Tag: James Hibberd

Sunday Summary – 7th June 2026

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Happy Sunday, fellow readers! Today’s Sunday Summary, thankfully, has a few completions and new bookish starts to share. Given the size of my June TBR, which I published earlier this week, it’s the best I can hope for in setting myself up to complete the list. 

Before I get into the reading updates, what else have I published? Here on the blog, my monthly wrap-up of May reading progress went live at the beginning of the week. Then, I shared my blog tour review of Witch Hunt by B.D. Spargo on Thursday. If you’re into thrillers set in the infamous backdrop of Lancashire’s Pendle Hill, this is definitely one to look at! 

Over on YouTube, I shared my monthly wrap-up for May, as well as my June TBR. If you’d prefer to watch or listen to those as opposed to reading the details here, there are links for you to check those out! Finally, I also posted my round-up of this week just a short time ago. I’d like to hope you’ll carry on reading as you’re here. However, if you would prefer to watch or listen to my update instead, you have the option ☺️

 

Books Read

Heir of Fire

In last week’s Sunday Summary, I shared hopes to finish Heir of Fire after publishing that weekly update. Well, good news, friends – I did! And you know what, it wasn’t too late either. I maybe went to bed around 00:20. A bit later than usual (although that used to be my normal…).

I really enjoyed Heir of Fire. Whilst the beginning of the book was a little slower-paced, the action has us inevitably ramping up pace and eager to get to the conclusion. It’s set up the next book in the series well, and I’m excited to read on and find out more in the very near future! 

 

Somewhere Beyond the Sea

Another finish to report in this Sunday Summary is Somewhere Beyond the Sea. As of last week’s update, I was 80% into this audiobook and I had around two and a half hours remaining. 

Well, I made pretty light work of it, if I’m honest. The office was quieter than usual this week with many people opting to WFH. Locally, we’ve been hosting the TT this week. Whilst I can’t say we had the best of luck with weather and red flags delaying and/or calling off the races, the disruption meant many opted to stay at home and avoid the traffic and general disruption. 

I, however, went into the office. I make no secret of the fact I don’t like WFH and so I continued to go in. As it was so quiet though, and I had some repetitive work to do, I was able to listen to Somewhere Beyond the Sea at the same time. 

This was a fun listen, and I’m glad I am now up-to-date with this series. I’m not sure if any more books are planned, but as of right now I’m caught up. It’s cosy, wholesome and great to see the children come into their own and develop confidence and solidarity. The only downside of the experience is that this book did not qualify for the Pride Month award in the Goodreads Spring 2026 Reading Challenge like I hoped. However, I wasn’t able to tell when I chose my book and on reflection, none of the books on my TBR would have qualified anyway. At least I can tick another book off the TBR though, which is a win! 

 

Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon

Over the course of this week, I’ve progressed with Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon by James Hibberd. This carryover from my May TBR was another great read and well received. If you are unfamiliar, this book is about the challenges and behind-the-scenes detail of filming the TV show. Personally, I enjoyed the commentary on the challenges of filming such an epic show and doing what nobody else has done before. 

However, it’s not just director commentary. We get tidbits from the cast and crew that make up the whole show. Actors’ decisions on changes from the books, as well as how they’ve chosen to portray characters and how they think the characters felt at various and often divisive moments of the plot. 

I loved this book. Then again, I love A Game of Thrones. Hardly surprising the book would go down well, is it?! Since last week’s Sunday Summary, I read the final 350 pages or so to finish Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon yesterday. 

 

Project Hail Mary

I’d only just started Project Hail Mary when I updated you last week. Overall, I’d only listened to the first 1hr 20mins or so when we last chatted. Over the last 7 days, I’ve listened to around 7 hours of audio. In terms of progress, that brings me to around 70% total progress in the audiobook. 

I’ve been listening to the audiobook at x1.4 speed. It’s not often I can listen this fast, but this particular audio works well at this speed. It’s also an engaging storyline. We start the book in the perspective of present-day Ryland, who wakes up on a spaceship with two deceased colleagues. He has no memory initially of how or why he is there, but slowly flashbacks return his memory and remind him of his purpose. 

I had one blip with this book when a certain character is introduced. I felt it was a little farfetched, but it very quickly warmed on me. So, despite my reservations, I’ve really enjoyed the audiobook so far. I’m hopeful I can finish the remaining 3 hrs 40 mins very soon and discover how this book ends. I honestly have no idea where this is going to go at present! 

