Tag: amreading

Sunday Summary – 7th June 2026

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Happy Sunday, fellow readers! Today’s Sunday Summary, thankfully, has a few completions and new bookish starts to share. Given the size of my June TBR, which I published earlier this week, it’s the best I can hope for in setting myself up to complete the list. 

Before I get into the reading updates, what else have I published? Here on the blog, my monthly wrap-up of May reading progress went live at the beginning of the week. Then, I shared my blog tour review of Witch Hunt by B.D. Spargo on Thursday. If you’re into thrillers set in the infamous backdrop of Lancashire’s Pendle Hill, this is definitely one to look at! 

Over on YouTube, I shared my monthly wrap-up for May, as well as my June TBR. If you’d prefer to watch or listen to those as opposed to reading the details here, there are links for you to check those out! Finally, I also posted my round-up of this week just a short time ago. I’d like to hope you’ll carry on reading as you’re here. However, if you would prefer to watch or listen to my update instead, you have the option ☺️

 

Books Read

Heir of Fire

In last week’s Sunday Summary, I shared hopes to finish Heir of Fire after publishing that weekly update. Well, good news, friends – I did! And you know what, it wasn’t too late either. I maybe went to bed around 00:20. A bit later than usual (although that used to be my normal…).

I really enjoyed Heir of Fire. Whilst the beginning of the book was a little slower-paced, the action has us inevitably ramping up pace and eager to get to the conclusion. It’s set up the next book in the series well, and I’m excited to read on and find out more in the very near future! 

 

Somewhere Beyond the Sea

Another finish to report in this Sunday Summary is Somewhere Beyond the Sea. As of last week’s update, I was 80% into this audiobook and I had around two and a half hours remaining. 

Well, I made pretty light work of it, if I’m honest. The office was quieter than usual this week with many people opting to WFH. Locally, we’ve been hosting the TT this week. Whilst I can’t say we had the best of luck with weather and red flags delaying and/or calling off the races, the disruption meant many opted to stay at home and avoid the traffic and general disruption. 

I, however, went into the office. I make no secret of the fact I don’t like WFH and so I continued to go in. As it was so quiet though, and I had some repetitive work to do, I was able to listen to Somewhere Beyond the Sea at the same time. 

This was a fun listen, and I’m glad I am now up-to-date with this series. I’m not sure if any more books are planned, but as of right now I’m caught up. It’s cosy, wholesome and great to see the children come into their own and develop confidence and solidarity. The only downside of the experience is that this book did not qualify for the Pride Month award in the Goodreads Spring 2026 Reading Challenge like I hoped. However, I wasn’t able to tell when I chose my book and on reflection, none of the books on my TBR would have qualified anyway. At least I can tick another book off the TBR though, which is a win! 

 

Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon

Over the course of this week, I’ve progressed with Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon by James Hibberd. This carryover from my May TBR was another great read and well received. If you are unfamiliar, this book is about the challenges and behind-the-scenes detail of filming the TV show. Personally, I enjoyed the commentary on the challenges of filming such an epic show and doing what nobody else has done before. 

However, it’s not just director commentary. We get tidbits from the cast and crew that make up the whole show. Actors’ decisions on changes from the books, as well as how they’ve chosen to portray characters and how they think the characters felt at various and often divisive moments of the plot. 

I loved this book. Then again, I love A Game of Thrones. Hardly surprising the book would go down well, is it?! Since last week’s Sunday Summary, I read the final 350 pages or so to finish Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon yesterday. 

 

Project Hail Mary

I’d only just started Project Hail Mary when I updated you last week. Overall, I’d only listened to the first 1hr 20mins or so when we last chatted. Over the last 7 days, I’ve listened to around 7 hours of audio. In terms of progress, that brings me to around 70% total progress in the audiobook. 

I’ve been listening to the audiobook at x1.4 speed. It’s not often I can listen this fast, but this particular audio works well at this speed. It’s also an engaging storyline. We start the book in the perspective of present-day Ryland, who wakes up on a spaceship with two deceased colleagues. He has no memory initially of how or why he is there, but slowly flashbacks return his memory and remind him of his purpose. 

I had one blip with this book when a certain character is introduced. I felt it was a little farfetched, but it very quickly warmed on me. So, despite my reservations, I’ve really enjoyed the audiobook so far. I’m hopeful I can finish the remaining 3 hrs 40 mins very soon and discover how this book ends. I honestly have no idea where this is going to go at present! 

 

The Pillars of the Earth

Finally, I’ve started The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett this weekend. Given I only finished Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon yesterday, I’ve not had a lot of time with this book as yet. 

So far, I’ve only read the first 42 pages. It’s a token start, but one I’m hoping to build on in coming weeks. My plan for this book is to read it slowly over the course of the month. To achieve that, I need to read a minimum of 42 pages a day. I still need to read today’s quota of pages, but I’m hoping I can read a little beyond that tonight and get a little ahead. 

 

Books Discovered

This week has given the type of progress I can only hope for – several books off the TBR and no new additions! It doesn’t happen very often, let’s be honest. 

 

Coming Up… 

What I’m Reading… 

So, reading plans for next week! In terms of audiobook listens, my plan is to progress with and finish Project Hail Mary in the first half of the week ideally. Then, I’d like to move on to start Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas and start the next phase of my readalong ☺️

In terms of physical reads, I’m hoping to maintain progress with The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett so I can complete this ahead of the end of June. That means reading around 42 pages a day, so I need to be around 380 pages in time for my next Sunday Summary. That’s not the only book on my physical TBR I’d like to pick up this week. Around that, I’d like to break this up with Ink, Blood, Sister, Scribe by Emma Törzs. 

 

Blog

I’ve got a couple of fun posts planned for you next week. One of these is on the back of news I read towards the end of last week about some UK libraries not being permitted to promote events around the likes of Pride Month and Black History Month. I have thoughts on the move by Reform UK who run Essex County Council, so I’ll share more on that in the coming days. 

On Friday, I’ll return with another First Lines Friday feature. One thing I’ve become very aware of recently is the size of my unread physical TBR. My plan is to take a look at some of those and find a suitable feature from the ranks. Hopefully, it inspires me to pick it up soon! 

Finally, I’ll return with another Sunday Summary update. I can only hope for another week of similar reading productivity. If I can, June’s TBR will be a breeze. 

 

YouTube

Today I recorded two review videos for next week. I want to be sure I don’t get behind. So, next week I’m sharing my thoughts on the second book of my Throne of Glass readalong, Crown of Midnight. 

I’ve also recorded a review for another romance genre novel. That one is An Offer From a Gentleman by Julia Quinn. I hope you can take a look at those videos as they go live in the coming days. 

Like here, I’ll also share the equivalent of my Sunday Summary video update next Sunday. 

 

Summary 

Thanks for reading this Sunday Summary. I’m glad to share such a productive week, and can only hope it continues! 

What book have you finished recently, and what did you make of it? 

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Monthly TBR – June 2026

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My June monthly TBR is all about trying to complete the Goodreads Spring 2026 reading challenge. Yes, I’m having another stab at this quarterly challenge. Last time, I got to 9 after 12 achievements towards the winter challenge. Being so close, I knew I wanted to take a second stab at this.

If I’m being honest, do I think I’m going to achieve this? Perhaps not. In order to get the remaining eight achievements, I have a hefty monthly TBR to get through. I also hedged my bets on a Pride Month read, which is one of the prompts, which unfortunately did not qualify. Given I already have a hefty list, I’m unlikely to be able to pick up another Pride Month read before the end of June.

Nevertheless, I’m looking forward to the books on this monthly TBR. I already own a considerable number of these, and it’s going to be a productive month for hitting books on my reading list as opposed to working towards other reading commitments. I have 230 books on my reading list, so it will be refreshing to tick off a good chunk of these.

 

Carryovers from May/Reading Obligations

Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon 

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The first of two books I’ve carried over from May is Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon by James Hibberd. If you watched my monthly TBR video over on YouTube, you’ll see that this was one of four books I pulled out of my TBR jar to read last month. Incidentally, it was also the only book I managed to get to out of those picks. May’s TBR was equally ambitious for very different reasons. However, I’m glad I was able to start Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon. 

I have been looking forward to this read because it’s based on the behind-the-scenes action of filming the Game of Thrones TV series. Not only has it given me serious nostalgia for the main series, but it’s given me the opportunity to learn more about the filming of the series that I’ve appreciated ever before. It’s an engaging read, a fun read as well as being insightful. I’m loving the commentary from both cast and crew on the overall production of the series, as well as insights from the author George R. R. Martin himself. 

