Blog Tour Review: The Eagle Will Rise – M.J. Porter

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As I’ve already established here on Reviewsfeed, I’m a huge fan of historical fiction written by M.J. Porter. So far, I’ve kept up to date with her Eagle of Mercia Chronicles. However, I’m NOT here today with another instalment of that series. No! Instead, I have the pleasure to feature a brand new series, The Eagle Will Rise. With characters from Eagle of Mercia I have come to know and love, it was a shoe-in in terms of me enjoying this! Taking place later than that series, an ageing Icel hasn’t given up his seax just yet. 

Today, I’m excited to share my thoughts on this brand new series – The Eagle Will Rise, book one of The Sundered Kingdom series. I can only do my best to encourage you to pick up this fabulous historical fiction novel. As expected, given my experience with the Eagle of Mercia series, the book isn’t shy on antics and daring rescues. Fans of Bernard Cornwell’s The Last Kingdom series will find characters overlap significantly; if you love this book, please pick up this one to continue the adventure from a Mercian perspective! 

As always, thanks to Rachel and the author, M.J. Porter for the opportunity to read and review The Eagle Will Rise. Whilst I was provided a copy of the book for the purpose of giving my review, the thoughts expressed within this post are entirely my own.

Here are the stats/details for this action-packed historical fiction, then I’ll dive into my thoughts… 

 

The Eagle Will Rise – M.J. Porter

Genre: Historical Fiction 

Pages: 322

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Boldwood Books 

Original Publication Date: 07 May 2026

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Goodreads – The Eagle Will Rise

 

The king is dead; for Mercia to survive, another must take his place.

Coelwulf, Mercia’s last king, is dead. His legacy and right to rule Western Mercia have been claimed by Alfred of Wessex, but all know Alfred was never to have Mercia. Neither were the Viking raiders, who now command the eastern-most parts of Mercia and the former kingdom of the East Angles.

Icel, the bastion of Mercia’s wars against Wessex and the Viking raiders, lies dying, but he refuses to abandon his beloved kingdom to her long-standing enemies.

Rudolf, the once-young ally of King Coelwulf the second, is summoned by Icel to attend upon him. Grudgingly, he arrives at Budworth, the task laid before him, audacious to say the least; rescue Coelwulf’s acknowledged heir, Æthelred, from Wessex, where he’s held prisoner by King Alfred. To do so, Rudolf must prevail upon the dispersed oath-sworn warrior band of King Coelwulf, and all of them, aside from him, have ignored Icel’s increasingly furious demands to attend upon him. If they won’t obey Icel, then why should they listen to Rudolf?

The fate of Mercia’s survival rests in the hands of a man who should long have been in his grave, and Rudolf, a boy who’s become a man in the most trying of circumstances. They must forge Æthelred into the emblem of Mercian survival. Or die trying. But first they must rescue Æthelred from someone who has always pretended to be Mercia’s ally, and who is anything but.

 

Purchase Links  –      Amazon UK | Amazon.com 

 

My Thoughts… 

Plot

Whilst it’s helpful to have read the Eagle of Mercia chronicles when picking up this book, it’s not essential. A degree of the history that plays out in Eagle of Mercia is relevant to the plot in The Eagle Will Rise. However, there is a degree of refresher or high level explanation, depending on where you start this book at, to fill you in. 

Being the first book of a series, there’s maybe a fraction less action than I am used to. Only a little, though, so don’t worry! In this new series, there’s a good balance between setting the scene of this new adventure and keeping current events moving. Action looks a little different, with some smaller level conflicts taking place throughout the book. It gives us the chance to explore faction dynamics and enjoy a build-up of tension that will inevitably come to a head later. 

Rest assured, Icel, Rudolf and the motley gang aren’t off for a jolly stroll, and plans set out early in this book run far from smooth. We’re kept on our toes as foiled plans, plots and betrayal shape this exciting opening narrative. 

Personally, I can’t wait for events to develop later in the series. This first book is only just out, and I have to wait!

 

Characters

I’m glad to have my favourite character, Icel, play such a prominent part of this story. One of the main reasons I was excited to pick up this new series was to see where his story took him after Eagle of Mercia. 

And it seems, he hasn’t lost too much of the mischief and meddling that shapes his youth. Though much older, and physically frailer at the start of this book, he’s as keen to fulfil his duty to protect others as we have come to love. I’m kind of glad a potential character arc mentioned in the author’s note didn’t happen in this book, at least. I suspected it was, but we can only hope that’s reserved for another day. 

Icel isn’t the only familiar character, however. Cynewise makes a reappearance, but there are also names from the broader histories that didn’t get chance to appear in Eagle of Mercia. I know them from the likes of Bernard Cornwell’s The Last Kingdom. Guthrum, King Alfred and Lady Ealhswith are names I first came to know from other books first. Getting a different, refreshing perspective on these characters and their roles in history was a fun addition to this narrative. One I hope to explore in future books, as a Mercian perspective isn’t overly prominent in other books of the same period. At least, not the ones I’ve read yet… 

Familiarity aside, there are a number of new characters introduced in this book. I’m sure many of these new names will carve their places in the series and in history as this later series develops. I found this slight change up refreshing, as to date I’ve only read a portion of M.J. Porter’s published works. Until The Eagle Will Rise, they were all from the same series. 

