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Here is the Folder and thread to tell us what your monthly reads for August 2023 were.

Please provide:
~ A GoodReads link
~ A few sentences telling us how you felt about the book.
~ How would you rate the book

Here are my August reads.

To Kill a Mockingbird: A Graphic Novel by Fred Fordham Harper Lee
Graphic novel
Rate: 4/5
This is the second graphic novel I've read. I have mixed feelings about this one. I do love the novel and also the movie. However, I don't know that a reader who hasn't read the novel or seen the movie can fully appreciate how good this book was. I found the graphics a bit on the cartoon side. Also the story was a bit jumpy due to the format.

I didn't know how to rate this. TKAMB is a 5 star book. But I was less than happy with the graphic novel. So I gave it a 4 star rating. Though I could have easily given it a 3 due to the format.

Life in Five Senses: How Exploring the Senses Got Me Out of My Head and Into the World by Gretchen Rubin
eBook
Rating 5/5
Gretchen got the idea for the book after visiting her eye doctor for pink eye. He casually notes that because she is very nearsighted she is more at risk for a detached retina !

Rubin, rattled by this doctors comment, decides that she "wanted to appreciate the moments in life more fully; get out of her head and into her life".

The book is a fun exploration as she goes about exploring each sense with helpful tips for the reader too.

this was a fun quick read. I also am a regular listener to her podcast. I gave the book a 5/5 . It covers the topic well and I like her easy writing style.

The Guncle by Steven Rowley
Audio Book
Rate 5/5
Rowley is an excellent narrator. I really enjoyed the audiobook version. His wonderful narration added to my enjoyment of the novel.

The book premise is that Patrick (Gup- Gay Uncle Patrick) has to take in his young niece and nephew after their mom dies and the dad is in rehab. This may not sound like a funny book, but it is. Actually, by turns it is poignant and laugh out loud funny. I look forward to reading more by this talented writer.

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow byGabrielle Zevin
eBook and Audio book
Rate 2+/5 Did not meet my expectations

This was a Good Reads Choice award selection.

I am totally not a video gamer, but I don't think you need to be to understand this novel.

Unfortunately, I found the novel boring. Really not much happens for 400 long pages. It should have been cut by 100 pages. There is no character development. Two of the characters I really disliked. One, Sadie, was a main character. I found her self absorbed, immature, unlikeable and very annoying. The other Dov, was an abusive jerk. I don't need to like characters to enjoy a book but I found these two unbearable.

I also wasn't a fan of the writing style.
I decided to give the book 2/5 stars. It's okay but I would not recommend. I'm an outlier on this, so I would give it a chance with a library copy to see if it's your jam or perhaps read the one and two star reviews on GR before investing in this novel.

About a quarter into the novel, I was getting bored so I added audio and read the eBook along with that. That almost always adds to my enjoyment. Not so in this case. I found the narration by Jennifer Kim to be very robotic and dull. She hardly modulated her voice. Also it seemed like she didn't understand the context of some sentences which made her narration off. I do not recommend the audio.

Here are my reads for August:


by: Kiersten Modglin
4 Stars

This was a pretty good read. It had a decent twist at the end. It was the type of book that you expect a twist anyways, but I actually didn't have any clue what the twist was going to be. I was thinking one thing and it was another, which was a nice surprise.

~~~~~~~~~~


by: Jeneva Rose
4 Stars

For the most part, I enjoyed this book. The story is told from the different view points of the female characters and were actually easy to keep straight as to who was who. I had fun reading the cattiness of the women and laughing at some of their ridiculous behavior. The ending felt really rushed, though. But over all it was a good book.

~~~~~~~~~


by: Cara Reinard
4 Stars

I enjoyed the storyline of this book and most of it kept me guessing. It did take a bit to pick up, but at least it wasn't so slow in the beginning to where I didn't want to finish it. The last half was pretty intense, though. I was slightly disappointed in the ending, though. But overall it was a good read. The author really doesn't seem to have anything else that interests me, though.

Alias, I feel the same way about graphic novels of books I've read. The graphic novel is good but the nuances and fine details are missing. Graphic novels aren't a substitute for the real book, but they are an enjoyable addition to the real book.

Kim, I love a book with an unexpected twist at the end. It's nice to be surprised by the author.

You've had a good reading month!

Hello everyone! I read about five books for the month of August and thankfully, I had better luck this time around.

