Tag: Stephen King

Monthly Wrap-Up: August 2023

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Pinch, punch, first of the month! Hello everyone and welcome to my monthly wrap-up post! It’s the beginning of a new month, so I’m excited to recap what I’ve been reading with you.

At the beginning of next week I’ll be sharing my September reading list with you. I hope you can join me for that on Monday. In the meantime, let’s take a look at my reading progress compared to last month’s TBR! I had high hopes of completing this TBR even though I put more on it in anticipation of reading more in my time off work. I did read more, but I had a good number of books on the list… and a few chunky ones as that.

Let’s recap my reading progress throughout August!

 

Books Read

 

The City of a Thousand Faces

August’s TBR was a mix of genres, mediums and book lengths. I started the month with my ‘fixed read’ that fell in middle ground in terms of length.

The City of a Thousand Faces is not your typical fantasy in terms of setting. We explore a city in a fantasy setting that reminded me very much of real life cities like Istanbul. Think arid landscapes, powerful sultans etc.

At 560 pages, this fantasy made for good exploration of a new world. The book can only be titled The City of a Thousand Faces as each character seems to have at least two – metaphorically of course! The characters and the plot are political in nature, and there was an awful lot of backstabbing!

The City of a Thousand Faces made for an okay read. It wasn’t my favourite book of the month, but I was interested to see how events concluded. It’s the most neutral review in this monthly wrap-up; the experience got better from here on out. 

 

Spike

The first a non-fiction book I picked up throughout August was Spike. If you think it is a little early to pick up and read books about the pandemic, then maybe hold off this one for a little while. If you do decide to pick it up, then I hope, like me, you find this an interesting and insightful read.

The book offers insight into the handling of the pandemic. We start looking at events from a global scale before narrowing its focus to the UK’s handling of the pandemic from the point at which it landed on our shores. There were insights in this book that are both shocking and in equal measure unsurprising. That may sound contradictory… but hear me out. What is shocking is how lackadaisical some of the approaches were when the pandemic was in its early phases. In ways, it is unsurprising based on who those individuals are!

I quite enjoyed this read, even when you take into consideration the topic and the consequences of this event has had our lives as we know it. The pandemic has impacted us for a number of years already and will continue to do so. This book only touches on a relatively short period of time and there may well be more to add to this at a later date. Should such a book come out, I would definitely read this one as well.

 

Ship of Destiny

The longest book on my August TBR that we’ll talk about in this monthly wrap-up was Ship of Destiny by Robin Hobb. I’ve been looking forward to this conclusion to The Liveship Trader trilogy – and for very good reason! These books are very quirky in their fantasy set up, and at last we see the events over the prior 1800 odd pages lead characters into their destinies.

With prior Hobb books, I have on occasion felt the length and depth of the storylines. That’s not to say I haven’t enjoyed them. However, I am very conscious of the fact I’m reading them, and that I’m having to read quite a lot in order to get through the page count. That wasn’t the case with Ship of Destiny at all. I was so invested in the narrative that the pages flew by, despite the dense storyline and events to take in. I’d go so far to say that I think Ship of Destiny is my favourite Hobb book so far!

 

A Brief History of Time

My second non-fiction read of the month was A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking. This book pushed me out of my comfort zone because it is quite technical (and I am not). I enjoyed the concept of science and space despite not being so versed in complex, physical and mathematical equations and concepts. This book has those in abundance, although Stephen Hawking does do his best to explain these in simplified and practical examples.

Even though I’m not technically minded, I was able to read A Brief History of Time on a relatively superficial level and still find it interesting. I’m sure there is plenty more that other readers could get out of the book. However, I will save that for them. Although it is a science book, you don’t have to be too scientifically minded to understand the theories, principles, and discussion points that Stephen Hawking brings up throughout.

 

Leadership and Culture

Non-fiction isn’t a genre I read a whole lot of, although you know by now that I am trying to read more it. My third and last non-fiction on my August TBR and for inclusion in this monthly wrap-up is Leadership and Culture. I read this book whilst I was off work and managed to read it quite quickly. As someone who is invested in improving office culture and would be interested in a management position in future, I wanted to read this book ahead of that time to effectively set myself up.

This book has a lot of practical examples of do’s and don’t’s when it comes to management versus leadership. These are all examples I have seen in the workplace and felt their effects as well. I’m sure everyone has! For anyone who currently is in a management position and wishes to make improvements, the book is full of practical tips in order to identify or work on sticking points. Although I’m not necessarily in a position to adopt any of these now, I am in a position to encourage the healthy habits that some of these tips try to adopt. I can help encourage others to speak out by speaking out for myself, for example.

 

Wizard and Glass

The last book to feature in today’s monthly wrap-up is my final read of August, Wizard and Glass by Stephen King. I was determined not to leave it another four years before I returned to The Dark Tower series. It’s not even been four months… I’m sure you’re proud of me! On a serious note, I really enjoyed going back to the series and exploring the narrative and history of the world in a little bit of a different way. Whereas previous books hint at prior events and leave a lot to the imagination, this book seems to have more of a focus on building up that backstory.

It’s no wonder I didn’t get to the end of this before the end of the month, all things considered. This book is nearly 900 pages in itself as well! 

