Tag: bookblogger

My 2026 Reading Resolutions!

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Hello everyone! Today is an exciting and scary day, because for the first time ever, I’ve published content on YouTube! My introduction post is my 2026 Reading Resolutions. 

I have a fun number of resolutions I’m taking on this year, including trying BookTube. I shared I was publishing this video in last night’s Sunday Summary to make myself publish it 😅 Some are regular features, such as my total target books for the year. However, there are a number of new resolutions in this 2026 reading resolutions video. 

If you want to watch my video, you can find it below 🥰 I’d appreciate the support if you can give it via following or liking the video. Please bear with me whilst I learn the ropes ☺️ 

If you can’t watch or prefer to read, here’s a short form summary of my 2026 reading resolutions. 

 

My 2026 Reading Resolutions 

 

Goodreads / Total Books Challenge

This year I want to read 60 books. It’s a push from the 48 I finished in 2025, but I need the motivation and I’m looking forward to a challenge! 

 

Set Reading List

My second goal is to pick up books from a set list over the course of 2026. I’ll be reading a couple of these a month or so to get through the list throughout 2026. 

These come from recommendations, are long-standing books on my TBR, and will push my out of my comfort zone. There’s classics, banned books and sequels of series on here too! 

  • Pillars of the Earth
  • Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children
  • The Good Samaritan
  • Jane Eyre
  • Murdertrending
  • The Colour Purple
  • Alias Grace
  • Yellowface
  • The Great Hunt
  • Eve
  • Julia
  • 1984
  • The Great Passage
  • Bridge to Terabithia 
  • Lolita
  • The Kite Runner

 

Read more mainstream books 

I miss out on a lot of content because I don’t pick up many mainstream books, especially when they are released. 

To get more involved, I’ll be reading and reviewing popular books and series like Throne of Glass, The Poppy War, The Bone Season and Fourth Wing. Naturally, I’ll also be looking for new releases and this list will evolve in time. 

 

Prioritise Owned Books

Lastly, I’ll be reading as much as I can from my bookshelves of owned books. Whilst this doesn’t intersect well with the above goal, I’ll juggle the two together as much as I can. 

I have a lot of physical books in my spare room that I’d like to read and clear down via donations to charity or re-homing them once finished with. 

 

Summary 

Thanks for reading, and hopefully watching my 2026 Reading Resolutions video today! Have you set any reading goals for 2026? 

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Sunday Summary – 4th January 2026

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The first weekend of 2026 is upon us! Welcome to my first Sunday Summary of the year, and I’m glad for the fresh start. I’ve gotten back into the habit of reading over the last few days, and I’ve enjoyed a fresh, shorter read to get me back into the swing of things. Before that though, what else have I been posting about? 

Well, it’s been a busy week! I started easily doors with posting my ideas for both non-traditional and traditional reading goals. Whilst I’ve written the posts to be timeless and something that can be gone back to year on year, maybe you can take inspiration from these posts for your 2026 reading goals, if you’ve yet to set one. Some of the ideas on these lists are part of MY resolutions, which will be released in the coming days. 

On Thursday I published my monthly wrap-up for December. I confess, I don’t have many ‘finishes’ to my name in the final month of the year, but I did read a good few books at least in part. As I’d completed my reading goal by the beginning of December, I found myself reading less as the month went on. Still, I enjoyed the break, achieved most of what I wanted to do and I’m back raring to go now. 

Finally, yesterday I shared my wrap-up of 2025 as a whole. In that post, I looked at progress against my 2025 resolutions and where I got to at the end of of the year. If you’ve yet to read that post, here’s a link so you can take a look for yourself. 

 

Books Read

 

The Doors of Midnight 

Progress with The Doors of Midnight is ongoing. You may recall in last week’s Sunday Summary update that I’ll be reading this over the next few weeks. It’s a long book and audiobook! I did make some progress this week, but admittedly not a whole lot. Still, an hour is better than nothing at all. Next week, things will be back to more normal routine. I’ll be going back the gym more, driving to work every day of the week etc. 

I’m still enjoying where this narrative is taking us and I think it’s about to take a turn I wasn’t expecting. That makes it more interesting though, and has me wanting to pick this up more over the next seven days. 

 

Orbital

At the start of the New Year, I took the decision to pick up a short, fresh read to get back into the reading groove with. Rather than starting the year with 2025’s reads that I was a little slow to get going with, starting with something new felt right. 

Although Orbital is short, I wouldn’t say it’s a light read. On the contrary, it asks a lot of existential and heavy questions, and covers everything from life and relationships to politics. Still, it was a great choice to start the year with. Picking up Orbital is also a bonus in that it starts the year ticking off some goals on my upcoming 2026 resolutions. 

