Tag: Fiction

Monthly TBR – June 2026

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My June monthly TBR is all about trying to complete the Goodreads Spring 2026 reading challenge. Yes, I’m having another stab at this quarterly challenge. Last time, I got to 9 after 12 achievements towards the winter challenge. Being so close, I knew I wanted to take a second stab at this.

If I’m being honest, do I think I’m going to achieve this? Perhaps not. In order to get the remaining eight achievements, I have a hefty monthly TBR to get through. I also hedged my bets on a Pride Month read, which is one of the prompts, which unfortunately did not qualify. Given I already have a hefty list, I’m unlikely to be able to pick up another Pride Month read before the end of June.

Nevertheless, I’m looking forward to the books on this monthly TBR. I already own a considerable number of these, and it’s going to be a productive month for hitting books on my reading list as opposed to working towards other reading commitments. I have 230 books on my reading list, so it will be refreshing to tick off a good chunk of these.

 

Carryovers from May/Reading Obligations

Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon 

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The first of two books I’ve carried over from May is Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon by James Hibberd. If you watched my monthly TBR video over on YouTube, you’ll see that this was one of four books I pulled out of my TBR jar to read last month. Incidentally, it was also the only book I managed to get to out of those picks. May’s TBR was equally ambitious for very different reasons. However, I’m glad I was able to start Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon. 

I have been looking forward to this read because it’s based on the behind-the-scenes action of filming the Game of Thrones TV series. Not only has it given me serious nostalgia for the main series, but it’s given me the opportunity to learn more about the filming of the series that I’ve appreciated ever before. It’s an engaging read, a fun read as well as being insightful. I’m loving the commentary from both cast and crew on the overall production of the series, as well as insights from the author George R. R. Martin himself. 

Am I fighting the urge to pick up A Game of Thrones again? Yes. Absolutely… 

 

Project Hail Mary 

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My second carryover for May, albeit I made very little progress right at the end of the month, is Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir.

I started this book initially when sampling the audio to see if this was the format I wanted to read Project Hail Mary in. After purchasing the audiobook based on the few minutes sample I listened to, I then decided to stick with the first few chapters. It was enough to give me an idea of what the book was about and introduce the character and setting to get me excited to pick up the remainder of the book. 

Now that I have finished the other audiobook I was listening to properly at the time, Project Hail Mary is my full-time listen as of this monthly TBR for June. And, with a bank holiday weekend here, I’ve got lots of time to enjoy getting stuck in properly. 

 

Queen of Shadows 

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My Throne of Glass read-along continues! If you read my Sunday Summary post dated the 31st of May, you’ll know I set myself the target of finishing Heir of Fire on that final day of May. With around 250 pages left, I pushed through so that I could get up-to-date with my own read-along. Sounds silly, I know. However, for the past few books I have been running behind. With the books now getting longer, I can’t afford to be behind and I need to dedicate more time to making sure I stay up-to-date with these.

Naturally, that’s going to be my priority for Queen of Shadows. This latest book, which is the fourth book in the Throne of Glass series, is around 700 pages long. That’s nearly twice the length of the first couple of books. So, I definitely need to prioritise keeping on top of this one! 

 

Goodreads Spring 2026 Reading Challenge Books

 

The Pillars of the Earth

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Queen of Shadows isn’t the only lengthy book on this June monthly TBR. On the contrary, one of the Goodreads Spring 2026 reading challenge prompts is called Marathon Reader. Yes, as the name probably suggests to you, this is a long book. I’ve chosen The Pillars of the Earth for this prompt because it’s also a book I featured in my 2026 resolutions post. It’s a book I’ve been recommended at least twice, so I wanted to get to this in 2026 anyway. 

The Pillars of the Earth weighs in at about 1,070 pages. No small feat, right? My hunch is that I will progress with The Pillars of the Earth over the course of the month rather than reading the whole thing at once. That gives me the chance to enjoy the book in smaller chunks, as well as get to the other books on this June TBR. If I’m going to complete the Goodreads Spring 2026 reading challenge, I can’t afford any dips in reading momentum! 

 

Ink, Blood, Sister, Scribe

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For the books on books challenge prompt, I’m reading Ink, Blood, Sister, Scribe. I had two books that fit the bill on my TBR. On a practical level, however, it made sense for me to pick up Ink, Blood, Sister, Scribe as part of this monthly TBR given I already own a hardback copy. 

It’s become very apparent to me in recent days that I have a number of physical books on my bookshelves that I have not yet got to. Ink, Blood, Sister, Scribe is one of those. So, perfect timing to deal with that – no? 

 

Katabasis 

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I only had one book that fit the AAPI Heritage reading prompt. And you know what, I’m not mad, as it means I get to pick up another book by R.F. Kuang! 

I have really come to love Rebecca‘s writing. Most recently, I picked up Yellowface at the beginning of this year. However, I have loved all the books more reminiscent of Katabasis, including the likes of Babel. 

I was so excited to pick up a physical copy of this book that I picked it up going abroad last year, only to bring it all the way home. Could I have waited? Sure. Did I want to? Absolutely not! 

 

Challenger 

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When reading Orbital by Samantha Harvey at the very top of the year, I got to touch upon the topic of the space shuttle Challenger and its tragic fate in that narrative. It was only touched on very briefly, but it sparked a reminder that I wanted to pick up Challenger by Adam Higginbotham to really learn what happened on that fateful day.

Thankfully, this book qualifies for the editor’s picks prompt for the spring challenge. Honestly, I had a few books that fit in this category, and it was hard to choose which one. However, partly down to the combination of already owning the book, as well as being passionate about the subject from a recent read, gave this book the edge to make it onto this monthly TBR. 

 

Behind Closed Doors

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Finally, given I already have some lengthy reading to get through, I picked the shortest book on my TBR for the community picks prompt. 

Behind Closed Doors is a reasonably short mystery/thriller novel that I will hopefully devour! Given I’ve enjoyed books like this in audio format before, and the heavy weighting of physical books on this June TBR so far, I imagine I will pick this up in audio just to help get to it as well. 

At just under 300 pages, this feels achievable! 

 

Summary 

So, ignoring the fact I currently have a gap to fill in another Pride Month pick, these are the books I plan to read towards the rest of the challenge prompts for the Goodreads Spring 2026 Reading Challenge. However, I do also have a couple of books on this list that don’t fit that prompt at all. Fire cannot kill a dragon and Queen of Shadows do not qualify for this challenge at all, but they are personal reads I’m invested in picking up in June.

Are you taking part in any reading challenges this month? Do you have any planned summer reading you are taking part in? Let me know in the comments what you’re planning to read this June.

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Monthly Wrap-Up – May 2026

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***Today’s monthly wrap-up contains affiliate links to Amazon if you wish to purchase any of the books featured. If you follow any of these links, I will earn a small commission from that purchase at no cost to you. 

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

 

I’m never not ambitious when it comes to setting a TBR. May proved to be no exception! Unfortunately, I didn’t get to all the books I planned in that TBR. Of the four TBR jar picks I pulled out, I only got to one. Even then, it’s being carried over to June and it’s a current read as of drafting this monthly wrap-up post. 

Nevertheless, I’ve had a productive month of reading! There were a couple of moments where I pushed hard to complete some of the reads for deadlines. It’s kept me on track so I have no regrets.

Let’s take a look at the books I picked up in May! 

 

Books Read 

Crown of Midnight

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When I published last month’s monthly wrap-up, I had to hold my hands up to some pretty poor reading progress with Crown of Midnight. Given I was meant to finish the book in April, I went into May having only started the first 14%. 

