Good evening friends and welcome to another Sunday Summary! It’s been a fun week and I’ve picked up some good books.
Before we get into that though, let’s take a look at the blog posts I’ve shared this week. First, I shared a blog tour review of Woden’s Spear by Donovan Cook. It feels weird talking about this in this post because I drafted that post this time last week. However, it went live on Monday… so it counts.
Later in the week, I shared my First Lines Friday post. This week’s feature is one of my current reads. I decided to feature this book having started it this week and really enjoyed the book. The intro really caught my attention, even if I wasn’t reading this for book club, it would have made it onto my reading list anyway.
Books Read
A Promised Land
I’m pleased that I can finally report the completion of A Promised Land by Barack Obama this week!
It’s been an interesting read and opened my eyes to perspectives I didn’t imagine. If there was any book on my February TBR that I expected to not finish, it was this one. However, I’d say it was probably one that I enjoyed the most.
The Housemaid
After finishing listening to A Promised Land, I moved on to The Housemaid by Freida McFadden.
This is our book club read for March, and I decided to pick it up in audio format as I’m getting through audiobooks a bit quicker than regular ones at the moment.
It’s been a good choice! Although I am spending a good deal of the narrative questioning the actions and reactions of some of the characters, it’s an interesting story. As of this Sunday Summary post, I have listened to the vast majority of The Housemaid and I only have a couple of hours also left.
Normal Women
I’ve picked up Normal Women a couple of times over the course of this week. I haven’t made a lot of progress with the book, but I have moved on from the 20-odd-pages I’d read last week to just over 100.
I like the idea of this book, and I’m looking forward to reading further into more familiar modern history. If you’re unfamiliar with the book, it looks at how women in society shaped Britain’s modern history, even when they were talked about in the history books. It’s not about the famous individuals, but rather women as a whole.
Books Discovered
I haven’t added anything new to the reading list this week, so nothing to update you on here!
Coming Up…
The first book post I share next week will be another book review. I confess that as of the point of drafting this post, I haven’t decided which book it is that I will feature all. However, it’s 25 to midnight locally; I’m not going to spend the time looking through my reading list to see what’s coming up next. It’ll be as much a surprise for you as it is for me! 😂
Friday, I’m back with my regular Friday feature, Shelf Control. In this series, I take a look at upcoming books on my reading list, and I’m excited to read them.
Finally, next week, I’m back with another Sunday Summary post. I’m excited to share some more bookish completions with you, so stay tuned!
A fairly quick update from me this week in the interest of time and getting this out on time.
It’s the end of yet another week, friends! You know what time it is. I’m here today to catch you up on all the details in today’s Sunday Summary update. Grab a cuppa and make yourself comfortable.
Before we get into the books I’ve read over the course of this week, let’s recap the blog posts I’ve shared. The first of those posts was my monthly TBR for March. In that post, I shared my hopes for a more successful reading month than I had in February. This month, I have a few carryovers, a blog tour commitment, and a book club pick that I need to prioritise. Outside of that, though, I’m looking to read around the theme of Women’s History Month.
Next, I shared a Shelf Control post on Friday. In this regular Friday feature, I shared my excitement to pick up the second book in a sci-fi space opera series. I started a number of years ago. If you’re intrigued to find out which series this is, there’s a link to that post so you can check it out for yourself.
Books Read
A Promised Land
Listening progress with A Promised Land has been much better this week than in the last couple combined. As of this post, I still haven’t quite finished this book, but I only have 2 hours and 20 minutes left.
Listening to A Promised Land has been a great experience. Before reading this book, I have typically stayed away from politics. However, it’s helped open my eyes to some of the issues that being in politics creates and why it feels like things often don’t get done. That’s always been one of my bugbears about people who take this kind of office. However, having seen a lot of the in-fighting and often childish ways politicians block each other, it makes more sense now what happens (even if I want to smack my head against the brick wall for why they’re doing it!).
Children of Virtue and Vengeance
In last week’s Sunday Summary, I shared my hopes that this book wasn’t going to be another DNF. Unfortunately, though, after reading a little bit further into the book, I made the decision to put it down.
Honestly, I was struggling to connect with the characters and the storyline. I wasn’t invested in where it was going. Rather than try to slog through yet another book I wasn’t wild about, I took the decision to put it down and instead refocus my efforts on the books in March’s TBR.
Woden’s Spear
The first book on March’s monthly TBR is a book that I am due to review tomorrow. With that in mind, reading this book has been my focus for the week.
