Tag: jay kristoff

Authors I Will Always Buy Books By

Happy Wednesday folks and welcome to today’s post. Today, I share the authors I will always buy books by. Since I got back into reading, I’ve discovered several authors from whom I will buy every single book they publish. There aren’t too many authors on this list, but I have got some big names. It’s inevitable that I will discover more throughout my reading life!

Given the amount I’ve featured each of these authors on my blog, none of these names should come as a surprise. Today’s post is to summarise the favourite authors I will always buy books by, and why!


George R.R. Martin

The thing I love most about George R.R. Martin’s writing is the depth and detail that he goes into. It does have its drawback though; this is why we’ve been waiting so long for the sequel to his Song of Ice and Fire series. But still, it’s why I love him.

If there is a fantasy world in which I find myself with so much immersion in the story, it is these. That said, even his books around the main series, including the prequel Fire and Blood, but also side stories have his same flair. I am a huge fan of his writing style. I will never get bored of the stories and characters he creates.


Brandon Sanderson

If there is one thing I loved about Brandon Sanderson‘s writing from the get-go, it is that he is able to write very different and complex stories within his universe. Although I would argue a lot of the stories have similarities in the magic system having some kind of ‘real’ or ‘relatable’ element to them, they are in fact very different from each other. That’s what I love!

I recently finished his The Reckoners trilogy in which characters became ‘Epics’ and developed powers like superheroes. Typically though, these individuals then turn on society and use powers for their own selfish gains. This is something we can recognise from comic books, even if it’s not feasible. Take instead his Stormlight Archives series and the idea of magic having to charge through access to light – that’s also something familiar.


Robin Hobb

Robin Hobb is a relatively new addition to this list, given I only really discovered her writing a few years ago. However, from the seven books I’ve read out of the Realm of the Elderlings series so far, I am sold! I have yet to read outside of the series, but I am absolutely intending to do so.

One of my best friends, Rachael, put me onto Robin Hobb in the first place, and I can’t thank her enough for doing so. Like George R.R. Martin, Robin Hobb is a fantastic writer whose emphasis on depth and detail makes for a fantastic epic fantasy world.

Out of the seven books I’ve read in her Realm of the Elderlings series to date, those books have been split down into trilogies that feature different characters and places within the wider realm. Whilst it did take me a little bit of getting used to the second set of stories, I went on to love them as much as the first set. Whilst I now back revisiting the characters from the first trilogy, I’m hoping we get to see more of the Vestrits in future books.


Jay Kristoff

I’ve read quite a few books by Jay Kristoff now. From his Nevernight Chronicles to Empire of the Vampire, if there’s one thing I love about his writing style, it’s his darker and grittier perspective.

That said, I have also read a science-fiction series he co-authored with Amie Kaufman in which the tone is very different. However, still had the same undertones of his writing. He is quite a versatile writer and I’m looking forward to trying more of his books in the future.

One I’ve got on my shelf to pick up soon is Lifel1k3.


Terry Pratchett

I discovered Terry Pratchett at the time in my life when reading became a regular habit again. Although I’m a predominant fantasy reader by preference, I do enjoy his satirical take on life. The stories he comes up with to poke fun at or highlight real-world issues are refreshing.

Luckily for me, I still have a lot of his books yet to read. I’m only around halfway through his Discworld series. He also has a few different books he’s written alongside these, as well as some co-authored with the likes of Stephen Baxter.

If there is one thing that Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series emphasises, it is that he is also a versatile writer. Having read the first book in his The Long Earth series co-authored with Stephen Baxter, it’s fair to say that he’s able to write multiple genres.

Terry Pratchett is an author I can go back to time and again. Whether I’m looking for something a little bit lighter to read, or perhaps a change of genre now and then, his humour and natural way of making you aware of his opinion on anything from gender rights to poking fun at show business, he is able to make me crack a smile.


Summary

Those are my favourite authors I will always buy books by! I’m sure in the future more names will get added to the list.

Are there any authors you automatically buy books from?

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Top Ten Tuesday – Books I’ve Never Reviewed

If there’s one thing that’s apparent on this Top Ten Tuesday – Books I’ve Never Reviewed post, it’s that the books fall into one of two categories.

I’m proud to say that in the grand scheme of things, I review the vast majority of books I read. There are some I haven’t reviewed dating back to pre-blog days. Maybe I’ll re-read and review some of those whilst they are fresh in my memory. It wouldn’t feel fair to it now when it’s been over 10 years since I picked the books up.

The two categories the remaining books fall into are either those I feel indifferent over, or those I’m intimidated to even try to review!

Shall we take a look at what falls where?

 

Books I’m Indifferent About


Empress of All Seasons

My overall recollection on this book is one of general enjoyment, but nothing stands out In my head as to why I liked this book.


