Tag: Booker Prize longlist

Sunday Summary – 13th September 2026

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

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

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

Books Read

The Witch

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

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

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

Books Discovered

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

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

Coming Up… 

What I’m Reading… 

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

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

Blog

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

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

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

Summary 

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

What are you reading this September? 

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Sunday Summary – 6th September 2026

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

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

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

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

Books Read 

The Other Life of Mary English

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

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

Kingdom of Ash

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

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

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

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

The Witch

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

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

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

Books Discovered

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

Nevertheless, I have no complaints… 

Coming Up… 

What I’m Reading… 

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

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

Blog

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

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

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

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

Summary 

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

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