Tag: bookaholic

Sunday Summary – 4th October 2026

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I can’t believe it’s Sunday night again. To be fair, this weekend has been a short one for me. We’re in busy season for me at work, and unfortunately I put in overtime Friday night and most of Saturday. Regretfully, this has had an impact on my reading and blogging plans. More on that later. First, let’s get into the content I managed to share this week!

Because of the overtime, my plans to publish my October TBR have been put back to next week. However, I did publish my Fall TBR post this week, although later than planned. Originally, I’d intended to post this as part of the Top Ten Tuesday series I dip in and out of here at Reviewsfeed. However, when I planned last week’s content in my Sunday Summary, it had slipped my mind I was baking Tuesday evening for a Macmillan Coffee Morning we were hosting at work. So, that Fall TBR came out in its own name and right on Thursday instead. It’s a shorter, and hopefully more intentional list too. Fingers crossed I can tick all five books off the list in the next couple of months… 

Books Read

Debt Reckoning 

With an upcoming blog tour obligation, you would think that I’d have listened to a little bit more than one chapter of this audiobook this week. And, that was my intention.

However, I’m still around little over 60% into this audiobook. Turn out, audiobooks on Spotify don’t play very well through the app on my car. I haven’t figured out how to get it to platy more than one chapter at a time without my manually having to try and change the track. It also gets stuck, and I’m not sure if it’s an app problem or an unreliable mobile network problem. So, really it just doesn’t work well for me. The pity is, I’ve also been busy this weekend with work yesterday and family commitments today. I typically make most of my audio reading progress at the weekend. Saturday was my failsafe for finishing this audiobook ahead of writing my review tomorrow night to go live Tuesday. 

Looks like I’m listening before bed tonight and bingeing the rest tomorrow in my lunch hour, and well, any spare minute I have/need! 

Kingdom of Ash 

After my attempt to listen to Debt Reckoning on the way home from work going awry, I switched to Kingdom of Ash. However, that 16minuted of progress is all I have to my name this week. Again, it’s in part down to the same reasons as progress with Debt Reckoning. Not only that, but naturally with a review obligation for Debt Reckoning looming, it takes priority over Kingdom of Ash. 

Never mind! Naturally, I have the flexibility to carry Kingdom of Ash forward onto my next TBR. Let’s just hope for a better week of reading progress next week. It can’t get much worse if we’re honest. 

Books Discovered

It’s been another quiet week here – no new books to report, although sadly, I’ve not really ticked any off the list either. 

Oh well, onwards and upwards. Life happens and sometimes the books need to be put down. Temporarily… 

Coming Up… 

What I’m Reading… 

Next week has to be a better reading week. I have deadlines. So, here’s the plan in order of priority:-

  • Finish the audiobook Debt Reckoning tomorrow – review due Tuesday 
  • Read One More Hour of Daylight – I only got my copy last week due to a delivery issue but starting tonight. Review due Thursday
  • Continue the audiobook of Kingdom of Ash
  • Read The Wax Child by Olga Ravn
  • Read The Language of Liars – can I boost my reading with a short book next weekend ahead of my next Sunday Summary

Blog

With a busy schedule already next week, really, my only option to get my October TBR out to you in good time is to go live tomorrow. So, no rest for the wicked it seems! Whilst I will have some carryovers from September, I’m thinking a little bit of a fresh start is needed. Thankfully, after this week I have no new blog tour obligations until mid-November. So, I have some flexibility in my chosen reads. Maybe I can pull a couple off my Fall TBR? 

Next, my review of Debt Reckoning will be hot off the press Tuesday morning. Naturally, the book will be very fresh in my mind reviewing it, so I can only hope to do the book justice. I can assure you that I’m really enjoying the book so far and it has been an entertaining yet also educational listen. Will the ending do the book justice? I can’t wait to tell you… spoiler-free, of course… 

On Thursday, I’m back with another review. This is for One More Hour of Daylight. Now, as of this Sunday Summary I have yet to actually start this one. Again, I’d planned to make a start this weekend, but quarter end deadlines needed some extra work to be met compared to usual. Nevertheless, I’m going to have a hot shower and then finish relaxing with this book tonight. The good news is that it fits into a genre and time setting I love reading – World War 2! My hope is to dive into this one and get immersed pretty quickly! 

Finally, I’ll give myself a few days off before coming back with another Sunday Summary update. I’ll need the time to get back to reading and catching up for the poor performance I made this week. I want a better start to October and with my upcoming October TBR. Let’s put in the work to get myself there. 

Summary 

I know this Sunday Summary is very light on updates. Sorry about that. Things just got in the way this week, and any downtime I have had I’ve been crocheting or doing something mindless to unwind. It’s a busy time for me at work and personally right now. Things will get better, and I’m optimistic my deadlines next week will kick me up the butt and reinstate some of my old reading habits. 

Have you read much over the last week? If so, what are you reading at the moment? 

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Sunday Summary – 27th September 2026

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Happy Sunday friends! Thankfully, this Sunday Summary has more reading progress to report than in the last couple of weeks. It wouldn’t have been difficult to have clocked in less reading, put it that way…

Before we get into the books I have picked up and have contributed to this Sunday Summary update, let’s take a look at the blog posts I’ve shared. In order to give myself more reading time, I have only shared one post this week. That was my blog tour review for Invisible by Heleyne Hammersley. If you have yet to take a look at that review, he is a handy link for you to go and check it out. 

Books Read

Invisible

Naturally, with a blog tour review due earlier this week, finishing Invisible was my reading priority at the start of the week. Thankfully, reading progress remained much the same as I reported in last week’s Sunday Summary update. I got on really well with the book! 

