Tag: fantasyst95

Sunday Summary – 15th March 2026

Posted on March 15, 2026 by fantasyst95

Good evening all – I hope you’re looking forward to this latest Sunday Summary update. Whereas the last few weeks have been a little bit crazy, this week I’ve enjoyed some downtime. I’ve enjoyed a week off work with the other half, and we’ve made the most bit by doing as little as possible! Well, that’s not strictly true. We’ve enjoyed going out at leisure, and we made most of some great weather on Wednesday this week and went for walk on an 8 1/2 mile course. Needless to say, I felt that afterwards…

Although my downtime has taken priority this week, that’s not to say I’ve sacrificed content production. Here on the blog, I’ve still written and posted a book review of The House on the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune, as well as a First Lines Friday instalment. This week’s feature was by an author I read as recently as February… and she has a sizeable backlist I had to choose from. Can you guess who?

On YouTube, I’ve also published two videos with you this week. My first video of the week was a short list of fantasy series I want to start (or in some cases restart) in 2026. The second of my videos was also a review. This was for The Great Passage by Shion Muira which went live yesterday.

Books Read

Throne of Glass

Unfortunately, I didn’t get to finish my readalong of Thrones of Glass before the end of February. As of last week’s Sunday Summary, I was around 60% into the narrative. I made a real push to finish this book this week. With my plan to pick up the sequel, Crown of Midnight in March, I needed to finish this first book so I can move on.

Admittedly, I enjoyed this book more than I anticipated! For a book with romantic sub-plots, that aspect of the narrative didn’t dominate the plot and/or take away from the fantasy elements of the storyline. When you think Sarah J. Maas, you think romance. That’s what I went into the book expecting, but in reality the balance is far more suitable to my preference of not too much romance.

I’m glad I took my sister’s advice with this series to try this author with. It was the right choice, and I’m keen to get stuck in with this second book ASAP.

An Arcane Inheritance

As of last week’s Sunday Summary, I was only a few chapters into An Arcane Inheritance. Over the course of this week, progress has picked up a little and I listened to about 3 hours, or around 25% taking into account the x1.25 speed I’m listening to. Not bad, considering I’ve not really had as much solo time and therefore opportunity to listen. I’ve made up for the lack of solo commutes and gym listening time by instead listening before turning in at night. Overall, it’s worked reasonably well. I did have to go back a couple of chapters one night; I fell asleep unusually quickly that night…

Now I’m further into the book, I’ve got a better feel of the narrative direction and I like where it’s going. I’m intrigued by the magic, symbolism and occult vibes plaguing Ellory. There’s definitely a mystery to unravel here and I can’t wait to listen on to figure out more. As far as the dark academia genre experience is going, I’m loving revisiting the genre. The character dynamic between Ellory and Hudson is more tolerable than the early chapters. Well, at least a bit healthier. A bit…

1984

Whilst not strictly contributing to any breeding challenge books, 1984 is on my fixed reading list for 2026 as I set out in my 2026 resolutions. Not only that, but the companion book I want to read alongside it, Julia, does qualify for the Goodreads 2026 Winter challenge. Before I go into that retelling, I want to pick up 1984 and refresh myself on the original world as set out by George Orwell.

As of this Sunday Summary, I am currently 126 pages into the book. I’ve enjoyed reading all of the setup in the first section of the book to appreciate the detail and nuances of the dystopian world. When reading these books over a stretch of time, it’s easy to forget the details. That’s precisely why I wanted to pick up the original 1984 novel first before reading the retelling on my March TBR. Although this is my third read of the book, I’m not bored with revisiting the book. I had sizeable chunks of time between the re-reads so it doesn’t feel repetitive.

Wild Dark Shore

A priority read on this Sunday Summary was starting and finishing Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy.

I had a notification from Libby that my digital download of this library loan was due earlier today. By the time I looked at this notification, I had just over two days left to read the book. But, unfortunately I was unable to extend my loan. How dare other people want to read the same book as me and put a hold on it, right?! 😅

So, with all due haste, I started and finished this 298 page book in a relatively short time. Thankfully, this book and its mystery is very compulsively readable. Did I read it a little quicker than I would have in other circumstances? Probably yes. However, I was gripped by the storyline and having the deadline didn’t jeopardise my enjoyment of the book.

I have to say, this book wasn’t quite what I expected. However, it was also a little bit better. It was very cleverly written, which is what I expected. The storyline and The mystery were a bit of a different angle than I anticipated, but that’s okay! It was nice to be surprised and it helped overall with my wanting to pick up this book.

The good news is, reading Wild Dark Shore contributes to 2 Goodreads achievements this week. I’m now 8 out of 12 achievements in towards the Goodreads 2026 Winter challenge.

Books Discovered

Thankfully, this week I’ve ticked a couple of books off my list and there are no new additions. I’ve added quite a few books to the TBR of late. This week, I haven’t added anything new, so I’m making progress back towards the 200 books mark.

