A month where all but one of the books I read were five star reads! I mean, you really can't ask for more than that as a reader. August wrapped up the end of summer, and the chaos of adapting ourselves to the school routine again always means I have less time to read. But, I think you'll see from my August Book Reviews that it was a month of quality over quantity.
A quick note about how I review: I am a generous reviewer. I love books, so I am usually pretty happy to just be along for the ride and grateful that an author made this incredible story happen. Five stars is roughly: I will read this again and loudly recommend it to many people. Four stars is: This was a good book and I might recommend it in a particular circumstance. Three stars is: Well, it was a clear story with parts that I enjoyed. Two stars is: It was a story that happened and was coherent. One star is: Is this even a book? Who let this happen?
The Unicorn Hunters by Katherine Arden
I loved her previous series that started with The Bear and The Nightingale. It was like a moody, Russian-inspired fantasy trilogy. So, when I saw her name, I decided to try it out.
This was such a fun read. It really read like an historical fiction novel with a dash of magical elements. But, as the story grew more complex it slid seamlessly into historical fantasy, which I guess is technically historical fiction still.
If you read by mood, this would be a perfect addition to your fall or winter reads. It's got the right atmosphere for it.
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If you haven't read her other works, definitely go pick up The Bear and The Nightingale by Katherine Arden.
This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me by Ilona Andrews
Maggie is a gal like you or I but she accidentally falls into her favorite fantasy series. But, she doesn't arrive as a princess or wealthy beauty, she wakes up naked and in the gutter during a rainstorm. Survival is her first goal.
Once she's established a modicum of safety and stability, she tries to figure out what she has to do to go back to her life. Her best guess is to try to save the kingdom from the big baddie in the books. But her knowledge of the future can only get her so far.
She gathers friends, makes mistakes, falls for a knight. It reads so fast and enjoyably that you'll be so sad that the sequel isn't out.
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Fanfiction? I'm trying to think of what other, author-written-into-the-story kind of books there are. I think books like Outlander and other time-travel novels come close to the same premise of someone knowing the future and having to convince people to follow them.
The Silversmith by LJ Claren
I read this one for the romantasy book club I'm in. I'll admit that the cover synopsis didn't really have me that excited about it. But, as I read it I was hooked.
This feels like it has every trope of the genre, but in the best way possible. The tropes feel earned. The relationship feels slower and real. The romance is so full of yearning. This book is a great read if you already love the genre. And, the sequel just came out!
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Literally if you're reading Sarah J Maas, Jennifer L Armentrout, Rebecca Yarros, and Carissa Broadbent, this is probably right up your ally.
Kiss and Don't Tell by Meghan Quinn
Okay, this was my one book this month that wasn't five stars. And to be fair to it, I think that contemporary romance just might not be my favorite genre. And because of that, I think I expect a lot of it.
This book didn't really have a lot of anything for me. The characters lacked personality and depth. The relationship lacked any real chemistry or stakes. Honestly, the whole time I felt like if a rainstorm hadn't stranded her at the house where he was, they would've both gone on to live perfectly fine lives. It never felt like there was a reason for them to pick each other.
But, the writing and pacing was done well. Maybe if you love contemporary romance this is great. It just wasn't great for me.
Read Instead
I'll never not plug Sophie Kinsella if you love contemporary romance. Her books are more rom-com than spicy romance, but my gosh will you love the characters and their relationships.
Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman
Y'ALL GO READ THIS BOOK! I have read Carl and now I talk about it all the time. This book is unlike anything I've read, and I mean that particularly referring to the tone and pacing. The premise is gold, but the way Dinniman writes this totally kooky tone and then grounds it in the deepest moments with humanity is unparalleled.
You can find a million people telling you about the plot, so I'll skip that. Instead, I'm just going to tell you that after I read this I actively bullied my husband, friends, and parents into reading it.
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Good books.
Carl's Doomsday Scenario by Matt Dinniman
ACHIEVEMENT: You're now obsessed.
You know how sequels sometimes really let you down? Like, the same way your poor picks in the dating world do? Where you're left wondering how you got here and how much time you've wasted on something that was complete garbage. This book IS NOT THAT.
This book stands on the shoulders of the first and metaphorically elevates everything. The stakes, the tone, the pacing is all heightened. I am now actively shoving this series down everyone's throats.
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In a shift from my usual recommendations, I need to know if you've read this series and if you've got any recommendations for series of similar greatness.
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We are called to a life of creativity, and I’m trying to show up for that every day. When I’m not designing website templates or illustrations, I’m getting my glitter shoes metaphorically muddy with my own artistic pursuits. I’m a maker, a quilter, a Christmas enthusiast, a baker, and a truly abysmal (but passionate) gardener.
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