Monthly Wrap-Up – July 2024

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It’s the beginning of another month and I’m here to share which books I’ve read throughout July in this monthly wrap-up. If you want to see which books I set out to read at the beginning of the month, you can find a link to my monthly TBR for July here.

I’m happy with the progress I’ve made and that I’ve been able to spend the month catching up with some of my June reads. A good portion of my July TBR was dedicated to picking up books I hadn’t got to yet, or I was partway through at the start of the month.

Shall we take a more detailed look?


Books Read


Master of Sorrows

In my last monthly wrap-up post, I had three ongoing reads that I shared with you. The first of those was Master of Sorrows. I started this book last month but ended up setting it aside as I inadvertently left the book at work a few evenings. Then, I deliberately decided to hold off making progress on it for a week or so as I went on holiday and took a lighter read with me.

As of that last monthly wrap-up I was 45% into the book. I still had a good few hundred pages to go until completion though.

I made good progress with this book throughout July. Admittedly, I’ve not long finished this book, but that’s because I was taking my time with it. I’m now excited to pick up the sequel, Master Artificer.

 

You Coach You

The audiobook I carried over from my last monthly wrap-up post was You Coach You by Helen Tupper and Sarah Ellis. In that post, I shared that I was 60% into the audio.

You Coach You is a great book for anybody looking to develop themselves. I enjoyed the experience so much that I have since acquired a physical copy of this book. I can see myself referring back to it time and again and I want to make it accessible for me to do so.

A big selling point on the structuring of this book is that you don’t have to read the whole thing. If you have a specific challenge or area of development, you can target your reading to the relevant sections. There are also activities and coach yourself questions that prompt you to think and take an active role in personal development. It’s 100% going to be a re-read in future.


Obsidio

Obsidio was the book I had read the least of as of my last monthly wrap-up whilst still counting as a carryover. From just shy of 100 pages in as of that post, I flew through Obsidio.

I decided to prioritise this over Master of Sorrows in early July as it was much easier to pick up and put down. I was away for a shopping trip in Liverpool at the beginning of the month and I knew I wasn’t going to have much time to read. However, for entertainment on the boat or odd moments at the hotel room, I could pick up a chapter. They were nice and short, but also informal and easy to read. The mixed media definitely helped keep me engaged.


The Power of Habit

The physical read I will be carrying over into August is The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg. I started this book just a couple of days ago and already I’m enjoying the subject matter. As somebody who takes an interest in psychology and similar subjects, I love delving into how the brain works.

Let’s face it, there are always useful ways the information in this book can be applied. I have good and bad habits aplenty. Understanding how they form and how they can be broken can’t be a bad thing!

As if this post I’m 90 pages, or 30% into the book. I’m enjoying the topic so far and hoping to learn how I can be mindful of my own habits in future.


The Other People

My audiobook carryover into August is The Other People by C.J. Tudor. I have read this author before; I’ve picked up The Taking of Annie Thorne and The Chalk Man historically. I really enjoyed both of these books, and the other people came highly recommended to me by my mum.

Although I have not yet finished this audio, it became clear very early on why this is my mum‘s favourite. I am loving the storyline so far and can’t wait to get to the conclusion to find out exactly what is going on.

In these books, there is always more than meets the eye. I love digging into that detail, but also seeing if I can work it out ahead of time. If a book can live in my head even when I’m not reading it, that to me is the sign of a great book.

As of this post I’m 70% into the audio and keen to see how the storyline resolves!

 

Summary

It’s been a pretty good month of reading and catching up with outstanding reads from June. I have the usual carryovers into August in each format, but that’s nothing new. At least it’s only two books this month and not three!

I’m hoping to wrap-up each of those reads quite quickly and kick off my August TBR very soon. If you want to see what that looks like, stay tuned as I’ll be sharing that later this week.

Until then, happy reading!