Pathetic, right? Well, needless to say, my first focus of the month was to catch up with Crown of Midnight. I confess, even after all that, it still took me until mid-month to finish this second book of the Throne of Glass series. Slack, I know. However, I made good, not only on Crown of Midnight, but the sequel too. More on that one later… 

I enjoyed Crown of Midnight. A theme across the latest books I’ve read is that I start off quite slow. However, once the action is really established and starting to go down in the second half of the book, I’ll fly with it. I’d say part of that is due to the events of Crown of Midnight building significantly on Throne of Glass. The magnitude of the series gets bigger with every instalment. I love it, even if it means taking time over the detail of the book to start with. 

 

Why We Get Sick

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Why We Get Sick was an impulse audiobook listen towards the end of April. After a tricky month, I pretty much wrote off my TBR in the end. Instead, to get myself out of a slump, I picked up Why We Get Sick as a change-up and to enjoy a topic I have an interest in. 

In the last couple of years, I’ve been more serious about my health. I’ve read a few books around the subject. Ultra-Processed People. The Weight’s Over. A couple of other examples. Hoping to gain information about insulin resistance and the longer-term health consequences that causes, I picked up Why We Get Sick. And you know what, it was an interesting read. The book has a focus more on the biological aspect of insulin resistance, which to be fair, is what I asked ChatGPT for when looking for a book rec on the subject. It lived entirely up to my expectations. 

Readers looking for more in the way of practical tips or lifestyle changes to make might benefit from a different read. This has a couple, but the emphasis is more on how it occurs rather than giving detailed advice on how to reverse it. 

An insightful read nonetheless! 

 

The Eagle Will Rise

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I took part in the blog tour for The Eagle Will Rise. This book is the first of a new series featuring a character I love from M.J. Porter’s The Eagle of Mercia Chronicles. 

I had hoped to start this book a little earlier and not be so last-minute with reading this book. However, I found myself in a position where I only had a couple of days to pick up the book ahead of my review deadline. For the post part, that was due to taking longer to read Crown of Midnight than initially planned. 

Nevertheless, reading The Eagle Will Rise was a breeze. I’ve now read around ten books by M.J. Porter. I know her writing style, the format. What to expect, and the book 100% lived up to expectations. Thank goodness I work well under pressure, because the pace I needed to maintain for this one involved reading around 150 pages a day. This is one of two hard pushes I made with a particular title this month. 

If you want to find out more about this book, you can find my review here. 

 

Witch Hunt

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Another blog tour commitment I read towards in May is Witch Hunt. I picked this up in audiobook format well in advance of the tour. So much so, my post is due in the coming days and thankfully, I finished this book a couple of weeks ago. 

My motivation to read Witch Hunt comes from the book’s overall setting. In the shadow of Lancashire’s Pendle Hill, infamous for its associations with witchcraft and trials. Amidst modern-time accusations, the murder of one such accused woman appears all but an open and shut case. However, of course, it’s not that simple… 

My review for Witch Hunt goes live on Thursday. So, I’m going to keep my thoughts pretty short and sweet here. If you want to find out more, I hope you can come back for that review post. 

Makes a change for me not to be confessing to chasing my tail in a monthly wrap-up. Well, not for every book anyway… 

 

Heir of Fire

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For the second half of the month, I made a concerted push with Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas. Heir of Fire is the sequel to Crown of Midnight and the planned reading book for May. Now obviously, I started this readalong late. In fact, I started the book mid-month. So, in fairness to fellow readers, I have this readalong open on Fable and StoryGraph until the 7th June. 

However, I got it in my head this weekend that I wanted to get back on track. So I can start Queen of Shadows nice and early, I was determined to binge-read the final 250 pages I had left in Heir of Fire yesterday. And you know what, by the skin of my teeth, I did it! I finished Heir of Fire at 00:15 last night. Technically 1st June, but before I went to bed for the evening. So, it counts in my book 😂

Heir of Fire was a repeat of Crown of Midnight in that the early events of the book invest time in expanding the places, world building, and characters we get to know in the book. 

 

Somewhere Beyond the Sea

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Over the course of May, I’ve been slowly progressing with Somewhere Beyond the Sea. Unlike other books on this monthly wrap-up feature, I’ve been deliberately making slow progress with it. When I planned my Completing the Goodreads Spring 2026 Reading Challenge post, I had to take a stab at an LGBTQ book I thought could qualify.

Given the final prompt was labelled Pride Month until today, I had no way of knowing what would qualify, or if it specifically needed to be a completion in June to count. So, I took a punt, and listened to this audiobook with the aim to complete it in early June. In fact, I finished it earlier today! 

The good news is that this sequel lived up to its predecessor, The House in the Cerulean Sea. It’s cute, wholesome, and charming. The characters are funny, if a little ridiculous. But that’s the fun of it. The bad news is that it doesn’t count towards the Goodreads challenge after all. Then again, nothing I have on my TBR with LGBTQ themes does, so I don’t feel too hard done by! At least I got up-to-date with the series. 

 

Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon

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The penultimate book to feature in today’s monthly wrap-up is my physical current read, Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon by James Hibberd. 

This read came out of my TBR Jar in my May TBR video on YouTube. It’s also the only TBR jar pick that made it anywhere near my ears or eyeballs this month. Don’t Fix Women, Sleeping Beauties, and The Great Hunt will just have to wait for another day… 

I picked up Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon as a breather from Heir of Fire. I needed a different subject. Something lighter. A topic I was confident I’d love. Well, we all know A Game of Thrones ticks all those boxes for me! 

Rather than a return to the main series that inspired it all, Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon is about the filming of the TV series and how HBO and the directors Dan Weiss and David Benioff achieved what had never been done before – took a series deliberately written to be larger than the screen and put it there. At times, heavily constrained by budget. The book features interviews and commentary from cast and crew on all things from casting to creative decision-making progress. It’s insightful, new to me and so entertaining yet informative, and has only tempted me to pick up the first book again a few times. 

Okay, that’s a lie… more than a few! 

As of this monthly wrap-up, featuring progress up until yesterday, I got to 116 pages in during May. I’ve already picked it up today and blitzed 30 pages over lunch. Now Heir of Fire is done, 100% of my focus is on Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon. It won’t last long! 

 

Project Hail Mary

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My final read of the month is my current audiobook listen, which admittedly I only just touched on in May. 

It hardly feels worthy of mention in this monthly wrap-up given I only sampled the first few minutes, then a couple of chapters, this weekend just gone. Planning ahead on how to tackle my June TBR (coming out in the next few days… stay tuned!), I decided to try Project Hail Mary in audio format. This book will do me some wonders in my efforts to complete the Goodreads Spring reading challenge. Perhaps now in jeopardy thanks to Pride Month not working out, but I may claw it back yet. We’ll see! 

With this in mind, I need to fit this in to make my book choices work harder for me. I like the narration, and I’m intrigued by the introduction. It’s the best thing I can ask for, really. More to follow on this book over the course of the month as I progress with it. 

Again, now I’ve finished Somewhere Beyond the Sea, Project Hail Mary has my full, undivided attention! 

 

Summary 

At times, May didn’t feel like a super busy or productive month. However, as this monthly wrap-up post has reminded me, that’s really not the case at all. I picked up a number of reads, some of them not small either. A few had deadlines, self-imposed or otherwise. And I hit all those targets. 

So, this monthly wrap-up is a bit of a success story, even if I didn’t get to the whole TBR. It was a long shot anyway, and regardless, I had a great time with these reads! 

What did you read over the course of May – any recommendations for me? 

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Book Review: Wizard and Glass – Stephen King

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***Today’s review of Wizard and Glass 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.***

 

Wizard and Glass wasn’t quite the book I expected it to be. So far in Stephen King’s The Dark Tower series, the narrative has been light on the context of the wider series. Hoping this would unravel later in all due time, I was okay with this. Well, unravel it did. If you’re interested in my thoughts on the earlier books of the series, you can find these here: – 

The Gunslinger

The Drawing of the Three

The Waste Lands

I confess, Wizard and Glass wasn’t quite the books I anticipated, and I almost marked it down for it. Ultimately, it was an interesting book. However, if I’m honest I was a little disappointed Wizard and Glass came across as a bit of an info-dump book. 

