Tag: Sarah J Maas

Monthly TBR – October 2026

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My monthly TBR for October is intentionally tamer. Whilst I’m still looking to hit some of my reading goals, I’m deliberately not setting a long list this month. If the last few months have showed anything, it’s that my reading pace is a little slower of late. I’m spending time with other hobbies and commitments. It shows in the number of monthly TBR’s I’ve gotten nowhere near finishing. 

So, what do I plan to read with this reduced list? I’ve still got some Booker longlist novels to share. Blog tour obligations. 2026 new releases I feature. That, and I’m still concluding my Throne of Glass readalong. However, rather than including a long list of books around these commitments, I’m not pressurising myself. If I finish the list, maybe I’ll naturally mood read to fill the gap? If nothing else, the promise of the luxury of choice will make a change. 

October 2026 Monthly TBR

Kingdom of Ash

Goodreads

Last month, I didn’t get to the end of Kingdom of Ash. In part, I needed to prioritise another audiobook listen that I’ll talk about shortly. However, I also had plenty of missed opportunities to listen to audiobooks, but didn’t make the most of them. 

I don’t know if it’s just that I have a lot on at the moment, or that I’m hesitant to get to the end. Probably a combination of all three, if I’m honest. However, in better news, I’ve made more progress with this audiobook already this week and I think I’m back in the game. I suppose I shouldn’t count my chickens before they hatch, but equally, I’m not one to lean too far into pessimism either. 

Let’s see what progress looks like over this weekend and go from there! 

Debt Reckoning

Goodreads

It feels weird talking about a book in a monthly TBR when you completed it several days ago, but that’s where we’re at! If you are a regular reader, you’ll know that I reviewed this book earlier this week. This was the audiobook I needed to prioritise given the looming deadline. With work busy over the last week or so, plus another blog tour deadline, I started early. It’s a good job too. 

I started this audiobook back at the end of September and still finished it just a couple of days before the blog tour was due. Naturally, I’ve already talked about this book on my blog. So, if you’re interested in a political thriller that’s both action-packed and engaging as well as informative and topical, go take a look at my review. 

One More Hour of Daylight

Goodreads

My next blog tour read came in thick and fast. As of this monthly TBR, this is my second completed read of the month. Given reading progress has been slow of late, it makes a significant change to have some wins already ticked off my monthly TBR already. 

Like Debt Reckoning, I’ve already reviewed this book. It’s also full of action and juggles storytelling with present day action. Unlike Debt Reckoning, this is a historical fiction novel set in WW2. It’s just a bit different! However, both were great reads, and this one has the added bonus of leaning into my reading preferences. This comes from my favourite genre. Go check out my thoughts on One More Hour of Daylight here. 

The Wax Child

Goodreads

My September TBR included some International Booker longlist prize books that I wanted to start in the month. Something I’ve never done before is set out to read the longlist. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever read a prizewinning book before this year. Back in January, I read Orbital by Samantha Harvey to kick off the year. I also have The Promise on my TBR, which won a prize back in 2021. However, by and large, it’s not something I’ve ever attempted. 

I have to say, I haven’t gotten off to the set of starts. In terms of progress, I only tried and DNF’d The Witch last month. To be honest, my experience put me off starting The Wax Child. I didn’t want the book to feel too similar and get lumped into the same bucket. However, new month, fresh start. I’ve also read some good books in between, so here’s to a fresh start! 

The Director 

Goodreads

Another International Booker Prize 2026 longlist I want to get to is The Director. After a poor start with my prize longlist in September, I wanted to go for a slightly safer option on the list. Leaning into my recent love of One More Hour of Daylight, I want to tap into The Director as it’s set around what time World War II. Between the director and the wax child, I’m optimistic for a fresh start with the long list, and that once started, my overall experience with the rest of the prize list is better than the precedent The Witch has set.

The director has a unique take on the individuals impacted by World War II, but also the people in power at that time. Rather than focusing on other areas I’ve widely read about in the genre, including those living in concentration camps, we instead are faced with a particularly unpleasant character high up in Hitler’s regime, Joseph Goebbels. I’m looking forward to the fresh take. 

The Language of Liars

Goodreads

The language of liars is a pretty short novel, so I’m surprised I haven’t got to it already. When I talked about this book in my Fall TBR, not only did I talk about my intention to read this book soon. I also mentioned that this book has made it onto at least a couple of TBR’s and not in front of my eyeballs. That I’m keen to change. For such a short book, I’m hoping I can fly through this and tick this 2026 release off my list.

If you are unfamiliar with the concept of the book, the language of liars is about science-fiction espionage novel that I am excited to read because it seems to have emphasis on language and integrating into a society where you don’t belong. If this is also your cup of tea, can I also point you to One More Hour of Daylight, which has a similar aspect to the narrative. It’s because I have read and loved that book recently that I’m all the more excited to finally pick up The Language of Liars. At 161 pages, there really is no excuse for this book to find itself unread after a third month of intention.

Dungeon Crawler Carl

Goodreads

In a recent First Lines Friday post, I set out to feature something both fun and different. Whilst I had heard of the book at the time I featured it, I quickly added Dungeon Crawler Carl to my TBR. What can I say, the idea of a televised, post-apocalyptic situation is ridiculous in the first place. Combine that with two main protagonists who play off each other, and one of those being Carl’s sassy ex-girlfriend’s talking Persian cat… well, colour me intrigued.

Given reading progress has been a little bit slow of late, I am deliberately picking up this book to change the pace and style of books I’m reading. I’m looking for something a little less serious (in contrast to my booker prize longlist books) and hopefully, my experience of this book matches the wider reception received and I have a new series to devour! 

Get 20% Off Your First Demon This Halloween

Goodreads

Not long ago, I sought help choosing a Halloween novel this year. And, I’m pleased to say I’m not disappointed! The author of Get 20% Off Your First Demon This Halloween got in touch and offered me a copy of the book in exchange for a review. This particular book overlaps the comedy and horror genres. Unusual yes. However, given my recent reading experience, I’m optimistic the comedy and seemingly lighthearted note of the book will pay some dividends.

It’s also nice to feature some independently published authors. As you can probably tell by the volume of blog tours I sign up for, even if the timing isn’t convenient, that I like to try and support indie authors as well as read well-known authors. So, watch the space as I may be able to offer you a very different read to pick up this spooky season.

Metabolical 

Goodreads

For my last read of October, I debated which audiobook to pick up. So far, only Kingdom of Ash is designated an audiobook listen on this monthly TBR. Some books, such as The Language of Liars, are not available in audio format. One of my two recent blog tour reads was in audiobook format, but I’ve finished it already.