Interestingly, I caught a bit of a milestone when looking at my books recorded on Goodreads. According to my Goodreads records, I’ve got a total of 500 different books ‘Read’ 🎊🎉

Coming Up…

If you were salty with me for revelling in being off work this week, you can laugh now. I’m back to the daily grind in less than 12 hours, and it promises to be busy! Still, it’s no excuse and I won’t be slacking off of content creation…

Blog

On the blog next week, I’ll be taking a look at the longest of books nominated for the 2026 Booker Prize. The list was published last month, and reviewing whether each book is something I want to read or not. I’ve never paid much attention to this list before, so it could be fun. If there are enough books I want to read, maybe I’ll make a readalong or some kind of challenge to incorporate these into my reading list later this year.

On Friday, my usual Shelf Control feature will go live and share a non-fiction about one of my favourite tv series (based on books, obviously). It’s one I’ve been looking forward to getting to, so it’ll be fun to share this on Friday and get psyched to pick up the book!

YouTube

I’ve recorded two videos today that I’ll edit and push out next week. The first of these is my review of Throne of Glass. I wanted to document my thoughts on this first book of the series before I get stuck in to Crown of Midnight. That way, my view can’t be coloured by what I’ve ready later.

Later in the week, I’ve got a list of dystopian book recommendations if you enjoy books like 1984. In this video, I share what these dystopian books are about, as well as their similarities and differences compared to 1984. Hopefully in this video you can find a recommendation of a new book to pick up.

Summary

This Sunday Summary is a sizeable update. If you’re still with me – thanks for sticking around!

Have you read any of the books featured today? If not, what are you currently reading?

First Lines Friday – 13/03/2026

Posted on March 13, 2026 by fantasyst95

***Today’s First Lines Friday 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.***

When I shared my plan for this First Lines Friday in my Sunday Summary, I challenged myself to feature an author I’ve read recently. This author featured on my February TBR.

Why not read the below opening lines and see if you can guess the author!

“Can you please tell us what happened, Mrs. Cass?” “Am I under arrest?”

“Why do you ask that?”

“I know what you found. I know what you must be thinking.”

“What do you think we found, Mrs. Cass?”

“A… a dead body.”

“And can you explain how this happened?”

“I…”

“Mrs. Cass?”

“Am I under arrest? Please just tell me.”

The Perfect Son – Freida McFadden

Genre: Thriller

Pages: 320

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Hollywood Upstairs Press

Publication Date: 08 Oct 2019

Goodreads – The Perfect Son

Amazon Purchase Link

All families have secrets. But some secrets are deadly.

Erika Cass has a perfect family and a perfect life. Until one quiet evening, two detectives show up at her front door.

“Mrs. Cass, we were hoping your son could answer a few questions about the girl who disappeared last night…”

A high school girl has vanished from their quiet neighbourhood, and the police suspect the worst. Erika’s teenage son, Liam, was the last person to see the girl alive.

Erika has always sensed something… different in her seemingly perfect oldest child. He’s charming, smart, and popular, but mothers have the best instincts. Erika knows there’s more to her son than meets the eye.

She wants to believe he’s innocent, but as the evidence mounts, she can’t deny the truth? Liam may have done the unthinkable.

My Thoughts…

When I planned this First Lines Friday, I knew I wanted to feature Freida McFadden. I was introduced to her through her Housemaid series. They’re highly popular books, but there is also a film on the first book now if you want to try her work that way.

In my Highly Anticipated Releases of 2026 video, I shared my first read and release of the year to look at was a Freida McFadden book. The title? Dear Debbie. This read went down every bit as well as I expected. My review will follow on YouTube soon, so if you want to look out for that, I’d suggest subscribing so you get notified when it comes out.

Needless to say, now I’ve read and loved the latest release by Freida, I’m free to explore her backlist. I sampled a few books before deciding on today’s First Lines Friday feature. All sounded good, but this one had the most gripping intro for the purpose of this post. I also looked at Never Lie and Want to Know a Secret. Over time, I plan to read all of these…

Have you read The Perfect Son or one of the MANY other reads by Freida McFadden?

Don’t forget, you can support me as a creator and follow this purchase link to get yourself a copy. 😊 If you want to read and discuss the book, let me know you want to buddy read!

Thanks for checking out today’s First Lines Friday, and I’ll see you in my next post!

Book Review: The House in the Cerulean Sea – T.J. Klune

Posted on March 11, 2026 by fantasyst95

***Today’s review of The House in the Cerulean Sea 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 House in the Cerulean Sea is a cosy fantasy I tried and didn’t expect to love as much as I did. After reading rave reviews on this queer fantasy book, I knew I had to give it a go. And you know what, I’m glad I did! The protagonist of this book is someone I didn’t think I’d end up rooting for, yet I was pleasantly surprised. The House in the Cerulean Sea is heartwarming, both for the kids at the orphanage and the adults too.

The House in the Cerulean Sea – T.J. Klune

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 394

Audience: Young Adult

Publisher: Tor Books

Publication Date: 16 Mar 2020

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Purchase Link

Goodreads – The House in the Cerulean Sea

A magical island. A dangerous task. A burning secret.