 

The Pillars of the Earth

Finally, I’ve started The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett this weekend. Given I only finished Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon yesterday, I’ve not had a lot of time with this book as yet. 

So far, I’ve only read the first 42 pages. It’s a token start, but one I’m hoping to build on in coming weeks. My plan for this book is to read it slowly over the course of the month. To achieve that, I need to read a minimum of 42 pages a day. I still need to read today’s quota of pages, but I’m hoping I can read a little beyond that tonight and get a little ahead. 

 

Books Discovered

This week has given the type of progress I can only hope for – several books off the TBR and no new additions! It doesn’t happen very often, let’s be honest. 

 

Coming Up… 

What I’m Reading… 

So, reading plans for next week! In terms of audiobook listens, my plan is to progress with and finish Project Hail Mary in the first half of the week ideally. Then, I’d like to move on to start Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas and start the next phase of my readalong ☺️

In terms of physical reads, I’m hoping to maintain progress with The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett so I can complete this ahead of the end of June. That means reading around 42 pages a day, so I need to be around 380 pages in time for my next Sunday Summary. That’s not the only book on my physical TBR I’d like to pick up this week. Around that, I’d like to break this up with Ink, Blood, Sister, Scribe by Emma Törzs. 

 

Blog

I’ve got a couple of fun posts planned for you next week. One of these is on the back of news I read towards the end of last week about some UK libraries not being permitted to promote events around the likes of Pride Month and Black History Month. I have thoughts on the move by Reform UK who run Essex County Council, so I’ll share more on that in the coming days. 

On Friday, I’ll return with another First Lines Friday feature. One thing I’ve become very aware of recently is the size of my unread physical TBR. My plan is to take a look at some of those and find a suitable feature from the ranks. Hopefully, it inspires me to pick it up soon! 

Finally, I’ll return with another Sunday Summary update. I can only hope for another week of similar reading productivity. If I can, June’s TBR will be a breeze. 

 

YouTube

Today I recorded two review videos for next week. I want to be sure I don’t get behind. So, next week I’m sharing my thoughts on the second book of my Throne of Glass readalong, Crown of Midnight. 

I’ve also recorded a review for another romance genre novel. That one is An Offer From a Gentleman by Julia Quinn. I hope you can take a look at those videos as they go live in the coming days. 

Like here, I’ll also share the equivalent of my Sunday Summary video update next Sunday. 

 

Summary 

Thanks for reading this Sunday Summary. I’m glad to share such a productive week, and can only hope it continues! 

What book have you finished recently, and what did you make of it? 

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Monthly Wrap-Up – May 2026

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

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

 

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

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

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

 

Books Read 

Crown of Midnight

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

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

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

 

Why We Get Sick

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

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

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

An insightful read nonetheless! 

 

The Eagle Will Rise

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

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

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

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

 

Witch Hunt

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

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

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

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

 

Heir of Fire

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

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

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

 

Somewhere Beyond the Sea

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

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

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

 

Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon

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

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

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

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

Okay, that’s a lie… more than a few! 

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

 

Project Hail Mary

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

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

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

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

 

Summary 

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

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

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

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Sunday Summary – 31st May 2026

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Somehow we’re at the end of another week… and the end of May! How has it gone this fast? In my latest Sunday Summary, I catch you up on the books I’ve made progress with this week and what content I’ve shared. As well, I update you on one book I’ve added to my TBR this week, and finally, what to expect coming up over the next seven days. Buckle up and get comfortable! 

First, let’s recap content I’ve shared this week. On the blog, I shared a Top Ten Tuesday in which I featured My Favourite Reads by My Favourite Authors. On Friday, I shared my latest Shelf Control post, looking at an upcoming historical fiction on my TBR with a strong female lead. 

Over on YouTube, I published two videos for your entertainment. The first of those was a book review of a book I read back in February – Grace by A.M. Shine. If you enjoy Gothic horror with an Irish mythology twist, or at least the idea of that, go check out that post! Yesterday, I then published My Must-Read Recommendations. If you want a feel for my reading taste, as well as a chance to get some varied book recommendations, go check out that video! 

I’ve also published my Sunday Summary video equivalent of this post, if you want to take a look at that. 