However, the book and narrative isn’t without its merits, and overall I rated the book four stars. Before we get into my thoughts in full detail, let’s cover the stats and synopsis… 

 

Wizard and Glass – Stephen King

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 845

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton

Publication Date: 04 Nov 1997

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟

 

Purchase Link – Amazon UK

Goodreads – Wizard and Glass

Roland, Eddie, Susannah, Jake, and Jake’s pet bumbler survive Blaine the Mono’s final crash, only to find themselves stranded in an alternate version of Topeka, Kansas, one that has been ravaged by the superflu virus. While following the deserted I-70 toward a distant glass palace, they hear the atonal squalling of a thinny, a place where the fabric of existence has almost entirely worn away. While camping near the edge of the thinny, Roland tells his ka-tet a story about another thinny, one that he encountered when he was little more than a boy. Over the course of one long magical night, Roland transports us to the Mid-World of long-ago and a seaside town called Hambry, where Roland fell in love with a girl named Susan Delgado, and where he and his old tet-mates Alain and Cuthbert battled the forces of John Farson, the harrier who—with a little help from a seeing sphere called Maerlyn’s Grapefruit—ignited Mid-World’s final war.

 

My Thoughts

Plot 

Whilst the overall setting and backstory of this book came across as a bit of an info-dump, I can’t actually fault the narrative in itself. This book wasn’t what I expected or hoped for. Instead of a continuation of the present day narrative we’ve enjoyed in books 1-3, very little actually happens in the present timeline in Wizard and Glass. 

Instead, we are taken back to Roland’s youth for the entirety of this book. If not for the level of cohesive detail, and my inability to come up with a way this story could have been told in the detail it is any other way, I would have marked it down. There is so much to this book that I think it was necessary to do in this format. In the grand scheme of the series, the context this backstory provides is relevant to the wider plot and needed to be told. My dislike of the change of pace and plot-line is ultimately preferential and so I couldn’t in good faith by unfair on this point my marking down my review. 

Wizard and Glass is an epic storyline. Hardly surprising for a Stephen King book, but especially in this wider world. Rather than following the established journey towards the Tower, we instead explore the backstory that set Roland on its path. That said, the plot is no less full of action and conflict that we’ve seen in earlier books. Rather, the setting of the book takes us back to what I would describe as a more authentic Western setting. Conflicts, when not handled with words, start with fists and end with bullets or flame. It’s dramatic, tense, and everything I’ve enjoyed in the series so far. 

 

Characters 

As well as the usual cast and crew we’ve come to know and love throughout The Dark Tower so far, we come to know many more in Wizard and Glass. 

Despite almost starting again, and having a whole new cast to introduce and explore, this wasn’t overwhelming to read. Key character are brought into the narrative in good time, not all at once. Even though I went into this book with investment into a set of characters that barely feature in the story (Roland aside, of course), I was still able to relate and motivate myself to explore the new characters and their conclusions. 

The small town community setting of this book is one I know all too well. I live on an island myself, and news, and people, get around. In this even smaller, somewhat isolated group, it’s not difficult to appreciate how difficult it is to keep secrets in a place like this. The conflict and tension of such a setting is engaging. Groups like this often develop their own senses of right and wrong, morality, things like that. For outsiders, it’s entirely skewed. That’s very much the case here, and I liked that. To what extermes will these people go to? Where are the boundaries, if they exist?

 

Setting 

The benefit of a book which essentially addresses flashbacks is that we get to see a whole new setting within the wider world already established. It’s an opportunity to address history and take a look at the places, events and ultimately the backstory that shaped the more modern timeline. 

In Wizard and Glass, we get to experience what I would describe as a book with closer fidelity to a Western style narrative. In earlier books, we’ve had elements of modern societies bleed into the narrative. Blane the mono, abandoned cities and the like morph the setting slightly to something more hybrid. However, in Wizard and Glass, the small town setting and close community brings us back to the book’s Western roots. The self-sustaining community, suspicious of outsiders, set in their ways and opinions and witchcraft especially feels authentic. 

Whilst I’ve enjoyed the other books and their crossovers in setting (it’s a fantasy after all, not a pure Western), I got on well with Wizard and Glass leaning into this more authentic setting. 

 

Narrative Style 

For the most part, we spend the majority of our time in Wizard and Glass flashing back to the past. Whilst we get brief glimpses of present day and the group listening to Roland’s recount of his youth, not much happens here. Even still, these brief interludes help break up that dense, contextually relevant narrative and give Susannah and Eddie the opportunity to ‘ask questions’ to help reaffirm relevance to readers. 

Despite being a chunky read, I read Wizard and Glass pretty quickly. In all, I think I was actively progressing with this book over a span of a couple of weeks. I did have to put it down temporarily to pick up some reading obligations. However, once those were out of the way I dived into the final 30% of the book with gusto. 

For an epic fantasy, I’d say Kings books, Wizard and Glass included, aren’t difficult to read. There’s complexity in the depth of what is going on, sure, but not really in the language, tone or writing style of the book. Even references to phases and elements of ‘own language’ in the book are pretty self-explanatory. 

 

Summary 

Thanks for reading today’s Wizard and Glass review! 

Have you read Wizard of Glass, or any other books in Stephen King’s The Dark Tower series? If not yet, pick up a copy of Wizard and Glass here, or start the adventure with The Dark Tower and let me know what you think of this Western-style fantasy. 

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My May 2026 TBR… It’s LONG!

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When planning my May 2026 TBR, I knew I wanted a fresh start. After a lacklustre reading month in April (see my April wrap-up if you want the low-down on that…), I’m hoping a clean slate is the key to getting my reading groove back. 

I have some reading obligations as well, so the deadlines will also go a long way to spurring me on. I have two blog tours, as well as kicking myself up the bum to get my Throne of Glass read-alongs back on track.

Beyond that, I’ve let my brand new, refreshed TBR Jar decide the rest! It pulled out some chunky books, and I confess I tossed one back as it tried to give me a 1,100 pager after already tossing me a couple of 700 pagers. The genres I’m reading this month span horror, thriller, historical fiction, non-fiction, as well as my favourite, fantasy. One epic fantasy sequel as well I’m excited to get to 🎊

Enough teasing, I’ll get stuck in with my obligations first, then I’ll highlight my TBR Jar picks.

 

Carryovers from April/Reading Obligations 

Why We Get Sick

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At the end of April, I started listening to the audiobook Why We Get Sick by Benjamin Bikman. I started this book as I have an interest in the subject, in particular the biological level of detail insulin resistance has on cells. 

I didn’t have a book like this on my TBR. Rather, it’s a topic I have wanted to learn about personally. Leaning into a complete change and effectively scrapping my TBR, I hoped picking up a book totally unrelated to my April TBR would give me the fresh start I needed. 

As of the end of April, it was working! In fact, this book features on my May 2026 TBR as I finished the book in May – yes – it’s already done 👍 It’s the best of starts I could hope for when it comes t my May TBR – long may it continue… 

 

Crown of Midnight

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Crown of Midnight is a carryover from my April TBR and my current read as of this May 2026 TBR. 

My read-along for Sarah J Maas hasn’t gotten off to the best of starts. The fault is entirely mine – I’m not prioritising it enough. That changes this month. Not only am I immediately prioritising down of Midnight to catch up on my being behind, but I will be following up with the sequel immediately. 

I’ll also plan ahead to set myself goals so that I DO actually read-along over the course of the month, as opposed to just playing catch up at the end which is what’s happened three times now. I’m going to go and do that on Storygraph and Fable after this post goes live. I’ll havens excuse then, right?! 

