Tag: non-fiction

Monthly Wrap-Up – February 2025

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We’re now two full months into 2025. I want to get in nice and early with my monthly wrap-up for February to update you on the books I picked up, and in some cases put down, during the last month.

One of my main reading goals for February was to pick up books around the theme of Black History Month. Not all of my books fit into this category, as they were either carryovers from January or I had to read them for other commitments. How I did with February’s TBR surprised me; there were books I wasn’t sure about that but I’ve gone on to really enjoy, yet equally there are books I thought I’d get on with, but didn’t. 

Shall we get into this monthly wrap-up so you can see just how this month has gone?

Books Read


A Darkness at Sethanon

A Darkness at Sethanon was a carryover from January‘s TBR. I was just a couple of chapters in at the point of setting this book on my February monthly TBR.

Admittedly, I didn’t get much further than that before I put it down. Although I had recapped myself on events so far in the series, I was struggling to get into it. If I’m entirely honest, I didn’t love the books before this one. They were okay to read, but I didn’t have any burning desire to pick up this last instalment. If anything, I was motivated to try so I could mark the series as complete.

However, I decided it wasn’t worth slogging through this book in order to give myself that accolade. I have now finished this series, but it has a DNF as opposed to a completion.


Fearing the Black Body: The Racial Origins of Fat Phobia

A few weeks ago, I started listening to Fearing the Black Body. I ended up listening to this audiobook over the course of a weekend. I didn’t expect to love this book in the way that I did. It was really interesting, and I liked how the book was broken down and considered different ideas and arguments. I wouldn’t say this book is to be taken as gospel. However, it does consider some interesting ideas on why racism could play a role in our current culture’s fat phobia.

I wouldn’t describe this as a book that I would typically read. However, I’m glad I did. It’s a good way to get an alternate perspective on things, as well as consider things from a non-racial perspective as well. In addition to the race argument, the author also offers religion as a possible source of some of the negativity around larger bodies too.


A Promised Land

The second audiobook I picked up this month, and admittedly I’m still reading as of this monthly wrap-up post, is A Promised Land by Barack Obama. If there’s one book on this TBR I thought I was at risk of DNFing, it was this one. In truth, it’s one of the books I’m enjoying the most this month.

Politics is a subject that is out of my comfort zone. My overarching opinion generally of politicians is that they don’t achieve anything for the masses. instead, they use their office to promote their own self interest. I can be forgiven for this view when you consider the amount of cronyism that gets highlighted on the news.

So far, I don’t find Barack to be your typical politician. My overall perception of Barack Obama when he was in office was that he was a decent president.

Listening to his book, I still have this view. I’ve enjoyed listening to some of his insights on what his priorities were as a president. He also covers a number of different unplanned situations he had to deal with in office.

Naturally, this book is far more involved to the likes of Michelle Obama’s Becoming in describing the politics of his life. He’s not averse to making jabs here and there against other parties and individuals, but for the most part I’m getting on with the book well.

The only reason I’m still listening to this audiobook at the end of February is because it is so long! The audiobook is just over 29 hours long. As a drafting this post, I have just under 12 and a half hours left to listen to.


In Every Mirror She’s Black

Another read I intended to complete as part of this February TBR relating to Black History Month is In Every Mirror She’s Black. A few years ago I acquired my copy of the book in a Waterstones sale after Christmas. I liked the sound of the book and I thought it was going to have something quite prominent to say when it comes to race – how seemingly different black women end up experiencing the same treatment in life.

However, having gotten a third into this book, I still couldn’t tell where the storyline was intending to take us or what message it was trying to put out. So, I decided to DNF it. I was bored. The plot was meandering between the three female perspectives and not really giving any context as to what it was trying to say. Nothing significant was happening and I wasn’t enjoying reading it.

It’s a shame, because I think it could’ve been a good book if it started to get to its point a little quicker.


The Da Vinci Code

If you are a regular reader, you will know that I host a book club at work. We meet once a month, typically towards the end of a month, and discuss a book of a members choice.

A couple of months ago, we came up with the idea of reading The Da Vinci Code. Some members had already read the book a long time ago, whereas others like myself had not read it before. It sounded like a good book for discussion, so we decided to pick that up.

I’m sorry to say that I didn’t like this one either. I read 29% of the book before I DNF this one too. Whilst I enjoyed the ideas of symbolism and the murder mystery aspect of the storyline, I felt overall that it was a very pretentious book. There is a lot of detail on symbolism and at times, I felt the narrative was talking down to me to have to explain some of it. I also found the idea of these clues being left for Robert too far-fetched.

In principle, one of the characters had approximately 15 minutes to lay down all these clues before he passed away from a fatal injury in order to point Robert to his murderer. After discussions with another book club member, there are perhaps reasons why this was plausible for the character to do given his position and preplanning for such an eventuality. However, it just felt far-fetched to me and I wasn’t a fan of the tone of the book.


