Happy bank holiday Friday, friends! Today’s Shelf Control post comes to you after a much-enjoyed day off work. That’s always a bonus, yes?
I may not have been at work today, but I’m not off the hook from providing you with the next instalment in my Shelf Control series. And it’s a good one today, fellas, so get strapped in.
Today’s feature is a courtroom thriller with the added twist of multiculturalism. I will provide a word of warning here that the story and courtroom case centre around an alleged sexual assault. If reading about this makes you uncomfortable, this is full disclosure here to stop reading— and also to not read this book.
Here’s a recap of what Shelf Control is all about… and then we’ll get stuck in, shall we?
Shelf Control is a meme run by Lisa at Bookshelf Fantasies. It’s a celebration of the unread books on our shelves! The idea is to pick a book you own but haven’t read and write a post about it (suggestions: include what it’s about, why you want to read it, and when you got it), and link up.
If you want to read more about the Shelf Control feature, check out Lisa’s introductory post.
The victim: A sixteen-year-old girl with facial deformities, neglected by an alcoholic mother. Who accuses the boys of something unthinkable.
The defendants: Four handsome teenage boys from hardworking immigrant families. All with corroborating stories.
WHOSE SIDE WOULD YOU TAKE?
My Thoughts
It’s been a little while since I picked up a thriller that takes place in the courtroom. However, it’s a genre I like and I have several books on my reading list that fit into this sub-genre. The latest I added was The Sentence back in January 2024 – I need to add more to my reading list clearly!
I have no idea how the implied cultural aspect and classism is going to shape the narrative. Will it make it different from our more Westernised view of how proceedings would take place? I guess that depends entirely on where the book is set.
Honestly, I don’t know very much going into this book other than the synopsis. That was enough to capture my attention and get this book on my reading list pronto. I really like the sound of the book and I’m intrigued to see what this narrative and author has to tell us.
Thanks for reading today’s Shelf Control. Have you read it back or any other book similar to it? Would you recommend this?
Happy Friday friends – and can I tell you – I’m so glad it’s the end of the week. Today’s First Lines Friday post marks the conclusion of a very busy but successful week.
I’m not quite ready for the weekend yet though! The last thing on my to-do list for today is to share with you the opening lines to a fantastic book I’ve discovered. And, with any luck, persuade you to read it.
Let’s get to it!
“Happy birthday, Haymitch!”
The upside of being born on reaping day is that you can sleep late on your birthday. It’s pretty much downhill from there. A day off school hardly compensates for the terror of the name drawing. Even if you survive that, nobody feels like having cake after watching two kids being hauled off to the Capitol for slaughter. I roll over and pull the sheet over my head.
“Happy birthday!” My ten-year-old brother, Sid, gives my shoulder a shake. “You said be your rooster. You said you wanted to get to the woods at daylight.”
It’s true. I’m hoping to finish my work before the ceremony so I can devote the afternoon to the two things I love best — wasting time and being with my girl, Lenore Dove.
As the day dawns on the fiftieth annual Hunger Games, fear grips the districts of Panem. This year, in honour of the Quarter Quell, twice as many tributes will be taken from their homes.
Back in District 12, Haymitch Abernathy is trying not to think too hard about his chances. All he cares about is making it through the day and being with the girl he loves.
When Haymitch’s name is called, he can feel all his dreams break. He’s torn from his family and his love, shuttled to the Capitol with the three other District 12 tributes: a young friend who’s nearly a sister to him, a compulsive oddsmaker, and the most stuck-up girl in town.
As the Games begin, Haymitch understands he’s been set up to fail. But there’s something in him that wants to fight… and have that fight reverberate far beyond the deadly arena.
My Thoughts…
Any book in the Hunger Games series is going to be a book that ends up on my reading list! I loved reading the core series when I was a teenager, and more recently I really enjoyed going back to the prequel in A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. I’m even thinking of re-reading the main series at some point soon!
It says a lot when I make the effort to go to the cinema, because the local facilities we have aren’t the best. Even still, I made the effort to go and watch A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes film when it first came out. I watched it again for the second time just a few days ago on TV.
