My latest Shelf Control is an interesting feature. It’s a Booker Prize Winner from 2021. I’m intrigued to try more prize winning books, in case you hadn’t gathered based on earlier posts this year. I also like reading books that tackle societal issues. Today’s feature handles race and discrimination. As much as I don’t like to read that it happens, I do like books that bring the issue to the fore and challenge it!
Before I get into the details of today’s particular feature, here’s a recap of what this Shelf Control feature is all about.
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.
Discover the powerful prizewinning story of a family in crisis.
The Promise charts the crash and burn of a white South African family, living on a farm outside Pretoria. The Swarts are gathering for Ma’s funeral. The younger generation, Anton and Amor, detest everything the family stand for – not least the failed promise to the Black woman who has worked for them her whole life. After years of service, Salome was promised her own house, her own land… yet somehow, as each decade passes, that promise remains unfulfilled.
In this story of a diminished family, sharp and tender emotional truths hit home. Confident, deft and quietly powerful, The Promise is literary fiction at its finest.
My Thoughts
I enjoy stories that highlight the injustices of our past, and sadly, still out present. Whilst it’s much less commonplace now, we can’t say racial discrimination isn’t part of our culture.
I can’t say I’ve read any fiction set in South Africa, but I have no doubt the story is one we have seen time and again throughout history. I’m a form believer in reading these stories and perspectives to learn from them. To avoid history repeating itself. Whilst that only really works if many others in society take the same approach, I can only be responsible for myself. And, hopefully persuade you to pick up The Promise as well.
I was gifted a copy of this book not long after it came out. With it already on my bookshelves ready to read, my intention is to try and get to this one before the end of 2026.
Have you read The Promise yet? If so, what did you make of it? I personally can’t wait to give it a try!
I’m pleased to be able to share another blog tour review. Today, I bring to you a historical adventure with a bran-new setting I have ever yet to read about. I love history. It has been a refreshing change to read The Knife Maker of Venice. The setting is one I haven’t explored before, so I was keen to dive in!
As always, thanks to Rachel and the author David Gilman for the opportunity to read and review The Knife Maker of Venice. I have been provided a copy of the book for the purpose of giving my review, but the thoughts expressed within this review are entirely my own.
Here are the details of the book, synopsis, and purchase links. Then, it’s review time!
A young Englishman captured by slavers must survive the snakepit that is seventeenth-century Venice.
1604. As pirates seeking slaves to sell in the markets of North Africa terrorise the coasts of Europe, headstrong Richard Sheriff and his sister Elizabeth are torn from their Devonshire home and thrust into a waking nightmare.
Richard’s skills as a blacksmith see him fetch a high price, but the pirate captain has other plans for Elizabeth and once they are separated, Richard has no idea of his sister’s fate. They must both learn to survive on a deadly voyage into the unknown.
Sold into servitude in Venice: glittering, vicious city of secrets, he is apprenticed to a knife maker. Richard’s talents soon win him renown… but haunted by his sister’s absence, he vows never to stop looking for her, knowing she would do the same for him.
First he must survive that city of ghosts. Will the siblings live to see each other again, or will they join the myriads lost to Venice, where life is cheap, profit is all, and escape nigh-on impossible?
A powerful historical adventure perfect for fans of Kate Mosse, Ken Follett and Robert Harris.
There is a lot going on in The Knife Maker of Venice, but it’s an easy book and storyline to follow. It’s funny – for a person not fond of political machinations in real life, I love it in stories. The complex web we have in The Knife Maker of Venice leans into that love of mine. The tension, drama and scheming is entertaining to watch unfurl.
In a time period and multi-cultural place like Venice, there’s inevitably going to be friction and conflict. Naturally, that makes for a great setting for us to read about and explore. We all know how differing cultures, beliefs and all that create conflict. Bringing so many people together, especially with some of the complex histories they have with each other, really doesn’t disappoint! The drama had me reading on compulsively to find out what happened next!
Characters
The dynamics of the characters throughout The Knife Maker of Venice are interesting. It would be easy to assume that Richard, Elizabeth, and many others like them, are purely at the whim of others. However, they are intelligent. They may be thrust into the lands of peoples and culture they do not know. However, they are intelligent and resourceful. There is far more than meets the eye with these characters. Take Richard’s and Domenico’s rivalry. Richard, although a slave, is a threat to Domenico. His skill as a blacksmith shows up Domenico, and the tension between them as a result is not the straight-forward dynamic you would expect. No spoilers here though friends.
The narrative swings between the perspectives of the two siblings, Richard and Elizabeth. Whilst their bondage begins together, they are split apart from one another in the narrative. Their bond and responsibilities towards each other explain their drive to reunite. It’s a strong driving force in the narrative, and keeps us engaged to find out their fates.
There are many periphery characters throughout the book. From fellow villagers taken captive with them to those they live their new lives with, the increased cast helps tie together a far grander picture. Some parts are smaller than others, but no less important. Even characters like Challenor make for an interesting addition. He’s far from an admirable individual and I wouldn’t describe him as likeable. Yet, when we learn his backstory we can understand how he ends up in the role he is and how he becomes the catalyst of Richard’s and Elizabeth’s fate.
