Category: For Fun

First Lines Friday – 28/06/2024

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Welcome to another First Lines Friday post! In my Sunday Summary post last week, I shared that I was keeping the subject of this First Lines Friday feature open to a decision nearer the time.

I’ve decided for this post to share an upcoming read. As of this post, I have read three out of the four books in the series, with just this last one to catch up on until I can mark the series as complete!

So, without further ado, let’s get into this First Lines Friday feature shall we?


I floated in a void of nothing.

And felt like I belonged there.

So strange. I was a creature of flesh and blood. I knew that. Yet my soul – part of it at least – felt more at home here. In a vast void of meaningless time. The nowhere.

 


Defiant- Brandon Sanderson

Genre: Science fiction

Pages: 415

Audience: Young Adult

Publisher: Gollancz

Publication Date: 21 Nov 2023

Goodreads – Defiant

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson comes the final book in an epic series about a girl who will travel beyond the stars to save the world she loves from destruction.

Spensa made it out of the Nowhere, but what she saw in the space between the stars has changed her forever. She came face to face with the Delvers, and finally got answers to the questions she’s had about her own strange Cytonic gifts. 

The Superiority didn’t stop in it’s fight for galactic dominance while she was gone, though. Spensa’s team, Skyward Flight, was able to hold Winzik off, and even collect allies to help with the cause, but it’s only a matter of time until humanity–and the rest of the galaxy–falls. 

Defeating them will require all the knowledge Spensa gathered while in the Nowhere. But being Cytonic is more complicated than she ever could have imagined. Now, Spensa must ask herself: how far is she willing to go for victory, if it means losing herself–and her friends–in the process.


My Thoughts…

Defiant is on this year‘s Summer TBR as I want to catch up with and finish this last instalment of the series.

For just a couple of months last year, I was up-to-date until Defiant was released in November. I’m not mad though! I am really enjoying this series to date even though I’m older than the target audience. Angsty teenager is a difficult character type to get right and for me to get on with. I’ve always been a bit of an old soul so I’ve struggled to relate to this kind of character before.

Not Spensa though. Is she incredibly feisty, spontaneous and a little bit reckless? Absolutely. Is this kind of person I would normally jive with? Not really. However, she works really well for me.

To be fair, there isn’t a Brandon Sanderson novel yet that I’ve not loved. I hope I haven’t jinxed it, but I’m quietly confident this will be another fantastic read.


Thanks for reading today’s First Lines Friday post! Have you read Defiant yet?

 

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Shelf Control #78 – 21/06/2024

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This Shelf Control features an author I have read many times already, and will continue to do so in future. He is very prominent in his genre and is by all accounts a household name.

I added this book to my reading list as I was intrigued by the synopsis. I also know I love his writing style, so I can’t really go wrong here!

Before I get into details of the book, I share a reminder of what the Shelf Control feature 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.


Bag of Bones – Stephen King

Genre: Horror

Pages: 672

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Hodder and Stoughton

Publication Date: 31 May 2017

 


Goodreads – Bag of Bones

 

A powerful tale of grief, love’s enduring bonds and the secrets of the past.

When Mike Noonan’s wife dies unexpectedly, the bestselling author suffers from writer’s block. Until he is drawn to his summer home, the beautiful lakeside retreat called Sara Laughs.

Here Mike finds the once familiar town in the tyrannical grip of millionaire Max Devore. Devore is hell-bent on getting custody of his deceased son’s daughter and is twisting the fabric of the community to this purpose.

Three-year-old Kyra and her young mother turn to Mike for help. And Mike finds them increasingly irresistible.

But there are other more sinister forces at Sara Laughs – and Kyra can feel them too . . .


My Thoughts

Stephen King is an author I intend to read over time. To date, I have enjoyed many of his books, from crossovers with the fantasy genre (The Dark Tower) to pure horror (The Shining, Pet Sematary, The Green Mile etc). And, I’m not much of a horror reader in general, so there’s a compliment, right?