Children of Virtue and Vengeance

Lastly, we get to the final book of my February TBR, Children of Virtue and Vengeance. I am still reading this book as of publishing this monthly wrap-up post, but I confess I’m not loving this one either. At this point, I don’t think it’s the fault of the book, but more to do with the fact that I’m in a reading funk.

As of this monthly wrap up post, I’m 20% into the book and I’m going to keep going with it for now. I probably not help myself in that it’s been a good number of years since I read the first book of the series. I have recapped myself on events, But leaving it so long is probably acting as a blocker helping me immerse myself back into the storyline.


Summary

It’s fair to say that reading progress in February didn’t end up going so well. Whilst I have read some enjoyable books in the month, I DNF’d three books – basically half the list!

I may need to reconsider my reading plans for March to help get myself out of whatever reading funk I’m in right now.

Thanks for reading today’s monthly wrap-up! Have you read any great books recently that you can recommend to help?

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Sunday Summary – 23rd February 2025

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Happy Sunday folks – I’m back with this week’s Sunday Summary post! I hope you’ve had a good week?

Overall, mine has been pretty good. I’ve had a few bits on, but nothing wild. I’ve had fewer social plans than last week, but also more than I expected. As a result, I haven’t picked up my current reads as much as I thought I would. More on that in a minute. First, let’s recap the blog posts, or rather post (singular), I shared this week.

My first and only post that went live this week, before today that is, is a Top Ten Tuesday. This week’s topic was books I’ve never reviewed. Whilst I did just about scrape ten, it’s fair to say I review the vast majority of what I read!

I was supposed to share a Shelf Control post on Friday. However, I confess I completely forgot about it until Saturday afternoon. Sorry folks, I have a goldfish brain…

 

Books Read

 

A Promised Land

Last week I boasted over seven hours of audiobook progress. This week, it’s a more modest two and a half hours.

But you know what, progress is progress. I won’t knock it. I’m enjoying listening to Barack Obama’s A Promised Land. I wasn’t sure what I expected to take from this book, but I’m liking it a lot more than I anticipated.

Things have gotten a little more political in what I’ve listened to this week, but it’s been okay to listen to. I’ve been able to follow what’s going on, with the odd bit of Googling terms to make sure I’m understanding everything. Until this, I’ve never paid attention to politics…

 

In Every Mirror She’s Black

After progressing with another 70 pages of In Every Mirror She’s Black this week, I DNF’d it at 33%.

If I’m entirely honest with you, I was bored. The storyline didn’t seem to be going anywhere meaningful and I wasn’t getting any enjoyment or enlightenment from it. If the book has a message, it takes its time getting there. I ran out of patience for it.

It’s my first DNF in a while. It’s a shame, but I’m not going to slog through a book I don’t like either. I have better things to do.


The Da Vinci Code

With the deadline for reading The Da Vinci Code fast approaching, I made it a priority to start this week. Book club meets next week to discuss the book. As of this post, I’m 20% into it.

I’ve mixed feelings on the book. I’m intrigued as to who is behind the murder. At the same time, though, I can’t shake my first impression that the narrative feels pretentious. There’s a lot of info dropping on cryptology and symbolism, as well as art particularly. No doubt it’s needed for the narrative, but the way it’s done doesn’t strike me as treating the reader as an equal. It feels like it’s talking down to me.

I’m going to stick with the book and read as much as I can before Wednesday. I’m not likely to finish it before we meet. Honestly, I won’t feel too hard up on being spoiled if I don’t either…


Books Discovered

There aren’t any new acquisitions to let you know about this week ☺️


Coming Up…

My first post of the week will be a book review. It’s been a couple of weeks since I shared my thoughts on Illuminae by Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman. Next, I plan to share my review of Becoming by Michelle Obama. Ironic timing, but maybe it’s a good thing! And, it’s also topical considering it’s Black History Month!

On Saturday, I’ll share my monthly wrap-up for February. In that post, I’ll take you through the books I read throughout this month and recap what I thought of them.

Finally, I’m back this time next week with my usual Sunday Summary recap. I’ll let you know how I get on with my current reads, as well as what’s coming up on the blog over the next week.

Thanks for reading this Sunday Summary update. Until my next post, I hope you have a great week!

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Top Ten Tuesday – Books I’ve Never Reviewed

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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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Sunday Summary – 16th February 2025

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This Sunday Summary post can only mean one thing – the end of another week has rolled around. Doesn’t the time fly?

It’s been a busy week as well! So much so, I’ve only really got the bulk of my reading done this weekend. However, I have managed to make a solid amount of progress. Before we get to that though, here is a recap of the blog posts I have shared so far this week.

