritage. The imminency makes this is a natural candidate for today’s Books That Inspired Me to Pick Up Another Read post.

Admittedly, Dreams from My Father wasn’t on my radar until I finished and was pleasantly surprised by A Promised Land. That book made it onto my Best Books of 2025 list for how pleasantly surprised I was.

I don’t love reading politics. It’s a topic I tend to stay away from. However, I like Barack and what he stands for as a person. It’s for him, and partly because the books are narrated by him, that I wanted to give both these titles a go. Neither has disappointed!

The Giver…

Because I Read The Measure

After reading The Measure with my work book club, a discussion point that came up was the influence of Lois Lowry apparent in the narrative. Now I confess, having not read The Giver before, this detail passed me by. However, one of my colleagues had read The Giver already and picked up on the link. Naturally, The Giver became our next read so we could explore this more.

I enjoy dystopian novels. No doubt, had I discovered the book in another way, I’d have read it on its own merits. It was interesting though to pick this up and then explore the concepts of the plot and society in The Giver and how it tied back to The Measure.

If you haven’t read The Giver, it’s a fantastic short dystopian novel. It was an honourable mention in my Best books of 2025 video, just losing out on a top 5 spot!

Will Read…

Challenger….

Because I Read Orbital and Midnight in Chernobyl

My first book of 2026 was Orbital by Samantha Harvey. This book was a fun read in its own right. It’s a powerful book of love, loss, dreams, and the wonder of life. If you want to hear more on this book, I reviewed it over on my YouTube channel a couple of weeks ago.

However, this book touched on a topic that I already wanted to read more on, but this has expedited this wish. Orbital touches on the risk of space travel and highlights the events of the launch of the space shuttle Challenger. Not long before reading Orbital, I’d bought a copy of Challenger by Adam Higginbotham. I have read another investigative book Adam has written – Midnight in Chernobyl. That was so well written, picking up another book of his is a no-brainer. Between this, and having enjoyed the taster commentary on the disaster in Orbital, I can’t wait to read Challenger soon!

Summary

This is just a short sample to give you an idea of where bookish inspiration comes from. I’m especially looking forward to reading Challenger and continuing this trend of reading books that inspire me to pick up another read.

Have you read anything that inspired you to pick up another? If so, what, and why?

Throne of Glass Readalong!

Posted on February 2, 2026 by fantasyst95

***Today’s Throne of Glass readalong announcement contains an affiliate link to Amazon if you wish to purchase the book. If you follow this link, I will earn a small commission from that purchase at no cost to you.

If you wish to obtain a copy of the book based on this review, I would really appreciate you following this link and showing my content some support by making your purchase***

Reading Dates: August 2026

Review: September 2026

Goodreads

Amazon Purchase Link

Are you joining?

If you haven’t read Throne of Glass yet, are you going to join my Throne of Glass readalong?

If you have read it, are you re-reading the series or following along with progress on YouTube?

Get your copy of Throne of Glass and join along with me!

First Lines Friday – 30/012026

Posted on January 30, 2026 by fantasyst95

***Today’s First Lines Friday contains an affiliate link to Amazon if you wish to purchase the book. If you follow this link, I will earn a small commission from that purchase at no cost to you.

If you wish to obtain a copy of the book based on this review, I would really appreciate you following this link and showing my content some support by making your purchase***

A recent addition to my TBR makes it onto today’s First Lines Friday. I was drawn in by the mysterious synopsis and all-too-familiar closeted setting. As a resident of a smallish island myself, I love a setting like this one. There really are no keeping secrets, so I’m intrigued to watch this tale unravel.

Here’s today’s First Line sFriday opening, and then I’ll tell you more about the book!

I have hated my mother for most of my life but it is her face I see as I drown.

The face I see when I wake from drowning is different. It is rough and wind-bitten and scratchy. It is what I’m looking at when the sudden arrival of pain overcomes me, and I know the image of him will forever be as one with this pain. Whenever I see this face I will remember the burning sting of being dragged upon rocks and flayed open, left raw, I will feel the bursting pressure in my chest; the sensation will be so vivid it will be like it’s happening all over again. His face, a return. A drowning.

