Tag: TBR

Goodreads – 66 Metres

The only thing worth killing for is family.

Everyone said she had her father’s eyes. A killer’s eyes. Nadia knew that on the bitterly cold streets of Moscow, she could never escape her past – but in just a few days, she would finally be free.

Bound to work for Kadinsky for five years, she has just one last mission to complete. Yet when she is instructed to capture The Rose, a military weapon shrouded in secrecy, Nadia finds herself trapped in a deadly game of global espionage.

And the only man she can trust is the one sent to spy on her…

My Thoughts

I added 66 Metres to my TBR after reading The Dead Tell Lies. Whereas this book is a psychological thriller and 66 Metres is a spy thriller, I’m confident that I’ll get on with the book just as well. The Dead Tell Lies is the type of thriller that had me thinking about the plot in overtime. Not only was I fully engrossed reading it, but also trying to work out what was going on even when the book wasn’t open. If I remember rightly, The Dead Tell Lies had an interesting twist to it too. Let’s hope for more of the same in 66 Metres.

Admittedly, it’s entirely on the merits of this first book I’ve read that I’ve added this second one. However, that means I’m not going into the book with too much of an idea of the plot and can’t be spoiled for it. I have gone into it with an idea of what to expect, though. With such high expectations set in this first book, I can only hope 66 Metres likes up to my expectations.

Summary

Do you love a spy thriller novel? Want to read along with me? Why not get a copy of the book here and readalong with me!

Thank you for checking out today’s pretty short but sweet Shelf Control post! Have you read 66 Metres or The Dead Tell Lies already?

Monthly TBR – March 2026

Posted on March 5, 2026 by fantasyst95

***Today’s monthly TBR post contains affiliate links to Amazon if you wish to purchase any of the books featured today. If you follow this link, I will earn a small commission from that purchase at no cost to you.

If you wish to obtain a copy of the book based on this feature I would really appreciate you following this link and showing my content some support by making your purchase***

My March monthly TBR is probably my most ambitious to date! With a goal of completing the Goodreads 2026 Winter Challenge, plus books to read for blog tour obligations, my own readalong and book club… I have a hearty mix!

I’m looking forward to pushing myself. I’ve had a productive reading year so far and the variety of books on this list means there is likely something for every mood (if I need the change!).

There are also a few books I’ve snagged from the library. No less than three of the books on this list are on loan to me currently. Others I owned already, some have been gifted for the purpose of review and the only two purchased were done with Audible credits. It doesn’t happen most of the time…

If you’re aiming to complete the Goodreads 2026 Winter Challenge before the end of March, I hope some of today’s featured books offer some inspiration.

Fixed Reads

Throne of Glass

As a carryover from my February TBR, Throne of Glass will be my first completion of March. Hopefully! I’m behind on my own readalong, which is hardy a good look 🤣 Nevertheless, these things happen. I’m keen to catch up, because no surprise here, but book two is also on this TBR and I really need to get back on track.

As I talked about in my monthly wrap-up for February, I’m getting on with Throne of Glass better than I thought. As at the end of the month, I was 26% through. I’ve already tagged on another 10% without trying. I’m hopeful this can be a quick finish!

Rose Red

I am touring for a book called Rose Red later this month. I am trying this with a new tour provider, and the way they do things as a little bit different. Rather than having a set date well in advance, this tour provider seems to schedule nearer the time. Consequently, I don’t exactly know what date I will be posting my thoughts. However, I am going to have this book read ahead of the first tour date which is the 22nd March. That way, I’m ready for the tour whenever I’m scheduled.

Rose Red caught my attention because the premise of the book is a romantasy fairytale retelling, with a bit of a feminist angle. Based on Snow White, I’m intrigued to see what plot line this book follows. Having recently enjoyed a dark fantasy retelling in the form of After the Forest by Kell Woods, I’m keen to continue with the theme of fairytale retelling to see if there’s something I want to read more of.

Storm of Mercia

I am pleased to feature again a historical fiction series I have loved so far. Storm of Mercia is the ninth instalment in M.J. Porter’s Eagle of Mercia Chronicles series. I have followed this series since the first book was published, featuring all but one book as part of the publication blog tours. The protagonist is one of my favourite characters in the genre. At the start of the series, he didn’t fit the mould for your traditional character. Whilst he has come on leaps and bounds since then, his fundamental values remain the same and his personal character growth is enjoyable to follow. These books are also full of action, so we are never bored.

I’m looking forward to sharing this review of the latest ninth book in the series soon. That blog tour review is going live right at the beginning of April, so naturally, I’m featuring this book on my March monthly TBR so I’m ready to go on the 2nd.

Wild Dark Shore

Getting into the books I’m reading as part of the Goodreads 2026 Winter Challenge, I’m starting with Wild Dark Shore. This book is a great one to pick up this month, because reading it will qualify for two achievements in the challenge. Wild Dark Shore appealed to me for a number of reasons as well. The premise is interesting and involves a character washing up somewhere after nearly drowning. They also have an interesting dynamic with their family, as I found out when I featured the book in a recent First Lines Friday post.

