Tag: bookblogger

Sunday Summary – 11th October 2026

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The weeks are flying by. Correction, the weekENDS are flying by. It was Friday night five minutes ago – now I’m here drafting a Sunday Summary. I demand the rest of my weekend back! 

Alas, time waits for none of us, and I’ve had to make the most of all the time I had this week to get on top of some blog tour obligations. My review for the first of those tours, Debt Reckoning, went live on Tuesday. I finished this audio on Monday, so it’s fair to say this went down to the wire. However, my enjoyment of the book was never in doubt! If you like the sound of an action-packed political thriller that is educational and somewhat relevant to today’s US Government goings-on, go check it out. 

Next, One More Hour of Daylight took full spotlight. My review of this historical WW2 action novel went live on Thursday. I know – two reviews in a week? Who am I? 😂 As a big fan of historical fiction novels, especially those set in WW2, I knew this would be a hit! One More Hour of Daylight balanced action and context/background perfectly, making for an engaging and immersive read. If this is more up your alley, my review of One More Hour of Daylight is here. 

Finally, I shared my monthly TBR for October. Given the abysmal reading month that was September, I decided not to wallow in it by sharing a monthly wrap-up (of precious little) and instead chose to move forward. Thanks to my blog tour dates, it would also have been a bit late. As it stands, I shared my TBR on the 9th – nearly a third of the way through October! For this TBR, I’ve got some shorter reads, as well as some refreshed titles to pick up. Rather than try to keep slogging on with the same non-starters I’ve had the last few months, I’ve got some new and different reads on October’s agenda. 

Books Read

Debt Reckoning 

Monday got off to a good start, with the completion of the final 35% or so of Debt Reckoning so that I could review the book on Tuesday. As starts go, I couldn’t have asked for better. Thankfully, having the deadline worked in my favour. Was it a little too close? Yes. I had hoped for better progress in last week’s Sunday Summary. However, it doesn’t always work out so clean cut. Working extra last weekend certainly didn’t help matters, otherwise I’d have likely wrapped up Debt Reckoning last weekend. 

Nevertheless, we got there. Given I’ve reviewed the book in detail this week, I’ll point you there if you want to find out more about the book or my thoughts on it. It’s worth a read, I promise! 

One More Hour of Daylight

Moving swiftly on, my next priority was to read One More Hour of Daylight by C.M. Gray. Now, I was a little late starting this. However, I didn’t get my ebook copy straight away due to a technical issue. It’s only when I followed up did we get it sorted mid last week. 

When I spoke to you in my last Sunday Summary, I shared that I was starting this last Sunday after my post went live. So, I blitzed the whole 450-odd pages of this book in just a few days. I haven’t read at that speed for a while! 

Again, like Debt Reckoning, I’m not going to spoil too much here in terms of my thoughts on the book. What I will say is that I rated it 5*. Go on, what are you waiting for? Go read my review to see why! 

Kingdom of Ash 

After prioritising Debt Reckoning earlier this week, I’ve returned to Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J. Maas. I’ve listened to this audiobook a couple of times commuting home this week, as well as a solid hour this afternoon. 

Progress with this book is still a little slow. That said, I’m getting back into some of my routines to pick up audio more frequently. Sometimes, progress is in the small moments rather than the big wins. 

So, fingers crossed this continues into next week. I’m now around 40% of the way through this audiobook. I’m confident that the further along I get, the more I’ll listen in larger stints as I’ll be keen to see how the series resolves for good! 

The Wax Child

I had hoped to blitz The Wax Child this weekend to give myself another completion by the end of the week. That didn’t strictly plan out. What I have achieved is to make a solid start with The Wax Child. It’s reading pretty quickly so far. And, it’s an unusual perspective but I’m liking it so far. When I shared my October TBR I shared that I’d put off starting The Wax Child. After a poor start with The Witch towards my 2026 International Booker Prize longlist reading challenge, I was anxious I’d have a similar experience. However, so far that fear is proving to be unfounded. 

So, my plans for tonight after this Sunday Summary goes live is to have a shower, make a cuppa, and make a solid push through to try to finish The Wax Child. 

Books Discovered

Thankfully, my TBR has gone in the right direction this week. I’ve finished a couple of books and made a solid start with The Wax Child. And, I’ve not bought or added any new books this week either. 

I’ll take that as a win! 

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:-

  • Continue the audiobook of Kingdom of Ash
  • Finish The Wax Child by Olga Ravn – can I manage it tonight? 
  • Read The Language of Liars
  • Start The Director

Blog

New week, clean slate. What to post next week. Given the recent spate of reviews, I intend to make next week’s content a little lighter. Easier for me to write and gives me a chance to get on with some reading too! So, what to post. Along similar lines of my October TBR, I’m going to lean into the shorter reads for a content idea. If you are looking for a quick fix read, stay tuned as I’ll share my top five reads under 300 pages. 

Later in the week, I want to ask readers for recommendations. I’m going to finish my Throne of Glass readalong soon, so I want ideas for my next readalong. I’m keen to continue pushing my boundaries, so if you can recommend another fantasy romance series that isn’t too heavy on the romance, let me know! 

Finally, I’m back with another Sunday Summary at the end of the week. Can I keep up the reading progress shared in today’s Sunday Summary update? Let’s hope so! 