 

Books Read

Heir of Fire

I’m on a mission to finish Heir of Fire before I turn in tonight. This morning, I started off at 63% progress in the book (compared to 20% as of last week’s Sunday Summary). Right now, around 8 p.m. as I’m drafting this post, I’m 81% in. The action is KICKING OFF – I’m 100% finishing this book tonight if it’s the last thing I do. I’m hooked, keen to find out not only how this book ends, but also how it queues up the next book. Where do we go from here? 

For a series I didn’t anticipate enjoying, I’m getting on well with it. Sometimes getting into the books is a little slow, but once all the plot points start to come together, I find the books easy to run with. 

I’m also set on finishing Heir of Fire tonight so I’m on time with my own readalong, for once! I’ve been running late the whole time so far. The books get even longer after this one, so I can’t afford to run late.

Wish me luck on finishing this one tonight – my final motivator is that my library loan is due back tomorrow… 

 

Somewhere Beyond the Sea

Over the course of this week, I’ve listened to around 45% of Somewhere Beyond the Sea. Add that to the 33% progress I was at last week, and you can see I’m nearly done with this audiobook. 

You may recall in last week’s Sunday Summary that this lines up with what I wanted to achieve. I’m reading Somewhere Beyond the Sea in the hopes it qualifies for the Goodreads Spring 2026 Reading Challenge Pride month prompt. Not knowing if I needed to finish this in June, Pride month itself, I’ve deliberately paced this to finish the audiobook in early June. 

As of this Sunday Summary I’m 80% through. So, all-in-all, I’ve largely achieved that goal of lining this up for an early June finish. The final 20% will take around 2 and a half hours to finish. I’ve consistently been listening to 45 mins of the book before bed on average. Now though, I can listen to an hour for the next couple of evenings and polish this off promptly! 

I had some concerns that Somewhere Beyond the Sea may be a little repetitive of the first book in the series, The House in the Cerulean Sea. However, I’m pleased to say that’s proven not to be the case at all. It’s charming, funny, and I can’t wait to see how the book wraps up. I guess I’ll find out in the next couple of days… 

 

Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon

As of last week’s Sunday Summary, I’d just started Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon as a change-up from Heir of Fire. I’ve been solidly reading Sarah J. Maas for most of May, so I appreciated the change of genre and style. 

Over the course of this week, I’ve continued to turn to Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon to take a break from Heir of Fire. I’ve loved the tidbits of detail that unfurl throughout this behind-the-scenes account of the filming of A Game of Thrones. From cast interviews and commentary to editorial decisions on how things were filmed and why, it’s been insightful. It’s also a fun way to enjoy the series I love whilst also reading something new. Once I’ve finished Heir of Fire, I’m excited to make Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon my reading priority. 

 

Project Hail Mary

Finally, I started Project Hail Mary this week. Planning ahead for my June TBR, I sampled the audiobook before getting a copy to make sure the narrative style was something I could gel with. I’m happy with it, and I continued listening on for a couple of chapters. 

Listening on gave me a chance to get into the first couple of chapters and get a feel for the introductory setting of the book. I’m intrigued, so I’m looking forward to getting stuck into Project Hail Mary properly once I’m done with Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon! 

 

Books Discovered

Whilst doom-scrolling on Facebook this week, I came across the author page for today’s addition to my TBR. I’m intrigued by the premise of a book featuring a dragon that’s based on the author’s experience of disability. It’s a unique idea, and one I’m keen to explore more when I read it for myself! So, I’ve added Wing Weaver by A.P. Beswick to my TBR. 

 

Coming Up… 

What I’m Reading… 

Naturally, reading progress the rest of tonight is going to be Heir of Fire. After that, I’ll plough on with Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon. Likewise on the audio front, Somewhere Beyond the Sea is my priority listen and I should make light work of it. Then, I’m on to Project Hail Mary. 

However, I’m sure you’re keen to get a feel for what comes up next. With that in mind, the physical book I’m going to start after Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon is The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett. It’s the chunkiest book on my upcoming June TBR. Coming in at over 1000 pages, I’m going to need plenty of time to get stuck in. 

On the audiobook front, what comes after Project Hail Mary? Honestly, I’m not sure. I’m toying with a couple of options right now. Do I try Throne of Glass in audio format, or try to hit some of the lesser page count reads that’ll contribute to the Goodreads Spring 2026 Reading Challenge that way? Honestly, I haven’t decided yet. 

