Tag: TBR

Shelf Control #103 – 08/05/2026

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***Today’s Shelf Control post contains an affiliate link to Amazon if you wish to purchase the featured 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 post, I would really appreciate you following this link and showing my content some support by making your purchase***

 

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.

In my latest Shelf Control, I’ve got another non-fiction book. Last time I featured a book that came out of my TBR Jar this month, Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon. This time, I have a very different non-fiction to feature. The main subject of this book – life working as part of the London Ambulance Service. 

I love programmes of this nature on TV. I’ve also enjoyed other medical books of this nature – This Is Going To Hurt, I’m looking at you… 

 

Blood, Sweat and Tea – Tom Reynolds

Genre: Non-fiction  

Pages: 280

Audience: Adult

Publisher: The Friday Project 

Publication Date: 28 May 2009

 

Amazon Purchase Link

Goodreads – Blood, Sweat and Tea

 

 A beautifully written insight into the stresses, strains and successes of working for the London Ambulance service.

Is there anyone who hasn’t wondered about the state of the occupant of an ambulance, screaming along with its sirens on and blue lights flashing? Have you? And have you wondered about the other people inside the ambulance, maybe fighting to save the patient’s life? Or have you considered that the ambulance may be another ‘maternataxi’ ordered by a woman who can’t be bothered to book a real cab and who then complains she can’t smoke on the way to hospital? And that the medical technician inside might just be desperate to get back home from a busy shift, to have a cup of tea and catch up with his blog?

Meet Tom Reynolds. Tom is an Emergency Medical Technician who works for the London Ambulance Service in East London. He has kept a blog of his daily working life since 2003 and his award-winning writing is, by turn, moving, cynical, funny, heart-rending and compassionate. It is never less than compelling.

From the tragic to the hilarious, from the heartwarming to the terrifying, the stories Tom tells give a fascinating – and at times alarming – picture of life in inner-city Britain, and the people who are paid to mop up after it.

 

My Thoughts

I’ve enjoyed books similar to this genre and style before. I’m a big fan of Adam Kay’s humour that overlaps in the medical field. Blood, Sweat and Tea overlaps with the medical profession as well, albeit the ambulance service who deals with people before they make it to a hospital. With This is Going to Hurt, I was laughing hard one minute and crying the next. If Brian Kellett (writing under the pseudonym Tom Reynolds) can match this emotional rollercoaster with Blood, Sweat and Tea, then I’ll be a happy lady. Brian is an emergency medical technician, so it sounds like this book will be personal stories of his tine working for the service. If that’s true, then this has the perfect set up. 

This type of book isn’t one I pick up a lot of. However, I enjoy them when I do and it has every potential t become a standout read for this exact reason. I enjoy TV documentaries of this nature. From A&E based programs to documentaries on standout surgeons in their field, I’ve watched plenty. 

I’m looking forward to exploring the stories of the frontline workers of the NHS. It’s a tough job, and not one I could do. I have a lot of respect for those who do this job and deal with people at their most vulnerable (or sometimes their worst). My only reservation about this book is that several reviewers find the author’s perspective to come across as judgemental and therefore unprofessional. I can only make a call on this when I read it for myself. 

I can’t wait to explore this book and let you know my thoughts soon! Have you read Blood, Sweat and Tea? Is this type of book up your alley? 

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My May 2026 TBR… It’s LONG!

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When planning my May 2026 TBR, I knew I wanted a fresh start. After a lacklustre reading month in April (see my April wrap-up if you want the low-down on that…), I’m hoping a clean slate is the key to getting my reading groove back. 

I have some reading obligations as well, so the deadlines will also go a long way to spurring me on. I have two blog tours, as well as kicking myself up the bum to get my Throne of Glass read-alongs back on track.

Beyond that, I’ve let my brand new, refreshed TBR Jar decide the rest! It pulled out some chunky books, and I confess I tossed one back as it tried to give me a 1,100 pager after already tossing me a couple of 700 pagers. The genres I’m reading this month span horror, thriller, historical fiction, non-fiction, as well as my favourite, fantasy. One epic fantasy sequel as well I’m excited to get to 🎊

Enough teasing, I’ll get stuck in with my obligations first, then I’ll highlight my TBR Jar picks.

 

Carryovers from April/Reading Obligations 

Why We Get Sick

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Amazon Purchase Link

At the end of April, I started listening to the audiobook Why We Get Sick by Benjamin Bikman. I started this book as I have an interest in the subject, in particular the biological level of detail insulin resistance has on cells. 

I didn’t have a book like this on my TBR. Rather, it’s a topic I have wanted to learn about personally. Leaning into a complete change and effectively scrapping my TBR, I hoped picking up a book totally unrelated to my April TBR would give me the fresh start I needed. 

