Tag: Fairytale Retelling

Monthly Wrap-Up – March 2026

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***Today’s monthly-wrap-up contains an affiliate link to Amazon if you wish to purchase the book. If you follow this link, I will earn a small commission from that purchase at no cost to you. 

If you wish to obtain a copy of the book based on this review, I would really appreciate you following this link and showing my content some support by making your purchase***

 

This March, I set myself a very ambitious TBR. With hopes that I could read and get all the achievements in the Goodreads 2026 Winter Challenge, I set myself a long list of books on top of my reading obligations. It was always going to be a big push, so I’m not too disappointed I didn’t get through everything. I am the type of person who thrives on a target or deadline. I’m not disheartened I didn’t quite get there; I’ve gotten the closest I ever have. And, if at first you don’t succeed… try, try again! 

Before I get ahead of myself, back to my March reading list and monthly wrap-up updates! 

 

Books Read 

Throne of Glass

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I’ve set myself a challenge this year to read Sarah J. Maas Throne of Glass series. Unfortunately timing slipped a little and I ended up carrying the end of book 1 forward into March. As timing goes, I’ve extended book 2, Crown of Midnight, into April. So, if you have yet to join in my readalong you have time to catch up with Throne of Glass and read Crown of Midnight with me in the coming weeks. 

Throne of Glass surprised me in the best of ways. For a romantasy book, the fantasy elements of the plot weighed in heavier than the romance. That suits me. As someone who isn’t really a romance reader, I could get comfortable with the romance sub-plot without it distracting from everything else going on in the wider world. The world-building and intrigue behind the main characters was on-point. My sister was right to recommend this series to me – it’s definitely fantasy first, and I’m excited to read on and discover more about this world and events that I expect to play out. 

 

Wild Dark Shore

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Wild Dark Shore was a fun read, if not quite the book I expected it would be. Set on an isolated island, an intriguing mystery unfolds when a woman washes up on the remote, barely inhabited island. 

The descriptions in this book are beautiful and make for an easy experience visualising the setting. It’s desolate, dark in places and it was a refreshing change. I’ve enjoyed picking up a thriller with an interesting and bit different premise this month. The family left on this island are waiting for their last boat off. The seed bank based here for protection being emptied. The tides are rising dangerously, as Rowan knows all too well when she nearly loses her life in the waves. 

The atmosphere in this books is spot on. Both reverence for the beauty and power of nature and sinister vibes shine through in the narrative. I had a library loan return deadline for this book, but I didn’t really need it. I stayed up late into the night finishing this one. Fabulous read. 10/10

 

1984

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A book I started this month, but will get carried over due to competing priorities, is George Orwell’s 1984. 

This is my third time reading the book. As anticipated, I’m enjoying revisiting this classic dystopian novel and reminding myself of the details. The reason I picked this up was so I could then go on to read Julia by Sandra Newman towards the Retellings prompt in the Goodreads 2026 Winter Challenge. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to this book in time to earn the award, but I will still carry this forward into April. 

Aside from meeting the retellings award, I set myself a personal challenge to read both 1984 and Julia back-to-back. These books are on my fixed reads list for 2026. So, watch this space for a return to this dystopian world very soon… 

As of this monthly wrap-up, I’m 127 pages or around third of the way through the book. Fingers crossed the remainder of the book flies by and I can get to Julia imminently. 

 

An Arcane Inheritance

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My first audiobook of March was An Arcane Inheritance. This book qualified for the Black Heritage achievement in the Goodreads 2026 Winter Challenge. 

I had added this book to my TBR back in January anyway. Thanks to the challenge, this was pulled forward a little earlier than I would have likely read it. And you know what, I’m glad! It’s been a hot minute since I picked up a dark academia book. I loved returning to the genre and this cultural twist into the narrative. The magic was intriguing and like Wild Dark Shore, I loved the underpinning mystery to the storyline. 

As a result of reading this, Kamiliah Cole and future books are on my radar. I can’t wait to try more of her books. If they live up to An Arcane Inheritance, I won’t be disappointed! 

 

The Astral Library

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The final audiobook to feature in this monthly wrap-up post is The Astral Library. Reading progress with The Astral Library has been pretty quick. It’s not an overlong read anyway, but the plot line is engaging and reminiscent of another of my favourite reads. 

Reading a book about books, and featuring snapshots of well-known titles, makes for an entertaining change of angle. Dipping in and out of the margins of classics has been fun, but of course, it’s not over yet. As of this monthly wrap-up, I’ve got three hours of audio left. I’ve chipped away at this audiobook commuting and listening a little before bed. I can reasonably listen to an hour a day. So, I’m sure you can do the maths and come to the same conclusion that I’ll finish this one shortly! 

 

Rose Red

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One of my final reads to feature in this monthly wrap-up is Rose Red by Sarah Biggerstaff. Progress with 1984 stalled as I needed to prioritise reading Rose Red for a social media blog tour. 

This fairytale retelling was a fun foray into fantasy… again. It’s my favourite genre for a reason, and I always love going back to it. More than that, though, this Snow White inspired tale has elements of witchcraft, romance and challenging family dynamics. Whilst in principal the description of this book sounds suitable for YA, I wouldn’t say it is. It has elements of gore and violence that may be too much for a younger audience. 

My favourite aspect of this book, however, is that Rose doesn’t find magic instinctive and she has to learn. Often, the hard way. I’m going to share more on this book in the near future. For now, know it’s a solid read.  

 

Storm of Mercia

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Finally, in anticipation of a review due in just a couple of days, I started and made good progress with Storm of Mercia. On Sunday I made good headway into this ninth instalment of M.J. Porter’s Eagle of Mercia chronicles. 

This historical fiction series is compulsively readable and I got back into this book very quickly. On Sunday, I read the first third of the book. Yesterday, another 10% just before bed. I’m hoping for a little more progress tonight before bed, though that may be a push taking into account when this monthly wrap-up post goes live. 

I’m reviewing this book on Thursday, so I need to get my skates on. Needless to say, it’s my immediate priority… 

 

Summary 

Considering there were 11 books on my March TBR, I made a noble attempt and managed to progress with seven of these. I’ll take the unread books forward into April, so they aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. 

Storm of Mercia is naturally going to be my priority, with 1984 returning to attention shortly after. In the coming days, I’ll release the rest of my monthly TBR for April. This month, the other books on my TBR aside from Crown of Midnight and my March carryovers were decided by a TBR jar. I’ve got an unusual mix, so there is something on the list for every reading mood! I hope you can check that out when it goes live later this week. 

What was your favourite read of March? Have you read any of the books in today’s monthly wrap-up post? 

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Sunday Summary – 29th March 2026

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In today’s Sunday Summary update, I’ve got several books I’ve progressed with to update you on – including two finishes! With just a couple of days left to read towards the Goodreads 2026 Winter Challenge, I’m doing my best to read as much as I can before the end of the month. 

Sadly, I don’t think I’m going to complete this challenge. Other reading obligations I’ve started this week have had to take priority. I’m not mad though. When I shared my 11 book TBR for March, I knew it was going to be a tall order. All things considered, I’ve made a bloody good attempt at it! 

Other than reading, what else have I been up to? Well, it’s been a pretty quiet one, all things considered. No social plans this week, but that was intentional. I haven’t had a weekend to myself in weeks! Some work overtime did eat into my Friday night, but I’m now fully rested and recovered. 