 

Blog

We’re in for a busy week next week. With the end of the month looming, it’ll soon be time for my monthly wrap-up post to recap progress in May. I enjoy these posts, but they are usually lengthy. I’m looking forward to sharing my progress in May, as well as letting you know for sure if I finish Heir of Fire! 

Next, I’ve got an audiobook review of Witch Hunt due on Thursday. I’ve listened to this audiobook already, so I can start preparing my thoughts ahead of time. Makes a change to be able to not write this last minute! 

After that obligation is taken care of, my June TBR is my next priority. It’s largely shaped by my Completing the Goodreads Spring 2026 Reading Challenge. Where before I kept my options open with book choices, I’m nailing those down in my June TBR based on page count and reading preferences. 

It hardly feels worth mentioning as it’s a given at this point. But, to be clear, I’m back with another Sunday Summary to roundup the week. No surprises there… 

 

YouTube

Today I recorded two videos that I’ll edit and release next week. In line with expectations of my blog content next week, I’ll release my monthly May wrap-up first and then my June TBR shortly thereafter. 

 

Summary 

Thanks for reading today’s Sunday Summary. It feels like a long one, but I’m pleased to have plenty to share with you! Have you read any of the books I feature today? What are you reading in the coming days? 

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Sunday Summary – 24th May 2026

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Good evening, friends – welcome back to my latest Sunday Summary post! In today’s catch-up, I’ll get you up to speed on the books I’ve been reading this week, as well as recap the content I’ve posted online. That way, if you’ve missed anything, you have the opportunity to catch up. 

Compared to recent weeks, I’d say it’s been a productive one. Certainly on the content front anyway. After a blip a few weeks ago, I’m back to posting content both here on the blog and on YouTube. Now, the only thing I need to get up to speed is the likes of Instagram and my other social media accounts. I’ve never been great with it, but I promise to make more of an effort with those too. 

So, content. What have I posted? Well, here on the blog, a little later than planned, I shared my review of Wizard and Glass by Stephen King. That review was intended to go out towards the beginning of this week. However, I had complex feelings about this book and I wanted to be sure I articulated this right. So, I took my time and ultimately shared this review yesterday. 

Before that though, I posted a First Lines Friday, featuring a book I may get to as part of the Goodreads 2026 Spring Reading Challenge. The particular book in question wasn’t one of my original preferences compared to others on my TBR for the same prompt (Editor’s Picks). However, after reading those opening lines and talking about the book in that post, I may reconsider! 

Over on YouTube, I’ve shared another review. This one was for Dreams From My Father by Barack Obama. If you want to keep more up-to-date with my book reviews, make sure to follow me on YouTube. My reviews on my blog are older – as of writing, I’m a couple of years behind! However, if you are interested in my thoughts on the books I’m reading this year, YouTube is the place to be! 

Finally, earlier today I posted a video version of my Completing the Goodreads 2026 Spring Reading Challenge. If you haven’t read the written version, or don’t have time, maybe go watch/listen to my picks on YouTube… 

 

Books Read

Heir of Fire

Now onto my favourite section of my Sunday Summary – what I’ve read! My reading priority this week is Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas. You may be aware I’m hosting readalongs for the Throne of Glass series. May is the month to complete book 3, Heir of Fire. I confess, I was late finishing Crown of Midnight so I’ve set this readalong to run until 7th June. If you’ve not started yet, there’s still time to read with me. 

As of this Sunday Summary, I’m 20% into the book and I have plans to pick this up again before bed. I’ve picked up a digital copy of Heir of Fire as a library loan. I have around a week left, and also a personal deadline of the end of the month to complete this book. Then, I’ll at least be on track with my own readalong. It’ll be a first, trust me! 

One aspect of the books I love so far is that with each one, the scope and storyline get bigger. At the same time, it all comes together really well and without feeling forced. For a fantasy romance series, the emphasis on the fantasy plot and conflicts outweighs the romance sideline of the book. I’m personally not complaining, as that’s exactly what I was hoping for. 

Naturally, with only 20% progression into the book, there’s only so much I can talk about right now. Let’s hope I can share completion in next week’s Sunday Summary and then tell you more about it! 