That doesn’t leave very many options for other books I could pick up in audio. So, I instead turned to some audiobooks I already own and have not yet scheduled time to read. One title caught my attention as it serves as a good refresher for a book I read last year. That book is Metabolical. If you have a read or are interested in another book called ultra processed people, then I should think metabolical will also be up your alley. At least, based on my enjoyment of ultra processed people, that’s why I’m picking up Metabolical. Not only will I find this an engaging listen from a learning perspective, but it’s also nice to have a non-fiction book make it onto this monthly TBR.

Summary 

My October monthly TBR still has a decent page count to it, but I’m excited to pick up some shorter books this month. I’ve also gotten off to a pretty good start, finishing both Debt reckoning and One More Hour of Daylight so far this week. Can I mark another book as complete before the end of the week? Should I pick up The Language of Liars or The Wax Child for a quick win?

What are you reading this spooky season? Let me know in the comments!

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Sunday Summary – 4th October 2026

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I can’t believe it’s Sunday night again. To be fair, this weekend has been a short one for me. We’re in busy season for me at work, and unfortunately I put in overtime Friday night and most of Saturday. Regretfully, this has had an impact on my reading and blogging plans. More on that later. First, let’s get into the content I managed to share this week!

Because of the overtime, my plans to publish my October TBR have been put back to next week. However, I did publish my Fall TBR post this week, although later than planned. Originally, I’d intended to post this as part of the Top Ten Tuesday series I dip in and out of here at Reviewsfeed. However, when I planned last week’s content in my Sunday Summary, it had slipped my mind I was baking Tuesday evening for a Macmillan Coffee Morning we were hosting at work. So, that Fall TBR came out in its own name and right on Thursday instead. It’s a shorter, and hopefully more intentional list too. Fingers crossed I can tick all five books off the list in the next couple of months… 

Books Read

Debt Reckoning 

With an upcoming blog tour obligation, you would think that I’d have listened to a little bit more than one chapter of this audiobook this week. And, that was my intention.

However, I’m still around little over 60% into this audiobook. Turn out, audiobooks on Spotify don’t play very well through the app on my car. I haven’t figured out how to get it to platy more than one chapter at a time without my manually having to try and change the track. It also gets stuck, and I’m not sure if it’s an app problem or an unreliable mobile network problem. So, really it just doesn’t work well for me. The pity is, I’ve also been busy this weekend with work yesterday and family commitments today. I typically make most of my audio reading progress at the weekend. Saturday was my failsafe for finishing this audiobook ahead of writing my review tomorrow night to go live Tuesday. 

Looks like I’m listening before bed tonight and bingeing the rest tomorrow in my lunch hour, and well, any spare minute I have/need! 

Kingdom of Ash 

After my attempt to listen to Debt Reckoning on the way home from work going awry, I switched to Kingdom of Ash. However, that 16minuted of progress is all I have to my name this week. Again, it’s in part down to the same reasons as progress with Debt Reckoning. Not only that, but naturally with a review obligation for Debt Reckoning looming, it takes priority over Kingdom of Ash. 

Never mind! Naturally, I have the flexibility to carry Kingdom of Ash forward onto my next TBR. Let’s just hope for a better week of reading progress next week. It can’t get much worse if we’re honest. 

Books Discovered

It’s been another quiet week here – no new books to report, although sadly, I’ve not really ticked any off the list either. 

Oh well, onwards and upwards. Life happens and sometimes the books need to be put down. Temporarily… 

Coming Up… 

What I’m Reading… 

Next week has to be a better reading week. I have deadlines. So, here’s the plan in order of priority:-

  • Finish the audiobook Debt Reckoning tomorrow – review due Tuesday 
  • Read One More Hour of Daylight – I only got my copy last week due to a delivery issue but starting tonight. Review due Thursday
  • Continue the audiobook of Kingdom of Ash
  • Read The Wax Child by Olga Ravn
  • Read The Language of Liars – can I boost my reading with a short book next weekend ahead of my next Sunday Summary

Blog

With a busy schedule already next week, really, my only option to get my October TBR out to you in good time is to go live tomorrow. So, no rest for the wicked it seems! Whilst I will have some carryovers from September, I’m thinking a little bit of a fresh start is needed. Thankfully, after this week I have no new blog tour obligations until mid-November. So, I have some flexibility in my chosen reads. Maybe I can pull a couple off my Fall TBR? 

Next, my review of Debt Reckoning will be hot off the press Tuesday morning. Naturally, the book will be very fresh in my mind reviewing it, so I can only hope to do the book justice. I can assure you that I’m really enjoying the book so far and it has been an entertaining yet also educational listen. Will the ending do the book justice? I can’t wait to tell you… spoiler-free, of course… 

On Thursday, I’m back with another review. This is for One More Hour of Daylight. Now, as of this Sunday Summary I have yet to actually start this one. Again, I’d planned to make a start this weekend, but quarter end deadlines needed some extra work to be met compared to usual. Nevertheless, I’m going to have a hot shower and then finish relaxing with this book tonight. The good news is that it fits into a genre and time setting I love reading – World War 2! My hope is to dive into this one and get immersed pretty quickly! 

Finally, I’ll give myself a few days off before coming back with another Sunday Summary update. I’ll need the time to get back to reading and catching up for the poor performance I made this week. I want a better start to October and with my upcoming October TBR. Let’s put in the work to get myself there. 

Summary 

I know this Sunday Summary is very light on updates. Sorry about that. Things just got in the way this week, and any downtime I have had I’ve been crocheting or doing something mindless to unwind. It’s a busy time for me at work and personally right now. Things will get better, and I’m optimistic my deadlines next week will kick me up the butt and reinstate some of my old reading habits. 

Have you read much over the last week? If so, what are you reading at the moment? 

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Sunday Summary – 27th September 2026

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Happy Sunday friends! Thankfully, this Sunday Summary has more reading progress to report than in the last couple of weeks. It wouldn’t have been difficult to have clocked in less reading, put it that way…

Before we get into the books I have picked up and have contributed to this Sunday Summary update, let’s take a look at the blog posts I’ve shared. In order to give myself more reading time, I have only shared one post this week. That was my blog tour review for Invisible by Heleyne Hammersley. If you have yet to take a look at that review, he is a handy link for you to go and check it out. 

Books Read

Invisible

Naturally, with a blog tour review due earlier this week, finishing Invisible was my reading priority at the start of the week. Thankfully, reading progress remained much the same as I reported in last week’s Sunday Summary update. I got on really well with the book! 

In fact, it turned out to be just the type of read I needed. An engaging crime storyline with an easy to read narrative style, this book has done wonders to help with the reading slump I’ve experienced elsewhere in the month. 

Obviously, I don’t want to detract from encouraging you to go and read that review for yourself. So, no spoilers. Go check it out. Not only that, but you also have an opportunity to win a copy of the book for yourself. Check out that review here, and don’t forget to log yourself an entry for the giveaway. More details about that are also in that post.