 

Heir of Fire

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As above, once Crown of Midnight is finished I’m jumping into the first part of Heir of Fire right away. Compared to the earlier books in the series, Heir of Fire is longer. Compare 400-and-something pages for those first two books to nearly 600 in Heir of Fire. 

I can’t catch up with that too late. I need to keep on top of this one… 

Watch this space and hold me accountable friends!

 

The Eagle Will Rise

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The first of my blog tour obligations this month is The Eagle will Rise by M.J. Porter. I signed up to this tour as I’m a big fan of the author’s Eagle of Mercia Chronicles. We also have some character overlap in this book, although the circumstances are very different in this new series. 

I’m excited to see where this takes us. I know what to expect in terms of writing style from M.J. Porter, and I’m keen to explore a new plot in a similar setting to that already established in Eagle of Mercia. 

Will I enjoy this one as much as I hope? Only time will tell, but I am optimistic! 

 

Witch Hunt

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My second commitment is an audiobook tour. I don’t do these often, but I’m excited to get stuck in! 

When it comes to listening to audiobooks, I’m typically slower than reading conventionally. So, with that in mind, I’m going to jump in the gap finishing When We Get Sick has created and start Witch Hunt now. My review obligation isn’t until early June. However, in order to listen to this book in sufficient time, I’ve popped it onto this May 2026 TBR. 

What piqued my interest for this book? Its association with witchcraft and being set around Pendle Hull of course. It’s a take on the narrative I haven’t explored for a while. It’s also modern mystery/police procedural type book which is a change on what I’ve read and listened to lately. I’m keen to give this a try and let you know what I thought soon. 

 

May 2026 TBR picks

Moving on, I then pulled four books out of my refreshed TBR Jar. I had filtered out around 30-40 books I had read or removed from my TBR, but then added the latest books that were not in the jar. The net effect was more to pull from the jar, but all up-to-date at least. The paper I used was different this time, so I can visually see old vs new entries. I aimed for two of each; that way I can target some older books, but also deliberately mix in some newer ones to keep things fresh. 

Here’s what I pulled! 

 

Don’t Fix Women: The Practical Path to Gender Equality at Work

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The first book that came out of the jar was kind. It was one of the newer additions to the jar. At 266 pages, it fits well with the overall size of my TBR. Pity the next three books I pulled didn’t agree with the sentiment… 

Don’t Fix Women is about fixing imbalances in the current workforce. Will this book have the most practical applications for me? Well, aside from being a women, I don’t have much in the way of power at my company. I’m not HR. However, I’ll advocate as much as I can and if I find practical advice here I think we could adopt, I’ll absolutely speak up. 

It should make for an interesting read nonetheless. I do enjoy some feminist reading now and then! 

 

The Great Hunt

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Amazon Purchase Link

The next book I pulled from the jar was also a new book to the jar. I started a read of Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time series with The Eye of the World in late 2024. It’s about time I got the sequel anyway, and the jar made that call for me. 

The Great Hunt comes in at just over 700 pages. It’s not a short read, but it does lean into one of my favourite genres of all time – epic fantasy. I’m looking forward to jumping back to the life and fate of Rand al’Thor. If I had left it too mcc longer, I’d be trying to recall what happened in the first book and I would struggle to pick this up again. As much as this is a long read, I think it’s a bit of a blessing in disguise that it came out now. 

 

Sleeping Beauties

Goodreads

Amazon Purchase Link

After pulling two ‘new’ reads, I then targeted slips that have been in my jar since I first put it together. Sleeping Beauties has been on my TBR since January 2018. I also have a copy on my bookshelves, but I’m not sure if I have owned it as long as that or not. The spine is pretty faded from exposure to the sun, so it’s quite possible! 

Sleeping Beauties also comes in a fraction over 700 pages. Not a short read either, but one I’m excited to try. It’s also a bit feminist in nature, as well as overlapping with horror/thriller and fantasy for the plot line. A unique mix I’m keen to try! 

 

Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon

Goodreads

Amazon Purchase Link

This last book is actually the second draw from the jar. My first pick that came out was The Weird. Not problem, I thought initially, as I had a hunch it was a collection of short stories. That it is, but the whole volume comes in at 1,100 pages. No way was that going to be feasible. So, I’m being honest here and declaring that’s what the jar give me, but I tossed it back in so I could make a second draw. 

That second draw was a far more approachable Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon. At 450 pages, this is still somewhat achievable. This May 2026 TBR already has a sizeable page count, so it’s debatable if I’ll get to this one. However, I’ll use access to audio copies of book where I can, maybe even library loans  for books I don’t have. 

I’m really motivated to pick this up as it’s about one of my favourite TV series (based on books) of all-time – A Game of Thrones! If that’s not incentive to get through the rest of my May 2026 TBR to finish here, then I don’t know what is. 

 

That’s plenty enough to get on with for my May 2026 TBR. What are you reading? 

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Monthly Wrap-Up: April 2026

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***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***

April should have been another productive month. Again, I set myself an ambitious TBR. However, a busy period at work, combined with stagnating on a re-read, meant progress stalled in April. It’s a shame – I’d been on a good run. At least I had a head start so I’m not behind after this month’s progress. Even so, I’m a little disappointed I didn’t pick up more reads this month. 

Let’s take a look at the books I picked up, and how I got on… 

 

Books Read 

Storm of Mercia

Goodreads

Amazon Purchase Link

Storm of Mercia was a priority read, given I had a review obligation for the book on 2nd April. 

Thankfully, I’m the kind of girl who thrives on a deadline. I started the book just a few days before the end of March and still read close up to the deadline. However, my already established love of the series meant this was easy for me to pick up and get invested in. 

As I’ve already reviewed this book on my blog, I’m not going to go too heavy into my thoughts on this book here. Instead, I’ll point you to that review if you are a fan of action-based historical fiction with political aspects to the underlying storyline. 

 

The Astral Library

Goodreads

Amazon Purchase Link

My next carryover from March was my audio listen of The Astral Library. In my March wrap-up post, I shared that I didn’t have a lot left to go. 

Unsurprisingly, I finished this book in just a few days of the new month. I was invested into the narrative and events of the book were already coming to a head. Naturally, I had every inclination to get to this and see how the book finished. This was an easy book to prioritise and finish! It’s a pity the rest of the month didn’t follow through with this pace… 

 

1984

Goodreads

Amazon Purchase Link

I started my April TBR already 33% into 1984 by George Orwell. I had to set this book aside in order to pick up my reading obligations – Rose Red, then Storm of Mercia. 

Firstly, the near month break I took between putting down and returning to this book wasn’t ideal. Combine that with a break from reading in general due to doing overtime at work, and tiredness after that, meant I was slow to get going again. Knowing how the book ended, there wasn’t much excitement or incentive for me to pick it up either. 

So, long story short, I was slow to pick this back up again. However, towards the end of the month I found my motivation again and finished 1984. Despite the lack of speed, I still enjoyed this one. I’m also keen to pick up the retelling Julia shortly. I’m ready for a slight change of perspective, and it should offer a refreshing change. 

 

Onyx and Ivory

Goodreads

Amazon Purchase Link

One of the books I pulled out of my TBR jar in my March TBR video is Onyx and Ivory. This YA fantasy romance was the final book I pulled from the jar, yet equally was the only one I got to this month. 

And you know what, it didn’t land perfectly. I knew it was a stretch, being YA fantasy. In other circumstances, I might have gotten on with it. However, listening to this audiobook coincided with my slow patch of 1984. That didn’t help, so in the end, I decided to pick up a fresh audiobook. After that, I didn’t have the inclination to return. I gave myself a deadline of the end of April to return to this. I didn’t, so I’ll call it a DNF. 