On the blog, I shared a Top Ten Tuesday Spring TBR post earlier this week. I love these seasonal instalments, as I get to look ahead at some upcoming reads and set my intentions to pick these up. Later this week I’d planned both a post on books I turn to in a book slump, as well as a mini-review of Rose Red. However, I had to prioritise actually finishing Rose Red so I could pot my review on social media. That did go ahead as scheduled, so I’ll catch up on the blog content later. 

On YouTube, I’ve experimented with shorts this week. Nothing notable this week, although I do get more views with shorts so I definitely need to make sure I post more go these, as well as long form content. 

 

Books Read

An Arcane Inheritance 

In last week’s Sunday Summary post, I confided that I had around 4 hours left of An Arcane Inheritance before completion. As I suspected in this post, being so close to the end made it an easy excuse to pick up this audiobook more to get to the end. From commutes to and from work to short listens before turning in for the night, finishing An Arcane Inheritance was pretty effortless. The storyline really ramped up and I was eager to find out what was going on, once and for all. 

I had no idea what to expect from the ending of this book. However, the revelations at the end were engaging and I really wanted Ellory to succeed. An Arcane Inheritance was a fun foray back into dark academia and it is really cleverly written. For a book with a minority main character and an angle of challenging white privilege, it is done in a way that it is clear, but not overbearing across the whole narrative. 

An easy 4* rating from me and I’m excited to see more from Kamilah Cole. She has a new release later this year that’s caught my attention, so watch this space… 

 

The Astral Library

After completing An Arcane Inheritance earlier this week (Friday morning), I started The Astral Library. A highly anticipated 2026 release, I’ve enjoyed getting into this book so far. The premise of the book is living within the pages of other well-known titles out there. Already, in the first 40% or so I’ve listened to, we’ve met the likes of Jane Eyre and Sherlock Holmes. Reminiscent in its set up of Matt Haig’s The Midnight Library, The Astral Library begins with a woman’s life falling apart and the library coming to her rescue. However, from there it deviates…

There’s an interesting mystery underpinning the events that see protagonist Alix hopping through the margins of well-known titles and meeting individuals like her seeking refuge between the pages of their favourite novels. It’s an interesting concept and I enjoy how the set up has Alix exploring others worlds as opposed to trying to find her own (the “conventional” journey for library visitors). Personally I can’t wait to discover more about the cause of events.

As of this Sunday Summary, I’m again in a position where I have just a few hours left of audio. Can I finish this pretty quickly? I’m confident I will! 

 

Rose Red 

Conventional reading progress started slow this week. Combined with some overtime on Friday night, it made my last-minute rush to finish Rose Red by Sarah Biggerstaff a little more pressured than I would have liked… 😅 

However, I did it. And, to be fair, Rose Red was easy to read. The book also had a bit of a mystery and built-up to quite the climax. Actually sitting down and reading the book was a piece of cake. This week’s issue was finding the time to do it. Nevertheless, my review went out on time yesterday after some hours of reading to make up for lost time. I posted my short review of Rose Red on Instagram and YouTube. 

Shamelessly I’m going to plug my my accounts here so you can follow these if you want to see more mini-reviews and shorter-form bookish content. 

This fairytale retelling was fun and suits fans of romance, witchcraft, strong sister bonds and problematic relationships with other family members. If this sounds like your cup of tea then you DEFINITELY need to follow and go see more on this book! 

 

Storm of Mercia

Finally, I made a start on another title for which I have a blog tour review obligation. This one is due Thursday 2nd April. So, I have a few days to read this book. It’s a good job I thrive on a deadline isn’t it?! 😅

Already today, I’ve read a third of this book in practically one sitting. I love diving into these historical fiction books by M.J. Porter. Icel is one of my favourite characters in the genre and time setting, and I read a few books that overlap here. He’s a great all-rounder, if a bit prone to getting himself into troublesome situations. He has a heart of gold though, so we can forgive his propensity to dive-in head-first to defend the weak. 

Already I’m a good way into the introduction of this book. I’m looking forward to reading on and getting more immersed back into events in Mercia and the wider Eagle of Mercia Chronicles as a whole 😊 More on this one next week. Stay tuned! 

 

Books Discovered

Whereas the rest of this Sunday Summary is full of bookish updates, there’s no news to report here. So, this week, I’m two books down thanks to my completions and nothing new added 🎉🎊

 

Coming Up… 

Blog

On the blog next week, I’ve got both my monthly wrap-up for March 2026 and my April TBR planned. They’re the usual posts at this time of the month, so hopefully no surprises here! 

On Thursday I’m lined up to feature my review of Storm of Mercia by M.J. Porter. If you have followed along with my reviews of the series so far, I hope you are as excited for my review of this latest instalment – book 9 no less! If you;’re unfamiliar, hop back to the very beginning and my review of Son of Mercia for a taste of what to expect.

As well as those, I’m going to try my best to get this week’s planned post about go-to books for reading slumps out as well. On the one hand, it’s quarter-end at work so I could be busy and I know for sure I’m working bank holiday Friday. Hopefully no more than that. At the same time, it is a long weekend so I’m sure I can squeeze it all in somewhere… 

Of course, I’m here every week, same time, with my Sunday Summary update. Take a look at next week’s post to see where I finally weigh in at with bookish progress towards the Goodreads 2026 Winer Challenge and my March TBR. Not only that, but hopefully I’ll have

 

YouTube

With the end of March fast approaching, I’ll record my monthly wrap-up to post on YouTube mid-week. It’s not really something I can do very well ahead of time. 

What I have been able to record ahead of time is my April TBR. With a placeholder left in for my carryovers from March, the rest of my reading list has been determined by a TBR Jar. It’s been a good while since I used this method to mix up my reading, and I got some very different books some out as a result. 

As well as these, I have a few shorts recorded, which I’ll intersperse throughout the week. 

 

Summary 

With two completions and a last-push towards reading as many books as I can towards the Goodreads 2026 Winter Challenge and my March TBR, it’s been a productive week overall! 

Thanks for reading today’s Sunday Summary update. What have you read this weekend? 

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Sunday Summary – 22nd March 2026

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This week was a reverse Uno compared to my last Sunday Summary update. This week, I traded my calm and collected week off for a manic return. Partly, it was to be expected given the work we had on at the moment. However, we also have other people in the team out, which compounded to the issue. Nevertheless, I did still manage to fit in my usual contact creation, as well as some reading to boot. Let’s recap what those are in my latest Sunday Summary instrument!

In terms of content creation, on the blog I shared a list of the 2026 booker prize longlist books and shared which of those I would like to read. Is the first time I’ve taken any real interest in reading from this list. However, I think this will make for an exciting readalong further down the line. Later in the week, a Shelf Control post went live on Friday. In this week’s post, I featured a non-fiction book about the creation of one of my favourite TV series of all time. It’s probably not a spoiler that it’s based on a book series…

On YouTube, I shared three recommendations for fans of dystopian novel 1984. I am currently reading this dystopia for the third time. If you like some of the themes addressed in this book, I share a few quite different examples of how these play out in alternative dystopian worlds. 

Today, I published my mini-review of my first book in the Throne of Glass readalong. I wanted to document my thoughts on this first book before I get stuck into the next instalment of the series. It’s not a super long review, but it will give you an idea of how much I enjoyed this first book and why I’m excited to get into the second!