The synopsis is as gripping as all King novels are. There is always something supernatural going on and we are never quite sure what is behind it all. That’s what I love digging into in his books, and Bag of Bones will be no exception.

It’s also a reasonably chunky book. You know that appeals to Queen of chunky books here!

Have you read Bag of Bones? What did you think of it if you have?

 

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Top Ten Tuesday – Summer 2024 TBR

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In today’s Top Ten Tuesday, I’ll be making plans for my Summer 2024 TBR and sharing the top ten books I plan to read this summer season.

Some of the books on this Top Ten Tuesday list carried over from my Winter 2023 TBR. This is the last time I did a post of this type, and given I enjoyed it so much last year, I’m bringing it back. I also want to keep myself accountable to these reading lists, so before publishing the next one I’ll be doing a check-in of what I have actually read from the list I’ve set.

Now, with that out of the way, shall we get into today’s Top Ten Tuesday list?

Summer 2024 TBR


Obsidio

Having nearly concluded The Illuminae Files trilogy, I’m keen to pick up this last book and to be able to mark the trilogy as complete. But, this is more than a tick box exercise. I have really enjoyed reading this young adult sci-fi series and seeing how the storylines come together.

I plan to pick up Obsidio later this month, so watch this space!

 

Wolves of the Calla

Another series I want to progress with him the near future is Stephen King’s The Dark Tower. Wolves of the Calla is a chunky instalment in the series, and I’m looking forward to getting stuck in.

Book in the series, Wizard and Glass, did not carry on the present-day storyline like I expected. Instead, it takes us back to the history of events to date and explains a lot about what’s been hinted at in the books. I’m hoping for a jump back to the present day so we can pick up the storyline again.


The Good Samaritan

I enjoyed listening to The Minders by John Marrs towards the end of last year. Having finished that book, I knew I wanted to pick up another of his soon.

The Good Samaritan has been on my reading list for a good while, so that is the book I want to pick up next. I’m also really intrigued by the synopsis and the conflict that I expect in this book.


Undoctored

I love Adam Kay’s writing style for his humour. As of today, I’ve already enjoyed reading both This is Going to Hurt, and his festive themed book,T’was the Nightshift Before Christmas.

I’m looking forward to going back to his non-Christmas themed writing. His books are full of humour, even though they discuss important and very thought-provoking, emotional topics.

 

The Kingdom

I added The Kingdom to my Winter 2023 TBR but never got to it. I’ve decided to carry it forward as I like the sound of the synopsis.

As fiction goes, it’s a little different to what I typically pick up. I was taken with the synopsis after hearing about the book on the Currently Reading podcast. Given it’s been an intention of mine to read the book for a while, I’ll try to include it on July’s TBR.


Jingo

If you follow my blog you’ll know that in the last couple of weeks, I’ve read two books written by, or about, Terry Pratchett. Neither of them were Discworld, but the autobiography has inspired me to continue with the next Discworld book and keep momentum going with the series.


Fool’s Errand

Another series I’m keen to keep progressing with is Robin Hobb’s Realm of the Elderlings series.

Fool’s Errand is the start of a new mini-series within the wider Realm of the Elderlings collection. It also goes back to a set of characters that we have seen previously in the first miniseries, the Farseer trilogy. I’m excited to see how these characters have moved on since those first books!


Breathtaking

I recently featured Breathtaking in a First Lines Friday post. Honestly, that introduction caught my attention so hard that I really want to read this book. I’ve also recently watched the TV documentary based on it, so it’s a topic that I want to explore more of.

I appreciate not everybody wants to deal with such a topic, but I think it’s important we as a society highlight what went wrong. Why were we were so unprepared, and how can we try and prevent the same mistakes being made in future?