Am I fighting the urge to pick up A Game of Thrones again? Yes. Absolutely… 

 

Project Hail Mary 

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My second carryover for May, albeit I made very little progress right at the end of the month, is Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir.

I started this book initially when sampling the audio to see if this was the format I wanted to read Project Hail Mary in. After purchasing the audiobook based on the few minutes sample I listened to, I then decided to stick with the first few chapters. It was enough to give me an idea of what the book was about and introduce the character and setting to get me excited to pick up the remainder of the book. 

Now that I have finished the other audiobook I was listening to properly at the time, Project Hail Mary is my full-time listen as of this monthly TBR for June. And, with a bank holiday weekend here, I’ve got lots of time to enjoy getting stuck in properly. 

 

Queen of Shadows 

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My Throne of Glass read-along continues! If you read my Sunday Summary post dated the 31st of May, you’ll know I set myself the target of finishing Heir of Fire on that final day of May. With around 250 pages left, I pushed through so that I could get up-to-date with my own read-along. Sounds silly, I know. However, for the past few books I have been running behind. With the books now getting longer, I can’t afford to be behind and I need to dedicate more time to making sure I stay up-to-date with these.

Naturally, that’s going to be my priority for Queen of Shadows. This latest book, which is the fourth book in the Throne of Glass series, is around 700 pages long. That’s nearly twice the length of the first couple of books. So, I definitely need to prioritise keeping on top of this one! 

 

Goodreads Spring 2026 Reading Challenge Books

 

The Pillars of the Earth

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Queen of Shadows isn’t the only lengthy book on this June monthly TBR. On the contrary, one of the Goodreads Spring 2026 reading challenge prompts is called Marathon Reader. Yes, as the name probably suggests to you, this is a long book. I’ve chosen The Pillars of the Earth for this prompt because it’s also a book I featured in my 2026 resolutions post. It’s a book I’ve been recommended at least twice, so I wanted to get to this in 2026 anyway. 

The Pillars of the Earth weighs in at about 1,070 pages. No small feat, right? My hunch is that I will progress with The Pillars of the Earth over the course of the month rather than reading the whole thing at once. That gives me the chance to enjoy the book in smaller chunks, as well as get to the other books on this June TBR. If I’m going to complete the Goodreads Spring 2026 reading challenge, I can’t afford any dips in reading momentum! 

 

Ink, Blood, Sister, Scribe

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For the books on books challenge prompt, I’m reading Ink, Blood, Sister, Scribe. I had two books that fit the bill on my TBR. On a practical level, however, it made sense for me to pick up Ink, Blood, Sister, Scribe as part of this monthly TBR given I already own a hardback copy. 

It’s become very apparent to me in recent days that I have a number of physical books on my bookshelves that I have not yet got to. Ink, Blood, Sister, Scribe is one of those. So, perfect timing to deal with that – no? 

 

Katabasis 

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I only had one book that fit the AAPI Heritage reading prompt. And you know what, I’m not mad, as it means I get to pick up another book by R.F. Kuang! 

I have really come to love Rebecca‘s writing. Most recently, I picked up Yellowface at the beginning of this year. However, I have loved all the books more reminiscent of Katabasis, including the likes of Babel. 

I was so excited to pick up a physical copy of this book that I picked it up going abroad last year, only to bring it all the way home. Could I have waited? Sure. Did I want to? Absolutely not! 

 

Challenger 

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When reading Orbital by Samantha Harvey at the very top of the year, I got to touch upon the topic of the space shuttle Challenger and its tragic fate in that narrative. It was only touched on very briefly, but it sparked a reminder that I wanted to pick up Challenger by Adam Higginbotham to really learn what happened on that fateful day.

Thankfully, this book qualifies for the editor’s picks prompt for the spring challenge. Honestly, I had a few books that fit in this category, and it was hard to choose which one. However, partly down to the combination of already owning the book, as well as being passionate about the subject from a recent read, gave this book the edge to make it onto this monthly TBR. 

 

Behind Closed Doors

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Finally, given I already have some lengthy reading to get through, I picked the shortest book on my TBR for the community picks prompt. 

Behind Closed Doors is a reasonably short mystery/thriller novel that I will hopefully devour! Given I’ve enjoyed books like this in audio format before, and the heavy weighting of physical books on this June TBR so far, I imagine I will pick this up in audio just to help get to it as well. 

At just under 300 pages, this feels achievable! 

 

Summary 

So, ignoring the fact I currently have a gap to fill in another Pride Month pick, these are the books I plan to read towards the rest of the challenge prompts for the Goodreads Spring 2026 Reading Challenge. However, I do also have a couple of books on this list that don’t fit that prompt at all. Fire cannot kill a dragon and Queen of Shadows do not qualify for this challenge at all, but they are personal reads I’m invested in picking up in June.

Are you taking part in any reading challenges this month? Do you have any planned summer reading you are taking part in? Let me know in the comments what you’re planning to read this June.

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Monthly Wrap-Up – May 2026

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***Today’s monthly wrap-up contains affiliate links to Amazon if you wish to purchase any of the books featured. If you follow any of these links, I will earn a small commission from that purchase at no cost to you. 

If you wish to obtain a copy of any 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 never not ambitious when it comes to setting a TBR. May proved to be no exception! Unfortunately, I didn’t get to all the books I planned in that TBR. Of the four TBR jar picks I pulled out, I only got to one. Even then, it’s being carried over to June and it’s a current read as of drafting this monthly wrap-up post. 

Nevertheless, I’ve had a productive month of reading! There were a couple of moments where I pushed hard to complete some of the reads for deadlines. It’s kept me on track so I have no regrets.

Let’s take a look at the books I picked up in May! 

 

Books Read 

Crown of Midnight

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When I published last month’s monthly wrap-up, I had to hold my hands up to some pretty poor reading progress with Crown of Midnight. Given I was meant to finish the book in April, I went into May having only started the first 14%. 

Pathetic, right? Well, needless to say, my first focus of the month was to catch up with Crown of Midnight. I confess, even after all that, it still took me until mid-month to finish this second book of the Throne of Glass series. Slack, I know. However, I made good, not only on Crown of Midnight, but the sequel too. More on that one later… 

I enjoyed Crown of Midnight. A theme across the latest books I’ve read is that I start off quite slow. However, once the action is really established and starting to go down in the second half of the book, I’ll fly with it. I’d say part of that is due to the events of Crown of Midnight building significantly on Throne of Glass. The magnitude of the series gets bigger with every instalment. I love it, even if it means taking time over the detail of the book to start with. 

 

Why We Get Sick

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Why We Get Sick was an impulse audiobook listen towards the end of April. After a tricky month, I pretty much wrote off my TBR in the end. Instead, to get myself out of a slump, I picked up Why We Get Sick as a change-up and to enjoy a topic I have an interest in. 

In the last couple of years, I’ve been more serious about my health. I’ve read a few books around the subject. Ultra-Processed People. The Weight’s Over. A couple of other examples. Hoping to gain information about insulin resistance and the longer-term health consequences that causes, I picked up Why We Get Sick. And you know what, it was an interesting read. The book has a focus more on the biological aspect of insulin resistance, which to be fair, is what I asked ChatGPT for when looking for a book rec on the subject. It lived entirely up to my expectations. 

Readers looking for more in the way of practical tips or lifestyle changes to make might benefit from a different read. This has a couple, but the emphasis is more on how it occurs rather than giving detailed advice on how to reverse it. 

An insightful read nonetheless! 

 

The Eagle Will Rise

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I took part in the blog tour for The Eagle Will Rise. This book is the first of a new series featuring a character I love from M.J. Porter’s The Eagle of Mercia Chronicles. 

I had hoped to start this book a little earlier and not be so last-minute with reading this book. However, I found myself in a position where I only had a couple of days to pick up the book ahead of my review deadline. For the post part, that was due to taking longer to read Crown of Midnight than initially planned. 

Nevertheless, reading The Eagle Will Rise was a breeze. I’ve now read around ten books by M.J. Porter. I know her writing style, the format. What to expect, and the book 100% lived up to expectations. Thank goodness I work well under pressure, because the pace I needed to maintain for this one involved reading around 150 pages a day. This is one of two hard pushes I made with a particular title this month. 

If you want to find out more about this book, you can find my review here. 

 

Witch Hunt

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Another blog tour commitment I read towards in May is Witch Hunt. I picked this up in audiobook format well in advance of the tour. So much so, my post is due in the coming days and thankfully, I finished this book a couple of weeks ago. 