Wild Dark Shore – Charlotte McConaghy

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Pages: 298

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Flatiron Books

Publication Date: 04 Mar 2025

Goodreads – Wild Dark Shore

Amazon Purchase Link

A family on a remote island. A mysterious woman washed ashore. A rising storm on the horizon.

Dominic Salt and his three children are caretakers of Shearwater, a tiny island not far from Antarctica. Home to the world’s largest seed bank, Shearwater was once full of researchers, but with sea levels rising, the Salts are now its final inhabitants. Until, during the worst storm the island has ever seen, a woman mysteriously washes ashore.

Isolation has taken its toll on the Salts, but as they nurse the woman, Rowan, back to strength, it begins to feel like she might just be what they need. Rowan, long accustomed to protecting herself, starts imagining a future where she could belong to someone again.

But Rowan isn’t telling the whole truth about why she set out for Shearwater. And when she discovers sabotaged radios and a freshly dug grave, she realizes Dominic is keeping his own secrets. As the storms on Shearwater gather force, they all must decide if they can trust each other enough to protect the precious seeds in their care before it’s too late―and if they can finally put the tragedies of the past behind them to create something new, together.

A novel of breathtaking twists, dizzying beauty, and ferocious love, Wild Dark Shore is about the impossible choices we make to protect the people we love, even as the world around us disappears.

My Thoughts…

I love a mystery. Wild Dark Shore is also a pretty short mystery, so this size of book should be approachable to readers of all commitment levels. Small town settings are also great for mysteries. In such communities, there isn’t really such thing as a well-kept secret. Great for us readers, not so much for the characters involved…

The opening to this book caught my eye. Why would a person you hate be the person you think of in mortal danger? Why does Rowan feel so strongly about he mother? Already the mystery opens in the first sentence – does this have any part in the central narrative at all? There’s only one way to find out!

What’s fun about this book is that it actually qualifies for two Goodreads Challenges right now – Star Selections and Lasting Reads. Whilst I didn’t focus on the Goodreads seasonal challenged as much as I would like this year, maybe I can have a solid go at completing the Winter challenge as a one-off?

Have you read Wild Dark Shore? Does this type of thriller/mystery appeal to your reading tastes? If so, here’s a purchase link to get yourself a copy and read along with me 😊 I’m planning to pick this up very soon – I hope this First Lines Friday has tempted you too!

Shelf Control #99 – 23/01/2026

Posted on January 23, 2026 by fantasyst95

***Today’s Shelf Control post contains an affiliate link to Amazon if you wish to purchase the book. If you follow this link, I will earn a small commission from that purchase at no cost to you.

If you wish to obtain a copy of the book based on this review, I would really appreciate you following this link and showing my content some support by making your purchase***

Today’s Shelf Control post features another thriller novel with a kind of murder mystery aspect. This section of my TBR suggests I was really into thrillers. My prior feature was about a serial kidnapper and torturer. This book is about a murder investigation involving the accessing digitised memories of the deceased to discover the identity of the killer. I hinted at this in my Sunday Summary last week, so you’ve had five days to make your guesses as to what the title of today’s feature is.

Psychological thriller fans, this post is for YOU! And me!

Before I share the details of the book, here’s a recap of what Shelf Control is all about. Shelf Control is a meme run by Lisa at Bookshelf Fantasies. It’s a celebration of the unread books on our shelves! The idea is to pick a book you own but haven’t read and write a post about it (suggestions: include what it’s about, why you want to read it, and when you got it), and link up.

If you want to read more about the Shelf Control feature, check out Lisa’s introductory post.