Setting
As I mention in the introduction for today’s review of The Knife Maker of Venice, the setting of this book is one I haven’t read from before. The combination of the time period and settings of the UK, Tunisia and Venice is unique to me. Personally, I enjoyed the detail and time spent in these locations. Although some of these places are only a small feature of the wider narrative, it adds to the overall scope of the book. The tensions seen in history – the piracy, trade etc are aspects of history I was unaware of. However, even in somewhat passing, the book touches on those real events that piqued my curiosity and prompted me to look into it further.
The Knife Maker of Venice is a multicultural book. In terms of the characters and places, there’s a lot going on. Personally, I got on with this. Given there is a lot of travel that takes place early doors, it wouldn’t feel right for Richard and Elizabeth to end up miles away from home and be isolated in their plight. Despite the many languages, faiths and backgrounds that come together, all are treated equally and fairly in terms of representation.
The descriptions make imagining the places, smells and events come to life. It is easy to imagine ourselves amongst the unwashed bodies of fellow captives, enjoying exotic foods and perfumes and luxuries. The immersiveness of the descriptions make The Knife Maker of Venice one of the easiest books I’ve read so far this year.
Narrative Style
The Knife Maker of Venice weaves detail and action together to maintain a steady paced narrative. Not too long-winded, but neither compromising on enriching detail, I enjoyed the balance we can enjoy in The Knife Maker of Venice. The book definitely reads like the author is experienced writer, juggling the wants and needs of characters and readers to eke out the most from the book.
The chapters are also nice and short. Readers, if you like the flexibility to pick up and put down a book at the end of a chapter, that’s very easy to do here. It also keeps us cutting across various cross-sections of characters so we can see the bigger picture at any one time. It helps with the overall narrative flow, and makes The Knife Maker of Venice easy on the eyes (and brain to take in!)
Summary
The Knife Maker of Venice is a fun historical read. If you are looking for a detailed and complex plot line, together with immersive and relatable characters, then The Knife Maker of Venice is one I would suggest you pick up. Personally, I really enjoyed a foray into a storyline and setting with a history I am not too familiar with. I’m all about reading to broaden my horizons and try different perspectives from a personal and educational perspective. The Knife Maker of Venice achieved that for me!
Author Bio
David Gilman has enjoyed many careers, including paratrooper, firefighter, and photographer. An award-winning author and screenwriter, he is the author of the critically acclaimed Master of War series of historical novels, and was shortlisted for the Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize for The Last Horseman. He was longlisted for the same prize for The Englishman, the first book featuring ex-French Foreign Legionnaire Dan Raglan. David lives in Devon.
Happy Sunday folks! Welcome to my latest Sunday Summary update. Depending on where you are, you may have had mixed weather today. I’m actually going to say it’s a bit cooler and some rain has come in. I wasn’t made for heat 🤣
What have you been reading this week? As for myself, I’ll be answering that question very soon. However, first, let’s recap the content I have shared so far this week.
First on the list is a Top Ten Tuesday post in which I talked about the books I was reading at this time over the last seven years. I’m surprised I had to go back this far. Given I’m usually listening to an audiobook and reading a physical book at the same time, I figured I’d only have to go back five years to get to a total of 10 books in this post. However, they were quite a few years where that wasn’t the case…
Next, I shared a book review yesterday for Stephen King’s The Shining. I enjoy talking about this book, although it has been a while since I read it. I picked up this book in November 2023, to give you an idea of how far back I had to cast my memory. What horror should I pick up this Halloween? Get your recommendations in now! 😂
Books Read
Tower of Dawn
In last week’s Sunday Summary, I shared I’d started and made around four hours reading progress with Tower of Dawn.
I’ve been at home enjoying a week of annual leave this week. So, I’ve had plenty more time to listen to audiobooks whilst pottering around the house, the garden and enjoying my crafty hobbies. Whilst I haven’t listened every day, the days I have listened, I have read solid chunks. In total over this week, I have spent just over 8 hours and 20 minutes listening to Tower of Dawn. Accounting for reading at x1.5 times speed, that means I’ve listened to just dry of 13 hours worth of the audiobook this week.
How much do I have left? At the increased speed, I have 3 1/2 hours left of listening time. At default speed, that’s just over five hours of audio.
This book has taken a bit of an unexpected turn, at least as far as my expectations went. However, I’ve enjoyed the detour if you like from the main storyline, and it’s been good to catch up with the characters within. Can I say I’m a huge fan of the romance in this story? No. It’s also a trope I really don’t like in romance, so I’ve not really vibed with that. However, I like the characters concerned on an individual level so it’s been a tolerable listen… and I’m intrigued as to how this is going to come together with main storyline in the final book!
Supremacy: AI, ChatGPT and the Race That Will Change the World
When I chatted with you in last week’s Sunday Summary, I had not long started Supremacy. What I had hoped to finish this book this week, I am still reading this book as of this Sunday Summary. I’ve had to pop this down temporarily in order to pick up and read a blog tour obligation book, being The Knife Maker of Venice which I’m due to review on Wednesday next week.