The Ruby in the Smoke

Nothing smacks harder of indifference than not actually being able to remember a single thing about this book or anything that happened in it.

Yikes.


Vox

On a different note, I do remember the plot and premise of Vox. I did enjoy the book, but as a feminist fiction, I feel it could have leant a little harder into the subject than it did. 


Jack the Ripper: Case Closed

I like Jack the Ripper books and stories, but this audiobook just felt a bit ‘meh’. It’s very hard to write a review and talk about a book when you really don’t have a lot to say about it.

Scouse Gothic


If I recall correctly, the author sent me a copy of this book after I read another of his. It was a book I read at my own leisure rather than for review. It was an okay read, if a bit out of my comfort zone. I didn’t have anything especially to say about it then and neither do I now.

 

You Are Not so Smart

You are not so smart

All I recall from this book is a bunch of surprising facts, interlaced with humour. It was a good and informative read, but I certainly don’t have enough to say about it to be able to draft a post dedicated to it.

It’s interestingly the only non-fiction to feature in this Top Ten Tuesday.

 

The Cockroach

This political satire is a short book I was recommended by someone I used to work for. It was an interesting and different short story to read. Again, there’s no way I’d be able to justify a review for it.

 

Books I’m Intimidated to Review

Blackwing

Blackwing

I’ve read and reviewed both Ravencry and Crowfall as part of blog tours. I read the first book in the series, Blackwing, to catch up on the book ready to review Ravencry.

Since I’ve loved the books so much (that I’ve already re-read them within just a few years), any future review has very big shoes to fill.

 


Godsgrave

In a bit of an admin oversight, I reviewed the first and final book of this trilogy on my blog, but not Godsgrave. I’m not sure how I managed that, but there we go!

Like Blackwing, I’m intimidated at the prospect of approaching this review. I adored this series – it’s what got me into Jay Kristoff’s books in the first place. Can I do the book justice and convince readers it lives up to the hype?


The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

I’m intimidated to review The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time because it’s such a well-known classic! The truth is, I’m probably missing a trick here. Reviews on my blog for classic or popular books, including The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank and Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone are why my blog gets as many views as it does nowadays (over 71,000 in 2024).

Maybe I need to just bite the bullet and have a go!

 Summary

Thanks for reading today’s Top Ten Tuesday post. Have you read and reviewed any of the books I feature in this Top Ten Tuesday instalment? I’d love to read your thoughts if you have!

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Book Review – Illuminae: Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman

In today’s book review, I share my thoughts on a young adult mixed-media book I really enjoyed! The best part is, Illuminae is the start of a trilogy. Therefore, fans of this first book will be pleased to know that the saga continues; book two is largely set around different characters, and book three brings them all together for an epic conclusion.

But, I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s start at the beginning…


Illuminae – Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 608

Audience: Young Adult

Publisher: Knopf Books

Publication Date: 20 Oct 2015

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟


Goodreads –  Illuminae

 

The internationally and New York Times bestselling first book in a heart-stopping, high-octane trilogy that bends the sci-fi genre into a new dimension.

Kady thought breaking up with Ezra was the worst thing she’d ever been through. That was before her planet was invaded. Now, with enemy fire raining down on them, Kady and Ezra are forced to fight their way onto one of the evacuating craft, with an enemy warship in hot pursuit.

But the warship could be the least of their problems. A deadly plague has broken out and is mutating, with terrifying results; the fleet’s AI, which should be protecting them, may actually be their biggest threat; and nobody in charge will say what’s really going on. As Kady plunges into a web of data hacking to get to the truth, it’s clear only one person can help her bring it all to light: Ezra.

Told through a fascinating dossier of hacked documents, Illuminae is the first book in a heart-stopping, high-octane trilogy.


My Thoughts


Plot

Well, I say let’s start at the beginning, but actually the book begins near the end. In the courtroom, with us readers almost as one of the jury, Kady, Ezra, and many characters we meet along the way present their case against Beitech Corporation.

Greedy corporations remain at large in this fictional world. Beitech are accused of killing and displacing many of the characters within this first book when attacking their home planet in favour of gaining resources. From there, it’s a mad scramble for civilian survival. And the clock is ticking…

Not for one moment can we accuse this novel of lacking in action. For fans of an action-driven plot, this will appeal to you for its time-pressured and high-stakes drama.

Naturally, I can’t say too much as I don’t want to give away any aspects of the storyline (either in Illuminae or in the subsequent books). Just take my word for it that it’s amazing and go and read it!


Characters

A number of characters contribute to the overall storyline within. Not only is this a multiple-perspective book, but it’s also a multiple-media book. In that regard, this appealed to me as I enjoy seeing things from a variety of perspectives. That naturally fits with this narrative and media type well. One person can’t be everywhere at once, and with so many elements going into the storyline, we need everybody’s perspective in order to paste together the final picture.