Access Point – Tom Gabbay

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Pages: 217

Audience: Adult

Publisher: JMS Books

Publication Date: 05 Apr 2020

Amazon Purchase Link

Goodreads – Access Point

“A psychological thriller with compelling explorations of memory, obsession, and identity. Readers will find it an intriguing and entertaining read.” – BlueInk Review

When American art student Mia Fraser is brutally murdered steps away from her London house she shares with computer genius Ula Mishkin, it leaves the socially inept scientist heartbroken. When it becomes clear that Detective Sarah Boyd is making no progress in solving the crime using traditional methods, Ula creates a software program that allows her to reach into her dead housemates memory in order to reveal the identity of the killer. Entering the dead girls life through the echo of her memory, Ula learns that sometimes the past is best left undisturbed.

My Thoughts

Psychological thrillers are my favourite type of thrillers. Plus, this narrative has some novelty in the plot line I’m excited to read more on. The concept of accessing digitised memories to discover the identity of a killer has me intrigued. Are we talking about accessing digital diary entries. A digital persona/caricature of the real person uploaded into some futuristic (although not a leap away) technology? The synopsis is pretty vague on this point, but I’m curious to see where this angle takes us.

Of course, Ula may find out far more than she wants to. The premise hints at that, but honestly it could go in any direction… from those she knows to maybe even herself. That would be an interesting twist, wouldn’t it?!

Access Point hasn’t got a load of reviews on Goodreads yet, but the rating indicates the book has been well-received by the that have picked it up. Honestly, I’m looking forward to getting around to this one and being able to share my two-pence worth. Hopefully, also inspire some other readers to give it a go!

I hope today’s post has inspired you to give Access Point a try along with me. It’s a short and purportedly fast-paced read. At a fraction over 200 pages, this is an approachable read. Whether you are looking for an approachable book or just want a change of genre and pace between longer books, Access Point is the perfect choice. Also, for Kindle Unlimited subscribers, you can access it with your membership. Otherwise, you can get a copy here.

If you’re still with me, thanks for checking out today’s Shelf Control feature. Have you read Access Point? Do you fancy giving it a go along with me?

New Year Book Tag

Posted on January 16, 2026 by fantasyst95

We’re now mid-way through January and the New Year content posts are still just about clinging on 😊 Today, I’m sharing my take on the New Year Book Tag. I saw this over at Misty’s Book Space – you can check out her version of the post here. I thought this would be a fun, informal way to introduce my flavour of reads, as well as a bit about me, to any new potential readers. Even for returning readers, this more personal content hopefully appeals as a bit of a shake-up.

Prefer your content in video format? Take a look at my video version of this post.

New Year Book Tag

How many books are you planning to read in 2026?

In 2026, I’m planning to push myself to read 60 books.

In 2025, I set out to read 45 books and succeeded in reading 48 by mid-December. With a view to pushing myself harder and to read a little more this year, I’m setting the goal at 60 so I have a bigger number to chase. Historically, having a goal like this really works for me. On the contrary, my reading progress tanked in December 2025 once my goal was reached. And, in 2021, when I didn’t set a goal for the year I only read 25 books. Figure…

As of this New Year Book Tag post I’m on track with my reading. Using Goodreads and/or StoryGraph’s tracking and being assured I’m on track, or kicking me up the bum, is the best motivator for me. It doesn’t work for everyone and not everybody wants a number to chase. However, it works for me and its my goal, so I’ll do what works for me.

Name 5 books that you didn’t get to this past year but want to make a priority in 2026

My five books featured on my 20 Books of Summer Challenge list, but as of this New Year Book Tag post I still haven’t read these.

Excluding the books on January 2026 TBR that were on my 20 Books of Summer Challenge list, the five books I’m planning to pick up in 2026 are: –

Eve

This feminist non-fiction is exciting me for its female-focus on the biology of women and how we have shaped the evolution of human race in the last 2000 years.

The Bone Collector

This book features later on in the New Year Book Tag post – it was on my 20 Books of Summer Challenge, but there is one more reason I want to pick this up. More on this one later…

The Burning Girls

I’ve enjoyed several books by C.J. Tudor in the past. I’m looking forward to getting to this one, especially as it also featured on my December 2025 TBR and I didn’t get to it then, either.

