Tag: fantasyst95

Top Ten Tuesday – Books That Live in my Head Rent Free

Posted on July 21, 2026July 21, 2026 by fantasyst95

There are lots of books that live in my head rent free. Sometimes, just for a short time. Others, much longer. Those are the feature of today’s Top Ten Tuesday.

These books live in my head rent free because they are favourites, are profound in their message or are books I want to read again. Want to take a gander at what books make the list? Take a look below!

Books That Live in My Head Rent Free

A Game of Thrones

For obvious reasons, A Game of Thrones, and all the following books in the series, always live in my head rent free. I love the series, its complexities, highs and lows. As we speak I’m watching the finale episode (again)!

If there was only one book series I could read for the rest of my life, it’s this one!

The Midnight Library

I only first read this book a couple of years ago, but I’ve already re-read it. The message in this book is a powerful one. It’s the kind of book you can read in various seasons of your life and have it make an impact.

I also read it with a book club I used to run at work, and it’s an interesting one for discussion if that’s something you’re looking for…

Three Sisters

I’m a sucker for WW2 fiction, and Three Sisters was one of the most recent I’ve read.

Heather Morris is a fantastic author who goes out of her way to yes, tell an interesting story, but also to honour the lives that inspire of a stories. It is shocking to think that there are real experiences behind the events of this book. It is heartbreaking and yet I cannot help but want to read more from this author.

Project Hail Mary

A more recent addition to my books that live rent free in my head list, Project Hail Mary is a recent audiobook listen that really captured my attention. The audio for this book is fantastic, and I don’t know how it compares with the written experience of the book, but the audio is fantastic. In fact, I want to find out and see what the book is like to read instead of listen to. I’m not sure how the characterisation of Rocky will come across, or whether it translates as well as it did in the audio.

For context, I enjoyed this book so much that as soon as I finish the audio, I purchased and watched a copy of the film that came out earlier this year. The same day. Subjected the other half to it as well. I say subjected, he enjoyed it!

Ultra-Processed People

Something I never really thought about until I read the book is how much food has changed in the last hundred years.

Ultra-Processed People has made very apparent to me that we don’t fully understand the consequences of the change to our diet that has taken place in very recent history. Looking at examples where less economically developed countries have adopted a diet similar to other western countries, but far later than they did, they shown the drastic changes to our health that have come as an inadvertent cost.

I had no idea of some of the chemical compounds that go into our food. Whether they act as preservatives, or have been developed to replace more expensive ingredients more cheaply, and also to be more addictive, it’s scary what goes into our processed food. And, we are largely ignorant of it. Who reads the small print on packages? However, it’s becoming more apparent that those uneducated choices we make may have consequences down the line, if not now.

Ultra-Processed People has changed the way I think about food. I cook more from scratch, have replaced store-bought products for homemade. I’ve not boycotted the lot by any means, but I’m more aware of what’s in my food than I was before…

Fool’s Errand

This book lives in my head rent free because it hit me in the feels man! If you know, you know. I won’t go spoiling it for anyone starting or interested in the series.

Robin Hobb writes fantastic characters and storylines. I’m nowhere near finished with this series and weirdly happy about it – it means I have plenty more to enjoy yet!

I had to take a break after this book, such was the effect it had on me. However, I’m ready to dive back in soon so watch this space!

As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow

What comes across most powerfully about this book is the author’s love for her home country.

As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow lives in my head rent free as a love letter to Syria. Even ravaged and war-torn, rife with danger, the characters strong bond to their home is overpowering. Torn between life and freedom and risking her life to stay at home, Salama wars with her conscience deciding what’s best.

The twist was also incredible, I didn’t see it coming!

This is Going to Hurt

This is Going to Hurt makes the list for its depth of reality.

The author’s real-life stories about life as a junior doctor will have you howling in laughter one moment and crying the next. From foreign objects where they shouldn’t be (yes, EXACTLY what you are thinking), to helping patients in their most vulnerable moments, This is Going to Hurt doesn’t pull its punches.

I’ve gone on to read more books by Adam Kay. But, This is Going to Hurt is where it all started. It has a special place for that reason.

