August was a month of consuming whole mouthfuls of books and (finally) finishing writing a novel.
I read 23 books! This is like my most industrious reading month since…forever?! I am having a very angsty time with my reading at the moment, which could probably fill a whole post on its own. But in summary: focusing is hard, the TBR never goes down, I often feel uncomfortable reviewing 😫, I just wanna reread the Raven Cycle for the billionth time but my TBR says “N O”.
But then came August. I finished writing a Secret WIP. Then I decided to refill the creative will and hopefully whittle down my TBR so it stopped threatening to fall on me. I did whittle it down but it also did fall on me and this is just rude.
Other Things I’ve Been Up To:
- Look it’s not August anymore, but right now I’m eating a chocolate cherry ripe bite as I write this post and it is GOOD and I thought you should know.
- I’ve been reading fairy tales! Gleaning inspiration for writing more retellings. 👀
- I reached 58,000 on instagram. Which is like a LOT. And I’m pleasantly confused and pleased.
- the amazing Alison Walsh did a recipe for The Boy Who Steals Houses! You can now bake Moxie’s chocolate caramel waffles.😍
- Look, I’m being a terrible blogger and I feel so so bad…but I’m doing my best still!!!! I’m sorry for neglecting commenting back, but I wiiiiill. Soon!
- And despite that I still won places in the 2019 Blogger Awards?!? I’m sobbing. Thank you so so much for voting for me, everyone.😭💛And to May for organising!
- I watched Stranger Things Season 3 and omg. It was amazing. Standout things were (1) Max x Eleven’s friendship, (2) generally how creepy the monster was, (3) Steve taking care of his kids, but particularly Dustin, (4) ROBIN, whom I love, and (5) those feels of having your friends grow up before you’re reading. Aw. Reminiscing down memory lane of my childhood, thx Stranger Things. :’)
- I also watched Gifted because I wanted to see Captain America raising his daughter. He did well.
- developed a new love for dark academia novels and NEED TO WRITE ONE.
- have been baking chocolate strawberry tarts and I also think that’s important information to relay.
- the kangaroos are really really…huge here in mid-QLD. The photo below is just in my neighbour’s yard. Or potentially that IS my neighbour, a shapeshifter. Because tbh, he looks annoyed at me spying at him over the hedge. He chonky. Could take u down. Also as tall as me.
I won’t ramble too long, but writing has been really really hard for me. Like the kind of hard that leaves me anxious and knotted, a disorientated mess — because if I’m not writing, I feel utterly lost. I can’t go into details, but behind-the-scenes of publishing has not been easy. I’m grateful for what I have achieved…But also so much has just gone wrong and I’ve lost confidence.
But I fiiiinally finished a manuscript (I’ve been struggling with it since January; when I used to write a book in 3 days)…I am just PROUD of myself. 😭And crying, ok fine. Just a little. (And just a massive shout out to @cosyreads for getting me through😭💛and @crrhillin for all the love!!)
And look, I have no idea if it’ll ever go anywhere. It was an indulgent thing to write, perhaps a thing that will not sell. But it was me and I finished it and I’m just…relieved I can still write stories that make my heart beat faster.
Next? I hope September will be for working on a new YA contemporary. I’ll be sneaky and show you my aesthetic board on Pinterest. 😍
Despite reading 23 books this month, AGH I probably 23 as well. Which is not helping. 😑😂I really do love books but I swear half the time they appear out of nowhere. And often when I do finish reading one — where do I PUT IT. I have no shelf space. I suffer.
But I’m AHEAD ON MY GOODREADS CHALLENGE!! Last month I was still 2 behind!! Now: bEHOLD.
(all covers link to goodreads)
BOOKS BOUGHT…
From library
FOR REVIEW…
Vote and help meeeee!
Loading ...
