Tag: Fiction

Sunday Summary – 25th June 2023

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Happy Sunday friends – you know what time it is… I’m back with another Sunday Summary update!

I started off this week by sharing a Top Ten Tuesday post. The topic of that post was my top ten reads making up my Summer TBR. The list has a wide range of books and genres on it. They are the books I really want to prioritise reading over the next few months, and I can’t wait to get to each and every one.

Later in the week, it was time to share my next Friday feature with you. This week’s post was a First Lines Friday. I decided to set myself a challenge to feature the introduction to one of the books that made it onto Tuesday’s Summer TBR. You’ll be able to guess the book from the introduction, as it gives it away entirely!

 

Books Read

 

The Lost Metal

I left off last week’s Sunday Summary update with around 100 pages left to complete The Lost Metal by Brandon Sanderson. I kind of knew that I was going to push through and finish that book last Sunday. By the time I taken the book to bed to read some, I would then be so close to the end that I just wanted to power through and finish it. That’s exactly what I did! I can tell you now that I simultaneously loved the book, but it also made me very mad. If you know, you know.

I’m glad that I have read and finally finished the book. Although I will admit to being a little bit sad that second era Mistborn is now done. I really loved the characters in this series and how the world was developed to build upon the first era. I can only hope that a third era follows in future, and that we can expect even bigger and better things.

 

The Midnight Library

Moving on from The Lost Metal, I then decided to pick up a quick read, The Midnight Library by Matt Haig.

Having heard a lot of great things about Matt Haig and several of the books he has written and published, I went into this book with high hopes. I’m always wary of hyped books or authors, because it’s so easy to be disappointed. That is not the case with Matt Haig and The Midnight Library. When I bought my copy of this book, the seller in Waterstones told me that it was a book that changed his outlook on life completely. And I can see why. For such a small book, it has a big message to get readers to think about.

The book explores mental health and the impact events can have on our outlook. At a point where Nora is fed up of her current life, she decides to end it. However, in between life and death, she finds herself in an infinite library. A prominent character from her past reappears and gives Nora other chances at life – each encapsulated in a book. At every point where a decision was made, a new life branches off into infinite possibilities. And Nora tries plenty of them!

Ultimately, Nora comes to learn a lot about who she is and what she values. I really enjoyed the book and its message.

 

Children of Dune

Next, I started Children of Dune by Frank Herbert, and as of this Sunday Summary post, this is my main current read.

The Dune series by Frank Herbert is dense science-fiction, and it’s quite political as well. Initially I struggled to get back into this book. However, I think that’s because I tried to start it quite late one evening when I was tired. So, I didn’t quite get off to the best of starts with it. I ended up picking up another book very briefly that night in order to explore that one instead. More on that below.

I went back to Children of Dune the following day and found reading much easier. I’m definitely back into the narrative now that I really given myself the opportunity to do so. As of this Sunday Summary post, I am just over 100 pages into the book.

 

The House in the Cerulean Sea

I briefly dipped my toes into The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune. This book is one that has been on my reading list for a little while, and I pulled it out of my TBR jar to read in June.

For now, I’ve only made the briefest of introductions to the book. As I mentioned above, I started it as a trial when considering whether or not to put Children of Dune aside. As it happens, I am continuing with that book as my main read. However, first impressions of The House in the Cerulean Sea are very good.

I like the set up so far. It also proved easy enough to read whilst I was tired! I may end up reading this in tandem with Children of Dune, depending on my reading moods and/or abilities.

 

Books Discovered

With a few reads ticked off my TBR this week, in combination with no new books added, I can say that the reading list is going in the right direction!

For now…

 

Coming Up…

Next week, I want to share another book review with you. Having taken a look at my list of books pending review, I have decided to review Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg. Whilst this is definitely a book about women and for women in the workplace, I would recommend it to anybody. You can find out exactly why in my review next week!

Later on in the week, I will be sharing another instalment of my series, Well, I Didn’t Know That! Up until recently, I had been using an app called Readly in order to access magazines from different providers for a monthly subscription fee. It was only when I discovered that I could access a similar range using Kindle Unlimited, for a fractionally smaller price, that I decided to make the switch.

In addition to magazines, I can also access books through Kindle Unlimited. Overall, I think it will be a better deal accessing both via this platform. However, I am going to explore some of the content available through Kindle Unlimited with you to make my decision. That way, if you don’t already subscribe, you can find out what kind of magazines are out there… And I’ve got a good reason to explore the range for myself!

Next Sunday, I will be back with another Sunday Summary update post. I’m hoping to have plenty of reading progress to share with you, and I’ll be sharing how I’ll be gearing up for a busy blogging week.

That’s all for today’s Sunday Summary update. What have you read recently?

 

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Top Ten Tuesday – 2023 Summer TBR

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In today’s Top Ten Tuesday post, I will share the books that I’ll be looking to read over the summer months.

I shared a similar post for my Spring reads, with mixed results. I read six of the ten books I listed in that post. A couple of those I didn’t get to make a reappearance in today’s Top Ten Tuesday.

Personally, I find these posts really useful in planning my future reading. They keep me accountable. I also hope you enjoy them, as you learn what books and content will be coming up on my blog in the near future!

But, that’s enough ramble – I’m sure you want to dive into the list, so let’s get to it!