As of the end of April, it was working! In fact, this book features on my May 2026 TBR as I finished the book in May – yes – it’s already done 👍 It’s the best of starts I could hope for when it comes t my May TBR – long may it continue… 

 

Crown of Midnight

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Crown of Midnight is a carryover from my April TBR and my current read as of this May 2026 TBR. 

My read-along for Sarah J Maas hasn’t gotten off to the best of starts. The fault is entirely mine – I’m not prioritising it enough. That changes this month. Not only am I immediately prioritising down of Midnight to catch up on my being behind, but I will be following up with the sequel immediately. 

I’ll also plan ahead to set myself goals so that I DO actually read-along over the course of the month, as opposed to just playing catch up at the end which is what’s happened three times now. I’m going to go and do that on Storygraph and Fable after this post goes live. I’ll havens excuse then, right?! 

 

Heir of Fire

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As above, once Crown of Midnight is finished I’m jumping into the first part of Heir of Fire right away. Compared to the earlier books in the series, Heir of Fire is longer. Compare 400-and-something pages for those first two books to nearly 600 in Heir of Fire. 

I can’t catch up with that too late. I need to keep on top of this one… 

Watch this space and hold me accountable friends!

 

The Eagle Will Rise

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The first of my blog tour obligations this month is The Eagle will Rise by M.J. Porter. I signed up to this tour as I’m a big fan of the author’s Eagle of Mercia Chronicles. We also have some character overlap in this book, although the circumstances are very different in this new series. 

I’m excited to see where this takes us. I know what to expect in terms of writing style from M.J. Porter, and I’m keen to explore a new plot in a similar setting to that already established in Eagle of Mercia. 

Will I enjoy this one as much as I hope? Only time will tell, but I am optimistic! 

 

Witch Hunt

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My second commitment is an audiobook tour. I don’t do these often, but I’m excited to get stuck in! 

When it comes to listening to audiobooks, I’m typically slower than reading conventionally. So, with that in mind, I’m going to jump in the gap finishing When We Get Sick has created and start Witch Hunt now. My review obligation isn’t until early June. However, in order to listen to this book in sufficient time, I’ve popped it onto this May 2026 TBR. 

What piqued my interest for this book? Its association with witchcraft and being set around Pendle Hull of course. It’s a take on the narrative I haven’t explored for a while. It’s also modern mystery/police procedural type book which is a change on what I’ve read and listened to lately. I’m keen to give this a try and let you know what I thought soon. 

 

May 2026 TBR picks

Moving on, I then pulled four books out of my refreshed TBR Jar. I had filtered out around 30-40 books I had read or removed from my TBR, but then added the latest books that were not in the jar. The net effect was more to pull from the jar, but all up-to-date at least. The paper I used was different this time, so I can visually see old vs new entries. I aimed for two of each; that way I can target some older books, but also deliberately mix in some newer ones to keep things fresh. 

Here’s what I pulled! 

 

Don’t Fix Women: The Practical Path to Gender Equality at Work

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The first book that came out of the jar was kind. It was one of the newer additions to the jar. At 266 pages, it fits well with the overall size of my TBR. Pity the next three books I pulled didn’t agree with the sentiment… 

Don’t Fix Women is about fixing imbalances in the current workforce. Will this book have the most practical applications for me? Well, aside from being a women, I don’t have much in the way of power at my company. I’m not HR. However, I’ll advocate as much as I can and if I find practical advice here I think we could adopt, I’ll absolutely speak up. 

It should make for an interesting read nonetheless. I do enjoy some feminist reading now and then! 

 

The Great Hunt

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The next book I pulled from the jar was also a new book to the jar. I started a read of Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time series with The Eye of the World in late 2024. It’s about time I got the sequel anyway, and the jar made that call for me. 

The Great Hunt comes in at just over 700 pages. It’s not a short read, but it does lean into one of my favourite genres of all time – epic fantasy. I’m looking forward to jumping back to the life and fate of Rand al’Thor. If I had left it too mcc longer, I’d be trying to recall what happened in the first book and I would struggle to pick this up again. As much as this is a long read, I think it’s a bit of a blessing in disguise that it came out now. 

 

Sleeping Beauties

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After pulling two ‘new’ reads, I then targeted slips that have been in my jar since I first put it together. Sleeping Beauties has been on my TBR since January 2018. I also have a copy on my bookshelves, but I’m not sure if I have owned it as long as that or not. The spine is pretty faded from exposure to the sun, so it’s quite possible! 

Sleeping Beauties also comes in a fraction over 700 pages. Not a short read either, but one I’m excited to try. It’s also a bit feminist in nature, as well as overlapping with horror/thriller and fantasy for the plot line. A unique mix I’m keen to try! 

