Tag: Fiction

Shelf Control #96 – 10/10/2025

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Today’s psychological thriller is absolutely relevant in today’s world. Social media is in our pockets and the forefront of our minds for a significant amount of time. Most of our connections are innocuous at least, fulfilling at best. However, what happens when that connection turns sinister? That’s the feature of today’s Shelf Control post! 

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.

 

Best Eaten Cold – Tony Salter

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Pages: 296

Audience: Adult

Publisher: ETS

Publication Date: 23 Mar 2017

Goodreads – Best Eaten Cold

 

Imagine that someone wants to do you harm. Someone you once knew, but have almost forgotten. Now, imagine that they are clever, patient and will not stop. They’ll get inside your head and make you doubt yourself. They’ll make you question who you are, and ensure that everyone you care for starts to doubt you too. Each perfectly-orchestrated doubt will slowly, steadily, build to a crescendo and destroy you. This is real and it could be happening to you.

Best Eaten Cold is a chilling reminder of how quickly – and how blindly – we have learnt to trust in the online world, despite the somewhat ironic fact that none of us really understand it at all.

Fabiola lives an idyllic life in Oxford – beautiful house, adoring husband, happy healthy baby. She thinks she’s left her past behind her. But in a world of smartphones and social media, it’s not so easy to wipe the slate clean.

Best Eaten Cold is a terrifying psychological thriller of gaslighting, technological trickery and the depths of human vindictiveness.

It is a nail-biting story that could happen to any one of us in this digital age.

 

My Thoughts

I’m interested in this storyline for its sinister nature. That someone could make a slow, calculated attack on someone like this… there must be some serious justification in their eyes. 

This plot is already curious enough, but when we know our protagonist has a past it naturally makes us wonder what relevance this has to the present storyline. What is she hiding? Is it serious? Is it even related at all? 

The online element of events that play out is really relevant in today’s society. It makes people so accessible to this kind of attack too. Gone are the days when being at home and around those you loved offered psychological safety. We leave a big open door in the form of our online activities to allow anyone into our safe space. Into our heads. 

Best Eaten Cold is a well-rated novel. Fans of mystery, suspense and psychological thrillers like me will hopefully agree that Best Eaten Cold is intriguing. With any luck, I’ll be able to confirm or deny that for you soon! And t won’t be soon enough, it’s been on my TBR since January 2020!

Have you read Best Eaten Cold? Are you reading any other books in the same genre you’d like to recommend? 

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Monthly TBR – October 2025

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I’m hoping to piggy-back off the success I had in September and planning another ambitious TBR for October. This year, I’m not leaning too hard into seasonal spooky reads in October. That may change in November. However, for now, I have a number of fantasy reads to pick up in this monthly TBR. 

Have you read any of the books on this list? Take a look below to find out! 

 

Fixed Reads 

Among the Burning Flowers

My first read on this monthly TBR is one of my current read carryovers from September. I made good progress with this audiobook last month and I’m looking forward to getting to the end of this audiobook later this week. I’m optimistic to make quick progress with this to keep up momentum. There are just a few hours of this audio left as well, so it should be a nice, quick finish! 

 

HR Disrupted 

The next ongoing read that starts this monthly TBR is HR Disrupted. 

I’ve borrowed this book from our HR lady at work, and so far, it’s proving interesting. I’m 40% into the book as of publishing this post (6th Oct) and already I think there are interesting ideas I’d love to see in practice. 

My plan is to finish this book in the next couple of days. That way, I can return it to Donna when she’s back from leave. 

 

Woden’s Storm

I’ve got one final blog tour planned at the moment, and that’s for Woden’s Storm by Donovan Cook. I’ve read and reviewed an earlier book in the series, Woden’s Spear, so it makes sense to carry it on to keep up with the series (you may recall, that’s a reading goal for this year) and review it for publication and help out the author as well. 

It’s another historical fiction book. Honestly, I hadn’t read the genre for ages and recently I’ve read several books in short succession. After this one, I think I’ll give it a short break. At least this time, this will be a change from a fantasy-heavy TBR. 

 

The God of the Woods

Another break from fantasy on this monthly TBR is The God of the Woods by Liz Moore. 

I’m reading this book along with my work book club. For the first time ever, I’ll also be reading this book on Fable, so anybody reading this can join along with me. If you’re interested in a spooky read this October, it’s the one and only I’ve got on the list. Fable is free to join if you aren’t already, and I hope to see you there with your thoughts on The God of the Woods! 

 

A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping

Another book club read, although not one I host this time, is A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping. Instead, I’m coordinating and moderating the chat for this cosy fantasy pick with the Cottagecore Fantasy Book Club. If this is more your cup of tea, check out host Sabie’s Bindery page to find out more and join the club! 

Again, if you are able, I’m looking forward to reading your thoughts on this book either on Fable, Storygraph or in the Cottagecore Fantasy Book Club Discord chat. 

 

Mood Reads 

A little while ago, I decided I was going to try AI book recommendations. With some past reads I enjoyed in mind, I asked ChatGPT to make me some recommendations. The three books I’m reading towards this challenge, and I’ll be creating a separate feature on these, are The Shadow of What Was Lost, Beyond Redemption and A Crucible of Souls. 

