August was one of my best reading months ever. The Trope-ical Readathon really motivated me. Despite stating that I would never complete my Trope-ical Readathon TBR I managed to finish it with only switching out 1 book and then added a Team Book for a total of 16 books. It’s not my highest number for a month but it may be the highest for a month with no graphic novels.
Reading Stats
- Books Read: 16
- Pages Read: 5,553
- Average Rating: 3.69
- 5 stars – 3
- 4 stars – 9
- 3 stars – 1
- 2 stars – 2
- 1 star – 1
- Genre Breakdown:
- Fantasy – 6
- Sci-Fi – 3
- Mystery – 2
- Contemporary – 2
- Romance – 1
- Historical Fiction – 1
- Dystopia – 1
- Book Format:
- Novel – 14
- Novella – 1
- Novel in Verse – 1
- Reading Format:
- Physical Books – 14
- eBooks – 2
The Books
Kaikeyi by Vaishnavi Patel
2 stars – Full Review
I was really excited about jumping into this one but it didn’t live up to the hype for me. I didn’t connect with the story and I couldn’t get behind the magic of manipulating others.
Finlay Donovan is Killing It by Elle Cosimano
4 stars
This was fun. I didn’t adore it or find it as funny as others seem to but it was a nice change of pace for me and a fun, quick read.
Aurora Rising by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
5 stars
I loved this! It was so much fun and I fell in love with the characters. I already have the next one from the library and I can’t wait to get back to this found family.
The Martian by Andy Weir
5 stars
I’d give it more stars if I could. This was my first reread of The Martian and I completely adored it all over again. I will pick them up again and again, it’s definitely one of my all-time favorites.
Traitor’s Blade by Sebastien de Castell
4 stars
This was not really what I was expecting but I still really enjoyed it. I’m looking forward to getting my hands on the next one.
Nettle and Bone by T. Kingfisher
4 stars
This was quirky and cute and I had a great time. My only real complaint and reason I’m not ready to rave about this book is the pacing. There were parts that were very slow and then we’d get to a scene with some action and everything was over so quickly that I felt like I missed things. Big plot points happened in only a few words which might have worked but didn’t quite hit the mark for me. I admire what the author was able to accomplish in <250 pages but adding a couple pages in the main action/plot parts of the story would have greatly helped my reading experience.
Rivals by Katharine McGee
4 stars
The third book in this series and they’re just so much fun. I don’t like the term “guilty pleasure” but they have that idea. I know the story/characters/writing aren’t great but these books are addictive and highly entertaining.
Twin Crowns by Catherine Doyle and Katherine Weber
4 stars
This was really fun and I look forward to reading more in the series. It never totally hooked me but it got close. The magic system was a little wishy washy and Rose was really annoying for most of the book. But I did really like Wren and a few of the side characters, plus I always like a good twist on the typical YA fantasy. It gave me a few chuckles and a couple surprises although a few “plot twists” I could see from a mile off. Overall, a good time and solid 4 stars, I’ll pick up the next book.
Arsenic and Adobo by Mia P. Manansala
4 stars
Huh, maybe I like cozy mysteries? This was really fun! I was cute and fun and the mystery added a little something that kept my brain working. The family dynamics and food really gave this book its own voice. I’m glad to see there’s another one, this was a great time.
People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry
4 stars
I decided to give Emily Henry another chance after not liking Beach Read and I’m glad I did. I had a really good time with this. However, Emily Henry seems to like to add heavy topics at the end of her rom-coms and I just don’t like it. I adored this couple and was totally into this and it made me drop a star at the end. So not quite the nosedive Beach Read took but still unnecessary and annoying and will likely keep Emily Henry from ever being a favorite author.
A Prayer for the Crown-Shy by Becky Chambers
4 stars
I don’t usually like novellas. I don’t usually like books described as wholesome. I don’t usually like books that have such an obvious message or commentary on the world. But somehow this works and leaves me totally captivated. I still want more as is typically the fate of a novella but I thoroughly enjoyed this brief check in with Dex and Mosscap and hope to get to visit them again soon.
The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow
1 star
I’ve been putting this book off forever and I should have continued to do so. I guess the writing is pretty in theory but oh boy, I hated this. The characters are boring and the plot is nonexistent. The inserted book chapters didn’t really fit and the footnotes turned me off entirely. I really tried for the first half and then I found my eyes skimming paragraphs, I just wanted it to be over.
Notorious Sorcerer by Davinia Evans
2 stars – Full Review
My only ARC of the month was a bit of a flop. I didn’t hate this but it has a lot of issues. The world building was basically non-existent. The multiple POVs was not executed well. Not a series I plan to continue.
The Chandler Legacies by Abdi Nazemian
4 stars
I totally fell in love with the characters in this book for the first half. The plot took a turn I didn’t love but the characters were fantastic. Another solid book from Nazemian, I’ll be reading whatever he writes next.
In the Beautiful Country by Jane Kuo
3 stars
This is the team book I added in, a middle grade novel in verse. This was ok. It was a nice story but the novels in verse I’ve read before were really powerful and used different poetry formats and just really flowed. This didn’t do that. I don’t know much about poetry but it just didn’t have that spark.
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
5 stars
Unsure how many times I’ve read this series but it’s always good.
Knitting Update
I was too busy reading to knit much but recently picked up my needles again.
What’s Up Next
I’m trying to push through the post-readathon slumpiness. September I have 2 ARCs and a bunch of new releases. I’m also spending a week at the beach and plan to pack a bunch of books so probably some romances. I also started Gideon the Ninth in August and then set it aside since it was reading slow but I have enjoyed what I’ve read so far.
And of course, the obligatory Bonnie picture. For 2.5 weeks of August, I was watching my mom’s pup Rudy. He loves to play and would really love to play with Bonnie…she can’t be bothered.
Susan Lyn Knits and Reads 