Tag: fantasy

Blog Tour Review: Dark Chronicles – Karmen Spiljak

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Want to try some shorter or speculative fiction in 2026? If so, then Dark Chronicles is a fantastic collection to start with!

As always, before I share my thoughts, thank you to Karmen Spiljak and Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for the opportunity to read and review Dark Chronicles. I was provided with a copy of the book for the purposes of providing my review, but the thoughts expressed in this review are entirely my own. 

Now, let’s dive in, shall we? 

 

Dark Chronicles – Karmen Spiljak

Genre: Short Story Collection

Pages: 179

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Self published

Original Publication Date: 23 Jan 2026

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟.5

 

Goodreads – Dark Chronicles

Storygraph – Dark Chronicles 

Careful what you wish for. In Dark Chronicles, wishes have teeth.

Ten speculative tales brimming with twisted humour and delicious menace: a pepper that lets you in on other people’s thoughts, a radio show that predicts your fate, and a blood-thirsty ghost who refuses to let go.

Award-winning author Karmen Spiljak delivers a chilling and razor-sharp mix of twists and dark suspense, perfect for readers who like their stories to unsettle and linger.

Ten dark tales. Ten twisted fates. One thrilling collection.

 

Purchase Link – https://books2read.com/Dark-Chronicles

 

My Thoughts… 

It’s not very often I read and review a short story collection. Not unheard of either, but it’s not my main reading preference. However, there is something refreshing abut picking up a short story collection now and then.

 

Plot

In a month where I have picked up some lengthier and denser books, Dark Chronicles has been a refreshing change to lighten the pace. Even though shorter stories aren’t my typical medium, speculative fiction is not a stretch. In fact, I enjoy stories of this nature quite a lot. So, it was actually an enjoyable change to pick up such a book without the heaviness of a lot of world-building and the luxury of being able to set out a complex foundation. I truly believe being able to convey a message in such a small page count, and do it well, is a challenge demonstrating a lot of skill. Karmen does this incredible well.  

 

Setting

If you like your stories with a touch of mystery and/or darker themes, then Dark Chronicles is as good a fit for you as it was for me. As genres go, it appealed to me well and the stories themselves didn’t disappoint. I loved the variety each of the ten series presented. From dystopian worlds with more advanced technology to an unusual take on something reminiscent of the effects of narcotics, Dark Chronicles includes a spectrum of stories for all. The common theme across these stories implores readers to be careful what you wish for. It may just come back to bite you… 

 

Narrative Style

The tales and their sinister nature are both approachable to read, without compromising on the atmosphere they create. I read this book in a single day. Each story drew me in. I wanted to find out more about the characters, what they wanted, and how inevitable things wouldn’t quite turn out the way they hoped. The pacing of each of the stories is quite quick, so each can be finished in less than 10 minutes. If you can only commit to reading in short bursts, this format is perfect for you.

Equally, if you are like me, the fast-paced and ever changing narrative makes it easy to devour the book very quickly.  As I said, I read this book in a day, and most of it in just a single sitting. It was very easy to do! 

 

Summary 

Short, speculative fiction is a format and genre I need to have more of on my reading list. Dark Chronicles proved an excellent palate-cleanser on my January TBR. A break from heavy fantasy books was definitely needed, and Dark Chronicles holds its own as a memorable read. If you enjoy trying new books, or are looking for a good way to try something new, make Dark Chronicles a means of exploring shorter fiction, or speculative fiction, in 2026!

It won’t come back to bite you, I promise! 

 

Author Bio


Karmen Spiljak is Slovenian-Belgian author of suspense, horror and speculative fiction, a developmental editor and a book coach.

Her short fiction has been awarded and anthologised. Her short story collection, Add Cyanide to Taste, won the 2022 IndieReader Discovery award for best short stories/Fiction and Pass the Cyanide won the 2023 Wishing Shelf Book Awards Bronze.

She lives in Belgrade with her husband, two mischievous cats and an undefined number of literary characters. Find out more about her writing on www.karmenspiljak.com .

Social Media Links – 

https://www.instagram.com/karmenseeta/

https://www.facebook.com/karmenspiljak 

https://www.tiktok.com/@karmenseeta 

https://www.threads.com/@karmenseeta 

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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Audiobook Review: As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow – Zoulfa Katouh

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***This post 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 As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow based on this review, I would really appreciate you following this link and showing my content some support by making your purchase***

 

As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow was one of my most memorable reads of 2023. It’s also featured on subsequent lists on the blog such as my TTT – Debut Novels I Enjoyed post, my TTT – Books That Surprised Me list and TTT – Atmospheric Reads. 