It’s fair to say I have a compulsion to keep up-to-date with this series. I’m looking forward to getting stuck in with Haymitch’s story to understand where he ends up by the time we get to Katniss’ first Hunger Games. At this point, Haymitch is a mess. To describe him as a raging alcoholic doesn’t quite seem to do it justice. What happens to him that forces him down this route? Does anything special happen in light of the fact that his games were the 50th year and therefore a Quarter Quell?
I don’t know yet – but I’m excited to find out!
Thanks for checking out today’s First Lines Friday! Have you read any books in the Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins? Have you already read Sunrise on the Reaping?
It’s an absolute pleasure to bring to you the next instalment to Peter Gibbons’ The Saxon Warrior series. I’ve featured several books in this series on my blog to date. I’ve had a sizeable break from sharing blog tour posts. However, reviewing Enemies of the Crown is a no-brainer. I want to keep up with this series anyway, so why not do that as and when books are published?
As always when sharing blog tour posts, I like to thank both the author and Rachel at Rachel‘s Random Resources for organising. The other important thing to note is that I am providing this of my own free will; the thoughts expressed within are entirely my own.
If you enjoy historical fiction, in particular books set around the time when Vikings came to Britain, read on to find out more about this fifth instalment to The Saxon Warrior series!
A weakened crown. A country besieged by Vikings, suffering under the oppression of a powerful church.
994AD
King Aethelred the Unready’s rule falters. Policies recommended by the controlling bishops invite more attacks upon his Saxon kingdom as Sweyn Forkbeard, Viking battle-king of the Danes, grows in power; bloodthirsty for conquest.
Beornoth, Viking-killer and kings thegn believed his days in the shield wall to be over until summoned by the king to enforce a policy of retribution against his enemies.
In a time of shifting loyalties, alongside a savage warband of cruel Norman warriors, Beornoth embarks upon a brutal quest to rid England of King Aethelred’s so-called Viking enemies.
However, when this murderous campaign leads to the door of an old friend, Beornoth must choose sides, as his loyalty to king, country, and his brothers of the sword are put to the test.
Can Beornoth triumph over insurmountable odds in this shield splintering battle for the future of England itself?
If you enjoy internal conflict present in the likes of Bernard Cornwell’s The Last Kingdom, you’ll enjoy Enemies of the Crown. Like Uhtred, Beornoth finds himself with conflicted loyalties. Between the King he is honour-bound to serve and a Dane he loves as a brother, who does he choose? It seems an impossible decision.
As with all books in the series to date, there is plenty of action to keep us readers engaged. Between Saxon, Norman and Danish factions, it’s hardly surprising there’s a constant power struggle.
The pacing of the storyline and events suited my preferences. I was able to read most of this book in a day. That’s very fast, but it doesn’t have to be read that way either. I guess what I’m saying is the plot and writing are so engaging that I was motivated to!
I can only hope there are more books to come based on the ending – because it sounds like the conflict is not yet over.
Setting
The setting of Enemies of the Crown spans much of England as we know it today. Even if you are unfamiliar with historic town and city names (e.g Somersaete), I feel confident readers can follow along well. As a big fan of the genre through books and television, I’m pretty versed in this knowledge. It’s certainly not a requirement though.
From a political setting point of view, events have moved on since earlier books in the series. Aethelred’s mother is back in a position of influence, and this is not to Beornoth’s liking. Ælfthryth set herself against Beornoth in the past. So, he is naturally wary of her power and influence over the King of England.
There is a good deal of travel that takes place within this narrative, but the vast majority takes place behind the scenes. This keeps the action moving along and helps keep pace and readers engaged.
Characters
I’ve enjoyed seeing a more vulnerable side to Beornoth this time round. In the earlier books of the series, he was a younger man – better able and more physically fit to fulfil his duty in purging Britain’s soil of marauding Vikings. In Enemies of the Crown however, he is starting to show his age. He isn’t quite as quick as he was, and it does land him in danger.
Beornoth is also quite a different character to the man we met in the first book of the series, Warrior and Protector. He is more at peace with his past and emotionally he is far more mature. I have enjoyed his character arc and progression without the series to date, and that includes in Enemies of the Crown.
The final conflict in Enemies of the Crown is an interesting development and thorough it we see a lot about Beornoth. His past traumas come into play and I found his reactions and perspective in this almost repeat scenario interesting.