This challenge entails nearly 1,600 pages of reading. Is it likely I’ll finish this in October? Perhaps not. I’m going to have a good stab at it though, and of course, I’ll keep you up to date with my usual Sunday Summary update posts. 

 

Summary 

Again, today’s monthly TBR is far from shy on page count. Will I get to it all? I can only hope my success in September helps motivate me to read on! I’m also really looking forward to each of the reads on this monthly TBR, which really makes a difference. I have a very fantasy-heavy list, but it IS my favourite genre… 

Have you read any of the books featured in today’s monthly TBR? 

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Monthly Wrap-Up – September 2025

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I’ve had a really productive reading month. In a first for this year certainly, I have no less than ten books to discuss in today’s monthly wrap-up!

I suggest making yourself comfortable with a beverage of choice. When you’re ready, let’s take a look at the wide variant of books and genres I read in September.

 

Books Read 

The Atlantis Covenant

I left off from my last monthly wrap-up having read 60% of The Atlantis Covenant. With an imminent blog tour at the beginning of this month, I needed to get my skates on! 

I finished this book the day before my post went live. It meant drafting my review in a hotel whilst on my way abroad (which was far from ideal as it kept dropping out!), but I got there in the end. Since I went to the effort of writing that review, I’ll point you there instead of talking about the book here. What I will summarise though, is that it was a fun, action-packed read! 

 

Sensitive

Also carried over from my August monthly wrap-up was Sensitive. With just three hours left of the audiobook, I figured I’d finish this quickly. 

Admittedly, I didn’t pick this up whilst I was on holiday but when I returned. I’m in the habit of listening to audiobooks as I commute and that’s what I did. 

This book is a great listen, whether you know, suspect, or wonder if you or those around you are sensitive. To clarify, this book is about advocating the benefits of sensitivity and the ways people can benefit from these traits. Granted, there are drawbacks too, as with anything. For that, Jenn and Andre offer practical advice for how to work with your sensitivity superpowers rather than considering them weaknesses. 

 

A Witch’s Guide to Love and Poison 

Our Cottagecore Fantasy Book Club read this month was A Witch’s Guide to Love and Poison. 

For a change, I finished this book uncharacteristically early. In the last few months, I’ve lagged behind and been scraping finishes around the end of the month. Not very helpful when you’re supposed to be prompting and facilitating conversation, right? 

However, this month I turned over a new leaf, and reading this book in advance paid dividends. It’s set a precedent I’ll be continuing now, and I’ll be starting our upcoming read very soon! 

 

Gran Familia

In a total change of pace, I picked up Gran Familia in order to review the manga to coincide with publication with Titan Comics.   I published that yesterday, which you can find here. 

I read this book within 24 hours. It’s only a couple of hundred pages and mostly images, so very quick and easy to read. Gran Familia was a nice change of format, but also a quick win that helped spur on reading progress this month. Overall, I did very well for reading progress. Having these shorter reads and multiple wins definitely helped on the motivation front… 

 

Betrayal of Mercia 

Switching back to audio, I listened to Betrayal of Mercia before starting my current read of the latest book in the series. 

Having read the remainder of the books in e-book format, it was nice to try this in audiobook. It was also convenient for me because I’d finish it whilst reading other physical books on my TBR. Obviously, I couldn’t start the latest book until I finished this! 

Whilst I have a personal preference for reading the books, the audiobook was very good. I’m just used to reading the place names, and the old names are more recognisable to me visually. That’s entirely personal preference. 

This book surprised me in that there was less travel than in previous instalments. However, this book was quite political, and the power plays between characters keep up the action and tension. 

 

The Pagan Lord

Another historical fiction I feature in today’s monthly wrap-up is the better-known The Pagan Lord by Bernard Cornwell. If you are fans of this book, or the Saxon Stories more widely, please also check out the Eagle of Mercia Chronicles by M. J. Porter. 

I was looking forward to getting back into the series as it’s been a while. Although the book was decent, I didn’t love it as much as previous books in the series. 

Part of the reason I dragged my feet with it was the way I had to borrow it from my library. I’m not a fan of reading on my phone… 

 

Algospeak 

Audiobook progress continued with Algospeak by Adam Aleksic. At just under six hours at normal speed, it wasn’t going to last long. 

I enjoyed the book and its content, but the narrative voice of the author didn’t really come across as relatable. Although he acknowledges it later in the book, his use of generational language and emphasising his ‘tribe’ so to speak, he is quite condescending about earlier generations and their social media use. I’m not that old, but was kind of made to feel that way. 

It was an interesting read, but I probably won’t pick up anything else by this author if he publishes again. 

 

Among the Burning Flowers

A recent release sprung to the top of my TBR after finishing all my planned audiobooks for the month. Among the Burning Flowers came out earlier in September. Having read and enjoyed The Priory of the Orange Tree and A Day of Fallen Night this year, I figured it was worth keeping up with the story. 

As of this monthly wrap-up, I’ve listened to around 40% of the audiobook. Again, it’s not a long one, and certainly nowhere near the length of the earlier books. I’ve enjoyed listening to this latest instalment so far. My initial concern is that the book would follow the format of the others pretty closely and feel ‘samey’. However, I don’t find that to be true at all. I’ve been pleasantly surprised and I want to wait to read on! 