Defiant

Another series I want to catch up on over the course of the summer is Brandon Sanderson‘s Skyward series. Last year I read Cytonic, which at the time was the last book published. However, a couple of short months later, this next instalment, Defiant, was published.

Now that I am reasonably on track with the series, I want to keep up with these as and when they come out. I’m a little late in starting Defiant as this came out in around November last year. But, reading this will mean I am back on track with the series and I can give myself a good old tick against my series goal!


Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon

The last book on this Top Ten Tuesday list is another non-fiction. With the next series of House of the Dragon coming out imminently, I want to read my copy of Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon.

If you are unfamiliar, this book is about the main Game of Thrones series. I honestly love it so much that I can read that, any spin off books and any books about the whole process and not get bored. It’s fat to say I am a little obsessed…


Have you read any of the books featured in my Top Ten Tuesday? Have any of them caught your eye and made you want to read them for yourself?

 

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First Lines Friday – 14/06/2024

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Last time I shared a First Lines Friday post I featured a non-fiction novel coming up on my TBR. For this post, I deliberately wanted to feature a recent fiction book I purchased by an author I’ve enjoyed re-reading recently.

I found this book at Waterstones unintentionally, but I loved the synopsis and I’m confident I’ll really enjoy the story. The opening lines below only reinforce that.

Let me share that with you now –


They kill my father first.

Shiny boots ring on the stairs as they march into our cell, four of them all in a pretty row. Blank faces and perfect skin, matte grey pistols in red, red hands. A beautiful man with golden hair says they’re here to execute us. No explanations. No apologies.

Father turns towards us, and the terror in his eyes breaks my heart to splinters. I open my mouth to speak to him, but I don’t know what I’ll say.

The bullets catch him in his back, and bloody flowers bloom on his chest. My sisters scream as the muzzles flash and the shadows dance, and the noise is so loud, I’m afraid I’ll never hear anything ever again.

 


Lifel1k3 – Jay Kristoff

Genre: Post apocalyptic fantasy

Pages: 417

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Harper Voyager

Publication Date: 01 Jun 2018


Goodreads – LIfel1k3

It’s just another day on the Scrap: lose the last of your credits at the WarDome, dodge the gangs and religious fanatics, discover you can destroy electronics with your mind, stumble upon the deadliest robot ever built…

When Eve finds the ruins of an android boy named Ezekiel in the scrap pile she calls home, her entire world comes crashing down. With her best friend and her robotic sidekick in tow, she and Ezekiel will trek across deserts of irradiated glass, battle cyborg assassins, and scour abandoned megacities to save the ones she loves…and learn the dark secrets of her past.


My Thoughts…

I picked up this book entirely because it is written by Jay Kristoff and I have confidence in his writing. After looking at it for content for this First Lines Friday post, I may end up picking it up soon for a refreshing change.  

I’m intrigued by the post apocalyptic setting as this is something I have read in the past, but admittedly, I don’t read a lot of. Combine this with the evident tech that has a place in this world, and we’re in for an interesting mashup!

If I go onto enjoy this first because as much as I think I will, then what a shame that it’s the first part of a trilogy. I’ll just have to conclude the series, right?!

Do you like the sound of Lifel1k3? Have you enjoyed this First Lines Friday post?

 

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Shelf Control #77 – 10/05/24

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In today’s Shelf Control post, I feature an anthology that has to be the longest I will ever pick up! At over 1000 pages and with big names such as Stephen King, George R.R. Martin and H.P. Lovecraft, it promises lots of great narratives within.

Before I share details of this anthology, here’s a reminder of what the Shelf Control feature 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.

 

The Weird: A Compendium of Strange and Dark Stories

Genre: Anthology

Pages: 1,153

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Corvus

Publication Date: 31 Oct 2011

 

Goodreads – The Weird


A landmark, eclectic, leviathan-sized anthology of fiction’s wilder, stranger, darker shores.

