Tag: fantasy

Sunday Summary – 15th February 2026

Posted on February 15, 2026 by fantasyst95

Today’s Sunday Summary comes after a busy week. Both work and blog deadlines took their toll, so I’ve deliberately enjoyed a more relaxed weekend!

Early in the week, I started off my blog with a post about books that inspired me to pick up another read. These are less obvious choices rather than sequels to series ands the like. I’ve got three books and what they inspired me to read next if you’re interested. Next, my deadline for reviewing Grace fell on Thursday. It was a pleasure to review this horror novel and launch the tour on a very positive note 😊

Over on YouTube, I published a review of my first 5* read of the year, Yellowface by R.F. Kuang. Later in the week, details of the Goodreads Winter Challenge I’m looking to complete before 31st March! It’s the first time I’m pushing myself to complete one of these. However, with five of twelve achievements under my belt, there’s no reason I can’t achieve it.. .

The Shelf Control that stayed in drafts last week by accident also didn’t get published this week, but for an entirely different reason. All I have to do is make it live and share the link. However, I unfortunately had to work overtime on Friday and didn’t finish until quite late. After a busy week and then that on top, I decided to just let that post roll to next week. You understand, yes?

Books Read

Dreams from my Father

When I shared last week’s Sunday Summary, I disclosed I had just over 3 hours left of the audiobook of Dreams from my Father to go. Admittedly I finished this on Monday this week. Having enjoyed the audiobook to date, I was keen to reach the conclusion and that shows in how I devoured the last part of the book.

Dreams from my Father lived up to my expectations. After reading and being pleasantly surprised my A Promised Land, I was excited to delve more into Barack’s personal history and story. It did not disappoint. The book is insightful and somewhat emphasises his priorities as a person and why he stands for the things he does. I had no idea he had lived in Indonesia for a stretch of his childhood, or the path that could have taken him away from the life he lived as we know it.

Very interesting book – I’m glad I read it!

Grace

Another finish on Monday was Grace by A.M. Shine. This shouldn’t come as a surprise, as I needed to prioritise this to share my review on Thursday.

This horror was totally atmospheric and I loved the small town, dark and supernatural tale. It was twistier than I expected! A fun read, a different read, and one I’d recommend to all fans of the genre. If you want to find out more, my review is live and ready to read here should you want to take a look. Pretty please? 😅

Dear Debbie

My planned audiobook listen, which I’ve picked up earlier in the week is Dear Debbie.

Having enjoyed the Housemaid series in audiobook format, it made sense to me to read this one in the same way! Also, as I have a number of physical and digital books to read this month, it helped the book fit into my schedule.

I’ve enjoyed the start of this books far, through I wouldn’t call that a surprise. The sarcasm the protagonist shined through in her Dear Debbie column. I love it, and can’t wait to listen on how the story progresses. I’m putting a small pause on it, because I need to prioritise a library loan listen I picked up opportunistically…

An Offer From a Gentleman

A spur of the moment listen is Julia Quinn’s An Offer From a Gentleman. You may recall I read The Duke and I and DNF’d The Viscount Who Loved Me. After that DNF, I didn’t think I would continue with the series. However, with Bridgerton back on Netflix, I decided to listen to this as I watched the show. I’ve overtaken the series already, having only watched the first episode and most of the second. However, I’m doing alright with this audiobook so far…

I’ve just extended my loan as the audiobook was due to return on Tuesday. Whilst I managed to listen to over a third of this audiobook yesterday (36%), I’m not going to get a solid opportunity to listen like that before Tuesday. I’ve extended a week, so I can hopefully listen whilst commuting and maybe at the gym throughout the week and finish it next Saturday.

For a person who doesn’t love romance, I’m not doing bad right now. It goes to show I can read the genre when I put my mind to it…

Throne of Glass

My final read of the week also pushes me out of my comfort zone. I’ve never read Sarah J Maas before. However, I’ll wax lyrical about my being a diverse reader and picking up a variety of books, so why not?! I’m actually reading this for book club later this month. It’s one of two reads I’m picking up to discuss in this month’s club, but this is the book I have a copy of right now. The other is on order 😊

So far, I confess to being pleasantly surprised by Throne of Glass. I’ll hold my hands up and admit I’ve gone into the book with a big question mark over whether I’ll like it. However, as of this Sunday Summary I’m 26% into the book and actually enjoying it!