 

HR Disrupted 

It’s barely worth a mention, but I have just started HR Disrupted by Lucy Adam’s before the end of the month. This book is a loan after a conversation at work with our HR lady, who calls herself an HR Disruptor. 

A part of me hopes this book challenges a lot of conventional HR practices and argues what we could do better. I think it’ll be an interesting read anyway, and I’ll update you more next month. 

 

Shield of Mercia

Another late start is my current book, Shield of Mercia. I’m publishing a blog tour post later this week, so I need to get a move on with my read of this.

As of this monthly wrap-up, I’m partway through chapter 4, at 13% (unlucky for some…?). I’m looking forward to reading on, and it’s a good job! I’ve only got a few days left before I’m reviewing this read. That’ll be available to all Patreon readers on Saturday – I hope you can join me. 

 

Summary 

I’m not entirely sure how I managed to progress ten titles this month. Yes, there were some shorter books in this monthly TBR. That definitely contributed, but also my reading motivation has been pretty high! 

Have you read any of the books I feature in this monthly wrap-up? Are they on your list to read?

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

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Historical fiction fans rejoice! Today’s review is for the eighth and eagerly awaited Eagle of Mercia Chronicles – Shield of Mercia! Today, I’m reviewing this brand new release as part of the new blog tour with Rachel’s Random Resources.

Before we get into my review, thank you to Rachel, Boldwood Books and the author, MJ Porter for the chance to read and review Shield of Mercia so I can feature the book/series.

FYI, I received a copy of the book in order to provide my review. However, this is an unbiased review and the views expressed within are entirely my own. 

 

Shield of Mercia – M. J. Porter

Genre: Historical fiction 

Pages: 337

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Boldwood Books

Original Publication Date:  03 Oct 2025

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟 

 

Goodreads – Shield of Mercia

 

Mercia is triumphant. Her king is safe. But Wessex was never Mercia’s only enemy.
Tamworth, AD836

Following a brutally cold winter, King Wiglaf of Mercia is in the ascendancy. Even Wessex’s Archbishop of Canterbury extraordinarily ventures to Mercia to broker a religious accord. But,can the hard-won peace prevail?

Viking raiders threaten Wessex. These blood-thirsty warriors are fast, skilful and have no reticence about killing those who stand in their way. Their aim isn’t to rule but to overwhelm, slaughter and take ill-gotten wealth.

King Wiglaf is no fool. As the Vikings push to overwhelm Wessex, Mercia’s lands look insecure. King Wiglaf needs the shields of Mercia’s warriors to prevent the overwhelming advancement of their deadliest enemy yet.

To save Mercia, Icel must first prevail over the two men who mean to end his life; King Ecgberht of Wessex and his son, Æthelwulf of Kent and only then the marauding Viking army for whom boundaries have no meaning.

An action packed, thrilling historical adventure perfect for the fans of Bernard Cornwell and Matthew Harffy.

 

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

 

My Thoughts 

 

Plot

In Shield of Mercia we return to a busy action-packed plot. War is on the doorstep, and the number of enemies keeps rising. Icel, a character who you may recall from Son of Mercia, aimed to be a healer. Instead, he became a renowned warrior. He always manages to find himself in the thick of the action, and in Shield of Mercia, in more danger than any book to date.

The gripping storyline and constant question of who could be trusted kept high tension throughout the plot. When eventually the pot boils over, we are treated to numerous battle scenes and conflicts that have us on the edge of our seat!

 

Setting

Events in Shield of Mercia are much like previous books in that travel is a greater element of the plot. Betrayal of Mercia felt like a bit of an exception to that rule, and I’m enjoying being back in the thick of the action. 

I love this series for its truly country spanning narratives. The political and geographical context of the story is really interesting and far more dynamic than we are today. It’s a great backdrop at the best of times, as life in Britain was far from peaceful anyway. Add Viking raiders into this already tumultuous era and you get an unputdownable action-packed historical fiction novel/series! As I can attest to – I read 75% of this book in one evening! 

 

Characters 

Uncertainty between Mercian and Wessex people is rife in Shield of Mercia. The two fractious communities come together in order to oust a Viking enemy. Trust, however, does not come easily. Icel, our main protagonist of the series, has more reason to be both suspicious and wary than ever. 

This feeds into a good portion of the plot, so the development of the characters and wider world within works hand-in-hand with driving the plot forward. It’s not therefore one at the expense of the other, but a great balance! 

Icel remains one of my favourite historical fiction characters in this period. He is so well-rounded and unlike your stereotypical warrior. His character arc is unique and even so many books on from his humble beginning in Son of Mercia, his core character values are still well-defined and fit into the man he has become out of necessity. 

 

Narrative Style

Shield of Mercia is very easy to read – as I’ve already alluded to, I read most of the book in one go. The style of narrative lends itself to a storytelling structure. With just one point of view, we’re able to get a deeper sense of Icel’s perspective on events. 

Rightly or wrongly, his views shape our perception of other characters in the book. For the first time in this narrative, I asked myself whether Icel perceives events a certain way as he has a dislike for certain characters. So far in the series, I’ve taken that perception as truth rather than opinion. However, I’ve enjoyed questioning the validity of the narrative as presented. Outside of historical fiction, I do enjoy an unreliable narrator! 