I made the majority of my progress with this book on Wednesday this week. I’m enjoying the topic of AI and exploring how it came to be the technology. We are learning how to use in such a short period of time from its inception.
As of this Sunday Summary update, I have just over 120 pages left of this book before the acknowledgements and source material. I’m hoping this won’t take long to finish, but The Knife Maker of Venice has to come first.
The Knife Maker of Venice
Finally, I’ve started The Knife Maker of Venice today. I had intended to start it earlier than today, but there we go. Nevertheless, I’ve enjoyed the start and can’t wait to read more. I’m intrigued as to what is going to happen to the protagonists to separate them. That will follow soon I’m sure. The first couple of chapters are already setting the scene.
I’ve only got a short deadline, so obviously I’ll be continuing this tonight and making this the top priority today and tomorrow.
Books Discovered
We’re back to a week of no updates this week. After adding Yesteryear last week, there’s no new additions on my TBR.
Coming Up…
What I’m Reading…
As of this Sunday Summary, here’s what I’m looking to read next week:-
Finish Tower of Dawn – reading at x1.5 speed, I’ve got around 3 1/2 hours of audio left.
Listen to The Midnight Train
Start and finish The Knife Maker of Venice – blog tour obligation 19/08/2026
Continue and finish Supremacy
Blog
My blog tour review for The Knife Maker of Venice is due on Wednesday next week. Naturally, my reading priority is to finish this book so I can share my thoughts on this book on time 🤗
Later in the week, I’ll return with a regular Friday feature. Next week, I’m due to share another Shelf Control. My intended feature is a Booker Prize winner that handles race and discrimination. Curious? I hope so! I can’t wait to share with you ☺️
Finally, I’ll be back with another Sunday Summary this time next week. I’m back at work next week, so it’s back to normal routine. That shouldn’t change my reading habits though!
Summary
Thanks for reading today’s Sunday Summary post. What have you been reading this week?
I’m also looking for recommendations ahead of Halloween this year – are there any supernatural or horror books you want to recommend to me?
Somehow, I had managed to live under a rock. Before reading The Shining, I had very little idea of the storyline or what happened. I know, madness right?! However, it made reading the book and discovering it all the better. I love Stephen King’s writing, and I enjoyed delving into this cult-classic novel. Have you read The Shining yet?
Danny is only five years old but in the words of Old Mr Hallorann he is a ‘shiner,’ aglow with psychic voltage. When his father becomes caretaker of the Overlook hotel, Danny’s visions grow out of control.
As winter closes in and blizzards cut them off, the hotel seems to develop a life of its own. It is meant to be empty. So who is the lady in Room 217 and who are the masked guests going up and down the elevator? And why do the hedges shaped like animals seem so alive?
Somewhere, somehow, there is an evil force in the hotel – and that too is beginning to shine.
My Thoughts
Plot
Stephen King is an author I love to read from. Although I don’t read much in the way of horror, I will always try Stephen King’s books. He is fantastic at balancing action, characters and tension to make for interesting reads. How he manages it again and again, I don’t know. The plot of The Shining is reasonably well-known, so I won’t rehash it here. Well, unless you lived under a rock like I did. Given it’s not a go-to genre for me, I hadn’t watched the film and been spoiled that way.
There’s a lot that goes on in the 500 or so pages of this book. Events start off reasonably innocuous, but quickly the supernatural and unusual start to make themselves apparent. It unfolds with good timing – the suspense is allowed to do its job and the pacing allows for hints and gradual unveiling throughout the narrative.
Characters
I really enjoy the contrast between the perspectives within this book. It’s a tough one to pull off right, as the three characters that winter in the Overlook hotel are the only ones on premises. They therefore have to do a lot of heavy lifting in carrying the whole storyline. However, King’s expert characterisation doesn’t disappoint though. They are all very different and have drastically different experiences at the hotel.
King does a fantastic job of writing morally grey characters that we find ourselves at least somewhat sympathetic towards. Jack is no angel, has a troubled history and has acted far from right towards his family. However, he is not a monster, or out-and-out villain.
Setting
Naturally, the atmosphere of The Shining is largely contributed to by the remoteness of the setting. Bad weather further isolates the characters in the book. Naturally, when things take a sinister turn and there is nowhere to go, it heightens the tension and gets our pulses going!
The time of year I read the book was perfect too. It was early November (I wanted to read it for Halloween, but I was a smidge late), so the nights were dark and the weather miserable. Familiar? It matched the tone of the book very well. I’m just trying to disregard the reality that a return to that is just a few months away. We’ve been spoiled with dry weather this summer.
Narrative Style
The Shining unfolds over around 500 pages. In some respects it’s a slower-burn story. However, with tension throughout the narrative, we are far from bored. Rather, small, seemingly innocent events take a sinister turn. The Shining, the Overlook hotel, really brings out the worst in people.
The pacing of the book was good. Considering we had a lot of dynamics that needed to play out over 500 pages, we get the right amount of tidbits throughout the narrative to keep us engaged throughout. No mass info dumping here all at the end (thankfully).