 

Summer TBR

 

Children of Dune

Children of Dune featured on my Spring TBR list. Whilst I haven’t gotten around to the book as of drafting this post, it is on my June TBR. After I’ve finished my current read (The Midnight Library by Matt Haig), I intend to pick up Children of Dune.

 

Ship of Destiny

Much like Children of Dune, Ship of Destiny is also on my June TBR. It’s also a carryover from my Spring TBR list… and was added to my June TBR because it was still outstanding.

Ship of Destiny is likely to be the last read on my June TBR, and I may end up reading it into July. It’s a hefty read at just over 900 pages. I didn’t shy away from chunky books in my Spring TBR; nothing has changed for this Top Ten Tuesday – Summer 2023 TBR.

 

A Brief History of Time

A Brief History of Time is a book I intend to pick up very, very soon. I recently featured this book on my 30 Before 30 list. If you haven’t checked out that post, it is a list of the books I would like to try and read before I turn 30.

Whilst this isn’t a very long book, it may be a challenge for me in how scientific and mathematical it is. I am not a big science nerd. But, I am interested in the subject and I would like to give it a go.

 

Wizard and Glass

The Waste Lands by Stephen King featured on my Spring TBR. One of my goals for the year is to continue reading ongoing series rather than starting new ones. It had been four years since I picked up this series last, and when I read The Waste Lands (in four days), I vowed I wouldn’t be making that mistake again!

With this in mind, the next book of The Dark Tower series, Wizard and Glass, has made it to my Summer TBR.

 

Twelve Years a Slave

Twelve Years A Slave is another book from my 30 Before 30 list that I would like to pick up during the summer. This book would make a great read in 2023 for a couple of reasons. Firstly, it helps me make a prompt start on my 30 Before 30 list. Secondly, as a non-fiction memoir, it also contributes towards my goal of reading more non-fiction throughout this year!

 

The Pagan Lord

The Pagan Lord is the seventh book in Bernard Cornwell‘s Saxon Stories series. This is a series that I have been reading for a number of years. I picked it up again earlier this year when I read Death of Kings. With that goal of continuing reading series in mind, I would like to resume this one. Whilst the series and characters are relatively fresh in my mind, it makes sense to pick up the next instalment.

 

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine

Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine is the outlier on this Summer TBR. However, I do have my reasons for adding it. The first of those is that I already pulled the book out of my TBR jar, and so I will be reading it next month. Secondly, as the book has an emphasis on mental health, and because I’m enjoying The Midnight Library so much, I want to continue exploring fiction with this topic.

 

Three Sisters

Three Sisters is the third book in Heather Morris’s The Tattooist of Auschwitz series. I have listened to the first two books of the series already, and finally listening to Three Sisters will give me a big ol’ tick on my completed series list. I don’t get many of those very often!

It’s been a little while since I last pick up the series, but the events and characters stand out so well that it doesn’t matter. The books don’t overly relate to each other either, so I’m not dependent on being so familiar with what’s already happened in the other books that I can’t pick this one up.

 

Children of Virtue and Vengeance

It’s been five years since I picked up the Legacy of Orisha series. Too long really, but it’s only going to get longer if I continue not to revisit it.

I really enjoyed the start of this series by Tomi Adeyemi back in 2018, and I’m overdue getting back into it. A secondary motive I have for picking this book up soon is that the author is due to publish a third book in the series in September. If I manage to pick up the second book before then, I will very briefly be caught up with the series until the sequel comes out. But, with events fresh in my mind, it would make sense for me to pick up the third book quickly and get caught up again.

 

A Storm of Swords

This year, I am re-reading George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series (a.k.a. A Game of Thrones). With the understanding that the next book is due out soon, I want to refresh my memory before diving into this new instalment. You know me, I will be doing that as soon as it’s physically available!

 

So, those are the books that have made it onto my Top Ten Tuesday – 2023 Summer TBR post.

I hope you have enjoyed today’s Top Ten Tuesday post! Have you read any of the books on my list? Are there any that you intend to pick up as well?

 

 

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Sunday Summary – 18th June 2023

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Good evening all and welcome to this week’s Sunday Summary. It’s a special day here, as it is Father’s Day! Happy Father’s Day to all the wonderful dads out there. I’ve enjoyed spending the day with mine. I know I’m completely biased in saying that mine is the best, but he is! 

I’ve kept myself busy on the reading and blogging front of this week. I started off the week in sharing my review of a Netgalley ARC I downloaded a couple of months ago – Death Magnanimous by Michael Martin. The book is due to come out around the 1st of July. With that in mind, I wanted to set out my thoughts ahead of publication. Although this is a book that handles some difficult themes, I think it does so very well. I really enjoyed the subject matter (and I hope you do too).

On Friday, I shared a Shelf Control post and featured a book that will be coming up on my TBR shortly. This particular book also made it to my 30 Before 30 list which I shared recently. If you’re interested to find out which of those books I plan to pick up in the very near future, here is a link to this post so you can find out!

 

Books Read

 

A Clash of Kings

As of last week’s Sunday Summary update, I had just 66 pages remaining of A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin. After sharing last week’s post, my plan was to finish the book that night… And finish it I did!