As of this Sunday Summary update, I have just finished this book! It’s been a fun and thought-provoking read to start 2026 with, and definitely set me off to a great start. I love that although the page count is small, it’s a slow, thought-provoking and inspiring narrative. It proves we don’t need high-stakes action to drive a plot. Rather, slow, introspective musings make for entertaining reading as well. Orbital is quite different from the usual reads I pick up, but its a prize winner for a reason. It deserves the accolade. If you haven’t read this one and crave a change of pace, Orbital would be a great option. 

 

Books Discovered

 Somehow I’ve refrained from spending my book vouchers, and I’ve also been good and not added anything to my reading list in the meantime either. It’s got plenty enough on it without me adding more to it at this time anyway. 

I’ll take this as good news 🥳

 

Coming Up… 

I’ve got some exciting and slightly scary content coming out next week. Great, because I’m sharing my 2026 resolutions and my January 2026 monthly TBR. Why is that scary Well, I got myself in front of a camera earlier today to record videos for this content to share here and on YouTube for the very first time. Ahhh!

I’ll be posting here as well and if I can manage it, linking those videos into my blog so you can watch if you prefer to reading. Otherwise, I’ll be summarising those videos in written format. Of course, if you consume a lot of content on YouTube already, you can follow me there to keep up with my videos when they are released before I share them here. 

That’s all from me this week! I’m excited to get back into the swing of things and also enjoy putting myself out of my comfort zone and making new forms of content in 2026. 

Thanks for reading today’s Sunday Summary update. Have you started any new reads for 2026? 

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My 2025 Wrap-Up!

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It’s 2026 and I’m really excited to share my 2025 wrap-up with you! Overall, I’m pleased with how I did against my 2025 reading resolutions. Back in November, I shared a review of progress and intentions for the final books I wanted to read towards my resolutions. 

Let’s take a look at the final tally 🥳

 

My 2025 Resolutions…

Goodreads Challenge – 45 Books 

For 2025, I set a reading goal of 45 books. It was set as a small stretch goal on top of the 42 books I’d read in 2024. Turns out, I could have pushed a little further on. 

In total, I read 48 books in 2025! Truthfully, I could have completed more as well. With my reading goal done by the beginning of December, reading progress fell away. Once an obligation to review a book was fulfilled, I slowed down dramatically. It didn’t help that I was struggling with a physical read, and of course, time commitments around Christmas. I can’t blame them entirely though. 

With 2025’s reading target being achieved well in advance, it’s convinced me to up my goal again for 2026. This time, I can announce in this 2025 wrap-up that I’m pushing a little harder to get to 60 books. 

 

Complete Goodreads Challenges Throughout the Year

This is the one goal I’d say I didn’t put the most focus on in 2025. I set it to explore a new feature on Goodreads. However, I can’t attest that I have as much focus and attention as the rest of my reading resolutions. 

I did make some progress, with a few achievements in each challenge throughout the year. They were mostly passively achieved as opposed to deliberate choices. 

I set the goal as an attempt to do something a little different and maybe read more topical/seasonal books. It didn’t quite work the way I intended, so I’m going to approach this aim a little differently in 2026. 

 

Finish or Get Up to Date with 10 Series 

I’d argue this reading goal was the most difficult one and took a lot of my attention. To be fair, so it should! I have a lot of ongoing or part-read series I’ve started. For two years now, I’ve set myself this reading goal in order to reduce the amount of series I had ongoing. Overall, it was broadly successful! 

As of the end of December and 2025 wrap-up, I read books from a total of 16 series. A couple of these were new starts, but others were to make further progress in sizeable series. In terms of completions, I finished or got up-to-date on eight series in 2025. I had aimed to finish Empire of the Dawn and The Doors of Midnight in December to get to my final ten. However, these are both current reads carried over into 2026. 

So, I didn’t quite get there, but my intentions and effort were in the right place and that was the point of the goal. It got me picking up sequels in a far more timely fashion than I had been previously, making them much easier to get into, if I’m honest. Like with my non-fiction reading goal of 2024 making a lasting impression on my reading habits, I hope going forward sequels remain a priority. 

 

Read Out of my Comfort Zone

Finally, I set myself a goal to pick up books out of my comfort zone in 2025. 

Book clubs were a great way to achieve this goal. Through my book club at work and the Cottagecore Fantasy Book Club I help moderate, I picked up a few books I wouldn’t have chosen for myself but still enjoyed anyway. On top of that, a recommendation from a colleague led me to pick up HR Disrupted. 