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Sunday Summary – 28th July 2024

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In today’s Sunday Summary post I have a few reading updates to share with you, as well as what’s coming up on the blog. So, I hope you’re comfortable with a cuppa. Now, let’s get into it!

The first post I shared this week was a Top Ten Tuesday. In that post, I shared my recommendations on debut books I really enjoyed – so I hope you do too!

Next, I completed my challenge in my First Lines Friday post and featured a non-fiction I’m excited to pick up soon! It’s about one of my favourite topics, and the book is in my Summer TBR too. Win-win!


Books Read


Master of Sorrows

In last week’s Sunday Summary I shared that I was progressing well with Master of Sorrows and that I only had 200 odd pages left. This week I can report full completion and I’m already looking forward to the sequel.

I had no idea where the ending of the book was going to take us. As it stands, I think there is plenty of scope for the story and I still don’t know what will happen next!

Master of Sorrows is the first book I’ve read by this author. I’m hoping he brings out more in future – I’m a big fan of his writing style.


The Other People

In last week’s Sunday Summary I was 25% into The Other People. At that point I already understood why this was a favourite of my mum’s.

As of this week’s post I am now just shy of 50% into the audiobook and it keeps getting better. Now the story is starting to flesh out some detail (albeit leaving plenty as a mystery) and I desperately want to know what’s going on!

I’m listening to this audio at every chance I get, so I’ll be keeping up with this over the next week or so! Stay tuned for further thoughts next week.


The Power of Habit

The final book I started this week is The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg. I’ve only just started this today so I can’t say a whole lot about it right now, other than I’m looking forward to getting into it. 


Books Discovered

I have another good week of no news on the acquisition and TBR front. I have plenty enough to get on with…


Coming Up…

We’re rapidly coming up to the end of July and the beginning of August. Firstly, where the heck has that gone?!

With this in mind, my content next week is going to include my monthly wrap-up for July and my August monthly TBR. I was late posting the last one due to holiday so I’ll be prioritising getting this one out to you and giving myself the best chance of getting through my reading list as I can!

Last, but by no means least, I’ll round off the week with another Sunday Summary weekly update. Find out what I’ve been reading, and what else is coming up on the blog in that next post.

Until then, happy reading! Have a great week and I’ll see you in the next one!

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First Lines Friday – 26/07/2024

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Happy Friday folks and welcome to the next instalment of my First Lines Friday series! In my Sunday Summary post last week, I set myself the challenge to feature a non-fiction book with you in this post. I think I found a great one! The introduction is exciting, and this book is on my Summer TBR so it helps psyche me up to read it soon.

Let’s take a look at today’s First Lines Friday feature, shall we?


Hundreds of men are screaming.

The armoured soldiers charge forward, howling with rage, their swords and shields clashing, their boots struggling for purchase in the thick mud. Slowly, agonisingly, some of the fighters are pushed back against a looming tower of corpses. The body pile is a mixture of slain men and horses, gorily intertwined like some gothic rendition of hell. In the distance, flayed men burn on crucifixes.

“You are dying!” yells an assistant director. “That’s the main thing to remember, you are dying!”

 


Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon  – James Hibberd

Genre: Non-fiction

Pages: 464

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Transworld

Publication Date: 06 Oct 2020


Goodreads – Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon

 

The official, definitive oral history of the blockbuster show from Entertainment Weekly’s James Hibberd, endorsed by George R. R. Martin himself (who calls it “an amazing read”), reveals the one Game of Thrones tale that has yet to be told: the thirteen-year behind-the-scenes struggle to make the show.

 Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon shares the incredible, thrilling, uncensored story of Game of Thrones, from the creators’ first meetings with George R. R. Martin and HBO through the series finale, including all the on-camera battles, off-camera efforts, and the many controversies in between. The book also features more than fifty candid new interviews, rare and stunning photos, and unprecedented access to the producers, cast, and crew who took an impossible idea and made it into the biggest show in the world.