These books are brilliant, and they are books I could go back to again and again and enjoy just as much each time. It goes without saying that I really enjoyed diving back into the series. This second instalment is quite hefty, but it doesn’t really feel like it when you read it. The chapter lengths and changes in perspective suit me really well. I had already read a lot of this book last week, and I was happy to finally finish it off ready for a clean slate on Monday.

 

The Lost Metal

The next book I picked up, and have been reading for the rest of the week, is The Lost Metal by Brandon Sanderson. I chose this book to read next as it is slightly shorter than A Clash of Kings, and I didn’t want to jump into another chunky read straight after this one. The Lost Metal is still around 500 pages, so it couldn’t be called short. However, compared to A Clash of Kings, The Lost Metal is proving to be an easier read.

It’s been a little while since I last picked up the series, but it hasn’t been difficult to jump right back into the action. I also really love the second era Mistborn characters. Wax and Wayne, and the westernised setting of the books, works really well for me. I know that it’s not well suited to others, but I really enjoy it. The characters themselves also have a great dynamic and I’m enjoying their perspectives once again. I’ll almost be a little bit sad once I finish this book, as this is the end of second era Mistborn.

As of this Sunday Summary update, I have read just over 400 out of 500 pages. I’m hoping to go to bed not too late tonight, because I know I want to make more progress. But once I’ve made some progress, I’ll be keenly aware of how very close I am to the end. I have a bad habit of not being able to leave books once I get that close to the finish. I don’t doubt I’ll be pushing myself over the finish line tonight!

 

Books Discovered

I’m continuing my good streak of not adding any new books to my reading list. I’ve said it more than once but I will say it again. This is not a bad thing! If you take one look at my reading list on Goodreads, you will know I need absolutely zero help with expanding my TBR!

 

Coming Up…

The first post I intend to share with you next week is a Top Ten Tuesday post! It’s been a little while since I shared one of these features, but I’ve been holding out for a topic I’m interested in. Earlier this year, I shared my top ten books on my spring reading list. This time, I will be drafting a similar post, but for my summer reads. Whilst the weather is still looking good into next week, ironically, we’ve probably had our peak summer already! That doesn’t really matter though, as I’m not the type of person to pick traditionally seasonal reads. Not only that, but if the weather turns back cold/rainy/unpleasant, then that’s all the more justification to sit in with a good book, right?

On Friday, I’ll be returning with the next regular Friday feature due to come up on my blog. That post is a First Lines Friday. I’m in the mood to set myself a challenge for this post. I’m not going to set an overly difficult one here. On the theme of summer reads, I am going to feature one of the books that makes it to my top 10 summer reading list which I’m sharing earlier in the week.

As always, I’ll be back at the same time next week with another Sunday Summary to share all my reading updates with you, and let you know what I plan to share in the coming week.

That’s all for now! Have a wonderful evening and week and I will catch you in the next post! Happy reading!

 

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Sunday Summary – 11th June 2023

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Good evening and welcome to this week’s Sunday Summary update post! I have a lot of reading to share with you in today’s post. All that progress has been in one book, but it is a chunky one! More on that later. As always, let’s take a look at the blog posts I shared throughout the week.

The first blog post I shared this week was my 30 Before 30 list. Having been inspired by another book lover recently, I’ve decided to set down a list of 30 books I would like to try and read before I turn 30. I’ve left this a little bit late to set out, so I don’t expect to get through all 30 books. However, the post is my expression of intent to prioritise these books and read as many as possible before then.

The next post I shared with you was a new instalment to my Well, I Didn’t Know That! series. In that post, I featured a service that I discovered at the end of last week. If you are a history fan that likes to learn across multiple platforms (documentaries, podcasts, and more) then this post may be of interest to you.

 

Books Read

 

A Clash of Kings

In last week’s Sunday Summary post, I was 280 pages into A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin. Over the course of the week, I have read and listened to the equivalent of another 530 pages. That leaves me with just 66 pages until the end of the book! This week has been a bit of a funny one in how I’ve made my reading progress. Typically, I only own one copy of the book. However, as this is a much loved series, I own this in e-book, audiobook, and physical format.  I’ve ended up dipping in and out of all of these this week.

For the most part, I have been reading the physical book. However, there have been times where I’ve not been able to sit down and read traditionally. As and when needed, I have switched to the audiobook and listened whilst doing jobs around the house to continue with progress. Yesterday, I even dipped into the e-book format briefly. As it is not really practical to take a 900 page paperback with you to the hairdresser, I decided to pick up where I left off on my phone for a couple of chapters.

A Clash of Kings is a very chunky book. I typically find that larger books take me longer to read… not just because there’s more pages. They’re often far more dense and so I can’t binge read them in the same way. Although I am technically behind my page per day target, there is every chance I could catch up with other shorter reads throughout the month.

Even though I’m not here saying I haven’t finished the book this week, I’m confident that I will finish it tonight!

 

Books Discovered

Much as last week, there are no new additions to my reading list to share with you this week.

 

Coming Up…

Next week, the first post I plan to share with you is a book review for an advanced reader copy that I read last month. As the book is coming out at the beginning of July, I want to get my review published ahead of release. Death Magnanimous is the first book I have downloaded from Netgalley for a while. At least, it is the first download I have made in a while that hasn’t been for a blog tour. Not only do I want to get my review out there for the sake of the book, but it will also boost my rating on the site and give me access to request more, if I find something else that catches my eye.