The first was called The Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan. This is the first entry in the Magnus Chase series and if you've read the first Percy Jackson and The Olympians book, just imagine that but with Greek mythology swapped out for Norse mythology and the main character being aged up by four years. I decided to read this because I really liked the Percy Jackson and The Olympians series and wanted to check out one of Riordan's other series. I made the wrong choice. Here's why in detail. Long story short, while Magnus himself was a bit of an interesting character who managed to feel distinct from Percy, everything else was just sloppy. Like, if Riordan himself wasn't credited as the author, I'd swear this was written by someone trying to capitalize on the success of the Percy Jackson and The Olympians series without really understanding what made that series so great.

Rating: F

The second one I read was called Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law by Mary Roach. Basically, it's a non-fiction piece that covers human/animal conflicts (as well as human/tree and human/bean conflicts) and possible solutions. You can check out my full review on it here. Despite having some questionable information at times, it's very obvious that the author had a lot of fun sharing their experiences related to this subject. Not only that, but the author manages to keep things fresh and the pacing steady and smooth.

Rating: A-

The third one was called Three Assassins by Kotaro Isaka. This is the first entry in the Assassins series. The plot of this one is a little hard to summarize because there's three different main characters who all have their own plotlines, so please check out my review for the plot summary/blurb and my full thoughts. Anyway, it is a little slow at times, but it did not at all take away from just how fantastic the characters were, just how well crafted the twists were, just how much of a thrill ride it all was. It put a smile on my face.

Rating: A

The forth was called Lost Girls and Love Hotels by Catherine Hanrahan. Oh God. I wrote an insanely long review on this, so if you have the time, feel free to read it here. So this book focuses on a woman named Margaret who ended up in Japan to escape her awful life back in Canada and she spends her days drinking, doing drugs, going to love hotels, and teaching at the flight attendant school to metaphorically escape her problems. Ladies and Gentleman, this is a historic first for me. This is a book in which I found nothing that worked, nothing that I liked. It presents so many different ideas, but none of them are sufficiently developed. Also, the author certainly has experience and knowledge of Japan, but it is not all reflected in the book itself. Honestly, this book feels unfinished, as if it were a first or second draft.

Rating: F-

The final book was called Bullet Train by Kotaro Isaka. My review can be found here, along with the summary/blurb. So this is the second entry in the Assassins series and it's by far the best. Like, "I have absolutely no complaints" best. It takes what made Three Assassins so awesome and ramps it up to eleven! Yes, it is that awesome. Please read Three Assassins and Bullet Train. You will not be disappointed.

Rating: A+

Overall, this was certainly a month of extremes. The books that were good were really good and the books that were bad were really bad. But, luckily, the good outweighed the bad.

~*Kim*~ wrote: "Here are my reads for August:


by: Kiersten Modglin
4 Stars

This was a pretty good read. It had a decent twist at the end. It was the type of boo..."

Very nice month, Kim. The synopsis I read of The Reunion sounds goods. A bit scary, but good.

Hailey wrote: "Hello everyone! I read about five books for the month of August and thankfully, I had better luck this time around.

The first was called The Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan. This is the first entr..."

Sorry you had some real clunkers, Hailey.

I haven't read her myself, but I know many here have read Mary Roach and loved her books.

Thanks for sharing and the honest reviews !

Hailey, I've read a couple of Mary Roach's books and enjoyed them. I haven't read any for a number of years, though, and was unfamiliar with this title.

You've read some interesting books this month. Glad you enjoyed most of them.

My August reads:

Camp Zero (audio, 3-star) - an interesting story about a world of global warming. But it was an odd feeling in that no one in the story seemed terribly concerned about it. Also, everyone in this novel had a secret to keep. The story was intriguing, for sure, but not particularily compelling. It seemed that subjects were touched upon but not explored.
Review: /review/show...

Karen (4-star) - an biographical look at a family's life with a child who had cerebral palsy. Karen was born at a time (early '40s) when CP wasn't recognized by most in the medical field and there was no help or therapy available. This is the story of Karen and her family as the parents searched for any and all help for their daughter.
Review: /review/show...

Learning to Swim (3-star) - I liked the characters and the situation within the story, but the main character made some really bad decisions.
Review: /review/show...

Visual Thinking: The Hidden Gifts of People Who Think in Pictures, Patterns, and Abstractions (3-star) - a bit repetitive but an interesting look at neurodiversity, the school/teaching system and acceptance of different ways of thinking.
Review: /review/show...