The Witch

Over the last couple of Sunday Summary update posts, I’ve shared difficulties with reading The Witch. If you have read my monthly TBR post, you will know that I’ve set out to start reading towards the Booker Prize longlist books this year.

I confess, although The Witch only a short narrative, I’m not really getting on with it. Not much seems to be happening, and the 60-odd percent progress I’ve made has been a bit of a slog. Because the book is so short, I’ve previously been determined to get to the end, whatever it takes.

However, after reading a little bit more this week, I have changed my tune. There is absolutely no point struggling through this book when I don’t have to. I have tried, but I have a very little motivation to pick up this read and it’s now having a negative effect on the rest of my month. So, I’m going to cut my losses and DNF this one.

Debt Reckoning 

Unlike The Witch, I have made significant progress with a blog tour read coming up for review at the beginning of next month. Yesterday, I started the audiobook copy I have of Debt Reckoning. And, I’m really getting on with it! It has been an easy listen whilst generally pottering around the house, but also whilst enjoying craft projects.

If you are unfamiliar, this book is a political thriller novel which has been an interesting read in context of my job. In an approachable way, it looks at the consequences of American debt and the impact of geopolitical tensions and other such scenarios that could result in the American economy getting into trouble. It’s somewhat informative, but it’s done in a way that the fiction element to the book isn’t overshadowed and it gives the book credibility. 

As of this Sunday Summary, I’ve already listened to over half of this audio – I’m at 62%. My review for Debt Reckoning is coming on the 6th of October. I’ve got plenty of time to finish it, and I can’t wait to tell you more. 

Kingdom of Ash 

I haven’t made a whole lot of progress with Kingdom of Ash this week. However, a big part of that has been down to the fact that I prioritised listening to Debt Reckoning yesterday.

One aspect of good news I can share compared to last week Sunday Summary is that I have got myself back into listening to audiobooks in the week again. I mentioned I’ve been a little slack on that front. Whilst not exactly groundbreaking, I have listened to an hour and a half of audio in the week this week. It’s a start, and long may it continue! 

As I said, I’ve ended up prioritising another audiobook this week. That’s purely down to the fact that audio has a deadline. If not for that, I would have continued with Kingdom of Ash, and I would have wanted to continue with it. I’m enjoying the storyline and where things are going. Honestly, I have no idea what is going to happen next in the story. Even still, I’m keen to continue with this one. I am fairly sure it’s going to take me longer than my end of the month target given I have over 15 hours of audio left. Then again, I may just surprise myself? Let’s not get too giddy. I’ll update you next week. 

Books Discovered

I’ve behaved myself this week, staying away from bookshops and generally gleaning opinions of the Internet that make me add books to my reading list. Truthfully, I’ve been replaying Dragon Quest 😂 I haven’t added anything, and I have ticked the book off my list this week. 

Progress is progress 🤷‍♀️

Coming Up… 

What I’m Reading… 

With just a few days left before the end of the month, I’m running out of time to complete my September TBR. Nevertheless, I’m going to do my best to prioritise the reads I’ve started. Here’s my reading plan for the next seven days:- 

  • Read The Wax Child by Olga Ravn
  • Read The Language of Liars – this is also pretty short so definitely doable
  • Start either Julia or Yesteryear
  • Continue the audiobook of Debt Reckoning – hopeful to finish by my next Sunday Summary
  • Continue the audiobook of Kingdom of Ash

Blog

My first post of the week is planned to be a Top Ten Tuesday post. This week would have been the turn of the Fall TBR post, had I taken part. However, I had to plan for my blog tour review so chose not to do it. This week, it’s a ‘fall freebie’. So, with this in mind, I’m planning a variation of that TBR post. What’s coming up on my TBR’s in the coming autumnal season? You’ll have to slick around and find out! 

Later in the week, we’ll officially be into October. So, my monthly wrap-up for September will be going live! As things stand, it’s not going to be a particularly long post… let’s hope I can turn that around in the next couple of days! 

Finally, I’m back next Sunday with my usual Sunday Summary update. Fingers crossed for a week much like this one, and I can tick some quick-win reads off the list to redeem my reading month! 

Summary 

Thanks for checking out this Sunday Summary. Thankfully, I had much more to report on this week, which is good news. I still have some work to do to somewhat redeem my September TBR. However, now I’ve DNF’d The Witch, I can only hope things are looking up. 

What is the last book you DNF’d? 

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Sunday Summary – 20th September 2026

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I confess that today’s Sunday Summary is going to be a little lighter on reading than I’d have hoped. Again. The Witch is proving to be a difficult book to psyche myself up to read. Before we get onto that though, let’s take a look at what I have achieved this week. 

I’ve had another week at attempting to post a book review and coming up short. The good news is, I’m much further along with A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes than I got with last week’s attempt for The Flood. It’s also been a busy week at work. We took part in a volunteer day on Wednesday that resulted in me straining my back. Not very clever of me, but I decided shovelling wood chip into wheelbarrows for an hour and a half was a great idea. What could possibly go wrong? I have to say, that meant I wasn’t feeling up to blogging for a couple days around that. Whilst I am broadly much better after that, cutting the grass today reinvigorated the acheiness a bit… 

But, I did get back on track on Friday. My planned Shelf Control post featured a non-fiction book that would suit anthropology fans. Take a look if you haven’t already! 

Books Read

The Witch

My aim was to push through with The Witch this week so I could move on. However, it’s proving a bit difficult for me to psyche myself up to read. In truth, I’ve managed a few pages… but that is regretfully it! 

I will get to it. If nothing else, I won’t let a 144 page book defeat me. Especially when I’ve only got 90 pages left. Completion by the time I’m drafting next week’s Sunday Summary, I promise! 

Kingdom of Ash 

Last week, I didn’t touch audiobooks at all. However, yesterday I made some progress with Kingdom of Ash whilst working on some craft projects. In the grand scheme of things, I haven’t made much of a dent. However, it’s something! 

Admittedly, I haven’t been listening to audiobooks in the week like I used to – a habit to get back to I think. It’ll certainly make progress go a lot faster. 

Invisible

With an upcoming blog tour next week, thankfully I’m having a better time with Invisible by Heleyne Hammersley. Whilst I’m not close to the finish with this book as I set out in last week’s Sunday Summary, I am doing better with this book than I am The Witch. Not that that’s difficult… 

So far, I’m really getting on with the storyline. Early on there are references to the protagonists earlier experiences in the series. I’m, unusually, reading this 6th book of a series as a standalone. I just wouldn’t have had the time to read the prior books. However, so far it’s reading well as a standalone and I’m curious as to how much this will impact the current storyline. 

Thankfully, I have a deadline to help incentivise reading, not that I need it much at the moment. I’m reviewing this book as part of the upcoming blog tour on the 23rd September. With just a few days to go, I’ve got a close deadline encouraging me to read the book. Let’s just hope I don’t leave it last minute like I’ve done previously. I’m determined not to at the very least. 