 

Summary

Shield of Mercia has been a fun eighth instalment to the Eagle of Mercia chronicles to read. I’ve especially enjoyed the greater action and overt conflict on this book as opposed to the political scheming of Betrayal of Mercia. That’s not to say this doesn’t underpin events in the book, because they absolutely do! However, balance has been restored, and I can’t wait to see what scrapes Icel inevitably lands himself with next… 

 

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: @coloursofunison

Book Review: Gran Familia – Kenji Hamada

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It’s rare I review a manga novel on the blog. However, as an emerging fan, I wanted to share Gran Familia with you as it’s just published and you don’t want to miss out! 

I really enjoyed Gran Familia and that shows in how quickly I devoured it. Seriously, I read this book in two sittings within 24 hours. I was intrigued by the character dynamics and truthfully, I’m already looking forward to seeing more from these characters. 

Let’s recap the details of the book/comic and then I’ll share my thoughts! 

 

Gran Familia – Kenji Hamada  

Genre: Manga 

Pages: 192

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Titan Manga

Publication Date: 14 Nov 2019

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟

Goodreads – Gran Familia

Dive into Gran Familia, where powerful vampire clans, hidden demi-humans and a dangerous turf war collide in a dark, action-packed battle for supremacy. Perfect for fans of supernatural crime thrillers.

In Gran Familia Volume 1, the delicate balance between humans and demi-humans teeters on the edge of collapse. In a world where super-powered beings, like vampires, werewolves, and other demi-humans, are forced to hide from human persecution, the legendary Grand Familia vampire clan controls the criminal underworld with an iron fist. But their reign is far from unchallenged.

Leo, the young heir to the Grand Familia, dreams of a future where both humans and demi-humans can coexist peacefully. However, when a violent turf war erupts between rival factions, the fragile peace between the two worlds is shattered and Leo is thrust into a dangerous conflict that could have devastating consequences for everyone involved.

As Leo grapples with the legacy of his powerful family and his own ideals, he must confront a world filled with betrayal, shifting allegiances, and moral dilemmas.

With each faction seeking dominance, the underworld becomes a battleground of supernatural forces, where loyalty is tested, and the line between right and wrong becomes increasingly blurred. Amidst the chaos, Leo faces the most pressing question of all: can peace truly be achieved, or is war the inevitable price of survival?

Gran Familia Volume 1 sets the stage for a thrilling five-volume saga filled with action, suspense, and intricate family drama. A must-read for fans of supernatural crime stories, dark fantasy, and complex character-driven narratives, this volume begins an epic journey into a world on the brink of collapse.

 

My Thoughts

For a first volume, Gran Familia strikes a good balance of introducing the characters and locations. Neither light touch nor heavy-handed, I initiated myself into this world very easily and I wanted to read on to learn more! 

This doesn’t come at the expense of plot. The action in the book facilitates us learning about the characters, setting and events taking place. As can only be expected in a manga, the action is key to the storyline and the graphic novel leans into exaggerating these to maximum effect. 

The character dynamics in this book are the big driver for me in terms of plot. Imagine a mafia with supernatural abilities – that’s what comes together in this graphic novel for some fierce rivalries. However, what the author already made apparent in this relatively short page count is that the protagonist isn’t a one-dimensional, stereotypical character. As a result, this was achieved in the short space of time the author captured my attention. I hope this comes out more in future volumes. There is clearly more to Leo than we first appreciate through his actions and reputation. 

Manga is naturally very different to read from prose, and again from traditional western media. It’s read the other way around, for starters (right to left, back to front). It’s so unlike my usual reading material that it made a refreshing change! 

 

Summary 

I’m looking to reading future volumes of Gran Familia and I hope you are too! 

This was a fun manga series to start and I hope the wait isn’t too long for the next one. 

What is the latest manga novel you’ve read? Has Gran Familia caught your attention? 

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Shelf Control #95 – 19/09/2025

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It’s been a little while since I featured a legal thriller, and the name behind this title. I’ve got three books by this author on my TBR, and in today’s Shelf Control, I share the only one of a three that’s part of a series. 

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.

 

Rogue Lawyer – John Grisham

Genre: Legal Thriller

Pages: 352

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton

Publication Date: 20 Oct 2015

Goodreads – Rogue Lawyer

 

On the right side of the law, sort of, Sebastian Rudd is not your typical street lawyer. His office is a customized bulletproof van, complete with Wi-Fi, a bar, a small fridge, and fine leather chairs. He has no firm, no partners, and only one employee: his heavily armed driver, who also so happens to be his bodyguard, law clerk, confidant, and golf caddie. Sebastian drinks small-batch bourbon and carries a gun. He defends people other lawyers won’t go near: a drug-addled, tattooed kid rumored to be in a satanic cult; a vicious crime lord on death row; a homeowner arrested for shooting at a SWAT team that mistakenly invaded his house. Why these clients? Because he believes everyone is entitled to a fair trial, even if he, Sebastian, has to bend the law, cheat, to secure one. He hates injustice, doesn’t like insurance companies, banks, or big corporations; he distrusts all levels of government and laughs at the justice system’s notions of ethical behavior.

