WHAT HAPPENED IN AUGUST
- The entire month was day after day of sweltering heat. Not a fan. Zero stars - do not recommend.
- Had to get a new computer at the beginning of the month. I'm still fine-tuning things, like loading my favorite anti-virus software and setting up folders, etc. And I still haven't set up Carbonite on the new PC. Need to do that soon (or maybe The Husband will look into that for me... hint, hint, Robert :).
- Had my annual physical and all is well but I'm also at the age where one appointment seems to result in two or three others. LOL
- One of my favorite shows from the late 90's/early 2000's got a reboot. I watched the first episode of BH90210... and decided some things are better left alone.
WHAT I READ IN AUGUST
*Note: Yes, I know the graphic is crooked but I just can't be bothered to re-do it.
August was a pretty mediocre reading month - with the exception of one 5-star read. I read six books which is low even for me. (This might even be lower in September since I've been reading the same book for a week and a half.)
The Last Post by Renee Carlino | 3.5/5 stars
Breathe by Abbi Glines | 3/5 stars
Because of Low by Abbi Glines | 3.25/5 stars
While It Lasts by Abbi Glines | 3.25/5 stars
Just For Now by Abbi Glines | 3.25/5 stars
The Reckless Oath We Made by Bryn Greewood | 5/5 stars
The Last Post and The Reckless Oath We Made link to full reviews on the blog. I didn't have enough to say about the Abbi Glines titles to review them here so they are linked to short (and a little snarky) reviews on GoodReads.
FORMATS
Total Read: 6
4 physical books
2 e-books
2 ARCs
TOP OF THE HEAP
The Reckless Oath We Made
Bryn Greenwood did it again and created two main characters that felt so human and so flawed and so real that I was 100% invested in their story. The Reckless Oath We Made was totally unique and I loved every minute of it.
THE ONE THAT WAS SURPRISINGLY EMOTIONAL
Just For Now
Despite my issues with this one (the male main character ran so hot and cold that I wanted to do him bodily harm), it took a turn I didn't expect and actually managed to eke out some real emotion.
THE ONE THAT LEFT ME WANTING MORE
The Last Post
Renee Carlino has written some that I've loved and some that I've been on the fence about. With The Last Post I just wanted... more. It was good but I wished for more connection with the main characters. It just felt a little lacking overall.
THE ONE THAT INDUCED MUCH EYE-ROLLING
Breathe
Have there ever been two more annoying main characters? If so, I don't want to know. Sadie was saccharine sweet, naive beyond belief and basically a clueless Mary Sue. Jax was possessive, insanely jealous and irrational. They deserve each other and should go far, far away. Fingers crossed they don't show up often in the rest of the series.
WHAT HAPPENED ON THE BLOG
I had 16 blog posts in August which included 4 reviews: Hope and Other Punch Lines, Birthday, The Last Post, and The Reckless Oath We Made. I also shared my least favorite cover redesigns, characters I want as my BFF, and my favorite romance tropes.
WHAT I'M CURRENTLY READING
I'm on Day 11 (maybe 12?) of reading this one and I honestly don't know if it's me or the book. It's not even a long one (325 pages) and yet I'm still only on page 235. I enjoy it well enough when I'm reading it, but it's not like I think about it and am itching to pick it up again. I don't know if I'm in a bit of a book hangover after The Reckless Oath We Made, if I've just been busy, or if the book just isn't thrilling me. Either way, I'm going to make a concerted effort to just finish it in the next few days.
WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE READ IN AUGUST?
I hope September is a better reading month for you! At least you can look forward to cooler temps, hopefully? I hate hot weather, too!
ReplyDeleteNo cooler temps in September, I'm afraid. Not in FL. Better luck in Oct/Nov. :)
DeleteFingers crossed that we both have an awesome reading month!
I enjoyed reading your reviews for Abbi's books so much because they're so relatable now that I look back at the books 😂😂 The characters (and even the stories) could be so frustrating but I don't know why it still pulls me to continue reading... I mean I'm free of it now but back then, I devoured these books lol.
ReplyDeleteHere's hoping your September will be better! And never forget that it's okay to not go on the internet world and enter the blogosphere for a while. Give yourself the me-time you deserve 💗
I'm laughing so hard at your "I'm free of it now" comment, Chai. :) It's like you were held captive by the Abbi Glines books and finally managed to escape. LOL
DeleteI'm hoping for a better reading month in September. I need to peruse my shelves and pick something that I'm dying to read.
August was actually very good for me after a slow start. Both in quantity and quality! Audiobooks are what's helping m. which is really weird because it took me YEARS to be able to listen to them.
ReplyDeleteI had The Flatshare on hold and it came in but I returned it unread because I had heard from friends that it was ok but slower and I just wasn't in the mood for that.
Karen @ For What It's Worth
Yay for audiobooks! I used to be so anti-audiobook. Because that "wasn't reading." Yeah, whatever. I did a complete turn-around 3-4 years ago and never looked back. I'm still particular about what I listen to on audio and what I physically read, but I'm a total convert.
DeleteThe Flatshare... I just don't know. I can't figure out if it's me or the book. Or both. I do know that I will be so happy to finally finish it!