 

My Thoughts…

As a huge Game of Thrones fan, I was always going to pick this up at some point! I’ve read all the books in digital and paperback format, as well as started listening to the audiobooks. I’ve also watched the TV show, some episodes multiple times. Now, I get to read about that too!

The opening lines introduce the filming of the Battle of the B*stards, which is one of my favourite parts of the TV series. It must have been a logistical nightmare, but on screen it was fantastic.

I’m looking forward to reading more about the overall production of the series. I (not so) secretly hope that it touches on how the TV series overtakes the books and how decisions were made on how to proceed (and how closely it stuck to GRRM’s intentions).

Have you read Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon? Are you as much a fan of the series as I am?

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Top Ten Tuesday – Debut Novels I Enjoyed!

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In today’s Top Ten Tuesday post I have the pleasure of sharing my list of ten debut novels I enjoyed and would love to pass on to my fellow readers. If you’ve landed on my blog, hopefully you have some overlap in reading tastes to me so some of these recommendations appeal!

I’ve broken down the recommendations by genre, which I hope helps you find the type of book you are looking for. Unsurprisingly, I have most in the fantasy genre, but also a few mysteries and non-fictions as well.

Let’s take a look!


Fantasy

The First Binding – R.R. Virdi

I have only read one book by R.R. Virdi so far, but I will be following his future releases.

I discovered The First Binding through taking part in a blog tour with Gollancz. If you love epic fantasy novels but want something a little different to the traditional Western style, then I can’t recommend The First Binding enough!

The First Binding has a traditionally more Eastern, Silk Road type setting. Combine that with a story structure like other favourites in the fantasy genre (Patrick Rothfuss’ the Name of the Wind and Jay Kristoff’s Empire of the Vampire), you can see why I’m a fan.

 

Elantris – Brandon Sanderson

Brandon Sanderson is one of my favourite all-time authors, so I’m ecstatic to be able to share his debut novel I enjoyed immensely! 

Elantris isn’t the first book of his I read – far from it in fact. I started with his Mistborn series and delved into other works from there. Although Elantris was written earlier, I don’t think that shows too much. It’s a fantastic stand-alone novel, although I do believe there may be a sequel in the pipeline…


Blackwing – Ed McDonald

Blackwing

I also discovered Ed McDonald because of a publisher-driven blog tour. I’ve featured the latter two books of this series (Ravencry and Crowfall) on the blog and I’ve even re-read them once already.

The grittiness of the world and the magical elements to the story appeal to me. The main character, Ryhalt, is far from admirable. He’s a bitter alcoholic, yet in a curmudgeonly way that we can’t help but let him grow on us readers.

Although a trilogy, there is plenty of detail in the stories to get stuck into. It’s an approachable and immersive read. Although I haven’t picked them up yet, I’m looking forward to trying his latest series, The Redwinter Chronicles, soon!

 

The Lies of Locke Lamora – Scott Lynch

I read this series as a teenager and loved it! As it happens, I want to pick up this trilogy again. There are a real mix of dates online for a release of a fourth book in the series. However, as the new release may be early next year, I want to pick this up again ready for that. It’s been far too long for me to pick it up without a recap!

 

Mystery/Thriller

The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle – Stuart Turton

The premise of The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle is a unique one. We witness the murder of the titular character from the bodies/perspective of a new individual every day. Aidan can only move on once he’s identified the killer.

I thought the execution of each character perspective (how they are written – there’s only one murder here!) was fantastic and I thoroughly enjoyed the story. I hope you do too!


The Chalk Man – C. J. Tudor

I’ve recommended The Chalk Man to quite a few people by now. If you haven’t read my review of the book, you can find that here.

I’m pleased to feature C.J. Tudor in this post as she is an author I have gone back to several times since reading her debut. In fact, I am currently listening to a book of hers, The Other People, right now.

If you enjoy books in the mystery or psychological thriller genre with dual timelines and plenty of 11th hour twists, The Chalk Man is a book I would strongly recommend for you!