I had some simply exquisite reads this month and I’m beyond ecstatic about it. 😍
If We Were Villains | Definitely gets the #1 spot because it is, coincidentally, my TOP read of the month. Also on the best-of-the-year shelf!! It’s adult dark academia…all drama theatre uni kids and murders, Shakespeare on the stage and off, disasters gays and soft boys and violence. The ending gutted me…until it didn’t. And all I can say is that I read a library copy and immediately ordered my own because I’m that obsessed.
The Secret History | Ok this is like “the” famous dark academia of them all, and people always said If We Were Villains is a newer version of this. Also [cough] better version. Look, I’m glad I read it! I’m really infatuated with the storyline, the aesthetics, the character dynamics. I’m still thinking about it. I’m just annoyed Richard was so passive a narrator and about 100pgs could’ve been trimmed. But lolol I READ A 600pg NOVEL WOW.
The Raven Boys | Is this my 5th reread? Why yes it is. Am I absolutely still obsessed? Also quite clearly yes. These books make me ache for my best friends that don’t exist and long to go back to a town I’ve never been to. The characters are my heart.
Sword & Pen | The finale I’d been waiting for soooo long AHHHH. It did not disappoint. omg all the stars. I was freaking stressed and in love and STRESSED. Jess needed a hug, my poor son. The whole story was tight and clever…I’m on the blog tour tomorrow so watch out for a huge giveaway coming!
Wilder Girls | SO highly anticipated and I really loved the aesthetic. The feral and wild wilderness, the infectious changes turning the girls inside out. The f/f romance! The curious mysteries. It did feel half done though, like it needed more world-building or a sequel.
Beasts Of the Frozen Sun | Truly loved this one! It’s like a Scottish-inspired fantasy and quite dark and brutal. It has boys being forced into weapons and monsters; and girls with powers and swords. Fab combination.
The Thousandth Floor | um, I may have had an eARC of this.😐Yeah. Back in 2016. Anyway, I read it NOW. And it was really trashy but intriguing. But like…burying the gays like that? I’m out.
Frozen Charlotte | Ok CREEPY AS HECK. This is a UKYA and like it had all the average things of a horror (creepy dolls, odd house, weird family, ghostly foggy cliffs) but it was just super disturbing and well done.
Heartstopper Vol 2 | EEEEEEEEE I LOVED IT.💛💖✨😍It’s just SO CUTE and I loved how the boys’ relationship developed. Also Nick getting better friends and understanding himself and his bisexuality was just perfect.
With Fire On High | YES. I will always be here for foodie-fic, just leave me with it and I’ll fall in love thx. This is a Latino/Black teen girl, also a mother of a 2yo, who is just trying to finish highschool and she wants to be a chef. It’s so full of heart and I adored the story. Also the food. Yes yes.
All the Bad Apples | Ok truly harrowing. I didn’t actually expect this to be a hard-hitting one? I really loved The Accident Season back in like,…oh woah, maybe 2015? And that was just whimiscal and lovely. This is more a #MeToo book about smashing the silence that cloaks the oppression and brutalisation of women in history (particularly in Ireland) and it is a VERY needed book. F/f romance too.
Kingdom of Souls | badass Western-African inspired epic fantasy! #Ownvoices! I loved all the elements (the magicless girl and the demons being freed and the sassy gods and complex female villains) but I did get a bit lost oops.
The Hazel Wood | tbh I am mad at myself for not reading this sooner! It had subtle The Raven Cycle vibes too, but this was all fractured fairy tales and mysterious pasts. Portal fantasy! And just, gah, sharp girls and soft boys and dark plot twists. Yessss. Sequel? Pls find me.
Ghosts of the Shadow Market | always love a good solid Shadowhunter book! This is a short story collection, but you don’t want to miss it! My favourite stories were Malec’s one, especially them adopting Rafe 😫😍And also Jem/Tessa making sure Kit knew hew as loved and wanted by them. MY HEART.