 

Books Read

 

An Arcane Inheritance 

In last week’s Sunday Summary, I made around 3 hours progress into An Arcane Inheritance. 

This week I’ve been pretty consistent with that number, even despite being busy. Another 2hrs and 15mins progress this week brings me to within 4hrs of completion of this audiobook. Given I’m close to the end now, as well as my 31st March deadline for the Goodreads 2026 Winter Challenge award, that’ll help encourage me to finish the audiobook next week. 

I’m enjoying this one too – going back to dark academia has been fun and I’m enjoying how the storyline is playing out. The Déjà vu aspect of the storyline has me intrigued. I can’t wait to unfurl the reasons why Ellory is convinced she’s been here before! 

 

Rose Red 

I’ve temporarily set aside 1984 in lieu of picking up a book for a review obligation next week. That book is called Rose Red by Sarah Biggerstaff.

This fantasy fairytale retelling is reminiscent of Snow White but also features witchcraft and a lot of elements I’m enjoying from Cottagecore books right now. 

As of this Sunday Summary update, I’m just shy of 25% into the book. It’s a super easy read so far and so I’m confident I’ll have this finished in advance of my review date, 28th March. My review will go live on Instagram; it’s a social media tour. So, don’t forget to follow me there so you can see my thoughts on this one! 

 

Books Discovered

It’s not really a massive book, but yesterday I picked up A De-Tailed Account of Manx Cats. Yes, I went to a local cat cafe and saw this! 

My cats aren’t manxies, but I’m interested in reading more about what makes them different (including why they don’t have tails!) 

Pictures of my cats for tax… 

Also, I added a scutch of books on the 2026 Booker Prize Longlist… you’re shocked I’m sure…

 

Coming Up… 

 

YouTube

With this week being a bit mad, I’ve only got a couple of shorts recorded that I’ll drop next week. Since YT seems to push short form content more I’m going to take the opportunity to experiment with this form this week and see if it boosts my numbers.

I’m also experimenting with recording a long form reading vlog to go live next Sunday. It’ll also feature some video and pictures from going chocolate-making with friends today! 

 

Blog

On the blog, I’ve got a Top Ten Tuesday Spring 2026 TBR post. In this somewhat regular seasonal feature here on Reviewsfeed, I’ll share books I plan to read in the next three months. I’m not sure if I’ll have much ‘seasonal’ on here, but we’ll see! 

Later in the week, I’m going to take a break from my usual Friday features in exchange for something new. Instead, I’m going to post my go-to books when I’m in a reading slump. 

On Saturday I’ll post my review of Rose Red on YouTube and across my other social media accounts. Whilst this isn’t strictly a blog tour, it wouldn’t feel right not to post as least a mini-review here… 

Finally, I’ll rock up with my usual Sunday Summary update this time next week. Fingers crossed I’m a lot further with my reading than I am now… 

 

Summary 

Whilst I don’t have any finishes in this Sunday Summary, it’s great to catch up with you all! Will I get through my March TBR and complete the Goodreads 2026 Winter Challenge? It could go either way right now! 

Have you read any of the books featured today? What are you currently reading? 

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Monthly TBR – March 2026

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***Today’s monthly TBR post contains affiliate links to Amazon if you wish to purchase any of the books featured today. If you follow this link, I will earn a small commission from that purchase at no cost to you. 

If you wish to obtain a copy of the book based on this feature I would really appreciate you following this link and showing my content some support by making your purchase***

 

My March monthly TBR is probably my most ambitious to date! With a goal of completing the Goodreads 2026 Winter Challenge, plus books to read for blog tour obligations, my own readalong and book club… I have a hearty mix! 

I’m looking forward to pushing myself. I’ve had a productive reading year so far and the variety of books on this list means there is likely something for every mood (if I need the change!). 

There are also a few books I’ve snagged from the library. No less than three of the books on this list are on loan to me currently. Others I owned already, some have been gifted for the purpose of review and the only two purchased were done with Audible credits. It doesn’t happen most of the time… 

If you’re aiming to complete the Goodreads 2026 Winter Challenge before the end of March, I hope some of today’s featured books offer some inspiration. 

 

Fixed Reads 

Throne of Glass

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As a carryover from my February TBR, Throne of Glass will be my first completion of March. Hopefully! I’m behind on my own readalong, which is hardy a good look 🤣 Nevertheless, these things happen. I’m keen to catch up, because no surprise here, but book two is also on this TBR and I really need to get back on track. 

As I talked about in my monthly wrap-up for February, I’m getting on with Throne of Glass better than I thought. As at the end of the month, I was 26% through. I’ve already tagged on another 10% without trying. I’m hopeful this can be a quick finish! 

 

Rose Red

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I am touring for a book called Rose Red later this month. I am trying this with a new tour provider, and the way they do things as a little bit different. Rather than having a set date well in advance, this tour provider seems to schedule nearer the time. Consequently, I don’t exactly know what date I will be posting my thoughts. However, I am going to have this book read ahead of the first tour date which is the 22nd March. That way, I’m ready for the tour whenever I’m scheduled.

Rose Red caught my attention because the premise of the book is a romantasy fairytale retelling, with a bit of a feminist angle. Based on Snow White, I’m intrigued to see what plot line this book follows. Having recently enjoyed a dark fantasy retelling in the form of After the Forest by Kell Woods, I’m keen to continue with the theme of fairytale retelling to see if there’s something I want to read more of.

 

Storm of Mercia

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I am pleased to feature again a historical fiction series I have loved so far. Storm of Mercia is the ninth instalment in M.J. Porter’s Eagle of Mercia Chronicles series. I have followed this series since the first book was published, featuring all but one book as part of the publication blog tours. The protagonist is one of my favourite characters in the genre. At the start of the series, he didn’t fit the mould for your traditional character. Whilst he has come on leaps and bounds since then, his fundamental values remain the same and his personal character growth is enjoyable to follow. These books are also full of action, so we are never bored. 

I’m looking forward to sharing this review of the latest ninth book in the series soon. That blog tour review is going live right at the beginning of April, so naturally, I’m featuring this book on my March monthly TBR so I’m ready to go on the 2nd.

 

Wild Dark Shore

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Getting into the books I’m reading as part of the Goodreads 2026 Winter Challenge, I’m starting with Wild Dark Shore. This book is a great one to pick up this month, because reading it will qualify for two achievements in the challenge. Wild Dark Shore appealed to me for a number of reasons as well. The premise is interesting and involves a character washing up somewhere after nearly drowning. They also have an interesting dynamic with their family, as I found out when I featured the book in a recent First Lines Friday post. 

Needless to say, this is a highly anticipated mystery on this March monthly TBR. I’m looking forward to sharing my thoughts on this one in due course. 

 

1984

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Stepping away from my Goodreads 2026 Winter Challenge momentarily, I am picking up George Orwell‘s 1984 for my own reasons this month. 

When I shared my 2026 resolutions, I featured both 1984 and a retelling of the story on my fixed reads list. I have wanted to read these books side-by-side, or one after the other, since I received a copy of Julia. Firstly, I want to go back to the dystopian world as we know and love and as originally written by George Orwell. Having not had a good experience with this book 1st time round during my school years, I have already re-read it once in my lifetime and enjoyed the book significantly more as a result of not having to study it. Fingers crossed my third read is as enjoyable as my second! 