I’ve not hit any of the romance aspect of the book yet, although I have my suspicion as to who it’ll be with. Otherwise through, Throne of Glass is proving quite readable and I’m keen to progress with this one to give more of an update in next week’s Sunday Summary.

Books Discovered

The last few weeks I’ve been trickling books onto the TBR. I figured I needed to give it a rest, otherwise this list of mine is never going to go down!

No new books this week… but I make no promises for next 😅📚

Coming Up…

Blog

My blogging adventures next week begin with a Top Ten Tuesday post. This week’s topic is ‘Books for Armchair Travellers’. I suspect my version of this topic will weigh a little heavy in historical fiction books, but I will of course try to diversify with genres as best I can.

The infamously late Shelf Control post will go live next week, even if I have to schedule it in advance! I might do that actually, so then there is LITERALLY. NO. EXCUSE.

Then, of course, we all know I’ll round up my latest reading updates in another Sunday Summary. Same time next week. Set your watches.

YouTube

I’ve got two long-form videos lined up, as well as some shorts and other social media content planned. The first of those two videos is my next book review from my 2026 January TBR (Notes on a Nervous Planet). Later in the week, I’ve got some book recommendations for Game of Thrones fans looking for alternative series whilst we wait for George R.R. Martin’s next instalment!

That’s plenty to update you with in this Sunday Summary – I’ll let you get on with the rest of your day, but not before you tell me what you’re currently reading ⏬

Sunday Summary – 8th February 2026

Posted on February 8, 2026 by fantasyst95

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?

Throne of Glass Readalong!

Posted on February 2, 2026 by fantasyst95

***Today’s Throne of Glass readalong announcement 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***

I’m excited but also a bit nervous to announce that starting this February, I’m hosting a readalong and reviewing Sarah J Maas Throne of Glass series! I teased this post yesterday in my Sunday Summary – did you have any guesses as to the author/series?

I have not read a single book by Sarah J Maas yet. As someone who doesn’t typically read books with heavy romance sub-plots, Throne of Glass is likely to push me well out of my comfort zone. I’m looking forward to it! I am the reader I am today because I make the effort to read books that push my boundaries. Who knows, I may discover a new favourite and agree with the widely popular opinion that these books are amazing!

If you like to join readalongs in forum format, I’m hosting on both Fable and StoryGraph. Well be reading one book a month. It starts off pretty light, but towards the end of the series the books get chunkier. We’ll see how progress goes! If you want to follow along with my progress on YouTube, I’ll post updates on where I’m up to with the books throughout the month!

Reading Schedule

Throne of Glass – Book 1

Pages: 406

Reading Dates: February 2026

Review: March 2026

Goodreads

Amazon Purchase Link

Crown of Midnight – Book 2

Pages: 420

Reading Dates: March 2026

Review: April 2026

Goodreads

Amazon Purchase Link

Heir of Fire – Book 3

Pages: 576

Reading Dates: April 2026

Review: May 2026

Goodreads

Amazon Purchase Link

Queen of Shadows – Book 4

Pages: 689

Reading Dates: May 2026

Review: June 2026

Goodreads

Amazon Purchase Link

Empire of Storms – Book 5

Pages: 733

Reading Dates: June 2026

Review: July 2026

Goodreads

Amazon Purchase Link

Tower of Dawn – Book 6

Pages: 688

Reading Dates: July 2026

Review: August 2026

Goodreads

Amazon Purchase Link

Kingdom of Ash – Book 7

Pages: 984

Reading Dates: August 2026

Review: September 2026

Goodreads

Amazon Purchase Link

Are you joining?

If you haven’t read Throne of Glass yet, are you going to join my Throne of Glass readalong?

If you have read it, are you re-reading the series or following along with progress on YouTube?

Get your copy of Throne of Glass and join along with me!

Sunday Summary – 1st February 2026

Posted on February 1, 2026 by fantasyst95

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?

Monthly Wrap-Up – January 2026

Posted on January 31, 2026 by fantasyst95

***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

Amazon Purchase Link

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

Amazon Purchase Link

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?

Blog Tour Review: Dark Chronicles – Karmen Spiljak

Posted on January 27, 2026January 26, 2026 by fantasyst95

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

Posted on January 25, 2026 by fantasyst95

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 😌

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

Posted on January 21, 2026 by fantasyst95

***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!

Sunday Summary – 18th January 2026

Posted on January 18, 2026 by fantasyst95

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?

Sunday Summary – 11th January 2026

Posted on January 11, 2026 by fantasyst95

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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