 

My Thoughts

On paper, the events of Rogue Lawyer appear to be a little unhinged. A lawyer with a bodyguard roaming around in a van and representing the people reputable lawyers won’t touch out of a sense of justice? Sure, sign me up! It’s hardly your everyday read. This is one of three books I have on my list to read by John Grisham. If you’re interested, the other two are The Litigators and The Rainmaker. 

I’ve yet to try John Grisham, but he’s a household name. I’m hopeful I’ll enjoy his books. In which case, I’ll have a whole TBR of just his books… never mind the 200 others I want to read from everyone else. 

On a serious note, the uniqueness of the premise is what makes me want to try this book, regardless of how well known he is or any sense of obligation I need to try him. I know a few people who like his books – in fact, I think I have a copy of this book after a recommendation from someone clearing their book stash at work and letting me take it. 

It’ll be nice to get back to a genre I’ve not read for a while either. I pride myself on my ability to pick up almost anything. I’m definitely in the habit of reading some genres more than others. However, now and then, I enjoy something a little different. If there is one thing that can be said for today’s Shelf Control feature, it’s precisely that! 

Thanks for reading today’s Shelf Control post! Have you read Rogue Lawyer, or other books by John Grisham? 

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Book Review: Wolf of Wessex – Matthew Harffy

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Historical fiction fans are having a field day with my content right now! I have a lot of current and upcoming content in the genre. As of this post, I’m reading two further books that fit into this same setting and genre – Betrayal of Mercia by M. J. Porter and The Pagan Lord by Bernard Cornwell. If you are looking for inspiration on what to pick up, be sure to check out my thoughts below on Wolf of Wessex by Matthew Harffy.

 

Wolf of Wessex – Matthew Harffy  

Genre: Historical fiction 

Pages: 400

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Aria

Publication Date: 14 Nov 2019

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟

 

Goodreads – Wolf of Wessex

AD 838. Deep in the forests of Wessex, Dunston’s solitary existence is shattered when he stumbles on a mutilated corpse.

Accused of the murder, Dunston must clear his name and keep the dead man’s daughter alive in the face of savage pursuers desperate to prevent a terrible secret from being revealed.

Rushing headlong through Wessex, Dunston will need to use all the skills of survival garnered from a lifetime in the wilderness. And if he has any hope of victory against the implacable enemies on their trail, he must confront his long-buried past – becoming the man he once was and embracing traits he had promised he would never return to. The Wolf of Wessex must hunt again; honour and duty demand it.

 

My Thoughts

Plot

Compared to other books I’ve read in the genre, Wolf of Wessex is a little superficial in plot. That’s not necessarily a downer. If you’re looking for a light and easy read or are new to the genre, Wolf of Wessex is a good place you could start. 

In fact, Wolf of Wessex gave me insights into Saxon Britain that I’ve yet to read anywhere else. It’s a great perspective to read and helps me appreciate the time and history of the period, regardless of what I’m reading. 

That said, I wasn’t gripped by the plot line. It was perfectly acceptable to read, but I wouldn’t go so far as to say it was memorable. Prior to writing this review, my recollections of this book were that it contains a lot of violence. I did have to refresh myself on the events that took place, and the comments I shared in my Sunday Summary and monthly wrap-up post at the time. 

 

Setting

 Wolf of Wessex is a good entry-level book to the historical fiction genre, or even this time period, because it isn’t too heavy on historical background. There’s enough background included for the plot to make sense, so there are no concerns on this front. Beyond that though, it doesn’t matter if you are familiar with the historical context of the book or not. I have a personal preference towards more detail and depth in my narratives, that didn’t put me off reading this book. In fact, it contributed to this book being quite a quick read!

 

Characters

A bit like the plot development, I found some of the characters lacking any spark. Unfortunately, the female main character, Aedwen, served only to irritate me. She exists in the plot purely to be saved. She’s so docile, she may as well have not been there after the opening event. 

Dunstan isn’t much better. He’s defined throughout the book by his age and physical frailty, yet manages to keep up with all the young whippersnapper warriors? The messaging isn’t really consistent… or he’s an extremely lucky sod! 

The action throughout is entertaining, if predictable. At no point was I particularly concerned for the characters’ welfare or thought they were in real danger. 

 

Narrative Style

The book was very readable. Wolf of Wessex was a light, easy read. I read the book in just a few days. 

It’s this easy style that makes the book perfect for newcomers or anyone looking for a light reading experience. You don’t have to concentrate too much and the writing flows well. 

The book reads to a level of mature young readers, even if the content is not best suited. In terms of language, it’s appropriate for adult readers of all ages. The archaic time period and language differences don’t alienate readers, which again, helps with readability. 

 

Summary 

Wolf of Wessex has far higher praise online than I have to offer it here. Whilst I enjoyed the book, I don’t intend to go on and read any other of his books. It could be that I was in a bit of a reading slump at the time. If you read my review of The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi, the book I read before this one, you’ll see that was a middle-of-the-road review as well. 

Whilst this is a great introduction to the genre, there are other series I’d recommend if you prefer greater depth of detail. Bernard Cornwell’s Saxon stories, M. J. Porter’s Eagle of Mercia chronicles and Peter Gibbons’ The Saxon Warrior are a few. 