Narrative Style
By now, Peter Gibbons way of narrating the series is familiar and well-loved. It’s been very easy to get back into the series. Even though the book gets into action quite quickly, there is enough recap included to remind us readers of prior events. As somebody who reads a lot of books, I appreciate these hints being dropped in. It makes for a better reading experience when you can recall what’s happened rather than having to look it up.
With relatively short chapters and a punchy, action driven narrative style, there was always something going on and Enemies of the Crown. And, that’s true for the whole series. I’ve really enjoying the pacing of the storytelling-there’s plenty of action to keep us engaged, but not so much that it feels like we barely take a breath before the next big event is happening.
Summary
Fans of historical fiction, and especially Viking-era Britain will love both Enemies of the Crown and the earlier books in the series, starting with Warrior and Protector. If you have yet to read it, I strongly suggest you do! It’s a series I love and will be keeping up with as soon as the next book is out!
Author Bio
Peter is the winner of the 2022 Kindle Storyteller Literary Award, and an author based in Kildare in Ireland, with a passion for Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Science Fiction, and of course writing! Peter was born in Warrington in the UK and studied Law at Liverpool John Moores University, before taking up a career in Financial Services and is now a full time author. Peter currently lives in Kildare Ireland, and is married with three children. Peter is an avid reader of both Historical Fiction and Fantasy novels, particularly those of Bernard Cornwell, Steven Pressfield, David Gemmell, and Brandon Sanderson.
His books include the Viking Blood and Blade Saga, the Saxon Warrior series, and the Chronicles of Arthur.
April comes with no set theme in mind. Rather, this month I’m looking to pick up books that I haven’t gotten to in the last couple of months, as well as pick up some reads geared around the Goodreads challenges. Shall we take a look at the books on this monthly TBR that I’ll be picking up in April?
Fixed Reads
Enemies of the Crown
The first book I’ll be picking up in April is for a blog tour review. It was a natural decision to sign up for this one, given that I’ve already read prior books in the series. That, and I want to keep up with the series anyway. I’ve really come to love Peter Gibbons’ The Saxon Warrior series and I’m invested in the personal journey of the main character Beornoth.
As of this monthly TBR, I’m already making progress with this book. And it’s a good job —my review for this one is due on Sunday!
The Weight’s Over
I’m currently reading a newly released book called The Weight’s Over by Sandra Roycroft-Davis. I’ve seen a lot of adverts on Facebook for a slimming programme she’s developed, Slimpod. The reason I’ve picked up this audiobook is that I want to understand some of the science behind weight loss and why our bodies are designed for us to fail.
As of this monthly TBR post, I’ve almost finished listening to this book. It was only a little under 7 hours anyway, and I have just 45 minutes to go.
Normal Women
Normal Women is a carryover from March’s TBR. It’s a current read, and one I expect I’ll be chipping away at over the month of April.
As of this monthly TBR, I’ve already read a healthy 30% and I’m looking forward to reading more. I’m especially looking forward to seeing changes to women’s rights for the more positive— in what I’ve read so far… we’ve gone backwards!
Work Book Club
Although we have yet to christen the chosen book for this month, I’m keeping a placeholder here so that once we’ve selected a book, I’ve dedicated time to read it. At the moment, we have a poll going to choose the current book. The options are The Perfect Wife, The Anxious Generation, and All the Light We Cannot See.
Once we’ve christened the book mid-next week, I will let you know which we will be reading.
Mood Reads
The Poppy War
For a good few months now, I have been intending to start this series by R.F. Kuang. I originally received a copy of this book well over a year ago now. However, I received a special edition copy for my birthday recently. Receipt of that gift has inspired me and reminded me that I am really interested in picking up this fantasy series. So, that’s what I plan to do.
I have high hopes for this book given that I’ve heard a lot of good things. I’m also looking forward to reading something within the fantasy genre and going back to a genre I know and love inside out.
Elektra
Another genre I enjoy is Greek mythology, so Elektra seems a natural choice to pick up. It’s been a little while since I picked up a Greek-inspired story. I also like the idea of picking up Elektra because it follows on nicely from last month‘s theme that focuses on women.
