What I read in this month’s Round Up!
August was just as slow — if not slower — than July. I didn’t finish my first book until the second week of the month, I barely read while on holiday, and the majority of what I did manage to read came in the last week or so. I wouldn’t call it a slump exactly; I’ve just been preoccupied. Between Love Island, Love Is Blind, and endless scrolling on TikTok, most of my time has gone into anything but reading. I keep telling myself I’m not pressuring or judging… though secretly, I am. Still, we go again next month, as always.
That said, I did read some good books this month. Nothing particularly groundbreaking overall, but August already outshines July because I had two five-star reads—YAY!
For this month’s round up, I read 10 books. Aside from the two five-star gems (and perhaps one other), nothing was especially remarkable. Most landed at around 3.5 stars, and to be honest, many were more frustrating than enjoyable. I’ll get into the reasons why shortly.
Completed Books (in chronological order, Notable in italics)
Finished
- Truth or Dare by Danielle Allen
- Saint Ave by Charae Lewis
- Lipstick and Camera Clicks by D.J Murphy
- Bullet by Wynta Time
- Rugger: The Huntress by Grey Huffington
- Roulette: The Madam by Grey Huffington
- CRASH: Love in Scrubs by C. Monet
- The Marriage of Undead Inconvenience by Stephanie Burgis
- The Bright Years by Sarah Damhoff
- Kill for Me, Kill for You by Steve Cavanaugh
Currently Reading
- Daydreamer by Susie Tate ( this might be a DNF)
I’m kicking off this round up with my first five-star read of the month: Rugger by Grey Huffington. As you’ll remember from last month’s round up, whenever I’m struggling to enjoy books or just feeling a bit bored, I go back to my tried-and-true comfort authors. After four books that didn’t quite hit the mark and left me frustrated, I thought: Grey has two more books in this series waiting for me, and I know I’ll enjoy them, so what’s the delay?
And wow, Rugger was everything I needed and more. I adore an unorthodox romance, and Rugger and Psalm delivered on all fronts. This book truly took me for a ride. Just when I thought their main conflict had been resolved and we were settling into a story about a woman with complicated emotions falling for a man, Grey threw in a twist that had me stressed out for the final 20%! I was already enjoying it, but that last section pushed it from a solid four-star to an easy five-star read. Sensational writing, heartfelt, deep, steamy, and morally grey. Exactly my kind of book.
I didn’t love Roulette quite as much. The story felt a bit more scattered, and although I liked the premise and the payoff, the execution didn’t fully convince me of Roulette and Isaiah’s connection. That said, I did enjoy the subplots and the side stories.
Overall, I’ve really enjoyed this series and the way it follows the continuation of the family. That said, Grey Huffington’s books are definitely an acquired taste. Beyond the explicit content — both violent and sexual — her style is very expressive, especially in the way she portrays both romantic and familial relationships. For readers unfamiliar with her writing, or those unaccustomed to this kind of intensity, it might feel like a bit much. But for me, it works beautifully.
As I’m writing this, I’ve almost finished Killing for Me to Fill In for You, so I won’t give my full thoughts just yet, but wow, what a ride so far. I only picked it up because a friend tweeted about it, and my word, I’ve been stressed the hell out. If this is the kind of thriller Steve Cavanagh consistently delivers, then I definitely need to explore more of his work.
My TBR and I have been on an… interesting journey lately. By “interesting,” I mean I’ve been ignoring it completely and picking up side reads instead. This week, though, I forced myself actually to pick something from the pile. I went with The Bright Years because it was the shortest, and I’m so glad I did. I ended up bawling my eyes out for half the book.
It’s a beautiful yet devastating story, one of those books without a strong “plot” as such, but instead a tapestry of lives, families, and decades filled with pain, growth, love, and loss. Sarah Damhof pours her heart into these pages, making you feel like part of the family yourself, as you experience every moment of their journey. The title The Bright Years feels especially poignant; once you’ve read it, you’ll understand exactly why.
I’m a very emotional person, but it actually takes a lot for a book to make me cry. This one did. Page after page, my heart was aching, and my emotions were pulled in every direction. A truly heartfelt read.
The biggest disappointment this month was Truth or Dare. I really love Danielle Allen and hold her in high regard, but this one just didn’t work for me. It felt extremely childish, and the central conflict made little sense given the characters’ ages and supposed maturity. What could have been a simple, straightforward romance was instead overcomplicated and shallow.
If I’d remembered how much I disliked the last book I read by Wynta Time (and yes, that name is as ridiculous as it sounds), I wouldn’t have bothered picking Bullet up. I really love a forbidden romance, so that’s what enticed me. However, reading it only reminded me why I dislike her writing, juvenile style and weak execution.
Beyond that, nothing else was particularly worth discussing, so I’ll leave this round up here, short and sweet. Another average month overall, with just a couple of standout reads.
Next month is my birthday month, which means it’ll be all about my favourites and the things I love, so stay tuned!
And as always, my next post will be an updated TBR. Bold of me, I know, to keep adding to a list I stubbornly refuse to read from… but it’s the system I’ve created, and I’m sticking with it.
See you next week! Follow me on GoodReads and Fable!
Signed,