The Weird features an all star cast of authors, from classics to international bestsellers to prize winners:

Ben Okri

George R.R. Martin

Angela Carter

Kelly Link

Franz Kafka

China Miéville

Clive Barker

Haruki Murakami

M.R. James

Neil Gaiman

Mervyn Peake

Michael Chabon

Stephen King

Daphne Du Maurier

and more…

Exotic and esoteric, The Weird plunges you into dark domains and brings you face to face with surreal monstrosities; You will find the boldest and downright most peculiar stories from the last hundred years bound together in the biggest Weird collection ever assembled.


My Thoughts

Anthologies aren’t the types of books I pick up on a regular basis, but I do like to try them now and then. Sometimes having a short read can be the break needed from longer or heavier narratives. In my experience so far, anthologies have served me well in this regard.

However, I have also never read an anthology that is over 1000 pages long! It’s a huge collection. In reality, I may find it easier to read this anthology in short bursts over a long a stretch of time rather than as the whole book in itself. Especially given it a style I don’t pick up that often, I think reading it all in one go would be too much. At least it does have ties back to my favourite genre, fantasy, which will keep me coming back! 

The beauty of having a book compiled of shorter stories is that it will be easy to pick up and put down at will. Whenever I need a break from another book, I’ll be able to pick this up quickly! Equally, I’m able to break between stories back to my regular reading.

I’m looking forward to reading short stories from many of the names within, including even Neil Gaiman. Well, I’ve never had a great experience with his full length books, I think I can palette his writing style in shorter doses.

Have you read The Weird, or anything else like it?

 

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Top Ten Tuesday – Unread Books on My Shelves I Want to Read Soon!

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Just like every bookworm, I have a stack of books on my shelves waiting and begging to be read. In today’s Top Ten Tuesday post, I feature some of the unread books I will look to prioritise in the coming months.

Are you intrigued for today’s Top Ten Tuesday list? Let’s get stuck in!


The Ember Blade

The Ember Blade is my first feature in this Top Ten Tuesday and a fantasy by an author I haven’t tried before. I love the sound of the synopsis and I confess I was a little biased by how beautiful the cover is!

I’m excited to try a new author! Whilst I do love to return to firm favourites, I try to stretch myself now and then with something new. This is in the safety net of my favourite genre (fantasy) and does have some typical tropes of the genre. Still, I’m interested to see how the author takes these and plays events out.

The book has an average 4.2 star rating on Goodreads with over 5000 ratings. It sounds promising! The only factor I need to consider is that this book is over 800 pages long. I need to try and split out some of my larger reads so I’m not bombarding myself all at once.


Spare and Found Parts

In contrast, Spare and Found Parts is a relatively short read that will take me out of my comfort zone.

Combine science-fiction with a steampunk vibe, toss in some romance and an epidemic, and you have quite the setting! It’s unusual and not like anything I have ever seen before. I picked up a copy of the book precisely for this reason.

This book is also great in that it will make for a great read in between some of my larger ones – as both a shorter read and its unusual setting. It will be a complete change regardless of what I read around it!


Les Miserables

Les Mis is an epic classic that I’m looking forward to getting to! At the same time, it is going to be a mammoth read. I need to pick it up as and when I’m in the mood.

I’ve had a quick read of the first few pages and the overall impression was good. I was worried initially that the writing style might be a little bit tricky, but didn’t find this with the sample. I’ll have to try and spread this out from some of the other chunky reads on this list. I can’t read too many large books at once.


Wolves of the Calla

Speaking of chunky reads, Wolves of the Calla by Stephen King is another such book in this Top Ten Tuesday post. It’s also the fifth book in The Dark Tower series, which is an ongoing read.

As I’m trying to pick up and finish more series this year, Wolves of the Calla is a natural choice. It means then I will have just two books left afterwards to complete the series.

Not only that, but I have really enjoyed each book in The Dark Tower series to date. They are cleverly written and I enjoy the diversity of Mid-world versus Earth in various time periods of history. It’s an interesting contrast and I hope to see more of in future books. We’ll see!