I think it’s helped having a deadline. Having had so many books where I’ve not been successful with reading them, and then the one book I am reading in full taking so long, it’s been refreshing to have a quick read. It’s also been great to go back to a genre I know and love. An element I’ve enjoyed historically in the genre is characters who don’t necessarily fit into the setting. I’ve enjoyed that through Octa’s perspective. I don’t want to go into too much detail here and spoil my review tomorrow. You’ll just have to check in for that!
Normal Women
Tonight, just before publishing this post, I started Normal Women by Philippa Gregory. I haven’t got a whole lot to write about given I’m only 26 pages in. However, I wanted to let you know that this is my next read and that you’ll be hearing more about it next week.
Books Discovered
Earlier this week, I was recommended a book called Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams. When talking books with a work colleague, I shared that one of the things I try to do with our work book club is read as diversely as possible. Gloria recommended these books to me as she reads from a lot of African writers and she enjoyed these books.
Coming Up…
There is no rest for the wicked, as my first blog post next week lands tomorrow morning. Woden’s Spear has been an enjoyable historical fiction to pick up and I’ll be sharing my full thoughts on the book in that post. Behind the scenes, I’ve actually scheduled this already so I have an easy ride early next week as I’ve no immediate posting commitments.
Later in the week, I will return with a First Lines Friday feature. I’m not going to set myself any particular challenge for this post. Sometimes, it’s nice to leave things open and see what inspires me nearer the time.
Lastly, next week’s Sunday Summary update is my last post on the agenda. Fingers crossed I can finally share a finish of listening to A Promised Land, as well as some more successful reading updates.
I hope you can join me for these posts. Thanks for checking out today’s Sunday Summary and I will see you in the next one!
Happy Sunday folks – I’m back with this week’s Sunday Summary post! I hope you’ve had a good week?
Overall, mine has been pretty good. I’ve had a few bits on, but nothing wild. I’ve had fewer social plans than last week, but also more than I expected. As a result, I haven’t picked up my current reads as much as I thought I would. More on that in a minute. First, let’s recap the blog posts, or rather post (singular), I shared this week.
My first and only post that went live this week, before today that is, is a Top Ten Tuesday. This week’s topic was books I’ve never reviewed. Whilst I did just about scrape ten, it’s fair to say I review the vast majority of what I read!
I was supposed to share a Shelf Control post on Friday. However, I confess I completely forgot about it until Saturday afternoon. Sorry folks, I have a goldfish brain…
Books Read
A Promised Land
Last week I boasted over seven hours of audiobook progress. This week, it’s a more modest two and a half hours.
But you know what, progress is progress. I won’t knock it. I’m enjoying listening to Barack Obama’s A Promised Land. I wasn’t sure what I expected to take from this book, but I’m liking it a lot more than I anticipated.
Things have gotten a little more political in what I’ve listened to this week, but it’s been okay to listen to. I’ve been able to follow what’s going on, with the odd bit of Googling terms to make sure I’m understanding everything. Until this, I’ve never paid attention to politics…
In Every Mirror She’s Black
After progressing with another 70 pages of In Every Mirror She’s Black this week, I DNF’d it at 33%.
If I’m entirely honest with you, I was bored. The storyline didn’t seem to be going anywhere meaningful and I wasn’t getting any enjoyment or enlightenment from it. If the book has a message, it takes its time getting there. I ran out of patience for it.
It’s my first DNF in a while. It’s a shame, but I’m not going to slog through a book I don’t like either. I have better things to do.
The Da Vinci Code
With the deadline for reading The Da Vinci Code fast approaching, I made it a priority to start this week. Book club meets next week to discuss the book. As of this post, I’m 20% into it.
I’ve mixed feelings on the book. I’m intrigued as to who is behind the murder. At the same time, though, I can’t shake my first impression that the narrative feels pretentious. There’s a lot of info dropping on cryptology and symbolism, as well as art particularly. No doubt it’s needed for the narrative, but the way it’s done doesn’t strike me as treating the reader as an equal. It feels like it’s talking down to me.
I’m going to stick with the book and read as much as I can before Wednesday. I’m not likely to finish it before we meet. Honestly, I won’t feel too hard up on being spoiled if I don’t either…
Books Discovered
There aren’t any new acquisitions to let you know about this week ☺️
Coming Up…
My first post of the week will be a book review. It’s been a couple of weeks since I shared my thoughts on Illuminae by Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman. Next, I plan to share my review of Becoming by Michelle Obama. Ironic timing, but maybe it’s a good thing! And, it’s also topical considering it’s Black History Month!
On Saturday, I’ll share my monthly wrap-up for February. In that post, I’ll take you through the books I read throughout this month and recap what I thought of them.