The primary perspectives are that of Kady Grant and Ezra Mason. If you enjoy teenagers who totally dig each other but you know, aren’t in a relationship, then you’ll like these pair. Personally, I liked both perspectives but not necessarily for their romance or relationship with each other. That’s not to say I wasn’t rooting for them reuniting though.

If I had to say which aspect of the book leaned most heavily towards making this a young adult book, it is the characters. This plotline could be set with much older characters and sit well in the adult genre.


Setting

Illuminae is set across several intergalactic places. Thankfully for readers, it’s very obvious where things are going on with location and timestamps where applicable. The nature of the story and following that characters means that things are pretty chronological and don’t jump around too much either.

Set in our nearish future, it doesn’t feel too far-fetched. Although the idea of living in space probably feels a bit off, I think the technology available feels largely reminiscent of what we have today. It’s only a small leap for mankind – excuse the pun.

If you enjoy reading or watching science fiction, then reading Illuminae won’t be too far of a stretch. Even if you aren’t that imaginative when it comes to imagining the spaceship layout or dynamics of what’s going on, this book is very good at illustrating that for you. Literally. I remember technical diagrams of each of the ships. It makes it a very easy narrative to get on with.


Narrative Style

Told in a mixed-media format, this book is great for readers who have short attention spans or benefit from short, snappy content.

With everything from transcripts to posters and images, the action is spread across a variety of media that keeps us engaged. It’s a fun way of telling the story too. With the science-fiction slant on the narrative, it helps circumnavigate any understanding issues and makes the content more applicable to its intended younger audience.

Because of its format, I was able to read a large quantity of page count without too much effort. The constantly changing content types kept me reading on just that little bit longer and kept me engaged with the storyline throughout.


Summary

Regardless of whether you are a fan of the young adult genre, or even the science-fiction genre, I cannot recommend Illuminae enough. It’s a great introduction to reading something a little different. With plenty of action to keep readers’ attention, combined with a variety of mixed media to help with understanding and engagement, Illuminae is a fabulous start to a series I have since gone on to read voraciously and enjoy!

Have you read Illuminae or any other books by Jay Kristoff or Amie Kaufman?

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Discussion Post: Favourite Books to Recommend

As a blogger and book reader/reviewer, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that I love to share my love of reading. Or, that I want to press books into your hands. In today’s post, I share my favourite books to recommend. That might be because they are from my favourite genre or author, offer something unique or are great for readers of all levels.

I’ll explain the why’s and wherefore’s for each book as we go. For now, here are my top books to recommend!


Fantasy


A Game of Thrones / A Song of Ice and Fire

It shouldn’t be a surprise this series makes it to the top of my recommends list. If I were only ever allowed to read one series again, I’d pick this hands down!

I love the storyline, the complexity, the intricacy and detail we get to enjoy. My only preference would be for the series to be complete… but I’ll just have to wait for that!


The Realm of the Elderlings

Robin Hobb’s Realm of the Elderlings series is a fairly new discovery and addition to this list. I’d been meaning to pick up Assassin’s Apprentice for a good while before my friend Rachael encouraged me to read it.

Since then I’ve read six out of the sixteen books in the series in the last two years. Considering the number of books I read, I’ve gotten through these comparatively quicker than most other series I’m reading.


Mistborn

Brandon Sanderson is another favourite author. I debated which series of his to feature here, as I’ve read quite a few. At least, in part. However, the one that got me into his writing the most, and the series I’ve read in full, is his Mistborn series.

I was so sad to reach the conclusion but I’d happily re-read this from start to finish again! I especially loved how the timeline change was handled and how we see advancement in the world between the timelines. It’s for that reason that I will recommend this to any fantasy reader!


Harry Potter series

Whatever your feelings are on the author, I think it’s important to separate their work from their personal life. I can’t say I’m all too versed on the controversy about J.K. Rowling. And anyway, I’ll love the Harry Potter books regardless.

The books start off pretty easy to read but get quite dark towards the end. Personally, I love that! I grew up reading these books in my teenage years so I was always the perfect age to read them. Even re-reading them as an adult, I enjoyed each and every book.


Lord of the Rings

Whilst not the easiest books to read in terms of superfluous language and descriptions of food, they make a great storyline. The fact that I intend to re-read the books gives you an idea of how much a fan I am.

They’re also favourite books to recommend as they’re classics in the fantasy genre. I’ve also read The Hobbit and this is a great starting point to the books. However, if you are looking for a classic trilogy of books to immerse yourself into, Lord of the Rings is a natural choice.