I am still astounded that As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow is a debut. It does NOT read like one. Full of passion, terror and unexpected twists, As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow has me watching this author for new releases. It’s just a pity I didn’t check her page before sharing my 2026 Anticipated Releases video on YouTube the other day, as we have an expected June release of another Syria-based story. I can’t WAIT! 

Before I get ahead of myself though, I’m here to tell you about the book that started my whole love affair with this author’s writing. Let’s check out As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow… 

 

As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow – Zoulfa Katouh

Genre: Historical Fiction / Contemporary

Pages: 417

Audience: Young Adult

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: 13 Sept 2022

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Purchase Link – https://amzn.to/45mdr4T

Goodreads – As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow

Salama Kassab was a pharmacy student when the cries for freedom broke out in Syria. She still had her parents and her big brother; she still had her home. She had a normal teenager’s life. 

Now Salama volunteers at a hospital in Homs, helping the wounded who flood through the doors daily. Secretly, though, she is desperate to find a way out of her beloved country before her sister-in-law, Layla, gives birth. So desperate, that she has manifested a physical embodiment of her fear in the form of her imagined companion, Khawf, who haunts her every move in an effort to keep her safe. 

But even with Khawf pressing her to leave, Salama is torn between her loyalty to her country and her conviction to survive. Salama must contend with bullets and bombs, military assaults, and her shifting sense of morality before she might finally breathe free. And when she crosses paths with the boy she was supposed to meet one fateful day, she starts to doubt her resolve in leaving home at all. 

Soon, Salama must learn to see the events around her for what they truly are—not a war, but a revolution—and decide how she, too, will cry for Syria’s freedom.

 

My Thoughts

Plot 

As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow is set in war-torn Syria. Naturally, there is a lot going on, all the time! 

Salama works in the local hospital, endeavouring to treat the victims of war with ever-dwindling supplies. Starting as a pharmacy student, desperate need necessitates Salama being ‘promoted’ through the ranks to perform emergency surgeries and life-saving treatment. Medical facilities are targeted, so an already high-pressure role combined with stress and anxiety of the personal danger – plus her conscience when she can’t save someone – takes its toll on the 18-year-old protagonist. 

Obviously no spoilers here, because where’s the fun in that?! I’m here to get you to read the book, not to give you a summary so you don’t have to 😅 What I CAN tell you is that it’s gripping. Compelling. Has you wanting to read/listen more. One more chapter. Drama. Okay, maybe another…. Just one more, I promise! 

Personally, I wouldn’t market or suggest this book is just for young readers. It’s mature enough content. However, in a world like ours, maybe the eyes of our youth need opening sooner. They’ll be the ones taking the reins for change. Equally, it reads just as well for adults – I picked this up in my late twenties and didn’t feel like I wasn’t the target audience in the slightest! 

 

Characters 

Salama is a relatable narrator, if not always reliable. I love an unreliable narrator! Who has an imaginary friend at her age, telling her what to do? Even still, I went on trusting her perspective throughout the narrative, and came to some interesting plot twists and revelations as a result. 

I love Salama’s passion for her home country and the people she cares for. She is reluctant to leave both her war-stricken country and the people determined to defend it. Even when those she loves beg her to leave, she’s devastated to face such a decision. It’s rare to see such conviction in a narrator, so much so that it’s a conflict point of the narrative that I loved to explore. However, it doesn’t come off as ignorance or a lack of understanding of the situation. Salama knows she is in danger every moment she stays. But, she is staying to defend and care for those who can no longer do so for themselves. It’s really quite admirable. 

For romance lovers, there’s a spark between Kenan and Salama that many readers root for. I’m not a huge romance fan, but their bond and fondness for each other doesn’t dominate the narrative or take away from so many other amazing aspects of the book. So, I actually got on with it. Shocking, I know! You can’t help but want the best for the characters, even if the environment they are in makes believing it unlikely. I was behind these characters until the very end. At the end, I just HAD to listen to find out what happened! 

 

Setting 

One of the most beautiful aspects of this book is the descriptions and passion we see throughout Salama for her home country of Syria. I’m not versed in the details of the country or real events that inspire this narrative by any means. However, this book made me want to learn more. 

The situation Salama lives in is quite harrowing. War has driven her and her country to scarcity. Inadequate access to food and medicine puts Salama in a precarious position. She struggles to provide for herself, and the means with which to care for those who need it are fast running out. Even seeing humanity and her homeland in the most unimaginable state, she romanticises the country of her birth. Her home. Her family. Her heritage. It makes me really appreciate the circumstances I live in by comparison. And how lucky I am never to have lived through anything like it. 