 

Setting

Events of The Eagle Will Rise take us across the British landscape we know today, albeit with different borders and at times, some slightly different town names. If you’re a big reader of historical fiction, like I am, then it’s easy to follow. Even if you’re not, names are the same or at least recognisable to their historical names. Have no fear! 

Travel throughout the book keeps the narrative moving along nicely. Compared to some other books I’ve read by the author, the plot is lighter on battles and has a greater, almost slow-burn build, to the main action at the end of the book. This gives the perfect opportunity to discover the dynamics, relationships and rivalries that govern this revised world. Fewer battles certainly does not mean less action, because that certainly isn’t the case! Icel, Rudolf and the gang find themselves in all manner of conflicts and pickles, just less epic in nature. For now – I have no doubt we’ll see more shield wall action like we do in the conclusion of The Eagle Will Rise soon! 

 

Narrative Style

I have the benefit of going into The Eagle Will Rise familiar with the authors’ writing style. If this isn’t going to be your first book by M.J. Porter, then you can ret assured the style of The Eagle Will Rise is consistent. 

However, if you have yet to read anything else by the author, then perhaps I should elaborate. M.J. Porter’s writing is one of the easiest I find to read. The action combines with the adaptability of shorter paragraphing sentencing and chapters when warranted helped the pages fly by. I consistently read the author’s books in a matter of days. Two, sometimes three, depending on what life’s throwing at me at the time. For The Eagle Will Rise, two days was all I needed! I devoured the book effortlessly; I’m sure you won’t find hard to imagine. 

Although the book heavily features a character I love from Eagle of Mercia, I enjoyed this narrative being told from a fresh voice. Otherwise, it would feel more like a continuation of that series. The new protagonist gives The Eagle Will Rise a distinct new voice, and somewhat separation from that series to add a new voice to the time period. 

 

Summary 

The Eagle Will Rise is a fun, compulsively readable fresh start to a new historical fiction series by M.J. Porter. With characters I know and love, but set in a new time period with a fresh perspective, I already can’t wait for the sequel. What do you mean I have to wait?! 

If you haven’t checked it out yet, why not take a look at where Icel’s journey begins with Son of Mercia?

 

Author Bio

I’m an author of historical fiction (Early English/Saxon, Vikings and the British Isles as a whole before the Norman Conquest, as well as five 20th-century historical mysteries) and fantasy (now published under a different name).

I was born in the old Mercian kingdom at some point since 1066. Raised in the shadow of a strange little building, told from a very young age that it housed the bones of long-dead kings of Mercia and that our garden was littered with old pieces of pottery from a long-ago battle, it’s little wonder that my curiosity in Early England ran riot. I can only blame my parents!

I like to write. You’ve been warned!

Social Media Links – 

linktr.ee/MJPorterauthor

Completing the Goodreads 2026 Spring Challenge!

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It feels a little early, but the countdown is on for completion of the Goodreads 2026 Spring Challenge. With around 50 days left, it feels like I have plenty of time to read towards this challenge. At the same time, I’ve already got a number of reading obligations on my plate. By the time I’ve got those nailed, I won’t have all the time in the world to finish the challenge. 

Before this year, I haven’t actively tried to complete these seasonal challenges. However, after narrowly missing out on completing the Winter challenge earlier this year, I’ve got a vendetta now. Getting ahead, my plan is to look ahead at what books I already want to read can go towards this challenge, and what gaps I need to fill. In my Sunday Summary last week, I mentioned that I have a gap between my May TBR and the books I have/that I can get audiobook copies of. So, this is where this list could come in handy! 

Before I jump into the outstanding books/achievements section of this Completing the Goodreads 2026 Spring Challenge post, here are the prompts I’ve completed already: – 

 

Achievements Attained so Far

  • Page-turner – Read 2 Books During Challenge
  • Speed reader – Read 3 Books During Challenge
  • Book boss – Read 5 Books During Challenge
  • Trending Books – The Astral Library

Now, let’s take a look at what prompts for the challenge remain outstanding as of drafting this post. I’ll share what reads on my TBR fit the prompt, or what book I’ve found to fill the gap if I don’t have a natural fit… 

 

Achievements to Get

Community Picks

I have a few books that meet the Community Picks prompt. All of these are on my TBR already, and I love the sound of all of these books. Rather than pick any one of these now, I’m going to keep my options open so I have some mod-reading flexibility! 

I don’t have any burning desire to read any of these over the other. The other consideration is other reading lists, obligations or goals. However, none of these books correlate with other reading targets, so anything goes here. 