Summary
I really enjoyed this horror when I read it back in 2023. It is the perfect atmospheric read. If you enjoy horror, or just want to try an absolute classic, The Shining is definitely on my list to recommend.
Have you read or watched The Shining? What do you think of this book? Is it one of King’s better books?
I love the idea of today’s Top Ten Tuesday post theme. It’s a fun way to look at my reading and blogging history, and talk about some great books!
In today’s post, I recap the books I was reading at the same point in the year in prior years past. I’ve opted to share the books I was reading on this day over the last seven years rather than 10 years. Not only would I have a spotty history going back that far, but in many years I’ve been reading both a physical or digital book and listening to an audiobook at the same time.
So, thankfully, I don’t have to go back the full ten years. I’m actually surprised that for two years, I didn’t appear to be reading two books at once and I could only find one.
Curious to see which books I was reading on this day over the last seven years? Let’s take a look!
Books I Was Reading On This Day Over the Last Seven Years
2025
This time last year, I was reading If We Were Villains and listening to Tyrant’s Throne.
I can’t believe it’s already been a year since I finished the Greatcoat’s series. Sebastien de Castell has written other books and I would like to try those in time. Whilst I didn’t intentionally leave it this long, equally, I do have many other books on the TBR. So, it’s likely I’ll pick up another book if his somewhere down the line, but not just yet.
I enjoyed the drama and theatrics behind If We Were Villains. I loved theatre growing up, and studied at both GCSE and A-Level in Performing Arts. Even though I’m not the most versed in Shakespeare, I still enjoyed the foreshadowing of characters and their tragic storylines. No doubt Shakespeare boffins would likely get more in the way of easter eggs and stuff out of this book (I don’t know for sure they’re there, but it seems the type). However, still a fun book and one I owned for a long time before reading. I’m pretty sure I owned it around the time I started my blog… put it that way! This was good to tick off the list.
2024
In 2024 I read The Midnight Library for a second time.
I encouraged our newly formed work book club at the time to pick this up as our very first read. Personally, I loved the depth of the storyline to explore and felt it would make for interesting and engaging conversation. It proved to work pretty well.
The Midnight Library is the type of book that I can imagine going back to time and again. It has an important message, and one I think we need reminding of sometimes.
Breathtaking, well, this was an interesting listen. Naturally, the covid pandemic is recent history, so we may not understand the full repercussions of the pandemic until many years down the line. However, this listen was an interesting insight into the events taking place in the immediate aftermath of the outbreak. The personal stories of loss and tragedy. Of medical professionals treating those with covid not going home to mitigate the risk of infecting their loved ones and children. Of a health service already under-resourced, that was naturally overwhelmed.
I deliberately didn’t listen to this book too soon after a return to normal after the pandemic. It affected us all in different ways. In the grand scheme of things, I didn’t struggle too badly. What I didn’t get on with was working from home. I still hate it to this day.
2023
It’s been a while since I revisited Robin Hobb. Whilst I have read one further book since Ship of Destiny, I’ve deliberately left time to recover from book seven. If you know you know.
Robin Hobb is one of the fantasy authors that I was late to the party on, but glad my friend Rachael insisted I tried. In fact, I had a couple of false starts with Assassin’s Apprentice, but only because I started reading it on my phone casually (when I wasn’t meant to be). When I got stuck in properly, I loved it instantly! Dare I say, it’s a close favourite to the likes of George R. R. Martin’s A Game of Thrones. Obviously, I still have the joy of reading the remaining nine books in the series. Plenty to get stuck into.
2022
2022 is a mixed year, as I really liked The First Binding, but ultimately DNF’d The Viscount Who Loved Me.
That’s not a particular surprise. Romance is not a genre I read much of. The only reason I picked up The Viscount Who Loved Me is because I like the TV show Bridgerton, and I found the first book, The Duke & I, okay. Not fab, but okay. Unfortunately, I didn’t like the romance trope the book focused on. Combine that with the overall tone of the book, romanticising men behaving badly and all, just killed all motivation for me to read it.
The First Binding, on the other hand, went down much better. And a good job too! I was reviewing this Silk Road fantasy for a blog tour with Gollancz at the end of the month. It is a chunky fantasy read, so if that’s your cup of tea then please go ahead and take a look at this one.
2021
I wouldn’t have said my Harry Potter re-read was this long ago, but there we are! Initially, I read the main series growing up through my teenage years. I chose to re-read these as an adult, to see if my experience was any different given I have read a lot more, and I’m a more mature reader, than I was the first time.
Needless to say, I enjoyed this book. I enjoyed the whole series, although I do prefer the later books because it has a darker theme. The earlier books are pretty easy reading as an adult – but worth it to enjoy the later books that are definitely better suited to a more mature audience.
2020
I’m glad a Brandon Sanderson novel made the list. He is one of my favourite authors of all-time. This is the first book of his Reckoners series, which I’ve since read the remaining two books and finished.