Books Discovered

No news is good news here this week. I’ve added nothing new, which is good given I’ve not really made any reading progress to tick books off a TBR… 

Coming Up… 

What I’m Reading… 

Here’s my reading plan for tonight and the  next seven days… it’s pretty much the same as last week… :- 

  • Finish Invisible by Heleyne Hammersley (priority!)
  • Finish The Witch by Marie Ndiaye 
  • Read The Wax Child by Olga Ravn
  • Continue the audiobook of Kingdom of Ash – target to get to 50% by the end of next week

Blog

Next week, I don’t have time to be lax on my book reviews! I’m reviewing Invisible on publication day of the book. No ifs, buts or negotiations. Still, I’m up to task. 

I’m deliberately going to take a break on Friday to catch up with my reading a little bit. Let’s hope I can make more of a dent in my reading list as I’ve got a few books to get through before the end of the month. I haven’t completed any so far! 

Finally, let’s hope taking the pressure off content gives me some time to do more reading so I’ll have a super-productive Sunday Summary next week. Well, I can only hope, yes? 

Summary 

Thanks for reading this week’s pretty short Sunday Summary update. Have you had better reading success than me lately? If so, share what you’ve picked up. 

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Sunday Summary – 6th September 2026

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Happy Sunday friends! I hope you’ve had a great week, however you’ve spent it? Today’s Sunday Summary comes at the end of a pretty productive week. I’ve shared quite a few posts this week. The beginning of the month is always busy for me in that I share my prior month’s monthly wrap-up, shortly followed by a brand new TBR. But, that wasn’t all this week. 

The first post I shared this week was my review of The Other Life of Mary English. This blog tour review came out on the 2nd September. If you enjoy historical fiction that explores new places and points of history, this may be something that ticks that box for you. It certainly did for me! That wasn’t the only reason I enjoyed it though. This particular book focuses on two prominent women in history that existed in places and roles that women didn’t traditionally fill in society. So, I suppose you can say the book has a feminist slant. 

A couple of days later, I posted my August wrap-up. Blog tours and reading obligations kept me turning pages this month. However, I didn’t get to much of my own backlist last month. I’m a bit busy in my personal life at the moment, but I still want to make more time for reading and change that. Speaking of which, I address this in my September TBR, which actually is full of 2026 releases to keep things fresh. I have more blog tours due, but also a number of 2026 releases I want to pick up for my own reasons. In September, I’m almost ignoring the backlist for a change of pace, and to see if this helps re-spark my reading bug. 

Outside of blogging, I did something a little different today. A replica of Christopher Columbus’s flagship, the Nao Santa Maria, was visiting the island. So, I got tickets and we went aboard to see what life was like onboard. I wouldn’t have liked to be the poor sod sent up to the crow’s nest, put it that way! 

Books Read 

The Other Life of Mary English

As of last week’s Sunday Summary update, I’d made a solid start with The Other Life of Mary English, and had a pretty imminent deadline to finish the book. Thankfully, I was able to finish the book ahead of deadline and publish my review on time. I have left books too late in the last month or so, so I’ve had a word with myself. For my tour obligations in September, I’m reading much further ahead of when I need to. The day before a tour has been a late night recently, and I shouldn’t put that pressure on myself. 

I’ve already alluded to the type of book The Other Life of Mary English is in my intro, so I won’t repeat myself. If you’re curious and want to find out more about it, here’s a link to my review so you can check it out. 

Kingdom of Ash

This week, I’ve made solid progress with starting Kingdom of Ash. 

At 984 pages, his is a reasonably long instalment to the Throne of Glass series. And really, so it should be… it’s the last book! Events are finally going to come together, and I can’t wait to see how it all ends. 

This week, I’ve listened to the first 15% of the book, which equates to around 140 pages. That’s not bad, especially when I’ve done so reasonably passively, and during a weekend where I’ve not touched the audiobook for one of the days. My other half was off work today, and we had other plans. 

I’m getting on with the book so far, and looking forward to listening to more over the course of the month. Given the length of the audiobook, I reckon this will take a good portion of the month. As of this Sunday Summary, I’ve still got 18hrs 30mins to listen. Not an insignificant amount anyway. I’ve got another audiobook to listen to, so I can’t procrastinate on this one too hard. Hopefully, getting to the end of the series is motivation to make that feat a little easier. 

The Witch

In a bid to kickstart my September TBR, I’m starting with the shortest read on my September TBR tonight! 

In that post, I talk about how I have reservations on this book given its rating on Goodreads. However, I’m determined to give it a go as it’s a Booker Prize longlist (I’m reading the lot of them – wish me luck). Given the ratings online, but its inclusion in the prize, I can only assume it’s a little polarising. I’m trying to go in with an open mind. I’m only picking this up after this post goes live tonight, but before I turn in. So, in this Sunday Summary I can’t give you any indication as to which side of the fence I’m on. 

You’ll just have to check out next week’s Sunday Summary instalment to find out what the verdict is 🤗

Books Discovered

Can you believe, today, I went into a bookshop and came out empty-handed. I wasn’t dragged out, or under any duress. I know, unbelievable. Honestly, they just didn’t have what I wanted, and I refused to be tempted. Maybe keeping my unread books in boxes under my nose at home is helping remind me that I don’t need more right now 😅

Nevertheless, I have no complaints… 

Coming Up… 

What I’m Reading… 

Here’s my reading plan over the next seven days:- 

  • Read The Witch by Marie Ndiaye 
  • Read The Wax Child by Olga Ravn
  • Start (and hopefully finish) Invisible by Heleyne Hammersley
  • Continue the audiobook of Kingdom of Ash

Blog

This week is a blank slate in terms of content. I have no review obligations this week, nor any other pre-arranged or regular content. So, what on earth do I write about? Well, here’s the plan I’ve come up with. 

I’ve got a backlist of overdue reviews, so it makes sense to tackle the next one on the list. What is that for, you ask? It’s a book called The Flood by Rachel Bennett. My first memories of that book are about the gardening I was doing whilst listening to this particular book. Usually, I take time off later in the year to use up annual leave. At this particular time, I decided it was a great opportunity to catch up with final gardening jobs like cutting the hedges since the restrictions have lifted due to birds nesting and all that. Well, let’s just say the rain had a good go at living up to the title! It was miserable… 

On a more pleasant note, I return later in the week with a First Lines Friday feature. And you know what, I’m going to try and make it fun! How? I have no idea! That’s one to be decided nearer the time. But, my intention is to do something a bit more lighthearted rather than serious. I’ll figure out how I manage that one in a few days. 