My motivation to read Witch Hunt comes from the book’s overall setting. In the shadow of Lancashire’s Pendle Hill, infamous for its associations with witchcraft and trials. Amidst modern-time accusations, the murder of one such accused woman appears all but an open and shut case. However, of course, it’s not that simple… 

My review for Witch Hunt goes live on Thursday. So, I’m going to keep my thoughts pretty short and sweet here. If you want to find out more, I hope you can come back for that review post. 

Makes a change for me not to be confessing to chasing my tail in a monthly wrap-up. Well, not for every book anyway… 

 

Heir of Fire

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For the second half of the month, I made a concerted push with Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas. Heir of Fire is the sequel to Crown of Midnight and the planned reading book for May. Now obviously, I started this readalong late. In fact, I started the book mid-month. So, in fairness to fellow readers, I have this readalong open on Fable and StoryGraph until the 7th June. 

However, I got it in my head this weekend that I wanted to get back on track. So I can start Queen of Shadows nice and early, I was determined to binge-read the final 250 pages I had left in Heir of Fire yesterday. And you know what, by the skin of my teeth, I did it! I finished Heir of Fire at 00:15 last night. Technically 1st June, but before I went to bed for the evening. So, it counts in my book 😂

Heir of Fire was a repeat of Crown of Midnight in that the early events of the book invest time in expanding the places, world building, and characters we get to know in the book. 

 

Somewhere Beyond the Sea

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Over the course of May, I’ve been slowly progressing with Somewhere Beyond the Sea. Unlike other books on this monthly wrap-up feature, I’ve been deliberately making slow progress with it. When I planned my Completing the Goodreads Spring 2026 Reading Challenge post, I had to take a stab at an LGBTQ book I thought could qualify.

Given the final prompt was labelled Pride Month until today, I had no way of knowing what would qualify, or if it specifically needed to be a completion in June to count. So, I took a punt, and listened to this audiobook with the aim to complete it in early June. In fact, I finished it earlier today! 

The good news is that this sequel lived up to its predecessor, The House in the Cerulean Sea. It’s cute, wholesome, and charming. The characters are funny, if a little ridiculous. But that’s the fun of it. The bad news is that it doesn’t count towards the Goodreads challenge after all. Then again, nothing I have on my TBR with LGBTQ themes does, so I don’t feel too hard done by! At least I got up-to-date with the series. 

 

Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon

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The penultimate book to feature in today’s monthly wrap-up is my physical current read, Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon by James Hibberd. 

This read came out of my TBR Jar in my May TBR video on YouTube. It’s also the only TBR jar pick that made it anywhere near my ears or eyeballs this month. Don’t Fix Women, Sleeping Beauties, and The Great Hunt will just have to wait for another day… 

I picked up Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon as a breather from Heir of Fire. I needed a different subject. Something lighter. A topic I was confident I’d love. Well, we all know A Game of Thrones ticks all those boxes for me! 

Rather than a return to the main series that inspired it all, Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon is about the filming of the TV series and how HBO and the directors Dan Weiss and David Benioff achieved what had never been done before – took a series deliberately written to be larger than the screen and put it there. At times, heavily constrained by budget. The book features interviews and commentary from cast and crew on all things from casting to creative decision-making progress. It’s insightful, new to me and so entertaining yet informative, and has only tempted me to pick up the first book again a few times. 

Okay, that’s a lie… more than a few! 

As of this monthly wrap-up, featuring progress up until yesterday, I got to 116 pages in during May. I’ve already picked it up today and blitzed 30 pages over lunch. Now Heir of Fire is done, 100% of my focus is on Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon. It won’t last long! 

 

Project Hail Mary

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My final read of the month is my current audiobook listen, which admittedly I only just touched on in May. 

It hardly feels worthy of mention in this monthly wrap-up given I only sampled the first few minutes, then a couple of chapters, this weekend just gone. Planning ahead on how to tackle my June TBR (coming out in the next few days… stay tuned!), I decided to try Project Hail Mary in audio format. This book will do me some wonders in my efforts to complete the Goodreads Spring reading challenge. Perhaps now in jeopardy thanks to Pride Month not working out, but I may claw it back yet. We’ll see! 

With this in mind, I need to fit this in to make my book choices work harder for me. I like the narration, and I’m intrigued by the introduction. It’s the best thing I can ask for, really. More to follow on this book over the course of the month as I progress with it. 

Again, now I’ve finished Somewhere Beyond the Sea, Project Hail Mary has my full, undivided attention! 

 

Summary 

At times, May didn’t feel like a super busy or productive month. However, as this monthly wrap-up post has reminded me, that’s really not the case at all. I picked up a number of reads, some of them not small either. A few had deadlines, self-imposed or otherwise. And I hit all those targets. 

So, this monthly wrap-up is a bit of a success story, even if I didn’t get to the whole TBR. It was a long shot anyway, and regardless, I had a great time with these reads! 

What did you read over the course of May – any recommendations for me? 

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Sunday Summary – 31st May 2026

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Somehow we’re at the end of another week… and the end of May! How has it gone this fast? In my latest Sunday Summary, I catch you up on the books I’ve made progress with this week and what content I’ve shared. As well, I update you on one book I’ve added to my TBR this week, and finally, what to expect coming up over the next seven days. Buckle up and get comfortable! 

First, let’s recap content I’ve shared this week. On the blog, I shared a Top Ten Tuesday in which I featured My Favourite Reads by My Favourite Authors. On Friday, I shared my latest Shelf Control post, looking at an upcoming historical fiction on my TBR with a strong female lead. 

Over on YouTube, I published two videos for your entertainment. The first of those was a book review of a book I read back in February – Grace by A.M. Shine. If you enjoy Gothic horror with an Irish mythology twist, or at least the idea of that, go check out that post! Yesterday, I then published My Must-Read Recommendations. If you want a feel for my reading taste, as well as a chance to get some varied book recommendations, go check out that video! 

I’ve also published my Sunday Summary video equivalent of this post, if you want to take a look at that. 

 

Books Read

Heir of Fire

I’m on a mission to finish Heir of Fire before I turn in tonight. This morning, I started off at 63% progress in the book (compared to 20% as of last week’s Sunday Summary). Right now, around 8 p.m. as I’m drafting this post, I’m 81% in. The action is KICKING OFF – I’m 100% finishing this book tonight if it’s the last thing I do. I’m hooked, keen to find out not only how this book ends, but also how it queues up the next book. Where do we go from here? 

For a series I didn’t anticipate enjoying, I’m getting on well with it. Sometimes getting into the books is a little slow, but once all the plot points start to come together, I find the books easy to run with. 

I’m also set on finishing Heir of Fire tonight so I’m on time with my own readalong, for once! I’ve been running late the whole time so far. The books get even longer after this one, so I can’t afford to run late.

Wish me luck on finishing this one tonight – my final motivator is that my library loan is due back tomorrow… 

 

Somewhere Beyond the Sea

Over the course of this week, I’ve listened to around 45% of Somewhere Beyond the Sea. Add that to the 33% progress I was at last week, and you can see I’m nearly done with this audiobook. 

You may recall in last week’s Sunday Summary that this lines up with what I wanted to achieve. I’m reading Somewhere Beyond the Sea in the hopes it qualifies for the Goodreads Spring 2026 Reading Challenge Pride month prompt. Not knowing if I needed to finish this in June, Pride month itself, I’ve deliberately paced this to finish the audiobook in early June. 

As of this Sunday Summary I’m 80% through. So, all-in-all, I’ve largely achieved that goal of lining this up for an early June finish. The final 20% will take around 2 and a half hours to finish. I’ve consistently been listening to 45 mins of the book before bed on average. Now though, I can listen to an hour for the next couple of evenings and polish this off promptly! 

I had some concerns that Somewhere Beyond the Sea may be a little repetitive of the first book in the series, The House in the Cerulean Sea. However, I’m pleased to say that’s proven not to be the case at all. It’s charming, funny, and I can’t wait to see how the book wraps up. I guess I’ll find out in the next couple of days… 

 

Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon

As of last week’s Sunday Summary, I’d just started Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon as a change-up from Heir of Fire. I’ve been solidly reading Sarah J. Maas for most of May, so I appreciated the change of genre and style. 

Over the course of this week, I’ve continued to turn to Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon to take a break from Heir of Fire. I’ve loved the tidbits of detail that unfurl throughout this behind-the-scenes account of the filming of A Game of Thrones. From cast interviews and commentary to editorial decisions on how things were filmed and why, it’s been insightful. It’s also a fun way to enjoy the series I love whilst also reading something new. Once I’ve finished Heir of Fire, I’m excited to make Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon my reading priority. 

 

Project Hail Mary

Finally, I started Project Hail Mary this week. Planning ahead for my June TBR, I sampled the audiobook before getting a copy to make sure the narrative style was something I could gel with. I’m happy with it, and I continued listening on for a couple of chapters. 