 

Summary

Unfortunately, I didn’t quite get to Lost Solace. It was ambitious to try and tack this onto the end of what is already an extensive reading list. It’s not going away though. As I didn’t get to it in August, expect this to feature on September’s TBR coming out on Monday next week.

Over the course of August I read in excess of 2,500 pages. That’s an average of 80 pages a day, so not insignificant at all. I needed to read 107 pages a day in order to get through my reading list. That was quite an ambitious target! If I had no other plans for my time off work, this may have been a possibility. The fact is, I did use that time off for other things as well. I still made fantastic reading progress and I’m pleased with what I’ve achieved!

That concludes this monthly wrap-up post. What books have you been reading recently? Do you have any recommendations for me?

 

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Sunday Summary – 27th August 2023

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Welcome to my Sunday Summary update post this August bank holiday weekend. I hope you’re having a good weekend whatever you’re doing. My time off work is coming to an end, but I’ve made good use of the time!

Aside from reading, I’ve been keeping to my usual blogging schedule. My first post of this week went live on Tuesday; I shared several books I unhauled earlier in the week. It’s not a common post I share, but it felt apt as I’d just gone through my shelves to make some room anyway!

Next, I shared my regular Friday feature post – Well, I Didn’t Know That! For this week’s feature, I shared some of the tips and tricks I’ve learned taking an online course on social media marketing. If you want to improve visibility and engagement on your posts, why not give some of these a try?

 

Books Read

 

A Brief History of Time

I left off in last week’s Sunday Summary having read 25% of A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking. If you haven’t read this book, it’s quite a technical science book about space, time, and the theories as to the history of the planet and universe as we know it.

I’m not a science geek, so I ended up reading and understanding the concepts in the book on a superficial level. It was easy enough to follow, especially as Stephen Hawking helped explain some of the principles of the theories in approachable, everyday terms. I was initially sceptical of the later chapters being a bit difficult. But, the way the book has been written means that what we’ve read and understood previously helps us understand these later concepts!

I enjoyed this non-fiction book, not only for the subject matter but also for the change of pace. It was a stretch out of my comfort zone, but I wouldn’t rule out reading similar books in future!

 

Leadership & Culture

I jumped out of one non-fiction book into another, and quite a different subject matter entirely! Leadership & Culture concerns management in the workplace, and how different management styles can affect the work dynamic, trust and ultimate success of companies. The book mainly targets current managers, however, can easily be read by aspiring managers too. I’d argue if you want to get into a position like that, you want to learn this before you start on the wrong foot!

The authors of the book both have extensive leadership experience. They draw upon techniques and real examples of how leadership vs. management impacts employees and companies, as well as suggesting exercises to identify where improvements can be made by the reader in their own environment.

Leadership & Culture was a very quick read to pick up. It had a nice tone and easy-to-follow narrative style that I enjoyed. Should I find myself in a management position in future, it is a book I will revisit to implement the strategies detailed within.

 

Wizard and Glass

The final book I started this week is Wizard and Glass by Stephen King. This is the fourth book in The Dark Tower series -one I have really enjoyed to date!

Getting into Wizard and Glass has been a breeze. Since I’ve not left it so long since I read the last instalment earlier this year (compared to the four-year gap starting The Waste Lands in May), I’ve been able to pick up where I left off without a recap. The events of the book pick up exactly where he Waste Lands finishes. That book had a really interesting cliffhanger of a conclusion, so it was great to get straight back into that and resolve what was happening early doors.

As of this Sunday Summary update post, I am 159 pages into Wizard and Glass. Overall, I’m still a little behind schedule to finish my reading by the end of the month. However, I’m not too far behind and what I’ve read of Wizard and Glass has gone really quickly. I found this with the prior book in the series as well. If I remember correctly, I read that in just a handful of days! I’m hoping for a similar experience here!

 

Books Discovered

Having read a great recommendation/review earlier this week, I have added a book called Among Thieves to my TBR. I even did myself a favour and made a note of the link to that post, so you can go and check it out for yourself!

After reading the review and the synopsis of the book, I have every faith that I’m going to enjoy it. I have read similar books and themes previously and got on with them really well! here’s hoping I have the same experience with this book!

 

Coming Up…

My first blog post next week is going to be another book review. As I’m sure you won’t find it difficult to believe, I have quite a list of books to catch up with and share my thoughts on. Next week’s featured book is one I read even though it is a genre I don’t read a lot of. I decided to pick it up purely because I enjoyed the Netflix series, (against all odds I hasten to add!) If you haven’t guessed already, it’s The Duke & I by Julia Quinn.

On Friday, we will be officially in the month of September! With the coming of the new month, I’ll inevitably be kicking off with a wrap-up of the books I read throughout the month of August!

As always, I will be sharing another Sunday Summary update with you next weekend and going over the latest books I’ve picked up, any I’ve added to the reading list, and a schedule of what you can expect content-wise the following week.

That’s a wrap for this Sunday Summary post! Let me know in the comments what book you are currently reading!

 

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Monthly TBR – August 2023

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Hello readers – welcome to my monthly TBR post for August!

You would think having not completed a few month’s lists by now that I would slow down the pace. You would be wrong! I will be setting myself a list as ambitious as ever. On the plus side, I do have some annual leave coming up at work… so you know what I’m going to be doing with it, right?!