If you enjoy fantasy that reads almost like a superhero story, then this could be a book for you. Not all of my friends who like Brandon Sanderson enjoy this series, but it’s certainly worth giving it a go. The later books in the series are even better than this first, so please stick with it if you’re not sure on this first one.
2019
It’s been a while since I read a book my K.J. McGillick. I’ve read quite a few of her mysteries in the past, and they were all fun reads. Unfortunately, this is a review that I stupidly lost in a previous blog migration. Otherwise, I’d have linked it here.
That’s the fun thing about this Top Ten Tuesday – Books I Was Reading On This Day Over the Last Seven Years post. It has been a long time since I read these, but it’s fun to look back at some of the earliest blog tour content I shared and reminisce.
Summary
I’ve enjoyed looking back at the books I was reading on this day over the last seven years. I’m surprised I had to cover such a long time period! Given I usually listen to an audio and read at least one physical book at a time (only occasionally two or more), I figured I’d only be looking back five years or so. However, I’m glad I got to look back further, to some of my earliest days creating content and book reviews for you guys. Ultimately, I started this blog to find a crowd of like-minded people to share my love of books with. I hope, over the course of the last nine years, I’ve inspired somebody to pick up a book.
Thanks for reading today’s Top Ten Tuesday. What were you reading this time last year, the 11th August 2025?
Last week’s Sunday Summary went live first thing on Monday morning. However, you could be forgiven if you didn’t see it. This week I undertook some behind-the-scenes work to transfer my domain to another provider. After having some IT issues for some time, I logged a ticket with my provider after ruling out my own settings as the problem. However, a distinct lack of service prompted me to make the change.
That change took place around Monday afternoon, and I didn’t get my site back online until around Wednesday or Thursday. Apologies if you missed me in that time! However, the good news is I’m back and ready to share my latest reading and blog updates here in this Sunday Summary. Strap in!
This week, I shared both my monthly wrap-up for reading progress in July, as well as my monthly TBR for August. Both were pretty long posts, even if the reading progress wasn’t quite what I hoped in July. That reflects in my August TBR, in that there are a number of books on this reading list that are from TBR’s past.
Books Read
Empire of Storms
Unlike my last Sunday Summary update, reading progress with Empire of Storms has gone much better. I listened to this book throughout the week, in fact, forgetting to set my timers multiple times throughout the week and consequently finished this audiobook no less than three times. The trouble is, I don’t remember finishing it the first two times because I was asleep!
However, I did finish this audiobook a third and final time yesterday. I had my doubts at one point as to whether I was going to get on with and finish the remainder of the series. Quite a few plot lines came together that made the storyline quite romance-y, and I wasn’t a huge fan. Sorry, I’m sure there are plenty of you that absolutely love this slower intention that comes out. I’m not one of those people. That’s why I’m reaching for a glass as opposed to A Court of Thorns and Roses. Sorry, not sorry.
However, I got over that, and the conclusion to this book reminded me just why I am invested in the fantasy side of this series. Needless to say, I’ve dived into Tower of Dawn already.
Tower of Dawn
Speaking of the devil, I’ve made a solid start with this second audiobook. I started this listen yesterday, so it’s nothing groundbreaking in terms of reading progress. Still, four hours’ worth is decent considering I racked that up after Empire of Storms yesterday. I took a break today, but I’m on annual leave next week and home by myself for much of it. So, audiobooks for company…
And, as you will have seen in my August TBR, I have a few books to keep me occupied.
Supremacy: AI, ChatGPT and the Race That Will Change the World
On a whim, I started Supremacy earlier this week. AI is a bit of an ongoing focus at work at the moment. Personally, I’m trying to learn how I can use it most effectively. With this in mind, it got me thinking about how we started using ChatGPT and its relatively short history. We all know how fast technology progresses, and the birth and widespread use of ChatGPT and similar tech within just a few years is a prime example. It has its upsides and its downs, but one of my aims is to make sure I use it responsibly.
So, I’m curious as to what went into the production of AI on a wider scale. My understanding from this book is that the people who started to develop the models we see widely today started off with altruistic intentions. However, as funding was required in order to make the project what it is today, they got sold out to bigger companies like Google in order to scale. With this drive to get to market, have any shortcuts been taken or less than ethical actions taken place?
Books Discovered
I’m finally breaking my streak. I’ve no new books added to my TBR for what feels like the longest time. In reality, it’s probably been a couple of months. Thankfully, this update isn’t too much – I’ve added one book. I’ve seen a few people reading a book called Yesteryear. It’s only when I saw a news update yesterday about a movie adaptation with Anne Hathaway that I got an idea for what the book was about.
Obviously, with its near dystopian theme, I’m intrigued and want to read it!
Coming Up…
What I’m Reading…
We’re onto the fun part of this Sunday Summary, what I share with you the books I’m planning to read over the course of this week. Being off work, I’m hoping to complete several titles this week. In no particular order, here’s what I’m hoping to pick up, and in cases, finish, in the next seven days.
Finish Tower of Dawn – reading at x1.5 speed, I’ve got around 12 hours of audio left. With five days on my own at home this week, this is plenty achievable!