Listening on gave me a chance to get into the first couple of chapters and get a feel for the introductory setting of the book. I’m intrigued, so I’m looking forward to getting stuck into Project Hail Mary properly once I’m done with Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon! 

 

Books Discovered

Whilst doom-scrolling on Facebook this week, I came across the author page for today’s addition to my TBR. I’m intrigued by the premise of a book featuring a dragon that’s based on the author’s experience of disability. It’s a unique idea, and one I’m keen to explore more when I read it for myself! So, I’ve added Wing Weaver by A.P. Beswick to my TBR. 

 

Coming Up… 

What I’m Reading… 

Naturally, reading progress the rest of tonight is going to be Heir of Fire. After that, I’ll plough on with Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon. Likewise on the audio front, Somewhere Beyond the Sea is my priority listen and I should make light work of it. Then, I’m on to Project Hail Mary. 

However, I’m sure you’re keen to get a feel for what comes up next. With that in mind, the physical book I’m going to start after Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon is The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett. It’s the chunkiest book on my upcoming June TBR. Coming in at over 1000 pages, I’m going to need plenty of time to get stuck in. 

On the audiobook front, what comes after Project Hail Mary? Honestly, I’m not sure. I’m toying with a couple of options right now. Do I try Throne of Glass in audio format, or try to hit some of the lesser page count reads that’ll contribute to the Goodreads Spring 2026 Reading Challenge that way? Honestly, I haven’t decided yet. 

 

Blog

We’re in for a busy week next week. With the end of the month looming, it’ll soon be time for my monthly wrap-up post to recap progress in May. I enjoy these posts, but they are usually lengthy. I’m looking forward to sharing my progress in May, as well as letting you know for sure if I finish Heir of Fire! 

Next, I’ve got an audiobook review of Witch Hunt due on Thursday. I’ve listened to this audiobook already, so I can start preparing my thoughts ahead of time. Makes a change to be able to not write this last minute! 

After that obligation is taken care of, my June TBR is my next priority. It’s largely shaped by my Completing the Goodreads Spring 2026 Reading Challenge. Where before I kept my options open with book choices, I’m nailing those down in my June TBR based on page count and reading preferences. 

It hardly feels worth mentioning as it’s a given at this point. But, to be clear, I’m back with another Sunday Summary to roundup the week. No surprises there… 

 

YouTube

Today I recorded two videos that I’ll edit and release next week. In line with expectations of my blog content next week, I’ll release my monthly May wrap-up first and then my June TBR shortly thereafter. 

 

Summary 

Thanks for reading today’s Sunday Summary. It feels like a long one, but I’m pleased to have plenty to share with you! Have you read any of the books I feature today? What are you reading in the coming days? 

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Sunday Summary – 24th May 2026

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Good evening, friends – welcome back to my latest Sunday Summary post! In today’s catch-up, I’ll get you up to speed on the books I’ve been reading this week, as well as recap the content I’ve posted online. That way, if you’ve missed anything, you have the opportunity to catch up. 

Compared to recent weeks, I’d say it’s been a productive one. Certainly on the content front anyway. After a blip a few weeks ago, I’m back to posting content both here on the blog and on YouTube. Now, the only thing I need to get up to speed is the likes of Instagram and my other social media accounts. I’ve never been great with it, but I promise to make more of an effort with those too. 

So, content. What have I posted? Well, here on the blog, a little later than planned, I shared my review of Wizard and Glass by Stephen King. That review was intended to go out towards the beginning of this week. However, I had complex feelings about this book and I wanted to be sure I articulated this right. So, I took my time and ultimately shared this review yesterday. 

Before that though, I posted a First Lines Friday, featuring a book I may get to as part of the Goodreads 2026 Spring Reading Challenge. The particular book in question wasn’t one of my original preferences compared to others on my TBR for the same prompt (Editor’s Picks). However, after reading those opening lines and talking about the book in that post, I may reconsider! 

Over on YouTube, I’ve shared another review. This one was for Dreams From My Father by Barack Obama. If you want to keep more up-to-date with my book reviews, make sure to follow me on YouTube. My reviews on my blog are older – as of writing, I’m a couple of years behind! However, if you are interested in my thoughts on the books I’m reading this year, YouTube is the place to be! 

Finally, earlier today I posted a video version of my Completing the Goodreads 2026 Spring Reading Challenge. If you haven’t read the written version, or don’t have time, maybe go watch/listen to my picks on YouTube… 

 

Books Read

Heir of Fire

Now onto my favourite section of my Sunday Summary – what I’ve read! My reading priority this week is Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas. You may be aware I’m hosting readalongs for the Throne of Glass series. May is the month to complete book 3, Heir of Fire. I confess, I was late finishing Crown of Midnight so I’ve set this readalong to run until 7th June. If you’ve not started yet, there’s still time to read with me. 

As of this Sunday Summary, I’m 20% into the book and I have plans to pick this up again before bed. I’ve picked up a digital copy of Heir of Fire as a library loan. I have around a week left, and also a personal deadline of the end of the month to complete this book. Then, I’ll at least be on track with my own readalong. It’ll be a first, trust me! 

One aspect of the books I love so far is that with each one, the scope and storyline get bigger. At the same time, it all comes together really well and without feeling forced. For a fantasy romance series, the emphasis on the fantasy plot and conflicts outweighs the romance sideline of the book. I’m personally not complaining, as that’s exactly what I was hoping for. 

Naturally, with only 20% progression into the book, there’s only so much I can talk about right now. Let’s hope I can share completion in next week’s Sunday Summary and then tell you more about it! 

 

Somewhere Beyond the Sea

Progress with Somewhere Beyond the Sea has ticked along steadily this week, and that has been intentional. I’m listening to Somewhere Beyond the Sea in the hopes it qualifies for the Pride Month prompt of the Goodreads 2026 Spring Reading Challenge. Given that’s a month-long event, I’m assuming I’ll need to finish the book in June for it to qualify. With this in mind, I’ve been listening to 30 mins-45 mins a night before bed. That way, completion of this book should fall around the beginning of June. 

My latest position in this audio is that I’m now around 33% into the book. I’d say this is an ideal place to be. With just eight days left in the month, including tonight, I can listen to an hour a day and still just fall into the early June timeline I need. 

Somewhere Beyond the Sea is a beautiful book, and it follows off from The House in the Cerulean Sea well. Although part of that series, it has its own unique storyline that follows on from its predecessor without feeling same-y. We’ll see if that continues, given an aspect of the plot is going to somewhat be reminiscent of the first book (no spoilers here!). 

More to follow on this book in next week’s Sunday Summary. Whilst I plan to not have completed the book by next week’s update, I could cheat a little and read 99% of it… leaving just the final few minutes to finish in June. 

 

Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon

I had the urge to pick up another title from my May TBR today. Given I’ve been reading Throne of Glass back-to-back, and I acknowledge that’s my fault here, I fancied a change. 

I had a little trouble choosing what to pick up. I steered away from The Great Hunt and Sleeping Beauties because I’m already reading a fantasy book. Both of these have fantasy elements, even if one of these doesn’t strictly call in the fantasy genre. So, that left Don’t Fix Women and Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon. The choice ultimately came down to what I owned and what I didn’t. I had a copy of Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon on my bookshelf ready to be picked up. 

As of this Sunday Summary, I’ve only read the first 20 pages. That said, I appreciated picking up a very different title. I’m also very heavily invested in the subject matter too. Whilst not strictly Game of Thrones (my favourite all-time series), it’s about the filming of the TV series. There’s new stuff for me to explore here. And, if it inspires ANOTHER re-read of this series, well, I won’t be mad. I’ll take any excuse! 

 

Books Discovered

 All the reading and content creation this week has kept my head down. No new books to the TBR to note here, thank goodness! I have enough with the 230 odd I already have. Wouldn’t you agree? 

 

Coming Up… 

What I’m Reading… 

Naturally, next week is planned to be a continuation of this week. Finish Heir of Fire, if I can, or get as close as I can. Mix things up with some Fire Cannot Kill A Dragon here and there if I need a change. Listen to Somewhere Beyond the Sea before bed, or any other opportunity I can. Basically, anything to keep the reading pace up. 

It feels good to be out of the slump I’ve been in recently. I’m also enjoying my current reads, so let’s hope for more of the same! 

 

Blog

For the first time in a little while, I’m posting a Top Ten Tuesday next week. I’ve been holding out for a topic I’m interested in. Next week’s topic fits in nicely with a YouTube video idea I have. So, it makes sense to do both of these as I can repurpose and reframe some of the content both ways. This week’s topic is My Favourite Books by My Favourite Authors. 