I have two goals for this month’s reading – the first is to get around to some of the books I’ve not made it to in previous monthly TBR’s. Secondly, I need to up my non-fiction game. In my mid-year review of my goals, identified that I was a bit behind on reading non-fiction in order to achieve my goal of reading more than 15 non-fiction books by the end of the year.

As a result, this monthly TBR is a little unusual. I have seven books on the reading list. Four of those are under 300 pages, which is very short for me. I have two books that are knocking on 900 pages, which is far more like what I usually pick up. Lastly, I have one solitary book in the no man’s land between… and that’s the book I’ve started the month with. It’s going to be an odd experience flitting between the two extremes!

 

Fixed Reads

This month’s set of fixed reads of the non-fiction books that I need to read to get back on track with my reading goal, plus the book that I drew out of my TBR Jar!

 

A Brief History of Time

I had every intention to get round to A Brief History of Time last month, but it wasn’t meant to be. So, I’m making it a priority read for this month. I’m of two minds as to which way this book is going to go. It’s under 300 pages, so it could be a relatively quick read. However, I understand that it can be a bit dense and mathematical. If I don’t get myself too bogged down in that, it shouldn’t be too bad. To be honest, I don’t think I will because I’m not too interested in that. There is absolutely no chance I’ll be able to follow the numbers anyway, so what’s the point?!

 

Spike: The Virus vs. The People

The second non-fiction I am looking to pick up this month is a reasonably topical read. If it’s still too early for you to be reading or talking about the pandemic, then maybe this book isn’t for you. However, I’m intrigued by the synopsis of the book. I’m willing to dive into our recent history to learn a little bit more about an event that quite literally changed our lives overnight.

 

Leadership and Culture

My final non-fiction read of the month revolves around personal development. I haven’t read any books in this vein recently, so when I saw this available for download on NetGalley, I decided to pick it up.

Whilst I am not a manager, it is a role I hope to be considered for in future. Not only that, but I’m sure the skills outlined in this book can start helping me within the workplace, even from a non-leadership perspective. Already, I am a senior member of my team and I am a regular point of contact with other departments. Aside from my day-to-day job, I also head up a newly established sustainability committee in our local office. I also drive the social committee. I’m looking to use these avenues to develop my skills and demonstrate my abilities in the long run. The tips in this book can only help me in this!

 

The City of a Thousand Faces

This month’s TBR Jar pick is The City of a Thousand Faces by Walker Dryden. I actually received a copy of this book to review from the publisher Orion. I confess it’s taken me a little while to get around to the book, but now I’ve picked it up, I am invested.

The City of a Thousand Faces is a historical fantasy that evidently has a lot of political machinations throughout. There is plenty of conflict from the get go in this narrative! As of drafting this monthly TBR post, I’m 120 pages in and I’m intrigued by the events so far. This book has made a solid impression from its introduction and I can’t wait to read more!

 

Mood Reads

 

Wizard and Glass

After reading and devouring The Waste Lands earlier this year, I knew it wasn’t going to be long before I picked up the series once again. Keen to avoid another four-year long hiatus, I’m jumping back in this month with the fourth book, Wizard and Glass.

It’s hard to say what to expect from a series like this, but I definitely didn’t expect the events of the last book. However, that worked out really well. I have absolutely no idea what could possibly happen next, but I’m all for finding out!

It’s great to get back into a series that allowed me to explore Stephen King’s writing whilst still sticking to my fantasy roots. I have since gone on to read several other books by him, but this was really the series that sold him to me. That and The Green Mile.

 

Ship of Destiny

I have been hoping to start Ship of Destiny by Robin Hobb for the last couple of months, but not quite gotten there. This is a series I also want to make sure I keep progressing with. Not only does that work considering my goal of reading sequels for the year; but, it also means that I stay on top of what has happened before and I am still familiar with events when I pick up the next book.

The books, the series, and the world they are set in are grand. In order to appreciate them fully, you can’t leave it too long in between. It suits me because I have really enjoyed keeping up with this series. Robin Hobb is an author who was recommended to me by my friend Rachael. I am so glad she did! Robin Hobb has fast become one of my favourite authors, and for a very good reason!

 

Lost Solace

The last book I’m picking up in August is a science-fiction novel that I have been wanting to get round to for the longest time!

I have already read a number of books by Karl Drinkwater. Those were short stories set in the same universe as Lost Solace. Now, I’m finally getting around to the main series. Whilst I’ve been trying to stick to continuing ongoing series as opposed to starting new ones, I do want to make a start on this one. Karl has been very kind in providing me copies of several books from this series for the purpose of providing a review. Naturally, I don’t want to keep him waiting forever for me to start!

Lost Solace is the shortest fiction novel on my August TBR. By the time I get round to it, having such a short fiction novel may prove to be solace… in every sense of the word.

I’ll see myself out… 

 

Stretch Goal

Sometimes I like to set myself a stretch goal! However, since I’ll need to read about 107 pages a day as it is, I’m deliberately not setting one here. If I do (by some way of a miracle) get through this TBR, then I’ll decide whether and what I pick up there and then. I’ll either read on a whim, or if I want a break, take it guilt free. 

 

Summary

As you can see, I have a wide variety of books on my August monthly TBR. Have you read any of the books I’ve featured on today’s monthly TBR list? Are they already on your reading list, or have I inspired you to add them?

Let’s chat!

 

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Monthly Wrap-Up – May 2023

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I’m excited to share today’s monthly wrap-up post for May 2023! I’ve had a fantastic reading month with lots of books, so make yourself comfortable!