 

Narrative Style 

I listened to the audiobook of As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow. In future, I plan to pick this up again either in paperback or digital format to read conventionally. The audiobook is fantastic by the way! Narrator Sarah Agha does an amazing job of taking the inspiring, passionate language of the author and translating it to the spoken word. She has done the book the utmost justice in her style and portrayal of the characters and events of the book. 

The fast-paced plot of As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow had me coming back consistently over the month or so it took me to listen to the story. For a book that approaches the difficult subjects of war, trauma and the tug of war between wanting to stay but feeling increasingly you need to leave, it’s an ‘easy’ listen. In terms of style, that is. The content pulls no punches… 

 

Summary 

Zoulfa Katouh wrote As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow to show readers what is happening in her home country of Syria every day. Rarely is such a raw picture of the depravity and devastation painted so plainly. Even more so, in a way that has me wanting to understand more by reading more around it! Zoulfa, you gave myself and so many other readers the strong feelings you hoped for. As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow is a fantastic read, deserving its 4.45 star average rating on Goodreads as of publishing today’s review. It’s a read I plan to read and break my heart over again in future. 

If you haven’t read it yet, take this as one of my strongest recommendations I can give. Pick up this book. Do it today. You won’t regret it! 

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Sunday Summary – 18th January 2026

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Somehow we’ve made it to the end of another weekend. Honestly, I feel like this week has flown! In today’s Sunday Summary, I have some great physical reading progress I’ve made this week to share. However, I also have my first DNF, but never mind! Before we get to that, let’s take a look at what I’ve posted on the blog.

My first post is a record of the ongoing series I’m currently reading and planning to continue with. I made this post to keep myself accountable with continuing with these series. I’ll be checking in with you guys with progress throughout the year. If you’re curious to see what I’m reading and which of these I’ll be prioritising this year, you can take a look at that post by following this link.

Next, I shared a New Year Book Tag for a bit of fun content. This tag looks at everything from bookish and non-bookish resolutions, to books I’m looking to prioritise this year. It’s a lighthearted post and will hopefully give you some insight in what my reading priorities will be in 2026. You can find that post here.

 

Books Read

Beyond Redemption 

When it comes to finishing Beyond Redemption, I didn’t quite get the finish I hoped for in last week’s Sunday Summary post. Instead, I finished this book on Tuesday.

Whilst Beyond Redemption is a perfectly okay read, unfortunately, it didn’t quite live up to my expectations. In the end, I found the pacing quite slow and it wasn’t the easiest of books for me to finish. The premise is a good idea and the plot is full of twists and turns to keep the reader engaged. It’s for this reason I did continue and finish with the book, but I won’t be continuing with the series.

 

Yellowface 

It made a refreshing change to pick up a contemporary book. Picking up a book by R.F. Kuang at a time where I’ve had some slow reads was the antidote I needed! 

In comparison to Beyond Redemption, which I have been reading on and off for the last month, I finished Yellowface in a matter of days. Yesterday, I took advantage of downtime at the weekend and I blitzed 190 pages, which is about 55%, to get a finish on this book. And do you know what, it was no effort at all. I couldn’t help but read chapter after chapter to find out where events were going to take us! 

Whilst the main character of the book isn’t exactly likeable for what she does, it’s compelling to see what happens to her and watch her downfall. Like I said, Yellowface was the antidote I needed to a bit of a slow start with some of my recent reads. I’m glad I picked it up when I did because with any luck, it can help me pick up the pace for the rest of January. 

 

The Courage to be Disliked 

On my TBR, I had planned to pick up a book by Helene Brenner called I Know I’m in There Somewhere. However, it has proven to be very difficult to get a copy of this book! So much so, I have decided to switch this self-help non-fiction for an alternative that I can read pretty easily. That book is The Courage to be Disliked. 

I’ve borrowed this book digitally from my library so I can discuss my thoughts on it in our workplace January book club meet. Thankfully, this month I set a self-help or learning theme to the reading so it’s not the end of the world I’ve had to swap the book.

Ultimately, I didn’t get that far into my read of The Courage to be Disliked. I have to say, it didn’t really grab my attention and the novelty of a dialogue narrative wore off quickly. I gave the book until just after 20% before DNF’ing. I’d rather focus my efforts on a book I don’t think I have to struggle through. 