The Appeal – Janice Hallett

The Appeal introduced me to books written in mixed media format. I absolutely loved it in this book, and I’ve gone onto read several others in the same style since!

If it’s something you haven’t read before I strongly recommend giving it a go. It’s unique – and the ever-changing format keeps your brain engaged whilst making the reading experience a little different. What I particularly enjoyed about The Appeal and this reading format is that you end up reading just as much between the lines. It’s a book I was thinking about even when I wasn’t reading it. If that’s not a compliment, I don’t know what it is!


Historical Fiction

As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow – Zoulfa Katouh

I picked up As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow as part of a book club online. Honestly, I went into this book without too much in the way of expectation as it wasn’t something I would’ve picked up otherwise. How wrong I was! I’m glad I pushed myself out of my comfort zone because this was one of my favourite reads of 2023.

The book is very cleverly written and I love the perspective it gives. The love of the characters for their home country Syria shines through. It’s not a perspective I read very often, but it’s one I look forward to picking up again!


Non-Fiction

Unmasked – Ellie Middleton

Unmasked is a great practical guide to understanding neurodivergence and how everyone can be a little more accommodating for those who think differently.

Not only that, but it’s a great insight into author Ellie and her life and experiences. She offers the advice she has collected over the years through experience and trial and error. Not everybody should have to struggle, and it is for that reason Ellie wants to try to help those who currently receive little support from the world.

 

This is Going to Hurt – Adam Kay

This is Going to Hurt is about demonstrating the dire straits in which the NHS finds itself. However, that is not all. It is a book that will have you in stitches one moment and crying the next. It’s a heart wrencher!

If you enjoy narratives that dig deep to combine both humour and sensitive topics, Adam Kay strikes up the perfect balance. I have since gone on to read his seasonal sequel, T’was the Nightshift Before Christmas. It’s just as good!


Summary

These are some of my favourite debut novels I enjoyed. Now I ask you – what is yours?

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Sunday Summary – 21st July 2024

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Good evening reading friends and welcome back to another weekly Sunday Summary update post from yours truly! It’s been a productive week and I’m really happy with what I’ve read and shared in the last week.

My first blog post of the week was a discussion post asking how many books is too many? After a recent, sizeable book haul in Liverpool it’s a question I’d been asking myself.

Friday’s feature was a Shelf Control post in which I shared a book I would cast aside all my TBR for, if only it was out yet. It’s also from one of my favourite series of all time; can you guess what it is?


Books Read


Obsidio

In last week’s Sunday Summary I shared that I had around 200 pages left of Obsidio to read. I polished those off pretty handily!

Obsidio has been a very easy read and I’ve enjoyed the conclusion of the series. The mixed media format has been fun to read at a time when I’ve been busy and it’s kept it light and interesting. I’ve enjoyed this collaboration between Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman a lot!


Master of Sorrows

After a couple of weeks of shelving this read, I picked it up again after finishing Obsidio. I only had to skip back a couple of pages to the beginning of my chapter to pick this back up, so that was nice and easy.

Over the last few days of this week, I’ve read another 150 pages of the book already. It’s the most I’ve read for a few days and the story is getting really interesting. The combination of current events and the stories about the Gods and their history are a fun combination and appeal to me a lot. I love delving into the history of the fantasy worlds I’m reading about!

I’m hopeful that I’ll be progressing with and wrapping up this book very soon! If the last few days are anything to go by, I expect nothing less!


The Other People

Having finished You Coach You last week, I’ve started a new audiobook this week. For a change, I’ve picked up a fiction read in this format – The Other People.

Already I can see why this is my mum’s favourite C.J. Tudor novel. I’ve listened to 25% of the audio this week alone and I’m hooked to find out what on earth is going on!

Given I’m quite early in the story there are a lot of threads and no indication as to what it what yet. I’m not convinced it’s going to be as simple as you can be drawn in to believe – having read C.J. Tudor before, I highly doubt that’s the case anyway!