In my May TBR post, I shared that I will be picking up no less than eight books throughout the month. The first of those was a carryover from April. But, the rest were from scratch. In the end, I read all but one of the books on my reading list; I do have a DNF to tell you about this month.

Shall we take a look at what I’ve been reading?

 

Books Read

 

The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi

Picking up where I left off last month, my first aim was to finish The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi. As of the beginning of the month, I was approximately half way through the book.

It ended up being an okay read, but nothing spectacular either. I wanted to pick up this book to read as a standalone before committing to trying another series by this author. Based on my experience of this book, I’m not sure if I’ll go ahead with that series. As I say, it was okay to read. It was fun, and I enjoyed that the setting is Eastern inspired as opposed to Western. Overall, I found the book a little bit too whimsical to my taste.

 

Wolf of Wessex

Looking for a complete change, I then decided to pick up Wolf of Wessex as my next read.

This also ended up being a middle of the road book. Wolf of Wessex was a really quick read, in part because it is full of action. However, in my opinion, it is a little lacking in plot in character development. I still enjoyed the book as a light read.  Maybe I’ll pick up more books by the author if I was looking for a light read from a genre I’m familiar with.

I generally prefer a bit more depth to the books I pick up, but this kind of read definitely has its place as well!

 

The Waste Lands

My luck turned around when I picked up The Waste Lands by Stephen King. Rather spookily, I started this book exactly 4 years after I finished the previous book in the series. It was quite a long time since I finished that book, so I had to refresh myself on the events that have taken place so far before diving in.

Thankfully, the edition I have recaps events in a dedicated section in the first few pages. That was a great help. What also made this really easy to get back into is that the events in the third book naturally reminisce on what has happened before. Although it had been a number of years since I started this series, that ultimately didn’t matter. I got back into this book very quickly… and I read it just as quickly!

Thanks to some scheduled time off work, I was able to pick up and read good chunks of this book in one sitting. I read this near 600 pager in just four days. Needless to say, I loved it!

 

Death Magnanimous

My next read was Death Magnanimous by Michael Martin.

I got my hands on a copy of this book via Netgalley, a site I don’t use much outside of blog tours nowadays. I ended up browsing the site on a whim, and it was the cover and synopsis of this book that caught my attention.

The rest of the book lived up to the expectation. This is not a light read by any stretch of the imagination. It is a book that deals with difficult themes, including, but not limited to, chronic pain, trauma, and euthanasia. Despite these difficult topics, I really enjoyed how they came together in this narrative.

There is a good level of humour, as well as an element of mystery, that also add to this this narrative. Death Magnanimous sits outside of the conventional genres I read, but it is a good example of why it’s important to push the boundaries now and then.

 

Taking Liberties

After quite a few longer reads, I then decided to pick up a short story anthology. I had already committed to reading the book this month in order to provide a review (which you can find here if you are interested).

Taking Liberties proved to be a great palette cleanser. Especially after reading such a ‘dark’ book just before, it was a great experience to flit between little characters and shorter stories. All of these stories are loosely based around the theme of freedom. However, that is where the comparisons end. Each contributing author in the anthology has taken a completely different perspective on that theme. I read this book in approximately 24 hours. It was just what I needed.

 

Starsight

Another book I picked up this month, with my 2023 goal of continuing series in mind, is Starsight by Brandon Sanderson.

I just started his Skyward series fairly late on last year and I really took to the first book. Spensa is an interesting and captivating protagonist. Although Starsight differs from the set up of Skyward significantly, I think the second book excelled for jumping out of the boundaries already built up.

An experience I’ve had with many Sanderson books is that he’s not afraid to take a world, book or setting he’s already established, and then push the boundaries to make it better. I’ve readily enjoyed his second era Mistborn books for the exact same reason. It’s great to see him doing it again!

A huge indicator of just how much I enjoyed Starsight is the fact that I read the second half in one sitting alone! I was really invested in Spensa’s mission and I had to know how it all went down. Based on this latest book, I expect I will pick up the next in the series, Cytonic, before long!

 

As Long As the Lemon Trees Grow

I listened to the audiobook version of As Long As the Lemon Trees Grow, as this was the book chosen for Ezeekat’s book club this month. I will hold my hands up and admit that I probably wouldn’t have picked up the book where it not effectively chosen for me. I’m glad that it was! As Long As the Lemon Trees Grow is probably one of my favourite, or at least standout, books of the year.

The book is set in Syria, and puts the human face back onto the conflict we are aware of at a distance. The protagonist Salama is thrown into the thick of chaos, when she is effectively promoted from a pharmacist to a doctor due to a shortage of medically trained people. Whilst she continues to treat the victims that come through the hospital doors, she is also battling against her conscience in wanting to leave her country for safety.

I really enjoyed this change of setting, and the author certainly did her job in making me as a reader aware of what exactly is going on in Syria! The book is beautiful in its descriptions of Syria and the people that make her.

 

DNF

 

Against All Gods

The last book I picked up this month was a little disappointing. I really liked the sound of this book based on the synopsis. Greek mythology mixed with fantasy could have been a great combination. However, in the 20% of the book I read before ultimately putting it down, it didn’t work for me. Other than one character’s personal mission for vengeance against the gods, as well as a general simmering of discontent among mortals, very little happens. As far as the gods go, there is the usual murder and debauchery that Greek myth has taught us to expect… but again, little else.