In fact, it turned out to be just the type of read I needed. An engaging crime storyline with an easy to read narrative style, this book has done wonders to help with the reading slump I’ve experienced elsewhere in the month. 

Obviously, I don’t want to detract from encouraging you to go and read that review for yourself. So, no spoilers. Go check it out. Not only that, but you also have an opportunity to win a copy of the book for yourself. Check out that review here, and don’t forget to log yourself an entry for the giveaway. More details about that are also in that post.

The Witch

Over the last couple of Sunday Summary update posts, I’ve shared difficulties with reading The Witch. If you have read my monthly TBR post, you will know that I’ve set out to start reading towards the Booker Prize longlist books this year.

I confess, although The Witch only a short narrative, I’m not really getting on with it. Not much seems to be happening, and the 60-odd percent progress I’ve made has been a bit of a slog. Because the book is so short, I’ve previously been determined to get to the end, whatever it takes.

However, after reading a little bit more this week, I have changed my tune. There is absolutely no point struggling through this book when I don’t have to. I have tried, but I have a very little motivation to pick up this read and it’s now having a negative effect on the rest of my month. So, I’m going to cut my losses and DNF this one.

Debt Reckoning 

Unlike The Witch, I have made significant progress with a blog tour read coming up for review at the beginning of next month. Yesterday, I started the audiobook copy I have of Debt Reckoning. And, I’m really getting on with it! It has been an easy listen whilst generally pottering around the house, but also whilst enjoying craft projects.

If you are unfamiliar, this book is a political thriller novel which has been an interesting read in context of my job. In an approachable way, it looks at the consequences of American debt and the impact of geopolitical tensions and other such scenarios that could result in the American economy getting into trouble. It’s somewhat informative, but it’s done in a way that the fiction element to the book isn’t overshadowed and it gives the book credibility. 

As of this Sunday Summary, I’ve already listened to over half of this audio – I’m at 62%. My review for Debt Reckoning is coming on the 6th of October. I’ve got plenty of time to finish it, and I can’t wait to tell you more. 

Kingdom of Ash 

I haven’t made a whole lot of progress with Kingdom of Ash this week. However, a big part of that has been down to the fact that I prioritised listening to Debt Reckoning yesterday.

One aspect of good news I can share compared to last week Sunday Summary is that I have got myself back into listening to audiobooks in the week again. I mentioned I’ve been a little slack on that front. Whilst not exactly groundbreaking, I have listened to an hour and a half of audio in the week this week. It’s a start, and long may it continue! 

As I said, I’ve ended up prioritising another audiobook this week. That’s purely down to the fact that audio has a deadline. If not for that, I would have continued with Kingdom of Ash, and I would have wanted to continue with it. I’m enjoying the storyline and where things are going. Honestly, I have no idea what is going to happen next in the story. Even still, I’m keen to continue with this one. I am fairly sure it’s going to take me longer than my end of the month target given I have over 15 hours of audio left. Then again, I may just surprise myself? Let’s not get too giddy. I’ll update you next week. 

Books Discovered

I’ve behaved myself this week, staying away from bookshops and generally gleaning opinions of the Internet that make me add books to my reading list. Truthfully, I’ve been replaying Dragon Quest 😂 I haven’t added anything, and I have ticked the book off my list this week. 

Progress is progress 🤷‍♀️

Coming Up… 

What I’m Reading… 

With just a few days left before the end of the month, I’m running out of time to complete my September TBR. Nevertheless, I’m going to do my best to prioritise the reads I’ve started. Here’s my reading plan for the next seven days:- 

  • Read The Wax Child by Olga Ravn
  • Read The Language of Liars – this is also pretty short so definitely doable
  • Start either Julia or Yesteryear
  • Continue the audiobook of Debt Reckoning – hopeful to finish by my next Sunday Summary
  • Continue the audiobook of Kingdom of Ash

Blog

My first post of the week is planned to be a Top Ten Tuesday post. This week would have been the turn of the Fall TBR post, had I taken part. However, I had to plan for my blog tour review so chose not to do it. This week, it’s a ‘fall freebie’. So, with this in mind, I’m planning a variation of that TBR post. What’s coming up on my TBR’s in the coming autumnal season? You’ll have to slick around and find out! 

Later in the week, we’ll officially be into October. So, my monthly wrap-up for September will be going live! As things stand, it’s not going to be a particularly long post… let’s hope I can turn that around in the next couple of days! 

Finally, I’m back next Sunday with my usual Sunday Summary update. Fingers crossed for a week much like this one, and I can tick some quick-win reads off the list to redeem my reading month! 

Summary 

Thanks for checking out this Sunday Summary. Thankfully, I had much more to report on this week, which is good news. I still have some work to do to somewhat redeem my September TBR. However, now I’ve DNF’d The Witch, I can only hope things are looking up. 

What is the last book you DNF’d? 

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Sunday Summary – 20th September 2026

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I confess that today’s Sunday Summary is going to be a little lighter on reading than I’d have hoped. Again. The Witch is proving to be a difficult book to psyche myself up to read. Before we get onto that though, let’s take a look at what I have achieved this week. 

I’ve had another week at attempting to post a book review and coming up short. The good news is, I’m much further along with A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes than I got with last week’s attempt for The Flood. It’s also been a busy week at work. We took part in a volunteer day on Wednesday that resulted in me straining my back. Not very clever of me, but I decided shovelling wood chip into wheelbarrows for an hour and a half was a great idea. What could possibly go wrong? I have to say, that meant I wasn’t feeling up to blogging for a couple days around that. Whilst I am broadly much better after that, cutting the grass today reinvigorated the acheiness a bit… 

But, I did get back on track on Friday. My planned Shelf Control post featured a non-fiction book that would suit anthropology fans. Take a look if you haven’t already! 