So, I’ve already racked up my first DNF in January! Whilst I haven’t started it yet, I’ve swapped this book (again) for Notes on a Nervous Planet by Matt Haig. Fingers crossed I have better luck starting this one later tonight 🤞🏻

 

Books Discovered

Last week I added some new releases to my TBR, but didn’t disclose those as I was announcing them as part of a content piece on YouTube. Whilst I was going to publish that this week, I was a little delayed in making the edits to the video. As a result, that is going live on Monday. So, I’ll announce those reads in next week Sunday Summary update ☺️

I have added one more book to the reading list based on a conversation with Izzy at work this week. It’s her current read, A History of Women in 101 Objects. She recommended it to me as she’s really enjoying it so far. 

 

Coming Up… 

So, what should you expect next week content-wise? 

On the blog, I’ve got a review of a fantastic audiobook I listened to and loved in 2023 lined up for you. The title – As Long As the Lemon Trees Grow by Zoulfa Katou. 

On Friday, I’ll continue my review of my TBR and share why I’m excited to pick up the next read on my list. The book I’m featuring is a psychological thriller with a technological twist – a computer genius accessing their murdered housemates digital memories to find her killer.  

Finally, I’ll be back with a Sunday Summary this time next week. Fingers crossed I’ll have as much in the way of reading progress as I’ve achieved this week 🤞🏻

On YouTube, I’m publishing a post I planned for this week – six new releases I’m excited for in 2026. Next, I’ve got my first recorded video review for a more recent read, Orbital by Samantha Harvey. 

 

Summary 

That’s all from me in today’s Sunday Summary instalment. What have you read this week? 

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Sunday Summary – 11th January 2026

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Happy Sunday one and all, welcome to my latest Sunday summary instrument, where I update you on all things book here at Reviewsfeed. I hope you’ve had a fabulous week, however you have spent it.

How have I spent this first full week of 2026? The answer is trying something entirely new. For the first time ever, I psyched myself up to not only record, but also to edit and post videos of myself on YouTube. It’s something I’ve wanted to try for a while now, but never quite plucked up the courage to do it. This week, I shared my 2026 resolutions and my January TBR. Both of those videos went live on YouTube, but I also shared summary posts with links to each video on the blog.

My YouTube videos can be found by following the links to my 2026 Resolutions video and January TBR here. If you would prefer to read my summaries on my blog, here are the links to my 2026 resolutions summary post and January TBR post here. 

 

Books Read

The Doors of Midnight 

Listening progress with The Doors of Midnight has been slower than I’d intended when I shared my last Sunday Summary update. This week, I have listened to a total of three hours of this audiobook. 

Admittedly, I didn’t listen very much during the week. Instead, I found myself turning to music a little bit more than I normally do, but that’s okay! I still enjoyed listening to the audiobook progress that I have, but I still have a good way to go with this audio before I can mark it complete.

 

Beyond Redemption 

This week I’ve been progressing with Beyond Redemption by Michael Fletcher. I was hoping for a completion today, but I’ve been doing some DIY this weekend and then I had technical issues with recording next week’s videos. As a result, I’ve not had quite as much reading time as I’d have liked. However, I’m pushing for a finish after this post goes live tonight 😌

 

Books Discovered

I have added a new book to my reading list this week. However, in the spirit of not spoiling my upcoming anticipated 2026 releases content, I’ll detail these next week. 

 

Coming Up… 

My first and biggest content piece going live next week is a review of all the current series I’ve made partial progress with and plan to continue. I’m sharing this to hold myself accountable to continuing with these in 2026. I’ll update you on these later in the year – so fingers crossed I have progress to share! 

Next, I’ve recorded a New Year Book Tag. I saw this over on Misty’s Book Space and thought this would be a fun, casual post to share 😊

Next, I’ve got six 2026 anticipated releases to share with you in my final video of the week. I hope you’re as excited to see these as I am to feature them! 

Finally, this time next week I’m back with another Sunday Summary. Given my lofty reading goals for January, let’s hope I have more progress to share in next week’s update! 

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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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Sunday Summary – 4th January 2026

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

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

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

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

 

Books Read

 

The Doors of Midnight 

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

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

 

Orbital

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

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

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

 

Books Discovered

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

I’ll take this as good news 🥳

 

Coming Up… 

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

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

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

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

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Monthly Wrap-Up – December 2025

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Happy New Year friends and welcome to my last monthly wrap-up of 2025! In today’s post I take a look at reading progress in December 2025. In summary, I didn’t touch much of my December TBR. Once my reading obligations were over and I’d completed my Goodreads Reading Challenge, my brain kinda switched off. 