The seeming lack of plot was disappointing. I had far higher hopes for the book. I was struggling to read it for days, and I had no inclination to find out what was going on. So, I ultimately made the decision to stop. I think I’ve made the right choice for me.

Summary

I’m really pleased with the reading progress I made this month, even if it was tarnished slightly by ending with a DNF. It’s not the end of the world though, because I’ve moved on to my first read of June… and it is a re-read of a favourite!

If you want to find out what else I’m going to be reading throughout the month of June, I will be sharing my monthly TBR on Friday!

 

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Sunday Summary – 14th May 2023

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

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

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

 

Books Read

 

The Waste Lands

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

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

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

 

Death Magnanimous

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

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

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

 

As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow

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

 

Books Discovered

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

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

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

 

Coming Up…

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

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

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

 

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

 

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Sunday Summary – 7th May 2023

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

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

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

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

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

 

Books Read

 

The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi

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

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

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

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

 

Wolf of Wessex

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

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

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

 

The Waste Lands

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

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

 

As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow

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

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

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

 

Books Discovered

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

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

 

Coming Up…

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

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

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

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

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

 

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Monthly TBR – May 2023

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Howdy friends! I’m back with my monthly TBR for May 2023. But, before I begin, I have to say… May the fourth be with you! (This one’s for you Dad!)

In terms of reading progress and my goal to read 50 books by the end of the year, I am currently ahead of schedule. That’s fantastic… especially when we bear in mind that I’ve read some chunky books in the last four months! And that certainly won’t change looking ahead. You know me…

Another goal I set myself at the beginning of this year is to read 15 or more non-fiction books. As of the end of April, I have read 5. So, I’m bang on track for that one too!

That’s enough of looking back at what I’ve already read, because we’re here to talk about my latest monthly TBR … what’s coming up next. Let’s take a look at the reads I intend to get through in May. It’s quite the list, but I have a plan to tackle it.

 

Fixed Reads

 

The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi

It feels a bit daft to list of this book on this monthly TBR, because as of drafting this TBR,  I’ve already finished it. However, The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi was a book that I started last month but finished in May, so it gets a mention here.

Overall, I enjoyed the book. There are parts of it I am unsure about though. When I tried to summarise this in my Instagram post the other day, I came to the conclusion that I felt the book was on the whimsical side. If other books by Shannon Chakraborty are the same, I don’t know whether to pick them up or not.

If you have thoughts, please feel free to weigh in in the comments!

 

Wolf of Wessex

You may recall that Wolf of Wessex was on my last monthly TBR as it was last month’s pick from my TBR Jar.

Unfortunately, I didn’t quite get to it in April as intended. Instead, I’ve decided to carry this forward and make a push to try and finish two TBR reads this month.

This may seem ambitious, but as of writing this post, I am currently reading Wolf of Wessex. In one sitting (yesterday), I managed to read just under a quarter of the book. It’s a really easy read, so I don’t anticipate this is going to take long to get through. It’s a fast paced historical-fiction novel set around the time that Vikings came to Britain. So far, it’s reading as a book set in the time period, but not one that particularly goes into the history of what happened. It’s not dense, and even at the quarter way-mark, there is a lot going on for us to unpick.

 

As Long As the Lemon Trees Grow

As Long As the Lemon Trees Grow is this month’s selection for Ezeekat’s online book club. If I’m being entirely honest, it’s not a book I would have picked up on my own. But, that is exactly why I joined the book club in the first place! I’m trying to broaden my reading horizons. Although I’ve only just started this book, I’m already intrigued as to where it’s going to go.

The reason I’ve already started this book is because part of my plan to tackle my large TBR is to utilise audiobooks. I am making my way through this book in audio. It’s been a few months since I last picked up a book this way, but I’m looking forward to getting back to it. The small section I’ve listened to so far has me wanting to listen more… what more can I ask for?

 

Against All Gods

May’s TBR Jar pick is Against All Gods by Miles Cameron. This is actually a relatively new addition to my reading list, so I’m excited it’s come out already.

When I read the synopsis when first introduced to the book, there were elements to the storyline that reminded me instantly of Terry Pratchett. I like fantasy, and when it involves elements of Greek Mythology too, that has my interest. And that’s exactly what this book is in a nutshell. I’m looking forward to giving it a go!

 

Taking Liberties

Taking Liberties is a short story collection that I have been provided a copy of in exchange for review.

Based on the synopsis I have read so far, the stories within are wide and varied. However, they seem to have a common theme of freedom. I like the sound of this, and I’m keen to take the opportunity to try short stories from the wide range of authors who have all contributed to this anthology.

Taking Liberties is also the shortest book on this month’s TBR, at just 136 pages. Another advantage of a book like this is that it will serve as a good palate cleanser between larger reads.

 

Death Magnanimous

Death Magnanimous is a book I found on NetGalley. If you’re unfamiliar with the site, readers can request to read advanced reader copies of books if they promise to review them.

I confess that it’s not very often I browse the site. However, a couple of months ago I clicked on Death Magnanimous as the cover caught my eye. When I read the synopsis, I knew I wanted to read it.