The Devil and the Dark Water

After reading The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, I’m looking forward to picking up a second book by Stuart Turton.

I featured this book in a First Lines Friday post and I loved the introduction to this book. With this in mind, I hope to pick this up before long as a change of genre and to re-explore the writing of an author I hope to read more of in future.


The Bone Collector

I have been threatening to read The Bone Collector by Jeffery Deaver for the longest time! It’s been sat on my shelf for some time and it’s time to give it some love!

I recall we’ve owned a copy of the book this long because I distinctly remember my sister getting a copy of this whilst she was at university… about six and a half years ago!

Maybe time to pick it up, no?


Fool’s Errand

I’ve been trying to get to Fool’s Errand for a couple of months anyway. Robin Hobb is fast becoming one of my favourite authors of all time. I have loved and rated each book in the Realm of the Elderlings series 5 stars so far.

Fool’s Errand will be the seventh book of the series that I pick up. Will I keep up the streak of five star ratings? I sincerely hope so!

Obsidio

Obsidio is the last book I need to read in Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman‘s The Illuminae Files. Although the stories are angled towards a young adult audience, I have a really enjoyed the books and characters so far.

With this being the last in the series, it makes sense to pick up this final book. I want to see events I have read so far wrapped up, but also to mark the series as complete.

I love Top Ten Tuesday posts like these as they are often great reminders to get to these final books! 


Master of Sorrows

I’ve been trying to get to Master of Sorrows for a couple of months as well, but I’ve not managed it so far. It’s a book I pulled out of my TBR jar, so I do need to pick it up before long. At the same time, I’m not taking anything else out of that until this book is finished!

I’ve heard rave reviews about this book and series so far. Had I not pulled this out of the jar, I probably would have held off starting this series. However, the jar has spoken and so I will be picking up this book very soon.


Elektra

I have read another book by Jennifer Saint, Ariadne. I’ve also come to enjoy Greek mythology from other writers such as Pat Barker and even Stephen Fry.

Greek mythology is not my strong point, but that is precisely why I’m trying to pick up more books in the genre. It also makes an interesting change from my usual preferences. I’m always trying to read out of my comfort zone, but this is a comfortable step as I’ve already tried the author once before!

As books on this list compare, it’s one of the shortest ones I can pick up. In that sense, I have a lot of flexibility as to when I can read the book.


Have you read any of the books I feature in today’s Top Ten Tuesday? Do you have any books you would recommend I pick up first?

As always, I’m really excited to hear from you!

 

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First Lines Friday – 12/04/2024

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Hello readers and welcome to my next instalment in the First Lines Friday regular series I feature on my blog.

This week’s feature is an upcoming read I’m looking forward to. Full disclosure here – it’s a book that takes an eye-opening view of the pandemic and how the NHS were left to handle the worldwide crisis on our shores. If it’s a topic you don’t want to read about right now, then this post (and book) isn’t for you.

I, however, am interested in the subject. If you’ve watched a Covid-19 related documentary on ITV lately then you may have an inkling of what is coming up.

If you’re ready, let’s take a look!

 

He lies on hospital sheets, but he’s drowning. Behind closed doors, with neither fanfare nor drama, he’s been quietly drowning all night. The act of voicing distress – alerting another human being to his plight – takes spare air he no longer possesses.

Wide mouth, wide eyes, face stunned and stricken. The mask clamps down on skin slick with sweat. His lips are grey, fingertips the colour of bruises. And though the oxygen roars, the highest flow we can manage, it’s still not enough, not remotely.


Breathtaking – Rachel Clarke

Genre: Non-fiction

Pages: 240

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group

Publication Date: 28 Jan 2021

 


Goodreads – Breathtaking

How does it feel to confront a pandemic from the inside, one patient at a time? To bridge the gulf between a perilously unwell patient in quarantine and their distraught family outside? To be uncertain whether the protective equipment you wear fits the science or the size of the government stockpile? To strive your utmost to maintain your humanity even while barricaded behind visors and masks?