Nevernight Chronicles

Nevernight
On the other end of the spectrum, I also can’t recommend this trilogy about a young female assassin with a serious vendetta enough. Mia is quite the character, and her character history, development arc and the setting are all really enjoyable to dig into. The narrative is great, but as a unique addition, the book includes footnotes with everything from contextual information to snarky commentary. They’re hilarious!

Jay Kristoff is an author I’m reading more of, but this was the series that introduced me to his work. I initially listened to this series on audio but I want to re-read with the physical copies I own in future.

 

Blackwing

Blackwing

The Blackwing trilogy is a favourite to recommend because I don’t think enough people have read it! If you love magical fantasies with great, detailed worlds and most of all, non-altruistic main characters, this is up your street.

Ryhalt is a great character because he doesn’t try to be. He’s selfish and rude, lacks optimism in humanity. He is far from your ideal hero, and yet he finds himself wearing these shoes reluctantly.

The storyline, world building and support characters make this a fun and engaging trilogy to read. Seriously, why are you still here? Get reading!


Non-fiction

 

This is Going to Hurt

I recommended this to my work book club as a future read as Adam Kay is hilarious. This is Going to Hurt is a discussion on the state of the NHS as it provides the best care it can for those who need it. However, it’s also full of personal, heartfelt and funny stories too.

If you love a dose of humour, this is a favourite book of mine to recommend. A heads up though – it is an emotional rollercoaster…


Contemporary

 

The Midnight Library

You can also tell that The Midnight Library is a favourite book to recommend as I put it forward as our work book club’s first read. And you know what? It went so well!

Although Adrian and Claire admitted it wasn’t a book they’d have chosen for themselves, they enjoyed it. We also had a great conversation about it too. It’s focused on mental health, individuality, choices and regrets. It’s a book I’ll re-read over again as it’s a great reminder of what’s important in life. It really puts things into perspective.


Satire

Discworld series

If humour and tackling a multitude of real social issues is your thing, but set in a fantasy setting, may I introduce Discworld by Terry Pratchett. As of this favourite books to recommend post, I’ve read half of this 41 book series. Even so, I’ll happily recommend the whole series!

I love how Terry talks about real world issues in a setting that takes us out of reality. Does a young woman trying to gain admission to university to study magic and being pushed back because she was born a girl instead of a boy sound ridiculous? Well I hate to break it to you, but not so long ago, women faced the same push back.

That’s just one example. The way Terry tackles each societal issue makes adequate light of it to make it funny to read, but also make a point at the same time is entertaining but also interesting social commentary.


So, those are my favourite books to recommend! What are yours?

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Monthly Wrap-Up – July 2024

It’s the beginning of another month and I’m here to share which books I’ve read throughout July in this monthly wrap-up. If you want to see which books I set out to read at the beginning of the month, you can find a link to my monthly TBR for July here.

I’m happy with the progress I’ve made and that I’ve been able to spend the month catching up with some of my June reads. A good portion of my July TBR was dedicated to picking up books I hadn’t got to yet, or I was partway through at the start of the month.

Shall we take a more detailed look?


Books Read


Master of Sorrows

In my last monthly wrap-up post, I had three ongoing reads that I shared with you. The first of those was Master of Sorrows. I started this book last month but ended up setting it aside as I inadvertently left the book at work a few evenings. Then, I deliberately decided to hold off making progress on it for a week or so as I went on holiday and took a lighter read with me.

As of that last monthly wrap-up I was 45% into the book. I still had a good few hundred pages to go until completion though.

I made good progress with this book throughout July. Admittedly, I’ve not long finished this book, but that’s because I was taking my time with it. I’m now excited to pick up the sequel, Master Artificer.

 

You Coach You

The audiobook I carried over from my last monthly wrap-up post was You Coach You by Helen Tupper and Sarah Ellis. In that post, I shared that I was 60% into the audio.

You Coach You is a great book for anybody looking to develop themselves. I enjoyed the experience so much that I have since acquired a physical copy of this book. I can see myself referring back to it time and again and I want to make it accessible for me to do so.

A big selling point on the structuring of this book is that you don’t have to read the whole thing. If you have a specific challenge or area of development, you can target your reading to the relevant sections. There are also activities and coach yourself questions that prompt you to think and take an active role in personal development. It’s 100% going to be a re-read in future.


Obsidio

Obsidio was the book I had read the least of as of my last monthly wrap-up whilst still counting as a carryover. From just shy of 100 pages in as of that post, I flew through Obsidio.

I decided to prioritise this over Master of Sorrows in early July as it was much easier to pick up and put down. I was away for a shopping trip in Liverpool at the beginning of the month and I knew I wasn’t going to have much time to read. However, for entertainment on the boat or odd moments at the hotel room, I could pick up a chapter. They were nice and short, but also informal and easy to read. The mixed media definitely helped keep me engaged.


