Category: For Fun

Summary

Some of my best reads of the year are books I didn’t entirely expect to pick up, or came about because the Goodreads reading challenges prompted me to add or expedite the books. Even if I’ve yet to complete a challenge, they’ve proved beneficial in providing my top 3 reads of 2026 so far!

What are your top 3 reads of 2026 so far?

Shelf Control #106 – 21/08/2026

Posted on August 21, 2026August 21, 2026 by fantasyst95

My latest Shelf Control is an interesting feature. It’s a Booker Prize Winner from 2021. I’m intrigued to try more prize winning books, in case you hadn’t gathered based on earlier posts this year. I also like reading books that tackle societal issues. Today’s feature handles race and discrimination. As much as I don’t like to read that it happens, I do like books that bring the issue to the fore and challenge it!

Before I get into the details of today’s particular feature, here’s a recap of what this Shelf Control feature is all about.

Shelf Control is a meme run by Lisa at Bookshelf Fantasies; 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.

The Promise – Damon Galgut

Genre: literary ficton

Pages: 304

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Chatto and Windus

Publication Date: 17 Jun 2021

Goodreads – The Promise

Discover the powerful prizewinning story of a family in crisis.

The Promise charts the crash and burn of a white South African family, living on a farm outside Pretoria. The Swarts are gathering for Ma’s funeral. The younger generation, Anton and Amor, detest everything the family stand for – not least the failed promise to the Black woman who has worked for them her whole life. After years of service, Salome was promised her own house, her own land… yet somehow, as each decade passes, that promise remains unfulfilled.

In this story of a diminished family, sharp and tender emotional truths hit home. Confident, deft and quietly powerful, The Promise is literary fiction at its finest.

My Thoughts

I enjoy stories that highlight the injustices of our past, and sadly, still out present. Whilst it’s much less commonplace now, we can’t say racial discrimination isn’t part of our culture.

I can’t say I’ve read any fiction set in South Africa, but I have no doubt the story is one we have seen time and again throughout history. I’m a form believer in reading these stories and perspectives to learn from them. To avoid history repeating itself. Whilst that only really works if many others in society take the same approach, I can only be responsible for myself. And, hopefully persuade you to pick up The Promise as well.

I was gifted a copy of this book not long after it came out. With it already on my bookshelves ready to read, my intention is to try and get to this one before the end of 2026.

Have you read The Promise yet? If so, what did you make of it? I personally can’t wait to give it a try!

First Lines Friday – 31/07/2026

Posted on July 31, 2026July 31, 2026 by fantasyst95

In today�s First Lines Friday, I�ve got a July TBR book I�ve not read yet. Naturally it�s going to be rolled on, as this is one of the highly anticipated releases I talked about in my YouTube video earlier this year.�

I have mixed feelings about starting this book. I personally have high expectations based on the earlier book in the series. However, since its recent publication I have heard mixed reviews.

Let�s get stuck into today�s First Lines Friday opening, then I can talk about the book less cryptically!

As the water taxi sped across the lagoon, the two young honeymooners gazed ahead in awe. Wilbur squeezed Maggie�s hand and leaned into her as they sat at the back of the small boat, the sun glittering on the water in front of them. �I love you, Mr Budd,� she told him, her words as natural as breath.

�I love you too, Mrs Budd.�

Maggie laughed, softly, at how funny and official that sounded.

They held hands as the boat chugged its way towards the city, their fingers intertwined like tangled roots. The ninth of August 1974.

The Midnight Train – Matt Haig�

Genre: Fiction

Pages: 296

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Viking

Publication Date: 26 May 2026

Goodreads – The Midnight Train�

When your life flashes before your eyes, what will matter most?

For Wilbur it was his time with Maggie, the love of his life. Their honeymoon in Venice. Before he threw it all away.

Years later, on the brink of his own death, a train arrives. It can take Wilbur back in time. To relive his most important moments. Soon he realises just how much he would have changed�

An adventure through time, The Midnight Train is a story of love and second chances, from the world of The Midnight Library.

My Thoughts…

I loved The Midnight Library. So much so, I read the book twice in pretty quick succession. It was the first book I recommended to the book club I used to host at work.

Earlier this year, Matt Haig published a sequel to this novel � The Midnight Train. Full of high expectations, I eagerly added this to my reading list for 2026. It can only be as good as The Midnight Library, right?