Finally, you’ll hear from me again the same time next week with all my promised updates in my next Sunday Summary. Find out what my takes are on Booker Prize longlist books The Witch and The Wax Child. Hopefully, I’ll have more progress on Kingdom of Ash to share. That and more to talk about next week. Hopefully I’ll see you then ☺️

Summary 

That’s everything from me in this Sunday Summary update. What have you started your September TBR with? Are you picking up any autumnal, seasonal reads yet, or are you hanging on to summer vibes as long as possible? 

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Monthly TBR – September 2026

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My monthly TBR for September features more 2026 releases than usual. I don’t know, I think I’m just in the mood for it right now! Between some upcoming blog tour obligations, as well as four other reads I’m picking up that were published in earlier this year as well, this is definitely a reading list to look out for if you enjoy reading newly published books. It’s interesting, because most of the time I read backlist books. However, a change is as good as a rest, they say.

I’m still up to my usual tricks of signing up for blog tours. That hasn’t changed. What is a little bit different? Is that I’m picking up 2026 releases I’ve highlighted as books I want to read this year over on YouTube, as well as starting to read the 2026 Booker Prize longlist.

Readalongs / Reading Obligations

Kingdom of Ash

Goodreads

We finally made it! When I started my Throne of Glass readalong earlier this year, I didn’t really think I was going to get to the end. To be honest, my expectations were to get so far, and for the series to fall short of expectations or not grip me in a way that keeps me reading. Whilst I understand this series is lighter on romance than other Sarah J. Maas books, this is still present in the narrative. There have been a couple of occasions where I have not gelled with that, but I’ve been able to read on and it hasn’t impacted my enjoyment of the storyline overall. 

Finally, we are going to see how this series concludes! I’ve already listened to the first 15% of the audiobook this week. How events will come together at the end I do not know. There are lots of parts in play, and a lot of characters that could influence the storyline in a number of ways. I’m just going to have to discover the ending for myself. Hopefully, I can make good pace with this listen as I’ve got over 18hrs 30mins left to listen to. 

Invisible

I’ve got one blog tour review due later this month, and thankfully I have the copy of this read so I can pick this up imminently. That is Invisible by Heleyne Hammerlsey. 

I don’t typically pick up books that are some way into a series unless I’ve read from the beginning. Invisible is a bit of an exception in that it is the sixth book of a series, but can be read as a standalone. That is what I’m going to be doing. Invisible is a pretty traditional crime genre and plot involving the discovery of a swimmers body. 

However, there was far more to that story. The backstory I don’t necessarily have that The DI in charge of the case is back from work after an incident that endangered her own life. Hopefully some detail is alluded to in this novel so I understand her backstory, because this is clearly going to play a part in the narrative. I’ll let you know how that pans out and whether you can pick this up as a standalone yourselves when I review the book on publication day, 23rd September! 

Debt Reckoning

Goodreads

I’ve signed up to an audiobook blog tour for Debt Reckoning, and I should get my download code in the near future. So, whilst I can’t physically start this book as of drafting this monthly TBR, I do expect to pick this up after listening to Kingdom of Ash. 

Dent Reckoning is a political thriller novel, so a little bit different from the type of books I pick up usually. However, I’m intrigued by the synopsis of this particular book. I’ll tell you a lot more about this one at the beginning of October. However, I can tease you with some thoughts here and there as I progress with this book in my regular Sunday Summary updates this month. My last few blog tours have been pulled together a bit last minute. I’m determined to change that… 

One More Hour of Daylight

Goodreads

Another blog tour obligation due at the beginning of October, date to be confirmed, is One More Hour of Daylight. Yes, I’m leaning into my love of World War II historical fiction here and I’m excited to feature a new release in the genre. 

The World War II history books I have read that sound similar to One More Hour of Daylight being based around English pilots landing in enemy territory. One More Hour of Daylight is the difference in that this includes a storyline that is the other way around. The synopsis hints that the book is somewhat about compassionate nature of humankind. 

Anyway, one I can update you on as I start reading. Again, I don’t think I have a copy of this book yet but I expect to receive it shortly. 

2026 Releases/TBR Returners

The Language of Liars

Goodreads

The Language of Liars remains on my list of books I want to pick up. It originally featured on my July TBR, then August, but I’m going to 100% finish it in September. Hold me accountable folks! 

This is a language based spy novel so is a little bit unusual. I can’t wait to try it. The Language of Liars is another 2026 release, and one I talked about in my 2026 highly anticipated releases YouTube video earlier this year if you want to take a look. 

When I originally put this book on the list, I didn’t appreciate how short it was. However, that’s going to work to my advantage. Not only am I a little behind with my 2026 Goodreads reading goal, I enjoyed picking up shorter reads like Dungeons and Dimwits last month, and I’ve gotten stuck in recent months with larger books like The Pillars of the Earth. So, we’re embracing short narratives in September. There’s more to follow… 

Julia 

Goodreads 

Before we get to that though, we have to revisit Julia. Again. 

In my 2026 resolutions post, I set out my intention to read the original 1984 by George Orwell, then immediately follow up with Julia by Sandra Newman. I got a little bit stuck with 1984 as it is a book I have already read previously. I lost a little motivation with that original title, but did get there in the end. Julia is a new take on that same world and storyline. Thankfully, it’s still fresh enough in my mind that I’ll be able to pick this book up and remember what happened in 1984. 

However, I’m determined not to put it off any longer! 

Yesteryear 

Goodreads

Another 2026 release I discovered recently is Yesteryear. By all accounts, it’s a popular read at the moment. I took a look earlier at potentially borrowing this title digitally from my library, only to discover I would be ninth in the queue! Clearly, this title has a bit of buzz about it.

Admittedly, I hadn’t heard of the book, but rather saw something about a film or TV adaptation featuring Anne Hathaway. It was that news that sparked my interest in this title. It is the last book I’ve added to my overall TBR, so naturally I would normally treat it as the least priority to pick up. However, I’m in the mood for doing something different and I’m intrigued as to why this book is so popular. So, I’m ignoring my backlist and picking up Yesteryear. It can judge me in silence 😂

And some Booker Prize shortlisted novellas… 

The Wax Child

Goodreads 

Earlier this year, I set out my intention to read the 2026 Booker Prize longlist. That list was around 12 or 13 books long, and at the time, I don’t even think the shortlist had come out. I’m sticking with my intention to read the longlist, because if there was one thing I strive for in my reading, it’s to try different things. 

The Wax Child and the next book I feature have some similar themes. They are also both pretty short, as books go. So, they will lean into my want to dip into different books and have fairly short reads to dip into. 

What’s interesting is that whilst these books have been long listed for a prestigious award, neither book has an exceptional rating on Goodreads. Will my view mirror the judges thoughts, or the wider public? 