 

Marathon Reader

 

Turns out I have quite a few books on my TBR for this prompt! I’ve been looking for an excuse for a LOTR readalong, so that is a strong contender. However, one other book on this list may trump LOTR… 

Pillars of the Earth is on my list of reads I want to complete in 2026. I set out this list in my 2026 resolutions post. I’ve been recommended The Pillars of the Earth at least twice, by two work colleagues at the time. So, it makes the most sense to pick this up and kill two birds with one stone. Maybe I can save a LOTR re-read for later in the year… 

 

Editors’ Picks

Four entries from my TBR will qualify for this Goodreads 2026 Spring Challenge prompt. The two that most appeal to me are Challenger and The Song of the Cell. 

When I picked up my first read of 2026, Orbital, it touched on the events of space shuttle Challenger. I already had a copy of Challenger by Adam Higginbotham – I picked it up last year. However, this casual reference in Orbital has encouraged me to bump this up the list. 

My other option is The Song of the Cell. The reason this is higher on the list is because I enjoyed a similar themed book recently. Why We Get Sick is a book specifically about insulin resistance and covers how this occurs on a cellular level. I enjoyed the strong biology-based narrative. After finishing that book, I’ve had The Song of the Cell on my mind as a perhaps less specific, but interesting follow-up. 

 

Books on Books

I only have a couple of books on my TBR that fits this prompt, so I guess this is an easy choice. I think I only own one of these already, so it makes Ink Blood Sister Scribe the more likely of the two I’ll read. However, I’ve enjoyed Janice Hallett in the past. I have incentive to read more from Janice Hallett this year because I want to pick up an upcoming sequel to her The Appeal series later this year.

However, my understanding is The Twyford Code falls outside of this series. So, I’ll suggest this is a strong backup in case I don’t get on with Ink Blood Sister Scribe.  

 

AAPI Heritage

For this final disclosed prompt, Katabasis is the only book on my TBR that meets the prompt. 

Like I need an excuse to pick up R.F. Kuang! I was stoked to get a copy of this book pretty much when it came out last year. I picked it up in the airport on my way to Iceland. Oh how terrible that I have an excuse to pick this up and read it in the near future… 

I’m gutted, can’t you tell?! 

 

Summer Reading

I have a number of books that overlap with this challenge. The only pity is that I’ve read or DNF’d them. That surprise me, if I’m honest. I wouldn’t describe myself as a seasonal reader. However, the range of books on this list is quite broad, which helps. 

So, whilst I can’t actively knock a book off my TBR for this challenge, I’ve picked out a couple I like the sound of. I’ve seen plenty of readers pick up Project Hail Mary and enjoy it, so that’s a solid contender to pick up towards this Goodreads 2026 Spring Challenge. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms by George R. R. Martin is also VERY tempting. I love GRRM and his Game of Thrones series especially. I could totally read a spin-off this summer… 

 

Escapist Reads

I love an escapist read! However, for this prompt I also don’t have a TBR prompt that qualifies towards the Goodreads 2026 Spring Challenge. I have books I’ve already read… 

Interestingly, a pick for the Summer Reading prompt will also work for this one. Reading Project Hail Mary will work for both prompts, although I confess my original plan was to lean into A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms for the Summer Reading prompt. Perhaps I can see how time goes – if I’m pinched I can pick up PHM for both. On the contrary, if I have the luxury of reading both, I’ll do that! 

 

Mystery – Pride Month

The last prompt is technically a mystery, but we can be sure we need to read an LGBTQ+ book for it. 

Having looked at my TBR, I have a few books that could qualify for this prompt. My preference for this prompt is to read a book that is LGBTQ+ that is on my 2026 Fixed TBR. That is The Colour Purple by Alice Walker. The Colour Purple is a classic, which is why I added the book to my 2026 fixed reading list. I tried to read the book as a teenager, but it was a bit advanced for me at the time. What makes this perfect to read towards the Goodreads 2026 Spring Challenge is that the book explores a lesbian relationship. 

Given the prominence of the title, I’d like to think it will qualify for the mystery prompt. However, it may not. In that case, I may nee to swap it out. I have a couple of other books on my list that I’ll prioritise if they come up. Otherwise, I’ll find anything I can that qualifies! Naturally, I’ll update you if I need to switch.

 

Summary

I’m excited to read towards, and hopefully complete, the Goodreads 2026 Spring Challenge! There’s a spectrum of books that can contribute, and also opportunities to get to books I’ve been excited to pull off my TBR and read anyway. 

Are you looking to complete the Goodreads 2026 Spring Challenge? Have you read any of the books featured today? 

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Sunday Summary – 10th May 2026

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I’ve enjoyed a long weekend this weekend, and yet still I’m surprised we’re here with another Sunday Summary update. Whilst last weekend was long due to a national holiday, this weekend is also a long weekend for me as I booked both Friday and tomorrow off. The occasion – my sister got married yesterday! 

Needless to say, a good portion of this weekend was spent for the special day and so I’ve only really done a little bit of reading today. However, with no plans or commitments tomorrow, you bet I’ve got a nice calm day to chill out and catch up on some reading planned! 