However, external drivers weren’t the only means I picked up new books. In February, with Black History Month in mind, I read Fearing the Black Body. I also had my own non-race-related reasons to read it – it’s about the origins of fat phobia. If you’ve seen photos of me on social media, I’m not a small person and I’ve been on the wrong end of fat phobia in the past. I don’t care now, mind, I put myself in positions where I could be judged. I go to the gym and wear sports gear out in public. Do I care if people like it or not? Absolutely not! 

Along the lines of better health, I picked up The Weight’s Over, Ultra-Processed People. These were a stretch from my usual reading, but very much worthwhile. Finally, I picked up a book where US politics is central to the discussion. A Promised Land by Barack Obama wasn’t the easiest of things for me to read, but I’m glad I did. 

 

Summary

All in all, it’s fair to say I enjoyed my 2025 reading and I did a lot of the things I set out to in my 2025 resolutions post. I can only hope I’m as successful in my 2026 resolutions, which I’ll be sharing with you shortly! 

Thanks for reading today’s 2025 wrap-up. Did you set yourself a goal for 2025? How did you do with achieving it? 

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Traditional reading goals to kickstart your New Year!

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Yesterday I shared a list of non-traditional reading goals to kickstart your New Year. If you are looking for inspiration for reading goals to set yourself coming into the New Year, you have come to the right place! 

Whereas yesterday‘s post looked at non-traditional reading goals, today’s post follows the more traditional route and shares numbers-based traditional reading goals you can set yourself coming into the New Year.

Ready for inspiration to hit? Let’s take a look! 

 

Traditional reading goals to kickstart your New Year! 

Read X number of books a year

A goal I set myself every year, because I benefit from having a target to chase, is to read a set number of books. 

This can be set as a total or even as a target for a specific genre. For example, my 2024 resolutions featured a Goodreads challenge of reading 60 books and 15 of those being non-fiction. That goal helped make nonfiction books a regular on my TBR now even without the special effort. 

Whether you want to set yourself a goal to read a total number of books or to focus on a particular genre, having a number to work towards can be a great motivator. I like the Goodreads challenge as it can tell you if you are ahead, behind, or on track. You could, of course, use another tracker or work this out yourself – whatever works best for you! 

 

Number of Pages/Measurable Time Goal

An alternative to a total book count is a quantitative measure of pages or time spent reading. As goals go, it makes this really easily measurable and can go a long way towards building habits. 

Reading 40 books a year might seem daunting… but a goal to read 20 pages or 10 mins a day? That feels far more achievable – and they can amount to the same result. It’s just a matter of framing. If small, regular tasks work better for your time commitment level, consider setting a traditional reading goal to read a little every day. Those bigger reading goals will become far more achievable with a small habit. 

 

Pick up a Fixed Reading List

A new reading goal I’m taking into next year is to pick up a fixed reading list. I’ve compiled a list of books I want to read in 2026. They have made it to the list for a variety of reasons; some are long outstanding on my TBR, some are recommended from fellow readers. There are also some classics that will push me out of my comfort zone. 

Whatever the reason behind your list, setting a time limit to finish these books can help motivate you to finally make time for them. It also helps plan ahead and spread the books over the year so getting to the list isn’t overwhelming. 

 

TBR down to X books

A goal I strongly considered setting this year, but ultimately decided against, is a target to reduce my TBR. If I don’t whittle down my list by this time next year, I’ll HAVE to make this a resolution. 

My TBR has floated at around 200 books for a while. If you have an overflowing reading list and need some motivation to reduce it, setting a goal to reduce your TBR is a great idea. 

Maybe I should review this for myself halfway through the year and see if I need to do this one… 

 

Read a Book from X Genre a Month

Along the lines of trying to read more from a certain genre (touched on in Read X no. of Books a Year), a reasonable goal might be to read a book from a desired genre a month. That’s 12 books over the course of a year – not an insignificant number! Tackling one a month also breaks down the goal to make it feel more manageable too. 

Is there a genre you don’t read much of but want to pick up more frequently? A couple of years ago, it was non-fiction for me. However, you might want to try more classics, literary fiction, or even a non-genre-specific focus like new releases or timeless reads. The criteria is flexible enough that you can pick what’s important to you and your reading goals. 

 

Summary 

Has today’s traditional reading goals post given you inspiration? If you’re looking for some alternative reading goals, try my non-traditional reading goal post for more options. 

As I said yesterday, my reading habit and the blog kicked off with reading for a few minutes before bed in 2017. Small habits help make larger ones! 

What reading goals are you taking into next year? 