The Sekhmet Bed (3-star) - this started well but the cat-fights between the sisters got tedious real fast.
Review: /review/show...

Petra wrote: "My August reads:

Camp Zero (audio, 3-star) - an interesting story about a world of global warming. But it was an odd feeling in that no one in the story seemed terribly concerned a..."

Excellent reviews as always, Petra.

In your review of Learning to Swim, you noted that "the plot line didn't advance much." This was my complaint for the last two books they read. They had interesting topics but the author didn't do much with the idea.

As for the Temple Grandin book, I'm sorry to hear her latest was repetitive. I've read a few of her books and enjoyed them quite a bit and learned a lot about autism. She's written a lot of books so I guess she has exhausted the topic. I was surprised to learn she is now 76. Boy, the years do fly by.

Thank you, Alias.

Visual Thinking was my first book by Temple Grandin. I enjoyed it, despite the repetitions. I'd like to read more of her works. Some of the reviews I read (after finishing the book) state that this isn't her best work, so I'm interested in her others.
She's 76?! How wonderful that she's still active and writing.

Petra wrote: "Hailey, I've read a couple of Mary Roach's books and enjoyed them. I haven't read any for a number of years, though, and was unfamiliar with this title.

You've read some interesting..."

I'm glad to hear you enjoyed her other books, Petra. With Fuzz, I'm all for a sequel.

Speaking of interesting books, I'm currently reading The Call of The Wild and Richie the Caseworker and so far, they're all quite good.

If you don't mind me asking, out of all the books I read for August, which ones stood out to you the most?

I read your August book list and the one that stood out to me the most was Karen. To me, I find the idea of Karen's family really having to work together in order to help Karen because there's no other choice to be rather compelling.

Alias Reader wrote: "Hailey wrote: "Hello everyone! I read about five books for the month of August and thankfully, I had better luck this time around.

The first was called The Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan. This is..."

You're welcome Alias!

Like I've mentioned to Petra, at this point in time, I'm currently reading The Call of The Wild and Richie the Caseworker and so far, they're quite good.

I also have quite a few other books on my TBR list and I'm hoping to get to those some time soon.

Hailey, I'm intrigued by the Three Assassins series. I enjoy reading mysteries by Japanese authors. There's a different outlook to life, in general, that I enjoy; there are different methods of solving crimes; and the characters are well portrayed.

Karen was an interesting book. Besides Karen's story, there is the different family life that was the norm of the 1940's and 50's. It all seemed so wholesome, in it's way. It was an interesting read. Karen was a lucky girl and a determined one. Her achievements wouldn't have happened withour her family's drive and her determination to keep trying.

Petra wrote: "Hailey, I'm intrigued by the Three Assassins series. I enjoy reading mysteries by Japanese authors. There's a different outlook to life, in general, that I enjoy; there are different methods of sol..."

The Assassins series is awesome! Speaking of that, there's a third entry coming out November 7th of this year (or, more accurately, an English translated version) and from what I can see, it's very different from the other two entries in the sense that, instead of having multiple main characters, it'll only have one.

Also, I just added Karen to my TBR list.

Hailey wrote: "Petra wrote: "Hailey, I'm intrigued by the Three Assassins series. I enjoy reading mysteries by Japanese authors. There's a different outlook to life, in general, that I enjoy; there are different ..."

When do you have time to read? You get so much writing done. I wish I had read more, but I spent about 16 hours daily on my novel and one short story. Today, I spent about 12 hours rewriting the opening three pages of my book, because I'd never been satisfied with them before, and we have to hook agents and editors right away. I'm satisfied with the opening now.

I think I managed to read two books in August: The Bone Tree and Mississippi Blood, books two and three of Greg Iles' "Natchez Burning" trilogy. I did like them very much. I hope to take a little break in September and read more.

General comment that I appreciate the discussions in these monthly threads, even if I'm not commenting specifically. 👍

Here are my August results ...

On Edge: A Journey Through Anxiety by Andrea Petersen ⭐️⭐️⭐️


/review/show...



Jewels: A Secret History by Victoria Finlay ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️


/review/show...



The Fine Art of Invisible Detection by Robert Goddard ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️


/review/show...

I enjoyed reading your reviews, John. I like that you state specifically what you like and don't care for. It really helps when deciding if a book would be one I would enjoy.

All in all, you had a very nice August.