Elektra is a powerful female character in Greek mythology. It’s also quite a short book, so Elektra should hopefully be a nice palate cleanser and give me a chance to pick up something a little different in between larger books.
Eve
I like to keep a non-fiction book on my reading list. This book is a non-fiction account about the biology of women’s bodies and how they shaped human society as we know it. On the off-chance The Anxious Generation isn’t picked for this month’s book club read, at least I have another non-fiction I’m already interested in on the list!
Summary
Am I likely to get to all the books on April’s Monthly TBR? Probably not. However, I may yet surprise myself! I prefer to set ambitious goals. If I finish a TBR or don’t set one, I find the lack of a goal demotivating and I tend to read less.
Are you planning on picking up any books in April? What are you reading?
The end of March has come and flown by! Where is 2025 going? Regardless of how I feel about being a quarter of the year already, time waits for no man (or woman). And so, it’s time to share my monthly wrap-up for March 2025.
I did pretty well with my TBR for March. I didn’t get to all the books, as I often don’t nowadays. Still, I got to most of them and enjoyed the books I read. That’s a big improvement from February! Shall we take a look at what those were?
Books Read
Woden’s Spear
The first book on my TBR for March was a blog tour commitment. For the first time in a long time, I agreed to take part in some blog tours and help out where they lacked support and needed filling. Woden’s Spear was the first of two books I committed to – the second is coming up later this week. It was also a new author to me. I said yes to it because I liked the setting and genre it falls into.
After weeks of not much luck with the books I’d chosen to read, Woden’s Spear made a refreshing… return. I enjoyed going back to something familiar that I know I like. It kickstarted my reading again in the best of ways. I’d even go so far as to say that having the deadline changed the dynamic and got my focus back on books!
If you want to take a look at my full review of Woden’s Spear, here’s a link to that post.
A Promised Land
A Promised Land was an audiobook carryover from February. It was the one book on my February TBR that surprised me in a good way. I didn’t finish it that month due to the length – over 29 hours total!
As of the beginning of the month, I carried over the final 12 hours of A Promised Land and finished the book 11 days later. A Promised Land was an eye-opener for me in that previously, I’ve avoided politics. It’s not a subject of particular interest to me, but it was good to get out of my comfort zone. Arguably, Barack Obama is one of the few political figures I don’t mind – they’re very few and far between! That made a huge difference to the listening experience. That, and Barack narrating the book himself, made it a lot more personal!
The Housemaid
Next, I listened to The Housemaid by Freida McFadden. We picked up this book for our book club, which met on the last day of the month.
It’s the first time I’ve opted to read our workbook club pick in audio format, but it worked! Admittedly, I found myself frustrated with Millie when I first started the book. She didn’t half put up with some bad behaviour; there’s a good reason why, but as someone who wouldn’t, it got to me. However, the book got A LOT more interesting as the narrative moved on, and the second perspective changed the book entirely.
Thriller fans – no spoilers here… but I can’t recommend the book highly enough!
Calamity
One last audiobook I squeezed in before the end of the month is Calamity by Brandon Sanderson. I literally finished this on Monday, squeaking it in just in time.
I picked up Calamity as it’s the final book in Sanderson’s The Reckoners series. After a long break, I picked up the second book earlier this year. I was determined to finish it soon and not leave it years again before finishing the series. The great news is that I have a completion under my belt to go towards my resolutions for the year. The bad news is that the series is done, and there aren’t any more books with these characters…
Normal Women
Finally, the last book I have to share with you in today’s monthly wrap-up is one I’ll carry forward into April.
Normal Women by Philippa Gregory came onto my radar after I listened to a podcast based on the research for this book. I really annoyed that podcast – and I’m enjoying the book too.
It’s a bit of a slow read though, so it’s one I’ll likely end up chipping away at. Throughout March, I read the first few chapters and as of this monthly wrap-up, I’m a couple of hundred pages into Normal Women.
In truth, I think this book would be easier for me to listen to than read. I tend to prefer listening to non-fiction. Even still, it’s been quite informative so far. My perception of history being unfavourable to women isn’t always true – women lost a lot of rights by the time Henry VIII secured the throne.
Here’s to continuing with this book in the next few weeks!
Summary
Thankfully I have better news to share in this monthly wrap-up and reading progress has been better.