Nevertheless, I have some progress to share and after a slow, steady festive period and end of the month I’m ready to get back into it! 

 

Books Read 

 

Death of a Billionaire 

Early in December I had a blog tour obligation to review Death of a Billionaire by Tucker May. With a number of ongoing books from the end of November, I had to pick up and finish this one pretty quickly. 

One light night and a review later, I safely ticked Death of a Billionaire off the list. It’s a fun, humorous murder mystery and I enjoyed the lighter tone. If you want to take a look at this for yourself, here’s a link to my review. 

 

Empire of the Dawn

A book I made slow progress with in December was Empire of the Dawn. Unfortunately, this book wasn’t working for me as I had hoped. It’s a chunky book, and I think having the limitation of a heavy, hardback copy is the primary reason I struggled to pick this up. 

Unfortunately, I couldn’t get an alternative copy of this book to carry on in another format without additional cost. After trying p persevere with it a little longer, I ultimately soft DNF’d it partway through the month. I love the series and where the story is going so far, so I WILL absolutely revisit this one in the near future! 

 

A Crucible of Souls

I wrapped up listening to A Crucible of Souls mid-month after starting the book in November. Overall, I enjoyed this fantasy book and it was a decent recommendation I picked up as part of a ChatGPT recommendations challenge I started a few months ago. 

However, I did finish this book a little disappointed. The book has a lot of detail and an engaging storyline. That said, the book is very light on explanation or backstory on Caldan so we finish the book with as many, if not more questions, than when we started. 

No doubt the rest of the series would catch up with this intel later. I, however, have decided not to continue with it.

 

Beyond Redemption 

The final book I have picked up towards my ChatGPT recommendations challenge is Beyond Redemption. Admittedly, progress on this book was also light in December. 

In total, I made it 15% into the book. I initially started reading it on my phone at the hairdressers during my appointment mid-month. However, I prefer to read digital books on my kindle and don’t get it charged up till much later in the month. Also, I’d hit my lull by this point despite enjoying what I’ve read to date. With my Goodreads Challenge for 2025 exceeded, my brain switched off from reading and turned to craft projects and downtime instead. 

So, Beyond Redemption will be carried forward into January. To get my reading mojo back I’ve started a short read today. Once that’s done though, I’m going to launch into Beyond Redemption full force. I’m excited to see where this grimdark fantasy takes us.

 

The Housemaid is Watching

Where progress with physical and digital books has been on the slow side this December, today’s monthly wrap-up features far better news on audiobook progress! 

After listening to The Housemaid’s Secret last month, I added The Housemaid is Watching to my December TBR as a contribution to completing my 2025 resolution of finishing 10 series. 

Thankfully, listening to The Housemaid is Watching proved as compulsive as its predecessor. I listened to the entirety of this audiobook in just a few days – a complete change from the lethargy that I have to hold my hands up to otherwise in this monthly wrap-up! 

 

The Doors of Midnight 

Another audiobook I made great progress with in December, but inevitably I’m carrying over into January, is The Doors of Midnight by R.R. Virdi. 

I listened to around 10 hours worth of audio in December (at x1.15 speed for this one, so about 8 1/2 hours of actual listening time). However, as of today, 1st January, I still have 35hrs and 8mins (30hrs 30mins at x1.15 speed) to go! This book is over 800 pages long, so I didn’t really expect completion by the end of December. Still, it was an attempt towards my series completion 2025 resolution. I can’t knock myself given I gave it a good go! 

Now that I’m immersed back into Ari’s life and escapades, I’m excited for this carryover to hopefully be one of my first highly-rated completions of 2026. 

 

Summary 

Audiobooks saved the day again! Whilst I expected this monthly wrap-up to be short (given a lack of reading progress in the second half of December), I haven’t got much to complain about. I picked up a good few, even if they didn’t result in a green, shiny tick before 31st December. 

What was your final read of December? Did you meet your 2025 reading resolutions? I’ll be deep-diving into my progress on last year’s reading resolutions in the next day or two. I hope you can stick around for that! ☺️

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Sunday Summary – 28th December 2025

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

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

 

Books Read

The Doors of Midnight 

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

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

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

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

 

Beyond Redemption 

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

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

 

Books Discovered

 

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

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

 

Coming Up… 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Sunday Summary – 21st December 2025

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

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

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

 

Books Read

The Housemaid is Watching 

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

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

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

 

The Doors of Midnight 

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

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

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

 

Books Discovered

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

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

 

Coming Up… 

So, what’s coming up next week?

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

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

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

What are you currently reading? 

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