The Power of Habit

The physical read I will be carrying over into August is The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg. I started this book just a couple of days ago and already I’m enjoying the subject matter. As somebody who takes an interest in psychology and similar subjects, I love delving into how the brain works.

Let’s face it, there are always useful ways the information in this book can be applied. I have good and bad habits aplenty. Understanding how they form and how they can be broken can’t be a bad thing!

As if this post I’m 90 pages, or 30% into the book. I’m enjoying the topic so far and hoping to learn how I can be mindful of my own habits in future.


The Other People

My audiobook carryover into August is The Other People by C.J. Tudor. I have read this author before; I’ve picked up The Taking of Annie Thorne and The Chalk Man historically. I really enjoyed both of these books, and the other people came highly recommended to me by my mum.

Although I have not yet finished this audio, it became clear very early on why this is my mum‘s favourite. I am loving the storyline so far and can’t wait to get to the conclusion to find out exactly what is going on.

In these books, there is always more than meets the eye. I love digging into that detail, but also seeing if I can work it out ahead of time. If a book can live in my head even when I’m not reading it, that to me is the sign of a great book.

As of this post I’m 70% into the audio and keen to see how the storyline resolves!

 

Summary

It’s been a pretty good month of reading and catching up with outstanding reads from June. I have the usual carryovers into August in each format, but that’s nothing new. At least it’s only two books this month and not three!

I’m hoping to wrap-up each of those reads quite quickly and kick off my August TBR very soon. If you want to see what that looks like, stay tuned as I’ll be sharing that later this week.

Until then, happy reading!

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Sunday Summary – 21st July 2024

Good evening reading friends and welcome back to another weekly Sunday Summary update post from yours truly! It’s been a productive week and I’m really happy with what I’ve read and shared in the last week.

My first blog post of the week was a discussion post asking how many books is too many? After a recent, sizeable book haul in Liverpool it’s a question I’d been asking myself.

Friday’s feature was a Shelf Control post in which I shared a book I would cast aside all my TBR for, if only it was out yet. It’s also from one of my favourite series of all time; can you guess what it is?


Books Read


Obsidio

In last week’s Sunday Summary I shared that I had around 200 pages left of Obsidio to read. I polished those off pretty handily!

Obsidio has been a very easy read and I’ve enjoyed the conclusion of the series. The mixed media format has been fun to read at a time when I’ve been busy and it’s kept it light and interesting. I’ve enjoyed this collaboration between Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman a lot!


Master of Sorrows

After a couple of weeks of shelving this read, I picked it up again after finishing Obsidio. I only had to skip back a couple of pages to the beginning of my chapter to pick this back up, so that was nice and easy.

Over the last few days of this week, I’ve read another 150 pages of the book already. It’s the most I’ve read for a few days and the story is getting really interesting. The combination of current events and the stories about the Gods and their history are a fun combination and appeal to me a lot. I love delving into the history of the fantasy worlds I’m reading about!

I’m hopeful that I’ll be progressing with and wrapping up this book very soon! If the last few days are anything to go by, I expect nothing less!


The Other People

Having finished You Coach You last week, I’ve started a new audiobook this week. For a change, I’ve picked up a fiction read in this format – The Other People.

Already I can see why this is my mum’s favourite C.J. Tudor novel. I’ve listened to 25% of the audio this week alone and I’m hooked to find out what on earth is going on!

Given I’m quite early in the story there are a lot of threads and no indication as to what it what yet. I’m not convinced it’s going to be as simple as you can be drawn in to believe – having read C.J. Tudor before, I highly doubt that’s the case anyway!


Books Discovered

I’m sticking to my ban this week and I haven’t purchased a single book. I’ve also kept my head down and not added anything new to my reading list either 😁


Coming Up…

I’m looking forward to the content I have prepared for next week. For once I’ve decided this ahead of time rather than putting it together as I’m typing this post.

My first post of the week will be a Top Ten Tuesday post and feature debut novels I’ve read and enjoyed! Having read extensively and taken part in blog tours before, I have a great opportunity to share my list with you!

Friday’s post is a First Lines Friday. I’m setting myself a challenge to feature a non-fiction book in that post. It’s been a while since I’ve set criteria for the post; it makes it more fun and challenging to find the right book! I have an ulterior motive doing this – I need to step up my non-fiction reading little to meet my goal before the end of the year. I’m hoping this will inspire me to pick one up very soon!

As always, I’ll be wrapping up the week with another Sunday Summary post to share what I’ve been reading and all my updates with you!

If you’re still here, thanks for reading my Sunday Summary! Until next time, have a great week, and happy reading!