Summary 

That’s all from me in my latest Sunday Summary instalment. It’s been a good week, and I’m optimistic to keep up the progress with some fun reads over the next week. 

What have you been reading this week?

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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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Monthly Wrap-Up – August 2026

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Reading progress in August felt like a bit of a mixed bag. Whilst I had plenty of blog tour obligations to keep me turning the pages, outside of these, I don’t feel like I got to as much of my reading list as I wanted. Nevertheless, I have a decent number of books to talk to you about in today’s monthly wrap-up post for August. 

Have you read any of the books I feature in today’s monthly wrap-up? Take a gander below to find out! 

Books Read 

Duel of Beasts

Goodreads Link

With my first blog tour obligation for Duel of Beasts coming out on the 2nd of August, you would think I would have finished this book in July ahead of that to post. Alas, that was not the case. Whilst I had started the book in July, it was barely the case. Rather, I ended up binge reading this book ahead of that review post. Thankfully, I got on pretty well with this book. I don’t know what I would have done if I found reading it difficult, or I didn’t gel with the narrative style.

Thankfully, that’s not the case and I talked about my experience with this book over on my blog to review. If you want to check out more, go and take a look at that review here.

Supremacy

Goodreads Link 

I can’t remember when I started supremacy. It was definitely at some point last month, but it could have even been in early July. Reading progress with supremacy was slower than I would have liked. Even still, I did have a good time with this book. I took advantage of a week off in August to make a solid dent in progress. Even still, I only really finished this book towards the end of the month.

If you’re looking for a book that can tell you more about AI, its birth and the origins of the intentions behind the technology, supremacy is an interesting one. The focus of the book is how altruistically the technology started, but inevitably its growth was hindered by access to data which I could only get from major corporations and therefore lose the altruism and get used for commercial gain. 

Dungeons & Dimwits

Goodreads Link 

Dungeons and Dimwits is by far the shortest and quickest read to grace my monthly wrap-up for August. I read this relatively short graphic novel in the space of around half an hour one evening about 2/3 of the way through August. That’s very specific, but it went some way towards getting me back in the reading mood. I’ve got a lot on my plate right now, so I think having a short read to tick off the list and go towards achieving something (I read this for a blog tour obligation, and actually read it in decent time – not something I’ve done very much of lately!)

It also was a very fun and pretty lighthearted read. If you enjoy nerdy games like dungeons and dragons, or generally fantasy of this ilk, then pick up this graphic novel if you want a bit of change.

The Knife Maker of Venice

Goodreads Link 

I went in hard on the blog tours this month. The Knife Maker of Venice is a historical fiction blog tour I took part in later in August. I also ended up reading this book pretty close to deadline. 

However, what I really liked about this historical fiction novel is that it featured a time and setting combination that I have not explored before. We also enjoy a lot of travel, considerably more than the characters who have been enslaved and taken across the world against their will. Within, we get to read deeply personal stories and experience a family bond that chains cannot incumber. 

If you’re interested in picking up this historical fiction book, take a look at my blog tour review here. 

Tower of Dawn

Goodreads Link 

Of all the books I talk about in this monthly wrap-up post for August, I would say Tower of Dawn surprised me the most. 

I’m reading Sarah J Maas’s Throne of Glass series as a way of pushing myself out of my comfort zone. It is a romantic series, which is something I don’t traditionally read. I’m not a big romance fan, so naturally I don’t gravitate to these books in the first instance. 

Tower of Dawn varies from the remainder of the series and doesn’t exactly follow on from Empire of Storms. I didn’t read much about the book before diving into it, so this took me by surprise. However, I enjoyed revising characters that branched off from the main series several books ago. It’s going to contribute to the final storyline, so I can’t wait to see how it all comes to an epic conclusion. 

The Midnight Train

Goodreads Link 

The Midnight Train was the second audiobook I completed in August. In all, audiobook progress went pretty well, and I can share in this monthly wrap-up I’m pretty happy with the progress I made. Although at times it felt slow, I should bear in mind I picked up a fairly sizeable audiobook in the form of Tower of Dawn before picking up The Midnight Train. 

Comparatively, The Midnight Train was a very short listen. I also went into this book with some trepidation as to whether this book would live up to my expectations of The Midnight Library. The Midnight Train is the second book set in this universe, and whilst it tackles similar ideas, it does so from a slightly different perspective. 

Personally, I still really enjoyed this audio. Even though I had high expectations, I liked the change in angle on this book and thankfully, the success of the first book didn’t overshadow the message of The Midnight Train. 

The Other Life of Mary English

Goodreads Link 

My final blog tour read to include in my monthly wrap-up was The Other Life of Mary English. Much like my experience with Duel of Beasts at the beginning of August, I ended up reading The Other Life of Mary English pretty last minute. 

As a result, I actually read the majority of the book on the 1st of September. However, I did start this book on the very last day of August, which is why I’m including it here. 

Naturally, I’ll be talking about this one again in my September TBR and wrap up post. However, you have the benefit of a link to check out this review here given I briefly touched on the book in August. As of the end of the month, I hadn’t read very much there wasn’t really in a position to make much comment on it. That will come later, or in that review. 

Summary 

So, I’ve had quite a few books to read and report on in today’s monthly wrap-up for August. Hopefully next month I can take it a little easier on the blog tour obligations and instead get back to books I want to read and get back on track. 

What have you read this Summer? 

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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