Well, my concern is that reviews on this book or mixed. There are some that love it, and there are some who, maybe like me, had high expectations and found it fell short. Do I worry I will fall in that category? Yes, actually. I have a very high expectations for The Midnight Train based on The Midnight Library, and I�m not sure it can live up to it.

Does that mean I shouldn�t give it a go? No. Absolutely not! I�m still keen to pick up The Midnight Train and give us a go. Even if it doesn�t live up to The Midnight Library, I think this book can be full of life lessons to make us consider what is important to us and make changes here and now that Wilbur never got the chance to.

Thanks for checking out today�s First Lines Friday! Have you read The Midnight Train?

Shelf Control #105 – 26/06/2026

Posted on June 26, 2026June 26, 2026 by fantasyst95

***Today�s Shelf Control 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***

My latest Shelf Control features a crime novel by well-known J.K. Rowling written under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith. Aside from the Harry Potter series, I�ve yet to read any other books by the author. I�m interested to see how differently this book, and if I like it, series reads. It�s a completely different genre to that I�ve read before. I received a copy of this particular book as a gift. I believe my sister�s husband has read this particular book already and enjoyed it! It�ll be interesting to see if we feel the same way about it.�

Before I get into the details of it, here�s a recap of what this Shelf Control feature is all about.�

Shelf Control is a meme run by Lisa at Bookshelf Fantasies; 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.

The Cuckoo�s Calling – Robert Galbraith

Genre: Crime �

Pages: 550

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Sphere�

Publication Date: 18 Apr 2013

Amazon Purchase Link

Goodreads – The Cuckoo�s Calling

When a troubled model falls to her death from a Mayfair balcony, it is assumed that she has committed suicide. However, her brother has his doubts and calls in private detective Cormoran Strike to investigate. Strike is a war veteran�wounded both physically and psychologically�and his private life is in disarray. The case gives him a financial lifeline but it comes at a personal cost: the more he delves into the young model’s world, the darker things become and the closer he gets to terrible danger…

A gripping, elegant mystery steeped in the atmosphere of London�from the hushed streets of Mayfair, to the backstreet pubs of the East End, to the bustle of Soho�The Cuckoo’s Calling is a remarkable debut. Introducing Cormoran Strike, it is a classic crime novel unlike any other book you will read this year.

My Thoughts…�

Beyond the Harry Potter series, I haven�t tried any other books by J.K. Rowling. Given that I enjoy those books, and received a copy of the book by family who has read it, I can only have confidence I�ll enjoy it.�

I�m keen to try this brand-new genre from this author. It�s one I like anyway, if maybe I don�t read as much of it as late as I used to. That�s something to change. And, if I love the books, there are plenty more in the series to dive into. I have a hunch I own at least one more of these, so let�s hope I get on with today�s Shelf Control feature!�

I know J.K. Rowling and her views aren�t for everyone. However, I separate creators and their art. If I only read material by authors whose views I agreed on 100%, then I�d never broaden my horizons. Plus, that�s how confirmation bias and polarisation happens. Reading her books doesn�t mean I align with her views. Rather, I just want to enjoy the fiction she writes.�

Have you read The Cuckoo�s Calling? If you want to grab a copy for yourself, don�t forget you can support me as a creator by following these links to get a hold of yours copy in your preferred format, be that print, e-book�or audio!�

Thanks for reading today’s Shelf Control!�

First Lines Friday – 12/06/2026

Posted on June 12, 2026 by fantasyst95

***Today�s First Lines Friday contains an affiliate link to Amazon if you wish to purchase today�s 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.***

In today�s First Lines Friday, I�m specifically looking to feature a book on my physical, unread TBR. In last week�s Sunday Summary, I set out my intention to look through my bookshelves for such a book.

There�s a wide spectrum of genres and authors on the list. I had no agenda in terms of any particular book to feature. Rather, I nosed through what I had until I found something interesting.�

I�m pleased with today�s pick. It�s a pretty topical non-fiction, and I�m keen to get to it soon whilst it�s still relevant.�

Let�s take a look at the opening, then check out the details of the book!�

After picking up this book and reading these first few words, you might be wondering if a human wrote them.

That�s okay. I�m not offended.

