Tag: sundaysummary

Sunday Summary – 9th February 2025

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

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

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

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


Books Read


A Darkness at Sethanon

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

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

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

 

A Promised Land

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

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

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


In Every Mirror She’s Black

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

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


Books Discovered

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


Coming Up…

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

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

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

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

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Sunday Summary – 2nd February 2025

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

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

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

 

Books Read

Firefight

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

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

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

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


A Darkness at Sethanon

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

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


Fearing the Black Body: The Racial Origins of Fat Phobia

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

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

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

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


Books Discovered

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

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


Coming Up…

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

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

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

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

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

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Sunday Summary – 26th January 2025

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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 Ten  Tuesday. 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.

Until then, I hope you have a great week!

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Sunday Summary – 19th January 2025

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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!

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Sunday Summary – 12th January 2025

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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.

What is the title of the last book you bought?

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Sunday Summary – 5th January 2025

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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!

What are you currently reading?

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Sunday Summary – 29th December 2024

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

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

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

 

Books Read


The Priory of the Orange Tree

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

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

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

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


The Woman Who Would Be King

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

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

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

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

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


Fool’s Errand

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

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

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

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


Books Discovered

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

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

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


Coming Up…

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

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

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

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

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

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Sunday Summary – 22nd December 2024

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

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

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


Books Read


The Eye of the World

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

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

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


The Priory of the Orange Tree

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

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

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

 

The Woman Who Would Be King

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

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

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

 

Books Discovered

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

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


Coming Up…

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

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

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

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

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Sunday Summary – 15th December 2024

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Good evening friends and welcome to my latest Sunday Summary post! As always, I hope you had a pleasant week?

I’ve enjoyed the latter half of this week most, because I have now finished work until after Christmas! It’s been nice to get wrapped up and now I can enjoy the run-up to the festive period. Not only that, I can take time to do the things I like – reading, crafts etc. And get my Christmas shopping finished…

I’ve done pretty well on the reading front too, with one finish to share with you this week amongst other updates.

Before we get to that though, I’ll quickly recap the blog posts I’ve already shared so far this week. The first of those posts was a book review of Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan. If you want to dive into the realms of Asian fantasy, this is a great book in its own right and part of a duology if you like a series.

Next, I shared a First Lines Friday post later on in the week. In that post, I shared a book that I read and enjoyed nearly 10 years ago now. I set myself the challenge of featuring a book I recommend to my fellow readers. This first book of the seven part Mistborn series is one I recommend to anyone wanting to try Brandon Sanderson.


Books Read


The Eye of the World

As of last week’s Sunday Summary post I was around 50% into The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan.

I’ve read 25% of The Eye of the World this week alone. I’ve enjoyed more reading time now I’m a Celeb has finished, but also a little more than usual on Friday after doing some Christmas shopping now I’m on leave.

I’m now further along in the book than I got to in my first read through. It’s a good thing I’ve gone back to it. Now I’m in the mood for a longer read, I’m finding it much more enjoyable to read!

We’re close to the point in the book where I’m that close to a finish that I’ll really push for it. Hopefully this time next week I’ll be able to share that completion with you!


Three Sisters

Speaking of completions, Three Sisters has been officially moved to my ‘read’ pile.

I’ve also taken advantage of time this week to get into my audiobooks again. From car journeys to shopping, I’ve wanted to get back into the world of Three Sisters and so I’ve made time to do it. I finished Three Sisters whilst wrapping some Christmas presents yesterday, and I’m glad I’ve done it finally. It’s both a heart-breaking and heartwarming story, for it is naturally filled with loss but also togetherness and determination.

Thousands did not have a happy ending after Auschwitz; neither did the sisters really. However, they survived and built a new life for themselves. I loved listening to this audio – it reminded me of how much I love the genre and subject.


The Priory of the Orange Tree

Whilst I was in the audiobook mood, I got stuck into The Priory of the Orange Tree a few hours after finishing Three Sisters. Already, I’ve listened to the first three hours of audio since yesterday afternoon.

The Priory of the Orange Tree is a big book. Three hours may sound substantial, but this audiobook is over 25 hours long. In truth, I’ve barely scratched the surface.