If you’re still with me, thanks for reading today’s monthly wrap-up. Have you picked up any good books recently? Do you have any recommendations for me?
Happy Friday and welcome to today’s Shelf Control post. Today’s feature is an unusual choice – but it’s for that reason I want to pick it up. It’s a folkloric retelling in graphic novel format. Compared to my usual reading, it’s quite out there. However, it has a feminist slant that I’m looking forward to exploring!
As ever, before I get into the details, here’s a recap of what Shelf Control is all about.
Shelf Control is a meme run by Lisa at Bookshelf Fantasies. It’s a celebration of the unread books on our shelves! The idea is to pick a book you own but haven’t read and write a post about it (suggestions: include what it’s about, why you want to read it, and when you got it), and link up.
If you want to read more about the Shelf Control feature, check out Lisa’s introductory post.
‘A feminist fairy-tale… A wondrously intricate book, and a witty attack on the patriarchy, this is an instant classic.’ Observer
From the author who brought you The Encyclopedia of Early Earth comes another Epic Tale of Derring-Do.
Prepare to be dazzled once more by the overwhelming power of stories and see Love prevail in the face of Terrible Adversity!
You will read of betrayal, loyalty, madness, bad husbands, lovers both faithful and unfaithful, wise old crones, moons who come out of the sky, musical instruments that won’t stay quiet, friends and brothers and fathers and mothers and above all, many, many sisters.
My Thoughts
If there is one thing I tried my cell phone, it’s my willingness to try reading new things. In fact, one of my goals for this year is to read more out of my comfort zone. Whilst I wouldn’t describe this as necessarily a stretch, it is different.
I don’t typically read graphic novels, and I tend to stay away from shorter stories as well. The 100 nights of hero is both of these things. However, I think it will be a satisfying change of pace to the typical books I read. Sometimes, it’s nice to do something a little bit different or read something refreshing and new to act as a palette cleanser.
I don’t really know what to expect with the 100 nights of hero, but that’s okay. In a way, I think going into this book blind will make this an entertaining story for me. I’m not too familiar with the story it is retelling, but I can brush myself up on that detail
Thanks for checking out today’s Shelf Control post! Have you read The 100 Nights of Hero?
I’m back with a First Lines Friday post to round off the week! If you’re looking for an intriguing read to pick up this weekend, I have a great one for you!
I know that as it’s my current read! I’m just under 3 hours into the audiobook version of this book as of writing this post. The intro really got my attention. Shall we take a look?
If I leave this house, it will be in handcuffs. I should have run for it while I had the chance. Now my shot is gone. Now that the police officers are in the house and they’ve discovered what’s upstairs, there’s no turning back.
They are about five seconds away from reading me my rights. I’m not sure why they haven’t done it yet. Maybe they’re hoping to trick me into telling them something I shouldn’t.
“Welcome to the family,” Nina Winchester says as I shake her elegant, manicured hand. I smile politely, gazing around the marble hallway. Working here is my last chance to start fresh. I can pretend to be whoever I like. But I’ll soon learn that the Winchesters’ secrets are far more dangerous than my own . . .
Every day I clean the Winchesters’ beautiful house top to bottom. I collect their daughter from school. And I cook a delicious meal for the whole family before heading up to eat alone in my tiny room on the top floor.
I try to ignore how Nina makes a mess just to watch me clean it up. How she tells strange lies about her own daughter. And how her husband Andrew seems more broken every day. But as I look into Andrew’s handsome brown eyes, so full of pain, it’s hard not to imagine what it would be like to live Nina’s life. The walk-in closet, the fancy car, the perfect husband.
I only try on one of Nina’s pristine white dresses once. Just to see what it’s like. But she soon finds out… and by the time I realize my attic bedroom door only locks from the outside, it’s far too late.
But I reassure myself: the Winchesters don’t know who I really am.
They don’t know what I’m capable of . . .
My Thoughts…
If you enjoy thrillers that have you second guessing what you’re reading, The Housemaid will suit you as it does me. I have no idea what’s going on. I don’t know who I trust. What I can tell you though is that I’m motivated to find out!
