August 2021 Reading Wrap-Up

Hey hi hello friends, and welcome back to my blog! 

I know I say this every time, but I can't believe another month has flown by and it's already September! Wild. 

Speaking of wild, August sure was a wild reading month for me. I read a grand total of 23 works: 13 novels, 2 novellas, 4 poetry collections, 1 nonfiction, and 3 manga volumes. A bit all over the place, I know, but I'm glad it is a wide range of works. There were some new favorites and some new not so great books, so let's just get into it, shall we?

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Novels

1. The Tiger's Daughter by K. Arsenault Rivera
Star rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Genre: Fantasy, Historical Fantasy
Page count: 526 pages
Date(s) read: 8.01 - 8.03
Goodreads thoughts: This was fantastic! A new favorite, and probably the most romantic book I've ever read. The whole thing being one massive love letter between wives? Uhm, yes please! Shizuka and Shefali were so unique and so incredibly in love with one another, it gave me a toothache.

Characters aside, I love the world-building of this book. The different customs and traditions of all the separate tribes/clans/kingdoms were fascinating to read about, and the slight magical powers that characters possessed were very intriguing. I hope I learn more in the next books of the trilogy.

2. The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
Star rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars
Genre: Crime, Thriller, Historical Fiction, Magical Realism
Page count: 328 pages
Date(s) read: 8.03 - 8.04
Goodreads thoughts: It was very well-written but overall much too long. I found myself slogging through parts that could have been condensed or just plain cut out. I think this book could have been a hundred pages shorter and still just as impactful.

Having watched the movie multiple times before reading the book, I found it much easier to get through some of the odder parts of Susie's narration. But I do think I like the movie better than the book. While weird and fantastical in ways the book is not, the movie I think really only focused on the most important parts of the book, which again I think is a plus. And it added more to the other murdered women that I feel like the book lacked. Of course the book did some things I liked better, like flushing certain characters out more, but overall the movie is better in my opinion.

One thing I find no fault with is the ending. I know a lot of people would have rather had Harvey caught and forced to serve his just dues, but I think the karmic retribution at the end really served the story, because it's not like this is a book meant to have a happy ending. Because a lot of times that's not what life gives us. We simply get an ending, neither happy nor sad, and that's exactly what we get in the book. Very well done.

3. The Ravens by Kass Morgan and Danielle Paige
Star rating: 2 out of 5 stars
Genre: Fantasy, Urban Fantasy
Page count: 405 pages
Date(s) read: 8.04 - 8.05
Goodreads thoughts: Well, that was fun, even if it was a hate-read.

I knew from before I even read it that I wouldn't love this book, or even like it. As it follows a sorority who uses Greek life as a cover to hide their coven of witches, it had all the elements in books that I despise. And yeah, it was definitely an insult to sorority life as well as witchcraft, that didn't change, but it was fun in that trashy-tv-you-cannot-stop-watching kind of way.

Also, I totally guessed the plot twist. Like, as early as the Homecoming scene, I knew who the ultimate big bad was, so that took a little enjoyment away from me as well.

Will I still read the sequel? Yeah, I'm intrigued to see how this story ends. And it's not like this was the worst book I read this year. But still. Not great.

4. You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson (ONE DAY READ)
Star rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Genre: Contemporary, LGBT Romance
Page count: 336 pages
Date(s) read: 8.05 
Goodreads thoughts: ASDFGHJKL YES, YES, COMPLETELY 100% YES

This was so amazing!!! The more I read the more I loved, seriously. By the end I was smiling like a goon and squealing into my pillow. At the beginning I was thinking that it read a little young for me, which is completely a me problem and not any fault of the books, I am 23 after all, but as I read I found myself forgetting about that and just reveling in the awesomeness of a black, queer, teenage girl getting her dream.

My one small complaint-and it is very small-would be that it felt a little fast. Like, this book takes place over five weeks right? In those five weeks, we get: a college rejection letter, a prom campaign scheme, a new girl and a crush on said girl, an old friendship rekindling, getting together with the new girl, breaking up with the new girl, and old friendship dissolving, getting outed to the whole school, a hate-crime scandal blowing up, a hospital visit, the old friendship that dissolved coming back together again, and then prom. So yeah, it was a lot to pack into 350 pages. Maybe some things could have gotten a little more time dedicated to them.

But really, this was a near-perfect book, and I know I'm late to the hype train, but everyone should go and read this.

5. I Hope You Get This Message by Farah Naz Rishi
Star rating: 3 out of 5 stars
Genre: Science Fiction, Contemporary
Page count: 400 pages
Date(s) read: 8.07 - 8.08
Goodreads thoughts: This was really interesting. At its core this is a book about humanity and finding hope in a hopeless world. I liked all three of the POVs that were used, which is unusual for me, and I liked how they all ended up being connected at the end.

However the ending was far too abrupt for me. I turned the page expecting another chapter or two and I just didn't get that. I recognize that the open ending was on purpose so the reader could draw their own conclusions as to what happened, but I would have liked it to be a little less open, if you get what I mean.