Two years ago, that thought would not have even crossed your mind. But today, machines are generating articles, books, illustrations, and computer code that seem indistinguishable from the content created by people. Remember the �novel-writing machine� in the dystopian future of George Orwell�s 1984 and his �versificator� that wrote popular music? Those things exist now, and the change happened so fast it�s given the public whiplash, leaving us wondering whether today�s office workers will have jobs in the next year or two. Millions of white-collar professionals suddenly look vulnerable. Talented young illustrators are wondering if they should bother going to art school.�

Supremacy – Parmy Olson�

Genre: Non-Fiction

Pages: 336

Audience: Adult

Publisher: St Martin�s Press

Publication Date: 10 Sept 2024

Goodreads – Supremacy

Amazon Purchase Link�

When ChatGPT was released, the world changed overnight. Even as we all played with the new toy, a very real danger was quickly coming to light: that untested automations would undermine our way of life insidiously, sucking value out of our economy, replacing high-level creative jobs and enabling a new, terrifying era of disinformation.

It was never meant to be this way. The founders of the two companies behind the most advanced AIs in existence � Open AI (ChatGPT) and DeepMind (Bard) � started their journeys determined to solve humanity�s greatest problems. But they couldn�t develop their technologies without huge amounts of money � money that Microsoft and Google were more than happy to give them, in exchange for the most powerful seats at the table.

From award-winning journalist Parmy Olson, Supremacy is the astonishing, untold, behind-the-scenes story of the battle between two AI companies, their struggles to use their tech for good, and the dangerous direction that they�re now going in. Featuring a cast of larger-than-life characters, including Elon Musk, Larry Page, Sergey Brin and Peter Thiel, Supremacy is a story of manipulation, exploitation, secrecy and of ruthless, relentless human progress � progress that will impact all of us for years to come.

My Thoughts…

A book around AI and the race between two huge companies to commercialise the new technology is a very topical read. With this in mind, I�m keen to pick up Supremacy by Parmy Olson whilst its message is still culturally relevant. Especially as technology moves on so fast, the topic quickly falls out of current events and into history in the blink of an eye.�

I�m interested in this book from two angles. The first is the business aspect of both Microsoft and Google competing with each other to get to market, or provide a better product, first. The second is from the perspective of wanting to learn about AI. How did two tech giants endeavour to make such a huge project? If you have played with artificial intelligence in any way, shape or form, you�ll see that it�s already pretty comprehensive. Sure, it still has its flaws, and it should be taken with a pinch of salt. However, when you consider the scope of knowledge of the average person versus what information is at your fingertips now using tool like ChatGPT or DeepMind, it�s impressive stuff.�

Personally, I�m not so sure the likes of AI will threaten jobs as much as this book suggests. I can only hope it is a scaremonger and that AI becomes a tool to make our jobs easier, rather than a tool to replace humans. Jobs will look different for many, but not become absent in all cases.�

I�m also excited to dive into this topical read as it�s a book on my physical TBR. I�m making an effort to get through my physical bookshelf and therefore that makes Supremacy an ideal candidate to pick up soon.

Have you read Supremacy or any other AI non-fiction books lately? If so, do you have any recommendations? If you are intrigued to read Supremacy with me, don�t forget you can use this link�to grab a copy for yourself.

Thanks for reading today’s First Lines Friday!

Shelf Control #104 – 29/05/2026

Posted on May 29, 2026 by fantasyst95

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.

Today�s Shelf Control is a bit of a change-up on other recent Shelf Control features. My last two were non-fiction reads. However, if that�s not your bag and you prefer historical fiction, stick with me. Today�s feature is a daring WW2 historical fiction novel with a female lead.�

Intrigued? Let�s take a look!�

Charlotte Gray – Sebastian Faulks�

Genre: Historical fiction �

Pages: 495

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Penguin�

Publication Date: 13 Apr 2013

Amazon Purchase Link

Goodreads – Charlotte Gray

In 1942, Charlotte Gray, a young Scottish woman, goes to Occupied France on a dual mission:to run an apparently simple errand for a British special operations group and to search for her lover, an English airman called Peter Gregory, who has gone missing in action. In the small town of Lavaurette, Sebastian Faulks presents a microcosm of France and its agony in ‘the black years’, here is the full range of collaboration, from the tacit to the enthusiastic, as well as examples of extraordinary courage and altruism. Through the local resistance chief Julien, Charlotte meets his father a Jewish painter whose inspiration has failed him. In Charlotte’s friendship with both men, Faulks opens up the theme of false memory and of paradises?both national and personal?that appear irredeemably lost. In a series of shocking narrative climaxes in which the full extent of French collusion in the Nazi holocaust is delineated, Faulks brings the story to a resolution of redemptive love. In the delicacy of its writing, the intimacy of its characterisation and its powerful narrative scenes of harrowing public events, Charlotte Gray is a worthy successor to Birdsong.