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Non-traditional reading goals to kickstart your New Year!

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Whether you are a seasoned reading goal setter, or are looking to set yourself a reading goal for the very first time, we all need inspiration now and then. Today’s post offers some non-traditional reading goals to kickstart your New Year, no experience required!

In the past, I have varied in setting both traditional and non-traditional reading goals. Whilst I am the kind of person who benefits from a traditional numbers-based target to set, there is absolute value in setting non-traditional reading goals. That’s why in my goal setting, I take a blended approach in setting both traditional and non-traditional reading goals. 

Today’s post is about non-traditional reading goals. If having a number doesn’t suit you or your lifestyle right now, I have five suggestions for your next non-traditional reading goal. Even if you don’t take on one of these verbatim, it may give you an idea for a reading goal that will suit you! 

Shall we take a look at some ideas? 

 

Non-Traditional Reading Goal Ideas

 

Prioritise Owned Books

A non-traditional reading goal that’s a strong contender for my reading resolutions list next year is prioritising books I already own. Why? Well, the simple answer is, my physical reading collection is… too big for the space I have. If I’m honest, I probably have the equivalent of a small bookshelf’s worth of books that don’t fit on the shelves I have. 

I typically try to stick to buying physical copies of books I’ll want to read and re-read again. However, sometimes it’s cheaper or more convenient to get books in physical format if there are offers on, or if I have book vouchers to use. Now I’ve got a bit of a collection, and it’s easy done! It’s universally agreed that buying books and reading books are two very different hobbies… 

I’ve done more purchasing than I have reading, so this non-traditional reading goal can help combat the backlist. 

 

Give Yourself Permission to Mood Read

Another non-traditional reading goal could be giving yourself permission to choose what to read as the mood strikes you. 

If you like to read different books in the spur of the moment but try to confine yourself to a set list (and then wonder why you don’t get through it!), this is a great goal for you. Admittedly, this is a goal of benefit from trying. This December, with my reading challenge ‘done’, I’ve switched off from reading a little bit. However, to get back into it, I could have given myself permission to read something not on the list but that I enjoy. 

I’m also guilty of trying to read a book if I’m not feeling it. It’s like trying to cram a square peg in a round hole, and just about as successful. Next year, why not give yourself the gift of flexibility? 

 

Read a book recommended to you once a month

Quite the opposite to the previous suggested non-traditional reading goal, if you do benefit from some structure to your reading, this could work for you! 

Whether you take recommendations from friends, family, or even online, including a recommendation in your reading list can help broaden your horizons. It’s the reason I take part in book clubs. Through these clubs, I pick up books I wouldn’t have been introduced to or picked up of my own volition. The external motivator is a great way to learn and change up your reading. If that’s what you’re looking for, reading a recommendation once a month/quarter, or whatever frequency suits you, is a great non-traditional reading goal to try!

 

Try New Book Formats

If you tend to read books in a particular, or even favoured format, why not try something new next year? 

This non-traditional reading goal can be interpreted a number of ways, so it’s really up to you what you want to do with it. If you read a lot of traditional prose, why not try a mixed media book, manga, or poetry? If you read predominantly physical books, why not give audiobooks a try? 

Really, the world is your oyster with this reading goal. The aim is to try something new. As to how you choose to do it, well, that’s up to you! The beauty of a non-traditional reading goal is that they are more flexible and accommodating to set. 

 

Read in another language (or a book’s translated from another language)

A non-traditional reading goal I’m flirting with setting in my next set of reading resolutions is to read books in, or originally written in, another language. I’ll hold my hands up and admit I read a lot of books by Western authors. With a view to reading more diversely, this is a fun non-traditional reading goal to help meet that desire. 

If you’re feeling adventurous, you could try reading a book in another language. If you want to learn one anyway, it can be a great way to help towards that. The best way to learn about other perspectives and cultures is to read from them. 

Summary 

Has today’s non-traditional reading goals post given you some inspiration? The best advice I can give is to start small. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself if you don’t get off to a flying start. 

My reading habit and the blog kicked off with reading for a few minutes before bed in 2017. What reading goals are you taking into next year? 

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Sunday Summary – 28th December 2025

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Happy Sunday readers! Today’s Sunday Summary post is a quiet kind of update. Christmas has been and gone, and we are now in the lull between Christmas and New Year. I never quite know what to do with myself in this last week of the year. Ultimately, I’ve enjoyed hobbies and some downtime, but not much in the way of reading, admittedly.

I have some small progress to share though, so let’s take a look! 