6. The Girl and the Ghost by Hanna Alkaf
Star rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Genre: Paranormal, Contemporary
Page count: 280 pages
Date(s) read: 8.08 - 8.11
Goodreads thoughts: I thought this was a wonderful middle grade! I love the friendship between Suraya and Pink, it's complicated and messy but also fiercely strong, so even though it was between a young girl and a dark spirit, it felt very real. I didn't really like Jing as a character, she felt too wrapped up in her Star Wars obsession (like, really, she made a reference EVERY single time she spoke) and I feel like she didn't really do anything for Suraya except to work as a plot foil.

I love the plot twist at the end though! It made everything in the story that much more emotional and heartbreaking, and I think it was handled very well, even if it did feel a little rushed at the end.

7. A Master of Djinn by P. Djeli Clark
Star rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Genre: Fantasy, Historical Fantasy
Page count: 396 pages
Date(s) read: 8.12 - 8.16
Goodreads thoughts: This was fantastic!! (Note: you must read the two novellas set in this universe--The Haunting of Tram Car 015 and A Dead Djinn in Cairo in order to fully understand and appreciate this book.)

I love Fatma and the way her brain works, I could read so many books from her POV. Also Siti is amazing, 10/10.

I totally guessed the plot twist, but only like a few pages before the actual reveal, so it didn't lessen the shock from it at all. I loved learning about different Middle Eastern lore and myth, as well as culture, and I definitely would like to see more books in this universe.

8. Fireborne by Rosaria Munda
Star rating: 2 out of 5 stars
Genre: Fantasy
Page count: 446 pages
Date(s) read: 8.09 - 8.17
Goodreads thoughts: This was...disappointing, in a way that is entirely my fault.

Everyone and their mother has been hyping this series up to no end, and so I went in with unfortunately high expectations, and so there was nothing the book could do but fall flat for me. I did enjoy parts of it, of course, but overall it was lackluster. I didn't care about Annie or her storyline, I found Lee a little more compelling but not enough to truly save the book for me. I don't think I'll be continuing on with this series.

9. Dark Waters by Katherine Arden
Star rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars
Genre: Paranormal
Page count: 198 pages
Date(s) read: 8.17 - 8.18
Goodreads thoughts: Well now I’m just mad. That cliffhanger? How very dare, Katherine. How very dare.

On that note, this was my least favorite of the series so far. It didn’t give me the same spooky feeling that the other two did, and I felt like it ended much too quickly to really give me a chance to be scared (again, the CLIFFHANGER). I like that Phil became part of the group, especially since we didn’t get anything from Ollie this time around. I suspect that the next book will be from Phil’s POV, since that seems to be the pattern of this series, each book follows a different POV of the friend group.

While I did like how Brian was able to be the savior of the day, getting his moment of glory, I think I would have liked if Ollie was narrating at least part of the story, so we could have seen what was going on in her head. Since Coco was with Brian the whole time I felt like she had a decent amount of page time but Ollie was totally robbed.

10. The Girl in the Tower by Katherine Arden
Star rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Genre: Fantasy, Historical Fantasy
Page count: 346 pages
Date(s) read: 8.18 - 8.20
Goodreads thoughts: Truly incredible, a stunning sequel that brings everything to the table: magic, political intrigue, dastardly plots and wicked characters, all molded together to create a story I will never forget.

I loved seeing Vasya’s growth in this book, how she learned how to be confident and courageous but also understood when to rely on others, and that not everything can be solved on your own. She’s a protagonist unlike any I’ve read from before and I’m looking forward to reading her great conclusion.

11. The Winter of the Witch by Katherine Arden
Star rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Genre: Fantasy, Historical Fantasy
Page count: 372 pages
Date(s) read: 8.20 - 8.23
Goodreads thoughts: Yes! Yes yes yes yes yes YES!!!!

Words cannot come to me to describe how incredible this finale was, and how emotional it made me. So many things happened and I found myself loving characters I never thought I would even tolerate, let alone enjoy reading about. This was such an epic conclusion worthy of this series.

12. The Coming Storm by Regina M. Hansen
Star rating: 3 out of 5 stars
Genre: Fantasy, Historical Fantasy
Page count: 288 pages
Date(s) read: 8.24 - 8.27
Goodreads thoughts: I thought this was very atmospheric and chilling, not quite horror and not quite fantasy but something in between. I love the Scottish lore that was sprinkled in with the historical Prince Edward Island. I did find myself skimming some passages however, and the story itself didn't really move me in a way I expect historical fiction to do so nowadays. It was a solid debut novel.

13. The Wren Hunt by Mary Watson
Star rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars
Genre: Fantasy, Urban Fantasy
Page count: 432 pages
Date(s) read: 8.30 - 8.31
Goodreads thoughts: This was fine, a standard YA fantasy novel. Honestly I'm less than impressed. I did like all of the Irish folklore and legend sprinkled throughout it, that is an area of myth that I haven't spent much time on, so it was refreshing, but the story itself was lackluster in my opinion. I'm not sure if I'll carry on with the series, we'll see.