My Thoughts

I love the sound of Charlotte Gray. I�m particularly intrigued by the female lead. A lot of action in WW2 fiction often takes place by male counterparts. However, in Charlotte Gray, a woman is stepping into danger.�

Often there is a hidden side to the war in that the lives of families left behind are forgotten. Their names and stories aren�t told on memorials, and yet the war impacted them just as much as their partners, husbands and fathers who are sent away.�

I�ve enjoyed similar fiction before, the most recent and reminiscent of this setting is All The Light We Cannot See. I enjoyed that setting and the personal stories that take place on this wider narrative. Now, I can only hope for the same in Charlotte Gray. �

I can�t wait to check out Charlotte Gray and I hope you�re as excited to read it as I am. I�m not sure whether I�m going to pick this up as a standalone or whether I�ll pick up the earlier books first. I�ll decide nearer the time!�

Thanks for reading today’s Shelf Control. Are you interested in reading with me? If you like the sound of it, grab a copy and read with me!�

First Lines Friday – 22/05/2026

Posted on May 22, 2026 by fantasyst95

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.***

I�m back with a First Lines Friday, and I�m looking forward to sharing details of a book I have on my radar as it contributes towards the Goodreads 2026 Spring Reading Challenge. I had plenty of books to choose from. I have three other books on my TBR, as well as today�s feature, that will contribute towards the has me debating whether to pick up today�s feature for the Editor�s Picks award. Initially, my gut instinct was to pick up one of two other books. Now though, I may change my mind��

Let�s take a look at the opening lines, and then dive into details of the book!�

I am dangling, and it is only my father�s blood-slicked grip around my wrist that prevents me from falling.�

He is on his stomach, stretched out over the rocky ledge. His muscles are corded. Sticky red covers his face, his arms, his clothes, everything I can see. Yet I know he can pull me up. I do everything I can not to struggle. I trust him to save me.�

He looks over my shoulder. Into the inky black. Into the darkness that is to come.�

�Courage,� he whispers. He pours heartbreak and hope into the word.

He lets go.�

�

The Will of the Many – James Islington�

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 640

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Saga Press

Publication Date: 23 May 2023

Goodreads – The Will of the Many

Amazon Purchase Link�

At the elite Catenan Academy, a young fugitive uncovers layered mysteries and world-changing secrets in this �brilliant and gut-churning masterpiece� (Library Journal, starred review) by the internationally bestselling author of The Licanius Trilogy, James Islington.

The Catenan Republic�the Hierarchy�may rule the world now, but they do not know everything.

I tell them my name is Vis Telimus. I tell them I was orphaned after a tragic accident three years ago, and that good fortune alone has led to my acceptance into their most prestigious school. I tell them that once I graduate, I will gladly join the rest of civilized society in allowing my strength, my drive, and my focus�what they call Will�to be leeched away and added to the power of those above me, as millions already do. As all must eventually do.

I tell them that I belong, and they believe me.

But the truth is that I have been sent to the Academy to find answers. To solve a murder. To search for an ancient weapon. To uncover secrets that may tear the Republic apart.

And that I will never, ever cede my Will to the empire that executed my family.

To survive though, I will still have to rise through the Academy�s ranks. I will have to smile, and make friends, and pretend to be one of them, and�win.�Because if I cannot, then those who want to control me, who know my real name, will no longer have any use for me.

And if the Hierarchy finds out who I truly am, they will kill me.