Books Read

The Witch

My aim was to push through with The Witch this week so I could move on. However, it’s proving a bit difficult for me to psyche myself up to read. In truth, I’ve managed a few pages… but that is regretfully it! 

I will get to it. If nothing else, I won’t let a 144 page book defeat me. Especially when I’ve only got 90 pages left. Completion by the time I’m drafting next week’s Sunday Summary, I promise! 

Kingdom of Ash 

Last week, I didn’t touch audiobooks at all. However, yesterday I made some progress with Kingdom of Ash whilst working on some craft projects. In the grand scheme of things, I haven’t made much of a dent. However, it’s something! 

Admittedly, I haven’t been listening to audiobooks in the week like I used to – a habit to get back to I think. It’ll certainly make progress go a lot faster. 

Invisible

With an upcoming blog tour next week, thankfully I’m having a better time with Invisible by Heleyne Hammersley. Whilst I’m not close to the finish with this book as I set out in last week’s Sunday Summary, I am doing better with this book than I am The Witch. Not that that’s difficult… 

So far, I’m really getting on with the storyline. Early on there are references to the protagonists earlier experiences in the series. I’m, unusually, reading this 6th book of a series as a standalone. I just wouldn’t have had the time to read the prior books. However, so far it’s reading well as a standalone and I’m curious as to how much this will impact the current storyline. 

Thankfully, I have a deadline to help incentivise reading, not that I need it much at the moment. I’m reviewing this book as part of the upcoming blog tour on the 23rd September. With just a few days to go, I’ve got a close deadline encouraging me to read the book. Let’s just hope I don’t leave it last minute like I’ve done previously. I’m determined not to at the very least. 

Books Discovered

No news is good news here this week. I’ve added nothing new, which is good given I’ve not really made any reading progress to tick books off a TBR… 

Coming Up… 

What I’m Reading… 

Here’s my reading plan for tonight and the  next seven days… it’s pretty much the same as last week… :- 

  • Finish Invisible by Heleyne Hammersley (priority!)
  • Finish The Witch by Marie Ndiaye 
  • Read The Wax Child by Olga Ravn
  • Continue the audiobook of Kingdom of Ash – target to get to 50% by the end of next week

Blog

Next week, I don’t have time to be lax on my book reviews! I’m reviewing Invisible on publication day of the book. No ifs, buts or negotiations. Still, I’m up to task. 

I’m deliberately going to take a break on Friday to catch up with my reading a little bit. Let’s hope I can make more of a dent in my reading list as I’ve got a few books to get through before the end of the month. I haven’t completed any so far! 

Finally, let’s hope taking the pressure off content gives me some time to do more reading so I’ll have a super-productive Sunday Summary next week. Well, I can only hope, yes? 

Summary 

Thanks for reading this week’s pretty short Sunday Summary update. Have you had better reading success than me lately? If so, share what you’ve picked up. 

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Shelf Control #107 – 18/09/2026

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Happy Friday friends! Today’s Shelf Control is an exciting feature for non-fiction fans, especially if you enjoy anthropology and human history. If there is one thing I am pleased about when it comes to reading, it’s how varied the books I read are. I added today’s Shelf Control feature in January 2022. It’s been a while, so let’s hope I can finally read this soon! 

Here’s a reminder of what my Shelf Control regular feature is all about, then I’ll share more on today’s Shelf Control feature. 

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

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

Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind – Yuval Noah Harari 

Genre: Non-fiction  

Pages: 466

Audience: Adult

Publisher:  Vintage

Publication Date: 04 Sept 2014

Goodreads – Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind

What makes us brilliant? What makes us deadly? What makes us Sapiens?

One of the world’s preeminent historians and thinkers, Yuval Noah Harari challenges everything we know about being human.

Earth is 4.5 billion years old. In just a fraction of that time, one species among countless others has conquered it: us.

In this bold and provocative book, Yuval Noah Harari explores who we are, how we got here and where we’re going.

My Thoughts

I can’t say I’ve read much on the history of humankind, or spent any great deal of time on anthropology. However, it is a topic I’m looking forward to trying in picking up today’s Shelf Control feature. 

At 460 odd pages, it’s an approachable way to dabble in the subject. Based on the book title, it seems like a light-touch overview of our entire history. That’s great for a newcomer to the subject as I am. Then, if there’s a particular topic of interest I can dig into it later! Winner. 

This book has been broadly well received, but it does have its critics. Given my newness to the subject, I’m not sure I’ve got anything to say about that at the moment. I’ll just see how it reads and go from there. 

Have you read Sapiens, or any other books like it that you’d like to recommend? Is this your type of read? 

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Sunday Summary – 13th September 2026

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That’s a wrap for another weekend, folks! Sad! Where on earth do the weekends go? Enough lamenting though, let’s get into today’s Sunday Summary update! 

I intended to share a review of The Flood by Rachel Bennett this week. However, admittedly, I struggled a little to put my thoughts into words. My thoughts on this book was that it was okay, but nothing special. As a result, I couldn’t think of much to say. So, my review didn’t go live, it could barely be called that with what I had noted down anyway! 

In more positive news, I posted what I consider to be a First Lines Friday that fit my ‘fun’ challenge. I set myself that challenge in last week’s Sunday Summary, with absolutely no idea how to achieve it. Thankfully I rose to the challenge on this occasion. If you’re intrigued, go take a look at that post to find out more. 