 

Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon

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This last book is actually the second draw from the jar. My first pick that came out was The Weird. Not problem, I thought initially, as I had a hunch it was a collection of short stories. That it is, but the whole volume comes in at 1,100 pages. No way was that going to be feasible. So, I’m being honest here and declaring that’s what the jar give me, but I tossed it back in so I could make a second draw. 

That second draw was a far more approachable Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon. At 450 pages, this is still somewhat achievable. This May 2026 TBR already has a sizeable page count, so it’s debatable if I’ll get to this one. However, I’ll use access to audio copies of book where I can, maybe even library loans  for books I don’t have. 

I’m really motivated to pick this up as it’s about one of my favourite TV series (based on books) of all-time – A Game of Thrones! If that’s not incentive to get through the rest of my May 2026 TBR to finish here, then I don’t know what is. 

 

That’s plenty enough to get on with for my May 2026 TBR. What are you reading? 

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Monthly Wrap-Up: April 2026

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***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***

April should have been another productive month. Again, I set myself an ambitious TBR. However, a busy period at work, combined with stagnating on a re-read, meant progress stalled in April. It’s a shame – I’d been on a good run. At least I had a head start so I’m not behind after this month’s progress. Even so, I’m a little disappointed I didn’t pick up more reads this month. 

Let’s take a look at the books I picked up, and how I got on… 

 

Books Read 

Storm of Mercia

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Storm of Mercia was a priority read, given I had a review obligation for the book on 2nd April. 

Thankfully, I’m the kind of girl who thrives on a deadline. I started the book just a few days before the end of March and still read close up to the deadline. However, my already established love of the series meant this was easy for me to pick up and get invested in. 

As I’ve already reviewed this book on my blog, I’m not going to go too heavy into my thoughts on this book here. Instead, I’ll point you to that review if you are a fan of action-based historical fiction with political aspects to the underlying storyline. 

 

The Astral Library

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My next carryover from March was my audio listen of The Astral Library. In my March wrap-up post, I shared that I didn’t have a lot left to go. 

Unsurprisingly, I finished this book in just a few days of the new month. I was invested into the narrative and events of the book were already coming to a head. Naturally, I had every inclination to get to this and see how the book finished. This was an easy book to prioritise and finish! It’s a pity the rest of the month didn’t follow through with this pace… 

 

1984

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I started my April TBR already 33% into 1984 by George Orwell. I had to set this book aside in order to pick up my reading obligations – Rose Red, then Storm of Mercia. 

Firstly, the near month break I took between putting down and returning to this book wasn’t ideal. Combine that with a break from reading in general due to doing overtime at work, and tiredness after that, meant I was slow to get going again. Knowing how the book ended, there wasn’t much excitement or incentive for me to pick it up either. 

So, long story short, I was slow to pick this back up again. However, towards the end of the month I found my motivation again and finished 1984. Despite the lack of speed, I still enjoyed this one. I’m also keen to pick up the retelling Julia shortly. I’m ready for a slight change of perspective, and it should offer a refreshing change. 

 

Onyx and Ivory

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One of the books I pulled out of my TBR jar in my March TBR video is Onyx and Ivory. This YA fantasy romance was the final book I pulled from the jar, yet equally was the only one I got to this month. 

And you know what, it didn’t land perfectly. I knew it was a stretch, being YA fantasy. In other circumstances, I might have gotten on with it. However, listening to this audiobook coincided with my slow patch of 1984. That didn’t help, so in the end, I decided to pick up a fresh audiobook. After that, I didn’t have the inclination to return. I gave myself a deadline of the end of April to return to this. I didn’t, so I’ll call it a DNF. 

 

Looking at Women Looking At War: A War and Justice Diary

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It’s a good job this girl thrives on a deadline. Despite my intentions to start this book in plenty of time before it was due back to my local library on Monday, I only started it last Saturday. Needless to say, I was on the clock to finish the book. 

Most of Monday lunchtime was spent finishing the book. I had hoped I could take the book back after 5pm, but unfortunately the library shut then. So, a rocket was firmly up mine to get the book finished… but you know what, I did it! 

Looking at Women Looking At War was a really interesting read, so it wasn’t difficult to prioritise this read. It was also unusual to read a book that’s shaping currency events./ It barely counts as history, but it had that vibe. The circumstances of the author’s work, and terrible passing, meant that the book wasn’t finished. It was odd to read a book in which the author’s unedited notes have to stand as the content. But, it brings home what happened and the level of work Amelia was going to in order to document the war crimes and make sure those harmed by the Russians get their justice. 

Looking at Women Looking At War is a very different book to those I’ve read lately, and it landed well! Of all the books on this monthly wrap-up, it’s the book I enjoyed the most! 

 

Crown of Midnight

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I’m carrying forward two books into May – my readalong of Sarah J. Maas’ Throne of Glass series. Starting this book was later than intended, but I have somewhat of a schedule to maintain. So, whilst I’m a bit late in getting started, as of this monthly wrap-up post, it is my priority read. 