My Thoughts…

The introduction in today�s First Lines Friday has me wondering if I should forego picking up Challenger or The Song of the Cell, which were my first choices, for The Will of the Many.�

Dark academia is a genre I enjoy reading every time I go back to it. That�s why The Will of the Many is on my TBR anyway. That, and I�ve heard amazing things about the book. With that introduction, I�m already asking questions about the dynamic between the characters. It�s shocking and there is barely any detail or context for us to understand what is going on – and hook our attention!�

I don�t know a lot about The Will of the Many beyond the synopsis and that fellow reviewers I trust enjoyed the book. And you know what, I�m kind of happy with that. I�m willing to go with the vibes and be surprised either way. Sometimes, it�s refreshing to go into a book not knowing – when you�re active in the community and read reviews by others, it�s rare to go into a book without some kind of preconception.�

Have you read The Will of the Many? Do you like dark academia and want to read along with me? If you liked today�s post, please consider grabbing your copy of the book using this link, from which I will earn a small commission at no cost to you.�

Thanks for reading today�s First Lines Friday, and hope you�re looking forward to the long weekend ahead!�

Shelf Control #103 – 08/05/2026

Posted on May 8, 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***

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

In my latest Shelf Control, I�ve got another non-fiction book. Last time I featured a book that came out of my TBR Jar this month, Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon. This time, I have a very different non-fiction to feature. The main subject of this book – life working as part of the London Ambulance Service.�

I love programmes of this nature on TV. I�ve also enjoyed other medical books of this nature – This Is Going To Hurt, I�m looking at you��

Blood, Sweat and Tea – Tom Reynolds

Genre: Non-fiction �

Pages: 280

Audience: Adult

Publisher: The Friday Project�

Publication Date: 28 May 2009

Amazon Purchase Link

Goodreads – Blood, Sweat and Tea

�A beautifully written insight into the stresses, strains and successes of working for the London Ambulance service.

Is there anyone who hasn’t wondered about the state of the occupant of an ambulance, screaming along with its sirens on and blue lights flashing? Have you? And have you wondered about the other people inside the ambulance, maybe fighting to save the patient’s life? Or have you considered that the ambulance may be another ‘maternataxi’ ordered by a woman who can’t be bothered to book a real cab and who then complains she can’t smoke on the way to hospital? And that the medical technician inside might just be desperate to get back home from a busy shift, to have a cup of tea and catch up with his blog?

Meet Tom Reynolds. Tom is an Emergency Medical Technician who works for the London Ambulance Service in East London. He has kept a blog of his daily working life since 2003 and his award-winning writing is, by turn, moving, cynical, funny, heart-rending and compassionate. It is never less than compelling.

From the tragic to the hilarious, from the heartwarming to the terrifying, the stories Tom tells give a fascinating � and at times alarming � picture of life in inner-city Britain, and the people who are paid to mop up after it.

My Thoughts

I�ve enjoyed books similar to this genre and style before. I�m a big fan of Adam Kay�s humour that overlaps in the medical field. Blood, Sweat and Tea overlaps with the medical profession as well, albeit the ambulance service who deals with people before they make it to a hospital. With This is Going to Hurt, I was laughing hard one minute and crying the next. If Brian Kellett (writing under the pseudonym Tom Reynolds) can match this emotional rollercoaster with Blood, Sweat and Tea, then I�ll be a happy lady. Brian is an emergency medical technician, so it sounds like this book will be personal stories of his tine working for the service. If that�s true, then this has the perfect set up.�

This type of book isn�t one I pick up a lot of. However, I enjoy them when I do and it has every potential t become a standout read for this exact reason. I enjoy TV documentaries of this nature. From A&E based programs to documentaries on standout surgeons in their field, I�ve watched plenty.�

I�m looking forward to exploring the stories of the frontline workers of the NHS. It�s a tough job, and not one I could do. I have a lot of respect for those who do this job and deal with people at their most vulnerable (or sometimes their worst). My only reservation about this book is that several reviewers find the author�s perspective to come across as judgemental and therefore unprofessional. I can only make a call on this when I read it for myself.�

I can�t wait to explore this book and let you know my thoughts soon! Have you read Blood, Sweat and Tea? Is this type of book up your alley?�

First Lines Friday – 24/04/2026

Posted on April 24, 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 back with a First Lines Friday, and it�s good to be back! When I shared my plans for this post last week, I didn�t set any theme or specific book. I wanted to keep this as open as possible, and I have a fabulous book for you in this First Lines Friday!�

Do you recognise the subject at all?�

12 January 1944�

ON A CRISP January morning in 1944, seven Gestapo officers, two of them detectives, pulled up outside a cottage in a small Alpine town in southern Bavaria. It was the middle of the week, a Wednesday, and it was wartime. A few years earlier, this would have been peak skiing season, the snows around Partenkirchen pristine and perfect. But this trip was strictly business.�

Led by the detectives, both of whom were women, the Gestapo did not wait for the door to be opened. Instead, they forced their way in and found their target right away.