Kiki (Formerly TheGirlByTheSeaOfCortez) wrote: "Hailey wrote: "Petra wrote: "Hailey, I'm intrigued by the Three Assassins series. I enjoy reading mysteries by Japanese authors. There's a different outlook to life, in general, that I enjoy; there..."

Hello Kiki. To answer your question, I usually take the weekends off from writing to do other things like reading and whatnot.

I read Vendetta in Death which is the 49th book in the In Death series by JD Robb (Nora Roberts). I love this murder mystery series so much! I think I started reading her books in 2001 when a former patient at a PT clinic I worked at brought me a stack of books to read 😂. I still love the series and hope it never stops haha.

Stephanie wrote: "I read Vendetta in Death which is the 49th book in the In Death series by JD Robb (Nora Roberts). I love this murder mystery series so much! I think I started reading her books in 2001 when a forme..."

My sister loves to read Nora Roberts !

I’ve read a few of her books as Nora Roberts as well :) she’s such a great author and I love that she writes both romance and then the murder mysteries.

Alias Reader wrote: "Here are my August reads.

To Kill a Mockingbird: A Graphic Novel by Fred Fordham Harper Lee
Graphic no..."

The Guncle sounds good, Alias. Thanks for telling us about it. Overall, you had an interesting month, imo. I'm glad you shared about each book.

~*Kim*~ wrote: "Here are my reads for August:


by: Kiersten Modglin
4 Stars

This was a pretty good read. It had a decent twist at the end. It was the type of boo..."


A four-star month is nothing to sneeze about, Kim. It's a shame when an author whose work appeals to you, doesn't have another book that calls to you. It's annoying, imo. I'm grateful you shared you titles & thoughts with us.

Hailey wrote: "Hello everyone! I read about five books for the month of August and thankfully, I had better luck this time around.

The first was called The Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan. This is the first entr..."

Hailey, you are one observant reader! I'm impressed by the details you share in your reviews. Those facts and opinions help make the reviews useful. Thank you.

We tried watching the film "Bullet Train" but stopped because we couldn't understand the words said. (It was at a rental home and we couldn't figure out how to get the captions.) It seems this is the same piece, so i will try reading the book instead. Thanks for that.

In this post you mentioned the Mary Roach book was nonfiction but in the review link, you wrote it was a novel. I see that it is nf, which is what she is known for. (I liked her Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers.) That you checked out so many facts she shared is to your credit. Thanks for sharing that with readers, as well.

Finally, the Hanrahan lived in Japan & got much wrong has one wondering if she only believed what folks told her, without researching for herself. Odd, that.

Again, thank you.

Petra wrote: "My August reads:

Camp Zero (audio, 3-star) - an interesting story about a world of global warming. But it was an odd feeling in that no one in the story seemed terribly concerned a..."

Petra, thank you for sharing your reviews. The first one (above) i added to my TBR, despite the peculiar points you made about Indigenous and Environmental issues.

The other books sound interesting, just not for me. Although, i found the final, first in a series about Hatshepsut, intriguing. While i'd like to more know about her, this novel didn't seem like what i want. Reading about the second in the series, had me a bit more curious. We'll see. Regardless, i'm glad you shared about it.

Thank you.

John wrote: "General comment that I appreciate the discussions in these monthly threads, even if I'm not commenting specifically. 👍

Here are my August results ...

[book:On Edge: A Journey Through Anxiety|3175..."

John, thank you for sharing your thoughts on some of the books you've read recently. I wouldn't have imagined a book on jewels included travel, so i'm intrigued enough to add it to my (never-ending) TBR list.

And i'm quite interested in the Goddard series, as well. I'll probably get to that before reading the Finlay book, though.

Stephanie wrote: "I read Vendetta in Death which is the 49th book in the In Death series by JD Robb (Nora Roberts). I love this murder mystery series so much! I think I started reading her books in 2001 when a forme..."

Neat, Stephanie. I haven't read any Roberts novels but have liked the first two in her murder mystery series. Well written.

Plenty of reading in August--ah, summertime! I will write more about some of these on another thread in the near future, as they were read for our 100 Challenge.

The Locked Room--Elly Griffiths. Mystery set in the UK, featuring Ruth Galloway, archaeologist. This second-to-last in the series was written and is about COVID, if you care to relive those first few weeks. As a fan of the series, i liked this (& the others of the series) because they incorporate lesser known folklore in the mysteries.