The Witch 

Goodreads

My second Booker longlist novel, and final book of this monthly TBR, is The Witch. Now I’m absolutely reading this book, there is no question about that. If nothing else, it is only around 150 pages and so achievable regardless of my feelings about it. What scares me is that this book only has a 2.89 star rating on Goodreads. I don’t think I’ve ever read anything that low!

So, 2026 is all about trying new things. Again, it will be interesting to see whether I agree with the general public view or if I like the book! 

Summary 

Yes, I do have a number of titles in this September monthly TBR. However, with three of the nine books on today’s list less than 200 pages, as well as two audiobooks, i’m not asking too much of myself in terms of page count.

I’m looking forward to a reading list of books that have been published this year. That’s not something I ever really set out to do, but this happens to be a happy coincidence. Will I enjoy these new and fairly topical books for a change, or will I wish I had gone back to my backlist. 

There’s only one way to find out… See you on the other side! 

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Monthly Wrap-Up – August 2026

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Reading progress in August felt like a bit of a mixed bag. Whilst I had plenty of blog tour obligations to keep me turning the pages, outside of these, I don’t feel like I got to as much of my reading list as I wanted. Nevertheless, I have a decent number of books to talk to you about in today’s monthly wrap-up post for August. 

Have you read any of the books I feature in today’s monthly wrap-up? Take a gander below to find out! 

Books Read 

Duel of Beasts

Goodreads Link

With my first blog tour obligation for Duel of Beasts coming out on the 2nd of August, you would think I would have finished this book in July ahead of that to post. Alas, that was not the case. Whilst I had started the book in July, it was barely the case. Rather, I ended up binge reading this book ahead of that review post. Thankfully, I got on pretty well with this book. I don’t know what I would have done if I found reading it difficult, or I didn’t gel with the narrative style.

Thankfully, that’s not the case and I talked about my experience with this book over on my blog to review. If you want to check out more, go and take a look at that review here.

Supremacy

Goodreads Link 

I can’t remember when I started supremacy. It was definitely at some point last month, but it could have even been in early July. Reading progress with supremacy was slower than I would have liked. Even still, I did have a good time with this book. I took advantage of a week off in August to make a solid dent in progress. Even still, I only really finished this book towards the end of the month.

If you’re looking for a book that can tell you more about AI, its birth and the origins of the intentions behind the technology, supremacy is an interesting one. The focus of the book is how altruistically the technology started, but inevitably its growth was hindered by access to data which I could only get from major corporations and therefore lose the altruism and get used for commercial gain. 

Dungeons & Dimwits

Goodreads Link 

Dungeons and Dimwits is by far the shortest and quickest read to grace my monthly wrap-up for August. I read this relatively short graphic novel in the space of around half an hour one evening about 2/3 of the way through August. That’s very specific, but it went some way towards getting me back in the reading mood. I’ve got a lot on my plate right now, so I think having a short read to tick off the list and go towards achieving something (I read this for a blog tour obligation, and actually read it in decent time – not something I’ve done very much of lately!)

It also was a very fun and pretty lighthearted read. If you enjoy nerdy games like dungeons and dragons, or generally fantasy of this ilk, then pick up this graphic novel if you want a bit of change.

The Knife Maker of Venice

Goodreads Link 

I went in hard on the blog tours this month. The Knife Maker of Venice is a historical fiction blog tour I took part in later in August. I also ended up reading this book pretty close to deadline. 

However, what I really liked about this historical fiction novel is that it featured a time and setting combination that I have not explored before. We also enjoy a lot of travel, considerably more than the characters who have been enslaved and taken across the world against their will. Within, we get to read deeply personal stories and experience a family bond that chains cannot incumber. 

If you’re interested in picking up this historical fiction book, take a look at my blog tour review here. 

Tower of Dawn

Goodreads Link 

Of all the books I talk about in this monthly wrap-up post for August, I would say Tower of Dawn surprised me the most. 

I’m reading Sarah J Maas’s Throne of Glass series as a way of pushing myself out of my comfort zone. It is a romantic series, which is something I don’t traditionally read. I’m not a big romance fan, so naturally I don’t gravitate to these books in the first instance. 

Tower of Dawn varies from the remainder of the series and doesn’t exactly follow on from Empire of Storms. I didn’t read much about the book before diving into it, so this took me by surprise. However, I enjoyed revising characters that branched off from the main series several books ago. It’s going to contribute to the final storyline, so I can’t wait to see how it all comes to an epic conclusion. 

The Midnight Train

Goodreads Link 

The Midnight Train was the second audiobook I completed in August. In all, audiobook progress went pretty well, and I can share in this monthly wrap-up I’m pretty happy with the progress I made. Although at times it felt slow, I should bear in mind I picked up a fairly sizeable audiobook in the form of Tower of Dawn before picking up The Midnight Train. 

Comparatively, The Midnight Train was a very short listen. I also went into this book with some trepidation as to whether this book would live up to my expectations of The Midnight Library. The Midnight Train is the second book set in this universe, and whilst it tackles similar ideas, it does so from a slightly different perspective. 

Personally, I still really enjoyed this audio. Even though I had high expectations, I liked the change in angle on this book and thankfully, the success of the first book didn’t overshadow the message of The Midnight Train. 

The Other Life of Mary English

Goodreads Link 

My final blog tour read to include in my monthly wrap-up was The Other Life of Mary English. Much like my experience with Duel of Beasts at the beginning of August, I ended up reading The Other Life of Mary English pretty last minute. 

As a result, I actually read the majority of the book on the 1st of September. However, I did start this book on the very last day of August, which is why I’m including it here. 

Naturally, I’ll be talking about this one again in my September TBR and wrap up post. However, you have the benefit of a link to check out this review here given I briefly touched on the book in August. As of the end of the month, I hadn’t read very much there wasn’t really in a position to make much comment on it. That will come later, or in that review. 

Summary 

So, I’ve had quite a few books to read and report on in today’s monthly wrap-up for August. Hopefully next month I can take it a little easier on the blog tour obligations and instead get back to books I want to read and get back on track. 

What have you read this Summer? 

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Sunday Summary – 23rd August 2026

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Sunday has rolled around again folks! Where has the weekend gone? It’s time for another Sunday Summary post, and I have some good bookish updates to share this week! 

Before that though, let’s recap the blog posts I’ve shared so far this week! First, I posted a blog tour review post. That book is The Knife Maker of Venice by David Gilman. Then, I posted a Shelf Control post looking ahead to a Booker prize-winning book on my TBR. It handles tricky topics like race and discrimination. Naturally, they’re topics I like to read about, so I’m excited for this one! 

Books Read 

The Knife Maker of Venice

Last week I’d only just started The Knife Maker of Venice. Naturally, it was my priority read of the week and the one finish I absolutely had to have on today’s Sunday Summary. 