On Friday, I’ll get back to you with a Shelf Control post. The fun about this regular feature is that I get to look ahead at books coming up on my TBR, share them with you, and hype myself for them. Next week, I feature a daring WW2 historical fiction novel with a female lead. I understand it has some romance element to it too – if that’s your cup of tea, be sure to check out that post! 

You know the drill, I’ll be back with another Sunday Summary to round up the week. Will I have reading completions to share with you? I can only hope for a successful week of reading… but time will tell. 

 

YouTube

Over on YouTube, I’ve recorded one video to share next week already. I’ve got another planned to film tomorrow. So, you won’t be bored! Before those go live, I’ve got my weekly catch-up which should go live early tomorrow. 

Next, I’ll post my review video of a book I read back in February – Grace by A.M. Shine. I’ve already reviewed that book here on my blog. However, I’m endeavouring to record reviews for every book I’ve read this year to share on my channel. So, it was a relatively easy piece of content to produce as I’ve already committed my thoughts. All I’m doing is adapting it to a new medium and hopefully a new audience! 

Finally, in an attempt to help viewers get a feel for who I am as a content creator on that new-to-me platform, I’ve got a video idea to share the books I deem must-read recommendations. It’ll give viewers a feel for my reading taste and the type of content you can expect from me there. I hope you’re as excited for that video as I am! 

 

Summary 

If you’re still with me, thanks for checking out today’s Sunday Summary. Have you read any of the books I feature in today’s post? Are any on your TBR, or do you have something similar you’d like to recommend? 

Let me know in the comments, and I’ll catch you in the next post ☺️📚

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Book Review: Wizard and Glass – Stephen King

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***Today’s review of Wizard and Glass 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.***

 

Wizard and Glass wasn’t quite the book I expected it to be. So far in Stephen King’s The Dark Tower series, the narrative has been light on the context of the wider series. Hoping this would unravel later in all due time, I was okay with this. Well, unravel it did. If you’re interested in my thoughts on the earlier books of the series, you can find these here: – 

The Gunslinger

The Drawing of the Three

The Waste Lands

I confess, Wizard and Glass wasn’t quite the books I anticipated, and I almost marked it down for it. Ultimately, it was an interesting book. However, if I’m honest I was a little disappointed Wizard and Glass came across as a bit of an info-dump book. 

However, the book and narrative isn’t without its merits, and overall I rated the book four stars. Before we get into my thoughts in full detail, let’s cover the stats and synopsis… 

 

Wizard and Glass – Stephen King

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 845

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton

Publication Date: 04 Nov 1997

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟

 

Purchase Link – Amazon UK

Goodreads – Wizard and Glass

Roland, Eddie, Susannah, Jake, and Jake’s pet bumbler survive Blaine the Mono’s final crash, only to find themselves stranded in an alternate version of Topeka, Kansas, one that has been ravaged by the superflu virus. While following the deserted I-70 toward a distant glass palace, they hear the atonal squalling of a thinny, a place where the fabric of existence has almost entirely worn away. While camping near the edge of the thinny, Roland tells his ka-tet a story about another thinny, one that he encountered when he was little more than a boy. Over the course of one long magical night, Roland transports us to the Mid-World of long-ago and a seaside town called Hambry, where Roland fell in love with a girl named Susan Delgado, and where he and his old tet-mates Alain and Cuthbert battled the forces of John Farson, the harrier who—with a little help from a seeing sphere called Maerlyn’s Grapefruit—ignited Mid-World’s final war.

 

My Thoughts

Plot 

Whilst the overall setting and backstory of this book came across as a bit of an info-dump, I can’t actually fault the narrative in itself. This book wasn’t what I expected or hoped for. Instead of a continuation of the present day narrative we’ve enjoyed in books 1-3, very little actually happens in the present timeline in Wizard and Glass. 

Instead, we are taken back to Roland’s youth for the entirety of this book. If not for the level of cohesive detail, and my inability to come up with a way this story could have been told in the detail it is any other way, I would have marked it down. There is so much to this book that I think it was necessary to do in this format. In the grand scheme of the series, the context this backstory provides is relevant to the wider plot and needed to be told. My dislike of the change of pace and plot-line is ultimately preferential and so I couldn’t in good faith by unfair on this point my marking down my review. 

Wizard and Glass is an epic storyline. Hardly surprising for a Stephen King book, but especially in this wider world. Rather than following the established journey towards the Tower, we instead explore the backstory that set Roland on its path. That said, the plot is no less full of action and conflict that we’ve seen in earlier books. Rather, the setting of the book takes us back to what I would describe as a more authentic Western setting. Conflicts, when not handled with words, start with fists and end with bullets or flame. It’s dramatic, tense, and everything I’ve enjoyed in the series so far. 

 

Characters 

As well as the usual cast and crew we’ve come to know and love throughout The Dark Tower so far, we come to know many more in Wizard and Glass. 

Despite almost starting again, and having a whole new cast to introduce and explore, this wasn’t overwhelming to read. Key character are brought into the narrative in good time, not all at once. Even though I went into this book with investment into a set of characters that barely feature in the story (Roland aside, of course), I was still able to relate and motivate myself to explore the new characters and their conclusions. 

The small town community setting of this book is one I know all too well. I live on an island myself, and news, and people, get around. In this even smaller, somewhat isolated group, it’s not difficult to appreciate how difficult it is to keep secrets in a place like this. The conflict and tension of such a setting is engaging. Groups like this often develop their own senses of right and wrong, morality, things like that. For outsiders, it’s entirely skewed. That’s very much the case here, and I liked that. To what extermes will these people go to? Where are the boundaries, if they exist?

 

Setting 

The benefit of a book which essentially addresses flashbacks is that we get to see a whole new setting within the wider world already established. It’s an opportunity to address history and take a look at the places, events and ultimately the backstory that shaped the more modern timeline. 

In Wizard and Glass, we get to experience what I would describe as a book with closer fidelity to a Western style narrative. In earlier books, we’ve had elements of modern societies bleed into the narrative. Blane the mono, abandoned cities and the like morph the setting slightly to something more hybrid. However, in Wizard and Glass, the small town setting and close community brings us back to the book’s Western roots. The self-sustaining community, suspicious of outsiders, set in their ways and opinions and witchcraft especially feels authentic. 

Whilst I’ve enjoyed the other books and their crossovers in setting (it’s a fantasy after all, not a pure Western), I got on well with Wizard and Glass leaning into this more authentic setting. 

 

Narrative Style 

For the most part, we spend the majority of our time in Wizard and Glass flashing back to the past. Whilst we get brief glimpses of present day and the group listening to Roland’s recount of his youth, not much happens here. Even still, these brief interludes help break up that dense, contextually relevant narrative and give Susannah and Eddie the opportunity to ‘ask questions’ to help reaffirm relevance to readers. 

Despite being a chunky read, I read Wizard and Glass pretty quickly. In all, I think I was actively progressing with this book over a span of a couple of weeks. I did have to put it down temporarily to pick up some reading obligations. However, once those were out of the way I dived into the final 30% of the book with gusto. 

For an epic fantasy, I’d say Kings books, Wizard and Glass included, aren’t difficult to read. There’s complexity in the depth of what is going on, sure, but not really in the language, tone or writing style of the book. Even references to phases and elements of ‘own language’ in the book are pretty self-explanatory. 

 

Summary 

Thanks for reading today’s Wizard and Glass review! 

Have you read Wizard of Glass, or any other books in Stephen King’s The Dark Tower series? If not yet, pick up a copy of Wizard and Glass here, or start the adventure with The Dark Tower and let me know what you think of this Western-style fantasy. 

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Sunday Summary – 17th May 2026

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Happy Sunday friends and welcome to another weekly Sunday Summary catch-up! I have some great reading progress to update you with this week. With a looming blog tour post, it was all steam ahead with reading the book for which I needed to review. After that, I’ve enjoyed another couple of finishes… so all in all, it’s been a productive one! 

Before we get into the reading updates section of this Sunday Summary, let’s recap the content I’ve shared this week. Here on the blog, I’ve posted a list of books on my TBR I can read towards completing the Goodreads 2026 Spring Reading Challenge. Then, on Thursday morning, my expected blog tour review for The Eagle Will Rise went live! 

Over on YouTube, I caught up with posting my April wrap-up and May TBR. Unfortunately, I didn’t get those out last week. However, I finally worked through a learning curve that comes with changing video editor and got them out before they were so late they were obsolete. 