OTHER BOOKS READ
| WHAT DO YOU THINK |
tell me your best reads of August? and are you ahead or behind on your Goodreads challenge? any fun writing plans for September?! 🤗
Ahh congrats on finishing another WIP, Cait! I looooove If We Were Villains! I know it’s like compared with TSH and people said TSH is better, but I’m scared to read TSH because a) it’s so long?? and b) what if it just wasn’t as good?? Anyways, I need to read TDA first before I can continue with the rest of Ghost of the Shadowmarket, because I don’t want to be spoiled ahaha.
Have a fantastic September!
Eeep thank you!! It definitely feels good to remember I can still do this haha. But eep, no IWWV is definitely better in my opinion. Like way way better. But I still recommend TSH because it’s interesting?
I knew you’d love With the Fire On High! I read the summary of a library copy, and knew it wouldn’t do great for me (I am just NOT in a contemporary mood), but I KNEW it’d be a great one for a lot of people, mostly because of how relatable the narrator seems.
It was definitely my kind of contemporary 😍 although none of these YA foodie books are ever about dessert darnit 😂
House of Salt & Sorrows is A Must Read CG!!! You will L O V E it I’m telling you!! It has taken me body and soul and I don’t even know how properly to begin my review of it, I am just so in love!! It has SUCH an aestheticness and a gothic romance and an Edgar Allen Poe vibe to it! Maybe some Lovecraftian too… 🤔 IDK for sure about that last one but jolly jeepers the mythology and the world building and the characters!! You will Die of love! (At least I did)!
I’ll definitely get to it as soon as I can eep. It’s got such a gorgeous aesthetic and I am DOWN for that premise.
congrats on the WIP!! you got through so many books this month, wow. I’m so excited to read Ghosts of the Shadow Market and Wilder Girls. hope September is great for you and for your TBR! ❤️❤️
Aw thank you, Tara 💖and yesss Ghosts was really great and I’m so glad I read it!
Congratulations on finishing your WIP! And fairy tales are the BEST for inspiration. I love them.
Your Pinterest board looks so lovely! Also, I just love that kangaroo pic. Do you see kangaroos often where you live?
Right?! There’s so much idea fodder there wanting to be adapted! And omg yes kangaroos everywhere in the suburb I’m in 😂they keep hopping in front of me while I’m on my morning run. Like the traffic here. Smh.😂
If We Were Villains looks like it would utterly DESTROY me (but also I need it now). Also STRANGER THINGS SEASON THREE IS A BUCKET OF FABULOUSNESS!! I binged all the seasons in a little over a week and I think its fair to say I am obsessed now…. so if I drop of the face of the earth its probably bc I am rewatching this beautifulness (also Steve and Hoper are so MY FAVS)
Also your Pinterest board for your new book LOOKS AMAZING!! I love the mix of the color green and cakes and soft boys *heart eyes* Awesome wrap up Cait! Looks like you got a ton of reading done yay 😉
IT WILL DESTROY YOU. READ IT!! Be destroyed like I am!!!! 😂(That’s such a good way to rec books, Cait, well done.) And eep I loved Stranger Things 3 so much…I wish we didn’t have to wait so long between seasons haha.
(Also thank you about my Pinterest! 😍Am super happy with how it turned out. eEEE)
Oh I don’t think I’ve heard of any dark acadamia novels… do you have any suggestions for me to read? Also, I’m unsure why… but kangaroos kind of scare the heck out of me. They are just so big and they look oddly muscly and it just doesn’t make me feel safe. I will avoid them at all costs.
Yes definitely If We Were Villains lol. I mean, I raved about it enough here 😍😂😂 I’m looking for more!
I mean, I know kangaroos could punch, so I’m not going up to hug one.😂
I will have to give that one a go!
Also, for the longest time I only thought they could kick… so when I learned they could punch I was mortified.
August has been a CRAZY month for me. I feel like I’ve done a lot but yet I’m still behind on my goals?? *nervous laughter*
I attended a dance intensive, college classes started, and started my Harry Potter marathon. But the bEST PART was getting to see Shawn Mendes in concert! 🤩🤩 I am lowkey (okay NOT LOWKEY AT ALL) obsessed with him, and it was a perfect birthday present.