Needless to say, this is a highly anticipated mystery on this March monthly TBR. I’m looking forward to sharing my thoughts on this one in due course.

1984

Stepping away from my Goodreads 2026 Winter Challenge momentarily, I am picking up George Orwell‘s 1984 for my own reasons this month.

When I shared my 2026 resolutions, I featured both 1984 and a retelling of the story on my fixed reads list. I have wanted to read these books side-by-side, or one after the other, since I received a copy of Julia. Firstly, I want to go back to the dystopian world as we know and love and as originally written by George Orwell. Having not had a good experience with this book 1st time round during my school years, I have already re-read it once in my lifetime and enjoyed the book significantly more as a result of not having to study it. Fingers crossed my third read is as enjoyable as my second!

Julia

Following on from 1984, it shouldn’t be a surprise then that Julia is going to be the next book on my list. After enjoying the refresher of the world as originally written, I’m keen to see how closely or far out this retelling is. I have no idea as of writing this March monthly TBR post. I’m looking forward to being surprised one way or the other. The added bonus of picking up these two books is that Julia qualifies for one of the Goodreads 2026 Winter Challenge prompts. Under the achievement for retellings, Julia naturally is a perfect fit. Plus, it’s a great opportunity to tick two books on my fixed reading list for 2026 off.

It’s also been a little while since I got my copies of these books, so it’s exciting to get to them at last!

A Study in Scarlet Women

A Study in Scarlet Women qualifies for the Goodreads prompt Swoony Stories. As I shared in my Goodreads 2026 Winter Challenge announcement video on YouTube, it’s the prompt I found the most difficult to find a book for. Not being a big romance reader (not that you’d know it from this TBR, or even my last one), I need something other than a romance in order to keep my engagement with a book.

What appealed to me about A Study in Scarlet Women is that it’s almost a spinoff or variation on the character of Sherlock Holmes. Whilst the main character isn’t the main man we know and love, the pseudonym is used by a female protagonist to investigate and clear the names of family members accused of a crime. The mystery element is definitely going to help me with this romance. Not only that, but I’m keen to see how the reimagining of Sherlock Holmes plays out in this completely different narrative.

An Arcane Inheritance

It’s been a little minute since I picked up a dark academia novel. The last time I picked up the genre, I did so in the form of If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio. This is very different from An Arcane Inheritance in that that first book tackles a group of actors and the group dynamics of a troop who specialise in Shakespeare.

An Arcane Inheritance is very different. I’m picking up this book because it was on my TBR and qualifies towards the ‘Black Heritage’ prompt. I had hoped my recent listen of Barack Obama’s Dreams from my Father would have qualified. That’s not necessarily the reason I picked it up, but the timing was perhaps a little influenced by this challenge. Nevertheless, it was a great read. Instead, I get to pick up another book and I’m looking forward to getting back to dark academia. It’s not a genre I read a lot of, so it’s a refreshing change when I do.

Looking at Women Looking at War

When I shared my Goodreads 2026 Winter Challenge list, I had to take a guess at a book that would qualify for the Women’s History challenge. The list of qualifying books was only released on the 1st March. I had hoped to read Eve by Cat Bohannon. This is a book about the evolution of humanity and how women’s biology and evolution shaped that. Unfortunately, this book does not qualify. If it had, that would have been another read that overlapped with my fixed reading list in my resolutions post. Never mind!

Instead, I am picking up a book called Looking at Women Looking at War. This book is an interesting one because it focuses on some very recent history.

A young woman, Victoria Amelina – a writer living in Ukraine – started documenting war crimes in Ukraine after Russia’s invasion in 2022. Unfortunately, she would never see the end of the war. She was tragically killed just a year into the conflict as a result of a Russian missile.

However, not letting that stop her hard work from getting noticed, her efforts were published as Looking at Women Looking at War. Obviously, this is far from a complete account given the conflict is still ongoing. However, as a fairly recent history, I’m looking forward to both seeing what’s really going on behind the scenes. That, and to commemorate the bravery of a woman willing to expose the truth.

Crown of Midnight

Unsurprisingly, given I’ve already published my intended timeline for this readalong, I’m looking to pick up the second book in Sara J Maas’ Throne of Glass series later this month.

As this one is for my own deadline as opposed to for the purpose of meeting a challenge, I have put this towards the end of my March monthly TBR. However, I’m hoping to catch up so I’m not overlapping too far into April at the very least. If Crown of Midnight is anything like the first instalment Throne of Glass, I’m hopeful it will be very easy to read. It’s also only a few hundred pages, so not too big of a commitment. The later books in the series are longer and will require more time investment. However, I can’t get away with some flexibility early while the books are only 300 pages or so…

Mood Reads

The Astral Library

Finally, I have an audiobook on my March monthly TBR for a relatively new release of February. On YouTube, I shared a video of new releases in 2026 I was really looking forward to. The second book on this list (the first was Dear Debbie, which I finished listening to very recently) is The Astral Library.