 

Books Read

The Eagle Will Rise

Reading priority this week went to completing The Eagle Will Rise ahead of my blog tour obligation on Thursday. When I prepared my May TBR, I shared that I hoped finishing this book wouldn’t go down to the wire and I’d be a bit more prepared. Well… I’m sure you can imagine how it actually played out. 

Yes, I read this book in the final two days before the review was due. However, knowing M.J. Porter’s writing style and format of books, I was confident this was achievable. And sure, it was! I even had my review scheduled before the small hours of the night, so that’s a bonus! 

As much as I left things to the last minute, that’s no reflection on the book, but on me. The Eagle Will Rise was an action-packed, brand-new series opener. It was a great read, and another series from M.J. Porter I’m keeping up with. If you love historical fiction and want to find out more, take a look at my full review here. 

 

Crown of Midnight 

I’m pleased to share I finally completed Crown of Midnight today. This book has been long outstanding, given I wanted to finish this in April. 

As with the first book, the ending was really compelling and I’m curious to find out where this series is going. Events are constantly getting broader and the world-building is far more than I could have hoped for. I confess, I went into Throne of Glass not appreciating the scope of the series. Sarah J. Maas is now for romance more than anything, so that’s what I expected. Sure, that’s absolutely in here. However, the vast magical background to the narrative, hinted at character arcs and complex relationships have surprised me. 

I’m looking forward to jumping straight into Heir of Fire and continuing the series! 

 

Witch Hunt 

Over the last seven days, I’ve completed the final 75% of Witch Hunt by B.D. Spargo. Yes, as of this Sunday Summary, I’ve got a third finish to share! 

It’s been a great week, and it’s helped having some very different books and all well-received. Witch Hunt caught my attention for its ties to the Pendle Hill witchcraft history the location has. This book builds upon that history, but it doesn’t overly dominate the narrative if it’s not your cup of tea. 

I really enjoyed how this mystery unfolded. The pacing at the end especially made this compulsively readable, or in my case, I didn’t want to stop listening! And, completing this book this week means I’m AHEAD of providing my review in early June. First time for everything… right?! 

 

Somewhere Beyond the Sea

Finally, the last book to update you on in this Sunday Summary is one I’ve picked up towards completing the Goodreads 2026 Spring Reading Challenge. 

Unfortunately, the final books on my May TBR are ones I own already and can’t get audiobook versions of from my library. I don’t want to pay twice. Not only that, but the only book I don’t own hasn’t been made into an audiobook. So, I was stymied until I started producing my list for the Spring Challenge. 

Given I couldn’t pick up anything towards my May TBR, I might as well try to read towards completing the challenge. I’m optimistic Somewhere Beyond the Sea will contribute towards the Pride month challenge. If not, well, it’s a sequel that was on my TBR. So, it’s no loss reading this one anyway 😅

 

Books Discovered

 I added a few new books to my TBR as part of my Goodreads 2026 Spring Reading Challenge post – A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms and Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir. 

I’d also historically neglected to add Ink, Blood, Sister, Scribe to my TBR, despite getting a physical copy of the book as part of a book subscription I enjoyed a couple of years ago. 

 

Coming Up… 

What I’m Reading… 

So, Heir of Fire is my next and only immediate priority. This book is coming up at 600 pages long. It’s getting more sizeable compared to the previous instalments of the series. I’m glad I’m getting on top of this now and not jeopardising running late for the rest of my readalong. 

Naturally, I’ll also continue on with Somewhere Beyond the Sea. It’s a library loan, so I have a couple of weeks to finish this without extending the loan. Given there’s a deadline, it doesn’t make sense to pick up anything else in tandem. 

 

Blog

Early next week, I share my thoughts on a sequel to a series I’m reading that didn’t quite land as well as its predecessors. Wizard and Glass is the fourth book of Stephen King’s The Dark Tower series. I’m looking forward to sharing my thoughts on this one to decompress and hopefully get myself in the headspace to continue and read Wolves of the Calla in the near future.  

On Friday, I’ll return with a First Lines Friday feature. I’m in the mood for a challenge, and I want to keep up momentum and focus on books to pick up towards completing the Goodreads Spring challenge. So, I’ll feature one of the books I featured in that post in more detail. If you weren’t inspired to pick it up after that post, perhaps the First Lines Friday feature can sway your opinion!

As always, I’ll close off the week with another Sunday Summary update. Will I have as successful a week in terms of reading progress? I can only hope so! Bearing in mind the remaining books on my TBR, mostly get longer, that may be a little optimistic. However, I didn’t set an ambitious TBR with the intention of letting it pass me by without trying to push for it.  

 

YouTube

Over on YouTube, I’ve recorded two videos to share during the week. The first video is a recorded version of my Completing the Goodreads 2026 Spring Reading Challenge post. 

The second video is an early preview of my thoughts on Dreams from My Father by Barack Obama. I’ve been reviewing books I’ve read so far this year on YouTube ahead of those reviews going live here on the blog. So, if you want to catch those reviews before everyone else here, go and follow me there. 

 

Summary 

This Sunday Summary is plenty long enough, so I’ll leave you to the rest of your day. As for me, I’m off for a relaxing shower before bed. And hey, guess what? The weekend is over and the daily grind has rolled around far too quickly 😭 Bring on the late May bank holiday… 

Until then, what are you reading? 

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Blog Tour Review: The Eagle Will Rise – M.J. Porter

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As I’ve already established here on Reviewsfeed, I’m a huge fan of historical fiction written by M.J. Porter. So far, I’ve kept up to date with her Eagle of Mercia Chronicles. However, I’m NOT here today with another instalment of that series. No! Instead, I have the pleasure to feature a brand new series, The Eagle Will Rise. With characters from Eagle of Mercia I have come to know and love, it was a shoe-in in terms of me enjoying this! Taking place later than that series, an ageing Icel hasn’t given up his seax just yet. 

Today, I’m excited to share my thoughts on this brand new series – The Eagle Will Rise, book one of The Sundered Kingdom series. I can only do my best to encourage you to pick up this fabulous historical fiction novel. As expected, given my experience with the Eagle of Mercia series, the book isn’t shy on antics and daring rescues. Fans of Bernard Cornwell’s The Last Kingdom series will find characters overlap significantly; if you love this book, please pick up this one to continue the adventure from a Mercian perspective! 

As always, thanks to Rachel and the author, M.J. Porter for the opportunity to read and review The Eagle Will Rise. Whilst I was provided a copy of the book for the purpose of giving my review, the thoughts expressed within this post are entirely my own.

Here are the stats/details for this action-packed historical fiction, then I’ll dive into my thoughts… 

 

The Eagle Will Rise – M.J. Porter

Genre: Historical Fiction 

Pages: 322

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Boldwood Books 

Original Publication Date: 07 May 2026

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Goodreads – The Eagle Will Rise

 

The king is dead; for Mercia to survive, another must take his place.

Coelwulf, Mercia’s last king, is dead. His legacy and right to rule Western Mercia have been claimed by Alfred of Wessex, but all know Alfred was never to have Mercia. Neither were the Viking raiders, who now command the eastern-most parts of Mercia and the former kingdom of the East Angles.

Icel, the bastion of Mercia’s wars against Wessex and the Viking raiders, lies dying, but he refuses to abandon his beloved kingdom to her long-standing enemies.

Rudolf, the once-young ally of King Coelwulf the second, is summoned by Icel to attend upon him. Grudgingly, he arrives at Budworth, the task laid before him, audacious to say the least; rescue Coelwulf’s acknowledged heir, Æthelred, from Wessex, where he’s held prisoner by King Alfred. To do so, Rudolf must prevail upon the dispersed oath-sworn warrior band of King Coelwulf, and all of them, aside from him, have ignored Icel’s increasingly furious demands to attend upon him. If they won’t obey Icel, then why should they listen to Rudolf?

The fate of Mercia’s survival rests in the hands of a man who should long have been in his grave, and Rudolf, a boy who’s become a man in the most trying of circumstances. They must forge Æthelred into the emblem of Mercian survival. Or die trying. But first they must rescue Æthelred from someone who has always pretended to be Mercia’s ally, and who is anything but.

 

Purchase Links  –      Amazon UK | Amazon.com 

 

My Thoughts… 

Plot

Whilst it’s helpful to have read the Eagle of Mercia chronicles when picking up this book, it’s not essential. A degree of the history that plays out in Eagle of Mercia is relevant to the plot in The Eagle Will Rise. However, there is a degree of refresher or high level explanation, depending on where you start this book at, to fill you in. 

Being the first book of a series, there’s maybe a fraction less action than I am used to. Only a little, though, so don’t worry! In this new series, there’s a good balance between setting the scene of this new adventure and keeping current events moving. Action looks a little different, with some smaller level conflicts taking place throughout the book. It gives us the chance to explore faction dynamics and enjoy a build-up of tension that will inevitably come to a head later. 