The Handmaid’s Tale

Women’s rights is something I’m passionate about. I hope that’s obvious. For starters, I am one. Of course I care! Beyond that though, it’s a topic I enjoy reading about.

The Handmaid’s Tale is an iconic read. Most people have heard of it, if not read it. At a time when women in many countries across the world don’t have the same rights to reproductive health as they should, it’s scary. Sure, things aren’t so desperate to resort to events in The Handmaid’s Tale. However, it’s not as far from reality as I’d like. Real women lack bodily autonomy. Legally, women are denied that autonomy as well. Women who are victims of crime in many states of America (a supposedly progressive nation!) can’t legally abort a child conceived as a result of that crime. They don’t choose or agree to what happens to them, but they have to live with the consequences.

That’s not so far away from The Handmaid’s Tale and it terrifies me. I suppose the reason this book lives in my head rent free is less positive than the others…

Code Name Verity

I enjoyed Code Name Verity so much. Again, it’s WW2 fiction, so right up there on books I enjoy. However, it’s how cleverly written this book was that blew me away.

I hadn’t read any other books by Elizabeth Wein. In fact, I still haven’t. However, I do have plans to change that by picking up Rose Under Fire.

Summary

So, these are my top ten books that live rent free in my head!

Have you read any of these? What is your number one book that lives rent free in your head and why?

Sunday Summary – 12th July 2026

Posted on July 12, 2026July 12, 2026 by fantasyst95

Happy Sunday friends! We’re at the end of another week and it’s a hot one! Are you guys suffering in this heatwave as well?

It’s been a busy week this week personally. Work has been busy, but my immediate deadlines are now done and I can breathe a sigh of relief. I’m back into my typical routine, which means I have more time for books and my social media accounts again.

This week, I shares a review of the memoir Twelve Years a Slave. It was challenging in some aspects, namely in topic but also in terms of writing style. However, I’m glad I persevered with the book as it was an interesting read. Then, later this week, I published an unfiltered post about the difficulties of going through dry patches as a content creator. When my online persona is all about books and reading, who am I when that falls away?

On YouTube, I finally posted my June wrap-up. I talk about early successes, then the slump I found myself in during the second half of the month. Go and check that out if you haven’t already ☺️

Books Read

Behind Closed Doors

This week, I concluded this fairly short audiobook, listening to the last 70% of the book over the span of the week. When I last talked to you about this book, I had hopes it was going to be a little bit different from the book the narrative was lining up to be.

Sadly, it ended up staying in its lane and it didn’t wow me. Don’t get me wrong, it was okay. However, for a book advertised as a bestseller, I had higher hopes that the story was going to deviate from the typical ‘trapped woman escapes abusive man by chance’ tale. Initially, I half-hoped that maybe the roles were reversed. Then, I hoped Millie, Grace’s sister with Downs Syndrome, might have displayed great wit to help her sister and change reader’s perspective on those with the condition. Whilst she isn’t an insignificant part of the conclusion to the story, it wasn’t what I hoped.

Nevertheless, it was a decent, middle of the road read and a change-up of genre compared to recent reads.

The Tw*t Files

Breaking away from my July TBR a little, I impulsively picked up Dawn French’s The Tw*t Files for a lighter read this weekend. I’m hoping some humour gets me picking up pages more regularly. That, and I wanted something to read whilst I charged up my Kindle ready for some blog tour commitment reads later this month.

So far, I’m about 120 pages, or 30%, into this book and it’s everything I need right now. Light. Funny. Brutally honest and unapologetic. It’s got my actively reaching for a book again because I want to. It’s been a couple of weeks since I’ve done that, if I’m honest. I’m hoping it will bring some more enjoyment to my current reads and get me back in a position to hit my blog tour commitment books with relish, rather than a sense of duty.

More on this one to follow next week. I’m hoping this will be a quick finish next week.

Empire of Storms

Finally, I started the next book in Sarah J. Maas’s Throne of Glass series.