Finally, I’m back this time next week with my usual Sunday Summary recap. I’ll let you know how I get on with my current reads, as well as what’s coming up on the blog over the next week.
Thanks for reading this Sunday Summary update. Until my next post, I hope you have a great week!
This Sunday Summary post can only mean one thing – the end of another week has rolled around. Doesn’t the time fly?
It’s been a busy week as well! So much so, I’ve only really got the bulk of my reading done this weekend. However, I have managed to make a solid amount of progress. Before we get to that though, here is a recap of the blog posts I have shared so far this week.
First on the list is my TBR book tag post. I had originally intended to share this post on Wednesday, but it ended up being delayed until Thursday. It was a good, fun post to write and it will probably give you some insight into some of the books on my TBR and how long they’ve been there…
Next up was my First Lines Friday post. In the absence of being able to pick a Valentine’s themed book, I instead focused on one that I need to pick up, like, now.
Books Read
A Promised Land
Over the course of this weekend, I have listened to 7 hours and 40 minutes of Barack Obama‘s A Promised Land. Even still, combining this with last week’s reading progress of around four hours, I’m still less than halfway through this audiobook!
It’s a sizable book, but one that I’ve been able to chip away at and listen to quite easily. I’ve spent a lot of this weekend home alone, so between doing chores around the house and other hobbies, I’ve been able to listen to this audio at the same time.
For the most part, this has worked quite well. There have been a few sections of the audio where I’ve wanted to pay a little bit more attention to what Barack has been trying to explain. There are a couple of points where I rewound and relisten to small sections without the distraction of another task so I can follow what’s being said. However, these are few and far between. They’ve centred around a topic I already have some prior knowledge of; I wanted to understand the detail from an alternate perspective.
I’m looking forward to continuing on with this listen over the next week. For a book that on paper shouldn’t be my cup of tea, it’s going down very nicely.
In Every Mirror She’s Black
The second book to update you on in this Sunday Summary is one I just started last week. I haven’t picked up In Every Mirror She’s Black that frequently this weekend. However, I read another 70 pages yesterday whilst waiting for and at a hair appointment and 20 more tonight before publishing this post.
I still consider myself getting into the storyline at the moment. I don’t really know what to make of the characters or how the story is going to come together. I’m going to keep on with it, because the narrative itself is quite easy to read. If the plot doesn’t get more engaging though, I may make a decision on whether I continue with the book in the next few days.
I guess you’ll have to find out next week how I get on with this book. I’ll be making more of an effort to pick this up in the evenings as my social plans aren’t quite so busy.
Books Discovered
I only have one notable book to share with you this week, and it’s one that’s actually already on my TBR. I was gifted a hardcover special edition copy of The Poppy War by R. F. Kuang. It’s a bonus that I plan on reading this first book soon anyway!
Although I haven’t received or acquired any other books in themselves this week, I have added considerably to my book voucher collection. I’m trying not to let them burn a hole in my pocket though…
Coming Up…
The first post I plan to share next week is a Top Ten Tuesday post. The feature of this week’s post is books that I’ve never reviewed. I have quite the backlog, but even before that, there are books I’ve chosen not to review. There are also books I read in my teenage years that I’ve not re-read or featured on my blog since. Expect those to feature on Tuesday.
On Friday, it’s the turn of my Shelf Control post. In this fortnightly series, I feature upcoming books on my TBR and why I’m still looking forward to reading them.
Lastly, I’ll be back at the same time next week with my Sunday Summary update. As always, I’m here to update you on the books I’ve been reading over the week, as well as giving you the intel on what’s coming up very soon! I hope you can join me!
It’s the end of the week, friends, so it can only mean that it’s time for my regular Sunday Summary update. As always, I hope you’ve had a great week and are looking forward to the next!
What have I been up to this week? I’ve only posted two out of the three blog posts I planned up until this Sunday Summary. The first of those posts was my monthly TBR for February. If you’re intrigued to see which books I’ve got lined up for the month, take a look.
Next, I shared a review of a young adult science-fiction novel told in a mixed-media format. If you have yet to read Illuminae by Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman, I set out in this post why you should!
I was supposed to post a First Lines Friday later in the week. However, I confess I didn’t get time to draft this beforehand, and I was out with friends on Friday night until about 9:30 p.m. After that, I didn’t have much time at home before going to bed ready for an early start the next day. I didn’t want to spend that time blogging and not with Shane; having not seen him all day already, that would’ve been selfish. So, you’ll just have to hang on till next week for that post.
Books Read
A Darkness at Sethanon
I confess that I’ve barely picked up A Darkness at Sethanon by Raymond E. Feist this week.