Naturally, i next read the final book, which ended much as i expected. The Last Remains is about the discovery of a 20 year old skeleton of an archeology student. There was closure on the various story lines and a sigh at the end.

Jar City--Arnaldur Indriðason is set in Iceland (imagine that!...me on an Icelandic cruise and all). So many US and British mysteries involve love stories, that it's nice to read Nordic ones which do so less often. In this case, an apparent suicide leads to the discovery of clue to a decades old crime. I learned much about Iceland & its peculiar ability to track DNA/gene research with hopes of addressing family-long illnesses, as the case became more involved. Yes, there are personal aspects, as Inspector Erlendur's daughter features in the book.

The Borrow a Bookshop Holiday--Kiley Dunbar. The premise is that unsettled Jude Crawley, recent college graduate, who is approaching 30, goes on a unique holiday--two weeks of running someone else's bookshop. As it happens, the author tells readers there is, in fact, such a place in Scotland! For two weeks customers pay to live above a bookshop/bakery, and run it as they see fit, within loose guidelines. Clever idea. Rather cheesy novel, though.

Tokyo Year Zero--David Peace has been on my TBR for years. Once abandoned, i picked it up again for our 100 Challenge. It was still an uncomfortable book but i'm glad i stayed with it. (I believe John mentioned he'd read it, which encouraged me, actually.) It's mostly set immediately after the end of WWII with the US in charge of changing many of Japan's policies, as well as criminal justice. Based on the real-life "Japanese Bluebeard" murder, fictional Detective Minami, a survivor of the horrors of war, seeks answers. The novel is bleak and readers are inundated by repetitive thoughts & sounds from the area. There is a sequel, which i will not be reading. :-/

Night Will Find You--Julia Heaberlin. I read & liked this book, for the most part, but i lost my notes from the cruise-read book, so must use GR's synopsis to share. Set in Texas, Vivvy Bouchet is now an astronomer with a government grant to research an echo she found in space. However, her mother just died, so Vivvy returns home and finds herself in the midst of an unsettling child disappearance case. All her life she has had psychic insights and they return even stronger at this time.

Last Rituals--Yrsa Sigurdardottir. In July, i listed this author's second mystery novel, so, in August i read the first. Backward approach but it worked okay. In this series premiere, Reykjavik lawyer Thóra Gudmundsdóttir is asked by the victim's parents to find the "real killer", as they don't believe the police did a good job. The hook is that the victim & his family are German, so they ask a friend, retired German Police detective, to go to Iceland to assist Thora. The book includes much medieval history, which was a tad much for me, but overall i liked it. I will read more in the series.

Pym--Mat Johnson. Pym is an African American character from Edgar Allan Poe's The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket. The conceit in this contemporary novel is that Pym was real & died in the Antarctic. Recently fired professor Chris Jaynes buys an old manuscript, apparently written by a man named Pym. The Prof decides Poe really knew him & borrowed from his life for the novel. Having read Poe's only novel, i found myself intrigued. Ultimately this veered into science fiction, much in the way Jules Verne or H.G. Wells did. I liked it and the discussions about the effects of US society on the descendants of those taken from Africa to the colonies.

Vintage Nantucket--A.B.C. Whipple is a book tourists could pick up on the island to learn the history. And what a good history for an important US island, now a vacation retreat. Whipple describes the town, the indigenous, the colonials, the whalers & their wealth, the decline of whaling and more. Ending with descriptions of some of the sea life along the shore, this is the sort of book one could enjoy on holiday in such an area.

Better Living Through Birding: Notes from a Black Man in the Natural World--Christian Cooper. Given racist lemonade, so to speak, Cooper turned his Central Park "meeting" with the woman who called the police alleging harassment, into a good book about who he is. He writes about his love of birdwatching--a passions he's pursued around the world, his family's fascination with Star Trek, War and other science fiction, his love of men and his spiritual journey. He's an engaging writer and i learned much about birding in the book.

The Librarianist--Patrick deWitt. Barbara wrote a good review of this book & it sang my song, as it is mostly set in Portland, OR. Somehow it was on my reserved list & my number came up. A lonely retired librarian helps a woman find her way to her retirement home one day. Then, returns to volunteer there later. It's a sad and sweet story, which charmed me. Of course that he retired from being a librarian called to me. :-)

Queen of the Tiles--Hanna Alkaf is a YA novel i found in the ship's library. Each chapter begins with a word to use in Scrabble, which is the focus of the teenage narrator's life. A year ago her best friend dropped dead while playing Scrabble at a big tournament and the book is about narrator Najwa Bakri's return to the tournament life in her native Malaysia. Was her friend's death murder? Mishap? Regardless, all competitors want to replace her as the Best Scrabble Player. Well presented.