I really enjoyed this historical adventure novel. Set initially in the UK, but covering many international locations including Tunisia and Venice, there was plenty to explore. The book predominantly focuses on the lives of Richard and Beth, siblings, who are captured and enslaved in England before being taken to Venice. Separated, Richard is sold to a blacksmith whilst Beth is held by their capturer, one time flame Challenor. 

The slavery aspect was interesting to read, but what I enjoyed most was learning about the cultural history and tensions in places at this time. It’s not something I’ve read before, so it was a learning journey as well as a fun read! 

Tower of Dawn 

When I left off in last week’s Sunday Summary, I had just 3 and a half hours of audio left. 

I had plenty of time to listen to that amount of audio this week. However, I confess I only finished it today. I listened for around 20 minutes midweek, but finished Tower of Dawn this afternoon. 

I wasn’t expecting Tower of Dawn to take the route it did, but it made for a great change. It’s also set up for a reunion in the final book, and I’m intrigued as to how this series will wrap up. I foresaw the romances, and even the twist in this one. So, nothing too surprising or revelatory in this book. However, it was a decent penultimate book of the series. 

Supremacy: AI, ChatGPT and the Race That Will Change the World

Today, I’ve made more progress with Supremacy. As of drafting this Sunday Summary though, it’s still a current read. I’m hopeful I’ll finish it tonight so I can start a new physical read next week. New week, new start and all that 🤗 

Although I’ve progressed slowly with this one, it’s an informative read. Personally, I’m trying to learn more about AI, its development and limitations as I start to use the tool myself. At work, that is. I don’t use it for my blog. The most techy thing I do here is use speech-to-text to dictate my content sometimes. I’m not sure there’s any other way I would use the tech for my blog, except maybe to brush up social media content wording. 

I’ve got another 80 pages to read tonight, so I won’t be bored! 😅

Dungeons and Dimwits 

Finally, I picked up a graphic novel I’m reviewing next week last night. It was a quick read, given the nature of the book. But you know what? It was a refreshing change and I enjoyed the storyline. 

Based on the gameplay of dungeons and dragons, it leans into my nerdy enjoyment of games and fantasy. It also has a few funny moments, which I wasn’t expecting but loved nonetheless. I can tell you already I would like to read more of these. I can’t wait to review this for you next week. 

The Midnight Train 

Finally, after finishing Tower of Dawn today I started The Midnight Train. In all, I likely listened to about an hour and a half of the audio, or a little less. 

So far, I’m enjoying the story. I’ve had reservations previously that this book won’t live up to The Midnight Library. However, I’ll just have to give it a chance. So far, so good! More to follow on this one in my next Sunday Summary update. 

Books Discovered

As things stand, there are no new books on my TBR this week. I’ve kept my head down, and thankfully my recent finishes mean the TBR is headed in the right direction 🎊🎉

Coming Up… 

What I’m Reading… 

Here’s my reading plan over the next seven days:- 

  • Finish The Midnight Train – only 4hrs 15mins audio left
  • Finish Supremacy if I haven’t done by tonight
  • Start and finish e-book of The Other Life of Mary English – blog tour obligation 01/09/2026
  • Start Julia by Sandra Newman, but prioritise The Other Life of Mary English
  • Start The Language of Liars audiobook after The Midnight Train

Blog

I want to start next week pretty casual, featuring some of my top reads of 2026 so far. A year is a long time to wait for ‘best of 2026’ content. So, I’m going to share my top three books so far, and why I love them. 

My blog tour review for Dungeons and Dimwits is due on Thursday 27th. Thankfully I’ve finished it already, so I can start documenting my thoughts. 

Finally, I’ll be back with my final Sunday Summary of August this time next week. How much of a dent can I make in my August TBR between now and then? Let’s find out! 

Summary 

As always, thanks for checking out today’s Sunday Summary. 

What are your favourite reads of 2026 so far? I want to check out yours, and maybe give them a read for myself, so drop the titles in the comments ♥️

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Sunday Summary – 16th August 2026

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Happy Sunday folks! Welcome to my latest Sunday Summary update. Depending on where you are, you may have had mixed weather today. I’m actually going to say it’s a bit cooler and some rain has come in. I wasn’t made for heat 🤣

What have you been reading this week? As for myself, I’ll be answering that question very soon. However, first, let’s recap the content I have shared so far this week.

First on the list is a Top Ten Tuesday post in which I talked about the books I was reading at this time over the last seven years. I’m surprised I had to go back this far. Given I’m usually listening to an audiobook and reading a physical book at the same time, I figured I’d only have to go back five years to get to a total of 10 books in this post. However, they were quite a few years where that wasn’t the case… 

Next, I shared a book review yesterday for Stephen King’s The Shining. I enjoy talking about this book, although it has been a while since I read it. I picked up this book in November 2023, to give you an idea of how far back I had to cast my memory. What horror should I pick up this Halloween? Get your recommendations in now! 😂 

Books Read 

Tower of Dawn 

In last week’s Sunday Summary, I shared I’d started and made around four hours reading progress with Tower of Dawn. 

I’ve been at home enjoying a week of annual leave this week. So, I’ve had plenty more time to listen to audiobooks whilst pottering around the house, the garden and enjoying my crafty hobbies. Whilst I haven’t listened every day, the days I have listened, I have read solid chunks. In total over this week, I have spent just over 8 hours and 20 minutes listening to Tower of Dawn. Accounting for reading at x1.5 times speed, that means I’ve listened to just dry of 13 hours worth of the audiobook this week. 

How much do I have left? At the increased speed, I have 3 1/2 hours left of listening time. At default speed, that’s just over five hours of audio. 

This book has taken a bit of an unexpected turn, at least as far as my expectations went. However, I’ve enjoyed the detour if you like from the main storyline, and it’s been good to catch up with the characters within. Can I say I’m a huge fan of the romance in this story? No. It’s also a trope I really don’t like in romance, so I’ve not really vibed with that. However, I like the characters concerned on an individual level so it’s been a tolerable listen… and I’m intrigued as to how this is going to come together with main storyline in the final book!

Supremacy: AI, ChatGPT and the Race That Will Change the World

When I chatted with you in last week’s Sunday Summary, I had not long started Supremacy. What I had hoped to finish this book this week, I am still reading this book as of this Sunday Summary. I’ve had to pop this down temporarily in order to pick up and read a blog tour obligation book, being The Knife Maker of Venice which I’m due to review on Wednesday next week.

I made the majority of my progress with this book on Wednesday this week. I’m enjoying the topic of AI and exploring how it came to be the technology. We are learning how to use in such a short period of time from its inception. 

As of this Sunday Summary update, I have just over 120 pages left of this book before the acknowledgements and source material. I’m hoping this won’t take long to finish, but The Knife Maker of Venice has to come first. 

The Knife Maker of Venice

Finally, I’ve started The Knife Maker of Venice today. I had intended to start it earlier than today, but there we go. Nevertheless, I’ve enjoyed the start and can’t wait to read more. I’m intrigued as to what is going to happen to the protagonists to separate them. That will follow soon I’m sure. The first couple of chapters are already setting the scene.  