So what have I done this week? On the blog here, I posted my May TBR on Monday and a Shelf Control on Friday. I’ve got another long list of books planned – my TBR jar wasn’t the kindest to me this month.

 

Books Read

Crown of Midnight 

In last week’s Sunday Summary update, I left off having made 20% of progress into Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas. 

This book is both a priority and that it is a library loan, but also a book I am behind on with my scheduled read along. With this in mind, I’ve made steady progress over the course of this week. As of this Sunday Summary update, I’m a healthier 40% into the book as of drafting this update. 

Now, I’m super conscious of the fact that I need to pick up the pace with reading this month if I’m going to get anywhere near the end of my TBR. After a disappointing reading month in April, I don’t want a repeat performance.

A good chunk of reading progress with Crown of Midnight has been achieved today. I’m hoping to get nearer 60% before the end of the evening, with a goal for a push on this book and maybe completion tomorrow. I’ve always said I’m a girl who likes a deadline. Let’s set myself this as one! 

 

Why We Get Sick 

It almost doesn’t feel like it’s worth mentioning, because in last week’s Sunday Summary I was 90% through Why We Get Sick. I finished the book shortly after posting. 

I enjoyed this factual read, or in my case listen, about insulin resistance, why it happens and what we can do about it. This book has greater emphasis on the biological processes as opposed to lifestyle changes, although there are takeaways in this regard from this book.

Now I understand the science, maybe I will look to read another book about what’s next, if you like, so that I can put this into practice alongside the high-level tips I’ve taken from this book. 

 

Witch Hunt 

When I wrote my May TBR, I shared that I have an audiobook review obligation coming up from the beginning of June. As a result, Witch is on my TBR to make sure I get to it in good time.

In fact, I was so keen to make sure I get to it in time that I started this book straight after Why We Get Sick. I’m much slower when it comes to audiobooks than I am with physical/digital books; at least, that’s how it normally goes. With reading progress of late, I’d say I have been listening to more audio before bed. Also, with some dedicated time to myself tomorrow, there’s no reason why I can’t bosh out a few hours of Witch Hunt. 

As of this weekly Sunday Summary, I’m 25% into this mystery that reads a bit like a police procedural as of right now. I’m looking forward to listening on and sharing my thoughts. The reason I wanted to pick up this book was the narrative ties to witchcraft and in particular, Pendle Hill. That’s still very much the case and I’m keen to dive in more. More to follow on this book in next week’s update!

 

Books Discovered

 My preoccupation with last-minute alterations to my dress and other such things relating to my sister‘s wedding kept me from discovering any new books this week. 

I’m not complaining, given the length of my reading list already. I knew I had a lot, but refreshing my TBR jar a couple of weeks ago emphasised just how many I have on my list…

 

Coming Up… 

What I’m Reading… 

There should be no surprises that my current reading priorities are to finish my current/ongoing reads. Beyond those, I have a review obligation next week for M.J. Porter’s The Eagle Will Rise. If I can’t get a wriggle on with Crown of Midnight, I may have put this aside temporarily. 

After that, I want to stay on top of this Sarah J. Maas’ readalong and pick up the sequel, Heir of Fire, before I can be late picking this one up. Again.

I’m in a bit of a pickle with what to do next in audio. The remaining books on my May TBR are books I own physical copies of. Well, all except for one book. But of course, I cannot find an audiobook version of this one I need. So, I may end up going off-piste and mood-listening to something else entirely. We’ll see what I can hustle up. Maybe I can get an audio library loan for a book I own to avoid spending double?

 

Blog

On the one hand, it feels early to start looking ahead at books I need to read towards completing the Goodreads Spring 2026 Reading Challenge. Yes, guys, after narrowly missing out on completing the Winter challenge earlier this year, I’m going to try and complete spring instead. 

You know I like a challenge. As of drafting this Sunday Summary, I’ve only got four out of twelve achievements nailed. However, the fifty-odd days left to read towards this challenge will fly by. The sooner I plan ahead, the better the chance I have at completion. Can I do it this time? 

On Thursday, I’m due to share my thoughts on the previously mentioned new series (at least to my blog) by M.J. Porter – The Eagle Will Rise. I’m excited to see where this different storyline spins off from the books and characters I have come to know and love from The Eagle of Mercia Chronicles.

Of course, I’ll catch you up with the latest reading developments in next week’s Sunday Summary 🤗 fingers crossed I have LOTS to tell you about – we’re one-third of the way through May and I’m not one-third of the way through my TBR; let’s see if I can remedy that. 

 

YouTube

Over on YouTube, I’ve still not posted my monthly wrap-up for April or May TBR. It’s been a busy week, sorry guys! I should have time to edit and schedule those tomorrow. Any later, and there’s probably not much point posting them…

 

Summary 

I think that just about gets you up to speed with everything I need to update you on in today’s Sunday Summary. Thanks for reading if you are still with me. 

Let me know if you are taking part in the Goodreads Spring 2026 Reading Challenge and if so, what books are you reading towards qualifying awards. 