Sisters Under the Rising Sun

Another repeat author I’m looking forward to returning to is Heather Morris with Sisters Under the Rising Sun. I loved the Tattooist of Auschwitz series, so I’m confident this will be a hit.

A Man Called Ove

A contemporary read with a humorous protagonist I can’t wait to try!

What genre do you want to read more of?

Fantasy, fantasy and fantasy! That won’t be a surprise to regular readers of mine.

When I was a teenager I read exclusively fantasy and as a result, I got bored of reading the same things over and over again. Nowadays, I read somewhat more diversely but variety is the plan going forward. Yes, I’ll always turn to fantasy for comfort. However, I’m ready to enjoy more variety in 2026!

Name 3 not-related-to-book goals for 2026

I’m not a big resolution setter in the New Year outside of my blog. Change can happen anytime, and honestly there’s less pressure at any other point in the year.

My goals aren’t really new year specific or making any drastic changes. MY first goal is to start saving to get married. My fiancé and I got engaged last year, and as I’m sure you’re aware, weddings aren’t cheap. No wedding bells are on the horizon just yet, so we have time to save for the day we both want.

Ona much smaller note, in the next few weekends I’m hoping to finish my DIY kitchen project. Towards the end of last year, I started changing all the fronts of my kitchen. It was a little tired-looking and needed a refresh. Me being me though, I wanted to change the colour. It could have been less of a job, but if I’m going to the effort I might as well have it the way.I want, right?!

Finally, my last goal is more of a continuation of a goal I started last year. Making healthier changes to my habits is something I started in a small way. In August 2024, I started going to the gym. Then, early last year, I started cooking more regularly from scratch. This year, I want to continue this further and also try new recipes. It’s so I don’t get bored above anything else.

What’s a book you have had forever and are determined to read?

Here’s where The Bone Collector comes back on this New Year Book Tag! The reason I want to pick up The Bone Collector in 2026 is because my sister bought this book for me when she was in her first or second year of university. That was probably about 7-8 years ago now – it’s fair to say she’s no longer at university!

So, it’s about time right?!

One word that you’re hoping 2026 will be.

***Auspicious***

Conducive to success. That’s obviously going to mean different things in different contexts. For each of my goals, bookish and non-bookish, I can obviously only hope for the best and work my hardest to be as successful as I can in 2026.

Summary

Thanks for reading (or watching) today’s New Year Book Tag!

I answered a question on which books I didn’t get to in 2025 that I want to in 2026 – what’s one of yours?

My 2025 Wrap-Up!

Posted on January 3, 2026 by fantasyst95

It’s 2026 and I’m really excited to share my 2025 wrap-up with you! Overall, I’m pleased with how I did against my 2025 reading resolutions. Back in November, I shared a review of progress and intentions for the final books I wanted to read towards my resolutions.

Let’s take a look at the final tally 🥳

My 2025 Resolutions…

Goodreads Challenge – 45 Books

For 2025, I set a reading goal of 45 books. It was set as a small stretch goal on top of the 42 books I’d read in 2024. Turns out, I could have pushed a little further on.

In total, I read 48 books in 2025! Truthfully, I could have completed more as well. With my reading goal done by the beginning of December, reading progress fell away. Once an obligation to review a book was fulfilled, I slowed down dramatically. It didn’t help that I was struggling with a physical read, and of course, time commitments around Christmas. I can’t blame them entirely though.

With 2025’s reading target being achieved well in advance, it’s convinced me to up my goal again for 2026. This time, I can announce in this 2025 wrap-up that I’m pushing a little harder to get to 60 books.

Complete Goodreads Challenges Throughout the Year

This is the one goal I’d say I didn’t put the most focus on in 2025. I set it to explore a new feature on Goodreads. However, I can’t attest that I have as much focus and attention as the rest of my reading resolutions.

I did make some progress, with a few achievements in each challenge throughout the year. They were mostly passively achieved as opposed to deliberate choices.