If I’m entirely honest, the introduction hasn’t gripped me in the way I’d hoped. Combine that with a fairly neutral opinion of the series as a whole, and you’ll maybe see why I’ve not had the same drive to pick it up.
On the one hand, I am not prepared to abandon it entirely yet. I’ve not given it a good chance to get going, but also it would mean abandoning a series with just one book left. Instead, I think I will pick up something else in the meantime and try and come back to A Darkness at Sethanon.
A Promised Land
Better progress has been made with A Promised Land by Barack Obama. On the one hand, this is surprising. I’m not one for taking an interest in politics or going out of my way to read about it. However, I’m making an exception for Barack Obama. I like him on the whole, and I also like this as an audiobook because Barack narrates it himself.
It feels so much more like an intimate story of being told about his life as opposed to it being narrated to me impartially by someone else. I’m glad I picked this up in audio format as it’s the kind of content I can listen to quite easily.
Over the course of the week, I have listened to just under four hours of his book so far. It’s a 29-hour affair in total, so I still have a long way to go! However, I’m engaged, and that was always going to be the deciding factor in whether I stuck with A Promised Land or not.
In Every Mirror She’s Black
Instead of A Darkness at Sethanon, I picked up and read the first 30 pages of In Every Mirror She’s Black this evening. Broadly speaking, I’m getting on better with it. I’m still just getting introduced to the characters and what is going on; but I’m intrigued by the overlap in each of the three main character storylines and where they will progress.
Obviously, just scratching the surface of this book, there is very little I can say right now. What I will say is that this book is going to be my priority over the next week. Maybe then I’ll pick up A Darkness at Sethanon for a second go.
Books Discovered
Since I have acquired a number of books lately, I’ve behaved and not added to the TBR this week.
Coming Up…
The first post of next week will be a book tag which centres on my TBR! Just about everyone knows it’s long enough to warrant some attention. It’ll be nice to post something lighthearted and fun too!
This week’s planned First Lines Friday will be coming to you best week instead. It would be cheesy and difficult for me to try and find a Valentine’s-themed book. But hey, maybe that’s a challenge I can take on? I might struggle, but I’ll have a go.
Finally, I’ll be back with another Sunday Summary update post for you. Fingers crossed I’ll have more in the way of reading updates for you ☺️
Thanks for reading today’s Sunday Summary update! Have a great week, and I’ll see you in the next one.
In today’s Sunday Summary, I have plenty of reading updates for you! I can’t wait to share that progress with you. Before that, though, let’s take a look at the blog posts I’ve shared so far this week.
My first post of the week was a post outlining a number of series I want to finish in 2025. With many series so close to completion, I’ve outlined those I plan to prioritise to help meet my goal this year.
Next, I shared my monthly wrap-up for January yesterday. Whilst I didn’t get to all the books on my January TBR, I read no less than 3 five-star reads in the first month of 2025. If you’re curious to see what those books were, that’s the post to check out!
Books Read
Firefight
I achieved the completion of Firefight that I hoped for last week! Listening to Firefight on audiobook has been a great experience – so much so, I’ve got the final book in the same format.
Firefight was every bit as good as I expected. I had no idea what was going to happen, but that was half the fun. I always had doubts on certain characters and perspectives, so it was interesting to see some of those twists play out.
Brandon Sanderson is always a great author to pick up. He’s one I can always rely on if I need a pick-me-up or if I’m looking to guarantee a great read. Part of the reason I picked it up so early in the year was to have a great start, but also set myself up for a series completion this year.
If you read yesterday’s monthly wrap-up, you’ll know I rated this book five stars.
A Darkness at Sethanon
Next, I picked up and read the first few chapters of A Darkness at Sethanon by Raymond E. Feist. As I mentioned in my monthly wrap-up as well, I have only just started this book this week.
At the present time, I’ve gotten to grips with where I’m at in the series so far. It’s been a while since I picked up the earlier books. I’ve had to remind myself of what’s happened to date. However, that’s now been settled and now I’m ready to dig into this last instalment of the series.
Fearing the Black Body: The Racial Origins of Fat Phobia
In what has to be a record, I have listened to the entirety of Fearing the Black Body this weekend! I’ve made the most of the time I’ve had and listened to several hours of the audio both yesterday and today.
I’ve picked up this book as February is Black History Month. However, I had my own incentives to listen to it. As a larger woman myself, I’m not a stranger to ridicule and judgement for my size. Thankfully, I’ve long left the negativity and judgement of teenage peers in my schooldays behind. Nowadays, it’s more the case that whenever I go to the doctor, my weight is mentioned. Still, it’s a topic of interest to me as it’s influenced my life growing up.