As of this monthly wrap-up post, I’m 14% into Crown of Midnight. I’ve enjoyed the start of this book so far, and it has been easy to get back into it. There’s enough ties to events from the previous book that the story is cohesive and I understand where I’m up to. However, already there are hints of new events that are going to unfold in this latest instalment. I’m keen to get stuck in, so watch for some speedy progress with Crown of Midnight in the coming days.

 

Why We Get Sick

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Goodreads

Finally, I started Why We Get Sick as a break from Onyx and Ivory. Although not on my TBR, I have a personal motive to listen to this audiobook. 

I’m trying to learn about insulin resistance and the effects it has on people. I have signs of insulin resistance myself, and I’ve stagnated in trying to lose weight. In order to find this book, I sought the recommendation of a book that goes into the biology of insulin resistance and how to reverse it. I used ChatGPT to seek out the recommendation. So far, it’s interesting and engaging whilst also giving the detail I wanted. 

Looking at everything from brain, heart and reproductive health to illnesses like cancer, the book covers the links to insulin resistance. Later in the book, I get to explore more about how insulin resistance comes about and what I can do about it. I’m hopeful this will also be a quick read and help end the slump I experienced in April. 

 

Summary 

So, all in all, April wasn’t the reading month I hoped for. However, all is not lost. I’m still two books ahead of schedule to meet my 60 books in 2026 reading goal. My current reads are also well received, so let’s hope they are the remedy I need to get progress in May off to a great start! 

Thanks for sticking with me in this monthly wrap-up. I’m not giving myself a break, and May’s upcoming TBR isn’t going to let up any. Onwards and upwards! 

What did you read in April?  

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Monthly TBR – April 2026

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My monthly TBR for April is a little bit different. Normally, I have a set of books that I have in mind to pick up and I largely pick this myself. Sometimes that’s shaped by reading challenges, and that is still somewhat true for this month. However, half of this monthly TBR has been decided by a TBR jar. 

If you want to go and watch me physically pull these out of the jar and share my initial reactions, I recorded this and published the video over on my new YouTube channel. Rather than rehash all the content, what I’m going to do is share a link to that video in this post, and for those of you who don’t want to go and watch that, I will provide a brief written summary of the books on my TBR below.

 

Carryovers from March/Reading Obligations 

Storm of Mercia

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Starting with a carryover that I was actively reading as at the change of month, I have already finished storm of Mercier by MJ Porter as I had a review obligation to share my thoughts on the book on the 2nd of April. 

I’m not going to go into too much detail here, because my thoughts are already live on the Interwebs. You can check out my blog post here for more on this ninth instalment to this epic historical fiction series set in 10th century England. 

 

The Astral Library

 

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Another book I’m featuring because I did carry forward into April, but have already finished as of this April TBR post, is my audiobook lesson of the astral library.

I really enjoyed this contemporary fiction and a story that’s really about the power and magic of libraries. If you like the style of Matt Haig’s The Midnight Library, it offers a similar feel but a completely unique storyline.

 

1984 / Julia

 

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Goodreads

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In March, I started rereading 1984 by George Orwell. At just over 125 pages in, I had to put this down in order to fulfil my reading obligations for reviews for Rose Red and Storm of Mercia. 

Now those are done, I’m keen to get back into my re-read of this dystopian fiction so I can then dabble in a retelling of the same world, Julia by Sandra Newman.

 

Crown of Midnight 

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I am reading Sarah J Maas’ Throne of Glass series in a bit to both try out this author, as well as read some more trendy books. Usually, I just do my own thing, but I’m trying to be a little bit more current and talk about more tropical books.

Unfortunately, I didn’t get to start Crown of Midnight , which I was supposed to read in March. Fear not though friends! If you want to join along with my readalong, I am committed to reading the second book in April. 

As well, I will be reading a book a month every month until this is finished later this year. If you want to join in on this readalong, I am digging these on both StoryGraph and Fable, whichever you prefer! My thoughts on book one are also over on my YouTube channel… 

 

Looking at Women Looking At War

 

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The book I wanted to complete before the end of March to contribute towards the Goodreads 2026 Winter challenge is Looking at Women Looking At War by Victoria Amelina. 

Whilst I didn’t get to this book before the end of March, I am intrigued by the story and I want to know about Victoria‘s endeavours to document what was happening at the start of the war between Ukraine and Russia. It sounds awful, and knowing Victoria lost her life in this battle is even more heartbreaking. Not only that, but it offers some very current insight into a conflict. We’re all very aware of (although maybe Israel/Iran and the cost of your petrol has superseded this now…) 

Let’s get it back on my monthly TBR and on the radar! 