Listen to The Midnight Train
Continue and finish Supremacy
Start and finish The Knife Maker of Venice – blog tour obligation 19/08/2026
Continue Katabasis if I have time, but it is lower priority than The Knife Maker of Venice
Blog
So, what content am I pushing out next week?
This week’s Top Ten Tuesday topic is a fun way to look back at my history as a blogger and reader. The theme is Books I Was Reading On This Day Over the Last Ten Years. Admittedly, my reading history is going to be a little spotty towards the end of that date range. So, I’m going to lean into the fact that I quite often listen to audiobooks and read physical books at the same time. So, the date range I use is probably going to be more like five years, and I’ll have a couple of books in each year. At least, that’s what I expect. I may need to go back a little further, but we’ll see how the list pans out.
I’ve published a few reviews of late, but this week, I’m going to share my thoughts on a more popular title compared to the recently released I’ve featured. That title is a cult classic from Stephen King – The Shining!
Finally, I’ll be back at the same time again next week with another Sunday Summary update. Fingers crossed, I have lots of reading updates to share with you. My August TBR reading progress depends on it. I’m ready to get back on track with my Goodreads reading goal and make a dent in both the Summer Reading Challenge and my own personal reading challenge.
Summary
As always, thanks for reading today’s Sunday Summary. What have you read recently, and would you recommend it to me?
What’s the most recent book you’ve read when you have learned something from it?
In early July, I took a bit of a step back from reading. I had a bit of a reading slump at the end of June. Honestly, I was too ambitious in my hopes for completing the Goodreads Spring challenge. I pushed too hard and failed. Nevertheless, we love onwards and upwards.
So, I enjoyed a break, some craft projects and then dived in to fulfil some blog tour obligations and get back in the swing of audiobooks. If you’re interested, you can check out the list of books I intended to read in July by looking at my July TBR post. Now, let’s recap what I read in July.
My audiobook listen right at the end of June was Behind Closed Doors. I listened to this relatively short thriller over the end of June and into the beginning of July. If I recall correctly, I was around a third of the way through the audiobook as at the end of June.
Given the break I ended up taking, I finished this audio a little later than I expected. However, when it came down to it, I did enjoy going back to and wrapping up this one.
Did Behind Closed Doors blow me away in the way I hoped? No. Secretly, I was hoping this book would be a little different from other books in the same genre. Maybe the unlikely Millie would turn events on their head. Or, maybe our expectations of a controlling husband are unfounded and it’s Grace that’s the problem. No. sadly not.
Nevertheless, Behind Closed Doors was a decent read. Just not genre-defining.
Early in the month, I read just a handful of pages of Katabasis. I made a decision to break from the book slump at end of June. So, I consciously chose to pick up different reads to those I was slogging over at the end of June.
I’ll go back to Katabasis in the near future. More on this to follow on the blog shortly. However, my first priority is to get back into reading more regularly and find some stunning reads to put me back in the right headspace.
House of Twisted Shadows
Goodreads Link
It helps that I had some reading deadlines to meet. Else, I may not have read much at all in July.
My first reading deadline was a review of House of Twisted Shadows on the 25th July. I love the combination of WW2 history and Nazi associations/ties to Tyler House and the mystery underpinning the whole story. House of Twisted Shadows is moody, aesthetic and honestly, it was the refreshing read I needed.
Hot on the heels of my review of House of Twisted Shadows, my obligation to review A Painkiller to Die For fell just a few days later on the 28th July.
This book was very different in its style and angle. I enjoyed the complexity of the characters, the morality question of what was going on and exploring the underlying motives and goals of the characters in the storyline.
A Painkiller to Die For is another interesting read I think you’ll enjoy if you like the sound of it based on the description above. Want to find out more? Take a look at that review here.
Like Katabasis, I picked up The Tw*t Files at the end of June to hopefully break the reading slump.
At the beginning of July, I read around 100 pages. It’s pretty quick to read, and very funny. However, I did stop reading this one in favour of making a friend a birthday gift. Then, my blog tour obligations took priority. This is another book you’ll see more of in the near future – watch this space!
Finally, the read that’s been dominating my attention for most of the month, on and off, it Empire of Storms.
Whilst this book is definitely easier to listen to than read, I didn’t quite finish it before the end of July. In fact, as of writing, I have just under 3 hours left. I made a valiant effort last Sunday and listened to around 6 hours whilst my partner was at work. One last push to go and I will be able to tick Empire of Storms off the list! ✅
Summary
July was a bit of a slow month, but that’s okay! I’m hoping things will settle down shortly and I’ll be able to reading at my regular pace before I know it!
Last weeks Sunday Summary post was written ahead of normal time, and this weeks timing is a little off as well. However, we are the other way this time. Whereas last weeks Sunday Summary was drafted in the afternoon because I had friends coming over, this Sunday Summary has been drafted at normal time, but has been scheduled to go live first thing on Monday morning. Why? Because I had a blog tour review post scheduled for Sunday that needed to take priority.