Novellas

1. A Dead Djinn in Cairo by P. Djeli Clark
Star rating: 3 out of 5 stars
Genre: Fantasy, Historical Fantasy
Page count: 45 pages
Date(s) read: 8.04
Goodreads thoughts: The writing was very similar to the other novella in the series (The Haunting of Tram Car 015) so much so that the first few pages, I thought I had already read this. It's hard to give a high rating to something so short simply because I don't get the time to establish anything like characters or world-building before it's over, but it was very well done for what it was. I'm looking forward to the novel.

2. Warm Up by V.E. Schwab
Star rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Genre: Science Fiction
Page count: 15 pages
Date(s) read: 8.06
Goodreads thoughts: It’s only 16 pages but it’s just SO DAMN GOOD. I didn’t even know this was a thing until today so of course I had to read it immediately, and it absolutely made me want to read Vicious again.

Poetry

1. The Truth About Magic by Atticus
Star rating: N/A
Genre: Romance
Page count: 250 pages
Date(s) read: 8.02
Goodreads thoughts: Honestly, this felt pretty standard to me, like every other modern poetry collection. Nothing really stood out to me as truly incredible or above other poetry. It was, in all sense of the word, fine.

2. The Prophet by Khalil Gibran
Star rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Genre: Philosophy, Religion
Page count: 128 pages
Date(s) read: 8.02
Goodreads thoughts: Almost biblical in nature, The Prophet is a collection of poetic essays in the guise of a prophet to his people, but really it feels like Kahlil Gibran is speaking straight to us, the reader, across years and years, each essay grabbing at something deep inside of you and pulling it to the surface. This book left me feeling raw and exposed, but also liberated, and most of all, loved.

3. Bluets by Maggie Nelson
Star rating: 3 out of 5 stars
Genre: Philosophy, Art
Page count: 98 pages
Date(s) read: 8.17
Goodreads thoughts: This was weird but in a way that makes me want to sit down with Maggie Nelson and have a conversation with her, just to see how she sees the world for an hour.

4. A Cruelty Special to Our Species by Emily Jungmin Yoon
Star rating: N/A
Genre: Feminism, Racial Issues, History
Page count: 80 pages
Date(s) read: 8.23
Goodreads thoughts: Heartbreakingly powerful, powerfully heartbreaking.

Nonfiction 

1. The Valkyries by Paulo Coelho
Star rating: N/A
Genre: Philosophy, Spirituality
Page count: 212 pages
Date(s) read: 8.23 - 8.27
Goodreads thoughts: I won't rate this because it is, at its core, a memoir of a time in Paulo Coelho's life, and I feel uncomfortable rating nonfiction. This was very different from the others books I've read by him, and that was on purpose if the author's note at the end is any indication. If anything, a book about angels and immortal warriors living in the desert just made Paulo seem more human. He laid out his insecurities, his intrusive thoughts, his discomforts for anyone to read about, and I think it takes great bravery to do that. This really solidified my desire to meet him one day.

Manga 

1. Death Note vol. 4-6 by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata
Star rating: N/A
Genre: Thriller, Fantasy, Crime
Page count: 941 pages
Date(s) read: 8.03, 8.17
Goodreads thoughts: vol 4: ** spoiler alert ** I wasn't expecting that?????

Like, L can't really be dead, can he? I honestly think he's faking his death somehow so he can get the ultimate drop on Light later, because it just makes no sense that he would die half-way through the manga! But really I can't know for sure until I finish the series, so...

vol 5: It was a little lagging in the middle (volume 9 in the original manga volumes) but it picked up at the end. I can't believe I'm almost done with the series!

vol 6: ....Yo that was wild.

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Total page count: 6,522 pages

Favorite book of August: The Winter of the Witch by Katherine Arden

Least favorite book of August: The Ravens by Kass Morgan and Danielle Paige

DNF'd books this month: The Shadow of the Gods by John Gwynne

No unfinished books this month

August book haul: Yolk by Mary H.K. Choi
                                Small Favors by Erin A. Craig
                                Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo
                                Anna K Away by Jenny Lee
                                On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong
                                Keeper of the Lost Cities: Unlocked by Shannon Messenger
                                Dark Waters by Katherine Arden
                                A Cruelty Special to Our Species by Emily Jungmin Yoon
                                Gingerbread by Helen Oyeyemi
                                How to Pronounce Knife by Souvenkham Thammavongsa
                                My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell
                                Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
                                The Bone Houses by Emily Lloyd Jones
                                The Stars and the Blackness Between Them by Junauda Petrus
                                You Must Not Miss by Katrina Leno

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Well, there we go! My wallet is definitely weeping at this point...

What was your favorite book of August? Did we read any of the same books? Let me know in the comments, or tweet at me @AllyEmReads.

Until next time!