Books Discovered

I’m sticking to my ban this week and I haven’t purchased a single book. I’ve also kept my head down and not added anything new to my reading list either 😁


Coming Up…

I’m looking forward to the content I have prepared for next week. For once I’ve decided this ahead of time rather than putting it together as I’m typing this post.

My first post of the week will be a Top Ten Tuesday post and feature debut novels I’ve read and enjoyed! Having read extensively and taken part in blog tours before, I have a great opportunity to share my list with you!

Friday’s post is a First Lines Friday. I’m setting myself a challenge to feature a non-fiction book in that post. It’s been a while since I’ve set criteria for the post; it makes it more fun and challenging to find the right book! I have an ulterior motive doing this – I need to step up my non-fiction reading little to meet my goal before the end of the year. I’m hoping this will inspire me to pick one up very soon!

As always, I’ll be wrapping up the week with another Sunday Summary post to share what I’ve been reading and all my updates with you!

If you’re still here, thanks for reading my Sunday Summary! Until next time, have a great week, and happy reading!

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Shelf Control #79 – 19/07/2024

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Whereas most Shelf Control posts feature me waxing lyrical about being excited to pick up an available read on my TBR, this post is different. I would literally shove my whole TBR aside to pick this up next book. There’s just one problem – it’s not published yet!

As always, I share a reminder of what the Shelf Control feature is all about before we get stuck in.

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 Winds of Winter – George R.R. Martin

Genre: Epic fantasy

Pages: TBA

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Harper Voyager

Publication Date: TBC


Goodreads – The Winds of Winter


My Thoughts

George R.R. Martin and the A Song of Ice and Fire series, I love unconditionally. I’ll read the series again and again. To date, I’ve already read the first book four times, the second book three times and the rest of the series twice. It’s also one of the only series I own physical, digital ebook and audiobooks of. I’ve also shared content including my favourite quotes from the series. 

Fair to say I’m a bit obsessed?

I’m unapologetic too. In the time it will take for the series to be finished (and I refuse to think this won’t happen, okay?), I’ll have re-read it once or twice more. At least they’re not short books, so each re-read will take a while!

I’m looking forward to this next instalment, however long it takes. I’d rather it be done right than rushed. I’m especially interested to see how The Winds of Winter compares with the TV series and whether there is any material difference.

I’ll just have to wait to find out…

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Discussion Post – How Many Books is Too Many?

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How many books is too many?

Naturally this will differ for everybody. How do you know how many is too many for you?

This number can change over time, just to make things more difficult. I have varied from reading 2-3 books one year to 72 another since leaving school. I’ve been consistently nearer the top of that range in recent years, but it could go the other way again later down the line.

So, how do you decide how many is too many, and what to do if you get close to that limit?


Storage Space

Physical space is probably one of my biggest restrictions when it come to paperback or hardback books. I have a little more space now compared to when I lived in my flat. However, it’s still a relative premium.

I have less restriction when it comes to e-books and that reflects in the number I have. It’s my largest collection by far, and always will be greater than my physical collection by nature. The only possible competitor here is audiobooks for the same reason of digital formatting. However, I typically read less in this format (at least right now).

Admittedly, I probably have too many physical books at the moment. My bookshelves, such as they are currently, are overflowing. However, this is something I manage periodically and I’ll donate unwanted copies. Even still, I’ll have to have a long hard think about picking up any more physical books until my next clear down!


Time to read

Depending on why you are collecting your books, there’s a good argument to keeping your collection proportionate to a realistic expectation of being able to read them all. That’s not always the case, though! If you’re collecting them just because they are of high-value, a specific collection or look pretty, then you do you! Have as many as you like.

A lot of readers fall into the trap of acquiring so many books that they will struggle to get to them.


If I’m honest, I think I’m nowhere near this bad. I do have several hundred books across all formats, but those include the ones I’ve read too. I’m not far off a 50/50 split comparing read/unread books. 