It hadn’t really occurred to me before that fat phobia could have origins in racial discrimination and religious segregation. What this book is one argument towards this, that’s not to say it is indefinitely. I can see the logic in it though, and the author puts forward solid historical facts and studies that support this argument.
Clearly, the speed at which I’ve listened to this audiobook will tell you that I found this engaging and a topic of interest.
Books Discovered
As I mentioned earlier in this Sunday Summary, I have acquired a copy of Calamity in audiobook form this week. Thankfully, I already had the Audible credits to do it with, so it didn’t cost me anything.
Aside from that, I’ve also gotten copies I need for February’s TBR. If you want to see what those are, read on to find out when that post goes live!
Coming Up…
The first post I’m sharing next week is my Monthly TBR. You don’t have long to wait for it either, because it’s coming out on Monday. In fact, as of drafting this post, I already have that one drafted and ready for editing. If you’re looking forward to seeing which books I plan to pick up in February, as well as the theme for this month’s reading, come back tomorrow and all will be revealed.
Next, I plan to share a book review with you on Thursday. In that post, my intention is to review the first book in a mixed-media series co-authored by Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman. Do you know what it is? If not, you don’t have long to wait to find out!
I’m back again on Friday, so not long to wait once again. In Friday’s regular feature, it is the turn of my First Lines Friday post. With plenty of other content to think about already this week, I’m not going to restrict myself by setting any challenges. As of this Sunday Summary, I have absolutely no idea which book I’m going to pick either. We’re both in the dark as each other.
Lastly, I’ll be back with another weekly update in the form of my Sunday Summary post. Will I have as much reading progress to share with you next week? That remains to be seen. I could always be hopeful, but I do think this week has been a bit of an anomaly. Let’s not write myself off though, and we’ll wait and see.
That’s all from me in this weekly Sunday Summary, so consider yourself duly caught up with all my reading going on. What are you currently reading?
Drafting my weekly Sunday Summary is always a reminder that another weekend is over. That’s perhaps a bit dramatic given I’m initially drafting this post in the afternoon. But still, the sentiment stands. Weekends fly by far too quickly! How have you spent yours?
Before I jump into a recap of the books I’ve been reading over this week, let’s take a look at the blog posts I’ve shared with you so far. The first post I shared this week was a Top TenTuesday. This week I featured the 10 newest books I’ve added to my collection. I bought quite a few lately, and that doesn’t even take into consideration the voucher I received for Christmas yet. That remains unspent, but for how long, who knows?
On Friday, I shared a Shelf Control featuring The Whisper Man by Alex North. It’s been a little while since I featured and/or read a police procedural novel. The synopsis gives off thriller vibes and I’m looking forward to reading this soon.
Books Read
Firefight
I confess, I was hoping for Firefight to be finished this week. I can’t say I’ve gotten that far, but I have made good progress with this audiobook. Today alone I’ve listened to around three hours! Add that to the two hours I listened to earlier this week and you can see I’ve still made significant progress!
I’m really enjoying Firefight. At this point of the book, I have three hours of audio left and I’m still not sure how things are going to play out. There is clearly going to be a conflict with the Reckoners, hopefully preventing a dangerous Epic from doing something drastic. As to how the other Epics are going to play into that storyline though, remains to be seen.
So far, my experience of the book is that it’s every bit as good as the first book in the series, Steelheart. With so little left of the audio and the conclusion rapidly coming up, I’m sure I will get a completion in the next few days. Hopefully, before the end of the month!
Shuggie Bain
Progress with Shuggie Bain has been slower, but I made up for it today and finished the last 100 pages. You think I would have read it sooner, taking into account our book club meeting to discuss the book is in just a few days…
Whilst I have enjoyed the book, the themes and the subject matter can make this a little difficult to sit and read in long bursts. The characters go through some very awful things. One of the main characters is Shuggie‘s mum, Agnes. She struggles with alcohol addiction and depression as well. She’s had marital woes throughout her adult life, and as a result of all these things, most of her children try to avoid anything to do with her. Shuggie is the youngest and is left behind to pick up the pieces.
He is far too aware of what his mother goes through and does his best to try to make things better for her. He’ll even compromise himself to make her feel happier. It’s emotional and heartbreaking to read.
Books Discovered
I’ll think I’ll be off buying any new books for a little while, given I made it perfectly clear I’ve bought plenty in the recent past!
Coming Up…
So, we come to the part of my Sunday Summary posts in which I tell you what’s coming up next.