 

Books Read

The Doors of Midnight 

In last week’s Sunday Summary update, I shared that I had just started listening to The Doors of Midnight by R.R. Virdi. Over the course of this week, I have listened to just shy of seven hours of this audio. As much as I say I haven’t read much this week, this progress isn’t to be sniffed at! 

Whilst doing some errands, chores, and craft projects this week, I’ve coupled each of these with listening to The Doors of Midnight. Now that I’m a little further into this book, I can share that I’m now fully back in with the story after a long break from reading the first instalment, The First Binding. I’m also keen to see where this book takes us. It’s an interesting Silk Road, Asian-inspired fantasy with a protagonist who likes to stir up trouble. 

The narrative style of this book is the protagonist retelling his tale in hindsight. Regular readers will know this style really suits me, and I like this reflective type of narrative. The switching between timelines also helps keep the action interesting and has asked what has really happened for Ari to end up in the situation he’s in at the present day. 

As you can probably tell, I’m getting on pretty well with this audiobook, and progress will continue over the next few weeks. As of this update, I still have over 30 hours of audio time left in this book. It’s an epic… and definitely one that’ll get carried forward into next year! 

 

Beyond Redemption 

Although I’ve had a good degree of downtime in the last few days, I confess I haven’t spent much of it reading traditionally. I think I need a goal or target to work towards with my reading. Now that I’ve read 47 books out of my intended 45 target, my brain thinks I’m ‘done’ and has switched off prioritising reading 😂 

Nevertheless, in the last day or so, I have got myself to pick up my Kindle and make some progress with Beyond Redemption. This is the final book I’m reading towards my ChatGPT recommendations content that’s coming up, and the introduction of this book has me intrigued. We have morally grey characters (that’s a stretch on the generous side) and embodiments of delusion. Honestly, I have no idea where this narrative will take us, but the less than reputable characters and questionable actions have me intrigued as to how dark this narrative will be.

 

Books Discovered

 

I was fortunate enough to receive two books for Christmas. One of which is an illustrative and interactive copy of Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. It’ll be a fun way to revisit this book in the future! 

The second book I received is a copy of Margaret Atwood’s memoir, Book of Lives.  I very nearly bought this for myself recently, so that turned out well! 

 

Coming Up… 

Next week promises to be a busy one! With New Year goal setting in the pipeline, I’m sharing two posts in the next couple of days. Each of these posts aims to help with ideas of reading goals, whether you want to go down the route of traditional, numbers-based reading goals, or non-traditional ones. 

Personally, I’m planning a mix of resolutions this year. However, if you aren’t sure yet, hopefully some inspiration will follow. 

On Thursday, New Year’s Day, I’m coming in hot with my December monthly wrap-up. I’ve also got a 2025 wrap-up landing this week, but first I need to recap reading progress in December before looking back over the whole year. At least, in my head I do… 

That year-in-review post is planned for Saturday. In that post, I’ll recap my final thoughts on the year and also where I got to with my 2025 resolutions for the year. 

Finally, I’m back with another Sunday Summary this time next week. Fingers crossed I find my reading mojo again and I have plenty more to update you on. 

Have you got any last-minute reads you’re trying to finish before the end of 2025? 

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Sunday Summary – 21st December 2025

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Happy Sunday, friends! Welcome to my latest Sunday Summary post. Have you had a great week? Are you ready for Christmas yet? This week I’ve done the last of my shopping and wrapping, so I think I’m as ready as I’ll ever be… 

Onto less festive matters, what else have I been up to this week? Well, other than feeling rough and even losing my voice for a couple of days, it’s been business as usual. My first post of the week was a Top Ten Tuesday. This week‘s subject was books on our Winter 2025/2026 TBR. If you’re curious to see what’s coming up on my reading list in the next few months, you could take a look at that post here.

Next, this week’s First Lines Friday post featured a festive read. I managed to meet my challenge of featuring a festive book. And it WAS a challenge for me. I’m not a big festive reader, I found a book that is authentically me whilst meeting the target. Win! 

 

Books Read

The Housemaid is Watching 

With everything going on this week, audiobooks still prevail as my most read format. Funny really. Usually they’re the bottom of the list… 

Nevertheless, it’s been really working out for me this week. Although I’ve not read as much overall this week, I did finish my listen of The Housemaid is Watching by Freida McFadden earlier today.

I enjoyed this (unexpected) conclusion to the series, and I’m glad I decided to pick up more than just the first book. It was a really interesting listen, as always, because the pacing has us asking questions right until the end. However, whilst everything is drawn out nicely, all the questions we do have from this book are answered. I’d have been frustrated if they weren’t, but no concerns on that front! 