Rachel is a palliative care doctor who looked after the most gravely unwell patients on the Covid-19 wards of her hospital. Amid the tensions, fatigue and rising death toll, she witnessed the courage of patients and NHS staff alike in conditions of unprecedented adversity. For all the bleakness and fear, she found that moments that could stop you in your tracks abounded. People who rose to their best, upon facing the worst, as a microbe laid waste to the population.


My Thoughts…

The ITV drama of the same name was based on revelations in this book. It was a heart-breaking watch, but I don’t want that to deter me from reading the source material.

It’s hard to stomach, but the stories and people within are real, even if their identities are protected under pseudonyms. Many undoubtedly suffered in the pandemic for a lot of reasons, and I think a lot of the detail was downplayed during the pandemic to avoid scaring the public. Now that the trauma isn’t so fresh, I want to read those stories. Understand what really happened. Pay my own respects to those who tragically lost their lives because we had no idea what hit us.

I appreciate this book isn’t going to be everybody’s taste, and that’s okay. There are many who will find this kind of book painful. I’m not one to shy away from a tricky subject though.

If you’re still here, thanks for taking the time to read today’s First Lines Friday post! Have you read or watched Breathtaking? What did you think?

 

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Shelf Control #76 – 29/03/2024

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I break away from my recent deluge of non-fiction books in this series with today’s Shelf Control feature. The three posts I’ve shared so far this year have all featured non-fiction of various topics. Today, we get to explore a historical fiction novel that is unique for me in that it covers World War II from a German perspective.

Before we get into the detail, here’s a reminder of what my Shelf Control feature 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.

 

Playing with Matches – Lee Strauss

Genre: Historical fiction

Pages: 311

Audience: Young Adult

Publisher: ESB Publishing

Publication Date: 16 Nov 2012

 

 

Goodreads – Playing with Matches

Heinz Schultz’s word could send a man to prison. Though only a youth of fifteen, he was strong, tall, and blond. The boys in his Deutsches Jungvolk unit esteemed him and feared him.

And they wanted to be just like him.
Emil Radle wanted to be just like him.

A dedicated member of Hitler Youth, Emil was loyal to the Fuehrer before family, a champion for the cause and a fan of the famous Luftwaffe Air force.

Emil’s friends Moritz and Johann discover a shortwave radio and everything changes. Now they listen to the forbidden BBC broadcast of news reports that tell both sides. Now they know the truth.

The boys along with Johann’s sister Katharina, band together to write out the reports and covertly distribute flyers through their city. It’s an act of high treason that could have them arrested–or worse.

As the war progresses, so does Emil’s affection for Katharina. He’d do anything to have a normal life and to stay in Passau by her side. But when Germany’s losses become immense, even their greatest resistance can’t prevent the boys from being sent to the Eastern Front.
***

Enjoy reading this well-researched, dramatic story of what it was like to be a teenager in Hitler’s Germany. A slightly different perspective than many world war two novels.

 

My Thoughts

It’s not the first time I have read historical fiction from a German perspective. The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak sounds similar to Playing with Matches in terms of setting, and it was a book I rated very highly! I love the sound of the synopsis and the danger these youth find themselves in. This book differs from The Book Thief in that is focuses on the oppressors rather than the oppressed Jews. That is a perspective I’ve not read before, so I am intrigued! 

If I’m honest, I am a little wary of representation given that the synopsis alludes to BBC broadcasting as the truth. I don’t know if this was the case, but it’s very likely it was propaganda in itself. The truth likely lay somewhere in the middle of the messages the allies and Germans were told. I’ll take that with a pinch of salt and otherwise see where the narrative takes us.