Books Read

The Witch

I had plans to get through a number of books this week. Alas, it’s not panned out. 

I started the week with The Witch, and I have made progress by reading in several stints. However, much like the reviews on Goodreads, I’m not loving it. As of this Sunday Summary, I’m currently around 40% into the book. If I’m honest, I’m not gripped by the storyline. I would say The Witch is a character-driven book rather than plot driven. So, already, The Witch isn’t playing to my strengths. I would say the biggest thing for me as barriers go is that the writing style feels a little clunky to me. This book is translated, I appreciate that. However, the style doesn’t come across as natural to me, and that reflects in that I’m a bit stuck on this book. 

I’m still going to read it. My plan is to power through tonight so I can move onwards and upwards! 

Books Discovered

This week, I’ve added the first book of the series I featured in my First Lines Friday this week to my TBR. 

Yes, I’m talking about Dungeon Crawler Carl. This is the book I chose for my ‘fun’ topic. Truthfully, I had nothing on my TBR already that fit the brief. Fortunately for me though, I’ve seen quite a few people reading this book and subsequent books in the series. Given I recently enjoyed Dungeons and Dimwits, I think Dungeon Crawler Carl will work for me.

Coming Up… 

What I’m Reading… 

Here’s my reading plan for tonight and the  next seven days… it’s pretty much the same as last week… :- 

  • Finish The Witch by Marie Ndiaye 
  • Read The Wax Child by Olga Ravn
  • Start (and definitely finish) Invisible by Heleyne Hammersley
  • Continue the audiobook of Kingdom of Ash

Blog

I’m going to start with a book review again this week, but I’m confident that I’m not going to be able to share anything meaningful on The Flood. So, next on the list is a Hunger Games favourite – The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Susanne Collins. I have much more to say on these books, so I should be able to follow through on this one. 

On Friday, I’ll be back to look at my upcoming TBR in the form of a Shelf Control post. This week’s upcoming feature is a non-fiction about human history on the planet. I hope that intrigues you as much as it does me. 

Finally, you know the drill. This time next week I’m back with another Sunday Summary post. Let’s hope a more productive week is in store, because progress this week has been pretty poor. 

Summary 

That’s everything from me in this Sunday Summary update. It’s not much, but better than nothing I guess? If nothing else, I have a blog tour coming up shortly so I’ll be reading for that. 

What are you reading this September? 

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First Lines Friday – 11/09/2026

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First Lines Friday… but fun. That’s today’s spec, per my Sunday Summary update. When I published that, I had absolutely no idea what to post. Honestly, until I started looking tonight, I still didn’t! 😂 In terms of book selection, I couldn’t pick anything too serious. Honestly, that criteria rules out my reading list. I don’t have anything light-hearted or humorous left. There wasn’t much to begin with, to be fair. That’s not my style of reading… 

However, I’ve been hearing about a series that fits the bill. I read and reviewed something somewhat similar last month. So, I think there’s a good chance I might enjoy this series. But, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Let’s take a look at book one in today’s First Lines Friday, and hopefully my idea of fun is the same as yours! 

The transformation occurred at approximately 2:23am, Pacific Standard Time. As far as I could tell, anyone who was indoors when it happened died instantly. If you had any sort of roof over you, you were dead. That included people in cars, airplanes, subways. Even tents and cardboard boxes. Hell, probably umbrellas, too. Though I’m not so sure about that one. 

I’m not gonna lie. You guys who were inside, probably warm and asleep and dreaming about some random bullshit? I’m jealous. You’re the lucky ones. You were just gone. Splattered into dust during the transformation. 

Dungeon Crawler Carl – Matt Dinniman 

Genre: Contemporary fantasy 

Pages: 446

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Dandy House

Publication Date: 02 Oct 2020

Goodreads – Dungeon Crawler Carl

The apocalypse will be televised! Welcome to the first book in the wildly popular and addictive Dungeon Crawler Carl series—now with bonus material exclusive to this print edition.

You know what’s worse than breaking up with your girlfriend? Being stuck with her prize-winning show cat. And you know what’s worse than that? An alien invasion, the destruction of all man-made structures on Earth, and the systematic exploitation of all the survivors for a sadistic intergalactic game show. That’s what.

Join Coast Guard vet Carl and his ex-girlfriend’s cat, Princess Donut, as they try to survive the end of the world—or just get to the next level—in a video game–like, trap-filled fantasy dungeon. A dungeon that’s actually the set of a reality television show with countless viewers across the galaxy. Exploding goblins. Magical potions. Deadly, drug-dealing llamas. This ain’t your ordinary game show.

Welcome, Crawler. Welcome to the Dungeon. Survival is optional. Keeping the viewers entertained is not.

My Thoughts…

LitRPG fantasy meets humour in Dungeon Crawler Carl. I confess, I’ve been reading great things about this book and series lately, but been largely ignorant of the idea behind the series. It’s only that it keeps popping up in my feed from other content creators that I thought I’d nose at the book and see if it met my intended criteria. 

With a Coast Guard veteran and a talking Persian cat for protagonists, it’s clear this book doesn’t take itself too seriously. The plot is ridiculous and outlandish, but why the heck not?! 

I recently enjoyed reading Dungeons and Dimwits, a book heavily inspired by Dungeons and Dragons and also very light-hearted and funny. My enjoyment of the gaming overlap with that book makes me confident I’ll enjoy Dungeon Crawler Carl. I have also read that the two protagonists have a fun dynamic between the two. Princess Donut (for avoidance of doubt, the Persian prize-winning cat) has the type of personality commonly attributed to cats and one I can appreciate. She takes no messing. Does what she wants, doesn’t care if you don’t like it. 