This book caught my attention because it sounds similar to a book I love. Reminiscent of Matt Haig’s The Midnight Library, the premise involves a form of living a life through pages in a book. If you have read The Midnight Library, you will know that the protagonist explores multiple variations in how their life could have gone by picking up a book in which this life is encapsulated. This is purely the protagonists interpretation as opposed to a fixed idea in the book. The protagonist had a special relationship with a librarian at school. So, this is how the idea manifested for her. As an avid reader, this clearly resonated with me. Exploring something similar in The Astral Library is something I’m looking forward to!

Summary

I’m aiming high in this March monthly TBR – I don’t think anyone can argue against that! The heat is on to complete the Goodreads 2026 Winter Challenge. Will I achieve it? Place your bets now! 😂

Thanks for reading today’s March monthly TBR – are you having a go at this challenge?

Monthly Wrap-Up – February 2026

Posted on March 3, 2026 by fantasyst95

***Today’s monthly-wrap-up contains an affiliate link to Amazon if you wish to purchase the book. If you follow this link, I will earn a small commission from that purchase at no cost to you.

If you wish to obtain a copy of the book based on this review, I would really appreciate you following this link and showing my content some support by making your purchase***

As of the end of February and this monthly wrap-up post, I am four books ahead of schedule in my Goodreads Challenge for the year to read 60 books in 2026. With seven titles added to my completed list in February, it’s fair to say I’ve had a successful month!

Compared to my monthly TBR for February, I pretty much got to the end of my reading list for the month with one current read I’m carrying forward into March. I did think I would complete this list this month. However, with a busy work week mid-month taking on a project from a colleague, I didn’t have much headroom to read in my free time for a few days and that did impact my overall progress.

Nevertheless, still managed to pull it out the bag. Two blog tour obligations helped to keep momentum going, and they were both highly-rated reads as well. It always helps when the book you pick up are well received!

Let’s take a look at where I got to!

Books Read

After the Forest

At the end of my January wrap up, I shared that I was part way through after the forest by Kell Woods. I really enjoyed this dark fantasy overlap with a fairytale retailing. The darker tones of the book featuring witchcraft, war and discrimination, combined with the lighter and more familiar base of the fairytale Hansel and Gretel made for an interesting combination.

There is also a romance element to the storyline of this book. Whilst it wasn’t something I actively rooted for (it’s just not my thing, okay?), It was okay to read and didn’t detract from the narrative all my experience of it. It was refreshing to pick up something different, which has been a feature of almost every book I’ve picked up alongside the Cottagecore Fantasy Book Club.

Dreams From My Father

When I published last month monthly wrap up, I had a really only just started Dreams From My Father by Barack Obama. Needless to say, it was one of my first finishes in February. Having read A Promised Land a year before, it wasn’t really a surprise that I enjoyed Dreams From My Father.

Whilst this type of writing and subject is enjoyed as an exception rather than the rule, I really like Barack Obama. He’s the only political figure from whom I think I will ever read a book. Or two, as it turns out!

Dreams From My Father is about Barack’s exploration of his heritage and identity via his race. He had an unusual upbringing and being of mixed-race ethnicity in a society where there weren’t very many kids like him, he struggled with understanding who he was. Dreams From My Father is all about exploring this, and seeing how Barack matures.

Grace

He wouldn’t necessarily describe February as the month to read horror. Nevertheless, I had the pleasure of reading and featuring Grace on my blog by taking part in the publication blog tour this month. What attractive my attention to grace was that the event of the book are set relatively close to Home. Set on a remote island of the West Coast of Island, Croaghnakeela is as miserable and desolate as the worst British weather can make you feel.

Combined mythology and supernatural and you can get an idea or feel for this book. I loved the links to Irish and Celtic mythology, and I even found out through my research when writing this review that there are somewhat ties to more local mythology in these figures. If you want to find out more about this book, I shared my full thoughts on Grace in my blog tour review.

An Offer From a Gentleman

Doing a complete 180° once again, after finishing Grace, I listened to an audiobook copy of an offer from a gentleman from Julia Quinn. I picked this book up on a whim. I’m currently watching season four of Bridgerton on Netflix. Having started this series on telly, I decided to give this third instrument of the books ago. Doing so was a little bit of a risk. Whilst I read the Duke and I and the experience was okay, I didn’t like book two, Anthony and Kate’s story. So much so, I DNF’d it.

However, I was able to borrow a copy of the audiobook from my library. So, I thought what the hell?

And you know what ended up better than I thought given protagonist from a very different societal background class, I found her more relatable characters in the series. Whilst Benedict is still somewhat insufferable in his behaviour at the beginning, I think persevering was worth the while. My experience an offer for a gentleman was marginally better than the first instalment the Duke and I. Being I’m not a big romance reader, it was always going to be a hard push to get a five star rating.

It hasn’t put me off trying the fourth book, which is Colin and Penelope’s story however.