First on the list is my TBR book tag post. I had originally intended to share this post on Wednesday, but it ended up being delayed until Thursday. It was a good, fun post to write and it will probably give you some insight into some of the books on my TBR and how long they’ve been there…

Next up was my First Lines Friday post. In the absence of being able to pick a Valentine’s themed book, I instead focused on one that I need to pick up, like, now.

 

Books Read


A Promised Land

Over the course of this weekend, I have listened to 7 hours and 40 minutes of Barack Obama‘s A Promised Land. Even still, combining this with last week’s reading progress of around four hours, I’m still less than halfway through this audiobook!

It’s a sizable book, but one that I’ve been able to chip away at and listen to quite easily. I’ve spent a lot of this weekend home alone, so between doing chores around the house and other hobbies, I’ve been able to listen to this audio at the same time.

For the most part, this has worked quite well. There have been a few sections of the audio where I’ve wanted to pay a little bit more attention to what Barack has been trying to explain. There are a couple of points where I rewound and relisten to small sections without the distraction of another task so I can follow what’s being said. However, these are few and far between. They’ve centred around a topic I already have some prior knowledge of; I wanted to understand the detail from an alternate perspective.

I’m looking forward to continuing on with this listen over the next week. For a book that on paper shouldn’t be my cup of tea, it’s going down very nicely.

 

In Every Mirror She’s Black

The second book to update you on in this Sunday Summary is one I just started last week. I haven’t picked up In Every Mirror She’s Black that frequently this weekend. However, I read another 70 pages yesterday whilst waiting for and at a hair appointment and 20 more tonight before publishing this post.

I still consider myself getting into the storyline at the moment. I don’t really know what to make of the characters or how the story is going to come together. I’m going to keep on with it, because the narrative itself is quite easy to read. If the plot doesn’t get more engaging though, I may make a decision on whether I continue with the book in the next few days.

I guess you’ll have to find out next week how I get on with this book. I’ll be making more of an effort to pick this up in the evenings as my social plans aren’t quite so busy.


Books Discovered

I only have one notable book to share with you this week, and it’s one that’s actually already on my TBR. I was gifted a hardcover special edition copy of The Poppy War by R. F. Kuang. It’s a bonus that I plan on reading this first book soon anyway!

Although I haven’t received or acquired any other books in themselves this week, I have added considerably to my book voucher collection. I’m trying not to let them burn a hole in my pocket though…


Coming Up…

The first post I plan to share next week is a Top Ten Tuesday post. The feature of this week’s post is books that I’ve never reviewed. I have quite the backlog, but even before that, there are books I’ve chosen not to review. There are also books I read in my teenage years that I’ve not re-read or featured on my blog since. Expect those to feature on Tuesday.

On Friday, it’s the turn of my Shelf Control post. In this fortnightly series, I feature upcoming books on my TBR and why I’m still looking forward to reading them.

Lastly, I’ll be back at the same time next week with my Sunday Summary update. As always, I’m here to update you on the books I’ve been reading over the week, as well as giving you the intel on what’s coming up very soon! I hope you can join me!

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Sunday Summary – 9th February 2025

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It’s the end of the week, friends, so it can only mean that it’s time for my regular Sunday Summary update. As always, I hope you’ve had a great week and are looking forward to the next!

What have I been up to this week? I’ve only posted two out of the three blog posts I planned up until this Sunday Summary. The first of those posts was my monthly TBR for February. If you’re intrigued to see which books I’ve got lined up for the month, take a look. 

Next, I shared a review of a young adult science-fiction novel told in a mixed-media format. If you have yet to read Illuminae by Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman, I set out in this post why you should!

I was supposed to post a First Lines Friday later in the week. However, I confess I didn’t get time to draft this beforehand, and I was out with friends on Friday night until about 9:30 p.m. After that, I didn’t have much time at home before going to bed ready for an early start the next day. I didn’t want to spend that time blogging and not with Shane; having not seen him all day already, that would’ve been selfish. So, you’ll just have to hang on till next week for that post.


Books Read


A Darkness at Sethanon

I confess that I’ve barely picked up A Darkness at Sethanon by Raymond E. Feist this week.

If I’m entirely honest, the introduction hasn’t gripped me in the way I’d hoped. Combine that with a fairly neutral opinion of the series as a whole, and you’ll maybe see why I’ve not had the same drive to pick it up.

On the one hand, I am not prepared to abandon it entirely yet. I’ve not given it a good chance to get going, but also it would mean abandoning a series with just one book left. Instead, I think I will pick up something else in the meantime and try and come back to A Darkness at Sethanon.

 

A Promised Land

Better progress has been made with A Promised Land by Barack Obama. On the one hand, this is surprising. I’m not one for taking an interest in politics or going out of my way to read about it. However, I’m making an exception for Barack Obama. I like him on the whole, and I also like this as an audiobook because Barack narrates it himself.

It feels so much more like an intimate story of being told about his life as opposed to it being narrated to me impartially by someone else. I’m glad I picked this up in audio format as it’s the kind of content I can listen to quite easily.