 

Julia

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Following on from 1984, it shouldn’t be a surprise then that Julia is going to be the next book on my list. After enjoying the refresher of the world as originally written, I’m keen to see how closely or far out this retelling is. I have no idea as of writing this March monthly TBR post. I’m looking forward to being surprised one way or the other. The added bonus of picking up these two books is that Julia qualifies for one of the Goodreads 2026 Winter Challenge prompts. Under the achievement for retellings, Julia naturally is a perfect fit. Plus, it’s a great opportunity to tick two books on my fixed reading list for 2026 off.

It’s also been a little while since I got my copies of these books, so it’s exciting to get to them at last!

 

A Study in Scarlet Women

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A Study in Scarlet Women qualifies for the Goodreads prompt Swoony Stories. As I shared in my Goodreads 2026 Winter Challenge announcement video on YouTube, it’s the prompt I found the most difficult to find a book for. Not being a big romance reader (not that you’d know it from this TBR, or even my last one), I need something other than a romance in order to keep my engagement with a book. 

What appealed to me about A Study in Scarlet Women is that it’s almost a spinoff or variation on the character of Sherlock Holmes. Whilst the main character isn’t the main man we know and love, the pseudonym is used by a female protagonist to investigate and clear the names of family members accused of a crime. The mystery element is definitely going to help me with this romance. Not only that, but I’m keen to see how the reimagining of Sherlock Holmes plays out in this completely different narrative.

 

An Arcane Inheritance 

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It’s been a little minute since I picked up a dark academia novel. The last time I picked up the genre, I did so in the form of If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio. This is very different from An Arcane Inheritance in that that first book tackles a group of actors and the group dynamics of a troop who specialise in Shakespeare.

An Arcane Inheritance is very different. I’m picking up this book because it was on my TBR and qualifies towards the ‘Black Heritage’ prompt. I had hoped my recent listen of Barack Obama’s Dreams from my Father would have qualified. That’s not necessarily the reason I picked it up, but the timing was perhaps a little influenced by this challenge. Nevertheless, it was a great read. Instead, I get to pick up another book and I’m looking forward to getting back to dark academia. It’s not a genre I read a lot of, so it’s a refreshing change when I do.

 

Looking at Women Looking at War

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When I shared my Goodreads 2026 Winter Challenge list, I had to take a guess at a book that would qualify for the Women’s History challenge. The list of qualifying books was only released on the 1st March. I had hoped to read Eve by Cat Bohannon. This is a book about the evolution of humanity and how women’s biology and evolution shaped that. Unfortunately, this book does not qualify. If it had, that would have been another read that overlapped with my fixed reading list in my resolutions post. Never mind! 

Instead, I am picking up a book called Looking at Women Looking at War. This book is an interesting one because it focuses on some very recent history. 

A young woman, Victoria Amelina – a writer living in Ukraine – started documenting war crimes in Ukraine after Russia’s invasion in 2022. Unfortunately, she would never see the end of the war. She was tragically killed just a year into the conflict as a result of a Russian missile. 

However, not letting that stop her hard work from getting noticed, her efforts were published as Looking at Women Looking at War. Obviously, this is far from a complete account given the conflict is still ongoing. However, as a fairly recent history, I’m looking forward to both seeing what’s really going on behind the scenes. That, and to commemorate the bravery of a woman willing to expose the truth.

 

Crown of Midnight

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Unsurprisingly, given I’ve already published my intended timeline for this readalong, I’m looking to pick up the second book in Sara J Maas’ Throne of Glass series later this month. 

As this one is for my own deadline as opposed to for the purpose of meeting a challenge, I have put this towards the end of my March monthly TBR. However, I’m hoping to catch up so I’m not overlapping too far into April at the very least. If Crown of Midnight is anything like the first instalment Throne of Glass, I’m hopeful it will be very easy to read. It’s also only a few hundred pages, so not too big of a commitment. The later books in the series are longer and will require more time investment. However, I can’t get away with some flexibility early while the books are only 300 pages or so… 

 

Mood Reads

The Astral Library

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Finally, I have an audiobook on my March monthly TBR for a relatively new release of February. On YouTube, I shared a video of new releases in 2026 I was really looking forward to. The second book on this list (the first was Dear Debbie, which I finished listening to very recently) is The Astral Library.

This book caught my attention because it sounds similar to a book I love. Reminiscent of Matt Haig’s The Midnight Library, the premise involves a form of living a life through pages in a book. If you have read The Midnight Library, you will know that the protagonist explores multiple variations in how their life could have gone by picking up a book in which this life is encapsulated. This is purely the protagonists interpretation as opposed to a fixed idea in the book. The protagonist had a special relationship with a librarian at school. So, this is how the idea manifested for her. As an avid reader, this clearly resonated with me. Exploring something similar in The Astral Library is something I’m looking forward to! 

 

Summary 

I’m aiming high in this March monthly TBR – I don’t think anyone can argue against that! The heat is on to complete the Goodreads 2026 Winter Challenge. Will I achieve it? Place your bets now! 😂 

Thanks for reading today’s March monthly TBR – are you having a go at this challenge? 

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Monthly Wrap-Up – February 2026

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***Today’s monthly-wrap-up contains an affiliate link to Amazon if you wish to purchase the book. If you follow this link, I will earn a small commission from that purchase at no cost to you. 

If you wish to obtain a copy of the book based on this review, I would really appreciate you following this link and showing my content some support by making your purchase***

As of the end of February and this monthly wrap-up post, I am four books ahead of schedule in my Goodreads Challenge for the year to read 60 books in 2026. With seven titles added to my completed list in February, it’s fair to say I’ve had a successful month! 

Compared to my monthly TBR for February, I pretty much got to the end of my reading list for the month with one current read I’m carrying forward into March. I did think I would complete this list this month. However, with a busy work week mid-month taking on a project from a colleague, I didn’t have much headroom to read in my free time for a few days and that did impact my overall progress.

Nevertheless, still managed to pull it out the bag. Two blog tour obligations helped to keep momentum going, and they were both highly-rated reads as well. It always helps when the book you pick up are well received! 

Let’s take a look at where I got to! 

 

Books Read 

After the Forest 

Amazon Purchase Link 

At the end of my January wrap up, I shared that I was part way through after the forest by Kell Woods. I really enjoyed this dark fantasy overlap with a fairytale retailing. The darker tones of the book featuring witchcraft, war and discrimination, combined with the lighter and more familiar base of the fairytale Hansel and Gretel made for an interesting combination.

There is also a romance element to the storyline of this book. Whilst it wasn’t something I actively rooted for (it’s just not my thing, okay?), It was okay to read and didn’t detract from the narrative all my experience of it. It was refreshing to pick up something different, which has been a feature of almost every book I’ve picked up alongside the Cottagecore Fantasy Book Club.

 

Dreams From My Father

Amazon Purchase Link 

When I published last month monthly wrap up, I had a really only just started Dreams From My Father by Barack Obama. Needless to say, it was one of my first finishes in February. Having read A Promised Land a year before, it wasn’t really a surprise that I enjoyed Dreams From My Father. 

Whilst this type of writing and subject is enjoyed as an exception rather than the rule, I really like Barack Obama. He’s the only political figure from whom I think I will ever read a book. Or two, as it turns out! 

Dreams From My Father is about Barack’s exploration of his heritage and identity via his race. He had an unusual upbringing and being of mixed-race ethnicity in a society where there weren’t very many kids like him, he struggled with understanding who he was. Dreams From My Father is all about exploring this, and seeing how Barack matures. 