I’m listening to The Housemaid going shopping, driving in the car and every opportunity I get. The story so far has set out enough information for me to get a grasp of the story, but at the same time there’s plenty yet to find out. Millie has a past, but we don’t know what. Not all is as it seems in the Winchester family, but who do we believe? Even if I wanted to tell you these things (which I won’t because I’m no spoilsport), I have no idea!
The opening lines caught my attention straightaway. Even if I wasn’t reading this book for book club, that introduction would have the book added to my TBR faster than I could click ‘add to cart’.
Has today’s First Lines Friday introduced you to a future read? Have you already read The Housemaid?
Good evening and welcome to today’s Shelf Control feature. It’s been a few weeks since I’ve shared one of these posts. But, I’m back and happy to share a science-fiction book I’ve picked up before and I’m looking forward to returning to. Before I get into the details, here’s a recap of what Shelf Control is all about.
Shelf Control is a meme run by Lisa at Bookshelf Fantasies. It’s a celebration of the unread books on our shelves! The idea is to pick a book you own but haven’t read and write a post about it (suggestions: include what it’s about, why you want to read it, and when you got it), and link up.
If you want to read more about the Shelf Control feature, check out Lisa’s introductory post.
In today’s post, I feature a book I started but put down a few years ago. I enjoyed the first book in the series, but I was struggling with longer books at the time. I had started the second book in the series, but ultimately decided to ‘temporarily’ put it down in favour of other books.
The second novel of the galaxy-spanning Sun Eater series merges the best of space opera and epic fantasy, as Hadrian Marlowe continues down a path that can only end in fire.
Hadrian Marlowe is lost.
For half a century, he has searched the farther suns for the lost planet of Vorgossos, hoping to find a way to contact the elusive alien Cielcin. He has not succeeded, and for years has wandered among the barbarian Normans as captain of a band of mercenaries.
Determined to make peace and bring an end to nearly four hundred years of war, Hadrian must venture beyond the security of the Sollan Empire and among the Extrasolarians who dwell between the stars. There, he will face not only the aliens he has come to offer peace, but contend with creatures that once were human, with traitors in his midst, and with a meeting that will bring him face to face with no less than the oldest enemy of mankind.
If he succeeds, he will usher in a peace unlike any in recorded history. If he fails…the galaxy will burn.
My Thoughts
It’s been a few years since I put this down, so the break between stopping this book and my intended restart date has been a little longer than the ‘temporary’ break planned. Admittedly, I’m going to benefit from a recap of the first book’s events, or a reread, to get back into the series.
What also excites me about this book is that it’s a relatively new author to me. I’ve only read the first book of the series, and since I started it with the proof I got from Gollancz years ago, the series has expanded. It’s nowadays total of six primary works- and there’s a final seventh coming up. There are also side stories along the way, so there’s plenty for me to get stuck into!
I enjoy the science-fiction genre. In a slight twist, this series is marketed as a space opera. If I recall correctly, there is a lot of drama, tension, and action to keep me engaged throughout this now epic series.
An additional bonus is that I already have a copy of this second book on my shelf waiting to be picked up. Fingers crossed, it’s not too long before I get there.
Thanks for reading today’s Shelf Control post! Does Howling Dark appeal to you?
March‘s monthly TBR had better go better than February’s. I don’t think I’ve ever DNF’d half of a reading list before. It wasn’t even anything really to do with the theme of Black History Month.
That’s why I’m not apprehensive about going into another month of topical reads. March is Women’s History Month, and I’ve been planning to pick up a few books on this topic for a while!
Shall we take a look?
Fixed Reads
Woden’s Spear
For the first time in a long time, I’ve got a blog tour coming up!
I’ve not taken part in a tour for around a year now. Initially, I didn’t want to take on the commitment whilst things were up in the air in my personal life. However, now that things have settled down, I have the ability to do the odd one or two of the tours again.
When Rachael asked for my help to fill in some spaces on a historical action adventure novel, I was persuaded. I love the genre and time period this book is set in. You’ll be hearing more on this book very soon, as I’m set to review it early next week.
A Promised Land
Given the length of this audiobook, it shouldn’t surprise you that Barack Obama’s A Promised Land is carried over into March.
Throughout February, I listened to 17 and a half hours of this 29-hour-long audio. I made a good dent. This month, I hope to finish it pretty soon!