Linus Baker leads a quiet, solitary life. At forty, he lives in a tiny house with a devious cat and his old records. As a Case Worker at the Department in Charge of Magical Youth, he spends his days overseeing the well-being of children in government-sanctioned orphanages.

When Linus is unexpectedly summoned by Extremely Upper Management, he’s given a curious and highly classified assignment: travel to Marsyas Island Orphanage, where six dangerous children reside: a gnome, a sprite, a wyvern, an unidentifiable green blob, a were-Pomeranian, and the Antichrist. Linus must set aside his fears and determine whether or not they’re likely to bring about the end of days.

But the children aren’t the only secret the island keeps. Their caretaker is the charming and enigmatic Arthur Parnassus, who will do anything to keep his wards safe. As Arthur and Linus grow closer, long-held secrets are exposed, and Linus must make a choice: destroy a home or watch the world burn.

An enchanting story, masterfully told, The House in the Cerulean Sea is about the profound experience of discovering an unlikely family in an unexpected place—and realising that family is yours.

My Thoughts

Plot

The House in the Cerulean Sea is a largely character-driven book. But the overarching plot of sending Linus Baker to Marsyas is the foundation for this deeply personal narrative. What the plot lacks in action, it makes up for in the personal stories of the young individuals at the orphanage, and Linus’s realisation that his interpretation of the orphanage and the reality of the familial dynamic of the group.

Characters

When we start The House in the Cerulean Sea, Linus isn’t exactly the kind of character that’s easy to root for. Mr Corporate with a capital C, armed with a checklist and a black-and-white view of right from wrong. When he’s sent on a mission to oversee a high-risk orphanage to determine its fate, little does he know his life and world will be turned upside down.

Unlike Linus, the residents of the orphanage are totally charming. These children, with supernatural abilities, are quirky, unusual, and desperate to find their own place in the world. For some characters, that’s harder than others. Take the Antichrist. He’s a volatile character with the explosive temper of a toddler. However, Arthur Parnassus is the expert at moderating his behaviour. Linus is naturally sceptical at first. However, his time at the orphanage makes him confront that the corporate checklist doesn’t work in reality.

Linus undergoes a transformation from the corporate lackey he starts the book as. It’s heartwarming to see the influence getting to know and love the children has on Linus. Arthur also contributes significantly to Linus’s change of view. They develop a bond over the book, which absolutely holds the promise of more. It’s tame, as romances go, but the underlying feelings are entirely tangible. I hope it’s explored more in Somewhere Beyond the Sea.

Setting

The orphanage, based on a remote island and surrounded by the sea, is a magical version of home. It’s cosy, safe. Well, mostly. When Linus visits the orphanage, we appreciate it through the eyes of a man who has lived in a bland terraced house in the city. It’s strange and far from home, but its charms work their magic on Linus. And us readers! It’s the perfect cosy setting. Away from the rest of the world, it helps centre the attention on the small lives of the children at the orphanage. Their hopes. Their dreams of fitting in to a world in which they are not welcome.

The sheltered existence the children is tragic, but they have the capacity to make the most of it. It really goes to show the best of humanity. Well, sort of…

Narrative Style

The House in the Cerulean Sea is one of the easiest reads I’ve picked up. Not only is its heartwarming coziness compelling, but the easy narrative style helps the pages fly by!

At a fraction under 400 pages, The House in the Cerulean Sea isn’t an overlong read. Even still, the way in which the book is written makes the picking up of this book easier. With no-nonsense, plain English, the fanciful premise isn’t dressed up or complicated. On the contrary, these mystical beings are humanised in every interaction and reaction to their surroundings.

I read The House in the Cerulean Sea pretty quickly, and it’s not a genre I pick up frequently. Nevertheless, I made pretty quick progress and picked this up on several occasions. I wanted to read this book and actively enjoyed reaching for it to see what happened next!

Summary

The House in the Cerulean Sea was a fun, cosy read. It’s been a few years since I read this first cosy, personal tale, but I’m going to pick up the sequel hopefully soon!

Sunday Summary – 8th March 2026

Posted on March 8, 2026 by fantasyst95

This week, my Sunday Summary is the conclusion of a busy week, but also the start of some well-earned time off. The first quarter of the year is our busiest period anyway. For some additional reasons this year, when I go back to work, we will be under a little bit more pressure than usual. However, that is future Rebecca‘s problem. Instead, I’m only going to be looking forward to the weekend ahead where I don’t really have much in the way of plans. That’s what I’m looking forward to!

However, we’re not here to look at the week ahead so much as to recap the week I’ve just had. There will be more on what’s coming up over the next week later on this Sunday Summary instalment. For now though, let’s recap the content I’ve shared this week and they’re getting into the books I’ve read.

Blog

My first blog post of the week was my February monthly wrap-up. All and all, I’m pretty happy with the reading progress I made in February. For the shortest month of the year, I pulled it out of the bag in terms of getting ahead with my Goodreads reading challenge for the year by completing seven books. I can only hope to take this forward into March, as I said to myself the most ambitious TBR to date, which I shared later in the week.