Over the course of the week, I have listened to just under four hours of his book so far. It’s a 29-hour affair in total, so I still have a long way to go! However, I’m engaged, and that was always going to be the deciding factor in whether I stuck with A Promised Land or not.


In Every Mirror She’s Black

Instead of A Darkness at Sethanon, I picked up and read the first 30 pages of In Every Mirror She’s Black this evening. Broadly speaking, I’m getting on better with it. I’m still just getting introduced to the characters and what is going on; but I’m intrigued by the overlap in each of the three main character storylines and where they will progress.

Obviously, just scratching the surface of this book, there is very little I can say right now. What I will say is that this book is going to be my priority over the next week. Maybe then I’ll pick up A Darkness at Sethanon for a second go.


Books Discovered

Since I have acquired a number of books lately, I’ve behaved and not added to the TBR this week.


Coming Up…

The first post of next week will be a book tag which centres on my TBR! Just about everyone knows it’s long enough to warrant some attention. It’ll be nice to post something lighthearted and fun too!

This week’s planned First Lines Friday will be coming to you best week instead. It would be cheesy and difficult for me to try and find a Valentine’s-themed book. But hey, maybe that’s a challenge I can take on? I might struggle, but I’ll have a go.

Finally, I’ll be back with another Sunday Summary update post for you. Fingers crossed I’ll have more in the way of reading updates for you ☺️

Thanks for reading today’s Sunday Summary update! Have a great week, and I’ll see you in the next one.

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Sunday Summary – 2nd February 2025

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In today’s Sunday Summary, I have plenty of reading updates for you! I can’t wait to share that progress with you. Before that, though, let’s take a look at the blog posts I’ve shared so far this week.

My first post of the week was a post outlining a number of series I want to finish in 2025. With many series so close to completion, I’ve outlined those I plan to prioritise to help meet my goal this year.

Next, I shared my monthly wrap-up for January yesterday. Whilst I didn’t get to all the books on my January TBR, I read no less than 3 five-star reads in the first month of 2025. If you’re curious to see what those books were, that’s the post to check out!

 

Books Read

Firefight

I achieved the completion of Firefight that I hoped for last week! Listening to Firefight on audiobook has been a great experience – so much so, I’ve got the final book in the same format.

Firefight was every bit as good as I expected. I had no idea what was going to happen, but that was half the fun. I always had doubts on certain characters and perspectives, so it was interesting to see some of those twists play out.

Brandon Sanderson is always a great author to pick up. He’s one I can always rely on if I need a pick-me-up or if I’m looking to guarantee a great read. Part of the reason I picked it up so early in the year was to have a great start, but also set myself up for a series completion this year.

If you read yesterday’s monthly wrap-up, you’ll know I rated this book five stars.


A Darkness at Sethanon

Next, I picked up and read the first few chapters of A Darkness at Sethanon by Raymond E. Feist. As I mentioned in my monthly wrap-up as well, I have only just started this book this week.

At the present time, I’ve gotten to grips with where I’m at in the series so far. It’s been a while since I picked up the earlier books. I’ve had to remind myself of what’s happened to date. However, that’s now been settled and now I’m ready to dig into this last instalment of the series.


Fearing the Black Body: The Racial Origins of Fat Phobia

In what has to be a record, I have listened to the entirety of Fearing the Black Body this weekend! I’ve made the most of the time I’ve had and listened to several hours of the audio both yesterday and today.

I’ve picked up this book as February is Black History Month. However, I had my own incentives to listen to it. As a larger woman myself, I’m not a stranger to ridicule and judgement for my size. Thankfully, I’ve long left the negativity and judgement of teenage peers in my schooldays behind. Nowadays, it’s more the case that whenever I go to the doctor, my weight is mentioned. Still, it’s a topic of interest to me as it’s influenced my life growing up.

It hadn’t really occurred to me before that fat phobia could have origins in racial discrimination and religious segregation. What this book is one argument towards this, that’s not to say it is indefinitely. I can see the logic in it though, and the author puts forward solid historical facts and studies that support this argument.

Clearly, the speed at which I’ve listened to this audiobook will tell you that I found this engaging and a topic of interest.


Books Discovered

As I mentioned earlier in this Sunday Summary, I have acquired a copy of Calamity in audiobook form this week. Thankfully, I already had the Audible credits to do it with, so it didn’t cost me anything.

Aside from that, I’ve also gotten copies I need for February’s TBR. If you want to see what those are, read on to find out when that post goes live!


Coming Up…

The first post I’m sharing next week is my Monthly TBR. You don’t have long to wait for it either, because it’s coming out on Monday. In fact, as of drafting this post, I already have that one drafted and ready for editing. If you’re looking forward to seeing which books I plan to pick up in February, as well as the theme for this month’s reading, come back tomorrow and all will be revealed.