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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

Goodreads

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

Goodreads

Amazon Purchase Link

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

Goodreads

Amazon Purchase Link

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

Goodreads

Amazon Purchase Link

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

Goodreads

Amazon Purchase Link

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

Goodreads

Amazon Purchase Link

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

Goodreads

Amazon Purchase Link

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

Goodreads

Amazon Purchase Link

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

Goodreads

Amazon Purchase Link

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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Sunday Summary – 3rd May 2026

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It makes a pleasant change for a Sunday Summary post that to come to you not at the end of the weekend! Yes, it’s the early May bank holiday weekend here, and I’m looking forward to an extra cheeky day off work. It also makes a change that the typical British bank holiday weather has held off so far. In fact, I was able to get out for a bike ride earlier, making the most of the weather being dry, if not the most sunny.

As much as I’m sure you really want to know my whereabouts this weekend, maybe I should stick to the topic at hand and catch you up on the blog posts and other content I’ve shared so far this week. Here on the blog, I shared a review of Ship of Destiny by Robin Hobb, followed by my monthly wrap-up for April. Both of those are pretty lengthy posts, so if you’re in for an exciting read, go and check either (or both) of those posts out. 

Over on YouTube, I shared the equivalent of last week’s Sunday Summary catch-up in video form on Monday. Whilst I had hoped to get a little further with my posting schedule already, I plan to make up for that lack by getting my monthly wrap-up for April posted on YouTube today. 

 

Books Read

Looking at Women, Looking at War 

When I left you in last week’s Sunday Summary post, I had a reading marathon to achieve. I have just started Looking at Women, Looking at War and I still had a chunk to go.

With the deadline of returning this book before 5 pm on Monday, I stayed up late on Sunday night to get as far as I could, then finish the book Monday lunchtime with just enough time to spare to run it down to the library and return it. 

Who says being a reader doesn’t mean flying by the seat of your pants sometimes? I certainly do 🫣

Despite this needing to be a quick read out of necessity, the rapid case I had to read the book didn’t detract from the experience. It was both usual and unique to read a book of this nature. I went into it thinking it was more historical, but obviously it’s really kind of a current events book. 

What also made this interesting is that the book wasn’t finished by the author before she unfortunately lost her life. Therefore, there are sections of this book that are Victoria‘s rough handwritten notes as opposed to a fleshed-out chapter. Did that help me get through it? Absolutely! It’s a shame she obviously didn’t get to finish the book, but I really enjoyed reading it in the format it was nonetheless! 

 

Crown of Midnight 

One of my main reading priorities this week has been picking up Crown of Midnight. Yes, one surprisingly, my read-along book that I was meant to do in April, didn’t really happen as planned. I’ve got a good of that but also I didn’t make an effort to prioritise, but even knowing my reading month wasn’t going to plan. 

Nevertheless, I have finally started this book and as of this summary, I am around 20%. To be perfectly honest, it’s been quite easy to make this programme. I’ve enjoyed getting back into this world as we have enough overlap with one of the series, but also plenty of hints as to what to expect coming up in this latest, because I’m hoping to read for a rest with this book along very quickly. If I’m not talking about completion next week, I’m going to be upset with myself. My plans are to read the third book, Heir of Fire this May, so I definitely need to get my skates on! 

 

Why We Get Sick 

The book I feel like I’ve made the most progress with this week is called Why We Get Sick by Benjamin Bikman.

I was a little disheartened with my recent lack of reading progress. That’s especially so for both my previous audiobook listen, Onyx and Ivory, but also more generally. With the hopes that a fresh start was exactly what I needed, I turned to a book not even on my TBR. Rather, I leaned into a subject I have wanted to read more about anyway. I hope the complete fresh start would help kickstart my reading journey once again.

The main focus of Why We Get Sick revolves around insulin resistance and how this strikingly common phenomenon impacts chronic health conditions. In some cases, I go so far as to explain the links between insulin resistance and these conditions, if not definite, then the correlation. Why am I reading about this subject, you ask? Because I think I have it. More importantly, whilst I am interested in the biology, (this was distinct criteria I gave ChatGPT when looking for a recommendation), but my motivation for reading this book is to find out what I can do about it.

As of this Sunday Summary, I’m actually about 90% through this audiobook and I reckon with a bit of a push, I could finish this tonight. I’ve taken to listening to sections of this audio before bed anyway. It feels reasonable that I could finish this book tonight! And, that would make me happy. After a bit of a slump in recent weeks with reading progress, a quick win is definitely not going to hurt my stats or my interpretation of progress. Numbers aren’t everything, don’t get me wrong. However, they don’t hurt sometimes when you need a little kick… 

 

Books Discovered

I’ve been good for another week in a row and not added any books to my TBR. What’s going on with me?! 

Maybe the need to refresh my TBR jar yesterday, sorting old books and putting in maybe 60 or so of my latest adds, was enough to dissuade me… 

 

Coming Up… 

What I’m Reading… 

Next week, my early priorities will be finishing Why We Get Sick as I’m so close to the end, and Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas. With hopes to read Heir of Fire this month, I naturally need to read the predecessor book. 