 

April TBR picks

Fifty Things You Need to Know About British History

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I’m excited to pick this book up. I love non-fiction, and in particular this book about British history will definitely be appreciated. Unfortunately, a lot of my learnings at school were dominated with the likes of the boom and bust of the economy in the USA, the Cold War etc. 

I think it was a little remiss of my school program to neglect local history in its teaching. Nevertheless, I can remedy that with my own reading on the subject. Fifty Things You Need to Know About British History should give me a launchpad. 

 

Bag of Bones

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I always enjoy a Stephen King novel. In this particular case, Bag of Bones is a chunky Stephen King novel. At around 700 pages on its own, this monthly TBR promises to challenge me. I was going to say take me right up to the wire, but let’s be honest, it will take me into May… 

The TBR jar did me dirty here! 

 

Freakonomics

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I feel like this book could go one of two ways. It’s either going to be really interesting and tie together some unusual behaviours that impact our economy. Or, the synopsis hinting at this is a bit of a gimmick to get you to pick up the book and I’m going to be disappointed. 

Only time will tell I’m intrigued to pick up this book and find out. Fingers crossed, I’m wrong in my suspicion and that this book turns out better than I think it might. 

 

Onyx and Ivory

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I’m glad a fantasy made it to this reading list and came out of the TBR jar. Honestly, I would’ve been surprised if it didn’t. I have a lot of fantasy on my list and by rights, the odds of one not being pulled out out of the jar would have been slim. 

Onyx and Ivory is also a good pick for me right now as it leans into the romantic genre – what I’m trying to read more of anyway. I feel like this is the kind of topical/trendy book that I’m actively seeking to engage with fans of. Let’s hope I’m a fan as well! 

Thanks for checking out my latest monthly TBR! What are you reading this April? 

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Monthly Wrap-Up – March 2026

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***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***

 

This March, I set myself a very ambitious TBR. With hopes that I could read and get all the achievements in the Goodreads 2026 Winter Challenge, I set myself a long list of books on top of my reading obligations. It was always going to be a big push, so I’m not too disappointed I didn’t get through everything. I am the type of person who thrives on a target or deadline. I’m not disheartened I didn’t quite get there; I’ve gotten the closest I ever have. And, if at first you don’t succeed… try, try again! 

Before I get ahead of myself, back to my March reading list and monthly wrap-up updates! 

 

Books Read 

Throne of Glass

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I’ve set myself a challenge this year to read Sarah J. Maas Throne of Glass series. Unfortunately timing slipped a little and I ended up carrying the end of book 1 forward into March. As timing goes, I’ve extended book 2, Crown of Midnight, into April. So, if you have yet to join in my readalong you have time to catch up with Throne of Glass and read Crown of Midnight with me in the coming weeks. 

Throne of Glass surprised me in the best of ways. For a romantasy book, the fantasy elements of the plot weighed in heavier than the romance. That suits me. As someone who isn’t really a romance reader, I could get comfortable with the romance sub-plot without it distracting from everything else going on in the wider world. The world-building and intrigue behind the main characters was on-point. My sister was right to recommend this series to me – it’s definitely fantasy first, and I’m excited to read on and discover more about this world and events that I expect to play out. 

 

Wild Dark Shore

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Wild Dark Shore was a fun read, if not quite the book I expected it would be. Set on an isolated island, an intriguing mystery unfolds when a woman washes up on the remote, barely inhabited island. 

The descriptions in this book are beautiful and make for an easy experience visualising the setting. It’s desolate, dark in places and it was a refreshing change. I’ve enjoyed picking up a thriller with an interesting and bit different premise this month. The family left on this island are waiting for their last boat off. The seed bank based here for protection being emptied. The tides are rising dangerously, as Rowan knows all too well when she nearly loses her life in the waves. 

The atmosphere in this books is spot on. Both reverence for the beauty and power of nature and sinister vibes shine through in the narrative. I had a library loan return deadline for this book, but I didn’t really need it. I stayed up late into the night finishing this one. Fabulous read. 10/10

 

1984

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A book I started this month, but will get carried over due to competing priorities, is George Orwell’s 1984. 

This is my third time reading the book. As anticipated, I’m enjoying revisiting this classic dystopian novel and reminding myself of the details. The reason I picked this up was so I could then go on to read Julia by Sandra Newman towards the Retellings prompt in the Goodreads 2026 Winter Challenge. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to this book in time to earn the award, but I will still carry this forward into April. 

Aside from meeting the retellings award, I set myself a personal challenge to read both 1984 and Julia back-to-back. These books are on my fixed reads list for 2026. So, watch this space for a return to this dystopian world very soon… 

As of this monthly wrap-up, I’m 127 pages or around third of the way through the book. Fingers crossed the remainder of the book flies by and I can get to Julia imminently. 

 

An Arcane Inheritance

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My first audiobook of March was An Arcane Inheritance. This book qualified for the Black Heritage achievement in the Goodreads 2026 Winter Challenge. 