 

The Doors of Midnight 

After finishing The Housemaid is Watching, I made a start with The Doors of Midnight by R. R. Virdi this afternoon.

I’m only really so far into this book, so there isn’t a whole lot I can say right now. What I can say is that the first few chapters I’ve listened to have helped me get back into the story somewhat. I really enjoy the narrative style of this book, and enjoying it in audio format as opposed to paperback format is a refreshing change. I enjoy reading it in physical format as well, don’t get me wrong. However, the book is about a storyteller telling his own life story. Listening seems to work a little better.

More on this one next week. It’s a tome, so I’m sure The Doors of Midnight will span a few Sunday Summary posts yet. 

 

Books Discovered

In last week’s Sunday Summary post, I assured you I had been good and not added any new books to my reading list because Santa is on his way. Well, that is true than ever. However, I have added a book to my reading list this week. Don’t worry though, it’s one coming out next year!

When writing my First Lines Friday post, I discovered that my featured book has a sequel coming out next year. Having already enjoyed the first book of the series to date, it’s pretty obvious I’m going to want to continue this one. I’ve got a bit of a wait. The Silent Appeal is due out in September next year. Whilst my bank account remains untouched for now, I’ve added this book to the list to make sure I pick it up at a later date.

 

Coming Up… 

So, what’s coming up next week?

Well, with Christmas upon us and a busy New Year imminent, I’ve decided to take a break for a few days next week. 

I’ll be back with my Sunday Summary update at the end of the week. Until then, though, I’m going to take the time to enjoy some of the festive period, catch up on some reading, and enjoy the downtime. 

I’ll still be active on social media, so stay tuned to see more of my content there. 

What are you currently reading? 

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First Lines Friday – 19/12/2025

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I set myself a challenge to feature a festive book in today’s First Lines Friday. As it stands, I don’t read a lot of festive fiction. However, this one is on my radar after reading another book by the same author! 

This week’s feature is a mixed media murder mystery. Do you have an inkling of what book and/or author I feature in this First Lines Friday? If so, let me know in the comments! If not, take a look at the opening below and see if any names ring any bells…  

 

To: Femi Hassan & Charlotte Holroyd

From: Roderick Tanner, KC

Date: 1 November 2023

Subject: A conundrum for you

 

Dear both, I trust you are well. While you establish yourselves in the field of criminal law, it doesn’t hurt to keep the wheels of deduction turning. I have another fascinating case to run past you. Why you? Well, it seems The Fairway Players are once again at the centre of a mystery. 

I’ve read the enclosed and think I’ve worked it out. I wonder if you can. 

Here is a bundle of correspondence from the last few weeks of 2022, during rehearsals for the pantomime Jack and the Beanstalk. I look forward to hearing your thoughts.

RT Roderick Tanner, KC (retired)

 

 

The Christmas Appeal – Janice Hallett

Genre: Murder Mystery 

Pages: 191

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Atria Books

Publication Date: 24 Oct 2023

Goodreads – The Christmas Appeal

 

This immersive holiday caper follows the hilarious Fairway Players theater group as they put on a Christmas play—and solve a murder that threatens their production.

The Christmas season has arrived in Lower Lockwood, and the Fairway Players are busy rehearsing their festive holiday production of Jack and the Beanstalk to raise money for a new church roof. But despite the season, goodwill is distinctly lacking among the amateur theater enthusiasts with petty rivalries, a possibly asbestos-filled beanstalk, and some perennially absent players behind the scenes.

Of course, there’s also the matter of the dead body onstage. Who could possibly have had the victim on their naughty list? Join lawyers Femi and Charlotte as they investigate Christmas letters, examine emails, and pore over police transcripts to identify both the victim and killer before the curtain closes on their holiday production—for good.

 

My Thoughts…

Quite often I steer clear of festive reads because they’re often cheesy. Or romance. Both? Probably. It’s just generally not my thing. However, a murder mystery at the panto? That’s infinitely more interesting to read about! 

If you are familiar with Janice Hallett, you’ll know she’s written a book called The Appeal. I read that book around three years ago now. This sequel follows on from that, with familiar characters and a festive play to make it merry. Oh, and Santa gets murdered… 

What’s more amazing is that in featuring this book/series, I’ve found out there’s another book coming out in September next year. You shouldn’t be surprised to hear that it’s a new addition to the TBR… 

But first, I’ll have to read this festive short story. Oh, how tragic! It’s unlikely I’ll manage it before the end of the year, so maybe next Christmas? 

Have you read The Christmas Appeal, or any other books published by Janice Hallett? Is it a festive read you’ll pick up after seeing it on this First Lines Friday? 