The Traitor�s Circle – Jonathan Freedland�

Genre: Non-Fiction

Pages: 480

Audience: Adult

Publisher: John Murray

Publication Date: 11 Sept 2025

Goodreads – The Traitor�s Circle

Amazon Purchase Link�

When the whole world is lying, someone must tell the truth.

Berlin, 1943. A group of high-society anti-Nazi dissenters meet for a tea party one late summer afternoon. They do not know that, sitting around the table, is someone poised to betray them all to the Gestapo – revealing their secret to the Nazis’ most ruthless detective.

They form a circle of unlikely rebels, drawn from the German elite: two countesses, a diplomat, an intelligence officer, an ambassador’s widow and a pioneering headmistress. Meeting in the shadows, rescuing Jews or plotting for a future Germany freed from the F�hrer’s rule, what unites them is a shared loathing of the Nazis, a refusal to bow to Hitler and the courage to perform perilous acts of resistance. Or so they believe.

How did a group of brave, principled rebels, who had successfully defied Adolf Hitler for more than a decade, come to fall into such a lethal trap? And who betrayed them?

Undone from within and pursued to near-destruction by one of the Reich’s cruellest men, they showed a heroism that raises a question with new urgency for our time: what kind of person does it take to risk everything and stand up to tyranny?

My Thoughts…

I�m obsessed with WW2 books. From historical fiction to non-fiction, I love it all. It�s pretty much an auto-buy subject.�

I ended up with a copy of this book for an unusual reason. I�d bought it as a gift for my sister�s fianc� Chris. He�s a big reader and we overlap on a lot of books we enjoy. It was a god choice for him; the only problem was that he already owned it!�

I made good and gave him money to buy something else instead and kept The Traitor�s Circle myself. No point getting a refund – after I bought it for Chris I�d added it to my TBR anyway ?

Have you read The Traitor�s Circle? You can support me as a creator and follow this purchase link to get yourself a copy to readalong with me ?

Thanks for checking out today�s First Lines Friday! What are you reading, and will you pick up this First Lines Friday feature for yourself?

Popular Books I DNF’d

Posted on April 22, 2026 by fantasyst95

I�m not one for DNF�ing many books, but I�ve been blogging long enough to have accumulated a list. There are a number of popular books I DNF�d too. A book may be loved by the majority, but that doesn�t mean that it is for you. Don�t get me wrong, I�ve read plenty of popular books and agreed with public consensus. However, a popular book isn�t always necessarily a great book for you. In today�s post, I share a list of popular books I DNF�d, and why I didn�t agree with the masses.

I�ve broken this popular books I DNF�s list into genres – that way you can read, or skip, based on your genre preferences ? Or, read on for the tea� ?

Fantasy�

Good Omens�

I had high hopes for Good Omens. Of all the books in this popular books I DNF�s list, it�s the book I wanted to get on with the most.�

Alas, it was not meant to be. Good Omens is co-written by one of my favourite authors – Terry Pratchett. I�ve read many of his books to date. However, my relationship with fellow co-author Neil Gaiman has been rockier. Of his books, I�ve read Stardust, Norse Mythology and American Gods. Norse Mythology was my favourite of these books, but I gave American Gods and Stardust a fairly average rating.�

Of the two writers, I�d hoped Terry Pratchett�s influence would come off stronger. However, in practice I found the opposite true. Terry�s humour was there, but Good Omens lacked the spark and wit I love in his Discworld books.�

Unfortunately, Good Omens did not tick the boxes for me. I went into the book with hopes and some expectation of TP brilliance shin gin through. In practice, the book had little hope of living up to my high expectations. It didn�t, so after putting the book down to prioritise some other time-sensitive reads, I couldn�t bring myself to try and pick Good Omens up again.�

Children of Virtue and Vengeance�

The first book of this series, Children of Blood and Bone, was really good. I really enjoyed the magic, character development and storyline of this first instalment by Tomi Adeyemi.�

It was a long time before I revisited the series and started Children of Virtue and Vengeance. I think I matured in terms of reading preferences in this time, because when I came back, it wasn�t the same experience. I struggled to invest in the characters and storyline. It didn�t take long for me to work out that this book wasn�t for me. It�s a shame, as I gave the first book a five star rating. Maybe if I�d read it closer to the first book, or when I was younger and closer to the YA age group, I�d have been okay.�

However, Children of Virtue and Vengeance lacked the magic and inspiration I took from Children of Blood and Bone. So, this is a popular book I DNF�d.�

Malice

John Gwynne is a popular author in the fantasy genre.�

I started Malice for the first time years ago – pre-blog days. I recall having this under my desk in my first ever job, so we are talking 2013-2016. It maybe spoke volumes that I didn�t get very far into the book then. However, I wasn�t really giving it full attention at the time so I didn�t want to judge the book based on that.

I revisited Malice in 2022 and unfortunately, didn�t get beyond the first 50 pages. Even then, I felt I had to push through this far. The book lacked a pull or intrigue to get me invested with the book. Some of the tropes the book leans into are also a bit repetitive, but lacked any unique spark to invite me to read on and find out more.�

Sci-Fi/Dystopia

Lord of the Flies

As a general rule, I love dystopian fiction. However, Lord of the Flies didn�t hit the mark in the same way similar books in the genre do.�

Mjuch like my experience of Good Omens, I had to set aside Lord of the Flies to prioritise blog tours. Then, when it was time to come back to Lord of the Flies, I wasn�t inspired to get back into this world. What also doesn�t help was that I borrowed this digitally from my library and I was reading this on an app on my phone. It�s not how I prefer to read, but sometimes it�s just how it has to be done.�

With Lord of the Flies, it didn�t work for me. Combine that with a lack-lustre plot, it was a pretty easy decision to add this to my list of popular books I DNF’d.�

Children of Dune

The first the books of the Dune series by Frank Herbert went sown well. However, I lost steam and ultimately Children of Dune became another popular book I DNF�d.�

When I was reading this book, it was in short stints. Over the course of a week I crawled through 150 pages before deciding this book wasn�t working for me. Dune was already a little bit of a stretch in that its more political than I would normally read. However, the first two books made it work. Children of Dune didn�t do it for me. Back in my June 2023 wrap-up I put this book on hold. However, I�ve not gone back to it and I don�t have any strong feelings to revisit this book and series. So, it�s officially on the DNF pile.�

Shame, because the start of the series was full of promise!�

Non-Fiction

The Courage to be Disliked�

The most recent entry to this popular books I DNF�d list is The Courage to be Disliked. I read this book back in January. My plan was to read the book towards our work book club theme which was based on self-help/development.�

The format of The Courage to be Disliked is unusual. I think it�s like marmite – you love it or hate it. I didn�t vibe with it. It was a novelty for all of five minutes, but quickly became repetitive. The narrative voice we readers are supposed to find most relatable was irritating. Combative, irritating. I didn�t get on with this character/perspective at all. I also don�t agree with some of the teachings in this book, so that was hard to get past. It didn�t take long for me to decide The Courage to be Disliked wasn�t for me.�

Summary

I don�t DNF many books� probably not as many as I should. I frequently carry on with books I�m not vibing with, either in the moment or at all.�

I�ve collected these titles, alongside just 18 more, over nearly nine years. I read an average of 45-50 book a year. So, it�s a very small proportion I actually DNF. Even then, it�s rarer still to have popular books I DNF�d. For the most part, I agree with the general opinion. Clearly though, not always!�

What�s a popular book you have DNF�d?�

Category: For Fun

Top 3 Reads of 2026 So Far

Yellowface – R.F. Kuang

Project Hail Mary – Andy Weir

Wild Dark Shore – Charlotte McConaghy

Summary

Shelf Control #106 – 21/08/2026

The Promise – Damon Galgut

My Thoughts

Shelf Control #105 – 26/06/2026

The Cuckoo�s Calling – Robert Galbraith

My Thoughts…�

First Lines Friday – 12/06/2026

Supremacy – Parmy Olson�

My Thoughts…

Shelf Control #104 – 29/05/2026

Charlotte Gray – Sebastian Faulks�

My Thoughts

First Lines Friday – 22/05/2026