 

Grace

Amazon Purchase Link 

He wouldn’t necessarily describe February as the month to read horror. Nevertheless, I had the pleasure of reading and featuring Grace on my blog by taking part in the publication blog tour this month. What attractive my attention to grace was that the event of the book are set relatively close to Home. Set on a remote island of the West Coast of Island, Croaghnakeela is as miserable and desolate as the worst British weather can make you feel. 

Combined mythology and supernatural and you can get an idea or feel for this book. I loved the links to Irish and Celtic mythology, and I even found out through my research when writing this review that there are somewhat ties to more local mythology in these figures. If you want to find out more about this book, I shared my full thoughts on Grace in my blog tour review.

 

An Offer From a Gentleman

Amazon Purchase Link 

Doing a complete 180° once again, after finishing Grace, I listened to an audiobook copy of an offer from a gentleman from Julia Quinn. I picked this book up on a whim. I’m currently watching season four of Bridgerton on Netflix. Having started this series on telly, I decided to give this third instrument of the books ago. Doing so was a little bit of a risk. Whilst I read the Duke and I and the experience was okay, I didn’t like book two, Anthony and Kate’s story. So much so, I DNF’d it. 

However, I was able to borrow a copy of the audiobook from my library. So, I thought what the hell?

And you know what ended up better than I thought given protagonist from a very different societal background class, I found her more relatable characters in the series. Whilst Benedict is still somewhat insufferable in his behaviour at the beginning, I think persevering was worth the while. My experience an offer for a gentleman was marginally better than the first instalment the Duke and I. Being I’m not a big romance reader, it was always going to be a hard push to get a five star rating. 

It hasn’t put me off trying the fourth book, which is Colin and Penelope’s story however. 

 

Blues for an Alabama Sky

Amazon Purchase Link 

For the first time ever this month, I read a play in the form of Blues for an Alabama Sky. I picked up this book for our work book club, as it also has a romance element to the story. 

However, in the 104 page count, this book covers far more than just a basic romance. Set in depression era America, the book follows the story of Angel and her dreams of getting out of Harlem New York. She meets a man she thinks could be the love of her life. However, throughout the book we see a number of personal differences come to the fore and challenge the relationship.

Blues for an Alabama sky was a very quick read, and I enjoyed the difficult topics that were touched upon in the narrative. It was also really enjoyable to pick up a book in a different format! 

 

The Three Witches

Amazon Purchase Link 

My second blog tour obligation, which landed right at the beginning of March, was for a book called The Three Witches by Elena Collins. I ended up picking up and completing this read pretty quickly because I had the deadline to review. However, The Three Witches was very readable. I loved the angle of the narrative and the attempt to honour historical events as closely as possible. Not only that, but also in trying to give persecuted women their voices back and highlight the true lives of women accused of witchcraft. 

If you’re interested in a historical fiction aimed at telling the real stories of women in a dual timeline mystery, go and read my review of The Three Witches. 

 

Dear Debbie

Amazon Purchase Link 

In a recent YouTube video, I shared some highly anticipated 2026 releases. The first of these books is Dear Debbie, which was released in January. 

It isn’t a surprise I loved this audiobook! I read Freida’s The Housemaid series in this format. Given it worked well for me, I stuck and it paid off. Not that I think reading traditionally would hamper my enjoyment, because i don’t. In order to get through all my reads, I have to pick some up in audio and I know these are easy, engaging listens. 

The twist at the end of this book took me by my surprise. In a way, it shouldn’t have. However, it was very cleverly written and the storyline pulled off well. 

 

Throne of Glass

Amazon Purchase Link

Finally, the one book left that I’m currently reading as if this monthly wrap-up is Throne of Glass. This is a readalong series I’ve started, and I was also reading this towards the romance-themed book club. 

Because of my blog tour obligations, Throne of Glass took a backseat. As of the end of February, I was 26% into the book. I’ve read a little more since then, and it’s going down well so far… 

I went into this book with a preconception that I may not enjoy this one. However, the romance element of the book isn’t overtaking the events of the plot and the world-building behind it. So far, so good! 

 

Summary 

February was a successful month by all accounts. No DNF’s to report, which is great news, and seven competed reads in the shortest month of the year is a win. 

How many books have you picked up in February? Have you read any of the books in today’s monthly wrap-up post, or added any to your reading list as a result of today’s monthly wrap-up? 

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Sunday Summary – 8th February 2026

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My Sunday Summary update can only mean one thing friends… we’re at the end of yet another week! Why do the weekends fly by? Granted, I’ve had a busy one between a hair colour refresh and trying desperately to finish the kitchen off this weekend. Shock horror – still not done! However, I have just one baseboard left so I can see the finish line. 

Other than work and the humdrum of domestic life, I’ve read and blogged and done all my usual content creation. Here on the blog, I’ve shared my monthly TBR for February. I was also meant to share a Shelf Control post featuring a historical fiction classic I can’t believe I’ve not read yet. However, something went wrong there and the post is still just a draft rather than published. I’ll publish that soon, I promise! 

Over on YouTube, I published my video monthly wrap-up for January and my February TBR there. It was fun to record these and share my reads in a video format – if you haven’t taken a look at these yet, I’ve provided links if you want to go and watch for yourself! 

 

Books Read

After the Forest

I started this week continuing with progress with After the Forest. In last week’s Sunday Summary update, I was 40% through the book. 

I’m pleased to say I finished the book midweek. After the Forest is a fairytale retelling that spins off of Hansel and Gretel. Greta, or Margareta as she is known in this tale, is viewed with suspicion after she is rumoured to have vanquished an old woman when she was a child. In a setting riven with war and witchcraft trials, she’s in a precarious position. 

Despite the darker aspects of this narrative, this book has its cozy elements. There’s a romance in the book if that’s something you love in your narratives. It also overlaps with another fairytale, which I really enjoyed. After the Forest was cleverly written, and it was refreshing to read something a little bit different. 

Ultimately, I rated After the Forest 3.5 stars. It was a fun read, and nice to pick up something I’ve not really read before. 

 

Grace

Grace is my second phyiscal read of the week. It has a very different tone, and one I’m really getting on with. Set on Croaghnakeela, an island off the west coast of Ireland, feels desolate yet also somewhat familiar. Living on an island not geographically too far away from Croaghnakeela myself, the atmosphere is painted both sinister, but also ringing of truth. 

Grace is a horror novel with a mystery I can’t wait to unravel. I’m 46% into this narrative as of today’s Sunday Summary, and already we have a healthy foundation for the story. However, I feel there is still a lot to uncover. The residents of this island have hidden secrets for a long time, and I can’t wait to find out the island’s past to uncover current events. 

I’m reviewing Grace as part of an organised blog tour next week. Naturally, finishing Grace is my immediate priority. I’m excited to read this book. The tone and events have me keen to find out what’s going on. It’s fair to say I’m hooked – I hope you can check out my post on Thursday. 

 

Dreams from my Father

From the 10% progress of last week’s Sunday Summary, I’ve listened to a further 7 hours of audio this week. Dreams from my Father has proved an interesting listen. I’m not surprised by this fact! After listening to A Promised Land last year, I was confident I’d enjoy Dreams from my Father. 