Blues for an Alabama Sky

For the first time ever this month, I read a play in the form of Blues for an Alabama Sky. I picked up this book for our work book club, as it also has a romance element to the story.

However, in the 104 page count, this book covers far more than just a basic romance. Set in depression era America, the book follows the story of Angel and her dreams of getting out of Harlem New York. She meets a man she thinks could be the love of her life. However, throughout the book we see a number of personal differences come to the fore and challenge the relationship.

Blues for an Alabama sky was a very quick read, and I enjoyed the difficult topics that were touched upon in the narrative. It was also really enjoyable to pick up a book in a different format!

The Three Witches

My second blog tour obligation, which landed right at the beginning of March, was for a book called The Three Witches by Elena Collins. I ended up picking up and completing this read pretty quickly because I had the deadline to review. However, The Three Witches was very readable. I loved the angle of the narrative and the attempt to honour historical events as closely as possible. Not only that, but also in trying to give persecuted women their voices back and highlight the true lives of women accused of witchcraft.

If you’re interested in a historical fiction aimed at telling the real stories of women in a dual timeline mystery, go and read my review of The Three Witches.

Dear Debbie

In a recent YouTube video, I shared some highly anticipated 2026 releases. The first of these books is Dear Debbie, which was released in January.

It isn’t a surprise I loved this audiobook! I read Freida’s The Housemaid series in this format. Given it worked well for me, I stuck and it paid off. Not that I think reading traditionally would hamper my enjoyment, because i don’t. In order to get through all my reads, I have to pick some up in audio and I know these are easy, engaging listens.

The twist at the end of this book took me by my surprise. In a way, it shouldn’t have. However, it was very cleverly written and the storyline pulled off well.

Throne of Glass

Finally, the one book left that I’m currently reading as if this monthly wrap-up is Throne of Glass. This is a readalong series I’ve started, and I was also reading this towards the romance-themed book club.

Because of my blog tour obligations, Throne of Glass took a backseat. As of the end of February, I was 26% into the book. I’ve read a little more since then, and it’s going down well so far…

I went into this book with a preconception that I may not enjoy this one. However, the romance element of the book isn’t overtaking the events of the plot and the world-building behind it. So far, so good!

Summary

February was a successful month by all accounts. No DNF’s to report, which is great news, and seven competed reads in the shortest month of the year is a win.

How many books have you picked up in February? Have you read any of the books in today’s monthly wrap-up post, or added any to your reading list as a result of today’s monthly wrap-up?

Shelf Control #100 – 20/02/2026

Posted on February 20, 2026 by fantasyst95

***This Shelf Control post contains an affiliate link to Amazon if you wish to purchase the book. If you follow this link, I will earn a small commission from that purchase at no cost to you.

If you wish to obtain a copy of the book based on this review, I would really appreciate you following this link and showing my content some support by making your purchase***

My latest Shelf Control features a historical classic novel I started years ago whilst in my high school years, but didn’t really get into. I suspect I wasn’t quite mature enough for the book and its themes yet. However, now I’m older, I need to get cracking and read this classic book.

It would also be perfect for anyone looking for a Black History Month read! Before I get into the details of the book, as I usually do, here’s a recap of what Shelf Control is all about.

If you want to read more about the Shelf Control feature, check out Lisa’s introductory post.

The Colour Purple – Alice Walker

Genre: Historical fiction/ Classic

Pages: 287

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Penguin Books

Publication Date: 10 Dec 2019

Goodreads – The Colour Purple

A powerful cultural touchstone of modern American literature, The Color Purple depicts the lives of African American women in early twentieth-century rural Georgia.

Separated as girls, sisters Celie and Nettie sustain their loyalty to and hope in each other across time, distance and silence through a series of letters spanning twenty years, first from Celie to God, then the sisters to each other despite the unknown.

Abused repeatedly by the man she calls ‘father’, Celie has two children taken away from her and is trapped into an ugly marriage. But then she meets the glamorous Shug Avery, singer and magic-maker – a woman who has taken charge of her own destiny.

And gradually Celie discovers the power and joy of her own spirit, freeing her from her past and reuniting her with those she loves.

Beloved by generations of readers, The Color Purple broke the silence around domestic and sexual abuse, narrating the lives of women through their pain and struggle, companionship and growth, resilience and bravery. Deeply compassionate and beautifully imagined, Alice Walker’s epic carries readers on a spirit-affirming journey towards redemption and love.

My Thoughts

I regret not picking up The Colour Purple yet. It’s a highly rated book, and no doubt a must-read for many people – myself included!

The Colour Purple is a well-known title that I’m looking forward to ticking off my TBR. It’s a classic, and one I feel is already overdue to be read. So much so, I included this book on my fixed TBR of books I want to get to in 2026. You can see that, as well as the other books on this list, in my 2026 Resolutions post.

The book is not without its difficult topics. If you’re not for reading about domestic and sexual abuse, then maybe pass on this one. However, I’m not one to shy away from difficult topics and in fact, I deliberately try to read them. Only by recognising difficult truths can we be transparent about them and try to prevent reoccurrence.