I’ve only got a short deadline, so obviously I’ll be continuing this tonight and making this the top priority today and tomorrow. 

Books Discovered

We’re back to a week of no updates this week. After adding Yesteryear last week, there’s no new additions on my TBR. 

Coming Up… 

What I’m Reading… 

As of this Sunday Summary, here’s what I’m looking to read next week:- 

  • Finish Tower of Dawn – reading at x1.5 speed, I’ve got around 3 1/2 hours of audio left.
  • Listen to The Midnight Train 
  • Start and finish The Knife Maker of Venice – blog tour obligation 19/08/2026
  • Continue and finish Supremacy

Blog

My blog tour review for The Knife Maker of Venice is due on Wednesday next week. Naturally, my reading priority is to finish this book so I can share my thoughts on this book on time 🤗

Later in the week, I’ll return with a regular Friday feature. Next week, I’m due to share another Shelf Control. My intended feature is a Booker Prize winner that handles race and discrimination. Curious? I hope so! I can’t wait to share with you ☺️

Finally, I’ll be back with another Sunday Summary this time next week. I’m back at work next week, so it’s back to normal routine. That shouldn’t change my reading habits though! 

Summary 

Thanks for reading today’s Sunday Summary post. What have you been reading this week? 

I’m also looking for recommendations ahead of Halloween this year – are there any supernatural or horror books you want to recommend to me? 

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Sunday Summary – 9th August 2026

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Last week’s Sunday Summary went live first thing on Monday morning. However, you could be forgiven if you didn’t see it. This week I undertook some behind-the-scenes work to transfer my domain to another provider. After having some IT issues for some time, I logged a ticket with my provider after ruling out my own settings as the problem. However, a distinct lack of service prompted me to make the change. 

That change took place around Monday afternoon, and I didn’t get my site back online until around Wednesday or Thursday. Apologies if you missed me in that time! However, the good news is I’m back and ready to share my latest reading and blog updates here in this Sunday Summary. Strap in! 

This week, I shared both my monthly wrap-up for reading progress in July, as well as my monthly TBR for August. Both were pretty long posts, even if the reading progress wasn’t quite what I hoped in July. That reflects in my August TBR, in that there are a number of books on this reading list that are from TBR’s past.

Books Read 

Empire of Storms 

Unlike my last Sunday Summary update, reading progress with Empire of Storms has gone much better. I listened to this book throughout the week, in fact, forgetting to set my timers multiple times throughout the week and consequently finished this audiobook no less than three times. The trouble is, I don’t remember finishing it the first two times because I was asleep! 

However, I did finish this audiobook a third and final time yesterday. I had my doubts at one point as to whether I was going to get on with and finish the remainder of the series. Quite a few plot lines came together that made the storyline quite romance-y, and I wasn’t a huge fan. Sorry, I’m sure there are plenty of you that absolutely love this slower intention that comes out. I’m not one of those people. That’s why I’m reaching for a glass as opposed to A Court of Thorns and Roses. Sorry, not sorry. 

However, I got over that, and the conclusion to this book reminded me just why I am invested in the fantasy side of this series. Needless to say, I’ve dived into Tower of Dawn already.

Tower of Dawn 

Speaking of the devil, I’ve made a solid start with this second audiobook. I started this listen yesterday, so it’s nothing groundbreaking in terms of reading progress. Still, four hours’ worth is decent considering I racked that up after Empire of Storms yesterday. I took a break today, but I’m on annual leave next week and home by myself for much of it. So, audiobooks for company… 

And, as you will have seen in my August TBR, I have a few books to keep me occupied.

Supremacy: AI, ChatGPT and the Race That Will Change the World

On a whim, I started Supremacy earlier this week. AI is a bit of an ongoing focus at work at the moment. Personally, I’m trying to learn how I can use it most effectively. With this in mind, it got me thinking about how we started using ChatGPT and its relatively short history. We all know how fast technology progresses, and the birth and widespread use of ChatGPT and similar tech within just a few years is a prime example. It has its upsides and its downs, but one of my aims is to make sure I use it responsibly. 

So, I’m curious as to what went into the production of AI on a wider scale. My understanding from this book is that the people who started to develop the models we see widely today started off with altruistic intentions. However, as funding was required in order to make the project what it is today, they got sold out to bigger companies like Google in order to scale. With this drive to get to market, have any shortcuts been taken or less than ethical actions taken place? 

Books Discovered

I’m finally breaking my streak. I’ve no new books added to my TBR for what feels like the longest time. In reality, it’s probably been a couple of months. Thankfully, this update isn’t too much – I’ve added one book. I’ve seen a few people reading a book called Yesteryear. It’s only when I saw a news update yesterday about a movie adaptation with Anne Hathaway that I got an idea for what the book was about. 

Obviously, with its near dystopian theme, I’m intrigued and want to read it! 

Coming Up… 

What I’m Reading… 

We’re onto the fun part of this Sunday Summary, what I share with you the books I’m planning to read over the course of this week. Being off work, I’m hoping to complete several titles this week. In no particular order, here’s what I’m hoping to pick up, and in cases, finish, in the next seven days.

  • Finish Tower of Dawn – reading at x1.5 speed, I’ve got around 12 hours of audio left. With five days on my own at home this week, this is plenty achievable!
  • Listen to The Midnight Train 
  • Continue and finish Supremacy
  • Start and finish The Knife Maker of Venice – blog tour obligation 19/08/2026
  • Continue Katabasis if I have time, but it is lower priority than The Knife Maker of Venice

Blog

So, what content am I pushing out next week? 

This week’s Top Ten Tuesday topic is a fun way to look back at my history as a blogger and reader. The theme is Books I Was Reading On This Day Over the Last Ten Years. Admittedly, my reading history is going to be a little spotty towards the end of that date range. So, I’m going to lean into the fact that I quite often listen to audiobooks and read physical books at the same time. So, the date range I use is probably going to be more like five years, and I’ll have a couple of books in each year. At least, that’s what I expect. I may need to go back a little further, but we’ll see how the list pans out. 

I’ve published a few reviews of late, but this week, I’m going to share my thoughts on a more popular title compared to the recently released I’ve featured. That title is a cult classic from Stephen King – The Shining! 

Finally, I’ll be back at the same time again next week with another Sunday Summary update. Fingers crossed, I have lots of reading updates to share with you. My August TBR reading progress depends on it. I’m ready to get back on track with my Goodreads reading goal and make a dent in both the Summer Reading Challenge and my own personal reading challenge. 

Summary 

As always, thanks for reading today’s Sunday Summary. What have you read recently, and would you recommend it to me?

What’s the most recent book you’ve read when you have learned something from it?

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