Although funny, my research indicates this book does have a dark sense of humour and can be taken as a micky-take of society as it is now. 

So, right up my alley! The question is, is it yours? Have you read Dungeon Crawler Carl? If so, let me know your thoughts either way – I’d love to hear more about this series! 

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Sunday Summary – 6th September 2026

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Happy Sunday friends! I hope you’ve had a great week, however you’ve spent it? Today’s Sunday Summary comes at the end of a pretty productive week. I’ve shared quite a few posts this week. The beginning of the month is always busy for me in that I share my prior month’s monthly wrap-up, shortly followed by a brand new TBR. But, that wasn’t all this week. 

The first post I shared this week was my review of The Other Life of Mary English. This blog tour review came out on the 2nd September. If you enjoy historical fiction that explores new places and points of history, this may be something that ticks that box for you. It certainly did for me! That wasn’t the only reason I enjoyed it though. This particular book focuses on two prominent women in history that existed in places and roles that women didn’t traditionally fill in society. So, I suppose you can say the book has a feminist slant. 

A couple of days later, I posted my August wrap-up. Blog tours and reading obligations kept me turning pages this month. However, I didn’t get to much of my own backlist last month. I’m a bit busy in my personal life at the moment, but I still want to make more time for reading and change that. Speaking of which, I address this in my September TBR, which actually is full of 2026 releases to keep things fresh. I have more blog tours due, but also a number of 2026 releases I want to pick up for my own reasons. In September, I’m almost ignoring the backlist for a change of pace, and to see if this helps re-spark my reading bug. 

Outside of blogging, I did something a little different today. A replica of Christopher Columbus’s flagship, the Nao Santa Maria, was visiting the island. So, I got tickets and we went aboard to see what life was like onboard. I wouldn’t have liked to be the poor sod sent up to the crow’s nest, put it that way! 

Books Read 

The Other Life of Mary English

As of last week’s Sunday Summary update, I’d made a solid start with The Other Life of Mary English, and had a pretty imminent deadline to finish the book. Thankfully, I was able to finish the book ahead of deadline and publish my review on time. I have left books too late in the last month or so, so I’ve had a word with myself. For my tour obligations in September, I’m reading much further ahead of when I need to. The day before a tour has been a late night recently, and I shouldn’t put that pressure on myself. 

I’ve already alluded to the type of book The Other Life of Mary English is in my intro, so I won’t repeat myself. If you’re curious and want to find out more about it, here’s a link to my review so you can check it out. 

Kingdom of Ash

This week, I’ve made solid progress with starting Kingdom of Ash. 

At 984 pages, his is a reasonably long instalment to the Throne of Glass series. And really, so it should be… it’s the last book! Events are finally going to come together, and I can’t wait to see how it all ends. 

This week, I’ve listened to the first 15% of the book, which equates to around 140 pages. That’s not bad, especially when I’ve done so reasonably passively, and during a weekend where I’ve not touched the audiobook for one of the days. My other half was off work today, and we had other plans. 

I’m getting on with the book so far, and looking forward to listening to more over the course of the month. Given the length of the audiobook, I reckon this will take a good portion of the month. As of this Sunday Summary, I’ve still got 18hrs 30mins to listen. Not an insignificant amount anyway. I’ve got another audiobook to listen to, so I can’t procrastinate on this one too hard. Hopefully, getting to the end of the series is motivation to make that feat a little easier. 

The Witch

In a bid to kickstart my September TBR, I’m starting with the shortest read on my September TBR tonight! 

In that post, I talk about how I have reservations on this book given its rating on Goodreads. However, I’m determined to give it a go as it’s a Booker Prize longlist (I’m reading the lot of them – wish me luck). Given the ratings online, but its inclusion in the prize, I can only assume it’s a little polarising. I’m trying to go in with an open mind. I’m only picking this up after this post goes live tonight, but before I turn in. So, in this Sunday Summary I can’t give you any indication as to which side of the fence I’m on. 

You’ll just have to check out next week’s Sunday Summary instalment to find out what the verdict is 🤗

Books Discovered

Can you believe, today, I went into a bookshop and came out empty-handed. I wasn’t dragged out, or under any duress. I know, unbelievable. Honestly, they just didn’t have what I wanted, and I refused to be tempted. Maybe keeping my unread books in boxes under my nose at home is helping remind me that I don’t need more right now 😅

Nevertheless, I have no complaints… 

Coming Up… 

What I’m Reading… 

Here’s my reading plan over the next seven days:- 

  • Read The Witch by Marie Ndiaye 
  • Read The Wax Child by Olga Ravn
  • Start (and hopefully finish) Invisible by Heleyne Hammersley
  • Continue the audiobook of Kingdom of Ash

Blog

This week is a blank slate in terms of content. I have no review obligations this week, nor any other pre-arranged or regular content. So, what on earth do I write about? Well, here’s the plan I’ve come up with. 

I’ve got a backlist of overdue reviews, so it makes sense to tackle the next one on the list. What is that for, you ask? It’s a book called The Flood by Rachel Bennett. My first memories of that book are about the gardening I was doing whilst listening to this particular book. Usually, I take time off later in the year to use up annual leave. At this particular time, I decided it was a great opportunity to catch up with final gardening jobs like cutting the hedges since the restrictions have lifted due to birds nesting and all that. Well, let’s just say the rain had a good go at living up to the title! It was miserable… 

On a more pleasant note, I return later in the week with a First Lines Friday feature. And you know what, I’m going to try and make it fun! How? I have no idea! That’s one to be decided nearer the time. But, my intention is to do something a bit more lighthearted rather than serious. I’ll figure out how I manage that one in a few days. 