I’ve only just started the audio, listening to around 1hr 35mins. I’m listening to this one a little quicker than last time. I was able to listen to Queen of Shadows at x1.35 speed. This time, I’m able to follow along pretty comfortably at x1.45. It’s a good thing, when you consider the book is a bit longer than the last. It’s not the longest of the series, but it still tops 700 pages!

I’ve got just shy of 16 hours left of this audio. Now things are back to normal, I’ll be back at the gym this week. I’m also planning to take a break from some of the classes I’ve been doing and go back to doing some of my own weightlifting. I feel like I got more benefit from those, but I do enjoy the classes. I’m trialling going back to the gym a little more and doing my own strength training to see if I see more progress again. What significance does that have for reading? Well, I listen to audiobooks at the same time!

Books Discovered

I’ve got very little to report here again. No new books on the list. I appreciate that as far as updates, go, it’s boring. However, when you have in excess of 200 books on the TBR already, it’s not a bad thing when you haven’t found any more to add!

Coming Up…

What I’m Reading…

What do I plan to read over the next seven days? Well, here are my priorities in order!

Continue Empire of Storms for my Throne of Glass readalong. I’ll also set these up on Fable and Storygraph shortly!
Finish The Tw*t Files, hopefully in the next couple of days
Read House of Twisted Shadows in its entirety – I’ve got a review due on the 25th July.
Hopefully start A Painkiller to Die For

Given my recent dry spell with reading, it’s a bold plan. However, it needs to be and I’m optimistic The Tw*t Files will do its job of getting me out of the funk I’ve been in and better able to pick up more titles.

Blog

So, what to post next week. I’m not sure really. I’m conscious I don’t want to bombard you with book reviews, because I know I have two coming up within days of each other later this month. Usually then, I turn to Top Ten Tuesdays. However, I’m not a fan of next week’s topic. So, that’s out.

Inspired by the current heatwave, let’s share something summery. Maybe my top five summer reads? There’s no way I could do ten – I’m not really a seasonal reader in the summertime.

Later in the week, I’ll return to my regular Friday features. This week, it’s the turn of my First Lines Friday post. What book will I feature this week? What intro will I use to capture your attention and hopefully inspire you to pick up a book? I’ve no idea yet – let’s see what takes my fancy later in the week!

As always, you know what comes last. I’ll round up the week with another Sunday Summary. Fingers crossed I’m fully back to my usual self with lots of bookish updates next week. For the first time this year, I lost my lead and was slightly behind schedule to complete my 60 books challenge this year. Can I recover to get a couple of books lead again. Let’s see!

YouTube

It’s a little late in the day, but I’ve got my July TBR recorded and ready to publish. Nearly. I just need to edit the video 😅 However, my plan is to get that out early next week so those who follow me on YouTube know what I’m reading this week!

Then, I’ve got a review video planned to share my thoughts on Queen of Shadows. I wanted to commit my thoughts on this book before I make a start on Empire of Storms so I don’t get muddled between books. I don’t trust the headspace I’m in right now to not do that!

Then, all being well, next week I’ll get back to recording my video weekly updates as well. The last few weeks I’ve not really had a whole lot to talk about, so I haven’t bothered…

Summary

Thanks for checking out this latest Sunday Summary. I hope you had a great weekend, and maybe you picked up an entertaining read to help cope with the heat or otherwise distract yourself from the joys of mundane life 😂 If so, tell me what you’re reading!

Book Review: Twelve Years a Slave – Solomon Northup

Posted on July 9, 2026July 9, 2026 by fantasyst95

Twelve Years a Slave is a hard-hitting read. Learning how Solomon Northup ended up in bondage for over a decade, it’s scary how easily he fell into the wrong hands. If you want to read about very personal, heart-breaking story of those kept against their will and forced into hard labour, abuse and worse, then read on to find out more about Twelve Years a Slave.