On Friday, I shared my 101st instalment of my Shelf Control feature. In this week’s post, I shared details of a spy thriller I added to my TBR after loving a psychological thriller by a new to meet author at the time. I read that first book about six years ago now, so it’s time to get around to this latest book on my reading list.

YouTube

Over on YouTube, I also shared video editions of my February wrap-up and my monthly TBR if you want to go and watch/listen to these rather than read my posts. I get it, sometimes that’s easier…

Books Read

Throne of Glass

In my Sunday Summary posts over the last couple of weeks, there hasn’t been much movement on Throne of Glass.

I am pleased to say that in this week’s Sunday Summary, I have made significantly more progress. And you know what, I’m getting on well with this storyline. I am coming up 60% through this book as of this Sunday Summary, and I’m still really getting on with the narrative. It’s proving easy to read, with an engaging, world-building plot line and a main character I’m getting on with more than I expected. Celaena has an intriguing backstory that I know I won’t really get to explore watching this book. However, I have been reassured it comes up later and I can’t wait to get there.

For now, there is a mystery element to the plot line I’m looking forward to exploring. Why do so many people turn up dead, and what is behind the brutal murders? I’m not yet sure, but the implied supernatural links have me intrigued and I can’t wait to see how this plays out!

An Arcane Inheritance

This week, I’ve also started listening to An Arcane Inheritance by Kamilah Cole. This book is exciting to me for two reasons – the first is that it fits The Black Heritage prompt for the Goodreads 2026 Winter Challenge. The second reason is that in reading this narrative, I get to go back to her genre I haven’t read much of late – dark academia.

Whilst I am enjoying the book so far, the rivalry going on between Ellory and Hudson is dangerous. I have seen the consequences of similar competitive dynamics before, and it wasn’t pretty. It’s not great for the mental health of those involved. So, whilst I can recognise it for what it is, I would stress that this kind of relationship should NEVER be romanticised. I feel like it is a little in this novel, so I’m taking it with a pinch of salt.

That said, I’m enjoying where the book is going so far and I’m intrigued by the magic intertwined in the narrative. I’m not sure yet what abilities Ellory has that lands her in locations she does not recognise, or the significance of this. However, I have no doubt this will be explored in more detail throughout the book. It’s early days yet – I’m only a few chapters into this book as of this Sunday Summary. I’m looking forward to listening to more of this next week.

Books Discovered

The other half made a dangerous suggestion of going for a look in Waterstones earlier today. It was double-stamp weekend in celebration of World Book Day if you have a loyalty card. So, I said why the heck not?!

Armed with gift vouchers, I came out with three titles. Two of these were on my TBR already. I recently read Matt Haig’s Notes on a Nervous Planet and added Reasons to Stay Alive to my TBR after completing that book. Also added recently on the recommendation of a work colleague is a book called A Fatal Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. I happened to spot this book whilst I was in the bookshop, so picked it up with my vouchers.

Finally, a book caught my attention whilst I was browsing that I have not yet added to my reading list until today. That book is called Fall of Civilisations by Paul Cooper. I love the idea of exploring how very different civilisations across the globe have left hints as to their downfall. Do people who have no knowledge of each other go through the same experience? Is there anything in common spanning the different continents and timelines that led to do their demise?

I believe this book stems from a podcast, so that’s one to explore as well!

Coming Up…

Blog

Early doors next week, I’m sharing a long overdue review. Cozy fantasy fans… you’ll want to check out this one. This week, I’m reviewing The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune. For a book I wasn’t sure about when I picked it up, it was a fabulous read!

Later in the week, I’ll be back with a First Lines Friday. This time, I will set myself a challenge to make this post interesting. First next week’s instalment, I’ll feature an author I’ve read very recently. This author has a decent backlist, so I should have plenty to choose from.

Of course, last but not least, I’ll return with another Sunday Summary at the end of next week. With a week off work to unwind, I’m optimistic that I can make a dent in my March TBR…

YouTube

I’ll all be reviewing a book on YouTube, but this week’s feature is a far more recent read. Tomorrow, I’ll record my thoughts on The Great Passage by Shion Muira; I can’t wait to tell you more about this contemporary read.

Later in the week, I’m planning to share a list of fantasy series I’d like to start (or restart) in 2026. As my favourite genre by far, it shouldn’t be a surprise that I want to pick up more!

Summary

I’ve enjoyed catching you up in today’s Sunday Summary with my latest reading updates. With my upcoming week off work, I’m hopeful for a lot of reading progress. I need to make it work to get through the sizeable list…

What is your current read?