Next, I plan to share a book review with you on Thursday. In that post, my intention is to review the first book in a mixed-media series co-authored by Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman. Do you know what it is? If not, you don’t have long to wait to find out!

I’m back again on Friday, so not long to wait once again. In Friday’s regular feature, it is the turn of my First Lines Friday post. With plenty of other content to think about already this week, I’m not going to restrict myself by setting any challenges. As of this Sunday Summary, I have absolutely no idea which book I’m going to pick either. We’re both in the dark as each other.

Lastly, I’ll be back with another weekly update in the form of my Sunday Summary post. Will I have as much reading progress to share with you next week? That remains to be seen. I could always be hopeful, but I do think this week has been a bit of an anomaly. Let’s not write myself off though, and we’ll wait and see.

That’s all from me in this weekly Sunday Summary, so consider yourself duly caught up with all my reading going on. What are you currently reading?

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Top Ten Tuesday – The Ten Most Recent Additions to My Book Collection

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In today’s Top Ten Tuesday post, I share my ten most recent additions to my book collection. Between Christmas and my own wanderings into the book store (always dangerous for my bank account), I’ve not had to look far for the features in this post.

Hopefully this Top Ten Tuesday will give you some bookish inspiration for future reads. It certainly won’t do anything to make me feel better about my bank account balance, but that’s my own problem 😅

Just kidding, I have no remorse!

 

The Ten Most Recent Additions to My Book Collection


The Earth Transformed

I recently went on a bit of a spending spree in Waterstones, and purchased a copy of The Earth Transformed. It’s not because I’ve discovered the book before; rather, the premise of the book caught my attention there and then. It’s fair to say it was a bit of a ‘whim’ purchase.


A Man Called Ove

Although not officially on my TBR at the point I purchased a copy, I have been eyeing up A Man Called Ove for some time. In fact, I suggested it as one of our work book club’s first reads mid-last year. Having heard what I have about the book, I have high expectations. I love the idea of the character and if the introduction I featured in last week’s First Lines Friday is anything to go by, it should be a cracker.


Ultra-Processed People

I’ve looked at Ultra-Processed People a few times as well before getting my copy a few weeks ago. It seems especially relevant this year as I’m trying to be more mindful of the food I eat.

It’s easier to make better choices when you’re more informed about what is good and what is not, right?

 

This Book May Save Your Life

The book that’s been the longest on my TBR in this Top Ten Tuesday is This Book May Save Your Life.

I actually added this to the TBR in September 2023. The author has created a lot of short-form content on the likes of Facebook and it was through those I discovered the book.

My expectation is that the author’s humour and quirky fact finding fill make for a fun read. I’m sure the book will also be somewhat useful, but it’s for the humour I’m looking forward to reading it.

 

The Anxious Generation

I had added The Anxious Generation to my reading list a few weeks before picking up a copy. It just happens that Waterstones were doing a buy one get one half price feature and included this particular book.

Thankfully, I’m of an age where I just missed out on technology and social media dominating my childhood. I’m glad that it didn’t! I would’ve hated to grow up in today’s society. It’s going to be interesting to read about the impact that’s had on children today.


Julia

I received a copy of Julia for Christmas. I had asked for a clothbound classic edition of 1984 by George Orwell. I also received a copy of this book as a companion to that.

I’m looking forward to reading Julia as it presents a more modern take on the story with a different perspective on events.


1984

As I mentioned above, I received a copy of 1984 by George Orwell for Christmas I have read this book a couple of times before school (with admittedly not a great rating from me then. However, I re-read the book as an adult and in the context of not having to study it for an assignment. The experience was a completely different one and I loved the book!

I expect this is a classic I will re-read time and again. Now I have a fancy edition to pick up…


Shuggie Bain

Shuggie Bain is not the type of book I would have picked up of my own volition. Rather, our book club at work are reading Shuggie Bain at the moment. So, I purchased my copy secondhand ahead of the club meet next week.

It’s been good to pick up something different. One of the reading resolutions I set myself this year is to read out of my comfort zone. This book definitely fits into that category!

It’s a shame that children such a Shuggie have to grow up in the way they do. As a young child, he is far too aware of the unsavoury side of life. He is bullied at the age of 8+ because he is gay. I’m not even sure he knows it yet, but other kids do. He is also aware of his mother‘s depression and dependency on alcohol. It’s proving a difficult read for this reason, but it will also make great discussion in book club.


Eve

I bought Eve, again opportunistically, because I like the sound of the book. There’s quite a lot of these in this Top Ten Tuesday. That fact hasn’t escaped me.

I’m sure readers are all too aware that the impact women have had on society historically has been… downplayed.

Eve sets to set the score straight. Even if the impact of women has been written out of the history books, it cannot be excluded from our biology. The human body has a lot to thank women for. From how the female body helps provide immunisation (and thus survival) to infants to why we’re more likely to get Alzheimer’s, I’m looking forward to this scientific angle on why women are who we are today.