Ahhh CAIT I’m so proud of you for finishing your book! That is AMAZING. I’ve spent a lot of time + energy on my blog/instagram so my writing has gotten slid to the backburner, but I’m ressurecting my draft this month to finish it + plan a new book. Wishing you all the best this September!
p.s. your new book LOOKS SO GOOD!! I spy a lot of Slytherin-ness and it’s also giving me Van-Gogh vibes??
oh I RELATE. 😂 I’m so behind on everything and I felt like I worked really hard in August!? Lmao. There is no winning when we have a zililon things on our to-do lists! And omg that’s amazing you got to go to a concert and have been super busy. SO much excite 🤗
Also absolutely wishing you luck with your writing this month too!!! Sometimes it’s hard to figure out to fit it all in, right?
(Definitely some Van Gogh vibes here 😏 Not a retelling, but I’m doing a bit of a discussion on mental health and artists and expectations. 👀)
Ahh definitely! I’m going to do my best to cut out YouTube and extra things I spend too much time on *fingers crossed* It sure is hard to juggle everything.
EEP it looks so good I can’t wait!!!
All the books you read sound amazing! I hadn’t even heard of The Surprising Power of a Good Dumpling but I’m adding that to my TBR. And congratulations on finishing your manuscript, that’s awesome!
Also I just think it’s really cool your neighbor is a shape-shifting kangaroo. I don’t really know my neighbors well, but I’m 99% sure they can’t shape-shift 😂.
It does sound super good right?! I’m hoping to read it this weekend eeep. And haha, yes my neighbour is suspicious. 👀 am watching him now
I too am going through a tough patch on the writing front, so it’s so encouraging to hear you beat your blues! That feeling when you complete a work is just soooo blissful!
I love your aesthetic board 😍 In fact, that’s such a good idea, I might nick it and start an aesthetic board for my own novels! I voted for the Ziggy Stardust book, but only cos I love Bowie 💜
It IS so encouraging and motivating to finish something for sure. Also I feel for you going through a low patch.😭I don’t know if there’s a cure or anything, but yeah pushing through can sometimes work? Eeep, thank you about my pinterest board! I definitely recommend it as a way to keep you inspired!
Happy August! My “fun” plan for September is wrestling with myself as to whether or not I will have the time or the inclination to do Inktober again in October. On the one hand, it’s been a while since I drew something that wasn’t superhero fanart. On the other, time constraints…
I’m ahead on my Goodreads challenge. Granted, only 16 of the 65 books I’ve read this year haven’t been comics or manga, and five of those were read in January. BUT STILL.
Time-constraints always suck when we just want to do all the creative and art things bleh. I hope you get a chance to do it if you want! And excellent that you’re ahead on your challenge 🤗it’s always a good feeling
It sounds like August was a really good month! Wooo hoooo for a finished WIP! I’m sorry that writing has been so difficult recently. I hope that your writing streak this month only continues! Plus, that Pinterest board made me so happy just to look at. I can only imagine how awesome the finished draft will be!
Also, 23 books is impressively regardless of whether or not it made a dent in your TBR! (Plus a Raven Boys reread can’t ever be a bad thing.) And you have me quite intrigued for If We Were Villains even thorough murder and dark academia don’t tend to be my thing. But with your raving review and that super eye catching cover, there’s a chance I might try a chapter or two!
I hope you have a fantastic September!
It was definitely productive!! I mean, I felt a bit unproductive just laying about reading 😂but that’s part of the job too haha. And omg I’m glad you like my Pinterest board ahhhh. I hope it ends up working out. Raven Boys rereads keep one alive. :’)
Okay but I still can’t get over how you just walked outside and saw a kangaroo. xD
theonesthatreallymatter.blogspot.com
Ya, it’s Australia 😂😂 He’s a big one though.
Aahh you read so many amazing books in August! I tried to read If We Were Villains as well, but it just wasn’t clicking with me :/ But I definitely want to return to it again because I think I will love it if I read more of it! And I’m so glad you enjoyed Wilder Girls — it’s one of my most anticipated releases and seeing all the love for it makes me confident I’m going to love it as well 😍 Congrats on completing your manuscript, and I hope you have an amazing September!!