Rest assured, Icel, Rudolf and the motley gang aren’t off for a jolly stroll, and plans set out early in this book run far from smooth. We’re kept on our toes as foiled plans, plots and betrayal shape this exciting opening narrative. 

Personally, I can’t wait for events to develop later in the series. This first book is only just out, and I have to wait!

 

Characters

I’m glad to have my favourite character, Icel, play such a prominent part of this story. One of the main reasons I was excited to pick up this new series was to see where his story took him after Eagle of Mercia. 

And it seems, he hasn’t lost too much of the mischief and meddling that shapes his youth. Though much older, and physically frailer at the start of this book, he’s as keen to fulfil his duty to protect others as we have come to love. I’m kind of glad a potential character arc mentioned in the author’s note didn’t happen in this book, at least. I suspected it was, but we can only hope that’s reserved for another day. 

Icel isn’t the only familiar character, however. Cynewise makes a reappearance, but there are also names from the broader histories that didn’t get chance to appear in Eagle of Mercia. I know them from the likes of Bernard Cornwell’s The Last Kingdom. Guthrum, King Alfred and Lady Ealhswith are names I first came to know from other books first. Getting a different, refreshing perspective on these characters and their roles in history was a fun addition to this narrative. One I hope to explore in future books, as a Mercian perspective isn’t overly prominent in other books of the same period. At least, not the ones I’ve read yet… 

Familiarity aside, there are a number of new characters introduced in this book. I’m sure many of these new names will carve their places in the series and in history as this later series develops. I found this slight change up refreshing, as to date I’ve only read a portion of M.J. Porter’s published works. Until The Eagle Will Rise, they were all from the same series. 

 

Setting

Events of The Eagle Will Rise take us across the British landscape we know today, albeit with different borders and at times, some slightly different town names. If you’re a big reader of historical fiction, like I am, then it’s easy to follow. Even if you’re not, names are the same or at least recognisable to their historical names. Have no fear! 

Travel throughout the book keeps the narrative moving along nicely. Compared to some other books I’ve read by the author, the plot is lighter on battles and has a greater, almost slow-burn build, to the main action at the end of the book. This gives the perfect opportunity to discover the dynamics, relationships and rivalries that govern this revised world. Fewer battles certainly does not mean less action, because that certainly isn’t the case! Icel, Rudolf and the gang find themselves in all manner of conflicts and pickles, just less epic in nature. For now – I have no doubt we’ll see more shield wall action like we do in the conclusion of The Eagle Will Rise soon! 

 

Narrative Style

I have the benefit of going into The Eagle Will Rise familiar with the authors’ writing style. If this isn’t going to be your first book by M.J. Porter, then you can ret assured the style of The Eagle Will Rise is consistent. 

However, if you have yet to read anything else by the author, then perhaps I should elaborate. M.J. Porter’s writing is one of the easiest I find to read. The action combines with the adaptability of shorter paragraphing sentencing and chapters when warranted helped the pages fly by. I consistently read the author’s books in a matter of days. Two, sometimes three, depending on what life’s throwing at me at the time. For The Eagle Will Rise, two days was all I needed! I devoured the book effortlessly; I’m sure you won’t find hard to imagine. 

Although the book heavily features a character I love from Eagle of Mercia, I enjoyed this narrative being told from a fresh voice. Otherwise, it would feel more like a continuation of that series. The new protagonist gives The Eagle Will Rise a distinct new voice, and somewhat separation from that series to add a new voice to the time period. 

 

Summary 

The Eagle Will Rise is a fun, compulsively readable fresh start to a new historical fiction series by M.J. Porter. With characters I know and love, but set in a new time period with a fresh perspective, I already can’t wait for the sequel. What do you mean I have to wait?! 

If you haven’t checked it out yet, why not take a look at where Icel’s journey begins with Son of Mercia?

 

Author Bio

I’m an author of historical fiction (Early English/Saxon, Vikings and the British Isles as a whole before the Norman Conquest, as well as five 20th-century historical mysteries) and fantasy (now published under a different name).

I was born in the old Mercian kingdom at some point since 1066. Raised in the shadow of a strange little building, told from a very young age that it housed the bones of long-dead kings of Mercia and that our garden was littered with old pieces of pottery from a long-ago battle, it’s little wonder that my curiosity in Early England ran riot. I can only blame my parents!

I like to write. You’ve been warned!

Social Media Links – 

linktr.ee/MJPorterauthor

Sunday Summary – 10th May 2026

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I’ve enjoyed a long weekend this weekend, and yet still I’m surprised we’re here with another Sunday Summary update. Whilst last weekend was long due to a national holiday, this weekend is also a long weekend for me as I booked both Friday and tomorrow off. The occasion – my sister got married yesterday! 

Needless to say, a good portion of this weekend was spent for the special day and so I’ve only really done a little bit of reading today. However, with no plans or commitments tomorrow, you bet I’ve got a nice calm day to chill out and catch up on some reading planned! 

So what have I done this week? On the blog here, I posted my May TBR on Monday and a Shelf Control on Friday. I’ve got another long list of books planned – my TBR jar wasn’t the kindest to me this month.

 

Books Read

Crown of Midnight 

In last week’s Sunday Summary update, I left off having made 20% of progress into Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas. 

This book is both a priority and that it is a library loan, but also a book I am behind on with my scheduled read along. With this in mind, I’ve made steady progress over the course of this week. As of this Sunday Summary update, I’m a healthier 40% into the book as of drafting this update. 

Now, I’m super conscious of the fact that I need to pick up the pace with reading this month if I’m going to get anywhere near the end of my TBR. After a disappointing reading month in April, I don’t want a repeat performance.

A good chunk of reading progress with Crown of Midnight has been achieved today. I’m hoping to get nearer 60% before the end of the evening, with a goal for a push on this book and maybe completion tomorrow. I’ve always said I’m a girl who likes a deadline. Let’s set myself this as one! 

 

Why We Get Sick 

It almost doesn’t feel like it’s worth mentioning, because in last week’s Sunday Summary I was 90% through Why We Get Sick. I finished the book shortly after posting. 

I enjoyed this factual read, or in my case listen, about insulin resistance, why it happens and what we can do about it. This book has greater emphasis on the biological processes as opposed to lifestyle changes, although there are takeaways in this regard from this book.

Now I understand the science, maybe I will look to read another book about what’s next, if you like, so that I can put this into practice alongside the high-level tips I’ve taken from this book. 

 

Witch Hunt 

When I wrote my May TBR, I shared that I have an audiobook review obligation coming up from the beginning of June. As a result, Witch is on my TBR to make sure I get to it in good time.

In fact, I was so keen to make sure I get to it in time that I started this book straight after Why We Get Sick. I’m much slower when it comes to audiobooks than I am with physical/digital books; at least, that’s how it normally goes. With reading progress of late, I’d say I have been listening to more audio before bed. Also, with some dedicated time to myself tomorrow, there’s no reason why I can’t bosh out a few hours of Witch Hunt. 

As of this weekly Sunday Summary, I’m 25% into this mystery that reads a bit like a police procedural as of right now. I’m looking forward to listening on and sharing my thoughts. The reason I wanted to pick up this book was the narrative ties to witchcraft and in particular, Pendle Hill. That’s still very much the case and I’m keen to dive in more. More to follow on this book in next week’s update!

 

Books Discovered

 My preoccupation with last-minute alterations to my dress and other such things relating to my sister‘s wedding kept me from discovering any new books this week. 

I’m not complaining, given the length of my reading list already. I knew I had a lot, but refreshing my TBR jar a couple of weeks ago emphasised just how many I have on my list…

 

Coming Up… 

What I’m Reading… 

There should be no surprises that my current reading priorities are to finish my current/ongoing reads. Beyond those, I have a review obligation next week for M.J. Porter’s The Eagle Will Rise. If I can’t get a wriggle on with Crown of Midnight, I may have put this aside temporarily. 

After that, I want to stay on top of this Sarah J. Maas’ readalong and pick up the sequel, Heir of Fire, before I can be late picking this one up. Again.

I’m in a bit of a pickle with what to do next in audio. The remaining books on my May TBR are books I own physical copies of. Well, all except for one book. But of course, I cannot find an audiobook version of this one I need. So, I may end up going off-piste and mood-listening to something else entirely. We’ll see what I can hustle up. Maybe I can get an audio library loan for a book I own to avoid spending double?