Monthly TBR – March 2026

Posted on March 5, 2026 by fantasyst95

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

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

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

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

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

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

Fixed Reads

Throne of Glass

Goodreads

Amazon Purchase Link

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

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

Rose Red

Goodreads

Amazon Purchase Link

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

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

Storm of Mercia

Goodreads

Amazon Purchase Link

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

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

Wild Dark Shore

Goodreads

Amazon Purchase Link

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

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

1984

Goodreads

Amazon Purchase Link

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

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

Julia

Goodreads

Amazon Purchase Link

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

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

A Study in Scarlet Women

Goodreads

Amazon Purchase Link

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

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

An Arcane Inheritance

Goodreads

Amazon Purchase Link

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

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

Looking at Women Looking at War

Goodreads

Amazon Purchase Link

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

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

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

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

Crown of Midnight

Goodreads

Amazon Purchase Link

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

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

Mood Reads

The Astral Library

Goodreads

Amazon Purchase Link

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

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

Summary

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

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

Monthly Wrap-Up – February 2026

Posted on March 3, 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***

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

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

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

Let’s take a look at where I got to!

Books Read

After the Forest

Amazon Purchase Link

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

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

Dreams From My Father

Amazon Purchase Link

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

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

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

Grace

Amazon Purchase Link

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

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

An Offer From a Gentleman

Amazon Purchase Link

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

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

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

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

Blues for an Alabama Sky

Amazon Purchase Link

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

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

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

The Three Witches

Amazon Purchase Link

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

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

Dear Debbie

Amazon Purchase Link

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

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

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

Throne of Glass

Amazon Purchase Link

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

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

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

Summary

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

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

Sunday Summary – 1st March 2026

Posted on March 2, 2026March 1, 2026 by fantasyst95

Today’s Sunday Summary comes at the end of another busy week. Well, not quite. Technically, it’s landing right at the start of another one, but that’s intentional. Thankfully, I’ve gotten somewhat more comfortable with everything I’m juggling at work, so I’m pleased to share reading is back on track! And it’s a good job too, especially considering today’s reading and review obligation.

Content-wise, I’ve been quiet on YouTube this week as I didn’t get a chance to record last week. However, things are back to normal now!

Blog content went out as normal. My first post of the week went live on Thursday, and it was my review of the finale of Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn series, The Lost Metal. I can only hope I’ve done the book justice. It’s a tough one to review. It’s a huge series that’s intimidating to review at the best of times. However, being the final instalment, the pressure was ON!

My First Lines Friday featured an upcoming read on my March TBR. I want to pick this up and read it towards the Tale Spinners reading prompt in the Goodreads Winter Challenge. Also, this book is on my fixed reading list for 2026, so win-win!

Then, Sunday morning my review of The Three Sisters went live. This blog tour obligation was a delight to read and I’ve enjoyed sharing my thoughts on this book! It’s for this reason my Sunday Summary is going live at a minute past midnight on Monday morning…

Books Read

Dear Debbie

After only touching on Dear Debbie briefly last week, I’m pleased to share I got much further with the audiobook this week. In fact, I finished it earlier today!

Over the course of the week, I’ve listened to around 5 hours of audio – an amazing improvement on the week before if not exactly groundbreaking. Not like it was hard… Dear Debbie is a really engaging listen and the twist at the end was something else. Not that I should have been surprised having read and loved the Housemaid series.

It makes a change for me to read such a new release. And, I’m looking forward to sharing what I think about it in more detail in the near future.

Throne of Glass

In last week’s Sunday Summary update, I shared that I’d only read a handful of pages of Throne of Glass. This is the only book on today’s Sunday Summary for which the update is similar. However, I plan to change that once this post is scheduled.

Hopefully I can squeeze in a few more chapters before bed. Regardless of whether I do or don’t, finishing Throne of Glass is now top of my list; it’s my only carryover from February left. If the books continues in the way it’s started, it’s also surprisingly easy to read. Let’s hope for some quick progress, because then I am back on track to move on to the sequel which I’ve scheduled to read in March.

Blues for an Alabama Sky

A relatively quick read I devoured in a couple of evenings is a play, Blues for an Alabama Sky. I’ve read plays before, but not for leisure. Rather, I’ve read them as part of my theatre studies at school. However, this week marked a first in picking up a play as a new format of book to read. It went down pretty well actually! At just over 100 pages, it wasn’t exactly a long read.

Even so, the book discusses a number of societal issues present in depression era New York within the short page count. That’s in part why I wanted to read it. Yes, the book worked for my book club prompt as the main protagonist is involved in a whirlwind romance of sorts. However, with these societal issues plaguing the characters, there was more to the story than the romance, if you know what I mean.

The book club meet was scheduled for Wednesday, so you can see why Throne of Glass was put on the back-burner.

The Three Witches

Even after I read Blues for an Alabama Sky for book club, Throne of Glass still didn’t stand a chance as the next priority was to read and review The Three Sisters by Sunday. With just a few days (and a Saturday night out with my girl friends planned) that didn’t leave a massive window of opportunity. It’s good job I thrive on a deadline!

With a relatively free Saturday afternoon, and a slightly late night after watching Guys and Dolls, I finished The Three Sisters in time to review the book yesterday (Sunday). I loved this historical novel and how it tried to stay as true to the history that inspired it. Not only that, but the narrative was determined to give back the lost voices of the women falsely accused of witchcraft and murdered by emphasising their place as normal women in society. Often, they were those that gave most to communities as healers, midwives and wise women.

I’ve already shared my detailed thoughts on the book, so here’s a link to my full review in case this has piqued your interest.