Then, I think I’ll pick up Heir of Fire hot on the heels of Crown of Midnight. I need to read this in May and actually start my readalong in good time! Plus, I also don’t want to give away my May TBR reads before my post goes live 😉

 

Blog

I only filmed my May TBR and drew my books out of the TBR jar yesterday evening. So, I didn’t get time to post that list here this week. So, I’m naturally going to start next week with this one! It’s planned, and it’s a long list! I’ve also got some chunky books that came out. So, I’d best get back into the groove with reading, else my reading month will flop as hard as April… 

On Friday I’ll return with a Shelf Control feature. It’s been a few weeks since I posted one of these. If you’re keen to see what’s coming up on my TBR, that’s the post to check out 😊

Finally, another Sunday Summary will roll around before you know it. Let’s hope I can land some good reading progress in the next week and get my May TBR off to a great start. 

 

YouTube

Over on YouTube, I’ve got both my monthly wrap-up post and May TBR to edit and post – I hope you are looking out for those! 

 

Summary 

Thanks for reading today’s Sunday Summary and I hope you’re as excited for the content I’ve got planned, as well as joining me in reading some of the books I’m picking up in May. 

What are you going to be reading in May? 

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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

Goodreads

Amazon Purchase Link

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

Goodreads

Amazon Purchase Link

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

Goodreads

Amazon Purchase Link

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

Goodreads

Amazon Purchase Link

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

Goodreads

Amazon Purchase Link

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

Goodreads

Amazon Purchase Link

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

Amazon Purchase Link

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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Book Review: Ship of Destiny – Robin Hobb

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***Today’s review of Ship of Destiny 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.***

 

Ship of Destiny is the third instalment of Robin Hobb’s The Liveship Traders trilogy, and the sixth book of her wider Realm of the Elderlings series. The Liveship Traders takes us away from the characters explored in the first Farseer trilogy. Initially, I found the change a little jarring, but this trilogy warmed on me the further I got through it. The conclusion, Ship of Destiny, was my favourite book by far! With events coming to a head, and some redemptive character arcs, Ship of Destiny was the easiest of the trilogy for me to read. 

Let’s recap a summary of the book, the synopsis, and then let’s get stuck into my thoughts! 

 

Ship of Destiny – Robin Hobb

Genre: Epic Fantasy

Pages: 903

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Harper Voyager

Publication Date: 10 Sept 2015

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

 

Purchase Link – https://amzn.to/4tQVw0A

Goodreads – Ship of Destiny

 

The triumphant conclusion to the magnificent Liveship Traders series.

The dragon, Tintaglia, released from her wizardwood coffin, flies high over the Rain Wild River. Below her, Reyn and Selden have been left to drown, while Malta and the Satrap attempt to navigate the acid flow of the river in a decomposing boat.

Althea and Brashen are sailing the liveship Paragon into pirate waters in a last-ditch attempt to rescue the Vestrit family liveship, Vivacia, who was stolen by the pirate king, Kennit; but there is mutiny brewing amongst their ragtag crew, and in the mind of the mad ship itself.

And all the while the waters around the Vivacia are seething with giant serpents, following the liveship as she sails to her destiny…

 

My Thoughts

Plot 

It shouldn’t really come as a surprise that Ship of Destiny is as action-heavy, whilst also juggling politics, as its predecessors. 

I love this combination in these books. Whilst in the earlier instalment of the series, it took me a little bit longer to get into the narrative and immersed in the storyline, that’s not the case with the Ship of Destiny. Rather, because we left off at an exciting point in time with the conclusion of the mad ship, I started this book keen to find out where everything ends.

Although not the longest instalment of the Liveship Traders series, Ship of Destiny is not insignificant. Weighing in at over 900 pages, this isn’t a book to pick up lightly. However, fans of the epic fantasy genre will find themselves in safe hands. Politics, magic, and of course, sentient wooden vessels, take centre stage. If you are reading this series after picking up the initial Farseer trilogy, you may be confused as to how events tie together. I confess, I wasn’t entirely sure how these narratives strong together when I first started the series. Fear not, that all comes to light by the end of this book if you haven’t worked it out already!

 

Characters 

In my reviews for Ship of Magic and The Mad Ship, I was pretty vocal about not getting on with one of the main characters of the storyline. Malta Vestrit begins this series as a young, petulant child. She is spoiled, used to getting what she wants, and seldom is she told no. It shows… 

For every bit I didn’t get on with her in the previous books, she redeemed herself by maturing into a young woman. I did not expect to see from her. It made breeding these books feel worthwhile watching her mature and becoming instrumental in the conclusion of this series. It’s not very often I get to say that sort of thing. 

Malta is just one significant person in this final instrument of the trilogy. She is instrumental, but not the only individual involved in this busy plot. Ship of Destiny has a wide cast of characters. These are pretty consistent with the earlier books, Ship of Magic and The Mad Ship. If you’re able to follow along with these ones, Ship of Destiny flows just fine. Another aspect I enjoy in my epic fantasy books is exploring political motives and machinations and relationships between the characters. A lot of this takes place in Ship of Destiny. There has always been a run-up to this, and it was nice to see this take full force. 

