August was such a strange but lovely month. I took time to enjoy being a newlywed, and then I started getting ready to go back to work, despite there being a heck of a lot procrastination involved in that as well. I’m very good at procrastinating. I did, however, end up doing a fair bit of reading, and some particularly good reading. It was an excellent month all told.
Books I hauled in August:
- The Narrow by Kate Alice Marshall
- Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
- Heartstopper Vol 2 by Alice Oseman
- Heartstopper Vol 3 by Alice Oseman
- Heartstopper Vol 4 by Alice Oseman
- Gone Tonight by Sarah Pekkanen
- The Golden Couple by Sarah Pekkanen and Greer Hendricks
- None of This is True by Lisa Jewell
- Mister Magic by Kiersten White
- Good Neighbours by Holly Black
- Empire of the Vampire by Jay Kristoff
- Birnam Wood by Eleanor Catton
Books I read in August:
1. The Realms of the Gods by Tamora Pierce
Rating: 5 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: I really enjoyed reading the conclusion of this series again. It feels like a natural conclusion to the series in a supernatural way. I recognize that from my adult perspective that the romance is not the best option, and in hindsight the development of it is a little abrupt. However, I still really love the story and the way that things keep going horribly wrong before the climax of the novel. Daine is still one of my favourites.
2. The Things She’s Seen by Ambelin Kwaymullina
Rating: 5 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: I absolutely loved this book. It was well-paced and I really enjoyed the length of it. It was perfect for the story being told. The author did a good job at developing the characters considering the length of the story, and I had a lot of empathy for them as the story progressed all the way through. I found the premise of the story really interesting. It was deeply emotional. The writing style was really good, and I really enjoyed it. It also did a good job in how it depicted grief.
3. Creeboy by Teresa Wouters
Rating: 3 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: This was a pretty quick and easy read, and the topic would definitely hold a lot of interest for people who might be more reluctant readers. I felt that the storyline was compelling and had a lot of potential. However, it was a little jumpy for my personal tastes. There were parts that I wanted to have more development. However, I found the main character really interesting.
4. Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
Rating: 5 Stars
Format: Audiobook
Review: I loved this book. It was by no means the best think I have ever read, but I had so much fun reading it. I loved the premise of a dragon rider training school, and I also loved the military conspiracies that were revealed through out. I also have fun with enemies to lovers as a trope, and I felt like this book did a good job at exploring that. I absolutely can’t wait for the next one.
5. Loveless by Alice Oseman
Rating: 4 Stars
Format: Audiobook
Review: I really enjoyed reading this novel. Georgia was a really interesting character to read about, and I enjoyed reading the depiction of aro-ace representation, as it’s not something I have read a lot about. It was really interesting to read about her journey as she discovered herself and her sexuality. I also liked reading about her making new friends while balancing her old friendships. It was a well-written book. The audiobook was very well done.
6. Hands Against Our Hearts by Alice Oseman
Rating: 4 Stars
Format: Audiobook
Review: This was a super cute short story that gave greater depth to the relationship that had developed in Loveless. I liked reading from their perspectives and hearing more about their first kiss. It was very cute.
7. Hurricane Song by Paul Volponi
Rating: 3 Stars
Format: Audiobook
Review: This was a quick read, but definitely an interesting one. I thought the main character was well-developed. I liked that the book cut to the chase in the story. It wasn’t my favourite read, but overall I had a good time reading it. I felt that it did a good job at illustrating what it would have been like to read about life during the hurricane.
8. First Test by Tamora Pierce
Rating: 5 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: I liked reading Kel’s first book again. She’s a very different character than Alanna and Daine, so it’s kind of neat to read about a character without magic after two series of characters with magic. It’s a short novel, but it does give you a good idea of who Kel is and what she’s all about. It’s quieter than other novels in the series, but it does a good job at establishing the world and giving you an update on what things are like. Plus is fun to briefly revisit Alanna’s point of view.