The first of my blog posts is intended to go live on Wednesday. With my 2025 resolutions in mind, I wanted to draft a post in which I set out which book series I want to finish in 2025. Carrying on with and completing series is one of my reading goals for the year, and this will be a great place to set out my intentions. And to hold myself accountable….
Next, I plan to share my monthly wrap-up post for January on Saturday, the 1st of February. In that post, I’ll recap the books I’ve picked up throughout January in comparison to the monthly TBR I set myself. I know I’m not going to get through the whole monthly TBR at this point, but I’m going to do my best to pick up as much as I can between now and then.
Lastly, I’ll be back with another Sunday Summary update post to catch you up on my weekly goings-on. As always, I hope you can join me for any and preferably all these posts.
Happy Sunday, fellow readers, and welcome back to another Sunday Summary post from yours truly. Before we get into it, have you had a good week?
I’ve been back to the usual blog schedule this week. Whilst I had fun sharing posts last week, it’s not a pace I can sustain. I will be doing it a little bit more often though. So, what have I shared this week? Firstly, I put together my review of Ship of Magic by Robin Hobb and published this on Wednesday. Fans will be glad to see plenty of content about her here!
Next, I featured one of my recent purchases in Friday’s First Lines Friday feature. I set this as a challenge for myself in last week’s Sunday summary post; I’m pleased to say I delivered.
Books Read
The Priory of the Orange Tree
I finally concluded this nearly 26-hour audiobook this week. It’s taken a good few weeks, but at the same time, this is probably the fastest I’ve listened to an audiobook for a little while.
When I first started this audiobook, I had reservations about how much detail I would take in. Fantasy is typically a very dense genre in terms of world building, etc. In the past, audiobooks have not been the best format for me to listen to these in. However, The Priory of the Orange Tree debunked that belief.
Maybe I need to give myself some more credit. Perhaps I’m more used to listening to audiobooks now and picking up the content this way. I’m not entirely sure why this worked, but I’m pleased to say it did.
The bulk of the audio left for this week was the epic conclusion. It was every bit as good as I expected it to be, and I rated this book 5 stars without hesitation. Needless to say, Samantha Shannon is going to be a future feature on my TBR with her other books!
Firefight
I’ve made pretty good audiobook progress this week. After finishing The Priory of the Orange Tree, I started Firefight by Brandon Sanderson this weekend.
Picking up Firefight on audio is a change from the first book. I’m pretty sure I read that one on Kindle. However, it worked well to pick this up in audio and continue listening to fantasy.
I always enjoy picking up books by Brandon Sanderson, regardless of the setting or the magic he has created for the book. Firefight is the second of three books in his The Reckoners trilogy. If you like books about superheroes and epic villains with magic, this is the best way I could describe the series to you. In Firefight, we’ve been introduced to a number of new characters, good and evil alike, and I’m looking forward to seeing how they clash over the remaining pages!
So far, I’ve listened to a two and a half hours of this 12-hour-long audio. Admittedly, I’m listening to this at x1.2 speed, so this works out at 7 hours and 45minutes left of actual listening time left.
Shuggie Bain
I left off from last week’s Sunday Summary update having just started the first 50 pages of Shuggie Bain. Over the course of the week, I have read a further 160-odd pages, bringing me to just over 50% progress on the book as of this Sunday Summary.
It’s not the easiest of reads in that the characters go through an awful lot. From poverty and alcoholism to death and adultery, the characters in this book don’t have a lot going for them. At the present time in the book, Shuggie is just a child watching this play out. But he’s not ignorant of what’s going on either. He’s all too aware of his mother‘s faults and it’s heartbreaking to see him try to make her happy or help her cope. As an ten-year-old child, he shouldn’t be responsible or feel responsible for his mother in the way that he does.
Books Discovered
Given the mini-haul I racked up last week, I have firmly put a lid on the purse strings, but also kept my head down. As a result, I’ve not added anything new to the reading list this week. I have enough as it is!
Coming Up…
The first post I plan to share with you next week is a Top Ten Tuesday. The feature of that post will talk about recent additions to my book collection. Even just looking back to last week’s Sunday Summary, you’ll see I have plenty to talk about!
Later in the week, I plan to share another Friday feature with you. This week it’s the turn of my Shelf Control post. So, I hope you can join me to look ahead at a police procedural thriller I’m looking forward to reading.
Lastly, you know the drill. Next Sunday will be the return of my Sunday Summary update post. I’m aiming to have a completion of Shuggie Bain in that post, and maybe even Firefight if I can step up my audio listening. Can I do it? You’ll have to check out that post to find out!
Until then, have a fabulous week whatever your plans are, and I will see you around soon!