Its one of two blog tours I have part taken in this week. The first of those was for a book called A Painkiller to Die For, which I reviewed on Tuesday. Then, between these two blog tour obligations, I shared a First Lines Friday feature. Finally, on Sunday I took part in the blog tour for a book called Duel of Beasts.
Books Read
Empire of Storms
In recent weeks, progress with Empire of Storms has been pretty slow. Whilst I have had the time and opportunity to listen to this audiobook, I confess I havent made the most of those opportunities.
Truthfully, thats the same for this week, with the exception of today. Conscious that I am now once again slightly behind on my read along, I made a solid push with this audiobook today. I have only listened to to this audiobook today, but I managed to plough through six and three-quarter hours. The other half was at work today, so I pretty much kept it on for company whilst pottering around the house and enjoying some crafting hobbies.
Im curious to see how Empire of Storms will pan out. Whilst there are aspects of this narrative, Im really enjoying, we are seeing a bit more in the way of romance coming into the storyline. Im not a huge fan of these sections, so the slightly heavier leaning into the romance aspect isnt my cup of tea. However, I do want to see where the main plot line takes us and where Empire of Storms will conclude.
A Painkiller to Die For
I started this week having made a start with a painkiller to die for, but I confess I had a decent junk of the book still to read before sharing my review on Tuesday. Nevertheless, I hunker down on Monday night to finish the remainder of the book before getting my post out on time.
I enjoyed this medical/science themed thriller. It was an interesting book full of characters that you end up with mixed feelings about. They arent exactly moral or altruistic, yet we can understand their positions and motives. Its a complex narrative, and one that has you thinking long after the book has been closed.
I wont rehash my whole review here. You can go and find it here if you want to find out more.
Duel of Beasts
I hadnt started Duel of Beasts before this week, so Ive dedicated a solid amount of effort into reading this ahead of Sundays blog tour post.
In my review, I talked about how this book started as a bit of a stretch goal for myself, but quickly became a book. I was looking forward to picking up. Ill admit I had precious little understanding of European Medieval history. So, from this book, I learned that Spain was run by sultans of the Muslim faith between the eighth and 15th century. Duel of Beasts is set in the 14th century, so towards the end of their dynasty and during a time of political intriguing as well as religious conflict.
Historical adventure sums up Duel of Beasts perfectly full of action, conniving and intrigue, there is action in every chapter and the protagonists Willa and Gerard are out of their depth really. If youre keen to find out more based on this snapshot, go check out my full review here.
Books Discovered
Another week of no news here – I really do have to be on a record right now. I havent added a book to my TBR in seven weeks now!
Coming Up…
What I’m Reading…
In this section, I give you a heads up on my planned reads for the next seven days. Heres what Im hoping to tackle:-
Finish Empire of Storms – Ive only got 3hrs of audio left
Listen to The Midnight Train
Continue The Pillars of the Earth
Continue with Katabasis
So, the theme of next weeks reads is to try finish up some ongoing reads ready for a clean slate.
Blog
Its the beginning of August, so that can only mean its time to share my progress with reading in July. That post will go live on Tuesday.
Next, Ive got my August TBR to think about. Ive got a couple of blog tours later this month, but otherwise, youll see some familiar titles on my August TBR
Finally, Ill round up my week with my usual Sunday Summary. Theres nothing special next week, so it should come to you at the usual time!
Summary
Thanks for reading todays Sunday Summary! I hope you have a fantastic week coming up and I will catch up with you shortly.
In todays First Lines Friday, Ive got a July TBR book Ive not read yet. Naturally its going to be rolled on, as this is one of the highly anticipated releases I talked about in my YouTube video earlier this year.
I have mixed feelings about starting this book. I personally have high expectations based on the earlier book in the series. However, since its recent publication I have heard mixed reviews.
Lets get stuck into todays First Lines Friday opening, then I can talk about the book less cryptically!
As the water taxi sped across the lagoon, the two young honeymooners gazed ahead in awe. Wilbur squeezed Maggies hand and leaned into her as they sat at the back of the small boat, the sun glittering on the water in front of them. I love you, Mr Budd, she told him, her words as natural as breath.
I love you too, Mrs Budd.
Maggie laughed, softly, at how funny and official that sounded.
They held hands as the boat chugged its way towards the city, their fingers intertwined like tangled roots. The ninth of August 1974.
When your life flashes before your eyes, what will matter most?
For Wilbur it was his time with Maggie, the love of his life. Their honeymoon in Venice. Before he threw it all away.
Years later, on the brink of his own death, a train arrives. It can take Wilbur back in time. To relive his most important moments. Soon he realises just how much he would have changed
An adventure through time, The Midnight Train is a story of love and second chances, from the world of The Midnight Library.
My Thoughts…
I loved The Midnight Library. So much so, I read the book twice in pretty quick succession. It was the first book I recommended to the book club I used to host at work.
Earlier this year, Matt Haig published a sequel to this novel The Midnight Train. Full of high expectations, I eagerly added this to my reading list for 2026. It can only be as good as The Midnight Library, right?
Well, my concern is that reviews on this book or mixed. There are some that love it, and there are some who, maybe like me, had high expectations and found it fell short. Do I worry I will fall in that category? Yes, actually. I have a very high expectations for The Midnight Train based on The Midnight Library, and Im not sure it can live up to it.