On Friday, i’ll be back with my Shelf Control regular feature post. In that post, I’ll be talking about one of the books that made it to my 30 before 30 list, and that I’m planning to pick up as early as next month!

I’m sure you know what is coming by now. The last post I’ll share next week will be my next Sunday summary update. How many books will I have picked up between now and then? Only time will tell!

Until next time, happy reading!

 

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Sunday Summary – 4th June 2023

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It’s the end of another glorious weekend, and as always, I’m here to tell you about the books I’ve been reading in this Sunday Summary update!

Before we get into the books I’ve been reading, let’s take a quick look at the blog posts I’ve shared over the course of this week so far. On Wednesday, I shared my Monthly Wrap-Up post for May 2023. May was a fantastic month on the reading front! I picked up a total of eight books throughout the month, and finished seven.

On Friday, I talked about the books I plan to read throughout the month of June in my Monthly TBR post. I don’t intend to pick up half as many books as I did throughout the month of May. However, I am picking up lengthier books this month. If you want to check out what I’m reading, you can find a link to that post above. I’ll also discuss my first read of the month later in this post. 

 

Books Read

 

Against All Gods

As of my last Sunday Summary update, I had just started to read Against All Gods by Miles Cameron. I couldn’t really make too much comment in that post as I’d only just started the book. Unfortunately, I have more to say now, and it’s not great news.

I only made it to 20% into this book before I decided to DNF it. My main problem with it is that the book lacks any substantial plot line, in my opinion. As of the point at which I put the book down, we were introduced to a plethora of characters at a very superficial level. So much so, that I couldn’t really invest in any of them. Not only that, but very little had happened in the book to capture my interest.

We have been introduced to a lot of characters that for one reason or another had taken up issue with the gods. And I don’t blame them. Very reminiscent of gods in Greek mythology, those we are introduced to condone and encourage violence and debauchery amongst themselves and mortals… but other than that, there was very little about them.

If you haven’t guessed by now, I found the book a little bit boring. It took me at least four days to read the 20% I got through before putting it down. Ultimately, I made the decision to stop reading, and I’m glad I did. There’s nothing worse than forcing yourself to a book you’re not interested in.

It is a bit of a shame as the synopsis of the book caught my attention. It is a story that could have a lot of promise. However, I found it a little failing in the execution. That is just my personal preference though.

 

As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow

On a better note, I finished listening to As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow this week! I loved this book. It is not a book I would have picked up of my own volition. Instead, I read it as part of an online book club… And I’m glad I did!

The book and the author does a fantastic job of reminding us of the human face of the conflict in Syria. If you hear about it at all, it is about boats of refugees that sank when trying to flee for safety. They are numbers, not people. We do not hear about the civilians trying to live their daily lives being shot at. We do not hear about the fates of those who dared to protest against the regime and are arrested for their ‘crime’. Most are not seen again… but what they have to live through first in captivity is often worse than death.

Whilst this narrative does have its darker side, it is captivating in its description of the people and the countryside that make up Syria. I really enjoyed listening to the stories of the characters that touch the protagonist Salama, as well as her own.

It is definitely one of the most memorable, if not one of the best reads of the year so far!

 

A Clash of Kings

After the disappointment of Against All Gods, I was glad to be returning to a firm favourite for my first read of June. A Clash of Kings is the second book in the A Song of Ice and Fire (aka A Game of Thrones) series. I have decided to re-read this series this year as there is rumour about the next book in the series being published soon. I have seen a date as early as November this year, but that could still be subject to change. Regardless, I want to be prepared for when that book comes out.

As of drafting this Sunday Summary post, I am 280 pages into the book. That might sound a lot. However, when you consider that this book is 873 pages long, I still have a substantial way to go.

Even so, I am really enjoying the book. This series is one that I could read on loop and never get bored of. Whilst this book does have a lot of characters and perspectives, it does not work for plotline whatsoever. Quite the opposite, I enjoy the intricacies of all the threads between each character… and it is one of those series that you can always pick up on something else with every re-read.

 

Books Discovered

It’s another quiet week on the TBR, with no new additions… for now!

 

Coming Up…

I wanted to share something a little bit different this week. A book vlogger I follow has been running series called 30 before 30. The concept of this post is pretty much what it says on the tin. It is a list of the 30 books she wanted to read before she turned 30. I have decided to put together a similar list. I probably should’ve done it sooner, but better late than never! On this list, I’ll be featuring a number of books that I’ve been wanting to read for a long time (and so I’m taking this opportunity to prioritise them). If you’re interested to find out what these books are, check out my post on Wednesday.

On Friday, I’ll be sharing the next post in my series, Well, I Didn’t Know That. I’m keeping my cards close to my chest for this week’s topic. I have an idea for the post, but I want to explore it in a little bit more detail to see if I can make the content I want out of it!

To round off the week, I’ll be back with another Sunday Summary update this time next week!

 

I hope you’ve enjoyed today’s Sunday Summary post! What are you reading?

 

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Sunday Summary – 28th May 2023

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A happy long weekend to everyone in the UK! I’m back with my weekly Sunday Summary update, so I hope you’re sat comfortably with a cuppa for this one.