 

Looking at Women Looking At War: A War and Justice Diary

Goodreads

Amazon Purchase Link

It’s a good job this girl thrives on a deadline. Despite my intentions to start this book in plenty of time before it was due back to my local library on Monday, I only started it last Saturday. Needless to say, I was on the clock to finish the book. 

Most of Monday lunchtime was spent finishing the book. I had hoped I could take the book back after 5pm, but unfortunately the library shut then. So, a rocket was firmly up mine to get the book finished… but you know what, I did it! 

Looking at Women Looking At War was a really interesting read, so it wasn’t difficult to prioritise this read. It was also unusual to read a book that’s shaping currency events./ It barely counts as history, but it had that vibe. The circumstances of the author’s work, and terrible passing, meant that the book wasn’t finished. It was odd to read a book in which the author’s unedited notes have to stand as the content. But, it brings home what happened and the level of work Amelia was going to in order to document the war crimes and make sure those harmed by the Russians get their justice. 

Looking at Women Looking At War is a very different book to those I’ve read lately, and it landed well! Of all the books on this monthly wrap-up, it’s the book I enjoyed the most! 

 

Crown of Midnight

Goodreads

Amazon Purchase Link

I’m carrying forward two books into May – my readalong of Sarah J. Maas’ Throne of Glass series. Starting this book was later than intended, but I have somewhat of a schedule to maintain. So, whilst I’m a bit late in getting started, as of this monthly wrap-up post, it is my priority read. 

As of this monthly wrap-up post, I’m 14% into Crown of Midnight. I’ve enjoyed the start of this book so far, and it has been easy to get back into it. There’s enough ties to events from the previous book that the story is cohesive and I understand where I’m up to. However, already there are hints of new events that are going to unfold in this latest instalment. I’m keen to get stuck in, so watch for some speedy progress with Crown of Midnight in the coming days.

 

Why We Get Sick

Amazon Purchase Link

Goodreads

Finally, I started Why We Get Sick as a break from Onyx and Ivory. Although not on my TBR, I have a personal motive to listen to this audiobook. 

I’m trying to learn about insulin resistance and the effects it has on people. I have signs of insulin resistance myself, and I’ve stagnated in trying to lose weight. In order to find this book, I sought the recommendation of a book that goes into the biology of insulin resistance and how to reverse it. I used ChatGPT to seek out the recommendation. So far, it’s interesting and engaging whilst also giving the detail I wanted. 

Looking at everything from brain, heart and reproductive health to illnesses like cancer, the book covers the links to insulin resistance. Later in the book, I get to explore more about how insulin resistance comes about and what I can do about it. I’m hopeful this will also be a quick read and help end the slump I experienced in April. 

 

Summary 

So, all in all, April wasn’t the reading month I hoped for. However, all is not lost. I’m still two books ahead of schedule to meet my 60 books in 2026 reading goal. My current reads are also well received, so let’s hope they are the remedy I need to get progress in May off to a great start! 

Thanks for sticking with me in this monthly wrap-up. I’m not giving myself a break, and May’s upcoming TBR isn’t going to let up any. Onwards and upwards! 

What did you read in April?  

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Book Review: Ship of Destiny – Robin Hobb

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***Today’s review of Ship of Destiny 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.***

 

Ship of Destiny is the third instalment of Robin Hobb’s The Liveship Traders trilogy, and the sixth book of her wider Realm of the Elderlings series. The Liveship Traders takes us away from the characters explored in the first Farseer trilogy. Initially, I found the change a little jarring, but this trilogy warmed on me the further I got through it. The conclusion, Ship of Destiny, was my favourite book by far! With events coming to a head, and some redemptive character arcs, Ship of Destiny was the easiest of the trilogy for me to read. 

Let’s recap a summary of the book, the synopsis, and then let’s get stuck into my thoughts! 

 

Ship of Destiny – Robin Hobb

Genre: Epic Fantasy

Pages: 903

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Harper Voyager

Publication Date: 10 Sept 2015

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

 

Purchase Link – https://amzn.to/4tQVw0A

Goodreads – Ship of Destiny

 

The triumphant conclusion to the magnificent Liveship Traders series.

The dragon, Tintaglia, released from her wizardwood coffin, flies high over the Rain Wild River. Below her, Reyn and Selden have been left to drown, while Malta and the Satrap attempt to navigate the acid flow of the river in a decomposing boat.

Althea and Brashen are sailing the liveship Paragon into pirate waters in a last-ditch attempt to rescue the Vestrit family liveship, Vivacia, who was stolen by the pirate king, Kennit; but there is mutiny brewing amongst their ragtag crew, and in the mind of the mad ship itself.

And all the while the waters around the Vivacia are seething with giant serpents, following the liveship as she sails to her destiny…

 

My Thoughts

Plot 

It shouldn’t really come as a surprise that Ship of Destiny is as action-heavy, whilst also juggling politics, as its predecessors. 

I love this combination in these books. Whilst in the earlier instalment of the series, it took me a little bit longer to get into the narrative and immersed in the storyline, that’s not the case with the Ship of Destiny. Rather, because we left off at an exciting point in time with the conclusion of the mad ship, I started this book keen to find out where everything ends.

Although not the longest instalment of the Liveship Traders series, Ship of Destiny is not insignificant. Weighing in at over 900 pages, this isn’t a book to pick up lightly. However, fans of the epic fantasy genre will find themselves in safe hands. Politics, magic, and of course, sentient wooden vessels, take centre stage. If you are reading this series after picking up the initial Farseer trilogy, you may be confused as to how events tie together. I confess, I wasn’t entirely sure how these narratives strong together when I first started the series. Fear not, that all comes to light by the end of this book if you haven’t worked it out already!

 

Characters 

In my reviews for Ship of Magic and The Mad Ship, I was pretty vocal about not getting on with one of the main characters of the storyline. Malta Vestrit begins this series as a young, petulant child. She is spoiled, used to getting what she wants, and seldom is she told no. It shows… 

For every bit I didn’t get on with her in the previous books, she redeemed herself by maturing into a young woman. I did not expect to see from her. It made breeding these books feel worthwhile watching her mature and becoming instrumental in the conclusion of this series. It’s not very often I get to say that sort of thing. 

Malta is just one significant person in this final instrument of the trilogy. She is instrumental, but not the only individual involved in this busy plot. Ship of Destiny has a wide cast of characters. These are pretty consistent with the earlier books, Ship of Magic and The Mad Ship. If you’re able to follow along with these ones, Ship of Destiny flows just fine. Another aspect I enjoy in my epic fantasy books is exploring political motives and machinations and relationships between the characters. A lot of this takes place in Ship of Destiny. There has always been a run-up to this, and it was nice to see this take full force. 

It’s unusual, because the Vestrit family are both pivotal to this book, but also not the main stars I expected them to be. Rather, we have other characters introduced earlier in the series that have taken a more active role in the conclusion of this book where I anticipated them to be more of a backseat. 

It’s refreshing to be kept on my toes… that’s also what I love about Robin Hobb! 

 

Setting 

As one can only expect with a book set around ships, there is a lot of travel that takes place in Ship of Destiny. Combine that with an action-heavy plot line, and we have a vast area of the world we get to explore.

Both above the waves and under, we get to see places both large and small, vast and small yet still significant. As with all Robin Hobb books, no detail is left unexplored. For those of us with very vivid imaginations, the descriptions of the places and events taking place make for easy imagining. What I have really enjoyed about the Realm of the Elders series in general is that we see the benefit of both description, but also plenty taking place so that neither element of the book takes over from the other and stagnates the writing.

 

Narrative Style 

The Liveship Traders books, much like many of Robin Hobb’s epic fantasy Realm of the Elderlings series, are complex. The worlds in which these books are set span far beyond where events currently take place. There is a lot going on, and many characters to juggle at any given time. Needless to say, these books aren’t the easiest to read because you need to be concentrating on what is going on. However, this does not detract from the books. Rather, if you really enjoy a gritty, epic fantasy, Ship of Destiny and the earlier books in the Liveship Traders series are going to be right up your alley! 