Ultimately, this book has its place and it’s a decent read, if not standout or remarkable. Admittedly, I’ve decided not to pursue reading any more books by this author, but maybe I’m missing out… 

Have you read Wolf of Wessex by Matthew Harffy? 

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Monthly TBR – September 2025

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My monthly TBR post is a little later than usual. If you read yesterday‘s Sunday Summary, you’ll know that I’ve just been away. However, now I’m back into full swing and I have a great list of books I’m planning to read in September. Make yourself comfy, and then we can go through the list of books I have been and I’m due to read this month. 

Have you read any of the books featured in this monthly TBR? 

 

Fixed Reads 

 

The Atlantis Covenant

The first book on this monthly TBR was the Atlantis Covenant by Rob Jones. If you are a regular reader here, you’ll know I read this book early as I had a blog tour obligation on the 4th of September. 

If you are a fan of Indiana Jones and like this kind of high-stakes action with history and archaeology combined, go check out my review of this book! 

 

The Giver

The next book on my list was The Giver. You may recall this book was on my August TBR as we were picking it up for our workbook club. Due to summer holidays, we ended up pushing this meet-up back to tomorrow. In the end, I ended up reading this quite last minute. However, I was able to read the book in just a couple of sessions whilst travelling.

I really enjoyed this children’s dystopia. Although this book is aimed at a younger audience, it didn’t oversimplify the dystopian setting or the message behind the book. It was a really easy and interesting read. And, as you can tell by the way, I’m discussing this book, it’s the second I’ve already ticked off this list.

 

Sensitive 

Switching to audiobooks, my next and current read is Sensitive. 

Admittedly, this book is near completion as well. I have just a couple of hours of audio left and I expect I’ll make light work of it. 

I’m interested in reading this book as I am pretty sure I fit into the classification of a ‘highly sensitive person’. As the book iterates, there are different ways people can be sensitive and some overlap with other traits. I’m pretty confident I’m an emotionally sensitive person, so it’s been validating to know my feelings and experiences aren’t unique. 

We’re getting to a useful section of the book shortly – the authors share strategies for sensitive people to put into practice. That’s one of the main takeaways I’m looking for from this book, so I’m keen to progress with this audiobook! 

 

A Witch’s Guide to Love and Poison

Another fixed read for the month is the Cottagecore Fantasy Book Club read, A Witch’s Guide to Love and Poison. As progress goes, I’m already halfway through this book as of sharing this monthly TBR. 

Whilst I’m already ahead, I’m going to prioritise this book so I can encourage conversations about the book in the Discord group. For the last couple of books, I’ve been behind and it’s made the job a little easier. As I picked this up as an ‘easier’ read whilst away, I’m going to keep going. 

 

HR Disrupted

Unfortunately, I didn’t get to HR Disrupted last month. As it’s a loan, I can’t put this book off. 

It’s also a short one, so it’s carried forward from August but will absolutely be read soon! 

 

Betrayal of Mercia 

Ahead of another upcoming blog tour review next month, I need to catch up on the prior book of the series. 

Somehow, I missed reading Betrayal of Mercia as part of the publication blog tour at the beginning of the year. In fairness, I’ve been doing a lot less in the way of tours, so it’s not a surprise I missed this email. 

Regardless, I didn’t miss the email for book eight, Shield of Mercia. So, first things first, I’m revisiting the series with Betrayal of Mercia and then heading into book eight. 

 

Mood Reads 

 

The Pagan Lord

Another carry forward, but this time originally featured in my July TBR, is The Pagan Lord. 

Historical fiction is more prominent towards the end of this monthly TBR. This isn’t the first historical fiction on this list. But, in practice, I think I’ll start with this well-loved and reasonably short seventh instalment in Bernard Cornwell’s The Saxon Stories series. 

 

Gran Familia

In a completely different change of pace, I’m hoping to read a manga and feature/review the book ahead of its official publication at the end of the month. 

As it’s a 200-page manga, I expect it will be a very quick read. It’s also a complete change of pace to the other books on this monthly TBR. I don’t read manga very often, but I think it’ll be nice to introduce some to my reading and my blog content. 

Stay tuned for more about this manga in due course. 

 

Shield of Mercia

If I get time at the end of the month, my aim is to start Shield of Mercia ahead of next month’s blog tour review date. It’s early next month that I’m due to review this book. So, it makes sense to start as early as I can! 

 

Summary 

I have a large number of books on September’s TBR, but thankfully they are shorter than a lot of the books I have on my wider reading list… 

Have you read any of the books featured in this monthly TBR? 

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Blog Tour Review: The Atlantis Covenant- Rob Jones

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Hello readers! If you’re a huge fan of Indiana Jones, historical artefacts and high-stakes action, The Atlantis Covenant is the book I’d recommend for you! And good news – I’m reviewing it today as part of the ongoing blog tour with Rachel’s Random Resources. Buckle up and let’s get to it!

Before I give you the details, as always, a huge thank you to Rachel, Boldwood Books and the author, Rob Jones. It’s been a little while since I took part in a tour, but reading this fun, high-stakes book has inspired me to get back in the game.

Also, full disclosure here that I received a copy of the book in order to provide my review. However, this is an unbiased review and my views expressed are my own.

Now… let’s see more about the book!