Books Discovered

I’ve added quite a few books to my TBR lately. I’ve read 13 books, but I’ve added an identical number to my reading list as well. So, I’ve not improved the size of the list any.

And, a recommendation this week for the The Freedom Writers Diary makes another addition. I haven’t purchased any copies yet. It may just be payday, but I’ll wait until nearer the time to find a copy, either at my library if possible or from somewhere else. This addition is a recommendation from a colleague, Nanda. She has either read this book before or watched the TV documentary – I can’t recall which. Either way, she was telling me about it and the way this teacher gave her all to give disadvantaged students a fighting chance when everyone else had given up on them.

Coming Up…

Blog

Staring early next week, my first post will be my monthly wrap-up for February. With seven books completed by the end of the month, and a carryover, there’s lots to discuss in terms of reading progress. If you want a recap of how I got in compared to my February TBR, stay tuned and I’ll take you through the deets on Tuesday.

On Thursday, I’ll give you the lowdown on my March TBR. I’ve already shared a lot of what I’m reading in my 2026 Goodreads Winter Challenge video on YouTube. However, there are a couple of changes to that list, as well as some other reading obligations I’ve signed up for on top of that. March is going to be no less restful, although thankfully I do have a week of work coming up. Hopefully I can squeeze a bit more reading into that week to make the ambitious TBR possible…

On Friday, I’ll share my usual Shelf Control feature. In this post, I’ll return to an author I discovered thanks to a blog tour. The previous book of theirs I read got a 5* rating from me. This more recent book is a spy/espionage style narrative, so a bit different from what I’ver read lately. Tune in on Friday to find out more!

YouTube

With some free time earlier today, I prepared and recorded my monthly wrap-up for February. So, whilst I’m posting a written version on my blog, if you prefer video/audio content, that will be going live on Tuesday evening on YouTube.

Then, later in the week I’ve also got my monthly TBR video. This one is recorded and edited; not really sure why I edited this one first, but there we go! It’s not a big deal, and thankfully it means drafting my written version of the post will be a lot easier as I’ve planned it out a little more in advance than I would usually.

Summary

This Sunday Summary has plenty for you regardless of your reading tastes. Have you read any of the books featured in this Sunday Summary?

Now, my remaining plans for the night are to get showered, read a little Throne of Glass and then retire. For the night. Sadly I can’t retire full stop and spend all my days reading…

Never mind, there’s a EuroMillions draw on Tuesday. Who knows, I may get lucky.

Right! 😂 I’m more likely to see the end of my TBR

First Lines Friday – 27/02/2026

Posted on February 27, 2026 by fantasyst95

***Today’s First Lines Friday 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 looking forward to reading a retelling. A specific retelling at that. I featured this book in a recent YouTube video about an upcoming attempt to complete the 2026 Goodreads Winter Challenge. It’s also a book on my fixed list of reads that I shared in my 2026 Resolutions post.

Can you guess what it is from the list? If not, the opening might give you a hint!

It was the man from records who began it, him all unknowing in his prim, grim way, his above-it-all, oldthink way. He was the one Syme called ‘Old Misery’.

He wasn’t truly new to Julia. Fiction, Records and Research all took second meal at thirteen hundred, so you got to know everyone’s face. But up to then, he’d really just been Old Misery, the one who looked like he’d swallowed a fly, who coughed more than he spoke. Comrade Smith was his right name, though ‘Comrade’ never suited him somehow. Of course, if you felt foolish calling someone ‘Comrade’, far better not to speak to them at all.

Julia – Sandra Newman

Genre: Dystopian Fiction

Pages: 400

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Mariner Books

Publication Date: 24 Oct 2023

Goodreads – Julia

Amazon Purchase Link

London, chief city of Airstrip One, the third most populous province of Oceania. It’s 1984 and Julia Worthing works as a mechanic fixing the novel-writing machines in the Fiction Department at the Ministry of Truth. Under the ideology of IngSoc and the rule of the Party and its leader Big Brother, Julia is a model citizen – cheerfully cynical, believing in nothing and caring not at all about politics. She knows how to survive in a world of constant surveillance, Thought Police, Newspeak, Doublethink, child spies and the black markets of the prole neighbourhoods. She’s very good at staying alive.

But Julia becomes intrigued by a colleague from the Records Department – a mid-level worker of the Outer Party called Winston Smith, she comes to realise that she’s losing her grip and can no longer safely navigate her world.

Seventy-five years after Orwell finished writing his iconic novel, Sandra Newman has tackled the world of Big Brother in a truly convincing way, offering a dramatically different, feminist narrative that is true to and stands alongside the original. For the millions of readers who have been brought up with Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four, here, finally, is a provocative, vital and utterly satisfying companion novel.

My Thoughts…

Next month, which starts this weekend, I’m reading a modern take on George Orwell’s acclaimed dystopian novel, 1984. I’m reading both of these books together to compare the traditional, well-known narrative with the feminist version from the perspective of Julia.