As you will know, books of this nature very frequently get high ratings from me. They are my favourite kind of book. Whilst I do enjoy a variety of genres, and sometimes a short book is just what you need, epic fantasy is my go-to. These are the kind of books that got me into reading in the first place, and they are a genre I will go back to time and again. Therefore, I am biased. Yes, I admit to that, what I am not, is apologetic about it. The only regret I have about Ship of Destiny and reading Robin Hobb in general is that I didn’t do it sooner! 

So, there is a lot going on in ship of destiny. Even still, The way in which the books are written, their style and chapter Ing, is pretty typical for the genre. Chapters aren’t particularly short overall, but that suited me just fine. Like I say, it’s something I go back to time and again. It’s what I’m used to. If you prefer something shorter, I found there were plenty of places you could take a break without having to do it at the chapters end. Some people don’t like that, but I do it all the time… 

 

Summary 

Have you read Ship of Destiny? Do you want to pick up a copy after reading this review? You can get yours following this link and support my content at the same time – win-win! 

Thanks for reading!

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Popular Books I DNF’d

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I’m not one for DNF’ing many books, but I’ve been blogging long enough to have accumulated a list. There are a number of popular books I DNF’d too. A book may be loved by the majority, but that doesn’t mean that it is for you. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve read plenty of popular books and agreed with public consensus. However, a popular book isn’t always necessarily a great book for you. In today’s post, I share a list of popular books I DNF’d, and why I didn’t agree with the masses.

I’ve broken this popular books I DNF’s list into genres – that way you can read, or skip, based on your genre preferences 😊 Or, read on for the tea… 🫖

 

Fantasy 

Good Omens 

I had high hopes for Good Omens. Of all the books in this popular books I DNF’s list, it’s the book I wanted to get on with the most. 

Alas, it was not meant to be. Good Omens is co-written by one of my favourite authors – Terry Pratchett. I’ve read many of his books to date. However, my relationship with fellow co-author Neil Gaiman has been rockier. Of his books, I’ve read Stardust, Norse Mythology and American Gods. Norse Mythology was my favourite of these books, but I gave American Gods and Stardust a fairly average rating. 

Of the two writers, I’d hoped Terry Pratchett’s influence would come off stronger. However, in practice I found the opposite true. Terry’s humour was there, but Good Omens lacked the spark and wit I love in his Discworld books. 

Unfortunately, Good Omens did not tick the boxes for me. I went into the book with hopes and some expectation of TP brilliance shin gin through. In practice, the book had little hope of living up to my high expectations. It didn’t, so after putting the book down to prioritise some other time-sensitive reads, I couldn’t bring myself to try and pick Good Omens up again. 

 

Children of Virtue and Vengeance 

The first book of this series, Children of Blood and Bone, was really good. I really enjoyed the magic, character development and storyline of this first instalment by Tomi Adeyemi. 

It was a long time before I revisited the series and started Children of Virtue and Vengeance. I think I matured in terms of reading preferences in this time, because when I came back, it wasn’t the same experience. I struggled to invest in the characters and storyline. It didn’t take long for me to work out that this book wasn’t for me. It’s a shame, as I gave the first book a five star rating. Maybe if I’d read it closer to the first book, or when I was younger and closer to the YA age group, I’d have been okay. 

However, Children of Virtue and Vengeance lacked the magic and inspiration I took from Children of Blood and Bone. So, this is a popular book I DNF’d. 

 

Malice

John Gwynne is a popular author in the fantasy genre. 

I started Malice for the first time years ago – pre-blog days. I recall having this under my desk in my first ever job, so we are talking 2013-2016. It maybe spoke volumes that I didn’t get very far into the book then. However, I wasn’t really giving it full attention at the time so I didn’t want to judge the book based on that.

I revisited Malice in 2022 and unfortunately, didn’t get beyond the first 50 pages. Even then, I felt I had to push through this far. The book lacked a pull or intrigue to get me invested with the book. Some of the tropes the book leans into are also a bit repetitive, but lacked any unique spark to invite me to read on and find out more. 

 

Sci-Fi/Dystopia

Lord of the Flies

As a general rule, I love dystopian fiction. However, Lord of the Flies didn’t hit the mark in the same way similar books in the genre do. 

Mjuch like my experience of Good Omens, I had to set aside Lord of the Flies to prioritise blog tours. Then, when it was time to come back to Lord of the Flies, I wasn’t inspired to get back into this world. What also doesn’t help was that I borrowed this digitally from my library and I was reading this on an app on my phone. It’s not how I prefer to read, but sometimes it’s just how it has to be done. 

With Lord of the Flies, it didn’t work for me. Combine that with a lack-lustre plot, it was a pretty easy decision to add this to my list of popular books I DNF’d. 

 

Children of Dune

The first the books of the Dune series by Frank Herbert went sown well. However, I lost steam and ultimately Children of Dune became another popular book I DNF’d. 

When I was reading this book, it was in short stints. Over the course of a week I crawled through 150 pages before deciding this book wasn’t working for me. Dune was already a little bit of a stretch in that its more political than I would normally read. However, the first two books made it work. Children of Dune didn’t do it for me. Back in my June 2023 wrap-up I put this book on hold. However, I’ve not gone back to it and I don’t have any strong feelings to revisit this book and series. So, it’s officially on the DNF pile. 

Shame, because the start of the series was full of promise! 

 

Non-Fiction

The Courage to be Disliked 

The most recent entry to this popular books I DNF’d list is The Courage to be Disliked. I read this book back in January. My plan was to read the book towards our work book club theme which was based on self-help/development. 

The format of The Courage to be Disliked is unusual. I think it’s like marmite – you love it or hate it. I didn’t vibe with it. It was a novelty for all of five minutes, but quickly became repetitive. The narrative voice we readers are supposed to find most relatable was irritating. Combative, irritating. I didn’t get on with this character/perspective at all. I also don’t agree with some of the teachings in this book, so that was hard to get past. It didn’t take long for me to decide The Courage to be Disliked wasn’t for me. 

 

Summary

I don’t DNF many books… probably not as many as I should. I frequently carry on with books I’m not vibing with, either in the moment or at all. 

I’ve collected these titles, alongside just 18 more, over nearly nine years. I read an average of 45-50 book a year. So, it’s a very small proportion I actually DNF. Even then, it’s rarer still to have popular books I DNF’d. For the most part, I agree with the general opinion. Clearly though, not always! 

What’s a popular book you have DNF’d? 

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Book Review: Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine

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***Today’s review contains an affiliate link to Amazon if you wish to purchase the book. By following 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 modern, contemporary fiction is your thing, Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine offers an increasing novel with an interesting perspective and a surprising twist. Especially for fans of arguably (though hotly debated whether Eleanor is a neurodivergent perspective), this book has a lot to offer and not too hefty a page count to deliver it in. 

Let’s take a look! 

 

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine – Gail Honeyman

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Pages: 390

Audience: Young Adult

Publisher: HarperCollins

Publication Date: 18 Jan 2018

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

 

Purchase Link – https://amzn.to/4tHgdv6

Goodreads – Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine

Eleanor Oliphant has learned how to survive – but not how to live

Eleanor Oliphant leads a simple life. She wears the same clothes to work every day, eats the same meal deal for lunch every day and buys the same two bottles of vodka to drink every weekend.

Eleanor Oliphant is happy. Nothing is missing from her carefully timetabled life. Except, sometimes, everything.

One simple act of kindness is about to shatter the walls Eleanor has built around herself. Now she must learn how to navigate the world that everyone else seems to take for granted – while searching for the courage to face the dark corners she’s avoided all her life.