It’s already been a couple of months since I downloaded my copy, and I don’t really want to leave it too much longer. Especially as the book is due to come out before too long, I want to review in a timely manner. I’ve not been able to find the book listed anywhere at the moment that would indicate how many pages it is. However, my kindle indicates that it’ll only take me 2 and a half hours to read, so it can’t be that long.

 

Mood Reads

 

Starsight

It’s been a few months since I started the Skyward series. Even though the intended audience for these books is younger than me, I really enjoyed the first book.

The Skyward series is a science-fiction tale. The events are told from the perspective of an angsty teenager, who has dreamed of flying (like her dad used to), since she was a child. However, something happened to her father, which comes to light in book one… but no spoilers here. Spensa has spent her life relatively in the dark, but all she knows is that she is not trusted.

Starsight has a lot to live up to based on the ending of the first book. My understanding is that the perspective shifts slightly in this book (although I’m unsure who to and why), so I don’t know if that is going to alter my opinion compared to the first book. However, you don’t know until you try, do try it I will.

 

The Waste Lands

The last book I would like to pick up in May is another book I listed on my 2023 Spring TBR post.

I’m sure when I drafted that post, I checked the last time I picked up a book from The Dark Tower series and was immediately embarrassed. I will be honest and say that I am going to have to refresh myself on events from the first two books before I pick up this third one. However, my intention is to continue with this series once I have re-familiarised myself. It makes sense to keep up with it, and if nothing else, it goes towards my goal for reading and finishing sequels this year, rather than new books.

 

Summary

That looks to be a hefty list for my monthly TBR! Some of those books are the traditional chunkiness you can expect from me. However, they do appear to be some slightly shorter ones as well.

No one can say that there isn’t a good deal of variety on this list.

Have you read any of the books? I’m picking up this month? Have any of them caught your eye? Let me know in the comments!

 

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Top Ten Tuesday – Chilling Hop Tu Naa Reads

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Today’s Top Ten Tuesday post subject is Halloween themed since we’ll be celebrating Halloween (somewhat differently than most years, I expect) later this week.

We don’t call it Halloween here on the Isle of Man. Instead, we call it Hop Tu Naa. All in all, it is very similar to Halloween, but if you do want to have a skeet (that’s Manx for having a nosey) at the difference between the two celebrations, you can find out more on the Culture Vannin website.

For today’s post, I wanted to put together a list of recommended reads if you are looking for inspiration this Halloween/ HopTu Naa. There are some classic horrors here, as well as a few thrillers if that is more your bag and last, but not least, there’s a bit of a parody read if you want a lighter tone.

 

IT – Stephen King

Goodreads – IT

Welcome to Derry, Maine …

It’s a small city, a place as hauntingly familiar as your own hometown. Only in Derry the haunting is real …

They were seven teenagers when they first stumbled upon the horror. Now they are grown-up men and women who have gone out into the big world to gain success and happiness. But none of them can withstand the force that has drawn them back to Derry to face the nightmare without an end, and the evil without a name.

 

Pet Sematary – Stephen King

Goodreads – Pet Sematary

The road in front of Dr. Louis Creed’s rural Maine home frequently claims the lives of neighborhood pets. Louis has recently moved from Chicago to Ludlow with his wife Rachel, their children and pet cat. Near their house, local children have created a cemetery for the dogs and cats killed by the steady stream of transports on the busy highway. Deeper in the woods lies another graveyard, an ancient Indian burial ground whose sinister properties Louis discovers when the family cat is killed.

 

Frankenstein – Mary Shelley

Goodreads – Frankenstein

Obsessed with creating life itself, Victor Frankenstein plunders graveyards for the material to fashion a new being, which he shocks into life with electricity. But his botched creature, rejected by Frankenstein and denied human companionship, sets out to destroy his maker and all that he holds dear. Mary Shelley’s chilling Gothic tale was conceived when she was only eighteen, living with her lover Percy Shelley near Byron’s villa on Lake Geneva. It would become the world’s most famous work of horror fiction, and remains a devastating exploration of the limits of human creativity.

Based on the third edition of 1831, this volume contains all the revisions Mary Shelley made to her story, as well as her 1831 introduction and Percy Bysshe Shelley’s preface to the first edition. This revised edition includes as appendices a select collation of the texts of 1818 and 1831 together with ‘A Fragment’ by Lord Byron and Dr John Polidori’s ‘The Vampyre: A Tale’.

 

The Stand – Stephen King

Goodreads – The Stand

This is the way the world ends: with a nanosecond of computer error in a Defense Department laboratory and a million casual contacts that form the links in a chain letter of death. And here is the bleak new world of the day after: a world stripped of its institutions and emptied of 99 percent of its people. A world in which a handful of panicky survivors choose sides — or are chosen.

 

Imaginary Friend – Stephen Chbosky

Goodreads – Imaginary Friend

Imagine… Leaving your house in the middle of the night. Knowing your mother is doing her best, but she’s just as scared as you.

Imagine… Starting a new school, making friends. Seeing how happy it makes your mother. Hearing a voice, calling out to you.

Imagine… Following the signs, into the woods. Going missing for six days. Remembering nothing about what happened.

Imagine… Something that will change everything… And having to save everyone you love.