 

Blog

On the one hand, it feels early to start looking ahead at books I need to read towards completing the Goodreads Spring 2026 Reading Challenge. Yes, guys, after narrowly missing out on completing the Winter challenge earlier this year, I’m going to try and complete spring instead. 

You know I like a challenge. As of drafting this Sunday Summary, I’ve only got four out of twelve achievements nailed. However, the fifty-odd days left to read towards this challenge will fly by. The sooner I plan ahead, the better the chance I have at completion. Can I do it this time? 

On Thursday, I’m due to share my thoughts on the previously mentioned new series (at least to my blog) by M.J. Porter – The Eagle Will Rise. I’m excited to see where this different storyline spins off from the books and characters I have come to know and love from The Eagle of Mercia Chronicles.

Of course, I’ll catch you up with the latest reading developments in next week’s Sunday Summary 🤗 fingers crossed I have LOTS to tell you about – we’re one-third of the way through May and I’m not one-third of the way through my TBR; let’s see if I can remedy that. 

 

YouTube

Over on YouTube, I’ve still not posted my monthly wrap-up for April or May TBR. It’s been a busy week, sorry guys! I should have time to edit and schedule those tomorrow. Any later, and there’s probably not much point posting them…

 

Summary 

I think that just about gets you up to speed with everything I need to update you on in today’s Sunday Summary. Thanks for reading if you are still with me. 

Let me know if you are taking part in the Goodreads Spring 2026 Reading Challenge and if so, what books are you reading towards qualifying awards. 

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My May 2026 TBR… It’s LONG!

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When planning my May 2026 TBR, I knew I wanted a fresh start. After a lacklustre reading month in April (see my April wrap-up if you want the low-down on that…), I’m hoping a clean slate is the key to getting my reading groove back. 

I have some reading obligations as well, so the deadlines will also go a long way to spurring me on. I have two blog tours, as well as kicking myself up the bum to get my Throne of Glass read-alongs back on track.

Beyond that, I’ve let my brand new, refreshed TBR Jar decide the rest! It pulled out some chunky books, and I confess I tossed one back as it tried to give me a 1,100 pager after already tossing me a couple of 700 pagers. The genres I’m reading this month span horror, thriller, historical fiction, non-fiction, as well as my favourite, fantasy. One epic fantasy sequel as well I’m excited to get to 🎊

Enough teasing, I’ll get stuck in with my obligations first, then I’ll highlight my TBR Jar picks.

 

Carryovers from April/Reading Obligations 

Why We Get Sick

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Amazon Purchase Link

At the end of April, I started listening to the audiobook Why We Get Sick by Benjamin Bikman. I started this book as I have an interest in the subject, in particular the biological level of detail insulin resistance has on cells. 

I didn’t have a book like this on my TBR. Rather, it’s a topic I have wanted to learn about personally. Leaning into a complete change and effectively scrapping my TBR, I hoped picking up a book totally unrelated to my April TBR would give me the fresh start I needed. 

As of the end of April, it was working! In fact, this book features on my May 2026 TBR as I finished the book in May – yes – it’s already done 👍 It’s the best of starts I could hope for when it comes t my May TBR – long may it continue… 

 

Crown of Midnight

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Amazon Purchase Link

Crown of Midnight is a carryover from my April TBR and my current read as of this May 2026 TBR. 

My read-along for Sarah J Maas hasn’t gotten off to the best of starts. The fault is entirely mine – I’m not prioritising it enough. That changes this month. Not only am I immediately prioritising down of Midnight to catch up on my being behind, but I will be following up with the sequel immediately. 

I’ll also plan ahead to set myself goals so that I DO actually read-along over the course of the month, as opposed to just playing catch up at the end which is what’s happened three times now. I’m going to go and do that on Storygraph and Fable after this post goes live. I’ll havens excuse then, right?! 

 

Heir of Fire

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Amazon Purchase Link

As above, once Crown of Midnight is finished I’m jumping into the first part of Heir of Fire right away. Compared to the earlier books in the series, Heir of Fire is longer. Compare 400-and-something pages for those first two books to nearly 600 in Heir of Fire. 

I can’t catch up with that too late. I need to keep on top of this one… 

Watch this space and hold me accountable friends!

 

The Eagle Will Rise

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Amazon Purchase Link

The first of my blog tour obligations this month is The Eagle will Rise by M.J. Porter. I signed up to this tour as I’m a big fan of the author’s Eagle of Mercia Chronicles. We also have some character overlap in this book, although the circumstances are very different in this new series. 

I’m excited to see where this takes us. I know what to expect in terms of writing style from M.J. Porter, and I’m keen to explore a new plot in a similar setting to that already established in Eagle of Mercia. 

Will I enjoy this one as much as I hope? Only time will tell, but I am optimistic! 

 

Witch Hunt

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Amazon Purchase Link

My second commitment is an audiobook tour. I don’t do these often, but I’m excited to get stuck in! 

When it comes to listening to audiobooks, I’m typically slower than reading conventionally. So, with that in mind, I’m going to jump in the gap finishing When We Get Sick has created and start Witch Hunt now. My review obligation isn’t until early June. However, in order to listen to this book in sufficient time, I’ve popped it onto this May 2026 TBR. 

What piqued my interest for this book? Its association with witchcraft and being set around Pendle Hull of course. It’s a take on the narrative I haven’t explored for a while. It’s also modern mystery/police procedural type book which is a change on what I’ve read and listened to lately. I’m keen to give this a try and let you know what I thought soon. 

 

May 2026 TBR picks

Moving on, I then pulled four books out of my refreshed TBR Jar. I had filtered out around 30-40 books I had read or removed from my TBR, but then added the latest books that were not in the jar. The net effect was more to pull from the jar, but all up-to-date at least. The paper I used was different this time, so I can visually see old vs new entries. I aimed for two of each; that way I can target some older books, but also deliberately mix in some newer ones to keep things fresh. 

Here’s what I pulled! 

 

Don’t Fix Women: The Practical Path to Gender Equality at Work

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Amazon Purchase Link

The first book that came out of the jar was kind. It was one of the newer additions to the jar. At 266 pages, it fits well with the overall size of my TBR. Pity the next three books I pulled didn’t agree with the sentiment… 

Don’t Fix Women is about fixing imbalances in the current workforce. Will this book have the most practical applications for me? Well, aside from being a women, I don’t have much in the way of power at my company. I’m not HR. However, I’ll advocate as much as I can and if I find practical advice here I think we could adopt, I’ll absolutely speak up. 

It should make for an interesting read nonetheless. I do enjoy some feminist reading now and then! 

 

The Great Hunt

Goodreads

Amazon Purchase Link

The next book I pulled from the jar was also a new book to the jar. I started a read of Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time series with The Eye of the World in late 2024. It’s about time I got the sequel anyway, and the jar made that call for me. 

The Great Hunt comes in at just over 700 pages. It’s not a short read, but it does lean into one of my favourite genres of all time – epic fantasy. I’m looking forward to jumping back to the life and fate of Rand al’Thor. If I had left it too mcc longer, I’d be trying to recall what happened in the first book and I would struggle to pick this up again. As much as this is a long read, I think it’s a bit of a blessing in disguise that it came out now. 

 

Sleeping Beauties

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Amazon Purchase Link

After pulling two ‘new’ reads, I then targeted slips that have been in my jar since I first put it together. Sleeping Beauties has been on my TBR since January 2018. I also have a copy on my bookshelves, but I’m not sure if I have owned it as long as that or not. The spine is pretty faded from exposure to the sun, so it’s quite possible! 

Sleeping Beauties also comes in a fraction over 700 pages. Not a short read either, but one I’m excited to try. It’s also a bit feminist in nature, as well as overlapping with horror/thriller and fantasy for the plot line. A unique mix I’m keen to try! 

 

Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon

Goodreads

Amazon Purchase Link

This last book is actually the second draw from the jar. My first pick that came out was The Weird. Not problem, I thought initially, as I had a hunch it was a collection of short stories. That it is, but the whole volume comes in at 1,100 pages. No way was that going to be feasible. So, I’m being honest here and declaring that’s what the jar give me, but I tossed it back in so I could make a second draw. 

That second draw was a far more approachable Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon. At 450 pages, this is still somewhat achievable. This May 2026 TBR already has a sizeable page count, so it’s debatable if I’ll get to this one. However, I’ll use access to audio copies of book where I can, maybe even library loans  for books I don’t have. 

I’m really motivated to pick this up as it’s about one of my favourite TV series (based on books) of all-time – A Game of Thrones! If that’s not incentive to get through the rest of my May 2026 TBR to finish here, then I don’t know what is. 

 

That’s plenty enough to get on with for my May 2026 TBR. What are you reading? 

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