The Atlantis Covenant – Rob Jones

Genre: Action/Thriller

Pages: 344

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Boldwood Books

Original Publication Date:  31 Aug 2025

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟


Goodreads – The Atlantis Covenant

 

The greatest mystery of all time is about to be revealed.

When world-famous archaeologist and ex-soldier Max Hunter finds a mysterious artifact in a tomb beneath the Gates of Nineveh, his lifelong dream of finding Atlantis comes one step closer.

But he’s not the only one looking for it…

His discovery unleashes a high-speed hunt for the lost civilization between a mysterious Swiss foundation, the FBI, and the world’s most secretive society.

From the dangers of the Iraqi desert to Cuba and the jungles of El Salvador to the enigmatic Valley of the Kings in Egypt, Hunter faces a race against time and murderous enemies who will stop at nothing to claim the greatest prize in history. As he fights for his life, it soon becomes apparent that his enemies are searching for something altogether more sinister than the lost city…

Hunter must use his unique ingenuity and knowledge to decipher the clues and find Atlantis – and its lethal treasures – before they fall into enemy hands.


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

 

My Thoughts

Plot

If you are a fan of very fast-paced, action-driven books, The Atlantis Covenant is right up your alley! With danger lurking around every corner, Max Hunter and the FBI find their lives on the line as they look to uncover the truth of the lost city of Atlantis.

This is arguably a very plot-driven book. That’s not to say that aspects of world-building (history) and character development suffers, because they don’t. However, the motivation to read on each chapter is to uncover what happens next.

And there’s action in almost every chapter. Old rivalries and archaic, powerful forces come into play, and the secrets of Atlantis aren’t safe. With both sides racing to beat each other to discover the truth, everything is to play for…

Although this first book does naturally leave us on a bit of a cliffhanger into the next in the series, the action that takes place in The Atlantis Covenant is wrapped up in full. Looking at the synopsis for the next book, it doesn’t directly follow on from this first. I’m pretty confident that each of these could be read standalone. Whether you’re a fan of series or solo books, The Atlantis Covenant caters to all.

 

Setting

The Atlantis Covenant takes us across the globe. From the seas of Cuba to jungle rainforest, Egypt and The Valley of the Kings and to Arctic climes, the book features archaeological sites on every corner of the planet.

The jet-setting in this book is exciting to read about. As someone who really enjoyed history growing up, getting to hear about well-known sites such as the Valley of the Kings makes this thriller more interesting. I really enjoyed the archaeological aspects of this book and the emphasis this has on the storyline and places visited. It gives the book a lot of grounding, even when events carry us off rapidly to the next revelation (and inevitable gunfight).

I appreciate this isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. If that’s you, that’s okay. The relevance to the storyline is explained but not explored in any great length of detail. It gives context to the plot and moves on.


Characters

Throughout The Atlantis Covenant, we meet a variety of characters. From military men to goth girl hackers, the group pull together to help in his quest discover Atlantis and its secrets. The characters draw upon a wide variety of experience and skills, and not all from altruistic origins.

Now, I do confess, I do have one niggle about how some characters are introduced in this book. Pretty early on, I recognised a pattern of male characters being introduced for the action they’re involved in and women being introduced by their appearance. I wasn’t a big fan of this double-standard, but credit where it’s due, this stops after the first few chapters.

I really enjoyed the diversity of the characters that made up the main group. However, I can’t dismiss the wider cast introduced in this book either. Over the course of the book, we are introduced to a significant number of characters. So maybe even still, I am no trouble keeping trying (or at least, on which side they are).


Narrative Style

The Atlantis Covenant is fast-paced. Punchy. Full of action and eager to get there. Chapters are nice and short and snappy to fit this pacing. It works very well with the narrative and is a big driver to encouraging you to read ‘just one more chapter’ over and over.

Even though I personally lean towards a preference for longer, more detailed chapters, this was perfect for the book. It didn’t detract from my personal experience in the slightest and complemented the narrative.

As a result, The Atlantis Covenant is a pretty quick read. Having struggled and DNF’d another book right before this one, it was the fast-paced and engaging remedy I didn’t know I needed!


Summary

The Atlantis Covenant is a high-action, fast-paced novel. If you are a huge fan of Indiana Jones films, this book is just like these. With a balanced blend of action intertwined with archaeology, history, and conspiracy, this book piques my interest in the best of ways!

The good news is, you can continue to read the series already. If you want to read on, The Revelation Relic is the next book to whet your appetite.


Author Bio

Rob Jones has published over forty books in the genres of action-adventure, action-thriller, and crime. Many of his chart-topping titles have enjoyed number-one rankings, and his Joe Hawke and Jed Mason series have been international bestsellers. Originally from England, today he lives in Australia with his wife and children.

Social Media Links –  

Facebook: @RobJonesNovels

Twitter: @AuthorRobJones

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

Monthly Wrap-Up – August 2025

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Hot off the press, I’m here to share my reading progress in today’s monthly wrap-up! I hope you enjoy today’s catch up post and can take some book recommendations away. 

In my August TBR I shared an extensive list of books I hoped to pick up. As usual I didn’t get around to it all. My plans also had to change a little as I agreed to take part in a blog tour later this week after sharing the TBR. 