If I were to go on a complete book buying ban and focus only on the owned unread copies I have, my reading list is about five years long… but, I’m young and I have plenty of time to read them yet!

At least, I hope so…

 

The Plan

The Plan. Capital P.

After my most recent book haul in Liverpool, I’ve come to the conclusion that I need to put a lid on my spending (full stop, but especially when it comes to books). I had a great time doing it, but I do need to focus on reading the books I have rather than getting copies of new ones.

As I’m not reading for blog tours or specifically acquiring new books for many reasons at the moment, this shouldn’t be a difficult task. The only exception here is our new book club at work, but I’ll always try libraries or alternative ways of getting books first.


How many books do you own? Are you on a book buying ban?

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Sunday Summary – 14th July 2024

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It’s been a couple of weeks since I checked in with you for a Sunday Summary update, as I was on holiday last weekend. I hope you haven’t missed me too much! In reality, I only took a week or so I was break from blogging and I was back to the usual schedule this week. Let’s recap what I’ve shared since my last Sunday Summary update.

Before my holiday last week, I shared my Monthly Wrap-Up post recapping progress made in June. I read more than I thought I did last month, so I’m not disappointed with progress. I hadn’t taken into account progressing with carryovers from May. So in the end, I did reasonably well.

My first post of the week this week was my Mid Year Check In post. In this post, I took a look at the resolutions and reading goals I set myself in January and updated you on my progress. I have some action steps to take to try and meet some of my goals before the end of the year. I don’t expect to complete my Goodreads Challenge this year, but I will try to get as close as I can!

Next, I shared my Monthly TBR for July on Friday. That reading list includes the books I’m carrying over from June, with just a couple of new ones to give myself a chance to catch up. If you’re interested to see what I’m going to be reading in the next few weeks, that is the post to take a look at.

 

Books Read

 

Obsidio

In my Sunday Summary post a fortnight ago, I shared that I had started Obsidio and that I was only around 50 pages in. I took this book with me when we went to Liverpool mainly so I had something to read on the boat. I didn’t expect to read too much whilst I was away so there was no pressure from my side to do so.

I’ve continued with this book this week as it’s a nice and easy one to pick up. At work, quarter end is quite a big deal and it’s one of my busiest periods. Being able to pick up an easy read with multiple media formats has kept my brain interested. It’s also a lot more approachable to pick up and read in short bursts, as that’s the time I’ve had available.

As of this post, I have read a further 350 pages since my last update. I’m now down to just 200 until the books conclusion. I’ll be pushing on with this in the next couple of days and I’m looking forward to the end of the series (mostly!). I will be sad when it’s done though!

 

You Coach You

In this Sunday Summary update I get to share completion of my audiobook listen of You Coach You by Helen Tupper and Sarah Ellis.

I really enjoyed this audiobook, so much so that I followed through with my promise to get a physical copy. It’s definitely a resource I’m going to go back to again and again, and I might even keep it at work handy.

If you’re interested in self development and career progression, I cannot recommend this book enough! Not only that, but Helen and Sarah also publish lots of free material via their podcast and worksheets. There’s no financial commitment to benefit from their insight! If you want to try them material before investing in a book like this, I would definitely point you to their podcast, The Squiggly Career.

 

Books Discovered

I am here to confess my sins, and this section could potentially be quite a long one. When shopping in Liverpool last week I had the pleasure of a Waterstones store 3X bigger than at home, and only a stones throw away from our hotel room. You can guess what’s coming right? A book haul!

I bought no less than 11 books in that store alone, as well as one in The Works, and one in Tesco for my mum. Then, I grabbed myself a couple off Amazon and finally I picked up one in Tesco for me when I was back home!

I’m not going to beat myself up too much because I saved for that shopping trip and I might as well buy something I love! I may have to lay off buying books for a while a year though…

I picked up anything and everything… from Fantasy to non-fiction, with a good deal of historical (fiction and not) thrown in. It’s fair to say I picked up a variety.