I set the goal as an attempt to do something a little different and maybe read more topical/seasonal books. It didn’t quite work the way I intended, so I’m going to approach this aim a little differently in 2026.

Finish or Get Up to Date with 10 Series

I’d argue this reading goal was the most difficult one and took a lot of my attention. To be fair, so it should! I have a lot of ongoing or part-read series I’ve started. For two years now, I’ve set myself this reading goal in order to reduce the amount of series I had ongoing. Overall, it was broadly successful!

As of the end of December and 2025 wrap-up, I read books from a total of 16 series. A couple of these were new starts, but others were to make further progress in sizeable series. In terms of completions, I finished or got up-to-date on eight series in 2025. I had aimed to finish Empire of the Dawn and The Doors of Midnight in December to get to my final ten. However, these are both current reads carried over into 2026.

So, I didn’t quite get there, but my intentions and effort were in the right place and that was the point of the goal. It got me picking up sequels in a far more timely fashion than I had been previously, making them much easier to get into, if I’m honest. Like with my non-fiction reading goal of 2024 making a lasting impression on my reading habits, I hope going forward sequels remain a priority.

Read Out of my Comfort Zone

Finally, I set myself a goal to pick up books out of my comfort zone in 2025.

Book clubs were a great way to achieve this goal. Through my book club at work and the Cottagecore Fantasy Book Club I help moderate, I picked up a few books I wouldn’t have chosen for myself but still enjoyed anyway. On top of that, a recommendation from a colleague led me to pick up HR Disrupted.

However, external drivers weren’t the only means I picked up new books. In February, with Black History Month in mind, I read Fearing the Black Body. I also had my own non-race-related reasons to read it – it’s about the origins of fat phobia. If you’ve seen photos of me on social media, I’m not a small person and I’ve been on the wrong end of fat phobia in the past. I don’t care now, mind, I put myself in positions where I could be judged. I go to the gym and wear sports gear out in public. Do I care if people like it or not? Absolutely not!

Along the lines of better health, I picked up The Weight’s Over, Ultra-Processed People. These were a stretch from my usual reading, but very much worthwhile. Finally, I picked up a book where US politics is central to the discussion. A Promised Land by Barack Obama wasn’t the easiest of things for me to read, but I’m glad I did.

Summary

All in all, it’s fair to say I enjoyed my 2025 reading and I did a lot of the things I set out to in my 2025 resolutions post. I can only hope I’m as successful in my 2026 resolutions, which I’ll be sharing with you shortly!

Thanks for reading today’s 2025 wrap-up. Did you set yourself a goal for 2025? How did you do with achieving it?

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The Perfect Son – Freida McFadden

My Thoughts…

66 Metres – J. F. Kirwan

My Thoughts

Summary

Julia – Sandra Newman

My Thoughts…

The Colour Purple – Alice Walker

My Thoughts

Summary

I have read:

Dreams from My Father…

Because I Read A Promised Land

The Giver…

Because I Read The Measure

Will Read…

Challenger….

Because I Read Orbital and Midnight in Chernobyl

Summary

Reading Schedule

Throne of Glass – Book 1

Crown of Midnight – Book 2

Heir of Fire – Book 3

Queen of Shadows – Book 4

Empire of Storms – Book 5

Tower of Dawn – Book 6

Kingdom of Ash – Book 7

Are you joining?

Wild Dark Shore – Charlotte McConaghy

My Thoughts…

Access Point – Tom Gabbay

My Thoughts

New Year Book Tag

How many books are you planning to read in 2026?

Name 5 books that you didn’t get to this past year but want to make a priority in 2026

The Bone Collector

The Burning Girls

Sisters Under the Rising Sun

A Man Called Ove

What genre do you want to read more of?

Name 3 not-related-to-book goals for 2026

What’s a book you have had forever and are determined to read?

One word that you’re hoping 2026 will be.

Summary

My 2025 Resolutions…

Goodreads Challenge – 45 Books

Complete Goodreads Challenges Throughout the Year

Finish or Get Up to Date with 10 Series

Read Out of my Comfort Zone

Summary

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