Orbital

Orbital was featured in Waterstones (you can tell where I do a lot of my physical book shopping…) as the Booker Prize winner for 2024. I liked the sound of it, so I bought myself a copy.

I also like that it’s a shorter book. I regularly pick up large fantasy novels. When I need something shorter to break up that reading, Orbital will be perfect.


Summary

Thanks for reading today’s Top Ten Tuesday feature. Have you purchased or received any new books lately?

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Monthly Wrap-Up – December 2024

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December’s monthly wrap-up is here, and I have great books to share with you! For the first time in a while, I had time left over at the end of the month to choose a mood read! It was a novelty, actually…

Shall we take a look at what I read in December?


Books Read


The Eye of the World

As of my December Monthly TBR post, I had 420 pages of progress, or 55%, left of The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan. It is not a small book— in fact, it is the longest I read in 2024.

It took me until 20th December to read The Eye of the World, but I had a great time. Fortunately, I had time off work and some time to kill when out Christmas shopping. Then there was a morning spent in town waiting for work to be done on my car. You can be sure I brought my book or Kindle with me to pass the time. Otherwise, I’d probably have only just finished this by the end of the month.

I enjoyed The Eye of the World, and I’m curious as to where the rest of the series will take us. This first book has set down a good foundation. But, there is a lot that has yet to be explored. It’ll be good to see some of that fleshed out in its sequel, The Great Hunt.

I expect I’ll pick this up before long— especially as I have a copy already!


Three Sisters

Leaving off from my last monthly wrap-up post, I had just started and listened to the first 2 hrs of Three Sisters before the end of the month.

Truly, I devoured this audiobook. Especially when you consider how long it took me to listen to Defiant, I finished Three Sisters in record time.

Again, I took advantage of being on leave and listening whilst performing the usual Christmas preparations like wrapping presents. I recall doing that last year, and honestly, it makes the task more enjoyable. It’s a bit of a strange combination; listening to a fictional story about the institutionalised suffering of Jews and prisoners of war (among others) during the festive period isn’t exactly typical. However, it’s one of my favourite genres and topics.

I loved Three Sisters, and rated it 5 stars accordingly. It was also a success on completion as it’s a trilogy I’ve now completed 🥳

Next, I have a book written by Heather Morris called Sisters Under the Rising Sun, which I’m sure I’ll pick up soon too.


The Woman Who Would Be King

The Woman Who Would Be King was my first foray into non-fiction Egyptology and is my only non-fiction in this monthly wrap-up. I was originally drawn to the book as I wanted to learn more about this little-known female King and how she was erased from history.

Having never read anything like this before, I had no idea what to expect. However, in all, I considered it a well-rounded book.

Naturally, with the nature of Hatshepsut’s erasure from history (which I found out in this book isn’t necessarily personal), there are a lot of unknowns and conjecture. But, all in all, I think the author did well to explore a few different options or interpretations of what is known.

Given my experience of this book, I plan to read and watch more documentaries on the subject. Reading The Woman Who Would Be King really emphasised how different civilisations were then, and I’d like to learn more.


The Priory of the Orange Tree

Before the end of the month, I made a solid 55% progress with The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon. As with Three Sisters, I made the most of time off and opportunities where I couldn’t sit down and read conventionally to listen to this book. Think driving in the car, etc. I’ve also been working on a cross-stitch project I’ve had ongoing for a while; these two hobbies go well together!

It’s been a good while since I listened to a fantasy audiobook. I don’t do it too often as I find I take in details better by reading rather than listening. However, as I’ve not been doing anything too taxing and I’ve made the progress I did in a smaller window, I’ve got a better grasp of the world and events than anticipated.

The Priory of the Orange Tree continues to be a current read, and I’m looking forward to this being one of my first finishes of 2025. I have high hopes for it being a highly ranked read!


Fool’s Errand

The last book to feature in this monthly wrap-up for December is my last current read. I picked up Fool’s Errand in the final days of December. I didn’t set a large TBR for December, and as a result, I saw the end of it for the first time in a while.

Honestly, I’ve enjoyed having the time to pick up a mood read. I nearly picked up Fool’s Errand in late November (I picked up The Eye of the World instead). It’s good to be back in the world of Hobb and another very different style of epic fantasy.

Robin Hobb is a favourite, and I picked the next book up in her Realm of the Elderlings series for two reasons. One, it will help me make progress in that ongoing series. Two, and more importantly, I expect to love this book, and I’ll start my 2025 reading list on a high.

As of this monthly wrap-up post, I’m 56 pages in. It’s a solid start, and I have plenty of reading ahead of me!


Summary

The fantasy genre dominated this monthly TBR, and it’s been a fun month of reading for it. I do love how diversely I read as a whole. However, it’s my favourite genre and will always be my baby.