It’s unusual, because the Vestrit family are both pivotal to this book, but also not the main stars I expected them to be. Rather, we have other characters introduced earlier in the series that have taken a more active role in the conclusion of this book where I anticipated them to be more of a backseat. 

It’s refreshing to be kept on my toes… that’s also what I love about Robin Hobb! 

 

Setting 

As one can only expect with a book set around ships, there is a lot of travel that takes place in Ship of Destiny. Combine that with an action-heavy plot line, and we have a vast area of the world we get to explore.

Both above the waves and under, we get to see places both large and small, vast and small yet still significant. As with all Robin Hobb books, no detail is left unexplored. For those of us with very vivid imaginations, the descriptions of the places and events taking place make for easy imagining. What I have really enjoyed about the Realm of the Elders series in general is that we see the benefit of both description, but also plenty taking place so that neither element of the book takes over from the other and stagnates the writing.

 

Narrative Style 

The Liveship Traders books, much like many of Robin Hobb’s epic fantasy Realm of the Elderlings series, are complex. The worlds in which these books are set span far beyond where events currently take place. There is a lot going on, and many characters to juggle at any given time. Needless to say, these books aren’t the easiest to read because you need to be concentrating on what is going on. However, this does not detract from the books. Rather, if you really enjoy a gritty, epic fantasy, Ship of Destiny and the earlier books in the Liveship Traders series are going to be right up your alley! 

As you will know, books of this nature very frequently get high ratings from me. They are my favourite kind of book. Whilst I do enjoy a variety of genres, and sometimes a short book is just what you need, epic fantasy is my go-to. These are the kind of books that got me into reading in the first place, and they are a genre I will go back to time and again. Therefore, I am biased. Yes, I admit to that, what I am not, is apologetic about it. The only regret I have about Ship of Destiny and reading Robin Hobb in general is that I didn’t do it sooner! 

So, there is a lot going on in ship of destiny. Even still, The way in which the books are written, their style and chapter Ing, is pretty typical for the genre. Chapters aren’t particularly short overall, but that suited me just fine. Like I say, it’s something I go back to time and again. It’s what I’m used to. If you prefer something shorter, I found there were plenty of places you could take a break without having to do it at the chapters end. Some people don’t like that, but I do it all the time… 

 

Summary 

Have you read Ship of Destiny? Do you want to pick up a copy after reading this review? You can get yours following this link and support my content at the same time – win-win! 

Thanks for reading!

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Sunday Summary – 26th April 2026

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Sunday has come around again – where did that week go? Regardless of my surprise, another week is over and it’s time for another Sunday Summary update.

I feel like I’m breaking out of my reading slump! Now I’m back to somewhat normal. It’s taken a few weeks to get back into my typical routine. It’s not all been work related disruption. I recently got myself a bike and I’ve been out practicing on that. And yes, the word practice is 100% appropriate! I was rubbish at riding when I was 10. Needless to say, rusty is an understatement 😂 However, I’m getting better and making adjustments to my bike as and where I’m figuring out what the causes of discomfort are. I’ll get there 😊

As well, I’ve been building planters for a vegetable garden this weekend. Constructing two trellis planters were the focus of my attention yesterday. Today, I finished filling them with compost, planted in one and sowed seeds indoors to be planted out at a later date for the others. I’ll post a picture once it looks more exciting than a patch of bare soil 😅 

Now, onto the blog updates! This week, I posted a list of popular books I DNF’d and shared why I didn’t get on with them. Then, on Friday I shared a First Lines Friday with an upcoming WW2 non-fiction I’m excited to read! 

 

Books Read

1984

As of this Sunday Summary, I can finally report finishing 1984 🎉

It’s taken a lot longer than I imagined. If I’m honest, I think having read this book before actually counted against me this time. Knowing the ending, there’s no incentive to read on and find out more. There’s no newness or appeal to discover something new. 

Nevertheless, I did enjoy this re-read! It’s confirmed to me that the only time I didn’t enjoy this book was studying it at school. 

 

Looking at Women, Looking at War 

Thankfully, I have a loose deadline for Looking at Women, Looking at War. I think that’s going to do me a favour. 

I’m due to return Looking at Women, Looking at War to the library tomorrow. I’ve already extended my loan of this book once, and I don’t want to have to do it again. With this in mind, it’s encouraging me to complete a bit of a binge read! 

I started Looking at Women, Looking at War last night and as of drafting this Sunday Summary, I’m 80 pages into this 290 page book. For stats nerds, that’s about 27%. Tonight, I predict a bit of a reading marathon to try and get this finished! 😅 

And you know what, I’m not mad about it! The first 80 pages of this book have been effortless to read. The change of book had definitely helped get me back into scouring pages. Plus, I’m invested in the topic as its ongoing history in the Russian/Ukraine war. 