 

Somewhere Beyond the Sea

Progress with Somewhere Beyond the Sea has ticked along steadily this week, and that has been intentional. I’m listening to Somewhere Beyond the Sea in the hopes it qualifies for the Pride Month prompt of the Goodreads 2026 Spring Reading Challenge. Given that’s a month-long event, I’m assuming I’ll need to finish the book in June for it to qualify. With this in mind, I’ve been listening to 30 mins-45 mins a night before bed. That way, completion of this book should fall around the beginning of June. 

My latest position in this audio is that I’m now around 33% into the book. I’d say this is an ideal place to be. With just eight days left in the month, including tonight, I can listen to an hour a day and still just fall into the early June timeline I need. 

Somewhere Beyond the Sea is a beautiful book, and it follows off from The House in the Cerulean Sea well. Although part of that series, it has its own unique storyline that follows on from its predecessor without feeling same-y. We’ll see if that continues, given an aspect of the plot is going to somewhat be reminiscent of the first book (no spoilers here!). 

More to follow on this book in next week’s Sunday Summary. Whilst I plan to not have completed the book by next week’s update, I could cheat a little and read 99% of it… leaving just the final few minutes to finish in June. 

 

Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon

I had the urge to pick up another title from my May TBR today. Given I’ve been reading Throne of Glass back-to-back, and I acknowledge that’s my fault here, I fancied a change. 

I had a little trouble choosing what to pick up. I steered away from The Great Hunt and Sleeping Beauties because I’m already reading a fantasy book. Both of these have fantasy elements, even if one of these doesn’t strictly call in the fantasy genre. So, that left Don’t Fix Women and Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon. The choice ultimately came down to what I owned and what I didn’t. I had a copy of Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon on my bookshelf ready to be picked up. 

As of this Sunday Summary, I’ve only read the first 20 pages. That said, I appreciated picking up a very different title. I’m also very heavily invested in the subject matter too. Whilst not strictly Game of Thrones (my favourite all-time series), it’s about the filming of the TV series. There’s new stuff for me to explore here. And, if it inspires ANOTHER re-read of this series, well, I won’t be mad. I’ll take any excuse! 

 

Books Discovered

 All the reading and content creation this week has kept my head down. No new books to the TBR to note here, thank goodness! I have enough with the 230 odd I already have. Wouldn’t you agree? 

 

Coming Up… 

What I’m Reading… 

Naturally, next week is planned to be a continuation of this week. Finish Heir of Fire, if I can, or get as close as I can. Mix things up with some Fire Cannot Kill A Dragon here and there if I need a change. Listen to Somewhere Beyond the Sea before bed, or any other opportunity I can. Basically, anything to keep the reading pace up. 

It feels good to be out of the slump I’ve been in recently. I’m also enjoying my current reads, so let’s hope for more of the same! 

 

Blog

For the first time in a little while, I’m posting a Top Ten Tuesday next week. I’ve been holding out for a topic I’m interested in. Next week’s topic fits in nicely with a YouTube video idea I have. So, it makes sense to do both of these as I can repurpose and reframe some of the content both ways. This week’s topic is My Favourite Books by My Favourite Authors. 

On Friday, I’ll get back to you with a Shelf Control post. The fun about this regular feature is that I get to look ahead at books coming up on my TBR, share them with you, and hype myself for them. Next week, I feature a daring WW2 historical fiction novel with a female lead. I understand it has some romance element to it too – if that’s your cup of tea, be sure to check out that post! 

You know the drill, I’ll be back with another Sunday Summary to round up the week. Will I have reading completions to share with you? I can only hope for a successful week of reading… but time will tell. 

 

YouTube

Over on YouTube, I’ve recorded one video to share next week already. I’ve got another planned to film tomorrow. So, you won’t be bored! Before those go live, I’ve got my weekly catch-up which should go live early tomorrow. 

Next, I’ll post my review video of a book I read back in February – Grace by A.M. Shine. I’ve already reviewed that book here on my blog. However, I’m endeavouring to record reviews for every book I’ve read this year to share on my channel. So, it was a relatively easy piece of content to produce as I’ve already committed my thoughts. All I’m doing is adapting it to a new medium and hopefully a new audience! 