As well, it was a novelty to finish my Monthly TBR and give myself a chance to pick up a mood read at the end of the month. As well, I’ve lined myself up with some great reads to take forward into January and 2025 as a whole.

What did you read in December? What was your best read of the year?

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Sunday Summary – 29th December 2024

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Welcome to my last Sunday Summary of 2024. I can’t believe how quickly the year has flown!

This week has been a relatively quiet one on the blog. I took a few days off to celebrate Christmas with friends and family for the first half of the week. I don’t know about you, but I had a really great day. It’s the first time we’ve done it a little differently this year, but it worked out really well.

Back to business for the second half of this week, I shared a First Lines Friday post featuring a historical fiction novel I devoured recently and I expect to feature on my upcoming best reads of 2024 list.

 

Books Read


The Priory of the Orange Tree

I’m nothing if not consistent, as I’ve listened to another 5 and a half hours of The Priory of the Orange Tree this week. Admittedly, I’ve done most of that today whilst taking down Christmas decorations and generally pottering around the house. Call me Scrooge if you wish for taking them down so early, but I was planning on doing it no later than New Year’s Day anyway. I love Christmas, but when it’s done, I’m ready for it to be done with as well.

Overall, I’m now 55% of the way through The Priory of the Orange Tree. I feel like I’m getting a better grasp of characters, events, and how things are going to tie together a little bit. When I first started, there was quite a lot to take in and especially in audio format. Broadly, it’s a format that I really need to pay attention to in order to take up such detail. Naturally, in a fully invented fantasy world, there’s a lot to take in! However, I’m confident I’ve got the grasp of things now and I’m really enjoying this audio.

Story aside, I can recommend this audiobook for its production; I am really enjoying the narrator and how she is portraying characters through her voice. She’s making the job of following along with her a lot easier.

You can probably tell that I’m looking forward to continuing with this listen, and I expect to take this through into the beginning of the New Year. If my first impressions are anything to go by, this is going to be a highly rated book to kick off 2025 with!


The Woman Who Would Be King

As of my last Sunday Summary post, I had only just started The Woman Who Would Be King by Kara Cooney. To be more precise, I’d only made progress with the first 12% of the book.

I unexpectedly finished this last night. I say unexpectedly because the end of the book is actually 68% of the way through the e-book’s total page count. There are a lot of references and notes that go along with this book, and they take up the last 30%.

I confess, I’m not one to particularly go through these notes and verify the sources and assumptions that have come from them. I have better things to do… like read more books! That said, it is the kind of book that you could take from it what you will. If you want to engage in further reading, you absolutely can. I remember watching some television documentaries years ago that touch on some of the key individuals within this book, and reading this has inspired me to go and watch more.

I enjoyed the content of The Woman Who Would Be King. Whilst there are naturally some assumptions and opinions shared throughout this book based on scant detail available, I think those presented aren’t unreasonable, and counterarguments are provided. The author doesn’t assume authority on the subject but does offer the facts and a reasoned opinion.

It’s the first time I’ve picked up a non-fiction book on ancient Egypt, and I would definitely like to read more of the subject in the future.


Fool’s Errand

Finally, the last book I’ll feature in this Sunday Summary post is my current read, Fool’s Errand by Robin Hobb.

After finishing The Woman Who Would Be King last night, I found myself in a bit of a strange position. I’ve not really finished a monthly TBR for quite some time. Having gotten to the end of my prescribed list, I had full freedom to pick up whatever I wanted to do next. My main priority was picking up a fantastic read to get started with the new year.

I had debated picking up Fool’s Errand instead  of The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan. In fact, I got somebody else to pick out of the two for me. Robin Hobb is fast becoming one of my favourite fantasy authors. I have every confidence that I’m going to enjoy this first book of her next trilogy in the Realm of the Elderlings series. Picking up this book is also going to fit in well with some of my upcoming reading goals that I’ll be sharing in the next week or so. Plus, it’s exciting to get back to visiting, or rather revisiting, some characters from the first trilogy in the wider series.

I confess that isn’t too much to tell you at this point given I’m only 25 or so pages into this narrative. However, I have enjoyed the introduction and I’m looking forward to catching up with all my favourite characters!


Books Discovered

I received a couple of books for Christmas in addition to vouchers to spend at a later date (amongst other lovely gifts – thanks to everyone for them).

The first of these books is one I have already read at least twice and will no doubt go back to again in the future. I received the Penguin clothbound classic edition of 1984 by George Orwell, which is a book I’d asked for.

However, in addition to this, I received a copy of a book set in the same place but offers a different perspective. I had no idea Julia even existed or that it offered a more feminist take on the classic world originally set out by George Orwell. Rather than telling an alternate version, this works alongside 1984 and offers a different perspective. I suspect I’ll end up reading the two side-by-side so I can appreciate the original again before taking a look at this companion narrative.