I had added this book to my TBR back in January anyway. Thanks to the challenge, this was pulled forward a little earlier than I would have likely read it. And you know what, I’m glad! It’s been a hot minute since I picked up a dark academia book. I loved returning to the genre and this cultural twist into the narrative. The magic was intriguing and like Wild Dark Shore, I loved the underpinning mystery to the storyline. 

As a result of reading this, Kamiliah Cole and future books are on my radar. I can’t wait to try more of her books. If they live up to An Arcane Inheritance, I won’t be disappointed! 

 

The Astral Library

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The final audiobook to feature in this monthly wrap-up post is The Astral Library. Reading progress with The Astral Library has been pretty quick. It’s not an overlong read anyway, but the plot line is engaging and reminiscent of another of my favourite reads. 

Reading a book about books, and featuring snapshots of well-known titles, makes for an entertaining change of angle. Dipping in and out of the margins of classics has been fun, but of course, it’s not over yet. As of this monthly wrap-up, I’ve got three hours of audio left. I’ve chipped away at this audiobook commuting and listening a little before bed. I can reasonably listen to an hour a day. So, I’m sure you can do the maths and come to the same conclusion that I’ll finish this one shortly! 

 

Rose Red

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Amazon Purchase Link

One of my final reads to feature in this monthly wrap-up is Rose Red by Sarah Biggerstaff. Progress with 1984 stalled as I needed to prioritise reading Rose Red for a social media blog tour. 

This fairytale retelling was a fun foray into fantasy… again. It’s my favourite genre for a reason, and I always love going back to it. More than that, though, this Snow White inspired tale has elements of witchcraft, romance and challenging family dynamics. Whilst in principal the description of this book sounds suitable for YA, I wouldn’t say it is. It has elements of gore and violence that may be too much for a younger audience. 

My favourite aspect of this book, however, is that Rose doesn’t find magic instinctive and she has to learn. Often, the hard way. I’m going to share more on this book in the near future. For now, know it’s a solid read.  

 

Storm of Mercia

Goodreads

Amazon Purchase Link

Finally, in anticipation of a review due in just a couple of days, I started and made good progress with Storm of Mercia. On Sunday I made good headway into this ninth instalment of M.J. Porter’s Eagle of Mercia chronicles. 

This historical fiction series is compulsively readable and I got back into this book very quickly. On Sunday, I read the first third of the book. Yesterday, another 10% just before bed. I’m hoping for a little more progress tonight before bed, though that may be a push taking into account when this monthly wrap-up post goes live. 

I’m reviewing this book on Thursday, so I need to get my skates on. Needless to say, it’s my immediate priority… 

 

Summary 

Considering there were 11 books on my March TBR, I made a noble attempt and managed to progress with seven of these. I’ll take the unread books forward into April, so they aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. 

Storm of Mercia is naturally going to be my priority, with 1984 returning to attention shortly after. In the coming days, I’ll release the rest of my monthly TBR for April. This month, the other books on my TBR aside from Crown of Midnight and my March carryovers were decided by a TBR jar. I’ve got an unusual mix, so there is something on the list for every reading mood! I hope you can check that out when it goes live later this week. 

What was your favourite read of March? Have you read any of the books in today’s monthly wrap-up post? 

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Top Ten Tuesday: Spring 2026 TBR

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I enjoy putting together this regular themed Top Ten Tuesday. I have done variations of this post a number of times now, because it’s great to look forward to upcoming books on my reading list. With spring finally here, and a great start to my reading year under my belt, I’m motivated to pick up some fantastic reads in the near future! 

In the interests of featuring some different books, I won’t be featuring anything on my March TBR. Given most of these books are contributions to completing the Goodreads 2026 Winter Challenge, it wouldn’t be fitting to put them on this Top Ten Tuesday: Spring 2026 TBR, would it?! 

Let’s look forward to a few books I plan to pick up in the next few months! 

 

Series Continuation 

Golden Fool – Robin Hobb

After a year’s break following the devastation of Fool’s Errand, I think I’m finally ready to go back to Robin Hobb’s The Realm of the Elderlings series. Next on the list is Golden Fool. I’ve enjoyed going back to Fitzchivalry‘s storyline. After a significant detour in her Liveship Trader trilogy, I’m excited to see how fits a story unravels after the events of Fool’s Errand. 

Honestly, I have no idea where it is going to go. That’s the beauty of it though – and Robin Hobb is the type of author who will not disappoint! 

 

The Way of Kings – Brandon Sanderson 

It feels somewhat cheeky, including Brandon Sanderson‘s first instalment of the The Way of Kings in a ‘series continuation’ section. However, there is a reason for my doing so. In a recent YouTube video, I discussed how I was going to have to go back to the beginning of this series in order to continue it. It’s been a long time since I read The Way of Kings, and I part read Words of Radiance before putting it down. Not that there was anything wrong with it – long books just weren’t suiting me at the time… 

It’s been in the region of 7 to 8 years since I attempted this series. Whilst I have very high-level highlights in my head for events that I’ve taken place, there is no way I can appreciate the detail of this series without going back to its origins.