Good evening friends and welcome to another Sunday Summary update. I have plenty to catch you up on. I have a book completion to talk about and a new start this week. Shall we get stuck in?
So far this week, I’ve already shared three blog posts with you. That’s because I have quite a lot of content to push out at the beginning of the year. I didn’t want to get behind with sharing what my intentions are in 2025. So, my first post of this week was my 2025 resolutions. Some of the resolutions look similar to last year, but there are some new ones too.
Next, I shared my monthly TBR for January. Many of the chosen books in that TBR relate somewhat to my resolutions post; that’s why I wanted to get that post out first. I’ve ambitiously set myself a goal to read seven books in January. Whilst I’m not convinced I will read them all, I’m going to work my damned hardest to get through as many of them as I can!
On Friday, I shared my Shelf Control post. This week’s feature is a book I added to my reading list after enjoying a trilogy written by the same author. I’m also intrigued by this synopsis as it sounds different to most of the books I pick up. But, it does remind me of one other series. One I loved, in fact!
Books Read
The Priory of the Orange Tree
Reading progress with The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon ticks on at a solid pace. I’ve listened to a few more hours of the audio this week and I’m rapidly coming to the conclusion of the book.
With just over three hours of the audio left to listen to, I’m starting to see how characters should slot into place for what I expect to be an epic conclusion. I’m looking forward to seeing how these final scenes play out. I’m undecided as yet as to whether events are going to conclude quite well, or if things are going to go a bit pear-shaped.
The depth of detail in the characters, places, and religion that defines the overall setting of the book amazes me. A lot of thought has clearly gone into this, and I was concerned that I wouldn’t pick up on or appreciate this much detail in audio format. However, that hasn’t proved to be the case at all. Maybe my reservations about listening to fantasy on audio for fear of missing out on this are unfounded.
Fool’s Errand
I am both excited and really saddened to tell you that I finished Fool’s Errand by Robin Hobb last night. I shared in last week’s Sunday Summary that I was hoping to finish with this book this week. It’s been an excellent read, and I would say probably my favourite book in the Realm of the Elderlings series so far.
It’s not without its heartache though. Robin Hobb is excellent at tugging at the heartstrings. I feared something would happen in this book, and I was right. I’m not going to spoil it for anyone who hasn’t read it, but I confess I shed a few tears last night over it. It didn’t even matter that I expected it would happen. The way it was written was both beautiful and emotional.
I’m glad to be back with reading this series. I’ve also enjoyed being back in the world of Fitz and seeing where his story takes him next.Arguably, I found this book the easiest to pick up and read out of the seven I’ve read so far. With the other books, the amount of detail and worldbuilding has meant that my progress has been quite slow. The writing is dense and there is a lot to take in, so consequently I’ve only been able to read in short bursts. I’ve not felt that way with Fool’s Errand at all. In fact, I sat and read 100 pages yesterday without really batting an eyelid.
I don’t think it’ll be too long before I pick up the next instalment in the series!
Shuggie Bain
Finally, the last book I have picked up and made progress with so far this week is Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart. I’m reading this book as part of our book club at work, which is meeting on the 29th of January.
So far I’m a little over 50 pages into the book so I’m only really just getting introduced to the setting and characters. Although I’m quite early into the book, it’s already an emotional rollercoaster. I’ve laughed at crass comments from matriarchal Glaswegian women, yet equally read through characters enduring domestic abuse and suffering from poor mental health.
My feeling is that this narrative is going to take us into some of the darker sides of society and in particular, watch how that colours the lives of specific characters. I’m going to continue reading this more in the next week or so. Then I’ll be able to tell you more in next week’s Sunday Summary update.
Books Discovered
My wallet has been molested this week, but not for all the books I’ve added to my list since my last Sunday Summary update. I read an article on upcoming releases this year that gave me some book recommendations. These I’ve added, but not purchased yet.
The first of these books is a fiction narrative which explores how life can change depending on very small variables. In this particular case, the variable is the name they were given at birth.
Secondly, I discovered Adam Kay is releasing another book this year. Having enjoyed his non-fiction recount of his life as a junior doctor, I want to read more of his writing. So, I have added A Particularly Nasty Case to my TBR.
Lastly, with my goal of reading out of my comfort zone this year, I’m picking up something I have never read before. In this BBC article, I discovered that a Ukrainian writer took on the role of a war crime researcher after the start of the war with Russia. She has since tragically lost her life in the war, but her works have come together and are being published in Looking at Women Looking at War: A War and Justice Diary.