A Promised Land was the one book on my February TBR that I thought at risk of DNFing. That it was actually one of my favourites of the month is both a surprise, but also a testament to how diverse my reading can be.
Children of Virtue and Vengeance
My second carryover from February is Children of Virtue and Vengeance by Tomi Adeyemi. I’ve picked up this series for the first time in a long time.
I confess, as of this monthly TBR, I’m undecided how I feel about the book. I’m yet to feel the same spark of enthusiasm about it as I had for the first. Still, I’ll stick with it a bit longer yet. It may come to me as I get more immersed in the story.
Normal Women
One of my Women’s History Month picks for this monthly TBR is Normal Women by Philippa Gregory.
I originally discovered this book when I featured Philippa’s podcast of the same name on my blog as part of a limited series. The subject generally is a topic of interest, but the podcast episode I listened to went into some of the research Philippa undertook when writing the book. The podcast piqued my attention, and I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the book and the other broad span of topics covered.
Narratives: The Stories that Hold Women Back at Work
At 254 pages, Narratives is the shortest book on this monthly TBR. Also fitting into my Women’s History Month topical reading, I’m looking forward to seeing if I can relate to any experiences within. Naturally, I hope not. Equally though, if I’m informed on ways women can be held back at work, the better I can approach the situation.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a career woman. I love clocking out at the end of the day and getting into my PJ’s for a relaxing evening. I still have some ambition to push myself and maybe take on a leadership role in time.
Eve
The potential last Women’s History Month book on this TBR is Eve.
Leaning into some more non-fiction, Eve looks at the ways in which the female body has evolved and shaped humanity as we know it. It’s a little out of my comfort zone, but equally I’m hopeful the book includes a lot of humour and insight that keeps me engaged.
Work Book Club Pick
Lastly, I’ll be picking up one final ‘fixed read’ for our work book club. However, as of this post, that hasn’t been decided. Members had until the end of today to vote from three contenders; I’ll be looking at the results and announcing the winner to members tomorrow.
So, I can’t tell you which it is in this monthly TBR. You’ll have to stay tuned on the blog to see what it is!
Mood Reads
Calamity
I only have one mood read on March’s monthly TBR. Outside of my carryovers for the month, it’s the only book not fitting the theme of Women’s History Month that isn’t another reading commitment.
I recently got back into the series when I listened to Firefight in January. Now that I’m so close to finishing the trilogy, I want to power on and get it finished!
Summary
I have a lot of books to cover this month, but I’m optimistic I can avoid the same reading funk that spoiled February’s monthly TBR.
We’re now two full months into 2025. I want to get in nice and early with my monthly wrap-up for February to update you on the books I picked up, and in some cases put down, during the last month.
One of my main reading goals for February was to pick up books around the theme of Black History Month. Not all of my books fit into this category, as they were either carryovers from January or I had to read them for other commitments. How I did with February’s TBR surprised me; there were books I wasn’t sure about that but I’ve gone on to really enjoy, yet equally there are books I thought I’d get on with, but didn’t.
Shall we get into this monthly wrap-up so you can see just how this month has gone?
Books Read
A Darkness at Sethanon
A Darkness at Sethanon was a carryover from January‘s TBR. I was just a couple of chapters in at the point of setting this book on my February monthly TBR.
Admittedly, I didn’t get much further than that before I put it down. Although I had recapped myself on events so far in the series, I was struggling to get into it. If I’m entirely honest, I didn’t love the books before this one. They were okay to read, but I didn’t have any burning desire to pick up this last instalment. If anything, I was motivated to try so I could mark the series as complete.
However, I decided it wasn’t worth slogging through this book in order to give myself that accolade. I have now finished this series, but it has a DNF as opposed to a completion.
Fearing the Black Body: The Racial Origins of Fat Phobia
A few weeks ago, I started listening to Fearing the Black Body. I ended up listening to this audiobook over the course of a weekend. I didn’t expect to love this book in the way that I did. It was really interesting, and I liked how the book was broken down and considered different ideas and arguments. I wouldn’t say this book is to be taken as gospel. However, it does consider some interesting ideas on why racism could play a role in our current culture’s fat phobia.