Summary

Want to read along with me? Get a copy of the book here and join me in picking up this historical fiction classic. Race is a topic I’m already enjoying reading about in Barack Obama’s Dreams from my Father. Why not continue the discussion by reading The Colour Purple soon?

Thank you for reading my Shelf Control post! Have you read The Colour Purple?

Monthly TBR – February 2026

Posted on February 3, 2026 by fantasyst95

***My February 2026 monthly TBR contains an affiliate link to Amazon if you wish to purchase the book. If you follow this link, I will earn a small commission from that purchase at no cost to you.

If you wish to obtain a copy of the book based on this review, I would really appreciate you following this link and showing my content some support by making your purchase***

—

February’s monthly TBR features seven books, and somehow still manages to leave headroom for a reading challenge I’ll start later this month. I’m ambitious as always! This monthly TBR features two carryovers, two blog tour obligations, two book club reads and one new release I’m hoping to finish this list with.

Even then, I’m hoping to get to another book or two before the end of the month. The successful start I enjoyed in January has lit a fire under my … well, you know. I’m keen to keep up the momentum! February may be the shorter month of the year, but I don’t want it to be my least successful.

Let’s dive into my planned reads on this monthly TBR.

Fixed Reads

After the Forest

Last month I planned to read After the Forest by Kell Woods as part of the Cottagecore Fantasy book club run by cozysabie. Whilst that did happen to an extent, I didn’t get to finish the book before the end of the month.

With that in mind, After the Forest is my priority finish given its my current read as of the beginning of February. In my January wrap-up post, I shared progress to the tune of 40% of the book. As of writing this monthly TBR I’m already further along (60%) and looking to mark this as a finish within a few days tops.

Grace

Next, I’ve got a blog tour commitment for the 12th February, so that needs to be my next read. Compared to the fairytale retelling (with some darker themes) that is After the Forest, this gothic horror with Irish mythology is likely to feel very different…

I’m excited though! I’ve not read horror for a while. Also, I don’t think I’ve ever read around the topic of Irish mythology. I like the idea – in fact, its the reason I wanted to try the book. Here’s hoping I enjoy it and I can persuade you to read it in my upcoming review next Thursday!

The Three Witches

Another blog tour commitment, although thankfully not until 1st March, is to review The Three Witches. This book is a historical fiction novel based around the three witch characters from Shakespeare’s Macbeth. I don’t know a lot about this book other than the spirits of these characters pop up repeatedly over the course of history – its a timeslip narrative.

This multi-perspective, multi-storyline book caught my attention and I can’t wait to read it and share my thoughts in the coming weeks!

Dreams from my Father

Last month, after DNF’ing The Doors of Midnight and finishing The Great Passage, I picked up Dreams from my Father. I wanted to pick up this audiobook after enjoying A Promised Land last year. I was pleasantly surprised by that audiobook – it turned out to be one of my favourite reads of 2025.

The focus of Dreams from my Father is a little different. Instead of being about Barack’s presidency and his political aims, Dreams from my Father is instead about exploring his heritage and discovering his identity.

So far, I’ve listened to a couple of hours of this audiobook and I’m keen to continue with it and see where it goes.

Throne of Glass

I announced yesterday that I’m hosting a readalong for Sarah J Maas’ Throne of Glass series. I’ve never tried any of her books before. However, in an effort to try some more mainstream books and make content about them, I’ve chosen to read this series over the next seven months.

Throne of Glass may well push me out of my comfort zone. That’s not a bad thing though. Even if the book and series doesn’t end up being a favourite, I’m sure I have a lot to gain from giving it a go. I’m looking forward to chatting with you about these books as well. If you wish, join my readalongs on Fable and/or StoryGraph and I’ll post updates on my progress on YouTube. Stay tuned!

Blues for an Alabama Sky

I run a book club at work, and I’ve set a theme of Love in All Its Forms for our February meet.

Towards this theme, I’m hoping to read two books this month. The first coincides with my Throne of Glass readalong – it has significant romantic sub-plots after all, so it works. I’m also hoping my reading this one will relate to some different readers amongst my colleagues. Generally, I don’t read a lot of romance.

However, the second book I’m planning to read also has a romantic relationship at the heart of its story. It’s also a little more ‘academic’ in nature in that this book is on modern school syllabuses. Whereas I are up reading Of Mice and Men, this is a new take on Depression era America. It’s also a good pick for reading around Black History Month. Win-win!

Mood Reads

Dear Debbie

If I get to the end Dreams from my Father, and there is no reason I shouldn’t, then I’m picking up a 2026 Highly Anticipated Release I shared in a recent YouTue video. Freida McFadden recently released Dear Debbie. With my intentions to feature more topical, current new releases on my mind, I want to read Dear Debbie now. That way, I can share my review on this book whilst its still a hot topic on people’s minds, and maybe encourage you to read this one too.