Yeah some times aren’t perfect for particular books right?! Like I have a huge stack of epic fantasy I want to read, but I’m waiting till I’m in the right mood or I just won’t end up enjoying it. Ahh. But YES. Super curious to know what you’ll think of Wilder Girls? It had downsides for me, but it was super addictive.
Thank you!!! 😍
Congrats on finishing another WIP! My best read of August was Till Death by Jennifer L. Armentrout and I’m 16 books ahead of my Goodreads challenge. Only 1 and then I will complete it.
Happy September!
Ooh 16 ahead is EPIC. YOU GO!!!
I finally finished my first wip!! And the ending sucks so much but by that time I was just pressing keys into sentences, so I think I need to start editing it soon so it can sound good and not entirely awful.
At my house (with my parents, as I’m currently with my aunt and uncle) – my bookshelf is right above my bed – as in it acts as my headboard and, yeah, it’s fallen a whole bunch of times 😂 once when I was SLEEPING
WE LOVE ROBIN IN THIS HOUSE 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
I read Patron Saints of Nothing and my heart??? just broke into a million pieces because that book and its characters. Right now I’m listening to Red, White & Royal Blue and am cackling through most of it.
Aw I’ve done that! Sometimes it’s just about finishing and getting to that 2nd draft stage. It sucks though when things aren’t going as you want them to in your head.😭Anyway, good luck with the editing!! And omg you are sleeping NEXT TO DEATH.
I need to read Patron Saints.
I’m sort of looking forward to the editing? Even though I know it’ll make me tear my hair out – I can’t wait to make the story better!! Thanks! I know, right? I’m amazed it didn’t fall down on me a million times due to my tossing and turning! Yes!! Read Patron Saints!!!!
Wow, 23 books! My TBR would go down a lot faster if I could read that much in a month. I love your photos, especially the kangaroo. I think I’d be slightly terrified if I saw that chubby guy staring at me. I hope you have a good September!
My TBR would go down a lot too if I kept that up and didn’t just immediately replace all the books. 😂 It can be a problem ahem. But yes, that kangaroo is FIT?!?!
Caiiiiiit, I’m in Aus too though I haven’t spied any Kangaroos recently hehe August has been an eventful month where I got neither reading nor writing done! IF WE WERE VILLAINS is a good read! I love the dark academia trope. I also have The Liars for reviewing. That, and The Ten Thousand Doors of January. The Secret History is one of my favourite books!!! I love how despicable the characters were.
clearly you need to run into some kangaroos in your neighbours’ yards 😌😂They’re SO HUGE around here like woah.😂 And omg IWWV, I will never be over it. I need more dark academia books badly.
Oh is the Ten Thousand Doors of January good?! I am obsessed with the cover and i neeeeed it.
Vengeful was definitely my best read of August, I loved it so much, it was SO GOOD and basically ruined every other read for me this month because none of my others could live up to that. I am ahead of my Goodreads challenge, I actually only have 8 books to go until I reach it and I’m 6 books ahead, so I think I might actually beat it this year! I’ve not been doing great in terms of writing through July and August, but I’m hoping to get back to it in September, i’m working on the sequel to my elemental fantasy This Is Not A Love Story and my f/f fantasy Underground Magicians, which I’m hoping to finish a first draft of this year, but I’m not sure if it will happen!
Vegenful IS such a good book omg. Schwab’s books always give me hangovers too haha. And good luck with getting back into writing!
I’m ahead on my Goodreads challenge! I’m excited because I think I’ll be hitting my goal well before the year is out. Yay for finishing a WIP, getting done with that manuscript, and reading so many books! Hitting writing bumps is never fun, but I’m sure you’re gonna get over that very soon 🙂 Sooo many books in this list are appealing to me, gonna have to look into them asap x
Oooh YAY for hitting goals! This is amazing 😍And thank you so much for your kind encouraging words eeep.