I wouldn’t describe this as a book that I would typically read. However, I’m glad I did. It’s a good way to get an alternate perspective on things, as well as consider things from a non-racial perspective as well. In addition to the race argument, the author also offers religion as a possible source of some of the negativity around larger bodies too.
A Promised Land
The second audiobook I picked up this month, and admittedly I’m still reading as of this monthly wrap-up post, is A Promised Land by Barack Obama. If there’s one book on this TBR I thought I was at risk of DNFing, it was this one. In truth, it’s one of the books I’m enjoying the most this month.
Politics is a subject that is out of my comfort zone. My overarching opinion generally of politicians is that they don’t achieve anything for the masses. instead, they use their office to promote their own self interest. I can be forgiven for this view when you consider the amount of cronyism that gets highlighted on the news.
So far, I don’t find Barack to be your typical politician. My overall perception of Barack Obama when he was in office was that he was a decent president.
Listening to his book, I still have this view. I’ve enjoyed listening to some of his insights on what his priorities were as a president. He also covers a number of different unplanned situations he had to deal with in office.
Naturally, this book is far more involved to the likes of Michelle Obama’s Becoming in describing the politics of his life. He’s not averse to making jabs here and there against other parties and individuals, but for the most part I’m getting on with the book well.
The only reason I’m still listening to this audiobook at the end of February is because it is so long! The audiobook is just over 29 hours long. As a drafting this post, I have just under 12 and a half hours left to listen to.
In Every Mirror She’s Black
Another read I intended to complete as part of this February TBR relating to Black History Month is In Every Mirror She’s Black. A few years ago I acquired my copy of the book in a Waterstones sale after Christmas. I liked the sound of the book and I thought it was going to have something quite prominent to say when it comes to race – how seemingly different black women end up experiencing the same treatment in life.
However, having gotten a third into this book, I still couldn’t tell where the storyline was intending to take us or what message it was trying to put out. So, I decided to DNF it. I was bored. The plot was meandering between the three female perspectives and not really giving any context as to what it was trying to say. Nothing significant was happening and I wasn’t enjoying reading it.
It’s a shame, because I think it could’ve been a good book if it started to get to its point a little quicker.
The Da Vinci Code
If you are a regular reader, you will know that I host a book club at work. We meet once a month, typically towards the end of a month, and discuss a book of a members choice.
A couple of months ago, we came up with the idea of reading The Da Vinci Code. Some members had already read the book a long time ago, whereas others like myself had not read it before. It sounded like a good book for discussion, so we decided to pick that up.
I’m sorry to say that I didn’t like this one either. I read 29% of the book before I DNF this one too. Whilst I enjoyed the ideas of symbolism and the murder mystery aspect of the storyline, I felt overall that it was a very pretentious book. There is a lot of detail on symbolism and at times, I felt the narrative was talking down to me to have to explain some of it. I also found the idea of these clues being left for Robert too far-fetched.
In principle, one of the characters had approximately 15 minutes to lay down all these clues before he passed away from a fatal injury in order to point Robert to his murderer. After discussions with another book club member, there are perhaps reasons why this was plausible for the character to do given his position and preplanning for such an eventuality. However, it just felt far-fetched to me and I wasn’t a fan of the tone of the book.
Children of Virtue and Vengeance
Lastly, we get to the final book of my February TBR, Children of Virtue and Vengeance. I am still reading this book as of publishing this monthly wrap-up post, but I confess I’m not loving this one either. At this point, I don’t think it’s the fault of the book, but more to do with the fact that I’m in a reading funk.
As of this monthly wrap up post, I’m 20% into the book and I’m going to keep going with it for now. I probably not help myself in that it’s been a good number of years since I read the first book of the series. I have recapped myself on events, But leaving it so long is probably acting as a blocker helping me immerse myself back into the storyline.
Summary
It’s fair to say that reading progress in February didn’t end up going so well. Whilst I have read some enjoyable books in the month, I DNF’d three books – basically half the list!
I may need to reconsider my reading plans for March to help get myself out of whatever reading funk I’m in right now.
Thanks for reading today’s monthly wrap-up! Have you read any great books recently that you can recommend to help?
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My name is Rebecca; welcome to my humble little blog.
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