As always, I’ll kick off this post by summarising the blog posts I’ve shared over the course of the week. My first blog post was published on Wednesday. In that post, I shared a review of a short story anthology I read recently, Taking Liberties. The review turnaround on this book was quite quick as I had been asked to provide a review by one of the contributing authors. However, as always, I haven’t let that colour my opinion of the book; my thoughts are entirely my own.

On Friday, I shared a First Lines Friday feature. This time last week, I set myself the challenge of choosing a book for this feature that fits a ‘non-fiction medical’ description. I’m really happy with the book I chose to feature, as I have read and loved this author’s other books from this genre previously!

 

Books Read

 

Starsight

As of last week’s Sunday Summary post, I was 100 pages into Starsight by Brandon Sanderson. What I had read so far was already a great introduction. Over the course of the next few days, I chipped away at this book and made it to about 50%.

Then, on Thursday night, I started reading more of the book… and this great book became a fantastic one! I was so invested in the events and the storyline that I ended up reading all the second half of the book in one night. That’s about 230 pages, which has to be a reading record for me. Did I stay up far too late to finish this book? Yes. Do I regret that decision? No.

Starsight differs from Skyward, and there are readers out there that didn’t like this change. It’s a difficult one to talk about without spoiling the story, so I’m not going to mention the details. However, I really enjoyed this change. I think it would have been difficult to progress this series without that change taking place. In any case, it really worked for me, and as a result, the book was a very easy five-star rating.

 

Against All Gods

After finishing Starsight, I started making progress with my final read of the month, Against All Gods by Miles Cameron.

As of this Sunday Summary post, I’m only really just getting into the book so I don’t really have too much to say at the moment. So far, the introduction is fine, but it hasn’t grabbed my attention as much as I thought it would either. Then again, I am only 7% in. I’ll continue with it and see what progress I make in the next few days.

 

As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow

I’ve continued making progress with listening to As Long As the Lemon Trees Grow this week. Yesterday, I had the pleasure of gardening in some of the warmest temperatures we’ve had locally for some time. As Long As the Lemon Trees Grow helped me concentrate on something other than how hot and uncomfortable I was when trying to wrestle with a hover mower on uneven ground. Don’t say I don’t know how to spend my weekends…

I’ve now nearly finished this audiobook. It is a fantastic listen and I’m hoping to finish this off tomorrow. We are at a really exciting (and equally devastating) point in the narrative and I need to know what happens. I need to know if there’s a happy ending or not.

 

Books Discovered

Having added some books to my reading list over the last few weeks, I’m pleased to report a clean bill this week!

 

Coming Up…

Next week is inevitably going to be a busy one, as it is the week in which I will feature my monthly wrap-up post (Wednesday), as well as my monthly TBR for June (Friday).

Thankfully, I don’t have any other blogging obligations next week. Over the last couple of months, I have had blog tour posts that coincided with the beginning of the month. So, although I have enough going on with two sizable blog posts to draft and share, at least I don’t have anything else on top of that!

As always, I’ll be back this time next Sunday to give you another Sunday Summary and catch you up on what I’ve been reading.

Until then, I hope you have a fantastic week whatever you get up to. Happy reading!

 

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Sunday Summary – 21st May 2023

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Happy Sunday everyone and welcome to my weekly Sunday Summary update. I hope you’ve had a good week, as always! Before we dive into the books I’ve been reading this week, let’s recap the blog posts I’ve been sharing.

I started this week by sharing a Top 5 Recommendations post. Inspired by another blog post I had seen recently, I decided to share my top self-help reads that I’d recommend anyone pick up. The list includes everything from improving focus to empowering women in the workplace. As always, I provide a link to that post if you want to go and check that out!

Usually, I share a regular feature on a Friday. However, due to a bit of a lack of forward planning on my part, I didn’t get this ready in time to go out on Friday. I was at a friend’s house on Friday night, and didn’t get home til gone midnight anyway. So, I shared my planned Shelf Control post yesterday instead!

 

Books Read

 

Death Magnanimous

Picking up where I left off in last week’s Sunday Summary, I started off the week continuing my read of Death Magnanimous by Michael Martin. As of last week’s update, I was 22% into the book. Already, I was hooked my the story and the circumstances the protagonist found himself in. The split timeline, allowing us readers to explore Charlie’s life before his accident, really added to the narrative and understanding his loss. There is also an element of mystery that comes into the story, which I enjoyed.

I finished this book by midweek, and I really enjoyed this Netgalley ARC (advanced reader copy). As the book is to be published in July, I’m going to try and get my review published on my blog soon.

 

Taking Liberties

Next, I picked up a short story anthology – Taking Liberties. The anthology includes short stories written by multiple authors, all with a loose theme of freedom. Whilst they have this in common, the stories themselves are wide and varied. The last time I read a collection of short stories, I didn’t love the experience. However, I had a completely different experience with Taking Liberties.

In all, I read the anthology in it’s entirety (which granted, is only roughly 130 pages) in about 24 hours!

 

Starsight

The last physical book I have picked up this week is Starsight by Brandon Sanderson. I read Skyward about six months ago now and I’m excited to be reading the sequel. So far, I am exactly 100 pages into the book and I like where the narrative is leading us. I’d heard that this book differed from the first, but no real detail as to how. Now I have an idea how… but I’m not spoiling it here!