Finally, in an attempt to help viewers get a feel for who I am as a content creator on that new-to-me platform, I’ve got a video idea to share the books I deem must-read recommendations. It’ll give viewers a feel for my reading taste and the type of content you can expect from me there. I hope you’re as excited for that video as I am! 

 

Summary 

If you’re still with me, thanks for checking out today’s Sunday Summary. Have you read any of the books I feature in today’s post? Are any on your TBR, or do you have something similar you’d like to recommend? 

Let me know in the comments, and I’ll catch you in the next post ☺️📚

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My May 2026 TBR… It’s LONG!

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

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

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

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

 

Carryovers from April/Reading Obligations 

Why We Get Sick

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

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

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

 

Crown of Midnight

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

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

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

 

Heir of Fire

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

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

Watch this space and hold me accountable friends!

 

The Eagle Will Rise

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

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

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

 

Witch Hunt

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

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

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

 

May 2026 TBR picks

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

Here’s what I pulled! 

 

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

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

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

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

 

The Great Hunt

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

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

 

Sleeping Beauties

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

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

 

Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon

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

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

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

 

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

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Shelf Control #102 – 20/03/2026

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***Today’s Shelf Control post contains an affiliate link to Amazon if you wish to purchase the featured book. If you follow this link, I will earn a small commission from that purchase at no cost to you. 

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

 

Shelf Control is a meme run by Lisa at Bookshelf Fantasies. It’s a celebration of the unread books on our shelves! The idea is to pick a book you own but haven’t read and write a post about it (suggestions: include what it’s about, why you want to read it, and when you got it), and link up.

If you want to read more about the Shelf Control feature, check out Lisa’s introductory post.

In today’s Shelf Control, I’ve got a non-fiction book about my favourite ever TV series. Based on the books by George R.R. Martin, the filming of Game of Thrones is the feature of Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon. This is a non-fiction about the filming of the series. I’m excited to get behind the scenes! 

 

Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon – James Hibberd

Genre: Non-fiction  

Pages: 452

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Transworld Books

Publication Date: 06 Oct 2020

 

Amazon Purchase Link

Goodreads – Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon

 

THE UNTOLD STORY OF A GLOBAL OBSESSION DIRECT FROM THE SHOW’S CAST AND CREATORS…

This official, complete history of HBO’s Game of Thrones will draw on the author’s many long days and nights spent on GOT sets all over the world and his countless interviews with cast and crew, many of which have never been published before. Packed with stunning photographs from the show and from behind the scenes, this is the only book that will be absolutely essential reading for every Game of Thrones fan.

Game of Thrones is the biggest television drama ever to have graced our screens. The epic saga of warring families, huge battles, arduous journeys and dying heroes has captured the hearts and attention of millions of fans across the world. But its conclusion isn’t necessarily the end of the story…

James Hibberd has extensively covered the show since breaking the news of its pilot in 2008 and has had more access to the show’s top-secret set than any other member of the media. He was in Croatia when Joffrey Baratheon perished; he was in Northern Ireland when Jon Snow desperately fought in the Battle of the Bastards. He has documented every part of the making of the show and has had exclusive access to cast members, writers and directors. 

 

My Thoughts

It’s fair to say A Game of Thrones is one of my favourite series of all time. I have paperback copies of the books. Audiobooks. Kindle editions. Also, all the DVD’s for every season of the TV show. 

Fan, much?! 😅 yes… yes I am! 

This book is about the filming of my favourite tv series. I’m excited for the insight, gossip and background behind how it all came together. It’s a very different type of non-fiction book to read as well. I’m excited to read a book that concerns production of a show. 

I’m not so sure why this book has mixed reviews. I hope I don’t fall amongst those that ended up critiquing the book. However, I doubt it. I don’t have a strong opinion about the content of the book already. I’m reading it to expose myself to the behind-the-scenes content in the first place. 

 

Summary 

There isn’t much A Game of Thrones content I haven’t read, but I’m always excited to find some more. Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon is one exception, but one I’m excited to remedy soon! 

Have you read Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon? Are you as much of a Game of Thrones fan as I am? 

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Monthly TBR – August 2024

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I’m excited to share my upcoming reading list in this monthly TBR post. I always look forward to planning my reading and sharing the fantastic books I’ve got coming up on my blog.

This month’s list looks a little longer, but I also have some shorter than average reads. Do I think I’ll complete this TBR by the end of the month? Unlikely. However, I’m going to try and stretch myself as always!