 

The Empty Throne – Bernard Cornwell

It’s also been a little while since I delved into Bernard Cornwell’s The Last Kingdom, a.k.a., the Saxon Stories. And, I am up to a pivotal point with this next book.

The Empty Throne follows events after King Alfred‘s death. Without trying to sound too excited, it’s kind of the point in the storyline where things get interesting as different people start vying for power. This is the sort of thing I love in my reading, whether that’s fantasy or historical fiction. The Empty Throne is the exception in the section in that it is a relatively standard sized book. The other entries on this Top Ten Tuesday: Spring 2026 TBR are chunky fantasy instruments.

It will be a refreshing change to have the excitement I love in a reasonably sized book… 

 

The Great Hunt – Robert Jordan

Another chunky entry on this list is The Great Hunt by Robert Jordan. In recent years, I’ve made more of an effort to pick up sequels in a more timely manner than I ever have before. It’s made avoiding situations like Brendan Sanderson’s The Stormlight Archives more avoidable. Having not long read The Eye of the World, I want to pick up the sequel whilst I’ve still got an idea of what went on before.

This promises to be every bit as much the chunky fantasy instalment as it’s predecessor. It’s not going to be a light or quick read by any means. For that reason, I’ve deliberately withheld from putting too many other books like this on this Top Ten Tuesday: Spring 2026 TBR. It needs to be achievable – putting too many junkie roots on this list means I will never get to them all! 

 

Standalone Novels

Eve – Cat Bohannon

Another behemoth on my TBR, though thankfully a standalone novel is Eve by Cat Bohannon. If you’re a regular reader here on my blog, you will know this book has featured several times in the hopes I will get to it shortly. First, in my 20 Books of Summer Challenge. Then, as a hopeful contributor to the Goodreads 2026 Winter Challenge (though sadly this book does not qualify, so it was swapped out).

I love the intended focus of this book focusing on how the biology of women has contributed to the success of humans to date. It’s quite different from the usual content I pick up. However, its scientific backing will make for a refreshing read.

 

The Midnight Train – Matt Haig

Not too long ago, I shared a list of highly anticipated releases in 2026 over on my YouTube channel. In that list, I include a book by Matt Haig which is technically a sequel to a book I have already read, but I will be picking this up as a standalone. I have already read that first book twice quite recently and I don’t need to pick it up again. Not only that, but I think the style of the book is a spin-off from how the original was written rather than a direct continuation. 

That book is The Midnight Train by Matt Haig. Instead of focusing on the what if of living an alternative lifestyle as we see in The Midnight Library, my understanding of The Midnight Train is that the protagonist is much older, perhaps looking at the what if from that perspective instead. 

 

The Director – Daniel Kehlmann

In my blog post last week about the Booker 2026 Longlist, I shared my intention to read books from the longlist for this year. It’s not really something I have ever set out to do before, but I’m excited to try this challenge and stretch myself out of my reading comfort zone.

One of the books I was most excited about from this list is The Director. A historical fiction set around the period of World War II, which is one of my favourites, this book has every promise to be something I enjoy. Naturally, I want to hit the ground running with this list and inspire myself to continue with this reading challenge. With that in mind, it makes sense to start with one of the books I’m most excited for and feel I have the closest overlap in terms of genre of reference. 

 

The Kite Runner – Khaled Hosseini

The Kite Runner is a well-known classic title. It’s one I confess I have not yet picked up as of this Top Ten Tuesday: Spring 2026 TBR. Given it’s popularity and how well known this book is, it feels like a complete oversight that I have yet to pick it up. Hopefully, that’s one I can change in the next few months! 

A reading objective I have talked about on my blog recently, including in the Booker 2026 Longlist post I mentioned earlier, but also in the likes of my review of The Great Passage on YouTube, is reading or diversely. With The Kite Runner, I have every confidence I can achieve this! The Kite Runner is on my fixed reading list on my 2026 resolutions post.

 

#murdertrending – Gretchen McNeil

In the grand scheme of things, I feel like the books featured so far in this Top Ten Tuesday: Spring 2026 TBR are quite serious. 

To lighten the mood, I have included a book called #murdertrending. In terms of genre, it’s different to other books on this list. The length is also pretty reasonable; it should therefore be a quick read to help me along through this TBR. 

 

The Nights are Quiet in Tehran – Shida Bazyar 

Another Booker 2026 Longlist entry that I’m hoping to get to pretty soon The Nights are Quiet in Tehran. 