 

The Chalk Man – C. J. Tudor

Goodreads – The Chalk Man

In 1986, Eddie and his friends are just kids on the verge of adolescence. They spend their days biking around their sleepy English village and looking for any taste of excitement they can get. The chalk men are their secret code: little chalk stick figures they leave for one another as messages only they can understand. But then a mysterious chalk man leads them right to a dismembered body, and nothing is ever the same.

In 2016, Eddie is fully grown, and thinks he’s put his past behind him. But then he gets a letter in the mail, containing a single chalk stick figure. When it turns out that his friends got the same message, they think it could be a prank . . . until one of them turns up dead.

That’s when Eddie realizes that saving himself means finally figuring out what really happened all those years ago.

 

The Dead Tell Lies – J F Kirwan

Goodreads – The Dead Tell Lies

Greg Adams, a criminal psychologist at Scotland Yard, specialises in bringing serial killers to justice. He tracks down a spree serial killer nicknamed the Divine, who has already killed six teenage girls and is about to kill a seventh. Greg works out the location where he is hiding and joins a raid. The police capture the Divine and save the girl, but on the very same night, Greg’s wife is brutally murdered by another serial killer, known as the Dreamer.
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A year later, unable to bring the killer to justice, Greg has quit his job and is ready to end it all, when he receives a phone call from a man who tells him the Dreamer is dead, and that he didn’t kill Greg’s wife, Kate.
​
Greg returns to Scotland Yard to work for Superintendent Chief Detective Donaldson in the hope he can re-examine the case with the help of two new detectives, Finch and Matthews.
​
As Greg delves into the case further, he becomes more convinced that the Dreamer wasn’t the man responsible for his wife’s murder.
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But if it wasn’t the Dreamer, who was it?
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In order to solve the mystery around his wife’s murder, Greg is going to have to delve even deeper into the mind of a terrifying psychopath. And this time he might not make it back in one piece…

 

The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle – Stuart Turton

Goodreads – The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle

“Agatha Christie meets Groundhog Day . . . quite unlike anything I’ve ever read, and altogether triumphant.” – A. J. Finn, #1 New York Times-bestselling author of The Woman in the Window

Aiden Bishop knows the rules. Evelyn Hardcastle will die every day until he can identify her killer and break the cycle. But every time the day begins again, Aiden wakes up in the body of a different guest at Blackheath Manor. And some of his hosts are more helpful than others. With a locked room mystery that Agatha Christie would envy, Stuart Turton unfurls a breakneck novel of intrigue and suspense.

For fans of Claire North, and Kate Atkinson, The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle is a breathlessly addictive mystery that follows one man’s race against time to find a killer, with an astonishing time-turning twist that means nothing and no one are quite what they seem.

This inventive debut twists together a thriller of such unexpected creativity it will leave readers guessing until the very last page.

Recommended in The New York Times, The Guardian, Harper’s Bazaar, Buzzfeed, Vulture, BookRiot, and more.

 

Mindworm – David Pollard

Goodreads – Mindworm

The placid life of a college librarian is plunged into a desperate fight for survival when he witnesses the death of his only friend. Suddenly he is forced to confront disturbing changes in his nature and appetites and their consequences. Suspected of murder and pursued by an implacable police detective he runs – but is he running from the law or from himself?

 

Reaper Man – Terry Pratchett

Goodreads – Reaper Man

‘Death has to happen. That’s what bein’ alive is all about. You’re alive, and then you’re dead. It can’t just stop happening.’

But it can. And it has.

Death is missing – presumed gone.

Which leads to the kind of chaos you always get when an important public service is withdrawn. If Death doesn’t come for you, then what are you supposed to do in the meantime?

You can’t have the undead wandering about like lost souls – there’s no telling what might happen!

Particularly when they discover that life really is only for the living…

 

 

I hope you found some reading inspiration from today’s Top Ten Tuesday list! If you have read any of these books or have any other suggestions in the comments, please share it with us.

 

 

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Sunday Summary

Sunday Summary – 9th June 2019

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If this week’s Sunday Summary post is going to be anything like my week, it’s going to be a busy one!! Mad in fact, but it’s been fun! This weekly summary post makes my fifth this week. Fifth!!!!!

Thankfully I had the foresight to prepare Wednesday’s Time of Lies extract post last Saturday ahead of time… otherwise I may have been in trouble. I have never published so many posts in one week in the history of this blog; it’s not a schedule I have any hope of maintaining. I hope you have enjoyed it this week because I’m not planning on such a busy schedule again. For now, anyway.

This was the first full week of a brand new month. Naturally, June’s TBR was finalised and published on Monday! As it happens, I think I’ll be adding a couple of books to it. I’ve made a lot more reading progress than I anticipated and I have already started reading one book on the side.

I’ve already mentioned Wednesday’s Time of Lies tour; on Friday I published my review of one of last month’s reads, The Drawing of the Three by Stephen King. The Drawing of the Three has a totally different vibe to The Gunslinger. Where book one establishes Roland, his history and quest, book two is driven by characters drawn out of modern-day New York into Roland’s world to battle their own demons before facing an even greater challenge.

If anyone has checked out my blog today, you’ll see I’m currently touring Game of Crones by Jay Raven. The book is a collection of dark fantasy short stories surrounding the themes of witchcraft and dark magic. If you haven’t already taken a peak of my thoughts on the book, you can check out the link above!

 

Books Read

Not only have I been writing a lot this week, but I’ve also managed to read a few books too! Okay, half of them are short stories… but still!