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Sunday Summary – 14th July 2024

It’s been a couple of weeks since I checked in with you for a Sunday Summary update, as I was on holiday last weekend. I hope you haven’t missed me too much! In reality, I only took a week or so I was break from blogging and I was back to the usual schedule this week. Let’s recap what I’ve shared since my last Sunday Summary update.

Before my holiday last week, I shared my Monthly Wrap-Up post recapping progress made in June. I read more than I thought I did last month, so I’m not disappointed with progress. I hadn’t taken into account progressing with carryovers from May. So in the end, I did reasonably well.

My first post of the week this week was my Mid Year Check In post. In this post, I took a look at the resolutions and reading goals I set myself in January and updated you on my progress. I have some action steps to take to try and meet some of my goals before the end of the year. I don’t expect to complete my Goodreads Challenge this year, but I will try to get as close as I can!

Next, I shared my Monthly TBR for July on Friday. That reading list includes the books I’m carrying over from June, with just a couple of new ones to give myself a chance to catch up. If you’re interested to see what I’m going to be reading in the next few weeks, that is the post to take a look at.

 

Books Read

 

Obsidio

In my Sunday Summary post a fortnight ago, I shared that I had started Obsidio and that I was only around 50 pages in. I took this book with me when we went to Liverpool mainly so I had something to read on the boat. I didn’t expect to read too much whilst I was away so there was no pressure from my side to do so.

I’ve continued with this book this week as it’s a nice and easy one to pick up. At work, quarter end is quite a big deal and it’s one of my busiest periods. Being able to pick up an easy read with multiple media formats has kept my brain interested. It’s also a lot more approachable to pick up and read in short bursts, as that’s the time I’ve had available.

As of this post, I have read a further 350 pages since my last update. I’m now down to just 200 until the books conclusion. I’ll be pushing on with this in the next couple of days and I’m looking forward to the end of the series (mostly!). I will be sad when it’s done though!

 

You Coach You

In this Sunday Summary update I get to share completion of my audiobook listen of You Coach You by Helen Tupper and Sarah Ellis.

I really enjoyed this audiobook, so much so that I followed through with my promise to get a physical copy. It’s definitely a resource I’m going to go back to again and again, and I might even keep it at work handy.

If you’re interested in self development and career progression, I cannot recommend this book enough! Not only that, but Helen and Sarah also publish lots of free material via their podcast and worksheets. There’s no financial commitment to benefit from their insight! If you want to try them material before investing in a book like this, I would definitely point you to their podcast, The Squiggly Career.

 

Books Discovered

I am here to confess my sins, and this section could potentially be quite a long one. When shopping in Liverpool last week I had the pleasure of a Waterstones store 3X bigger than at home, and only a stones throw away from our hotel room. You can guess what’s coming right? A book haul!

I bought no less than 11 books in that store alone, as well as one in The Works, and one in Tesco for my mum. Then, I grabbed myself a couple off Amazon and finally I picked up one in Tesco for me when I was back home!

I’m not going to beat myself up too much because I saved for that shopping trip and I might as well buy something I love! I may have to lay off buying books for a while a year though…

I picked up anything and everything… from Fantasy to non-fiction, with a good deal of historical (fiction and not) thrown in. It’s fair to say I picked up a variety.

 

Coming Up…

With being back home and the majority of my work commitments now covered, I will be back to my usual level of commitment when it comes to both blogging and reading next week.

My first post of the week will be a discussion post. With the subject of how many books I’ve acquired recently on my mind, I ask the question, how many is too many?

On Friday, I’ll be back with a regular Friday feature. This week, that’s a Shelf Control post. In that post, I’ll feature an upcoming read on my TBR, why I added it to my list and why I’m looking forward to reading it.

Last, but certainly not least, I’ll be back with another Sunday Summary update at the end of the week. Fingers crossed, I’ll have fewer no new books added to the list… 

Have you bought any new books recently?

 

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Monthly TBR – July 2024

Given we’re about a third of the way into July, I’m overdue sharing my monthly TBR, no?

In today’s post I have a great range of books to share that I plan for read in the next few weeks. You’ll have seen a good few of them before as they are carryovers. At the same time, I have a few new faces too, so let’s get stuck in!

 

Fixed Reads


You Coach You

My last current read and carryover is You Coach You by Helen Tupper and Sarah Ellis.

As of this monthly TBR I have actually just finished this audiobook this morning. However, I spent at least a couple of hours this month getting to that point so it’s going on this TBR to mark that progress effort.

I’ve enjoyed this audio so much and see the value in its content that I’ve just ordered a paperback copy to refer back to and re-read in future!


Master of Sorrows


Master of Sorrows is on yet another monthly TBR… but not as a non-starter this time!

I’ve been trying to read the book since February and I finally started it last month. It is, however, a current read so it makes it onto July’s monthly TBR as a carryover. Can I say, may it please be the last?!