I’m looking forward to this retelling and what new angle it can explore from Julia’s side. It’s funny, because when I first read 1984 in school, I didn’t enjoy it. In hindsight though, it wasn’t so much the book I took umbrage with as opposed to the way I was forced to study it. Fast forward to my re-read as an adult, I loved it!

Dystopian fiction is one of my favourite genre of all time. I have no doubt I’ll enjoy both my re-read, as well as this new perspective.

Have you read either 1984 or Julia? Does this feminist dystopian narrative appeal to you?

Don’t forget, you can support me as a creator and follow this purchase link to get yourself a copy. Then, readalong with me! 😊 I’m reading the book this March along with the original 1984. So, if you want to read and discuss either book, let me know!

Thanks for checking out this First Lines Friday!

Book Review: The Lost Metal – Brandon Sanderson

Posted on February 26, 2026 by fantasyst95

***Today’s review of The Lost Metal by Brandon Sanderson 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.***

If I have one aim out of this review, it’s to convince you to pick up the Mistborn series. I read and adored the first trilogy as a teenager. Honestly, I didn’t think it could get any better, but I was really surprised by the Wax and Wayne dynamic of the second half— that, and how Sanderson isn’t afraid to improve on his established magic system! It’s a rare thing to see an author build upon and change their own world. Risky move, but it worked incredibly well!

If you want to catch up on my reviews of the series before diving into this final instalment, my reviews of the earlier Era 2 books can be found below: –

The Lost Metal – Brandon Sanderson

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 507

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Tor Books

Publication Date: 15 Nov 2022

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Purchase Link – Amazon UK

Goodreads – The Lost Metal

For years, frontier lawman turned big-city senator Waxillium Ladrian has hunted the shadowy organisation the Set— with his late uncle and his sister among their leaders— since they started kidnapping people with the power of Allomancy in their bloodlines. When Detective Marasi Colms and her partner, Wayne, find stockpiled weapons bound for the Outer City of Bilming, this opens a new lead. Conflict between the capital, Elendel, and the Outer Cities only favours the Set, and their tendrils now reach to the Elendel Senate— whose corruption Wax and his wife, Steris, have sought to expose— and Bilming is even more entangled.

After Wax discovers a new type of explosive that can unleash unprecedented destruction and realises that the Set must already have it, an immortal kandra serving Scadrial’s god, Harmony, reveals that Bilming has fallen under the influence of another god: Trell, worshipped by the Set. And Trell isn’t the only factor at play from the larger Cosmere— Marasi is recruited by offworlders with strange abilities who claim their goal is to protect Scadrial…at any cost.

Wax must choose whether to set aside his rocky relationship with God and once again become the Sword that Harmony has groomed him to be. If no one steps forward to be the hero Scadrial needs, the planet and its millions of people will come to a sudden and calamitous ruin.

My Thoughts

Plot

Events of the earlier books in the series come to an end. As the title of the book proclaims, a significant part of both Wax and Wayne’s aim in this book is to discover a new metal not previously known to their metallurgical talents. Not only that, but events come to a head in the action act and dramatic way he can only expect from Sanderson. Full of tension and unforeseen plot twists, it is hard to anticipate how the lost metal is going to end, and I confess, it had me devastated.

It was a satisfying book to read nonetheless. I love the scope of this book and the series as a whole. If there is one thing I really enjoy, it is an author who is willing to both build upon and in some ways destroy the world they have built in a way that feels plausible to the plot.

Whilst I can’t really comment on the ties this book has with the Cosmere in general, I believe there are some overlaps that perhaps I’m not ready to appreciate given the volume of unread Brandon Sanderson books on my list compared to those I have. However, I have it on good authority that for the eagle-eyed, there are some links to other books in his wider universe.

Characters

Wax and Wayne are some of my favourite chalk and cheese characters in this series. They are polar opposites; Wax is noble and values justice and fairness. Wayne, well, what’s petty crime when in the name of justice?! Wayne is a bit of a kleptomaniac, but somehow charming and entertaining all at the same time.

Ballsy. Clever. Intelligent. Witty. These are all easy descriptors for characters in The Lost Metal. Wax and Wayne are by far the stars of the show, but don’t sleep on Merasi. I love her character. She’s bright and desperate to prove herself. To a reader like me, she’s incredibly relatable.

I love the variety of characters we see in The Lost Metal, but especially loved seeing an old face reappear in this book. The dynamics between the characters are engaging and they really help lift an interesting and clever story up several layers!

Setting

The latter half of Sanderson’s Mistborn series is Western in vibe. Set both within and on the outskirts of Elendel’s major cities, Wax and Wayne are cowboy-style lawmakers. Guns aren’t their only weapons; I love the magic aspect of the book, and especially how The Last Metal builds on the earlier books of the series.

The world-building in this book and series is fantastic. Somehow, in every single book, Sanderson has managed to get better, make the story more engaging, and build on the magic we’ve grown with.

The concept of the magic behind the series is interesting – ingesting metals grants no specific powers. However, we build far more upon that as the books go on. We get more complex ideas, but it’s not complicated or written to confuse readers. The growth and expansion of the plot and magic is the biggest selling point for Mistborn.