Although I had reservations about retaining detail on who is who and what’s going on, I think I’m faring okay so far. It’s still all new to me, but I’m enjoying the book and I’m following along just fine.

There isn’t a whole lot to share at this time as I’ve only just started. However, I’m having a good time with it. All I can say is I hope that continues!


Books Discovered

With Christmas now coming up I’m trying to be on my best behaviour. I even went into several shops selling books the other day and didn’t get a single one for myself.

Surely that deserves a reward right? 😅


Coming Up…

So, what’s coming up on the blog schedule in the next seven days?

This week I’ll kick off with a Top Ten Tuesday Books on my Winter 2024-2025 list. I enjoy these quarterly posts. They are a great way to look ahead at upcoming reads and plan for and topics or themes I want to read about.

On Friday I’ll be back with a Shelf Control post to discuss an upcoming read on my TBR. In these fortnightly(ish) posts, I like to share why I added a particular book to the list and why I’m excited to read it.

Finally, I’m back with my next Sunday Summary this time next week. Will I have finished The Eye of the World? Stay tuned to find out!

That’s all from me in this Sunday Summary update – what are you reading right now?

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Sunday Summary – 8th December 2024

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It’s been a stormy weekend here folks, but I haven’t been blown away thankfully! In today’s Sunday Summary, I’m still here – and I’ll update you on my reading and blogging adventures for the week.

The first post I shared with you was my monthly wrap-up for November. It was a month of catching up with ongoing reads, and getting to those I had already set on previous TBR’s and not started. If you want to find out what my reading progress was like, here’s a link to take a look.

Next, my final TBR of 2024 went live on Friday. Given I’m nowhere near my 2024 reading goals, this TBR is about finishing the year on a high with some good books instead of furiously trying to hit my targets. Again, if you want to take a look, here’s a link to do so!


Books Read


The Eye of the World

Progress continues with The Eye of the World. As of last week’s Sunday Summary I was a third of the way into the book. Over the course of this week, I’ve read around another 120 pages to bring myself to around 50% progress.

Ironically, the storm this weekend helped with that! I stayed in most of Saturday and took advantage of the time to pick up my book. Then, when we lost power last night, plans of catching up with TV (I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here) changed to reading. I swapped from my physical copy of the book to my kindle instead! Fortunately I also have an e-book copy that I bought a few years ago…

I’m really happy with the progress I’ve made so far this week. It’s a chunky narrative and there’s a lot to keep up with. Especially now characters are separated, I have two timelines and settings to keep track of. It does feel a little like one thing is happening straight after another without a breather between, but I’m intrigued by the characters and people in play.


Three Sisters

As of my last Sunday Summary post I was 25% into Three Sisters by Heather Morris.

I’ve made really good headway with this audio, more than I have done of late anyway. The setting and story has gripped me, making me want to keep listening and make the time for it. As a result, I’ve listened to another 3 and a half hours this week bringing me a bit over halfway through.

Three Sisters is everything I expected and I’m loving the book so far! Whilst it’s not a fun narrative given its subject, I’m really invested nonetheless.


Books Discovered

After a few weeks of new books trickling into the household, this week I’ve been good. Hard to believe I know, but Christmas is on the way you know. I have to behave until then at least!

 

Coming Up…

So, what’s on the agenda next week? I did debate taking part in next week’s Top Ten Tuesday post, as the subject is topical. Books to read during a storm? Well I chose The Eye of the World. It’s dark and atmospheric to go with the weather, but it’s not for that reason I chose it. The easiest choice during a power cut is whatever you have available on a decently charged and backlit kindle!

No. Instead I’ve decided to share a book review with you. I’m overdue one of those. This week’s feature is an Eastern inspired fantasy, which contrasts a lot from the heavily westernised fantasy I read more of generally, but also I’m reading right now. I’m talking about Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan.

On Friday I’ll return with a First Lines Friday post. As for the book I choose to feature, well, you’ll just have to wait to find out. I haven’t decided as yet on either the feature or whether there I’ll get a theme or challenge. We’ll both find out in due course I guess!

Last, but certainly not least, I’m back again next Sunday with my next Sunday Summary update. Will I finish Three Sisters or The Eye of the World, or at least be close to a finish? Let’s hope so!

Thanks for reading!

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