Finally, you’ll hear from me again the same time next week with all my promised updates in my next Sunday Summary. Find out what my takes are on Booker Prize longlist books The Witch and The Wax Child. Hopefully, I’ll have more progress on Kingdom of Ash to share. That and more to talk about next week. Hopefully I’ll see you then ☺️

Summary 

That’s everything from me in this Sunday Summary update. What have you started your September TBR with? Are you picking up any autumnal, seasonal reads yet, or are you hanging on to summer vibes as long as possible? 

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Blog Tour Review: The Other Life of Mary English – G.D. Harper

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My blog tour review post today features of a historical fiction novel in a new time period and setting. 

The Other Life of Mary English is also unique in its focus on two female protagonists. In a time where women have very little rights or autonomy, Mary and Manuela stand out for their ability to make the best of the situation and act where a few women ever get to tread. 

What makes this block to review? Even more special is that I get to review The Other Life of Mary English  on publication day! 🎉

Before I share my review on The Other Life of Mary English, thank you to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources and the author GD Harper for the opportunity to read and review the book. I’ve been provided a digital copy for the purpose of reviewing the book, but my thoughts expressed within this review are entirely my own.

As usual, let’s cover the details of the book and purchase links before I share my thoughts. 

The Other Life of Mary English – GD Harper  

Genre: Historical Fiction 

Pages: 386

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Ginger Cat

Original Publication Date: 01 Sept 2026

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Goodreads – The Other Life of Mary English

The Other Life of Mary English

Two Different Women. One Shared Destiny.

Mary English, a dockworker’s daughter from Faversham, England, travels to South America to escape a scandal from her past. She ends up running a cacao plantation in Colombia, at a time when women were not legally allowed to own businesses there.

Manuela Sáenz, tempestuous lover of Venezuelan revolutionary Simón Bolívar, serves as a colonel in his army. She joins him in battle to fight the Spanish and twice saves his life from assassination attempts.

This is the story of two real-life remarkable women, both fighting oppression, hardship and danger in 1820s Colombia, who come together to change the course of a nation’s history.

Purchase Links

My Thoughts… 

Plot

The events of The Other Life of Mary English are set in a wider background turmoil, and in a society where women are beholden to their fathers, husbands and male guardians. In a world where women are left feeling hopeless, Mary and Manuela carve their own names in history. Against the grain of society and expectations, they take charge of their own destinies, and others besides. 

As a big history fan, I enjoyed exploring the political conflict taking place in the background of this narrative. I confess, prior to reading The Other Life of Mary English, I had little knowledge of the setting and events within. Thankfully, this book has has gone a long way to filling that gap. 

As a result to come on with, we get to explore too deeply first and powerful in a wider history setting. Personal and historical come together in a way that spurs the other on, making each significant and powerful to read and learn about in a fun historical fiction novel. 

Characters

As promised, The Other Life of Mary English does indeed have two strong protagonists. Mary English, widow of a soldier, finds herself in a unique position of employment. Her skills at negotiating and organisation land her in a role of trading agent in a new country. Her life at home has not been plain sailing, through no fault of her own. She’s determined to do best by her family where scandal and gossip could ruin it all. In her new position, she is determined to find a way to provide for her family and secure a more reputable future. 

Manuela’s background is entirely different, though she is no less enterprising in seeking opportunities to advance herself and her power. Taking up with el Libertador whilst her husband is abroad, she makes herself indispensable to one of the most powerful men in South America. She secures herself a position in the army that has never been taken up before. Her ambition knows no bounds, and why should it?! If she were a man, she’d be celebrated for her ingenuity. 

The scope of these characters in the time period they are setting in is one of the main reasons I opted to pick up The Other Life of Mary English. The oppression of women has been a significant part of our human history. It is only in recent years that women have been able to hold assets in their own right, for arguments sake. What Mary and Manuela achieve in this narrative goes beyond the confines that men have placed around women historically. I love watching these two women negotiate power struggles in order to progress themselves for the better.

Setting

19th century Colombia and the turbulence of its political and geographical standing isn’t something I’ve explored in my reading before. It’s for this reason I was drawn to The Other Life of Mary English, as well as the promise of two strong female leads in a narrative where women rarely get to dictate their own storylines. 

This story is based of real life figures and events in history. As a history fan, I especially enjoyed this nod to real life, and I’ve walked away from this book having learned something new. If you know me, this is something I like and actively look for in my reading. If I can expand my knowledge and horizons in a fun read, then all the better.

As I mentioned, events in this book are inspired by history. What I especially enjoyed is that the copy of the book I was given included images, as well as descriptions, to back up the facts behind the fiction.

Narrative Style

One aspect of the writing style I love in The Other Life of Mary English is that the style feels slightly antiquarian and fitting with the time period. However, this isn’t so different from the English we use today. The end result is that the narrative is fitting to the. time it is set in, without being difficult to read. It is a balance worth getting right, and The Other Life of Mary English is spot on!

The Other Life of Mary English is told from the perspective of two strong female protagonists. These narratives happen concurrently, and so we are told the story of these two exceptional women by alternating perspectives. I am a huge lover of multi perspective books, so this was well suited to me and my reading preferences. I especially enjoyed watching these two characters come together… especially as the meeting could have gone very differently! 