 

Coming Up…

With being back home and the majority of my work commitments now covered, I will be back to my usual level of commitment when it comes to both blogging and reading next week.

My first post of the week will be a discussion post. With the subject of how many books I’ve acquired recently on my mind, I ask the question, how many is too many?

On Friday, I’ll be back with a regular Friday feature. This week, that’s a Shelf Control post. In that post, I’ll feature an upcoming read on my TBR, why I added it to my list and why I’m looking forward to reading it.

Last, but certainly not least, I’ll be back with another Sunday Summary update at the end of the week. Fingers crossed, I’ll have fewer no new books added to the list… 

Have you bought any new books recently?

 

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Monthly TBR – July 2024

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Given we’re about a third of the way into July, I’m overdue sharing my monthly TBR, no?

In today’s post I have a great range of books to share that I plan for read in the next few weeks. You’ll have seen a good few of them before as they are carryovers. At the same time, I have a few new faces too, so let’s get stuck in!

 

Fixed Reads


You Coach You

My last current read and carryover is You Coach You by Helen Tupper and Sarah Ellis.

As of this monthly TBR I have actually just finished this audiobook this morning. However, I spent at least a couple of hours this month getting to that point so it’s going on this TBR to mark that progress effort.

I’ve enjoyed this audio so much and see the value in its content that I’ve just ordered a paperback copy to refer back to and re-read in future!


Master of Sorrows


Master of Sorrows is on yet another monthly TBR… but not as a non-starter this time!

I’ve been trying to read the book since February and I finally started it last month. It is, however, a current read so it makes it onto July’s monthly TBR as a carryover. Can I say, may it please be the last?!

I’m about halfway through the book, so there’s no reason I won’t be completing this soon!


Obsidio

Another carryover from my June TBR is Obsidio by Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman.

I started this last book in the Illuminae files trilogy last month after accidentally leaving Master of Sorrows at work. It’s been a refreshing change to read a mixed media book again! It’ll also be even better to be able to mark this series as complete once I’ve finished it. I’ll be sad to see it end, but there is another sci-fi series they’ve co-written I could pick up…

As of this post, I’m around a third of the way into the book. It’s a quick read, so again, I expect to finish it before long.


Mood Reads


The Other People

The only book on my June TBR I didn’t get to is The Other People by C.J. Tudor. It’s mum’s favourite book of hers so far, so I’m really looking forward to reading it this month instead.

I haven’t picked up a mystery novel at all this year, so it will make a refreshing change! I’ve enjoyed two of C.J. Tudor’s books already, so I have high hopes for this one!


Defiant

With my Mid Year Check In and Summer TBR posts still fresh in my mind, I’m adding a book to this monthly TBR that will earn me another series completion.

Defiant is the last book in Brandon Sanderson’s Skyward series. Honestly, I’ll be sad to get to the end of it, but I also want to see how Spensa’s story ends. For a series to which I’m not the target demographic, I’m getting on with it really well. Equally, I haven’t met a Sanderson book I’ve disliked…

Let’s hope I’ve met jinxed it!


The Power of Habit

Another selection with my 2024 reading goals in mind is a recent acquisition. The Power of Habit is both a non-fiction book and will, with any luck, help towards my blogging goal of using social media more!

In theory this is a win-win read, but we’ll see how that works out in practice.


Summary

July’s monthly TBR reflects a reading month in which I plan to catch up with ongoing reads. However, there are also a couple of new books I’m introducing here. I’m not planning a long list that I think is unachievable, so here’s to a productive month! 

 

Have you read any of the books on this monthly TBR? Do you have any tips on how I can get better at making social media a habit?

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2024 Mid Year Check In!

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Hello friends – after a week off it’s great to be back! In today’s mid year check in post, I’m taking a look at progress against my 2024 reading resolutions…

When I set my 2024 New Year Resolutions, I was ambitious in my goal-setting. I had a fresh start, plenty of reading motivation and a stack of great books. I still have that fab stack… and the motivation, but what I have encountered is a change of circumstances in the time I have available.