Well, it’s fair to say I am, given I’ve listened to over half of the book this week. The book ultimately is about Barack’s attempts to discover his identity in a confusing time for him. Born as a mixed race man in a time where society frowned on such relationships, he grew up without a stable father figure in his life. He did meet his father, but only briefly and he spent most of his life not really knowing who he was, and ultimately then, Barack’s heritage. 

As of this Sunday Summary, I have just over three hours left of the audiobook left. If this week’s progress is anything to go by, I’m optimistic I’ll be reporting a finish of this book very soon. 

 

Books Discovered

I added two books to my TBR this week. The first is a book called At Night All Blood is Black. It’s a very short read at 145 pages. But, it’s a powerful one about the exploitation of men of colour during World War 1. After reading more about it in a mailing from The Booker Prizes earlier this week, I knew I wanted to give this short novel a go! 

Next, I added The Children of Gods and Fighting Men. I saw this book featured on Instagram in a post about fantasy written by female authors. This book blends together Irish mythology and history (Vikings) with one of my favourite genres – fantasy. It sounds amazing, and I’m intrigued to read a fantasy based somewhere close to home. 

 

Coming Up… 

Blog

Starting early next week, I’ll be featuring a few books I’m planning to read this year that I’ve been inspired to read based on other books. One of these comes from as recently as a book on my January 2026 TBR. I hope you’re as intrigued as I am to explore some of these. 

On Thursday, I’m sharing my thoughts on Grace by A.M. Shine. This is proving a fantastic read. I’m glad I signed up for the tour and I really can’t wait to share my thoughts on this book in the coming days! 

Next, I’ll post the Shelf Control that was meant to go live this Friday. Remember, that’s a historical fiction classic and a well-known title exploring domestic and sexual abuse. Can you recognise the title from that description?

Finally, next week’s Sunday Summary will inevitably roll around quicker than the blink of an eye. I’ll be back with my latest updates, including a I hope a few finishes from my February TBR. 

 

YouTube

On my new YouTube channel, I’ve got details of a reading challenge I’m setting myself in late February and March 2026. I hope you can check this one out, as it explains why my February TBR isn’t too heavy on page-count. 

Then, I’ve got a review of Yellowface by R.F. Kuang lined up. Yellowface was my first 5* read. Check out my review later this week to see why! 

 

That’s everything from me in my latest Sunday Summary update. Thanks for reading! What book are you currently reading or listening to? 

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Sunday Summary – 1st February 2026

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Happy Sunday friends! At the end of a busy weekend trying to get the kitchen DIY finished (spoiler alert, we didn’t!), I’m ready to sit down, set down my reading progress for the week and generally have a catch up with you in this Sunday Summary update. 

In terms of content I’ve already shared this week, I published my blog tour review of Dark Chronicles by Karmen Spiljak on Tuesday. On Friday, my First Lines Friday featured a read I’m planning to pick up in the near future. Then, yesterday I shared my monthly wrap-up for January. Phew… but that’s not all… 

On YouTube, I shared two videos – my Best Books of 2025 and my review of Beyond Redemption by Michael Fletcher. 

 

Books Read

The Great Passage

In last week’s Sunday Summary, I had just an hour left of The Great Passage. 

Being so close to the end of the book, I was motivated to finish the book pretty quickly. Monday was the day. The Great Passage was a fun and insightful listen and I loved the cultural aspects of the narrative. 

Whilst I wanted to read the book for its focus on language and words, I got so much more out of this book than that. Originally written in Japanese and translated, the book takes a very different line of focus. As someone who reads more Westernised novels, it was both a refreshing change and the type of book I need to broaden my horizons. 

 

After the Forest

Whilst I haven’t made an awful lot of progress this week, I have picked up After the Forest some more. 

I’m still enjoying the book, and I’m around 40% as of this Sunday Summary update. I’m heading into February with about 225 pages left in this book. With where the story has taken us so far, I’m, not entirely sure what to expect next. 

Just a quick one from me on this book. Stay tuned for more on this one next week! 

 

Dreams from my Father

With The Great Passage finished off early doors, I started Barack Obama’s Dreams from my Father. After enjoying A Promised Land this time last year, I knew I wanted to try more of his books. Dreams from my Father was written earlier than A Promised Land, but it still reads just as well. 

Given the audio format worked well for me before, I chose to stick to what I know. Like A Promised Land, Dreams from my Father is also narrated by the man himself. It makes it much more a personal experience. Given he’s focussing on his heritage and seeking his identity in these pages, it works really well. 

As of this Sunday Summary, I’m just over 10% in and looking forward to listening more in the next seven days. I’ll share my next update, and hopefully a good chunk of progress, next week. 

 

Books Discovered

I purchased a copy of a book as a gift this week that I’ve decided to read for myself. I have a good deal of overlap with this particular person, so its no surprise that I ended up adding The Traitor’s Circle to my TBR. 

It leans into my enjoyment of WW2 novels, and its a bit of a different style to those I’ve read more recently. 

 

Coming Up… 

Blog

On the blog next week, I’ve got plenty of fun content coming your way! My first post is an announcement for a readalong of a very popular series I’m starting in February. In the spirit of reading a little more mainstream than I ever have before, I’ve got a popular author and series I’m trying for the first time ever. It’s a series and author that puts myself out of my comfort zone. However, I don’t know what I think until I give it a go. I’ve challenged myself and been pleasantly surprised before! 

Then, on Wednesday, I’m publishing my monthly TBR for February. I’ve got a few reading obligations for February, but I’m also not over-subscribing this month. I have another reading challenge in mind that I want to pick up from late February into March. So, I’m deliberately leaving headroom so I can pick books up towards that. 

On Friday, another Shelf Control post goes live. In this week’s instalment, I have a classic historical fiction novel I tried years ago, but didn’t really get into before having to return my library loan. 

Finally, this time next week I’m back with another Sunday Summary update. Fingers crossed I have more of a reading update for you next week. 

 

YouTube

In terms of YouTube content, I’ve got my monthly wrap-up for January coming up, and my February TBR. I hope you can keep an eye out for those coming out. And, if you follow BookTube and BookTubers, please consider subscribing to my new channel 😅 

That’s all from me in this Sunday Summary. What have you read or added to your reading list recently? 

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Monthly Wrap-Up – January 2026

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***Today’s monthly-wrap-up contains an affiliate link to Amazon if you wish to purchase the book. If you follow this link, I will earn a small commission from that purchase at no cost to you. 

If you wish to obtain a copy of the book based on this review, I would really appreciate you following this link and showing my content some support by making your purchase***

 

The beginning of the year and setting my January TBR feels like both yesterday and a distant memory. This month has been a tale of two halves. In terms of reading progress and motivation, January has flown. Financially though, January is the looooongest month of the year. 

I’m pleased with this month’s reading progress. I got to all but one book on my January TBR, and started one extra audiobook after finishing with both the audiobooks I had on the list. 

 

Books Read 

Orbital 

Amazon Purchase Link 

I wanted to start the year with a relatively quick read. Perhaps my choice of Orbital was a little misguided on account of the page count, however it was a fantastic read. 

What Orbital lacks in page count, it makes up for in thought-provoking content. From intimate detail on life in space with five other people to the fragility of life and the pull of the Earth, this book appealed to me for its content and didn’t fail to deliver. I’ve already shared my full thoughts on the book on my new YouTube channel. If you’re interested in finding out more about this Booker prizewinner, please take a look at my video 🥺

 

Beyond Redemption 

Amazon Purchase Link 

I started Beyond Redemption in December but didn’t get too far before the end of the month. After finishing Orbital, I revisited this book. The pacing of Beyond Redemption didn’t quite work for me, so it took me until mid-January to finish it. 