Summary 

If you enjoy personal stories of women fighting against separation, or learning about history within the historical genre, The Other Life of Mary English is ideal for your TBR! 

Author Bio

GD Harper became a full-time author in 2016. He has written three psychological thrillers, Love’s Long Road, A Friend in Deed and Silent Money, and two historical novels, The Maids of Biddendenand Arden. 

The Maids of Biddenden was the winner in the historical fiction category of the 2024 Next Generation Indie Book Awards, the largest international awards program for indie authors and independent publishers, and was shortlisted for the 2023 Selfies Award at the London Book Fair. Arden was placed third in the 2024 Yeovil International Literary Prize. The Other Life of Mary English was a finalist in the Eyelands Book Awards.He has also been longlisted or shortlisted for fourteen other awards. 

His books have had over one million page reads on Kindle Unlimited, been number one most downloaded e-book on Amazon UK, number three on Amazon worldwide, and garnered over two thousand reviews and ratings on Amazon and Goodreads, with an average rating score of 4.4.

He lives in East Sussex and, when not writing, can be found wild camping in the Scottish mountains or in the mosh pit at live music events.

Social Media Links – 

www.gdharper.com 

Instagram: gdharperauthor

Sunday Summary – 30th August 2026

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Happy long weekend friends! We’re back with another fresh Sunday Summary post this weekend, and I hope you’re looking forward to catching up on the latest. But first, obviously the news you’ve been waiting for. It’s the final bank holiday between now and the festive season. The big supermarkets are already capitalising. Yes, mince pie fans! You can now get your fix in stores near you. Madness… 

I jest. Hopefully you’re here for my bookish commentary. Yes? Good. My first blog post of the week was a low-down of my top 3 reads of 2026 so far. If you’re looking for a book recommendation to uplift your 2026 reading list, I’ve got you covered. See, that’s the premium quality content you expect! As well as that, I shared my review of a fun graphic novel based around the game of Dungeons & Dragons. 

Books Read 

Supremacy: AI, ChatGPT and the Race That Will Change the World

Reading the final 80 pages of Supremacy went slower than I thought, but I can say as of this Sunday Summary, we got there. 

This boo has been a bit of a slow-burn project, but one I’ve enjoyed reading. In the grand scheme of things, I’m looking to expand my knnokedlge of AI, its birth into the technology we are using today. Supremacy has helped a long way towards that. Aside from its history, the book also looks at sentiment as the technology has grown, including fears over its longer-term use and impact. Discrimination is still very much a problem with the software, by all accounts. Well, when you train it on unfiltered data from a society with underlying discrimination on race, gender and socio-economic factors, it’s hardly a surprise its ingrained in the tech and rears its head in unusual places. 

The Midnight Train 

I’ve made solid progress with The Midnight Train by Matt Haig, listening to the entirety of this relatively short audio this week. 

You may recall in previous posts, like my August TBR, that I had reservations about his book. After its publication earlier this year, there have been mixed reviews published about this latest instalment. Like me, readers went into this book with high expectations based on the success and profoundness of The Midnight Library. They felt The Midnight Train didn’t meet the same standard. 

However, I can’t say I agree with that sentiment. On the contrary, I enjoyed the varied angle this books takes, whilst still nodding in several ways to the format and meanings of that first book. I even enjoyed the ties at the end that link the two books especially. 

In all, the message of The Midnight Train is an important one, and one I’m glad I read despite the mixed feelings online. Sometimes, books, or opinions of them, are overhyped. I’m glad I read and made my own judgement on this one. 

The Other Life of Mary English

Finally, I started a book that I will be reviewing here at Reviewsfeed very shortly. My review of The Other Life of Mary English is going live on Tuesday. As ever, I’ve got a good way of the book to go through before I’m able to draft my review. So, you know how I’m spending my bank holiday Monday tomorrow right? 

I’ve made a decent start to this book, and I like where it is going so far. For a book and setting where women are far from prominent or able to stand in society, The Other Life of Mary English is doing a great job of making the protagonist the leading lady in a period of history where that is difficult to achieve. 

A fairly light update as of this Sunday Summary. More to follow on this one very soon! 

Books Discovered

I’m proud of myself – today I went for a mooch through town, looked in the window of a bookstore… and then walked away! I know, not like me at all! So, there are no new additions this week to report in today’s Sunday Summary. 

Coming Up… 

What I’m Reading… 

Here’s my reading plan over the next seven days:- 

  • Finish The Other Life of Mary English – blog tour obligation 01/09/2026
  • Start Julia by Sandra Newman
  • Start the audiobook of The Language of Liars

Blog

I’ve already mentioned that I’ve got an imminent blog tour obligation. So, needless to say, that’s going to be my first post of next week! 

Aside from that, I’ll be leaning into my usual content posts that fall at month-end. First will be my monthly wrap-up for reading progress in August. Given the blog tour post, that will go live on Wednesday or Thursday next week. After that, I’ll share my planned September TBR later in the week. I’ve got an idea for what I want my September TBR to look like, but I’m going to keep my cards close to my chest for now. You’ll just have to find out next week what my plans are 😈

Finally, another Sunday Summary update will conclude another week of reading, amongst other things.

Summary 

Today’s Sunday Summary feels a little lighter than I originally planned. Nevertheless, I’ve enjoyed the reading progress I’ve made at a pace that’s been sustainable to me. 

What book have you read this August that you recommend? 

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Blog Tour Review: Dungeons & Dimwits – James Mascia

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Today’s blog tour review is for a graphic novel – not a media format I read or feature much! However, as a bit of a nerdy girl, I enjoy the idea of a book based around the game of Dungeons & Dragons. If I’d had friends who liked the game, I think it is something I could have got onto. 