All being well and if I enjoy this one as much as I expect, I’ll then be turning to Freida McFadden’s backlist.

Summary

My official February TBR has a healthy number of books on the list. Stats fans – I’ve got 1,400 pages and 17hrs 40mins on today’s list.

The size of the books on this monthly TBR should give me time towards the end of the month to pick ups some different reads. I have a bit of a reading challenge in mind to take into March. In my 2025 wrap-up post I shared an update on a resolution that didn’t get much focus in 2025. Whilst I’m not planning to revive this goal (I didn’t set it in my 2026 resolutions post), I’m thinking as a one-off I’d like to have a stab at completing the Goodreads Winter Challenge.

That needs me to read a selection of books not on this list, but I’m no less looking forward to. Not all of the challenges have been revealed. One remains a mystery, but I’ve chosen a reading list that ticks the boxes of all challenge but the last unrevealed challenge. For that one, I’ve planned a read I think will fit the prompt but if nothing else, features on my fixed TBR for 2026. It won’t be a wasted effort in any case!

So, that’s my February TBR. Have you read any books I feature on this list? Does anything catch your eye?

Monthly Wrap-Up – January 2026

Posted on January 31, 2026 by fantasyst95

***Today’s monthly-wrap-up contains an affiliate link to Amazon if you wish to purchase the book. If you follow this link, I will earn a small commission from that purchase at no cost to you.

If you wish to obtain a copy of the book based on this review, I would really appreciate you following this link and showing my content some support by making your purchase***

The beginning of the year and setting my January TBR feels like both yesterday and a distant memory. This month has been a tale of two halves. In terms of reading progress and motivation, January has flown. Financially though, January is the looooongest month of the year.

I’m pleased with this month’s reading progress. I got to all but one book on my January TBR, and started one extra audiobook after finishing with both the audiobooks I had on the list.

Books Read

Orbital

I wanted to start the year with a relatively quick read. Perhaps my choice of Orbital was a little misguided on account of the page count, however it was a fantastic read.

What Orbital lacks in page count, it makes up for in thought-provoking content. From intimate detail on life in space with five other people to the fragility of life and the pull of the Earth, this book appealed to me for its content and didn’t fail to deliver. I’ve already shared my full thoughts on the book on my new YouTube channel. If you’re interested in finding out more about this Booker prizewinner, please take a look at my video 🥺

Beyond Redemption

I started Beyond Redemption in December but didn’t get too far before the end of the month. After finishing Orbital, I revisited this book. The pacing of Beyond Redemption didn’t quite work for me, so it took me until mid-January to finish it.

In my recent YouTube review of Beyond Redemption, I shared what worked and what didn’t work for me. Ultimately, I finished the book and rated it three stars. The premise was really appealing and I had high hopes for Beyond Redemption. In practice, it didn’t quite live up to my expectation. Want to deep dive into my thoughts on this one? Here’s my video review.

The Doors of Midnight

I made a healthy start to The Doors of Midnight back in December and I was optimistic that it was going to be a five star read of January. However, I ultimately decided to DNF this audiobook.

When it came down to it, I found the narrative a little repetitive and interest waned. As and when opportunities came up to listen to this book, I found myself making excuses and picking up other things. That says a lot. To take a break, I started my second audiobook of the month and after enjoying that one more, it brought home to me more that I was no longer enjoying The Doors of Midnight. So, that was the decider for me.

Yellowface

Looking for a pick-me-up after Beyond Redemption, I turned to an author I know I’ve enjoyed historically. Of course R.F. Kuang did not disappoint once again!

Picking up Yellowface is quite different from the two books I’ve read of hers to date (Babel and The Poppy War). However, she is the type of author who can write from a variety of backgrounds yet also discuss topics that clearly mean a lot to her to feature.

If you are unfamiliar, Yellowface is heavily about cultural appropriation and the public perception of a white author publishing a story from a minority background. I loved how this was explored, as well as the nature of being an author and the publishing industry as a whole. Needless to say, Yellowface was the hit I hoped for, and needed.

The Great Passage

The Great Passage is the audiobook I picked up after DNF’ing The Doors of Midnight. I had high hopes for this audiobook already, but I especially wanted to love this book after being disappointed by that audio.

Thankfully, The Great Passage fared much better. What I really enjoyed about this audiobook is that the setting is culturally very different. It opened my eyes to a completely different way of life. I picked up this book because I loved its passion and focus on words, meanings, and the compiling of a dictionary. It excelled at all those things, but the appreciation for the cultural insights this book gives is what made it a well-rounded experience.

The Courage to be Disliked

Unfortunately, The Doors of Midnight wasn’t my only DNF of the month. This month, I set a theme including self-help, learning and development for book club. On my January TBR I set out my intentions to pick up I Know I’m in There Somewhere. However, it turns out this book is very hard to get a hold of. Instead, I picked up The Courage to be Disliked…. But only read 21% before DNF’ing.