9. The Narrow by Kate Alice Marshall
Rating: 5 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: I love Kate Alice Marshall, and I loved this book a lot. It’s so well-written, and well-developed. I really liked the way that she built the atmosphere, and how spooky the encounters with the ghosts were. I really enjoyed the growth shown in the main character over the course of the book. I am really glad that I read this. The boarding school setting was super fun, and I liked the depictions of female friendships.
10. Page by Tamora Pierce
Rating: 5 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: This is another re-read for me, and I’m enjoying revisiting Kel’s character. She’s very different, but I like the way she interacts with the world and her dynamic with her friends. I’m excited to see her develop further as a character in the next couple of books.
11. Fractured Tide by Leslie Lutz
Rating: 4 Stars
Format: Audiobook
Review: This was an interesting read. I liked the main character and her perspective. The story was inteesting in the way that it combined science fiction but also survival elements. I had a good time reading it.
12. Mister Magic by Kiersten White
Rating: 5 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: I loved this book. It was neat to see the way that the author tackled some of the issues that she did. I also really loved the premise of the story, with a show that there is no apparent evidence of. It was super twisty, and completely kept me guessing. It also really appealed to the sense of nostalgia that I am burdened with as a millenial. I also loved Val, the protagonist, a lot. She had a really great arc, and developed well over the course of the novel.
13. Critical Role: Mighty Nein Origins: Jester Lavorre by Sam Maggs
Rating: 4 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: I really enjoy Jester as a character, although I haven’t watched that much of Critical Role. It was really interesting to read about her origins and to see how she ended up heading out on her travels. The art was really great. I enjoyed the story, and would definitely recommend it if you like Dungeons and Dragons and graphic novels.
14. Making a Scene by Constance Wu
Rating: 4 Stars
Format: Audiobook
Review: I enjoyed this memoir. I haven’t followed Constance Wu’s career very closely, and didn’t know a lot about her, but I found her memoir quite enjoyable. She told some really interesting stories, and it was interesting to learn about her Hollywood experience. I really felt for her and all the shit she had to deal with throughout her life.
15. Yellowface by R.F. Kuang
Rating: 4 Stars
Format: Audiobook
Review: This book was…wow. I found it really interesting in the way taht the main character, Juniper, was so horrifically unreliable. The book was well-written, but the main character was just so horribly unhinged that it was kind of hard to read at times. It definitely made you think, and reflect on society. I’m glad that I listened to this on audiobook because I think it would have been really easy for me to put down as a physical copy. However, I am also glad that I have the physical copy because it’s such a good book.
16. Caprice of Fate by Christopher L. Bennett
Rating: 3 Stars
Format: Audiobook
Review: This was an interesting read, and a cool sci-fi story. I liked the main character and her impulsivity. She was pretty cool. I found the storyline pretty interesting, and I was satisfied with the way that the story ended. I don’t think I will continue with the series.
17. The Woman Who Split the Atom by Marissa Moss
Rating: 4 Stars
Format: Audiobook
Review: This was a really interesting read. The content of the book wasn’t something that I knew a ton about, but I really enjoyed reading about her and learning about her struggles as a woman in science. I also found it interesting when depicted agains the historical setting. It was a really interesting portrait of Lise Meitner.
18. Kin by Holly Black
Rating: 4 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: I really enjoyed this series of graphic novels. Holly Black constructs really interesting fae characters, and she did quite well in this world. I thought that the characters were really interesting. I also really liked the story arc. There was a good amount if intrigue that kept me guessing. I would definitely recommend the series, though I will admit that the art wasn’t my favourite.
19. Kith by Holly Black
Rating: 4 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
20. Kind by Holly Black
Rating: 4 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
21. Squire by Tamora Pierce
Rating: 5 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: I loved re-reading Squire. It’s an interesting exploration of Tortall, and of Kel as a character. I liked seeing her grow and change as she learned more as a squire. I also really loved her learning that people trust and have faith in her abilities. This is definitely the book where the series really starts to intensify. My husband, who I am reading the books to so that we can read it together, liked this one a lot more than the first two books in the series.
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