Before I share my review on Dungeons & Dimwits, thanks to Rachel and the author James for the opportunity to read and review the book.  I have been provided a digital copy for the purpose of giving my review, but the thoughts expressed within this review are entirely my own.

Here are the usual details of the book, synopsis, and purchase links. Then, it’s review time!

Dungeons & Dimwits – James Mascia  

Genre: Graphic Novel

Pages: 110

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Dren Productions

Original Publication Date: 31 Jan 2025

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Goodreads – Dungeons & Dimwits

Dungeons & Dimwits

Dungeons & Dragons meets Jumanji in a hilarious fantasy adventure where the players are trapped inside the chaotic world they created. Now every bad roll, terrible plan, and overpowered enemy is dangerously real.

When a group of tabletop role-playing gamers suddenly find themselves pulled into their own fantasy campaign, the adventure stops being imaginary and starts being a matter of survival. Thrown into a world filled with monsters, magic, absurd dangers, and enemies far beyond their level, these unlikely adventurers must figure out how to stay alive long enough to find a way home.

But this is not the polished fantasy epic they imagined. This is their game world―complete with ridiculous choices, bizarre characters, unpredictable rules, and all the chaos that comes from years of questionable decisions around the gaming table. As the party stumbles from one disaster to the next, they must rely on teamwork, quick thinking, and a little bit of luck to survive the fantasy world they helped create.
Funny, fast-paced, and packed with tabletop gaming humor, Dungeons & Dimwits is a wild fantasy comedy for longtime RPG players, fantasy fans, comic readers, and anyone who has ever wondered what would happen if the game suddenly became real.

About the Series
Dungeons & Dimwits is a fantasy comedy series about a group of gamers trapped inside their own tabletop role-playing campaign. This first volume begins their journey as they discover that their imaginary world is now very real―and very dangerous. The series follows the party as they face monsters, magic, rival adventurers, impossible quests, and the consequences of their own chaotic storytelling. Readers should begin with Volume 1, which introduces the characters, the world, and the hilarious disaster that launches the adventure.

Purchase Links

Amazon USAmazon UK

My Thoughts… 

Plot

Based on the game format of dungeons and dragons, this fantasy graphic novel spins off from a group of boys setting off on a quest and things going awry. If you are unfamiliar with the game format, players create a character and can lean into skills that they level up over the course of a game in order to interact with the world around them. Involving elements of luck by rolling dice, outcomes from battles and interactions can very quickly go one way or another. 

All-Star game of dungeons and dragons can be changeable given the story is written by players, this book levels that up further by having something unexpected happen to the characters within. In the scope of the game and fantasy genre, it both surprise me and yet didn’t feel inauthentic. Taking into account the size of the graphic novel, there is plenty of action to peoples engage. The storyline was not being too overwhelming in terms of required understanding of game mechanics. Even the most rudimentary understanding of how the game works is more than sufficient. I don’t have lots of experience but could easily follow the idea!

Characters

Although the demographic of the book is predominantly younger/teenage boys, I still find characters somewhat relatable. They also added humour to this relatively short story, elevating it from a fun fantasy novella to a storyline we were invested in exploring.

There are a broad range of characters introduced in this short story both led by the boys playing the game, but also characters we are introduced to throughout world they are within. There are enough to make the storyline feel complete and comprehensive, but also without being overwhelmed. Bearing in mind The format of this book and the intended audience, I thought this was the ideal balance.

Setting

As a huge fantasy lover, I loved the scope of this book in terms of setting and the imagination that could be used to change the storyline at a drop of a hat. How are some classic fantasy settings to this book, but just because it has seen before, doesn’t mean it’s unoriginal. Especially given this is told from a young character leading this storyline, it’s perhaps less predictable, but it keeps us on our toes. 

Changes in location are easy to follow. It doesn’t happen too much throughout the narrative, but the way in which the transitions are conveyed feels natural and the reader can make sense of the changes. 

Narrative Style

As a relatively short graphic novel, this book flew by! It’s very easy to read, yet doesn’t feel too short or underdeveloped. I read this book in the space of one evening, with ease. I would imagine most readers to be capable of this as well. However, if you wanted to break this up and read this in smaller chunks, the book is written into five chapters, so there are easy to find interludes if that suits you better.

The nature of the book, being very image based, makes this ideal for days when you need a light read. The artistry isn’t an aspect of storytelling I’m used to reviewing, but allow me to try my best. The style is clean, energetic and dynamic. For a book full of action, this works hand in hand to make the storytelling engaging. The variation in frame layout also keeps the narrative fresh. 

Summary 

It can be hard to write a review for such a short book. However, with a graphic novel like Dungeons and Dimwits, I think it fitting not to take it too seriously! It’s a lighthearted, yet well-thought out read. Suitable for all readers, it’s a fun fantasy not to take too seriously, yet it’s a series I’m serious about following. I loved it that much! 

Author Bio

James Mascia is the founder and publisher of Dren Productions, where he creates sci-fi, horror, and fantasy comics and novels packed with imagination, humor, and thrills. He is the author of titles including Flesh-Eating Cheerleaders, Dungeons & Dimwits, The Poe Murders, and High School Heroes. When he’s not writing strange and exciting stories, James works as a high school English teacher in Maryland. A lifelong fan of Comic Cons, cheesy sci-fi and horror movies, and Dungeons & Dragons, he brings his love of genre storytelling into everything he writes.

Social Media Links – Facebook/Instagram – @DrenProductions