Change can be good. Change can be bad. But surely any change is better than…. fine?

 

My Thoughts

Plot 

It would only be fair to start my review and say that this book isn’t going to be for everybody. For those especially sensitive to narratives borne from or concerning trauma, this may not be for you. However, if you are open-minded like me and want to read from a vast variety of perspectives, then let’s dive in. 

Now, about said trauma, there are no spoilers here. That would entirely void the enjoyment out of the book and I’m not going to be the person that does that for you.

What I can say is that what takes place in this book shocked me, but in a good way. I wasn’t anticipating this book to take the route it did. But, I’m glad it did. I didn’t anticipate the twist at all and I loved being surprised. I love the growth we see in Eleanor throughout the book as well. For a woman who has taken to safety in sticking to her same-old routine, it was great to see the catalyst events that rock her world. 

 

Characters 

I interpreted this book as Eleanor being autistic. Whilst I have since read that this topic is hotly debated, and certainly not the intention of the author Gail Honeyman, I came out of this book thinking Eleanor was autistic. 

Regardless of whether her character is intended to come across that way because of biology, or because of events that have taken place in her life, there are personality traits and personal difficulties here that neurodivergent people may find very relatable. It’s rare to see a perspective like this. Whether it was intended or not, this could be an interesting book to pick up for anyone wanting to learn about this kind of perspective and the boons and difficulties of such traits can give a person in their life. 

Aside from the autism argument, Eleanor is an interesting character. She is very rigid in her ways and really struggles when she is asked or expected to deviate from her normal routine. This somewhat falls apart in the book when events spiral out of control and she’s forced to confront reality instead of hiding in her manufactured bubble.

 

Setting 

If you want to pick up a book where the setting is very reminiscent of modern day, and doesn’t require too much imagination, this is for you.

The life and situation of Eleanor Oliphant is not too far away from our own. In fact, we may know our own Eleanor Oliphant and we’re completely unaware. It certainly wasn’t too far of a stretch for me to read. Whilst thankfully I’m not aware of anyone in my life going through this circumstance, the mundaneness of office life, challenging work colleagues and the general stresses of life is not difficult for me to imagine – it’s my everyday reality.

I would say this is the only sense in which this book is easy to read. Well, that’s not true. In terms of writing style and engagement, it’s up there as well. Character development and plot though – that is a little bit different, but the best of ways. It’s not simple, or straightforward. Rather, it’s complex but engaging. Hard, but full of mystery and questions and determination to find the answers…. 

 

Narrative Style 

As I mentioned above, in terms of writing style, this book is very easy to read. Combine this with the engaging plot, interesting character dynamics and a mystery to unravel, and this book had me hooked.

So much so, I distinctly remember cramming as much of this booking before a hospital appointment. No panic, just a routine smear test. Why do I remember that? Maybe it’s even weirder that I’m sharing that… but go get checked ladies, it’s nowhere near as bad as you think. 

ANYWAY… this book had me hooked that I wasn’t worrying or even thinking about the appointment coming, other than it’s being a disturbance to my being able to read Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine. I was dedicated to the cause, as always really 🤣 

The chapters are nice and short in this book, meaning I was able to pretty easily put this down in a good place when I did have to go for my appointment. It helps with the overall pacing and snappy changes and revelations that occur later in the book. It works well in the wider narrative style. 

 

Summary 

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine was an easy 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 read for me. I didn’t want to put it down! 

Overall, I read the book in just a few days, with the second half of the book being devoured in a single day alone! In my July 2023 wrap up post, I raved about the intriguing plotline and engaging narrative, and that I loved the books focus on mental health. 

Have you read Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine? Do you want to pick up a copy after reading this review?

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Monthly TBR – April 2026

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My monthly TBR for April is a little bit different. Normally, I have a set of books that I have in mind to pick up and I largely pick this myself. Sometimes that’s shaped by reading challenges, and that is still somewhat true for this month. However, half of this monthly TBR has been decided by a TBR jar. 

If you want to go and watch me physically pull these out of the jar and share my initial reactions, I recorded this and published the video over on my new YouTube channel. Rather than rehash all the content, what I’m going to do is share a link to that video in this post, and for those of you who don’t want to go and watch that, I will provide a brief written summary of the books on my TBR below.

 

Carryovers from March/Reading Obligations 

Storm of Mercia

Goodreads

Amazon Purchase Link

Starting with a carryover that I was actively reading as at the change of month, I have already finished storm of Mercier by MJ Porter as I had a review obligation to share my thoughts on the book on the 2nd of April. 

I’m not going to go into too much detail here, because my thoughts are already live on the Interwebs. You can check out my blog post here for more on this ninth instalment to this epic historical fiction series set in 10th century England. 

 

The Astral Library

 

Goodreads

Amazon Purchase Link

Another book I’m featuring because I did carry forward into April, but have already finished as of this April TBR post, is my audiobook lesson of the astral library.

I really enjoyed this contemporary fiction and a story that’s really about the power and magic of libraries. If you like the style of Matt Haig’s The Midnight Library, it offers a similar feel but a completely unique storyline.

 

1984 / Julia

 

Goodreads

Amazon Purchase Link

 

Goodreads

Amazon Purchase Link

In March, I started rereading 1984 by George Orwell. At just over 125 pages in, I had to put this down in order to fulfil my reading obligations for reviews for Rose Red and Storm of Mercia. 

Now those are done, I’m keen to get back into my re-read of this dystopian fiction so I can then dabble in a retelling of the same world, Julia by Sandra Newman.

 

Crown of Midnight 

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I am reading Sarah J Maas’ Throne of Glass series in a bit to both try out this author, as well as read some more trendy books. Usually, I just do my own thing, but I’m trying to be a little bit more current and talk about more tropical books.

Unfortunately, I didn’t get to start Crown of Midnight , which I was supposed to read in March. Fear not though friends! If you want to join along with my readalong, I am committed to reading the second book in April. 

As well, I will be reading a book a month every month until this is finished later this year. If you want to join in on this readalong, I am digging these on both StoryGraph and Fable, whichever you prefer! My thoughts on book one are also over on my YouTube channel… 

 

Looking at Women Looking At War

 

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The book I wanted to complete before the end of March to contribute towards the Goodreads 2026 Winter challenge is Looking at Women Looking At War by Victoria Amelina. 

Whilst I didn’t get to this book before the end of March, I am intrigued by the story and I want to know about Victoria‘s endeavours to document what was happening at the start of the war between Ukraine and Russia. It sounds awful, and knowing Victoria lost her life in this battle is even more heartbreaking. Not only that, but it offers some very current insight into a conflict. We’re all very aware of (although maybe Israel/Iran and the cost of your petrol has superseded this now…) 

Let’s get it back on my monthly TBR and on the radar! 

 

April TBR picks

Fifty Things You Need to Know About British History

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I’m excited to pick this book up. I love non-fiction, and in particular this book about British history will definitely be appreciated. Unfortunately, a lot of my learnings at school were dominated with the likes of the boom and bust of the economy in the USA, the Cold War etc. 

I think it was a little remiss of my school program to neglect local history in its teaching. Nevertheless, I can remedy that with my own reading on the subject. Fifty Things You Need to Know About British History should give me a launchpad. 

 

Bag of Bones

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I always enjoy a Stephen King novel. In this particular case, Bag of Bones is a chunky Stephen King novel. At around 700 pages on its own, this monthly TBR promises to challenge me. I was going to say take me right up to the wire, but let’s be honest, it will take me into May… 

The TBR jar did me dirty here! 

 

Freakonomics

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I feel like this book could go one of two ways. It’s either going to be really interesting and tie together some unusual behaviours that impact our economy. Or, the synopsis hinting at this is a bit of a gimmick to get you to pick up the book and I’m going to be disappointed. 