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Top Ten Tuesday – Books on my Winter 2025/2026 TBR

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Today’s Top Ten Tuesday features books I’ve got coming up on my Winter 2025/2026 TBR over the next few months. This list takes into account some books on my December 2025 TBR, and some planned reading goals for 2026.

I’ve got a static list of books I want to pick up throughout 2026, so some of those books feature on this Winter 2025/2026 TBR as well.

Interested to take a look at what’s made it to the list?

 

Books on my Winter 2025/2026 TBR

Yellowface

The first book on this Winter 2025/2026 TBR is also a feature on my December TBR. Keen to kick off early, I’m looking to pick up Yellowface by R.F. Kuang very soon.

So far, I’ve enjoyed two reads by R.F. Kuang and rated them both 5 stars (Babel and The Poppy War).  Yellowface is very different from both of these books, which are also quite different from each other. It goes to show Rebecca is a versatile writer, and I’m intrigued to try this more contemporary book.


I Know I’m in There Somewhere

For my work book club in January, I’ve set a theme as opposed to a ‘set’ book. It’s the first time we’re trying out some flexibility, so we’ll see how that goes. However, in case anyone at work wants to stick with a single book, I’ve committed to reading I Know I’m in There Somewhere.

With New Year and new goals in mind, this will be a timely read. I added this to my reading list fairly recently, but I can’t wait to try it out!


A Man Called Ove

A Man Called Ove featured on both my TTT Summer 2025 TBR and 20 Books of Summer Challenge. However, as of this Winter 2025/2026 TBR, I haven’t picked it up yet.

I’ve read great things about this book, and I’ve been meaning to read it for a while now. So, with this in mind, it’s time to pull my finger out and start reading it!

A Man Called Ove will also make a change. I read a lot of fantasy, especially lately. I’m looking forward to a more contemporary story as a break from what I’ve been reading of late.


1984

For Christmas last year, I was gifted two books, the first of which is the classic that is 1984. I first read this book at school. Now, admittedly, when I had to study this book for my GCSEs, I hated the experience. The reading in class. The discussion and analysis. Yawn. Bloody. Yawn.

However, I later read this book as an adult, of my own volition. Completely different experience. I loved it. And the scary thing is, there are aspects of the book that probably ring truer than we’d like to think.

It’s a classic that I’ll want to go back to time and again. It’s coming back around!


Julia

Also last Christmas, I received a second book that’s a twist on 1984 – written instead from the perspective of a different character – Julia.

My plan is to read the original, and then jump into Julia so I can appreciate the rewrite and different perspective.


Eve

My Winter 2025/2026 TBR has a lot of books I’ve planned to read already, but not got to! Another such book is Eve.

Eve by Cat Bohannon was also on my 20 Books of Summer Challenge, but I didn’t quite get to it either. What I love about the premise of this book is that it emphasises the importance of women and how biologically, they’ve driven the evolution of the human race.

It’s a niche book for sure, and hopefully, a refreshing change of subject!


The Courage to be Disliked

Self-help reading recs are abound in this Winter 2025/2026 TBR! Another such book I plan to read, and I offered as a suggestion in my work book club, is The Courage to Be Disliked.

Whilst the title of the book comes across as a little clickbait (is there an equivalent term in the bookish world), The Courage to Be Disliked is more of a discourse on why we are influenced by the opinions of others and how we can find the courage to make our own way, for our own reasons.


Deep Wheel Orcadia

Another December TBR pick makes for a change to reading style. This month, I’m looking forward to trying the first science fiction book written in Orkney dialect!

Confused? Perhaps I will be too. There’s an English translation, so I can still appreciate the story. The novelty factor sparked my curiosity, what can I say?


The Burning Girls

The last book of this Winter 2025/2026 TBR that also featured on my 20 Books of Summer Challenge was The Burning Girls by C.J. Tudor.

Here’s another author I really like going back to time and again. The Chalk Man and The Taking of Annie Thorne were fantastic books. It’s been a while, so I’m excited to read this latest book and enjoy some more thriller vibes before the nights start getting light again. It’s more atmospheric, okay? I don’t make the rules 🤷🏻‍♀️


The Pillars of the Earth

A tome, is what this book is. However, it’s a tome I’ve been recommended by two trusted reader friends. So, I have to pick it up!

Next year, I’m planning to set myself a list of books I want to finish before the end of 2026. The Pillars of the Earth is the first book on that list. At a fraction under 1000 pages, it’s a commitment. However, I trust the recommendations I have and so I’ll be embarking on this journey after the new year.