I’m intrigued to see how the plot is going to develop. I’ve read the first 20% of the book easily, and I imagine the rest will only follow suit.

 

As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow

This week, I’vve been listening to more of As Long As the Lemon Trees Grow. I was just under half-way through the audiobook in my last Sunday Summary. I’ve listened to another 25% this week.

I’m loving the chaacters, the setting, and the premise of the book. I’m especially invested with the characters. Everything has gone quite well for them up until now (as well as possible in a war-torn country anyway), and I’m almost expecting some kind of disaster to happen!

I have a couple of hours or so left in the audiobook. Once I start listening to it, I imagine I’ll listen through to the end.

 

Books Discovered

As if I don’t have enough books on the reading list, I discovered and added a couple more this week.

The first book is Spike by Jeremy Farrer with Anjana Ahuja. I discovered the book through inkinsights instagram, who gave the book 5 stars. The Covid-19 pandemic has had a profound effect on our lives in the last few years, and I thinkwe can talk about it now. I’m intereted to read the insights this book has into the pandemic, written by an infectious disease expert.

The second book I added to my list also comes from another recommendation by a book blogger on instagram, readingmaria. That book is A History of Burning by Janika Oza. I like the sound and scope of the premise. This is a tale about how the decisions one person, as a result of a desperate act for survival, can reverberate for generations.

 

Coming Up…

I’ll be sharing a book review this week, and it’s for one of the books I picked up earlier this week.

Last month I was approached by Stephanie Bretheron, one of the author’s who contributed to Taking Liberties, for a review. I promised to read and review the book  this month, so I’ll be sharing my full thoughts on the anthology in a few days.

On Friday, and it WILL be Friday, is the turn of my First Lines Friday post. I’ve decided on a challenge for this post. Using a prompt list for some inspiration, I landed on a prompt to feature a non-fiction book about a medical subject. Naturally, that means I could feature my my addition, Spike. But then, I have also read some great books also in this genre which I could feature. You’ll have to check out my post on Friday to see what I choose in the end.

Lastly, I’ll be here for another Sunday Summary update next Sunday!

Now, Starsight is calling me. Have a wonderful day, evening and week, and I’ll catch you in the next post!

 

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Sunday Summary – 14th May 2023

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Good evening everyone and welcome to my weekly Sunday Summary update post. In today’s post, I’ll recap the blog posts I’ve shared in the week, the books I’ve been reading and those I’ve added to the reading list. There are two to share with you this week.

First, let’s cover what I’ve already shared over the course of this week. My first blog post of the week was a review of The Feedback Loop by Harmon Cooper. This sci-fi novel was a relatively short, average three star read. There were still plenty of elements I enjoyed. I talk about those in my review which I’ve linked above in case you want to go back to it.

Next, I shared my next post in my Well, I Didn’t Know That! Friday feature series. In that post, I featured a magazine dedicated to a big-name game that I love – Minecraft. Specifically, I shared some new upcoming features coming to the game shortly. If you’re interested to check those out, I’ve also linked this for you.

 

Books Read

 

The Waste Lands

As of last week’s Sunday Summary, I was just 53 pages into The Waste Lands. Thanks to the long weekend here in the UK, and that I took the rest of the week off work, I sped through this book. Considering I had to read summaries of what had transpired in the series so far just last weekend, I picked this up again really quickly.

What also worked out well is that the plot naturally recaps what’s happened so far. I already read up online what happened so far, plus the summary at the beginning of the book. This is a really good feature by the way, and one I would like to see you in every series. The plot looping back helped cement and slot everything back into place.

I can assure you that I won’t be leaving it another four years to continue with the series! I ended up reading this book quite quickly, finishing it on Thursday. It was great to go back to this fantasy world, and I can see myself picking it up again very soon.

 

Death Magnanimous

The next book I started is Death Magnanimous by Michael Martin. This is a Netgalley advance reader copy that I have downloaded for the purposes of providing a review. As such, I don’t actually know how many pages are in this book as it’s not really listed anywhere yet.

When I first talked about this book in my monthly TBR, I said I thought it was quite short because the reading time on my kindle was only 2 1/2 hours. Since starting the book, that has updated to around 5 1/2 hours. That’s still not a long read, but it’s obviously longer than I previously stated so I wanted to update you here.

As of today’s Sunday Summary, I am just under a quarter of the way through this book. It’s proving to be a decent read so far. The narrative spotlights a protagonist who had a terrible accident at the beginning of the book, and as a result of that, suffers from significant life-changing injuries. I will also disclose that the character is considering ending his own life, and the book appears to explore his journey towards that. That is as far as I have gotten with the narrative and I’m enjoying it so far. Hopefully I’ll be able to tell you a bit more about it in next week’s post, once I have made more progress.

 

As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow

As of last week, I had listened to a third of As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow. I confess that I haven’t made lots of progress this week, but we are coming up to around halfway through the audiobook now. I’m still really enjoying the storyline and the audio format as well. The narrator is doing a fantastic job of bringing characters and setting to life.

 

Books Discovered

I discovered Truth in Blue, the first book I added to my reading list this week, via Twitter. The author had posted the disappointment of an interaction they’d had with a potential reader, who implied they wouldn’t pick up their book as it has only a handful of reviews. That’s a shame, but ultimately, that person is missing out. I went on to look at that particular book for myself, and I really like the sound of the synopsis. I’m not going to let that stop me from picking it up… and hopefully a future review can help bolster this book and author for other readers to be brave enough to try!