Does that mean I shouldnt give it a go? No. Absolutely not! Im still keen to pick up The Midnight Train and give us a go. Even if it doesnt live up to The Midnight Library, I think this book can be full of life lessons to make us consider what is important to us and make changes here and now that Wilbur never got the chance to.
Thanks for checking out todays First Lines Friday! Have you read The Midnight Train?
If you like the sound of a mystery thriller based on the moral dilemmas of ethical science, youre probably very open-minded. Or, you have niche tastes. Personally, as a pretty open-minded reader I was curious to give A Painkiller to Die for a try! Its a unique premise, and one that was very different from anything Ive read lately.
As always, thanks to Rachel and the author, Dr Martyn Pritchard, for the opportunity to read and review A Painkiller to Die For this July in celebration of its book birthday. Whilst I was provided a copy of the book for the purpose of giving my review, the thoughts expressed within this review are entirely my own.
Here are the details, the synopsis, and purchase links. Then, my (hopefully) highly anticipated review for the book birthday of A Painkiller to Die For can get underway!
A Painkiller to Die For – Martyn Pritchard
Genre: Mystery Thriller Pages: 282 Audience: Adult Publisher: Troubador Publishing Limited Original Publication Date: 28 July 2025 Rating: ???
It was difficult for Will Jeavons to imagine just how his life could possibly get any better. Having overcome a traumatic childhood, he had gone on to study molecular pharmacology and win tenure as a lecturer at his beloved Cambridge University. But his life was soon to become better still, the CEO of a biotech company. Wills unique research led to the discovery of a non-addictive drug for chronic pain. A remarkable solution for the opioid epidemic which had claimed the life of his mother.
Wills flourishing company was subsequently acquired, and this was when he first met Celeste Simmonds. The beguiling Celeste would steer Will away from his earlier hedonistic, womanising lifestyle. However, the only way he could ensure the success of his drug was to bury key safety data which could have led to the clinical trials being terminated.
Clinical trials which resulted in the husband of Lydia Goldberg falling into a deep coma. It was Lydias scientific training which led her to discover Wills fraudulent cover-up. She was determined to seek vengeance and concocted an elaborate honeytrap and a decision for Will to make. A career ending confession or being submitted to a life-threatening game of Russian roulette.
In A Painkiller to Die For, the plot as it unravels is all about to a moral dilemma. When a drug flags up some concerning test results, do you be honest and face the consequence of losing everything you have built to date? Or, are you supposed to suppress it hope that the cost paid down the line isnt a human one.
I personally enjoyed the conflict that takes place throughout this book. Combining the plot line with a set of less than altruistic characters, we end up with the engaging mystery and ultimate thriller narrative we see in A Painkiller to Die For!
Im not going to spoil anything for you here. Otherwise, how would I be encouraging you to pick up the book for yourself? Instead, what I will say is that I was engaged for this book and read most of it in one sitting.
Characters
I personally have mixed feelings over characters, Will especially. However, Id argue thats intentional given storyline. Will is hardly upstanding and honest in the face of moral dilemma that could shut down his small company for good.
The one redeeming aspect of Wills character is his backstory. It lends context to why Will ends up in the job/position he is and his motivations for keeping Granta Pain Therapeutics alive.
Otherwise, we are treated to a wide cast of characters that help bring an overall storyline. Some are stronger than others, such as Celeste and Lydia. Others provide more of a background, but no less contribute to the wider narrative.
Setting
The overall setting of A Painkiller to Die For is pretty modern. The Narrative re refers to post-Covid events. So, really were looking at a book set in todays world.
And really, this is done very well. It checks out. Characters are in line with expectations in terms of modern technology, attitudes etc. It feels like it could be happening here and now in the real world. We can only hope not!
Narrative Style
I enjoy a multi perspective narrative, which we readers are treated to here. Written from the perspectives of multiple characters, we get to see the events of A Painkiller to Die For unfold and watch the moral dilemma play out. This kind of book wouldnt be the same in a single perspective. This is definitely a designed choice that works for the book, and it suits my overall preference!
Whats also a bit different is that the story starts at end and we discover how we got there throughout the page count. Whilst I think this style can be a bit of a risk, its worth the payoff. The mystery in this case is to uncover the truth that gets to an epic and drastic conclusion. In A Painkiller to Die For, we get the payoff were looking for.
A Painkiller to Die For is also written in a reasonably easy to follow style. I had no trouble devouring the narrative at all
Summary
A Painkiller to Die For is an interesting book – the authors experience in the field is without question. Its a unique take on a topic we dont read much about, yet I enjoyed something different.
I hope you can pick a copy of A Painkiller to Die For and let me know your thoughts in due course!
Author Bio
Dr Martyn Pritchard is currently moving towards retirement following on from a 35-year long career in drug discovery research focusing on neuroscience as well as novel medicines to treat pain. He is the author of over 50 scientific papers and book chapters along with one novel written under a nom de plume: A Practical Arrangement.
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