Yeay for finishing the WIP Cait. All your hard work and sweat, and chocolate indulging 😉 is paying off.
Kingdom of Souls was so great 😀
Aww thank you!!😭💛💖 It’s definitely a confidence boost to still be able to know I can write!
Oh my gosh, congrats on reading 23 books, Cait! You are such a queen! I wish I could read that much in a single month! <3 I completely relate to the "Must-constantly-reread-the-raven-boys" mood. I swear, I have to read at least a few chapters of something by Stiefvater each week, or else I'll die from withdrawals. I hope you make some progress on that new contemporary this August! Wishing you all the best! <3
I definitely don’t usually read this month don’t worry haha. I really just tried to focus on my TBR for a few weeks but…yeah my stack did not seem to go down 😂 But omg yes do reread Stiefvater too. We deserve this. :’)
August was my hiatus month, so i didn’t do much reading, writing or blogging at all but that’s okay! Cause I need to plan august as my hiatus so, yeah, breaks are good.
I read 18 books in July and at the end of it, I was like, how does Cait do this so often???? I’m definitely more comfortable reading 10 books a month, which is my September goal, haha. I think With the Fire on High was my favorite read this summer, though i read a ton of good books!
also, i just printed my WIP that i finished in April because summer was my writing break from this project, but now time to dive back in! so good luck to both of us!!!
That’s good that you take hiatuses!! I need to do that 🙈 Instead of just trying to do everything and doing everything badly haha. But like gah, I definitely wasn’t doing much except reading last month. I definitely can’t do this regularly anymore. With Fire On High was SO GOOD.
Oooh good luck with the next stage of your WIP 🤗
How do you manage to read so much, stay on top of your social media accounts, blog, AND write on top of all that? Teach me you ways!!
Omg I loved Gifted, and I loved how all of the actors portrayed their roles. It just made me feel dumb AF because I couldn’t believe that a literal child was already smarter than I could ever be?? Congrats on winning categories in the BBA’s!! It was so well deserved–especially the writing voice one, because I have no idea how you get yours to be so distinct. Congrats on finishing a WIP too 😍 That’s amazing, and I hope you have an equally amazing/more amazing September!
Oh don’t worry 😭😂 I do not keep up at all ahhhh. Hahah. I feel constantly behind on EVERYTHING. But eep, yes I loved Gifted. Genius kids always make me feel so dumb 😂 but it’s super amazing that geniuses exist. :’)
Thank you!! This is so kind of you!
well, if this isn’t the biggest mood of the decade, then i don’t know what is.
i can see a lot of green macarons and cookies in the aesthetic. (this is not a bad thing, but now i am hungry for those.)
also for a cherry ripe. why do you do this to me?
Aw yay congrats on finishing the book, Cait!! And wow that Kangaroo is a real beastly looking fellow. Does your neighbor… resemble him? Because I tend to agree, shapeshifter no doubt. Also a visit to Paper Fury always leaves me feeling hungry because wow those look good!
Congrats on the blogger awards and the good reading month, too! Hope you enjoy these new additions, a lot of them are books I want to read so I selfishly hope you enjoy them 😂
AH CAIT I hope you’ll read If I’m Being Honest, I just love this book so so very much and I think you could love it too!! 😀
Really happy you finally got to finish another book, and I hope that the writing inspiration will be there with you this september <3
Sending you all the love <3 <3
I want to read anything you’ve written!
i realllly need to read if we were villians 😭 … and this is kind of random but what font do you use for your Body text? cause i’m in love with it
Hello to kangaroos and cakes! And for all the books! But for the writing you get a supportive *pat pat* on the head from me. I do get you, not on the publication part, but the rest… my feels bond to yours (wow, this phrase can be so creepy tbh)
Aaaah, glad to see you like With The Fire On High! I purchased it not so far ago but I still need to read it. And yay again for The Hazel Wood! I loved that and I’m very curious about the next novel