In my recent YouTube review of Beyond Redemption, I shared what worked and what didn’t work for me. Ultimately, I finished the book and rated it three stars. The premise was really appealing and I had high hopes for Beyond Redemption. In practice, it didn’t quite live up to my expectation. Want to deep dive into my thoughts on this one? Here’s my video review. 

 

The Doors of Midnight 

Amazon Purchase Link 

I made a healthy start to The Doors of Midnight back in December and I was optimistic that it was going to be a five star read of January. However, I ultimately decided to DNF this audiobook. 

When it came down to it, I found the narrative a little repetitive and interest waned. As and when opportunities came up to listen to this book, I found myself making excuses and picking up other things. That says a lot. To take a break, I started my second audiobook of the month and after enjoying that one more, it brought home to me more that I was no longer enjoying The Doors of Midnight. So, that was the decider for me. 

 

Yellowface

Amazon Purchase Link 

Looking for a pick-me-up after Beyond Redemption, I turned to an author I know I’ve enjoyed historically. Of course R.F. Kuang did not disappoint once again! 

Picking up Yellowface is quite different from the two books I’ve read of hers to date (Babel and The Poppy War). However, she is the type of author who can write from a variety of backgrounds yet also discuss topics that clearly mean a lot to her to feature. 

If you are unfamiliar, Yellowface is heavily about cultural appropriation and the public perception of a white author publishing a story from a minority background. I loved how this was explored, as well as the nature of being an author and the publishing industry as a whole. Needless to say, Yellowface was the hit I hoped for, and needed. 

 

The Great Passage

Amazon Purchase Link 

The Great Passage is the audiobook I picked up after DNF’ing The Doors of Midnight. I had high hopes for this audiobook already, but I especially wanted to love this book after being disappointed by that audio. 

Thankfully, The Great Passage fared much better. What I really enjoyed about this audiobook is that the setting is culturally very different. It opened my eyes to a completely different way of life. I picked up this book because I loved its passion and focus on words, meanings, and the compiling of a dictionary. It excelled at all those things, but the appreciation for the cultural insights this book gives is what made it a well-rounded experience. 

 

The Courage to be Disliked

Amazon Purchase Link 

Unfortunately, The Doors of Midnight wasn’t my only DNF of the month. This month, I set a theme including self-help, learning and development for book club. On my January TBR I set out my intentions to pick up I Know I’m in There Somewhere. However, it turns out this book is very hard to get a hold of. Instead, I picked up The Courage to be Disliked…. But only read 21% before DNF’ing. 

The novelty of the dialogue-style narrative quickly wore off. If readers are meant to find the character of the unnamed ‘youth’ relatable, unfortunately it didn’t hit the mark with me. They are argumentative, combative and I didn’t gel with them at all. However, I also felt the ‘professor’ was a little off too. No doubt his role was to teach the principles of Adler, and they are what they are. I didn’t agree with all of what was discussed either. 

Consequently, The Courage to be Disliked didn’t last long under my nose before being set aside. 

 

Notes on a Nervous Planet

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I turned to a well-known and trusted author again after this latest DNF. 

Matt Haig’s The Midnight Library is one of my favourite books in recent history. His unique insight into mental health difficulties shone through in Notes on a Nervous Planet. This short and approachable read, written in short chapters, informal notes and tips for limiting the impact of our modern world on our mental health was insightful. I practice some of these already, such as limiting exposure to the news. However, it discusses a number of topics, like technology, social media and consumerism to name just a few. 

The format of this book was quite unique, and as a result I flew through this already short book. It’s definitely encouraging me to read more of his books – I have The Midnight Train to look forward to in 2026, but also some backlist titles like Reasons to Stay Alive on my radar as well.  

 

Dark Chronicles

Amazon Purchase Link

I signed up to review a collection of suspenseful speculative fiction stories late this month. Admittedly, I was quite late picking up this collection. However, its ease to read world in my favour so I could review these on my blog earlier this week.

For a short book, I still had plenty to say about this 178 page collection. Instead of repeating myself in this monthly wrap-up, instead I’ll direct you to my published review.

 

After the Forest

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Finally, this monthly wrap-up gets to my current and carried forced reads into February. 

After the Forest is my chosen Cottagecore Fantasy read for this month as part of the Cottagecore Fantasy book club. If you like fairytale retellings, this book will also be right up your alley. 

Building upon the well-known fairytale Hansel and Gretel, After the Forest brings darker topics like addiction, war and witchcraft into the future lives of the children. With trouble on their doorstep, Greta is doing everything she can to keep her brother Hans and her afloat. Suspicion is never far away, given her past. 

So far, I’m enjoying this quite dark retelling. As fairytales go, it’s far from light and fluffy anyway. It feels like a great story to use as a launchpad for this type of tale. As of this monthly wrap-up, I’m 40% into the book and excited to see its conclusion. 

 

Dreams from my Father

Amazon Purchase Link 

Finally, the last book to feature in this epic monthly wrap-up (it feels as long as January did!) is Dreams from my Father. With my audiobooks planned for January either finished of DNF’d, I wanted to pick up my next audio. My preference is to have an audiobook on the go all the time, as it means I can maximise reading time when doing tasks where I can’t read traditionally. 

In the last couple of days, commuting to and from work, I’ve started to listen to Barack Obama personally recount is exploration of his origins and his dream to discover his identity. Dreams from my Father is very much about his heritage and background. About how he felt adrift growing up, given his obvious African heritage but lack of the father who shared it with him. 

As of this monthly wrap-up, I’m only 11% or so into this audiobook. As I said, I only really started this in the final few days of the month, and only whilst driving. I would have been a little further on if I didn’t fluff up earlier today and accidentally skip back to the beginning of my chapter. I couldn’t fix it whilst driving, so that could have been another 20 minutes or so. Never mind… 

 

Summary 

Despite a couple of DNF’s, I count January’s progress a success! I have six completions to my name at the end of this monthly wrap-up, with two more books in progress. In terms of my Goodreads Challenge, I’m getting ahead early. I don’t think I could have asked for a better start to 2026. 

How many books have you picked up this January? Have you had a good start to the year? 

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Sunday Summary – 25th January 2026

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We’re fast approaching the end of January. In terms of reading, the month has flown and this Sunday Summary has plenty of reading progress to share! 

Before I get to that though, I always like to start my Sunday Summary by sharing what else I’ve published this week. On my blog, I published my review of As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow and a Shelf Control featuring a psychological thriller coming up on my TBR. 

On YouTube, I shared my 2026 Highly Anticipated Reads and another review – this time for my first read of the year, Orbital. 

 

Books Read

Notes on a Nervous Planet

A little discouraged after trying and DNF’ing The Courage to be Disliked last week, I instead chose to pick up a non-fiction self-help by an author I have read before. Thankfully, I already owned a copy of Notes on a Nervous Planet, so picking this up felt like a natural choice.

Unlike my previous experience with The Courage to be Disliked, I really got on with Notes on a Nervous Planet. A book by Matt Haig is a pretty safe bet, and after the disappointment of my first DNF last week, I’m glad I found a self-help I got on with a lot more.