Twelve Years a Slave – Solomon Northup

Genre: Memoir

Pages: 363

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Eakin Films and Publishing

Publication Date: 1853

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Goodreads – Twelve Years a Slave

Twelve Years a Slave, sub-title: Narrative of Solomon Northup, citizen of New-York, kidnapped in Washington city in 1841, and rescued in 1853, from a cotton plantation near the Red River in Louisiana, is a memoir by Solomon Northup as told to and edited by David Wilson. It is a slave narrative of a black man who was born free in New York state but kidnapped in Washington, D.C., sold into slavery, and kept in bondage for 12 years in Louisiana. He provided details of slave markets in Washington, D.C. and New Orleans, as well as describing at length cotton and sugar cultivation on major plantations in Louisiana.

My Thoughts…

It shouldn’t be a surprise that a book of this subject matter isn’t the easiest to read. It’s a personal account of being kept as a slave, beaten, starved, tortured and forced into hard labour. Whilst it focuses primarily on Solomon’s experience, we naturally see other slaves and the institutional level of abuse these people faced for years. However, I’m an advocate for reading about difficult things, the worst sides of humanity. Brushing these things under the carpet invalidates the experiences of victims. Not only that, but we don’t learn from these things.

I wanted to read this book as it’s obviously a well-known title, and I was invested in the subject. However, when I picked it up in September 2023, it wasn’t plain sailing. The books was first published not long after Solomon’s release in 1853. In the grand scheme of history, it’s only in our recent past. However, language changes quite a bit in that timeframe. The style of the language was a bit of a barrier for me. I found it hard to get into initially. But, I persevered and I’m glad I did. Usually, readability is the key reason I would DNF a book. If I can’t get on with the narrative style, it’s make-or-break. On this occasion though, I stuck with it and got used to it enough that I could get on with the book.

I enjoyed reading about a period of history, and from a perspective that was little-covered in my school curriculum. Whilst I have no doubt it’s more prominent in modern history classes, it wasn’t really a topic touched on in any detail during my time there. The scary fact is that it’s fairly recent history. This isn’t our distant past!

Summary

Twelve Years a Slave is a poignant narrative I recommend everyone try. Even if it isn’t typically your cup of tea, it’s a very personal story about a huge societal problem that hasn’t gone away.

Modern slavery is very much a thing. Twelve Years a Slave is a far more ‘traditional’ tale of slavery as we recognise it from history. The underlying prejudice and discrimination that goes with it is still sadly around today. However, I can only hope that hearing more from minority voices we can empathise and correct our behaviour as a society.

Have you read Twelve Years a Slave? What’s your take?

Sunday Summary – 5th July 2026

Posted on July 5, 2026July 5, 2026 by fantasyst95

Happy Sunday friends! This Sunday Summary is not the end of the weekend for me – here in the Isle of Man, we have a bank holiday tomorrow celebrating Tynwald Day. If you’ve never heard of it, it’s a celebration of our local government, which is the oldest continuous government in the world. With ties back to our Viking heritage, tomorrow will see petitions presented to Government in the open air in a convening in a village just a stone’s throw from me.

Not that I plan to attend – too many people for my liking! Instead, I’ll enjoy the day not at work and making the most of a chill day. I’m making a birthday present for a friend of mine celebrating later this month. I’m so close to being done, so I’ll push ahead to finish this well ahead of schedule. Other than that, I’ll be hitting the books. Not the intellectual kind, mind. Fingers crossed I’ll have more reading progress to share next week!

Before I get to this week’s reading updates, let’s take a look at the blog content I shared. First, I published my monthly wrap-up for the books I read in June. It wasn’t the most extensive update, nor did I complete the challenges I set out to. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the books I picked up. After a short break towards the end of June, I’m ready to get stuck in with a fresh start! Yesterday, I followed that up with my monthly TBR for July. Alongside my June carryovers, I’ve got plenty of new releases to enjoy in the next few weeks.

Books Read

Katabasis

I confess I’ve only read a handful of pages of Katabasis this week. Well, today, if I’m being honest. I’ve deliberately taken a bit of a break from reading physical books and instead taken the time to get my crochet project / gift made. I’m already feeling somewhat refreshed and it was fun to get stuck into a book without time pressure.

I’m looking forward to reading this more over the coming week. With my project nearly done, I’ll have time to pick this book up tomorrow before jumping back into quarter-end madness at work on Tuesday!