It’s a highly rated book and has been on my list since 2020, so it’s high time I give it a go!


Summary

My Winter 2025/2026 TBR has lots of great books on it. Have you read any of these? Are any of these books on your TBR?

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Sunday Summary – 14th December 2025

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Last week’s Sunday Summary post came to you from a wet and miserable day. Today isn’t any different. With yet another warning for rain in place, winter has truly taken hold. Not only that, but the winter lurgy is also doing the rounds, and it’s officially my turn. Please bear with me for this post. It may not be my best, but it will be the weekly update you expect!

So, what have I been up to? My first post of the week was a book review for Brandon Sanderson‘s second book in his Skyward series, Starsight. I really enjoyed this young adult series, so it was a pleasure to feature the second book and let you know just how much I enjoyed it.

On Friday, I featured a thriller on my TBR. I would not like to be in the shoes of the victims. Deprived of their senses, victims return to society mentally scarred by their experiences. Interested in hearing more about this book? Take a look at my Shelf Control post using this link.

 

Books Read

 

Empire of the Dawn 

I’m struggling to read Empire of the Dawn, and I don’t understand why.

This is the third week in a row in which I have very little reading progress to update you on. At this point, I’m putting this book down for now and trying again later in the month.

I don’t understand why this book isn’t doing it for me right now. I am enjoying it as when I’m reading it, the problem is I’m just not really picking it up to read it! Sometimes having a heavy physical hardback can be a bit off-putting. However, the reason I think I’m struggling with this book the most is that I don’t want to finish the book (and the series) yet. 

It’s silly, I know. However, for the sake of keeping up with reading progress, I’m going to put this down temporarily and pick up another physical read for now. 

 

A Crucible of Souls

In last week’s Sunday Summary, I had already listened to the vast majority of A Crucible of Souls. With just a short way left to go in the book, I finished this audio this week.

If I’m honest, the book didn’t quite live up to my expectations. I had hoped we will find out more about Caldan and his past. Instead, I finished this first book of the series knowing as much about him as I did at the beginning. A bit disappointing to say the least, because this book leaves a lot of questions unanswered. 

I don’t feel so strongly about this book to continue with the series. It was unacceptable lesson, but I wouldn’t say it was really engaging either. That’s just my experience, and a lot of people are of differing opinions. Don’t take mine as gospel if you want to try this on yourselves. 

 

The Housemaid is Watching 

Audiobooks have been a lot easier for me this weekend. I like to listen to them when I’m busy plotting along with household chores and the lake. However, I’ve also turned to audiobooks today because they are easier to listen to then they are to read physically. 

Over the course of this weekend, I’ve listened to over six hours of audio. In terms of p The Housemaid is Watching, I’m currently at around 60% as of this Sunday Summary update. As I found with each of the books in this series, they are pretty easy to listen to. The narrative is engaging and the plot keeps you gripped. What is happening, and are events as they are portrayed as they seem to be? Very often with these books, the answer is no. Whether that is the same for The Housemaid is Watching remains to be seen.

 

Beyond Redemption 

It barely feels worth a mention, but I have started Beyond Redemption this weekend. I initially started the book at the hairdressers yesterday, but given my decision to pause Empire of the Dawn, I’ve read a little more of this book tonight. I’m really intrigued by The narrative and emphasis on delusions shaping reality. 

It sounds like it’s going to be a very dark book, but I’m looking forward to seeing where this takes us. It’s specifically what I asked ChatGPT for in the final prompt I asked, so I hope it lives up to expectation. 

 

Books Discovered

Once again, I’ve behaved and not added any new books to the TBR, or purchased anything, this week. Well, Santa is nearly here right…?

 

Coming Up… 

My first blog post due next week will arrive in your inbox on Tuesday. A regular post I like to feature on this blog is a Top Ten Tuesday. I’ve also done this theme before. Once a quarter, one of the topics is about books on your next seasonal TBR. In this case, I’ll share which books are on my winter 2025/2026 TBR in a couple of days time. 

My next post is also a regular feature, although this week I am setting myself a festive challenge. For next week’s first lines Friday post, I have to feature something festive. Whether the book itself is festive or is set around Christmas time, anything goes. 

Finally, next week I’m back with my latest Sunday summary catch up. Fingers crossed, I’ll have better physical reading progress to share with you. Hopefully switching up my books will help get reading momentum back on track. I have a lot of books to try and pick up before the end of December, so I’m hoping for a miracle 🤞🏻 

That’s all for me and this Sunday summary update though! What have you read recently? Have you read anything worth recommending, or has a book you recently picked up disappointed you? 

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