Narrative Style

The Lost Metal, alongside pretty much every Sanderson book I’ve read to date, is easy to read and follow.

The book is made up of around 70 chapters across 500 pages. It makes the average chapter not too long, but also punchy enough to see plenty of action. The writing style matches the events of the book. Whilst it works really well, I don’t know what else to say here. It facilitates everything else I’ve talked about in this review. It would be a showstopper for me if it was difficult to read. However, it’s far from the biggest selling point.

Summary

With a series as epic as Mistborn, it’s hard to imagine how it could end in a way that lives up to the hype. Friends, it did! Sanderson lives up to his excellent reputation, and I already know The Lost Metal and the prior six books of the series will be on my TBR again soon!

If you want to get yourself a copy, you can get it via Amazon here. I’ll definitely be re-reading this one, so we’ll have a chance at a later date to compare notes!

Sunday Summary – 22nd February 2026

Posted on February 22, 2026 by fantasyst95

Another week’s end can only mean it’s time for my Sunday Summary update. It’s been a weird one, as it’s felt a little hands off. I’ve still published my usual content, but a lot of it was prepared in advance. The exception to this rule was my Top Ten Tuesday post. If you’re an armchair traveller and like to read from a variety of settings, this post is one for you to check out!

My Shelf Control intended for a couple of weeks ago finally went live this week. As I drafted it a couple of weeks ago but forgot to publish it, it’s fair to say I didn’t need to do much to get it out in the world…

On YouTube, I shared my review of Notes on a Nervous Planet and a recommendation video for Game of Thrones fans. I’d recorded and prepped these videos by Monday last week, so I haven’t done a whole lot on YouTube content since then…

Books Read

An Offer From a Gentleman

In last week’s Sunday Summary I was 36% into the audio of An Offer From a Gentleman.

With a week left to listen to this audiobook, it was my priority to finish. And, I’m pleased to share I did! I confess, I wasn’t sure if I’d stick this out. I don’t have the best track record with the novels in this series. Whilst it wasn’t a showstopper and I enjoyed it as much as I thought I would, I’m pleased I made it to the end without DNF’ing.

It wasn’t a sure thing… it wouldn’t be the first book of the series I’ve put down prematurely.

Dear Debbie

I returned to Dear Debbie after finishing An Offer From a Gentleman. That was pretty late this week, so I’ve only listened to this audio a fraction over 20mins.

Naturally, though, with no other audiobook commitments now I’ll be back on this one full force. Dear Debbie isn’t a long audio, so I’m sure I’ll have this cracked in the next week for sure!

Throne of Glass

I confess I’ve only read a handful of pages of Throne of Glass this week. I’ve not physically read much in the way of books full stop. It’s no reflection on the book, but rather because I’ve been juggling a lot of stuff at work this week. By the time I’m home and ready to enjoy some downtime, I’ve turned to easier hobbies on the brain, like my Rivendell cross-stitch.

Hopefully more to share on this one soon – book club is fast approaching! With this in mind, the plan is to read as much as I can this evening once this Sunday Summary is live!

Books Discovered

It’s a good job I didn’t promise no more bookish additions in last week’s Sunday Summary. I was found well, until the other half and some friends suggested I go for a ‘look’ in Waterstones this morning.

Ha, who do they think I am?! Of course I got a couple! The good news is I got them with accumulated points on my loyalty card, so they didn’t cost me anything…

The books I got were A Mother’s Promise (a WW2 Auschwitz story) and River Kings – about Vikings from Scandinavia to the Silk Road routes. It’s not often to read about the latter, and well, I’m curious!

Coming Up…

Blog

I’ve got a full week lined up for you, and I’m excited! Kicking off next week, I’m sharing my review of Brandon Sanderson’s The Lost Metal. I loved this series hard and I was both delighted and devastated to get to the end. I’ve been a bit wistful about starting The Way of Kings again lately. Maybe featuring Sanderson and another great series will kick me up the butt.

On Friday, I’ve got a First Lines Friday teed up. Given I’ve got some other bookish priorities on next week, I’m not challenging myself this time. I may need all the reading time I can get 😅

On Sunday, I’ll be publishing a blog tour review of The Three Witches. It’s the last of my bookish commitments this week, but a hard deadline and I’ve yet to start the book…

Then, my usual Sunday Summary will go live at 00:01 on Monday morning so the blog tour post has its full day and my weekly update isn’t too delayed 😉

YouTube

I haven’t recorded anything for YouTube yet, which is unusual for me. However, I’ve had a little more on this weekend than usual. I’ll probably try to get some content recorded tomorrow night so it’s business as usual.

The plan, because I have a plan at least, is to film a Meet the BookTuber video. Now I’ve got a few vids under my belt and established my content niche, I want to introduce the myself properly!

Later in the week, I’m curating a list of books I’ve added to my reading list recently that I really think you need too!

Summary

Now, I’m off to try and make some more progress with Throne of Glass. Book bloggers kind of need to read books now and then, after all….

What are you reading this weekend?