Only time will tell I’m intrigued to pick up this book and find out. Fingers crossed, I’m wrong in my suspicion and that this book turns out better than I think it might. 

 

Onyx and Ivory

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I’m glad a fantasy made it to this reading list and came out of the TBR jar. Honestly, I would’ve been surprised if it didn’t. I have a lot of fantasy on my list and by rights, the odds of one not being pulled out out of the jar would have been slim. 

Onyx and Ivory is also a good pick for me right now as it leans into the romantic genre – what I’m trying to read more of anyway. I feel like this is the kind of topical/trendy book that I’m actively seeking to engage with fans of. Let’s hope I’m a fan as well! 

Thanks for checking out my latest monthly TBR! What are you reading this April? 

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Blog Tour Review: Storm of Mercia – M.J. Porter

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I took a chance on a new historical fiction series back in February 2022 and well, the rest is history…

Okay, I won’t give up my day job.

When I first picked up M.J. Porter’s book, Son of Mercia, I had no idea I was going to fall in love with the protagonist Icel and storyline of these books so hard. We are now nine books into this series, and I don’t regret featuring any of these on my blog.

Today, I’m excited to share my thoughts on the latest instrument of this series – Storm of Mercia. Published just yesterday, I’m delighted to bring my thoughts to you hot on the heels of release. I hope I can inspire you to pick up this epic historical fiction series! Full of action and intrigue, there is something for everyone in these books.

As always, thanks to Rachel and the author, M.J. Porter for the opportunity to read and review Storm of Mercia. Whilst I was provided a copy of the book for the purpose of giving my review, the thoughts expressed within this post are entirely my own.

Are you ready to find out about this action-packed historical fiction? 

 

Storm of Mercia – M.J. Porter

Genre: Historical Fiction 

Pages: 320

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Boldwood Books 

Original Publication Date: 01 Ap 2026

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟.5

 

Goodreads – Storm of Mercia

Wessex has never been Mercia’s ally, neither has it been her only enemy.

Wessex, AD836

The Viking raiders’ devastation has been halted once more by the shields of Mercia as opposed to Wessex. But their whereabouts are unknown.

King Wiglaf of Mercia is keen to ensure the Viking raiders are swept from his shared border with Wessex but these Viking ships are quick and difficult to track and Icel is once more deployed with Ealdorman Ælfstan warriors to do his King’s bidding. However, Icel’s quest is beset with many more obstacles and it’s not all about the seax and shield.

Worrying news from home overshadows Icel’s every deadly encounter. Will the storms of war keep him away or has he time to make one more desperate journey back to Tamworth?

With raging seas driving him ever further from Mercia’s shores, and the threat of a new conspiracy against the Mercian kingship will Icel overpower the sands of time, or will he be defeated by his deadliest nemesis yet?

 

Purchase Link – https://mybook.to/StormofMercia

My Thoughts… 

Plot

If you love your historical fiction novels full of action and intrigue, Storm of Mercia will not disappoint. As always, I saw throws himself into the thick of the action. Even within the first 10% of this book, I still find himself in the hands of his enemies. Pulling no punches, the author gets us stuck right back into the world we have called to know and love in this series.

There is always something going on in Storm of Mercia. It’s makes for an entertaining read, and the pages just fly by.  Whereas previous instalments of the series have was reaping across the country and fighting battles from horseback, I saw instead find himself in British Waters for the first time. For a book set in this time period, where Vikings are heavily involved in the storyline, I’m surprised we have not yet seen this plot development. That being said, I still definitely feels like a fish out of water, so who can blame him for not choosing this for himself… 

In some ways, the events of Storm of Mercia take us back to the very first book, Son of Mercia. That is the book that sold me onto this series in the first place. Being able to almost go back there and be reminded of I saw humble beginnings and deep character relationships was a fun way to circle back to where it all began. 

But of course, I saw is not without strife getting there. Nothing runs smoothly, but where is the entertainment value in that?

 

Characters

Icel remains one of my favourite characters in this genre and time period, like, ever. I always enjoy going back to these books and seeing what trouble he embroils himself in. As a storm of mercy touches upon, I still has a tendency to rush head first and ask questions later. It wouldn’t make for an interesting book if this was not the case. However, when you consider Icel’s development as an individual from that very first book, he has come a long way. And you know what, it feels very natural. 

Icel is very much of a man shaped by his environment. In his heart his preference would be to heal rather than hurt. However, his role and standing in society puts him in a place where he is there to defend the weak and vulnerable. He steps into this role like it’s a second nature at this point.

Whilst he is the main star of the show, he isn’t on his own. With a strong supporting cast and regular characters coming back from earlier books in the series, the events and the people involved are consistent throughout and easy to follow. Whilst overall the cast of the book is quite large, the characters are somewhat broken down by role and Association. Not only that, but there is a cast list at the beginning of the book for anyone who needs a refresher on who people are. It’s a nice touch when there’s so much going on! 

 

Setting

As with pretty much every other book in the Eagle of Mercia Chronicles series to date, events take us across the country (and in this particular case, the seas around Britain). It’s a busy time period, with a lot of conflict going on between people both native to the island, as well as Vikings coming to our shows. I saw, as one of the best warriors of Mercia, is always on the front line to any new threat.

The book is already very action packed anyway, but the reflection of travel helps keep events moving in a way that is easy to follow, but also gives us opportunity to explore the wider world of the book is set in. What I appreciate some of the detail and description that is introduced here, there isn’t so much to overwhelm, nor a lack that leaves us asking questions or unable to visualise our surroundings as events unfold. I especially enjoyed the seafaring aspect, setting and difficulties that are major plot conflict drivers in this book. It made a refreshing change whilst also feeling very time appropriate and something naturally Icel would end up getting involved in.

 

Narrative Style

A number of factors help make this series compulsively readable. From an action packed plot two characters we want to invest in, as well as as vivid descriptions that allow our imagination to fly. 

However, the easy, natural writing style of these books helps speed along the page count even more! Sometimes historical fiction can be bogged down with jogging that is difficult to understand. However, Storm of Mercia is unlike these books. M.J. Porter has written the book in such a way that it’s approachable for readers of many backgrounds and reading levels. 

I have always been adamant over how easy these books are to read. They are reasonably quick reads as well, especially if you are as familiar as I am with the world, setting, and other aspects that drive these books. But there is one particular example I can give you now that stresses how easy these books are to read.

I am drafting this blog post at 1am the day this post is due. Unfortunately, timing of the blog tour coinciding with quarter-end, which is one of my busiest work periods, combined with absence out of my team, mean that I’ve taken on more workload. I’ve been working overtime for the last few days. Even still, I have still been able to pick up this book and read it without much effort. Even when I’ve been tired, I wanted to dive back into the pages and see where Icel‘s story takes him next. 

 

Summary 

I cannot stress enough how much I think you should pick up the Eagle of Mercia Chronicles. Starting with Son of Mericia, be immersed in a historical fiction series with strong character development, lots of action (and I mean, lots of action!). 

The fact that I have stuck with this series for so long, as well as reviewed almost every book as part of their publication block tours, should be endorsement enough. However, if you need a little more convincing, let me tell you this: this series has convinced me to try every other book and series written by M.J. Porter. Without question. Auto-buy. I love her writing in terms of plot and style, and I cannot wait to read more of her books! 

 

Author Bio 

MJ Porter is the author of many historical novels set predominantly in Seventh to Eleventh-Century England, and in Viking Age Denmark. Raised in the shadow of a building that was believed to house the bones of long-dead Kings of Mercia, meant that the author’s writing destiny was set.

Social Media Links – 

Facebook: @MJPorterauthor

Twitter: @coloursofunison

Instagram: @m_j_porter

Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/MJPorterNews

Bookbub profile: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/mj-porter