The next book I added to my reading list is a late addition, having just been added a couple of hours ago. This also stems from Twitter, thinking about it. The author of Go Luck Yourselves followed me, and you know that title intrigues me. I’m a prolific potty mouth, so anything that parodies that has my attention straight away!

I like the sound of this book because I may be able to apply some of the content to myself. The purpose of the book is to talk about the influence and presence of luck in brand-building. I may not have any products, but I do have my blog. In a way, that is a product in itself. If there are ways in which I can help bring luck onto my side and potentially increase my exposure/influence to others, then the book is worth my time.

 

Coming Up…

I’ve been inspired by a recent blog post for you to feature some book recommendations in a specific niche – in particular, self-help. As part of my aim is to read more non-fiction this year, I have picked up a few books of this type. I’ve also read some good ones previously. So, my first post of the week is going to be sharing my five recommendations for self-help books to pick up!

On Friday, it’s the turn of my Shelf Control regular feature post. This week, I’m featuring a young adult fantasy novel I hoped to read last year, but didn’t get around to. I really like the sound of the premise, and I hope you will too!

And of course, I’ll be back at the same time next week for another Sunday Summary update!

 

But now, that is all for today’s Sunday Summary post. I’ll see you in the next post, and until then, happy reading!

 

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Sunday Summary – 7th May 2023

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Hello and it’s another happy long weekend! Even if the coronation and royalty aren’t your thing… I think we can all agree that it’s great to have another cheeky day off work. We’re back once again for my weekly Sunday Summary post, in which I take you through the books I’ve been reading and talking about!

This week’s blog schedule was a bit hectic, although a mishap last week actually helped me out in the end! With this week being the beginning of May, I naturally had to share my Monthly Wrap Up post for the month of April. I read four and a half books in the month. It may not sound like much, but the first book I read in the month was 906 pages long!

This week, I also had a blog tour obligation. I had the pleasure of kicking off the tour for Eagle of Mercia by MJ Porter. That post went live on Wednesday, 3rd May. If you’re interested in historical fiction or books about British history and the Viking’s coming to Britain, this is a book in the series. You may be interested in.

On Thursday, I shared my Monthly TBR post covering the books I plan to read in May. It looks like a very ambitious list. However, when you think about it this way, the first book was a carryover from April, which I’ve now finished. Some of the books are relatively short, and another, I am taking on in audio.

On Friday, I shared a First Lines Friday post… The one I accidentally drafted last week when I got my regular features muddled up. Thankfully, I realised before I posted it, and so I scheduled it for this week instead. As I mentioned above, that ended up working out in my favour. Including this post, I’ve posted a total of five blogs this week! Having one prepared a little earlier, did me no harm whatsoever!

 

Books Read

 

The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi

My first priority of the week was to continue with The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty. As of my last Sunday Summary, I was halfway through the book. 

I enjoyed the premise and the setting of this book. It is one that doesn’t get explored all that much in fantasy. Having read a couple of fantasy novels with Eastern settings, and really enjoying them, I’m definitely going to be seeking out more in future.

I do have some mixed feelings about this one. I had a vague inkling, but the storyline ended up being quite whimsical. At least, that’s how it came across to me. It was okay, but that did detract a little bit of enjoyment for me.

I wanted to read the book as a standalone before I started another series, written by the author. Having read this one, I’m not sure about the series I had in mind. I’ll probably give the first book a try. However, if it’s much like this one, I’ll probably end up there.

 

Wolf of Wessex

The next book I picked up was Wolf of Wessex by Matthew Harffy. This was the book I was supposed to pick up last month as well, but didn’t quite get around to it.

Wolf of Wessex is much like my recent read, Eagle of Mercia, in setting. I suppose the only difference is that it is set on the other side of the border! I quite liked that the book didn’t dive too heavily into historical element of the Norse coming to Britain. You could easily go into this book not really knowing much, but equally, also having an idea doesn’t really make a difference. As someone who’s read a fair bit of the genre by now, I didn’t feel overly advantaged by this pre-knowledge.

Wolf of Wessex is a fast-paced action novel. I read this book in just a handful of sittings. It ended up being a three-star rating from me because the plot and character development is quite superficial. That’s not to say it wasn’t enjoyable, but these are elements. I really enjoy in a book. They were a little bit lacking here.

 

The Waste Lands

The last physical read I started this week is Stephen King’s The Waste Lands. I made full disclosure in my May TBR post that I was going to have to go back and read up on what has happened so far in the series as a refresher. Rather spookily, I finished the prior book in the series, The Drawing of the Three, on this day in 2019! I haven’t picked up this series on for years, so it’s no wonder I couldn’t remember what was going on.

As soon as I read those summaries, I was fully back up to speed. I’ve only just started this book today, so I’m only 53 pages in as I’m writing this post. It’s a healthy start though, and it’s great to be back. It’s also been a little minute since I’ve picked up any Stephen King novel. I do like his writing style, so I’m enjoying that too.