This is a pretty short entry on the list, so definitely achievable to get through pretty quickly. Not only that, but its feminist angle has been excited to see what this book is all about and whether it is worth the hype of the Booker Longlist! I can only read it and find out… 

 

Summary 

There’s a good variety of books on today’s Top Ten Tuesday: Spring 2026 TBR. It’s ambitious, as always, but where is the fun in giving myself an easy ride?! 

Have you read any of the books on this Top Ten Tuesday: Spring 2026 TBR? 

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Shelf Control #102 – 20/03/2026

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***Today’s Shelf Control post contains an affiliate link to Amazon if you wish to purchase the featured 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 post, I would really appreciate you following this link and showing my content some support by making your purchase***

 

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.

In today’s Shelf Control, I’ve got a non-fiction book about my favourite ever TV series. Based on the books by George R.R. Martin, the filming of Game of Thrones is the feature of Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon. This is a non-fiction about the filming of the series. I’m excited to get behind the scenes! 

 

Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon – James Hibberd

Genre: Non-fiction  

Pages: 452

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Transworld Books

Publication Date: 06 Oct 2020

 

Amazon Purchase Link

Goodreads – Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon

 

THE UNTOLD STORY OF A GLOBAL OBSESSION DIRECT FROM THE SHOW’S CAST AND CREATORS…

This official, complete history of HBO’s Game of Thrones will draw on the author’s many long days and nights spent on GOT sets all over the world and his countless interviews with cast and crew, many of which have never been published before. Packed with stunning photographs from the show and from behind the scenes, this is the only book that will be absolutely essential reading for every Game of Thrones fan.

Game of Thrones is the biggest television drama ever to have graced our screens. The epic saga of warring families, huge battles, arduous journeys and dying heroes has captured the hearts and attention of millions of fans across the world. But its conclusion isn’t necessarily the end of the story…

James Hibberd has extensively covered the show since breaking the news of its pilot in 2008 and has had more access to the show’s top-secret set than any other member of the media. He was in Croatia when Joffrey Baratheon perished; he was in Northern Ireland when Jon Snow desperately fought in the Battle of the Bastards. He has documented every part of the making of the show and has had exclusive access to cast members, writers and directors. 

 

My Thoughts

It’s fair to say A Game of Thrones is one of my favourite series of all time. I have paperback copies of the books. Audiobooks. Kindle editions. Also, all the DVD’s for every season of the TV show. 

Fan, much?! 😅 yes… yes I am! 

This book is about the filming of my favourite tv series. I’m excited for the insight, gossip and background behind how it all came together. It’s a very different type of non-fiction book to read as well. I’m excited to read a book that concerns production of a show. 

I’m not so sure why this book has mixed reviews. I hope I don’t fall amongst those that ended up critiquing the book. However, I doubt it. I don’t have a strong opinion about the content of the book already. I’m reading it to expose myself to the behind-the-scenes content in the first place. 

 

Summary 

There isn’t much A Game of Thrones content I haven’t read, but I’m always excited to find some more. Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon is one exception, but one I’m excited to remedy soon! 

Have you read Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon? Are you as much of a Game of Thrones fan as I am? 

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Shelf Control #101 – 06/03/2026

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***Today’s Shelf Control post contains an affiliate link to Amazon if you wish to purchase the featured 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 post, I would really appreciate you following this link and showing my content some support by making your purchase***

 

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.

This latest Shelf Control features a spy thriller. Not a genre I read a whole lot of! However, it’s written by an author I discovered several years ago. The other book I read of theirs, The Dead Tell Lies, was an easy 5* book. I said then I’d have no hesitation reading more for this author. 

Let’s hope that day isn’t too far away! I read my first book from them in July 2020. It’s already been over 5 years… so it’s about time I gave them another try. That’s what I like about these Shelf Control posts; they’re a chance to look ahead at my upcoming reading list and get excited for these books. 

 

66 Metres – J. F. Kirwan

Genre: Spy Thriller 

Pages: 305

Audience: Adult

Publisher: HQ Digital

Publication Date: 25 Aug 2016

 

Amazon Purchase Link

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?

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Monthly TBR – March 2026

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***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

Goodreads

Amazon Purchase Link

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

Goodreads

Amazon Purchase Link

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

Goodreads

Amazon Purchase Link

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

Goodreads

Amazon Purchase Link

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

Goodreads

Amazon Purchase Link

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

Goodreads

Amazon Purchase Link

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

Goodreads

Amazon Purchase Link

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 

Goodreads

Amazon Purchase Link

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

Goodreads

Amazon Purchase Link

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

Goodreads

Amazon Purchase Link

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

Goodreads

Amazon Purchase Link

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? 

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Monthly Wrap-Up – February 2026

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***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 

Amazon Purchase Link 

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

Amazon Purchase Link 

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

Amazon Purchase Link 

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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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? 

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