The Silent House--Nell Pattison is about the murder of a child in the home of a deaf family. How could the parents not know someone had entered the house? The victim is young and this could be painful reading for some but i felt it was a compelling novel.

Secondhand Time: The Last of the Soviets--Svetlana Alexievich shares the real narration of those who survived the dissolution of the Soviet Union. As usual, Alexievich has recorded what individuals shared about their lives--both past and present-- in their own voices. Readers can feel the passion of what was loved and lost, as well as what younger citizens are glad is gone. I don't think i truly appreciated how overwhelmed Russians were as official papers were released, sharing the real memos of indifference from Stalin to his staff. Some Russians are now thrilled with capitalism but others feel they gave up their beloved socialism for the opportunity to by a variety of salamis, instead of just one. Fascinating book, the third i've read by the author, whose work the Nobel Prize committee called a new genre.

A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush--Eric Newby. Fellow board poster John wrote about his pleasure in reading this book, written in the late 1950s about a journey taken in '56 or so. Basically, it is set in Afghanistan, which is made clear in the Afterword by his fellow traveler, Hugh Carless, who worked in the Diplomatic Service. The book is humorous, informative and awe inspiring. Thank You, John, for the introduction. That ending was perfect.

The Memory of Animals--Claire Fuller. I found this one in a list Alias posted about new releases earlier this year. During a near-future pandemic Neffy, a failed wanna-be marine biologist, volunteered to test a new vaccine when a pandemic has spread throughout the world. Her immunity is promising, but her fellow volunteers seem to know more than she does. In-between, she writes a letter to an octopus she took care of in her last job. I liked this post-apocalyptic novel.

madrano wrote:
Better Living Through Birding: Notes from a Black Man in the Natural World--Christian Cooper. Given racist lemonade, so to speak, Cooper turned his Central Park "meeting" with the woman who called the police alleging harassment, into a good book about who he is. He writes about his love of birdwatching--a passions he's pursued around the world, his family's fascination with Star Trek, War and other science fiction, his love of men and his spiritual journey. He's an engaging writer and i learned much about birding in the book.




Wow ! You certainly had an amazing reading month.

As to Better Living Through Birding: Notes from a Black Man in the Natural World I have a library hold on it.
I'm happy to hear it's a winner.

I enjoyed reading your reviews. Thanks !

madrano wrote: "Plenty of reading in August--ah, summertime! I will write more about some of these on another thread in the near future, as they were read for our 100 Challenge.

The Locked Room--[..."

Congratulations! So many good books! I, too, enjoyed reading your reviews.

Thank you for your comments on my reviews. I feel they are disorganized but get most of the points across.

Alias, re. the Cooper book. You may be surprised by all he covers about himself, i was. He addressed much about his very personal life, which was unexpected by me.

Some of my August 2023 reads included: Bad Summer People by Emma Rosenblum. Wallbanger, Rusty Nailed, and Screwdrivered by Alice Clayton. The Summer of Naked Swim Parties by Jessica Anya Blau. Asking For It by Louise O’Neill. Ugly Love and Reminders of Him by Colleen Hoover. Little Secrets by Jennifer Hillier. The Block Party by Jamie Day. The Perfect Marriage by Jeneva Rose. The One by John Marrs. Dirty Sexy Money, the Unauthorized Biography of Kris Jenner by Cathy Griffin. Don’t Let Her Stay by Nicola Sanders. A Flicker in the Dark and All the Dangerous Things by Stacy Willingham. Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak.

Welcome to BNC, Giovanna. That's quite a lot of books you read in August, Giovanna.

Madrano, there's always a sadness when reaching the end of a series. One has to say goodbye to the characters and their lives. It's good to hear that this series ends well. I may look it up and see if the library here has the books.

You read many interesting stories last month. I'm particularily interested in The Silent House and The Memory of Animals. I'm also leaning towards The Queen of Tiles.

I like Icelandic novels, too. There's a darkness and melancholy to them that is not in other books and makes them interesting. Therefore, Jar City may end up on my TBR list as well.