In January I read a whopping eight books, if that gives you an idea of the mindset I was in. However, at the beginning of February I started seeing my boyfriend. As such, my time available and priorities changed from then on. I’m still reading and blogging as they are hobbies I love. But, simply put, I don’t have the same amount of time for it.

And that’s okay! As you’ll see below, I’m still very happy with the amount I’m reading; I’ve not had to compromise the blog schedule yet either. But, I’m naturally not in a position to push myself in the same way as I anticipated at the beginning of the year.

Let’s take a look at the goals I set myself and check in on my progress against them.

 

Reading Goals: –

Goal: Goodreads Challenge – 60 Books

Current Progress: 23/60 Books Read

As of this mid year check in post, I am a little behind with this reading goal. But, given the change in circumstances I’m very happy with how much I’m still reading.

In some ways I have adapted my reading style in order to keep up. I’m listening to more audiobooks compared with last year and making the most of time available to listen. For example, I listen to a lot of audio whilst driving in the car, or even when pottering around the house cleaning or tidying.

Another change is that I’m not taking part as many blog tours as I was before. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, however. With the amount of books I have on the back list, it’s sensible that I am now looking to prioritise that over new releases. It also works well with another reading goal I feature in this check in… but I’ll cover that later.

 

Goal: Read >15 non-fiction

Current Progress: 5/15 NF Books Read

Although I am also a little behind on the reading of non-fiction for this year, it’s interesting to note that the percentage progress is not dissimilar to that of my Goodreads Challenge. In short, if I was reading enough books to get completion in that challenge by the end of the year, I would also meet this one.

As of drafting this check in update, I have completed five non-fiction reads this year. In addition to those, I am also currently listening to You Coach You by Helen Tupper and Sarah Ellis. So, I’m fast approaching 6/15.

The good thing about covering these reading goals is that it gives me the opportunity to adjust how I am tackling them. Now that I know I’m a little behind schedule, I’ll make more time to pick up non-fiction more frequently than I do currently. It won’t be a dramatic change, but it is a change I can control.

It works in my favour that I have been adding and picking up more non-fiction books to my TBR of late. I have plenty to choose from and get stuck into!

 

Goal: Finish 10 series by the end of the year

Current Progress: 5/10 series up to date or finished

I thought my progress against this goal would be terrible, but I find myself surprised. In order to assess myself against this goal in this check in, I am including completion of finished series (obviously), but also current ongoing series that I’m up-to-date with.

For example, I have been reading the Eagle of Mercia Chronicles by M.J. Porter in the last few years. As of this check in post, I have read all five of the five currently published books in the series. I physically cannot read any more of the series right now, so that counts as a point.

As of this post, I have caught up-to-date with, or have completed, five out of ten series. That puts me right on track! As a bonus, I will soon complete Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman’s The Illuminae Files. I don’t think any adjustments need to be made with regards to how I’m approaching this goal – I just need to keep it in perspective when setting my monthly reading lists to make sure it remains a priority.

 

Blogging Goals: –

Make Social Media a Habit

In my resolution post, I set myself a brand-new goal for the year, and I confess this one has fallen off a cliff.

With the change of circumstances and all that, I have not been very good with social media this year. In truth, I haven’t seriously considered my Instagram account since late February and I’m just as pitiful on Threads, Facebook et al.

This is something I do want to get back to, but I need to be more realistic about how I fit this in. When I set myself this goal I wanted to try to structure and curate my content a little more artistically and thoughtfully.

If I’m honest with myself, I need to be more realistic in my expectations for the time commitment I can put into social media. As of right now, this is a prompt for me to try and get back on social media full stop. Low expectations, no drastic plans for improvement or anything like that. Get back to posting on the platforms more regularly.

I’ll take that as a win if I can achieve that by the end of the year!

Thanks for reading today’s mid year check in!

What reading goals did you set yourself in 2024 and how are you progressing towards them?

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