I began the week continuing with A Feast for Crows, my carryover from last month. I expected to have a lot more catching up to do than I actually did with this one. Still, I was reading this for a few days before I had to set it aside (temporarily).

All too aware of my upcoming blog tour dates, I picked up Game of Crones by Jay Raven and The Lynmouth Stories by L. V. Hay. Game of Crones was reasonably short, so I read practically the whole book in one sitting. The Lynmouth Stories turned out to be a LOT shorter than anticipated. I managed to read this cover to cover in about half an hour.

After finishing these two short story collections I was back to A Feast for Crows. I’ve been reading this for about two weeks (although it feels longer since I am used to reading books quite quickly). Consequently, I’m pleased to report that I finally finished this yesterday. I am so glad I elected to re-read the books!

After wrapping this up I swiftly moved on to my two current reads, Biohacked and Begging by Stephen Oram and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon. Biohacked and Begging is another collection of short stories, all with themes of individuals with some form of enhancement or another. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night time isn’t strictly on my TBR, but since I have made such good progress with my TBR, I asked myself “why the heck not?” I’ve been meaning to read it for some time now…

 

Books Discovered

If I’ve not bored you to death with all my wittering so far then read on. As if I didn’t have enough to talk about this week, I also have a few honorary mentions here too!

I’ve added three books to the TBR this week – The Whisper Man by Alex North, Back to Reality by Mark Stay and The Thinking Game by Lara Kane.

The Whisper Man is a thriller with a really exciting premise and very good reviews on Goodreads. I can’t wait to pick this up! I saw Back to Reality on Reedsy, and after reading The End of Magic by Mark Stay I’m definitely going to give this a try. Likewise, Reedsy is also responsible for me adding The Thinking Game to the list. If someone can help me manage my time better and improve the way I handle myself, then they deserve a medal. This will be really helpful for managing my time at work AND her e on the blog. Reading it will also go towards my goal of reading five non-fiction books this year…

 

Coming Up…

What’s coming up this week? That’s easy… less. A lot less. Haha!

I’m taking a few days to read and recuperate. My first post of the week is for a blog tour on Wednesday. That’s my tour date for reviewing The Lynmouth Stories, so I hope you can call in and check out my thoughts on these great short stories!

Depending on how my week pans out, my next post will be on Friday (Saturday at the latest). I haven’t made any moves to clear out the TBR in a few weeks, so I’ll be reviewing the next five books on my list and deciding whether they need to stay or go!

 

Top Blog Posts of the Week

Lastly, friends, in my Sunday Summary posts I like to try to recognise some great blog posts I’ve stumbled across by other bloggers. Here is this week’s list of blog posts I really enjoyed reading: –

The Orangutan Librarian – Monthly Monkey Mini Reviews – June

Reader Fox – Book Blogger Tips Topics for the Future (ARCs, Followers, etc.) – Reader Fox

Wee Writing Lassie – The Top Ten Best Greek Gods out there + The Worst One

 

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Book Review: The Drawing of the Three – Stephen King

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One of the first books I picked up last month was The Drawing of the Three by Stephen King. I read The Gunslinger back in June 2017 – TWO YEARS AGO?! – I really wanted to get back to the series after such a long break!

 

Goodreads – The Drawing of the Three

 

While pursuing his quest for the Dark Tower through a world that is a nightmarishly distorted mirror image of our own, Roland, the last gunslinger, encounters three mysterious doorways on the beach. Each one enters into the life of a different person living in contemporary New York.

Here he links forces with the defiant young Eddie Dean and the beautiful, brilliant, and brave Odetta Holmes, in a savage struggle against underworld evil and otherworldly enemies.

Once again, Stephen King has masterfully interwoven dark, evocative fantasy and icy realism.

 

My Thoughts…

The Drawing of the Three has a completely different feel to The Gunslinger. That kinda worked for me though. In the first book, we come to learn a lot about Roland and his history, the Dark Tower and his quest to reach it. Consequently, we spent a lot of time venturing through his world. The Drawing of the Three differs from that completely! Instead, we flit between Roland’s homeworld and a modern-day version of New York.

Roland seeks supporters in his quest to the Tower and fight against the dark. Eddie Dean and Odetta Holmes’ lives change completely when Roland barges into their reality. Each with their own demons, Roland has his work cut out for him if he wants them fighting fit on his side, especially since he could be dying himself.

The Drawing of the Three has a greater emphasis on characters, in my opinion. That may be the nature of the book, as Roland doesn’t actually seem to get that far in terms of his quest. I enjoyed the inclusion of the additional characters. Overall, they give the narrative more depth. No man can achieve everything by himself after all.

Eddie and Odetta haven’t had the easiest lives so far – Eddie has grown up with drugs as his crutch. Both he and his brother are in deep when Roland drags him out of that dark cycle. Odetta’s struggles are borne from an ‘accident’ that took her legs years before. Her challenges aren’t just physical though – the psychological trauma that accompanies it has scarred her more in the long run.

Watching each character fight their own battles (with a little help from one another) is entertaining, but more importantly, incredibly and hauntingly realistic. Only once they have put their own demons to rest can they face even greater darkness – The Dark Tower. I cannot wait to read the next book. Stephen King is one of my favourite authors and I am glad he has dipped into the fantasy genre. I won’t be waiting two years to read the next one, that’s for sure!

 

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