The novelty of the dialogue-style narrative quickly wore off. If readers are meant to find the character of the unnamed ‘youth’ relatable, unfortunately it didn’t hit the mark with me. They are argumentative, combative and I didn’t gel with them at all. However, I also felt the ‘professor’ was a little off too. No doubt his role was to teach the principles of Adler, and they are what they are. I didn’t agree with all of what was discussed either.

Consequently, The Courage to be Disliked didn’t last long under my nose before being set aside.

Notes on a Nervous Planet

I turned to a well-known and trusted author again after this latest DNF.

Matt Haig’s The Midnight Library is one of my favourite books in recent history. His unique insight into mental health difficulties shone through in Notes on a Nervous Planet. This short and approachable read, written in short chapters, informal notes and tips for limiting the impact of our modern world on our mental health was insightful. I practice some of these already, such as limiting exposure to the news. However, it discusses a number of topics, like technology, social media and consumerism to name just a few.

The format of this book was quite unique, and as a result I flew through this already short book. It’s definitely encouraging me to read more of his books – I have The Midnight Train to look forward to in 2026, but also some backlist titles like Reasons to Stay Alive on my radar as well.

Dark Chronicles

I signed up to review a collection of suspenseful speculative fiction stories late this month. Admittedly, I was quite late picking up this collection. However, its ease to read world in my favour so I could review these on my blog earlier this week.

For a short book, I still had plenty to say about this 178 page collection. Instead of repeating myself in this monthly wrap-up, instead I’ll direct you to my published review.

After the Forest

Finally, this monthly wrap-up gets to my current and carried forced reads into February.

After the Forest is my chosen Cottagecore Fantasy read for this month as part of the Cottagecore Fantasy book club. If you like fairytale retellings, this book will also be right up your alley.

Building upon the well-known fairytale Hansel and Gretel, After the Forest brings darker topics like addiction, war and witchcraft into the future lives of the children. With trouble on their doorstep, Greta is doing everything she can to keep her brother Hans and her afloat. Suspicion is never far away, given her past.

So far, I’m enjoying this quite dark retelling. As fairytales go, it’s far from light and fluffy anyway. It feels like a great story to use as a launchpad for this type of tale. As of this monthly wrap-up, I’m 40% into the book and excited to see its conclusion.

Dreams from my Father

Finally, the last book to feature in this epic monthly wrap-up (it feels as long as January did!) is Dreams from my Father. With my audiobooks planned for January either finished of DNF’d, I wanted to pick up my next audio. My preference is to have an audiobook on the go all the time, as it means I can maximise reading time when doing tasks where I can’t read traditionally.

In the last couple of days, commuting to and from work, I’ve started to listen to Barack Obama personally recount is exploration of his origins and his dream to discover his identity. Dreams from my Father is very much about his heritage and background. About how he felt adrift growing up, given his obvious African heritage but lack of the father who shared it with him.

As of this monthly wrap-up, I’m only 11% or so into this audiobook. As I said, I only really started this in the final few days of the month, and only whilst driving. I would have been a little further on if I didn’t fluff up earlier today and accidentally skip back to the beginning of my chapter. I couldn’t fix it whilst driving, so that could have been another 20 minutes or so. Never mind…

Summary

Despite a couple of DNF’s, I count January’s progress a success! I have six completions to my name at the end of this monthly wrap-up, with two more books in progress. In terms of my Goodreads Challenge, I’m getting ahead early. I don’t think I could have asked for a better start to 2026.

How many books have you picked up this January? Have you had a good start to the year?

Shelf Control #99 – 23/01/2026

Posted on January 23, 2026 by fantasyst95

***Today’s Shelf Control post contains an affiliate link to Amazon if you wish to purchase the book. If you follow this link, I will earn a small commission from that purchase at no cost to you.

If you wish to obtain a copy of the book based on this review, I would really appreciate you following this link and showing my content some support by making your purchase***

Today’s Shelf Control post features another thriller novel with a kind of murder mystery aspect. This section of my TBR suggests I was really into thrillers. My prior feature was about a serial kidnapper and torturer. This book is about a murder investigation involving the accessing digitised memories of the deceased to discover the identity of the killer. I hinted at this in my Sunday Summary last week, so you’ve had five days to make your guesses as to what the title of today’s feature is.

Psychological thriller fans, this post is for YOU! And me!

Before I share the details of the book, here’s a recap of what Shelf Control is all about. Shelf Control is a meme run by Lisa at Bookshelf Fantasies. It’s a celebration of the unread books on our shelves! The idea is to pick a book you own but haven’t read and write a post about it (suggestions: include what it’s about, why you want to read it, and when you got it), and link up.

If you want to read more about the Shelf Control feature, check out Lisa’s introductory post.