I’m about halfway through the book, so there’s no reason I won’t be completing this soon!


Obsidio

Another carryover from my June TBR is Obsidio by Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman.

I started this last book in the Illuminae files trilogy last month after accidentally leaving Master of Sorrows at work. It’s been a refreshing change to read a mixed media book again! It’ll also be even better to be able to mark this series as complete once I’ve finished it. I’ll be sad to see it end, but there is another sci-fi series they’ve co-written I could pick up…

As of this post, I’m around a third of the way into the book. It’s a quick read, so again, I expect to finish it before long.


Mood Reads


The Other People

The only book on my June TBR I didn’t get to is The Other People by C.J. Tudor. It’s mum’s favourite book of hers so far, so I’m really looking forward to reading it this month instead.

I haven’t picked up a mystery novel at all this year, so it will make a refreshing change! I’ve enjoyed two of C.J. Tudor’s books already, so I have high hopes for this one!


Defiant

With my Mid Year Check In and Summer TBR posts still fresh in my mind, I’m adding a book to this monthly TBR that will earn me another series completion.

Defiant is the last book in Brandon Sanderson’s Skyward series. Honestly, I’ll be sad to get to the end of it, but I also want to see how Spensa’s story ends. For a series to which I’m not the target demographic, I’m getting on with it really well. Equally, I haven’t met a Sanderson book I’ve disliked…

Let’s hope I’ve met jinxed it!


The Power of Habit

Another selection with my 2024 reading goals in mind is a recent acquisition. The Power of Habit is both a non-fiction book and will, with any luck, help towards my blogging goal of using social media more!

In theory this is a win-win read, but we’ll see how that works out in practice.


Summary

July’s monthly TBR reflects a reading month in which I plan to catch up with ongoing reads. However, there are also a couple of new books I’m introducing here. I’m not planning a long list that I think is unachievable, so here’s to a productive month! 

 

Have you read any of the books on this monthly TBR? Do you have any tips on how I can get better at making social media a habit?

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Monthly Wrap-Up – June 2024

It’s scary how we’re back for another monthly wrap-up post already. Not only that, but we’re now halfway through the year! I’m curious to see how my half year stats and progress look compared to my reading goals. If you are too, I’ll be posting that update next week. Stay tuned.

For now though, we’re limiting scope to my reading progress against my June TBR. I don’t feel I’ve done that well this month as reading has been slow, but let’s see…

Books Read

Terry Pratchett: A Life with Footnotes

When I left off in last month’s monthly wrap-up post, I had just under 50% of the audiobook to go. It was more than I remembered, so I don’t feel so hard on myself for reading progress any more!

I loved this audio, although naturally the content at the end of the book was very sad. Still, I’m glad I read it! I really admire Terry and now I know more about his life beyond the documentary I’ve watched. That was interesting too, but this audio was far more intimate and knowledgeable over a longer stretch of time.

The Long Earth

Another Terry Pratchett book I carried over into June is The Long Earth. As of my last monthly wrap-up I was 65% into this book.

I enjoyed this jaunt into science-fiction with Terry and Stephen Baxter and I’m interested to see where the rest of the series takes us. From where we left off in The Long Earth, the series could really go anywhere. I’m interested to see where that is!

The talents of both authors shine through in this book as the lighthearted humour contributed by Terry blends well with the science-fiction elements that can only come from Stephen.

Master of Sorrows

I have intended to get to Master of Sorrows since February this year. June is finally the month I started the book. It’s been a long time coming, and so far I’m really enjoying the story.

As of this monthly wrap-up post, I’m just over 200 pages, or 45%, into this book. I’m so glad I’m now reading it and that I picked up the sequel a couple of weeks ago. That can be risky business, but fellow bloggers I follow have raved about these books so I was always confident I’d enjoy it!

I can’t wait to share more as I make further progress.

You Coach You

After finishing my listen of Terry Pratchett: A Life with Footnotes, I started You Coach You by Helen Tupper and Sarah Ellis.

I love these pair! I listen to a podcast they run called Squiggly Careers. If you ever want a resource for developing skills personally or at work, this is where I would point anyone. I’ve obviously paid for the audiobook, but they share a lot of free content as well. It’s approachable and engaging to all!

I’m 60% through the audio at the end of June. I love the formatting of the book and how it’s come together. I’ve already decided I want a copy in physical format to refer back to again in future as and when I need it! The audiobook also comes with a lot of supplementary content. Admittedly I’ve not looked at it all yet – that’s for after listening 😊

So far it’s proving a good resource and an engaging listen!

Obsidio

I always intended to pick up Obsidio this month… however not in the circumstances I did.