Shall we take a look at what I did get to? 

 

Books Read 

House of Frank 

My first carryover from last month was the July Cottagecore Fantasy Book Club read, House of Frank. I only had a third of the book left and I was determined to finish it even after the readalong was officially finished. 

It was a pretty decent read and I’m glad I got to see the final character progression. The book didn’t end entirely as I expected, so it did have a little twist. Whilst I did enjoy the book, it was a pretty average read. 

In fairness, even at this state of affairs it fared better than the August book… but more on that below.

 

Stormdancer 

Even closer to the finish line than I was with House of Frank, I completed the final two hours of audio for Stormdancer in early August. 

I enjoyed this book a lot and I’m really interested to see where the rest of the series will take us. The good news is that I have the other two books in audio format so I can pick these up at my leisure. The steampunk and Asian fantasy mash-up is truly an interesting genre to read. Honestly, I didn’t expect to like it as much as I did. Then again, so far Jay Kristoff hasn’t put a foot wrong and I’ve enjoyed all his books.

The first book ends on quite a cliffhanger. What happens next? I can’t wait to find out! 

 

If We Were Villains 

This book has been sat on my bookshelf for the longest time. I found out this month why I’d been holding out on myself! 

If We Were Villains is a fantastic, suspenseful read. Although the book and narrative owes a lot of its influence to Shakespeare, you don’t need a wealth of knowledge on his plays to enjoy this book. Sure, I think there are probably smart references and Easter eggs fans could pick up on. From someone not well-versed though, it really doesn’t affect your overall enjoyment of the book. 

This is quite an interesting one. Whilst from the beginning we think we know what happened (the tale is told by a single narrator after the event, after all), that turns out not to be the case at all really. It was an interesting way to play out the narrative. Fans of dark academia books will definitely love this one!

 

The House Witch

I have a DNF to share this month, which was August’s Cottagecore Fantasy Book club read. 

In all, The House Witch was fine, but I lost steam with it. It’s quite long-winded and takes time to get going. A few of us in the group agreed that the book read like an indie, even though it has been traditionally published. 

I was struggling with motivation to pick up the book. Eventually, I decided it wasn’t worth trying to force myself through it so took the decision to write-off the couple hundred pages I read. It’s a shame, as that’s effort that doesn’t count towards any of my stats. But, I made the right decision as reading progress picked back up again with a fresh read, and a very drastic change of pace… 

 

The Atlantis Covenant

The final book I picked up physically at the end of August is The Atlantis Covenant. As I mentioned near the top of this post, I signed up for this blog tour at quite short notice, well, at least for me. Rachel dropped me an email asking for help with the tour and I did like the sound of it. So, I agreed to read it for the tour! That tour date is in just a few days time. In the spirit of not leaving things too late, I picked this up with a few days left in August. 

As of drafting this monthly wrap-up post, it is still a current read but I am 60% through and the reading time estimate puts me at less than two hours to complete the book. It’s significantly faster paced and action-packed, which is a direct contrast with The House Witch. Think if Indiana Jones was a book, that’s the kind of experience I’m having right now. It’s fun and there are some interesting theories coming up in the narrative. Will they be true, or is there another twist yet? I suspect there is! I’ll be reading this in the next day or so in order than my blog tour post is ready to go live early on Thursday. 

Stay tuned!

 

Tyrant’s Throne 

This monthly wrap-up includes updates on two more audiobooks yet, so don’t be too hasty with scanning down the post! 

In August I listened to Tyrant’s Throne in its entirety. It feels like it’s been a while since I completed an audiobook within a calendar month. However, this was the final book of its series and after listening to Saint’s Blood pretty recently, I was keen to get to the end of this book! 

Often when I’m finishing a good series, I get sad towards the conclusion and start putting up resistance to actually finishing the last book. However, as I shared in my Sunday Summary yesterday, I didn’t get to that point with this book for the best of reasons! I’m so glad I finished the book and I hope to see more stories from Falcio, Kest and Brasti in future. 

 

Sensitive

The final audiobook and book to feature in this monthly wrap-up post is Sensitive by Jenn Granneman and Andre Solo. 

I started this relatively short audio with jut a couple of days left in the month. The other intended reads on my August TBR are owned in other formats already, so I didn’t start audiobooks of those deliberately. Instead, I turned to my 20 Books of Summer Challenge for inspiration and chose Sensitive. 

As of this monthly wrap-up I’ve already listened to a healthy chunk of this audiobook. As at the end of the month, I officially carried over just under five hours of the audiobook to listen to. In practice, I’ve listened to a couple of hours today, so I have a little under three hours. I expect I’ll make light work of it so I’ll be starting a  new audiobook soon! 

 

Summary 

So, I picked up no less than seven titles at some point over the course of August. In terms of my 20 Books of Summer Challenge, I finished the season having read seven of the original books in total, as well as DNFing and subbing out another. I had hoped for more progress, but then again, I couldn’t always allow for book club or blog tour commitments in my reading list. I’ve still read a decent amount over the last three months. The unread books on this list aren’t going away. I’m putting them on a ‘priority’ list and I want them all finished before the end of the year. 

 That’s everything to catch you up on in this monthly wrap-up update! 

Have you read any of the books in today’s post? 

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