 

As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow

The last book I have progress on which to report is As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow by Zoulfa Katouh. As I mentioned in my TBR, this is the chosen book of the month for Ezeekat’s book club. It’s very different from anything I have read for a very long time. It’s also not a book I would have necessarily thought to pick up of my own volition. In that way, I’m glad it’s come up as part of the book club.

Just this week, I have started and made my way through a third of this book on audio. Through the narrative we explore Syria and its people, ravaged by those who would fight to suppress their revolution. I’ll confess that before starting this book, I didn’t really know what the conflict in Syria was about. It is something that has been happening for many years now, and in truth, we hear little of it.

If you are content with the knowledge that the war and conflict is happening, but over there, then this book is not for you. The narrative pulls no punches in highlighting the devastation inflicted on the general population. Pregnant women and children are targeted by snipers. Men who would stand up and protest anre arrested, and death would be preferable to the treatment they receive. It’s probably not a book for everyone, but I don’t shy away from difficult subjects. I for one am enjoying it so far, and I will be making further progress with this soon.

 

Books Discovered

Much as was the case in my last Sunday Summary post, no news is good news! Given that I’ve managed to take a couple of books off the list, we are now back under 200 on my reading list.

Is it bad that I’m excited about that?!

 

Coming Up…

I’ll be slowing down the pace next week when it comes to blogging by returning to my usual three post schedule.

The first of those posts is a book review for The Feedback Loop by Harmon Cooper. I read this short science-fiction/cyberpunk novel last year and enjoyed it. I’m looking forward to sharing my thoughts with you.

Later in the week, I will be sharing the next addition in my Well, I Didn’t Know That! series. As yet, the topic remains unchristened. I have the week off work, so I’ll take some time to read some different material and find something fun to share with you all!

And as always, I’ll be here at the same time next week for another Sunday Summary.

But now, that is all for today’s Sunday Summary. I’m going to watch an episode of The Last Kingdom on Netflix, and pick up The Waste Lands before going to bed.

 

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First Lines Friday – 05/05/2023

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It’s the start of a long weekend here, and what better way to kick it off than with a First Lines Friday post?! If you’re looking for a book to pick up this weekend, this week’s feature may just appeal to you.

When I last shared a First Lines Friday post, I featured a book with difficult themes. It is somewhat true about this week’s feature as well. The introduction describes the death of a couple of characters. The event has already happened, but it does describe how it took place. It isn’t overly graphic, so if you read a lot of fantasy like I do, this shouldn’t bother you.

Naturally, today’s featured book is a fantasy novel – one that is a recent addition to my TBR. I have pulled the book out of my TBR Jar to read next month. If you are not familiar, I have a jar (well, an owl-shaped mug) on my bookshelf, full of slips of paper with titles of books on my reading list. Once a month, I pick one of these at random to read.

Enough pre-amble… shall we check out today’s opening lines?

 

Rage. An old man’s rage.

The temple of the sisters in Weshwesh had more than a hundred steps- one hundred and forty-four, in fact, as the old seer had reason to know. But he climbed of them without counting; indeed, without seeing them.

Rage carried him, and as he leapt up the steps, his age and pain with forgotten in an anger that so enveloped him that, even as his old knees trembled, the weight of his daughter’s corpse was nothing; nor the spreading stain of her blood on his embroidered robes, nor the terrible wound where a sword had ripped across her womb and killed her and her unborn child.

Rage.

 

 

Against All Gods – Miles Cameron

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 496

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Gollancz

Publication Date: 23 Jun 2022

 

Goodreads – Against All Gods

The gods play their games, looking down on the mortal realm and moving men as pawns. Sacrificing lives, towns, even civilisations as they make moves against each other, oblivious to and uncaring of the suffering it causes.

They are above it all: worshipped, emulated and admired.

Yet there is one among them who exists to sow chaos, to challenge the way of things, and to stir up trouble. One who sees the gods growing indolent and contented and selfish . . . and who is ready to meddle in the world of men. Not as part of the immortal game, but because they believe it’s possible for men to challenge . . . and even topple . . . the gods themselves.

An epic which draws on the Greek mythology of gods and heroes, this new trilogy is a must read for fans of Dan Simmons and Madeline Miller alike.

 

My Thoughts…

I discovered this book through an email from Gollancz around the time the book was being published. The synopsis caught my eye. Having read a Terry Pratchett book with an interesting similarity (how the gods are described as playing games with the mortal realm), I wanted to look into this book further.

Not only that, but this book also has links to Greek mythology. The excerpt I’ve provided you today is from the first chapter of the book. I also skim read the beginning of the prologue, but this was less first lines Friday worthy. However, upon reading it, I immediately recognised the main character being described as a parallel to Zeus.

I haven’t really explored a book which combines fantasy and Greek pathology before. I have read each genre in their own right (one far more heavily than the other), but so far, not a book that combines the two. I’m interested to see how this plays out.

The one drawback of drawing this book from my TBR Jar is that Against All Gods is the start of a new series. If you read my resolutions post published in January, you’ll know that I’m actually trying to read more sequels and finish series this year rather than start new. However, that’s the look of the drawer. So far, I have made a decent effort in picking up sequels to series I’ve already started. Beginning the odd new one isn’t a hardship!

Have you read Against All Gods by Miles Cameron? If you have, what did you think?

I hope you have enjoyed today’s post and that you have a lovely weekend!

 

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