Whilst the characters in this book are fictional, the scenario in itself was very much real. Real people would have filled these character shoes and had to endure these experiences. That’s partly why I enjoy historical fiction around this topic so much. It’s harrowing, but it’s also an important reminder of what has happened to real people in the not-too-distant past.

Have you read Playing with Matches or any other World War II fiction set from a German perspective?

 

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2024 Reading Firsts Book Tag

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Given I’m sharing a review later this week, I wanted to post some light and fun content. When I saw Misty’s version of this tag on her blog, I knew I wanted to take part!

One book is repeated on this list, but overall there’s a good variety showcasing the different genres and styles I’ve picked up so far in 2024!

 

First Book Read In 2024

The first book I completed in 2024 was Gemina by Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman. It’s the sequel to Illuminae and I started the book at the very end of 2023.

I knew I was going to love Gemina as the first book in the series bowled me over. It shouldn’t be too long before I conclude it, but I’m glad 2024 got off to such a good start!

 

First Review of 2024

The first review I shared this year was for a book called Leadership and Culture by John and Katie McCann. I picked this book up last year from NetGalley as a means of working on some personal development. With the review outstanding on the site, I wanted to box this off quite early in order to improve my rating and potential acceptance for further books on the site.

If you are an aspiring, first time manager or someone looking for a practical refresh on leadership tips, please check out my review as you may find that or the book useful.

 

First Debut Read in 2024

I loved listening to the audiobook of Unmasked by Ellie Middleton. This is the first book Ellie has published, but I’m excited to say it’s not looking like the last. I noticed on Goodreads there is a book due to publish later this year. Based on my experience of Unmasked, I will be picking this one up too.

Whilst the book is a somewhat useful means of exploring what it is to be neurodivergent, but it also has a lot of Ellie‘s own experiences. This personal angle, coupled with some of the facts around the subject, made for a really interesting read! Whilst in some senses I do relate to Ellie, I decided to read the book as a means of understanding what it is like so I can be more accommodating and understanding for any neurodivergent individuals in my life.

 

First “New to Me” Author of 2024

I first explored Diana Wilkinson’s writing in The Girl in Seat 2A.

If you like mysteries or thrillers, Diana has published several for you to choose from. I’ve only read the one of hers so far, but I really enjoyed it and I’ve liked the sound of others she has published too.

If you’re interested in my review of The Girl in Seat 2A, here’s a link.

 

First Book of 2024 That Slayed Me

Obviously it was highly likely that Gemina was the front runner for this as I loved the book so much! I had high hopes for it after really enjoying the first book, and it didn’t disappoint!

 

First Book of 2024 That I wish I Could Get Back the Time I Spent Reading It

This question was a difficult one to answer, because I haven’t read any books that weren’t for me this year. They have all gotten at least a three star rating.

However, for the purpose of providing an answer to this question, I have decided to pick the book that was rated one of the lowest and also didn’t suit me most as a target audience. With this in mind, I chose The Black Coats.

The only reason I’ve chosen is because it is written for a younger audience, and that reflects in the narrative. I enjoyed the feminist angle of the storyline, but felt it was a little bit more ‘teen’ than I expected for the subject matter.

 

First 5 Star Book of 2024

No prizes for guessing which book features once again here – Gemina by Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman!

 

 

I’m not going to deliberately tag anyone in this post, as I don’t want to bombard people. However, if you have read this post, like the look of it and want to take part yourself, then consider yourself tagged.

If you do choose to take part in this tag, I would love to see what answers you give to these questions. Let me know by tagging me in that post and I’ll take a look!

Thanks for checking out this 2024 reading firsts post! Have you read any of the books on this list?

Until next time, happy reading!

 

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Discussion Post – Books to Read if You Like The Last Kingdom

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I read a lot of historical fiction. I’ve got two books on my current reading list in the genre, and one I’m reading at the time of drafting this post. You’ll hear more on that later. They are the inspiration for today’s discussion post.