Nice reading month!! I like your reviews, too. They aren't disorganized at all, in my eyes.

Hi Giovanna! That's quite a list of books!
I haven't heard of any of those titles. I hope you enjoyed them.

Giovanna wrote: "Some of my August 2023 reads included: Bad Summer People by Emma Rosenblum. Wallbanger, Rusty Nailed, and Screwdrivered by Alice Clayton. The Summer of Naked Swim Parties by Jessica Anya Blau. Aski..."

Busy August reading, Giovanna. Thank you for sharing your list. I hope you enjoyed them!

Petra wrote: "Nice reading month!! I like your reviews, too. They aren't disorganized at all, in my eyes..."

Thank you, Petra. I think you'll find each of the books you mentioned as appealing interesting in different ways. Enjoy!

My August reads:

The Metaframe Adept by Graeme Rodaughan - 5 stars.
My review:
/review/show...

The Ghosts of Ravencrest by Thorne and Cross - 5 stars.
My review:/review/show...

Floating Staircase by Ronald Malfi - 4 stars.
My review:
/review/show...

The Canterville Ghost : Illustrated Classics (Oscar Wilde graphic novel) by Oscar Wilde Whimsical Haunts: Oscar Wilde's Canterville Ghost : The Canterville ... by Oscar Wilde - 4 stars.
My review:/review/show...

Down in the Deep Dark Places by Jason Parent - 5 stars.
My review: /review/show...

Bishop by Candace Nola - 5 stars.
My review:
/review/show...

The Paintings That Hung by Angel N. Van Atta - 5 stars.
My review:
/review/show...

Sweet, Sour, & Spicy by Bridgett Nelson - 5 stars.
My review: /review/show...

CAN SUSAN COME OUT AND PLAY? by J.D. Allen - 5 stars.
My review:/review/show...

Hellweg's keep by Justin Holley - 5 stars.
My review: /review/show...

Bishop: Man vs Monster by Candace Nola - 5 stars.
My review: /review/show...

Megalodon: Bloodbath by Michael R. Cole - 4 stars.
My review: /review/show...

A Flicker in the Dark by Stacy Willingham - 5 stars.
My review: /review/show...

1689 by Amy Cross - 5 stars.
My review: /review/show...

The Box in The Cuts by Debra Castaneda - 4 stars.
My review: /review/show...

The Night Mutilator by Brian G. Berry - 5 stars.
My review: /review/show...

Lots of books this month and quite a few 5 stars but I have read quite a few of the authors in the past so know their work. :)

That is quite a list, Marie. I'm glad you hit upon a lot of 5 star reads.

What a busy reading month you had this summer, Marie. Of course i was tickled to see my favorite "Gore Suit" mentioned, as well as the clever "splatterpunk feast". Such fun.

My daughter was in a high school production of Wilde's Canterville Ghost, so i remember that story. I cannot see that i read it, so will do so. Thanks for the reminder of this humorous piece.

It's neat to learn that you have a backlog of books, from which you find selections to read & share with us. I appreciate that you share them, particularly when a series concludes, such as the Metaframe War.

On a personal note, your reviews of camping horrors are scary, even when i'm safely surrounded by four walls. Camping can give a spooky vibe when you are on-site but it takes a good imagination to turn that into solid books. I'm glad you tell us about them.

Likely, it's The Paintings That Hung which will stay with me. Why? A thrift shop is on my to-do list. I will keep an eye on the paintings, in particular today!

Thanks for giving us such good descriptions & warnings, Marie.

Alias Reader wrote: "That is quite a list, Marie. I'm glad you hit upon a lot of 5 star reads."

Thank you, Alias! :) I am kind of surprised myself with having so many in one month. That is unusual for even me. lol :)

madrano wrote: "What a busy reading month you had this summer, Marie. Of course i was tickled to see my favorite "Gore Suit" mentioned, as well as the clever "splatterpunk feast". Such fun.

My daughter was in a h..."

Thank you, Deb! I do so love sharing my reviews on here! :)

Camping horrors! Definitely will never see me remotely close to doing one as I will remember all the camping horror books I have read!

Yes - keep an eye on the paintings when you go thrift store shopping - lol - you don't want to magically end up in one! lol

Glad to see my gore suit makes you happy along with splatterpunk feast! Warms my horror heart! :)

Marie wrote: "Thank you, Deb! I do so love sharing my reviews on here! :) ..."

Win-Win for us all!