I was doing pretty well, until I went into Waterstones “for a look” this afternoon. That’s where I fell off the wagon. Two of the books I bought are already on my TBR (The Anxious Generation and This Book May Save Your Life). In addition, I also bought and added Ultra-Processed People, A Man Called Ove, and The Earth Transformed.
Coming Up…
As much as I enjoyed putting out the extra content last week, I can’t do it every week. I might do it a bit more often. However, next week I’ll be putting out my usual three posts.
Firstly, I plan to share a book review with you. Next on the list is ironically another Hobb book. Ship of Magic is the first book of the Liveship Trader trilogy, and book four of the wider Realm of the Elderling series. I’m looking forward to sharing my thoughts on it in the next few days.
On Friday, I’m back with another First Lines Friday post. I’m setting myself a challenge this week. Although I haven’t read any of the intros to the books I bought today, I have to share one of them in that post!
Lastly, next Sunday I’ll share another Sunday Summary post. As always, I’ll update you on my current reads, as well as upcoming posts and other bookish updates. I hope to see you there!
Otherwise, that’s enough from me. Thanks for catching up with me in this Sunday Summary.
Happy snowy Sunday, my fellow Manxie and UK friends! As always, welcome to my weekly Sunday Summary update 😊 I hope you’ve stayed safe today? We’ve not had as much snow as the UK, and only I saw some today as I live higher up. It is only quite thin and slushy though. I reckon it will be gone by morning. At least, I hope…
It’s my first Sunday Summary of 2025, and I have good updates to share with you! Firstly, let’s take a look at the posts I’ve shared, then get to my reading updates and what’s coming up on the blog next week.
On Wednesday, 1st January, I shared my monthly wrap-up for December 2024. It was a more productive month of reading than I anticipated. I even picked up a mood read at the end of the month! It’s been a while since I had the time to do that!
Yesterday, I followed up with a wrap-up post for 2024 as a whole. I share my reading stats for the year, as well as update you on how I did with my 2024 resolutions. Ultimately, I didn’t meet any of the goals I set myself this time last year. There are reasons though, and I share those in that post.
Books Read
The Priory of the Orange Tree
Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve listened to 11 hours of this audio, evenly split about 5 and a half hours each.
Progress has been slower this week. I’m back at work and currently working through a very busy period. Not only that, but I’ve been spending more time working on social media and blog content in my free time. I’ve still made time to listen to The Priory of the Orange Tree in the car, or whilst cross-stitching. However, not as much.
This week, progress stands at 3 hours and 50 minutes. Considering audiobook progress before December was at a crawl, this is still decent!
We’ve covered some interesting plot developments in the audio I’ve listened to this week, so it’s been fun to listen to. I feel like anything can happen in the 7 and a half hours I have left, and I’m curious as to how events across the map are going to come together for the end!
Fool’s Errand
The second current read I’ve made progress with this week is Fool’s Errand by Robin Hobb. Over the course of the week, I’ve read an additional 265 pages. That puts me at pretty much 50% into the book.
I love being back in the world of Hobb. I confess it’s taken me some time to read other books of hers in this series. There’s been a lot of detail and world-building to take in. However, for the first time in this series, I’m back in a familiar setting. We’re 15 years on, so there are some changes to discuss in the narrative. However, I’ve found this book easier to read… and for longer stretches.
I have a suspicion that something later in this narrative is going to break my heart – I can only hope I’m wrong! I guess I’ll find out and tell you more in next week’s Sunday Summary.
Books Discovered
In this section of today’s Sunday Summary post, it’s a case of no news is good news!
Coming Up…
I have lots to talk about with you next week, especially looking ahead at what reading goals I’m striving for in 2025.
I’m following a rare four-post schedule next week to catch you up! As it stands, I’ll be sharing my January TBR nearly a third into the month. I’m keen to get these posts live, so set your watches to check out my next post tomorrow.
That first post of the week will be my reading goals for 2025. Before I share my January TBR with you, it makes sense to explain what I’m working towards and how those selections work toward my goals.
Then, on Wednesday, I’m sharing that TBR. At the moment, I’ve ambitiously got 7 books on the list. I think I may have to defer one to February. But, I’ll see how quickly I can make progress with my current reads and make a decision on Wednesday.
On Friday, I’m back with a Shelf Control post. I’m keen to keep looking ahead and reviewing the upcoming books on my TBR. I hope you can join me for this post as well.
Lastly, it’ll be the turn of my next Sunday Summary update. Fingers crossed I have a lot of reading progress and insights into my posts (just shared and coming up soon).
For now though, I’m ready to put my feet up and enjoy some more reading before bed!
Top 1% in Epic