There are books, genres and themes that I go back to again and again. Vikings is one of those. If you’re a fan of the historical fiction genre and the conflict of this period, there are a number of series I can recommend. If you’ve been reading or watching The Last Kingdom series and want to try something new, you are in the right place!

 

Recommendations

 

Eagle of Mercia Chronicles

A series I’ve been reading for a couple of years now, and will be picking up again soon, is M.J. Porter’s Eagle of Mercia Chronicles.

Like The Last Kingdom, Eagle of Mercia has a unique protagonist driving the storyline. Instead of being split in terms of loyalties, Icel is unique in that he does not relish his role as a warrior. In fact, going back to the first book, it is hard to believe that Icel ever becomes a warrior at all. He is a healer and places far more value on life as opposed to death.

Broadly the backdrop of the series is very similar. Of all the books in this discussion post feature, I would say this is the closest to The Last Kingdom. Just like that series, we have a lot of conflict and political intrigue set in the backdrop of a divided England.

Reviews:

Son of Mercia   Wolf of Mercia   Warrior of Mercia

Eagle of Mercia   Protector of Mercia

 

The Saxon Warrior

I started the The Saxon Warrior series a bit over a year ago now. It’s a more recent one than Eagle of Mercia, but it is no less captivating.

I really enjoy this series as the protagonist, unlike Icel in Eagle of Mercia, is a very keen warrior. Beornoth has been to hell and back after Vikings invade his homeland. He lost everything. Now he is determined to fight back the horde and take revenge!

With a protagonist who naturally gravitates towards the front line, we get a lot of action and even a bit of graphic detail in this series. If that doesn’t disturb you then I strongly recommend picking this up! Whilst there are elements of politics in the underlying actions, Beornoth is a far more pragmatic and action-driven character. Naturally, more of this comes through in the narrative as a result.

Reviews:

Warrior and Protector    Brothers of the Sword

Sword of Vengeance

 

Warrior Prince / Raven Lord

I have enjoyed reading Warrior Prince, and I’m currently enjoying reading Raven Lord, for its variation in setting. The Last Kingdom and other books I have featured on this list so far are notable for their Viking influence on British soil. Warrior Prince and Raven Lord differ as events instead take place in Eastern Europe.

It’s a different historical context, but we have the same backdrop of Vikings beyond their borders and looking to make a name for themselves. The protagonist in these books is quite a character as well. There is plenty of action, drama and conflict, so fans of these elements throughout The Last Kingdom series will enjoy these elements in this series too!

Reviews:

Warrior Prince

 

Wolf of Wessex

Wolf of Wessex is the first book in a series written by Matthew Harffy. As of this post, I have only read the first book. However, I enjoyed this book and its slightly lighter tone compared to books like The Last Kingdom.

Wolf of Wessex was compulsively readable and focused on a limited set of characters so as not to convolute the overall story. I think this could be an approachable series for anyone looking to explore the genre for the first time, or to pick up something similar, but not quite so heavy. Not that I think the likes of The Last Kingdom is heavy, but there are a lot of elements that come together in the wider story. Wolf of Wessex feels simpler.

 

Dunstan

If you are looking for more of a standalone in order to read around the genre a bit, then Dunstan by Conn Iggulden is an option I’d recommend.

If you are interested in this book more specifically, you can find a link to my review below. This review goes way back on my blog to the first year I started. The style is quite different to reviews I publish nowadays. However, I hope it still proves useful to you. Dunstan may be an ideal book to read as it’s set in the general backdrop of this time period but has a little less focus on the Viking element and more on English/Saxon religion and politics.

Reviews:

Dunstan

 

Summary

Regardless of what you are looking for, in your Viking era fiction, I have shared a variety of books that should scratch that itch.

Also, I am sure that there are many more that I am yet to read for myself and so have been unable to recommend them in this post. That is where YOU come in!

Have you read any books in the genre/period you would like to recommend either to me or to fellow readers?

 

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