Shall we get into this monthly TBR and take a look at what’s coming up?


Fixed Reads


The Power of Habit

The Power of Habit is a carryover from July, but I’m already a good way through this relatively short book.

This book weighs in at just under 300 pages. It’s quite an easy read too, so I should fly through the remainder of it.

So far I’m enjoying the easy writing style, multiple interwoven anecdotes and threads to explain and reiterate the author’s points. I’m hopeful that I can learn from this book and have the ability to be more mindful and influential of my own habits in future.


The Other People

My only other carryover this month is my audiobook listen of The Other People by C.J. Tudor.

I’m even closer to completion with this book. I’m now about 80% done and eager to get to the end and see how the story comes together. I’ve only got just over 2 hours listening time to go; I’m going to try and finish it before the weekend!


The Midnight Library

My last fixed read of August is a re-read of The Midnight Library by Matt Haig.

There is a new book club at work and this is the selected read. We’re meeting to discuss it on the 13th, so I’ll be getting a wiggle on with it. Thankfully it’s only a short one, and not a new story to me. It shouldn’t take long to read, and I’ve heard it’s better second time around!


Mood Reads

A lot of this monthly TBR has been set with my 2024 reading goals in mind. If you want to recap what those are, check out my Resolutions post I shared in January.


Wolves of the Calla

The first of the books on this TBR which aims to continue/complete series is Wolves of the Calla by Stephen King.

Wolves of the Calla is the fifth book in his The Dark Tower series. I’m enjoying the series so far, although I didn’t expect the last book, Wizard and Glass, to be on as much of a tangent from the ‘current’ storyline as it was. I’m hoping we pick up where we left off and the context we learn in the prior book makes sense in this next instalment!

Wolves of the Calla is the longest book on this reading list at a whopping 800 pages. Depending on how I go, I may end up reading this in tandem with other books and take a little longer to work my way through it. I’ll make a start and see how I get on!


Defiant

The second series related book I plan to pick up is Defiant by Brandon Sanderson. It’s the final book of the Skyward series and the only book I didn’t get to on my July TBR.

I think finishing this series will be bittersweet. I’ve loved it so far and of course I want to know how it all comes together. At the same time, I suspect I’ll be sad at the same time that once I’ve read it, it’s done. Finito.

It’s a good job there are plenty more Sanderson books I haven’t read yet, right?!


Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon

I featured Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon in my last First Lines Friday post and I am so intrigued by the beginning that it’s inspired me to read it. As a bonus, it contributes to my reading goal of more non-fiction.

I love A Game of Thrones and everything about it! The series as it is, all the backstory and lore and now (with any luck at least), the behind the scenes of filming the TV show.

It’s very unlike anything I’ve read before, so it will be something entirely new to me!


Undoctored

Having read two of Adam Kay‘s books already (This is Going to Hurt and T’was the Nightshift Before Christmas), I’m looking forward to picking up.

My experience of his books so far is that he is great at combining an interesting non-fiction topic with lots of humour. If non-fiction isn’t normally your cup of tea, I would strongly recommend you trying this anyway. Adam’s humour goes along way towards making these books both fun and an emotional rollercoaster. When reading both of his prior books I could be laughing one minute and crying the next.

He has a very candid way of expressing himself and really highlighting where there are major problems with the national health services in the UK through his own experience.


Breathtaking

Another medical based non-fiction book I plan to pick up in August is Breathtaking. For some people, the pandemic may be just a little too recent to read about. However, I’ve never wanted to shy away from such a difficult subject.

If you watched the TV documentary of the same name, I have every reason to believe that you would like this book also. It is because I watched that four part series that I realised it was based on a book. Naturally, I added it to my reading list.

It’s a relatively short book, so it should be quite a quick read. It’s a topic I also find compelling even though it is an event in all of our lives that has changed the way we live.


Summary

I have a fair bit of variety in this monthly TBR and I’m looking forward to picking up each and every book. Whilst the list is on the side of ambitious, I’m hopeful I can make as much progress as possible in the coming weeks. They all sound like great books and I’ll share them with you in my upcoming Sunday Summary posts to let you know how I’m getting on.

Have you read any of the books on this monthly TBR? Would you recommend any of them to myself and/or fellow readers?

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