Notes on a Nervous Planet is a really interesting read; it is a collection of short notes grouped into topics about how and why different aspects of our modern world can impact our mental health. The book also includes recommendations on how to minimise those impacts. From everything like the impact of the news and the frequency of its availability to the consequences of modern technology, social media on self-perception, this book has a lot to say in a reasonable, approachable page count. 

I actually read Notes on a Nervous Planet pretty quickly, finishing it in just a few days. 

 

The Great Passage

I’m coming to the end of listening to The Great Passage by Shion Miura. I have really enjoyed this audiobook. In particular, I’ve enjoyed reading a book written about and featuring a completely different culture to that I am used to. When discussing my read of this book earlier today, I shared that as someone who reads a lot of western books, I really appreciate the differences that are apparent in terms of work ethic and general cultural norms. 

The Great Passage is a very different book to read and that’s why I chose it in audio format. It’s made it a really easy listen, and it’s also a pretty short listen if you’re considering picking up the book this way as well. 

As of this Sunday Summary update, I have just forty minutes left of this audiobook! I imagine I’ll wrap this up early next week. 

 

After the Forest

The final book I have read in part this week is After the Forest by Kell Woods. I’m reading this book as a cottagecore fantasy prompt as part of the Cottagecore Fantasy Book Club run by cozysabie. 

As of this Sunday Summary update, I have read a third of the book. I’m really enjoying this fairytale spin-off so far. We are all familiar with the fairytale of Hansel and Gretel. After the Woods takes this one step further, but also includes some darker themes, including war, witchcraft, and in some aspects, the treatment and objectification of women. 

I deliberately chose this book this month because I like a fairytale retelling. I’m also reliably informed that the author has written another retelling, although sitting outside of the cottagecore sub genre. Nevertheless, depending on how progress continues with After the Woods, I may well pick that second book up of my own accord.

 

Books Discovered

My 2026 Highly Anticipated Reads video went live this week, so I can now share the books I’ve added as part of that post. Two books in that video were already on my TBR – these are the new ones! 

In addition, I’ve added two more this week, Wild Dark Shore after seeing the book on Anna Carolina’s video and The Ocean Would Paint Me Blue, a new release by Zoulfa Katouh later this year. I discovered this book when writing my review of As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow, sadly after filming my 2026 Anticipated Releases video. Otherwise, I’d have included it! 

 

Coming Up… 

Some content next week shouldn’t come as a surprise. 

On Tuesday, I’ve got a blog tour commitment for a short story collection I still need to read, Dark Chronicles. It’s only 178 pages total. After this post goes live, I’m pausing progress with After the Woods to read this ahead of publishing my review on Tuesday. 

On Friday, I’ve got another First Lines Friday post planned. So far, I haven’t got a theme in mind. I’ll probably keep it open so I have full flexibility in what I feature. Hopefully I can still feature something a bit different. 

On Saturday, we’ll officially be at the end of January. Late on in the day, I’ll share my monthly wrap-up and recap the reads I kicked off 2026 with. Here’s hoping I get to the end (or close) of my January TBR 🤞🏻

Finally, I’ll be back with a Sunday Summary to recap the week’s progress at the end of next week. Here’s hoping for another successful week!

On YouTube, I’m publishing my top 5 reads of 2025, as well as a review of my second read of January, Beyond Redemption. I hope you can check those out! 

 

Summary 

That’s the last of my updates in today’s Sunday Summary. 

Tell me about a book you read recently and whether you recommend it or not 😌

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My Hefty January TBR!

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Today, I share a hefty January TBR!

I’m hitting the New Year with full force. In this January TBR, I have nine books in total I’m hoping to get through. It’ll require a reading pace of 75 pages a day and 36 hours of listening time to complete! 

 

***This post contains affiliate links to Amazon if you wish to purchase any of the books featured. If you follow any of these links and make a purchase, I will earn a small commission at no cost to you. 

I would really appreciate you considering following this link to make any purchase as a show of support***

 

My January TBR 

First, A Fresh Start… 

Orbital 

Purchase Link – Amazon

To start the new year with a fresh start, I’m picking up the relatively short, though not especially light, Orbital. 

I can see why the book won the Booker Prize. In such a short read, the book discusses complex concepts and feelings on an intimate level. It’s an inspiring and interesting read— one I’ve finished since recording! I’m glad I made Orbital my first read of the year. 

 

Then, my December Carryovers… 

Beyond Redemption 

Purchase Link – Amazon

My current read as of this January TBR going live is Beyond Redemption. This is a read I started mid-December when I was at the hairdressers. 

By the end of December, I’d read 15% of the book. In the last few days since picking it up again, I’ve doubled that to 30%. I’ve got this book on Kindle Unlimited, but I’m ceasing my subscription in a couple of days, so time to shake a leg, right?! 

 

Empire of the Dawn 

Purchase Link – Amazon

A book I struggled with in December, and put down briefly, is Empire of the Dawn. 

The nature of this book, the size, my hardback copy, the joy and dread of a final book in the trilogy, are all reasons I think I had trouble with it. However, with a short interval, I’m now ready to venture back into this last book of an amazing series!

 

The Doors of Midnight 

Purchase Link – Amazon

My audiobook carryover on this January TBR is The Doors of Midnight. I started this audio in mid-to-late December, but its length meant there was no way I was able to finish it before the end of December. 

I’ll no doubt spend most of January reading this book, but it’s a good one so far. This Asian Silk Road fantasy is a refreshing change on my January TBR, and protagonist Ari is an excellent storyteller. 

 

A Review Obligation 

Dark Chronicles 

Purchase Link – Amazon

I’m reviewing the short story collection Dark Chronicles on the 27th January. It’s full of dark and twisted stories which would maybe be suited to autumn for mood readers. I, however, don’t care!

Given it’s a short book, I’m going to be flexible and throw it in as and when I want a break from heavier reads… and before 27th January, of course! 

 

Book Club Reads… 

I Know I’m in There Somewhere 

Purchase Link – Amazon

I’m trying a new tack with my work book club, and I’m setting a theme as opposed to a set book. 

For my own book towards this month’s “New Year/New You” theme, I’m reading I Know I’m in There Somewhere. It’s a book about how women can find their own authentic voice through acceptance of themselves. 

 

After the Forest

Purchase Link – Amazon

Very different to the other books on my January TBR is my read of After the Forest with the Cottagecore Fantasy Book Club. This club is also open in terms of book selection, and there is a challenge on StoryGraph with all manner of books on it. 

I want to read After the Forest as it’s based on a well-known fairytale, Hansel and Gretel. Other than that, I’m going in blind! 

 

2026 Fixed List Reads 

Yellowface 

Purchase Link – Amazon

Picking up Yellowface works towards two of my 2026 resolutions – reading from my physical TBR and also one of my 16 books on my fixed read list. 

I’ve enjoyed both Babel and The Poppy War from author R.F. Kuang so far. I’m looking forward to trying this contemporary book to see how it compares! 

 

The Great Passage

Purchase Link – Amazon

Finally, The Great Passage is the audiobook I’m jumping to after The Doors of Midnight. It’s the second book I’m planning to read from my fixed list. It’ll also be a refreshing change in the length comparison with The Doors of Midnight – it’s about a quarter of the length! 

That’s not to diminish it though. It’s a book of language and worlds and passion and all set in a less familiar cultural context. I’m excited to read it!

 

Summary 

I have plenty of books to be getting on with in this January TBR. It’s a new year and I’m keen for a fresh start. 

What are you reading this January? 

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