There were a couple of days last week when I had left Master of Sorrows on my desk at work. As a result, I couldn’t read it during the evening. So, instead I picked up Obsidio. It’s a nice light read, a conclusion of a series I’m part-way through and it was on my TBR already. Win-win!

As of this monthly wrap-up post to the end of June I’m 95 pages in and looking forward to reading more very soon!

Summary

Admittedly I’ve read more than I thought. On my June TBR I haven’t made a whole bunch of progress. However, I wasn’t taking into consideration the books I carried over from my last update.

What have you read this last month? Do you have any recommendations?

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Sunday Summary – 30th June 2024

Good evening friends and welcome to this Sunday Summary catch up! It’s the end of another week and honestly, they are absolutely flying by. We’re at the end of June already! Next week is going to be hectic with work as it’s quarter end, but I do have a little holiday to look forward to.

With that said, check out the coming up section in today’s Sunday Summary below as I’ll let you know about changes to my blogging schedule there. For now though, let’s get into what I shared this week:-

My first post of the week was a book review for Invisible Women by Caroline Criado Perez. I really enjoyed this non-fiction book (with an obvious feminism slant) and it was a real eye-opener in terms of the variety of ways in which women are disadvantaged in today’s society. If you’re interested in this kind of book, above is a link to my review so you can take a look for yourself.

On Friday I shared the next instalment in my First Lines Friday series with the opening lines to the last instalment of a young adult sci-fi series I am currently reading. The author is also one of my favourites of all time. If you’re a regular reader, you may be able to guess who this is. If not, go check out that post here!

 

Books Read


Master of Sorrows

I confess that I haven’t read much this week. Reading has been pretty much limited to my lunch hours, and even then I ran errands on a couple of those days.

Progress in Master of Sorrows this week amounts to only 70 odd pages. However, in the 70 pages also I have read I feel like the story has progressed quite a bit and I’m looking forward to seeing what happens in Annev’s final test.

I would have read more of this book this week, but for the fact that I accidentally left it at work twice. I couldn’t pick it up in the evening like I intended twice! Instead, I ended up picking up a second book to read at home…


Obsidio

Obsidio was on my June TBR anyway, so I picked this up on both occasions when I left Master of Sorrows at work.

As such, I’ve read just shy of the first 50 pages of this last instalment in The Illuminae files series. I’m also enjoying this one already. We have some new faces to the story and I hope all the characters we’ve met to date come together for an epic conclusion.

I have the advantage of Obsidio and Master of Sorrows being very different from each other. Where Master of Sorrows is a traditionally written adult fantasy novel, Obsidio is a young adult science-fiction written in mixed media format. Both have been very easy to keep track of in tandem. My intention is to prioritise Master of Sorrows as that was always my original read. However, if I do fancy a change there will be no problem whatsoever in picking up Obsidio in between.


You Coach You

Progress in You Coach You amounts to another hour’s listening time this week.

It’s not a lot of progress, but at least I did pick it up a bit. In some senses, I feel like this book isn’t the type you want to rush through anyway. If you really want to make the most of the content, you have to take the time to go through it and reflect on each chapter rather than just jumping into the next one.

Once I’ve listened to this book, I plan to download the extra content that comes with it and have a go at the exercises in areas I think I would benefit from. I may even end up purchasing myself a copy of this book so I can refer back to it again. It’s that kind of resource book you want to keep hold of!


Books Discovered

I was little naughty and bought myself one book this week, which isn’t too bad. However, I was also gifted three in a series. At the same time, this was already on my reading list so it saves me purchasing a copy later. I’ll justify it anyhow 😁

The book I bought was The Tw*t Files by Dawn French. I bought it on a whim on the basis that it sounded hilarious, but it will also be a good read in terms of building self-confidence. It seems we all muck up from time to time. If someone famous can do it, then so can I!

The series I was gifted is Thomas Harris‘s Hannibal Lector trilogy. I already had Red Dragon on my reading list to pick up at some point in the future. Naturally, enjoying this book would go onto purchasing the rest of the series. My work friend Brita previously owned these books. Rather than taking them to a charity shop, she offered them to me first in case I was interested.. .and I was!


Coming Up…

Next week, due to work commitments and then a long weekend away, I only plan to share one post with you. As it’s the beginning of July, I will conclude June by sharing my monthly wrap-up post. After that, it feels like a good place to stop and enjoy my short break. I honestly don’t know how well I would be able to juggle blogging on the holiday in any case.

Instead, I will be back with you a week later with my monthly TBR for July, a half yearly review of progress in 2024 so far, and finally a Sunday Summary. That will all be in the week commencing the 8th of July. After that, we should be back to usual scheduling!


That’s all from me though in this Sunday Summary post. Thanks for reading! 

What books are you reading/listening to?

 

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