Access Point – Tom Gabbay

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Pages: 217

Audience: Adult

Publisher: JMS Books

Publication Date: 05 Apr 2020

Goodreads – Access Point

“A psychological thriller with compelling explorations of memory, obsession, and identity. Readers will find it an intriguing and entertaining read.” – BlueInk Review

When American art student Mia Fraser is brutally murdered steps away from her London house she shares with computer genius Ula Mishkin, it leaves the socially inept scientist heartbroken. When it becomes clear that Detective Sarah Boyd is making no progress in solving the crime using traditional methods, Ula creates a software program that allows her to reach into her dead housemates memory in order to reveal the identity of the killer. Entering the dead girls life through the echo of her memory, Ula learns that sometimes the past is best left undisturbed.

My Thoughts

Psychological thrillers are my favourite type of thrillers. Plus, this narrative has some novelty in the plot line I’m excited to read more on. The concept of accessing digitised memories to discover the identity of a killer has me intrigued. Are we talking about accessing digital diary entries. A digital persona/caricature of the real person uploaded into some futuristic (although not a leap away) technology? The synopsis is pretty vague on this point, but I’m curious to see where this angle takes us.

Of course, Ula may find out far more than she wants to. The premise hints at that, but honestly it could go in any direction… from those she knows to maybe even herself. That would be an interesting twist, wouldn’t it?!

Access Point hasn’t got a load of reviews on Goodreads yet, but the rating indicates the book has been well-received by the that have picked it up. Honestly, I’m looking forward to getting around to this one and being able to share my two-pence worth. Hopefully, also inspire some other readers to give it a go!

I hope today’s post has inspired you to give Access Point a try along with me. It’s a short and purportedly fast-paced read. At a fraction over 200 pages, this is an approachable read. Whether you are looking for an approachable book or just want a change of genre and pace between longer books, Access Point is the perfect choice. Also, for Kindle Unlimited subscribers, you can access it with your membership. Otherwise, you can get a copy here.

If you’re still with me, thanks for checking out today’s Shelf Control feature. Have you read Access Point? Do you fancy giving it a go along with me?

My Hefty January TBR!

Posted on January 8, 2026January 8, 2026 by fantasyst95

Today, I share a hefty January TBR!

I’m hitting the New Year with full force. In this January TBR, I have nine books in total I’m hoping to get through. It’ll require a reading pace of 75 pages a day and 36 hours of listening time to complete!

***This post contains affiliate links to Amazon if you wish to purchase any of the books featured. If you follow any of these links and make a purchase, I will earn a small commission at no cost to you.

I would really appreciate you considering following this link to make any purchase as a show of support***

My January TBR

First, A Fresh Start…

Orbital

To start the new year with a fresh start, I’m picking up the relatively short, though not especially light, Orbital.

I can see why the book won the Booker Prize. In such a short read, the book discusses complex concepts and feelings on an intimate level. It’s an inspiring and interesting read— one I’ve finished since recording! I’m glad I made Orbital my first read of the year.

Then, my December Carryovers…

Beyond Redemption

My current read as of this January TBR going live is Beyond Redemption. This is a read I started mid-December when I was at the hairdressers.

By the end of December, I’d read 15% of the book. In the last few days since picking it up again, I’ve doubled that to 30%. I’ve got this book on Kindle Unlimited, but I’m ceasing my subscription in a couple of days, so time to shake a leg, right?!

Empire of the Dawn

A book I struggled with in December, and put down briefly, is Empire of the Dawn.

The nature of this book, the size, my hardback copy, the joy and dread of a final book in the trilogy, are all reasons I think I had trouble with it. However, with a short interval, I’m now ready to venture back into this last book of an amazing series!

The Doors of Midnight

My audiobook carryover on this January TBR is The Doors of Midnight. I started this audio in mid-to-late December, but its length meant there was no way I was able to finish it before the end of December.

I’ll no doubt spend most of January reading this book, but it’s a good one so far. This Asian Silk Road fantasy is a refreshing change on my January TBR, and protagonist Ari is an excellent storyteller.

A Review Obligation

Dark Chronicles

I’m reviewing the short story collection Dark Chronicles on the 27th January. It’s full of dark and twisted stories which would maybe be suited to autumn for mood readers. I, however, don’t care!

Given it’s a short book, I’m going to be flexible and throw it in as and when I want a break from heavier reads… and before 27th January, of course!

Book Club Reads…

I Know I’m in There Somewhere

I’m trying a new tack with my work book club, and I’m setting a theme as opposed to a set book.

For my own book towards this month’s “New Year/New You” theme, I’m reading I Know I’m in There Somewhere. It’s a book about how women can find their own authentic voice through acceptance of themselves.

After the Forest

Very different to the other books on my January TBR is my read of After the Forest with the Cottagecore Fantasy Book Club. This club is also open in terms of book selection, and there is a challenge on StoryGraph with all manner of books on it.

I want to read After the Forest as it’s based on a well-known fairytale, Hansel and Gretel. Other than that, I’m going in blind!

2026 Fixed List Reads

Yellowface

Picking up Yellowface works towards two of my 2026 resolutions – reading from my physical TBR and also one of my 16 books on my fixed read list.

I’ve enjoyed both Babel and The Poppy War from author R.F. Kuang so far. I’m looking forward to trying this contemporary book to see how it compares!

The Great Passage