If necessary, I have tomorrow lunchtime to finish the book; I don’t usually go to a gym class on Mondays, so I can be flexible and finish it then if needs must. However, my library closes at 5, so I do need to bear that in mind… 

 

Books Discovered

 I’ve behaved this week – no new books on my TBR to report! And it’s pay day weekend! 

Am I feeling alright? Maybe I need to see a doctor… 

 

Coming Up… 

What I’m Reading… 

The end of the month is creeping up on us. My TBR is definitely not getting completed this month. However, the books I’m naturally going to prioritise are Looking at Women, Looking at War and Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas. 

 

Blog

At the beginning of this week, I’m going to share a book review with you. I have a right old backlist, and I’m keen to whittle that down. More so, I’m featuring a review for book 3 of Robin Hobb’s The Liveship Traders series. Ship of Destiny was my favourite instalment of this trilogy – I can’t wait to tell you about it! 

With the end of the month falling this week, my April wrap-up will go live on Friday. Unfortunately it’s going to be lighter on content and reading progress than I’d have liked, but never mind! It’s honest and it’s life – other things are always going to come up! 

Next comes my May TBR. Given April was a bit of a flop, I’m planning a completely fresh start. I think what I want to do is update my old TBR jar and give this another go! Given I don’t have much set that I want to read, I’m willing to let chance decide. 

Finally, another Sunday Summary will land on the interwebs same time next week. Fingers crossed a change is as good as a rest and I’m back to usual reading and posting schedule next week! 

 

YouTube

This afternoon, I recorded a video update equivalent of my Sunday Summary. I’ll edit and pop this up tomorrow night – when I don’t have a library loan hanging over me…

Later in the week, I’ll also record a monthly wrap-up post. If you’d prefer to watch instead of read this, go follow me on YouTube so you’re notified when this goes live! 

I’ll also record a May TBR here – if I go down the route of a TBR jar, this will be the evidence of the books I draw and my initial thoughts! 

 

Summary 

This Sunday Summary is optimistic of change on my doorstep. A deadline has always helped me get a job done, so I suspect finishing Looking at Women Looking at War is the kick up the bum I need to get going with reading. 

Do you thrive on a deadline like I do? What are you reading right now? 

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First Lines Friday – 24/04/2026

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***Today’s First Lines Friday 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.***

 

I’m back with a First Lines Friday, and it’s good to be back! When I shared my plans for this post last week, I didn’t set any theme or specific book. I wanted to keep this as open as possible, and I have a fabulous book for you in this First Lines Friday! 

Do you recognise the subject at all? 

 

12 January 1944 

ON A CRISP January morning in 1944, seven Gestapo officers, two of them detectives, pulled up outside a cottage in a small Alpine town in southern Bavaria. It was the middle of the week, a Wednesday, and it was wartime. A few years earlier, this would have been peak skiing season, the snows around Partenkirchen pristine and perfect. But this trip was strictly business. 

Led by the detectives, both of whom were women, the Gestapo did not wait for the door to be opened. Instead, they forced their way in and found their target right away.

 

 

The Traitor’s Circle – Jonathan Freedland 

Genre: Non-Fiction

Pages: 480

Audience: Adult

Publisher: John Murray

Publication Date: 11 Sept 2025

 

Goodreads – The Traitor’s Circle

Amazon Purchase Link 

 

When the whole world is lying, someone must tell the truth.

Berlin, 1943. A group of high-society anti-Nazi dissenters meet for a tea party one late summer afternoon. They do not know that, sitting around the table, is someone poised to betray them all to the Gestapo – revealing their secret to the Nazis’ most ruthless detective.

They form a circle of unlikely rebels, drawn from the German elite: two countesses, a diplomat, an intelligence officer, an ambassador’s widow and a pioneering headmistress. Meeting in the shadows, rescuing Jews or plotting for a future Germany freed from the Führer’s rule, what unites them is a shared loathing of the Nazis, a refusal to bow to Hitler and the courage to perform perilous acts of resistance. Or so they believe.

How did a group of brave, principled rebels, who had successfully defied Adolf Hitler for more than a decade, come to fall into such a lethal trap? And who betrayed them?

Undone from within and pursued to near-destruction by one of the Reich’s cruellest men, they showed a heroism that raises a question with new urgency for our time: what kind of person does it take to risk everything and stand up to tyranny?

 

My Thoughts…

I’m obsessed with WW2 books. From historical fiction to non-fiction, I love it all. It’s pretty much an auto-buy subject. 

I ended up with a copy of this book for an unusual reason. I’d bought it as a gift for my sister’s fiancé Chris. He’s a big reader and we overlap on a lot of books we enjoy. It was a god choice for him; the only problem was that he already owned it! 

I made good and gave him money to buy something else instead and kept The Traitor’s Circle myself. No point getting a refund – after I bought it for Chris I’d added it to my TBR anyway 😅

Have you read The Traitor’s Circle? You can support me as a creator and follow this purchase link to get yourself a copy to readalong with me 😊

Thanks for checking out today’s First Lines Friday! What are you reading, and will you pick up this First Lines Friday feature for yourself?

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