Coming Up…

New Year is fast approaching, so that means it’s going to be a busy time coming up on my blog. Not only do I have the impending monthly wrap-up and January TBR to share with you, but I also have a recap of the year to share and new reading goals to set. I’m not going to get all that done next week. It’s a lot to do anyway, but it’s also one of the busiest times I have at work. So, to avoid burnout or overcommitment, some of these posts will drag out into the following week.

So, what is actually on the agenda for next week? My first post of next week will go live on Wednesday, the 1st of January. That will be my monthly wrap-up for December.

On Saturday, I’ll be back on the blog sharing a wrap-up for the year and a review of where I got to with my 2024 resolutions and goals.

Finally, on Sunday, I’ll be back for the usual weekly round-up, also known as my Sunday Summary post, to update you on my current reads.

If you’re still with me, thanks for taking the time to read today’s Sunday Summary catch-up. I hope you have had a great week yourself and that I will see you around very soon! What is the last book you’ve picked up in 2024?

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Sunday Summary – 22nd December 2024

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This is my last Sunday Summary post before the Big Day – you know… the C word! Are you ready? Before I get too excited thinking ahead, let’s jump in with my weekly recap of all things bookish and blog-related!

I started off the week with a late Top Ten Tuesday post. This week’s feature was all about my Winter 2024/2025 TBR. Weighing in at the end at over 1600 words, it really goes to show that when I say I’m excited about books, I can’t shut up about them!

Friday’s Shelf Control feature did me a service in helping me take three books off my upcoming reading list before settling on Middlegame by Seanan McGuire. If you like fantasy like myself but don’t necessarily want to commit to a series, check out this book. Whilst it is technically part of a trilogy, it can be read standalone.


Books Read


The Eye of the World

I have a finish to share with you this week! As I expected, I blitzed through the final 25% of The Eye of the World. I’m glad I picked up this book again despite not finishing it the first time I tried it. That first read and ultimate put on hold was because I was trying to read this book at a time when I didn’t have the mental stamina for a chunky book.

What was different about this time is that I picked The Eye of the World up as a mood read. I specifically picked it because I wanted a chunky book after reading several shorter ones. Honestly, I didn’t really know what to expect in terms of the conclusion for this first book as I know it’s part of a big series. I’ve therefore gone into it pretty blind but that’s been a good thing. Not only was the ending of this first book engaging in its own right, but it also has me asking questions about where the series is going to go next!

The Great Hunt is on my shelf ready to pick up when I want the answer to this question!


The Priory of the Orange Tree

I’ve made another 5 and a half hours of progress with The Priory of the Orange Tree this week. Including progress from last week too, I’m now a third of the way through the audio.

Whilst I think I’m faring okay so far in following characters and places, the true test will be when I come to review the book. Maybe I’ll start making some notes to be sure! 😂

I’m intrigued by the storyline and where it’s going to go. At where I’m at in the storyline, I’m not sure just how pieces are going to slot together just yet. There’s plenty of time to find out! I’ve been listening to this audio and making good progress with a cross stitch I’ve got on the go over the last week. I’ve still got a few days of leave yet, so I’ll be continuing with that.

 

The Woman Who Would Be King

After finishing The Eye of the World, I’ve picked up what is probably my final non-fiction book of the year.

The Woman Who Would Be King is about a little-known female Pharaoh who has been almost lost to time. Hatshepsut (pronounced Hat-Shup-Soot according to Google – in case your eyes glazed over when reading the name like mine did the first time!) did everything right. She performed her duties but failed to bear a son. Instead, she ruled in a world of men for 20-odd years. How did she do it? It was pretty unprecedented for the time, and we have but fragments to look back on and piece it together.

I’m only about 12% through the book as of this Sunday Summary. There’s not too much to write about right now beyond its solid introduction. I’m looking forward to reading on to find out more!

 

Books Discovered

My net position in terms of my TBR is down 3 this week from my last Sunday Summary update. However, I have added one book to my TBR this week after chatting to my mum.

She has recently read and enjoyed three books by Claire Douglas, and I’ve added one of those to my reading list to give her a try. The book I chose was The Woman Who Lied.


Coming Up…

With Christmas imminently around the corner, I’m taking the next few days off to enjoy the festive period with friends and family. That’s what it’s about, after all! Just don’t tell that to the part of me that stressed and obsessed over what gifts to buy this year…

However, I’m back on Friday with my usual First Lines Friday post. It’s what you’re expecting and honestly, I want to keep it simple. I’m back at work for pre-year end madness so I don’t want anything too mentally taxing.

Finally, I’ll be back for my last Sunday Summary post of the year this time next week. It’ll all be over and I’ll be preparing for a busy period both at work and here on the blog!

Until next time, enjoy the rest of your week and I look forward to catching up with you in my next Sunday Summary.

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