I am thinking of you as I sit in front of my window wearing a sweater. Ahhhh, life is good. I think I go into Glines' books with a certain expectation - soapy drama, and therefore, I am always satisfied. I completed that series via audiobooks, and those are the type of books I enjoy listening too. They are not too demanding and they entertain me. I liked The Flatshare, but I also have my built-in reading time during my commute. So, I tend to finish my books within a day or two.
ReplyDeleteThat's it... rub it in. LOL I feel the same way about Glines. I know what I'm going to get and sometimes that's a good thing. I am so impressed that you finish books so quickly! Even with a daily commute, you must be a very fast reader!
DeleteIm over here wearing a cardigan, under a blankie, and got a candle lit. I hope the weather breaks by you Tanya!!
ReplyDeleteOMG you're killing me, Amber. LOL Blankets, cardigans... yeah, I might be able to enjoy that in JANUARY! :)
DeleteWell my favorite was probably The Reckless Oath We Made too Tanya!!! And I am also at the age that a physical leads to two more LOL
ReplyDeleteI used to have a boss that always said "Getting old ain't for sissies." LOL I always used to laugh but as I get older... yes, makes more sense. Ha! More appointments, and those appointments spawn referrals to other appointments. Youth truly is wasted on the young. LOL
DeleteAugust (and now September) has been heat with no letup here in Southern California too. I agree, zero stars! At least Fall is a promise around the corner.
ReplyDeleteBummer that you didn't have more reads that were stellar. I haven't picked up an Abi Glines in forever because they ended up being kind of the same old same old. I did love The Vincent Bros & sequels way back in the day, but I wonder what I'd think of them today. I'm too scared to do a re-read.
The Beverly Hills 90210 reboot is something I'll take a pass on. You're right, some things are better left as they are, lol. :)
Abbi Glines definitely sticks to her formula... you know what you're going to get. But sometimes that hits the spot. :)
DeleteI caught a few minutes of the latest BH 90201 episode over the weekend and was reminded why I ditched the reboot. Just... cringe.
AW that's a bummer about the 90210 reboot. It's always a shame when they reboot a favorite show and it doesn't work. I think sometimes they should just leave the reboots alone lol.
ReplyDeleteMy computer died too and now I'm using an older one plus my Chromebook since the older one doesn't work on certain sites- the operating system is so old lol. I need to go computer shopping. :)
Have a great weekend!
Ha. You know your computer is old when even the operating system is out of date. LOL Definitely time for an upgrade. :)
DeleteMy husband had the 90210 show on and I made him turn it off. I thought it was horrible. Like the worst thing that I have ever seen. August was definitely hot but things are cooler here this weekend (which is good since my AC quit working Friday) The Reckless Oath We Made was pretty fantastic. I hope you have a great September!
ReplyDeleteMy sister is loving the 90210 reboot but I just can't. Ugh.
DeleteI hope that AC gets fixed quickly! And I'm so glad you enjoyed The Reckless Oath, too. It will definitely be among my favorites of the year.
August was a poor reading month for me too. I read 4 books and I've already reached that for September!
ReplyDeleteI thought my August was pitiful with only 6 books read. But you win with your 4. Womp womp. :) Thank goodness September is off to a better start!
DeleteOh girl, I'm right there with you on that heat! Do not want! It's been raining over here these last couple of days, so that's nice.
ReplyDeleteHappy reading! 😊
I'll take some of that rain! :) I guess I should be thankful... it's "only" been 88 here instead of 98. Small blessings, I guess? LOL
DeleteSorry August wasn't a better reading month for you but when it's hot you kind of want to do nothing and it's hard to really get into a good book. And I laughed when you said some things are better left alone for BH90210, that's most definitely true. Sorry you're still reading The Flatshare, even I feel your pain at it dragging on this long and it's frustrating you like it well enough when you're actually reading but lack the motivation to read it when you've put it down. I've suffered that a few times with books and usually end up skim reading or DNFing just to shift it.
ReplyDeleteI did find myself tempted to skim The Flatshare. Or set it aside and try again later. But I kept plugging along and did finally finish it. I probably *should* have set it aside because I feel like had I read it at another time I would have flown through it and enjoyed it even more. There was just too much going on for me to read for any length of time and really focus on the book.
DeleteUgh, I do not recommend this hot weather here. It went up a lot this week and I'm dying. LOL
ReplyDelete-Lauren
www.shootingstarsmag.net
I'm so over it, Lauren! I need some real fall weather!
DeleteI relate to the hot weather - we were melting during most of August, and July was really hot, too, so this summer was pretty awful. Although how quickly the weather changed here is not good either, because now I'm COLD even though it's not even that cold during the day. I used to love Abbi Glines when I read her books in high school, but looking back there's so much wrong with these books. I was so excited for the Flatshare, but I ended up reading the first, I'm not sure, two chapters (?) and then put it aside for now, or more likely forever. I'm quite mad I bought it haha. I wasn't feeling it from the get go, but it was the male character's chapter was that made me give the book up. The writing was weird? I'm the last person to comment on the writing, his chapter just felt so fragmented, I really didn't like it.
ReplyDeleteLOL Oh yeah, there's plenty wrong with Abbi's books. Possessive guys who are controlling and act like jerks, virginal "good" girls, slut shaming, and the list goes on. I easily recognize all the issues... all while I'm turning page after page. Ha! Sometimes I just enjoy the escapism. :) And about The Flatshare, Leon's chapters were definitely written in an odd way. It took some getting used to (and even then it was still jarring each time the POVs switched).
Delete