The summer months went out with a bang, literally, since my neighbors think that 5 hour firework shows should be had at least once a month. I was able to attend a Korean culture fair on Labor Day weekend with some friends, and it was a really fun time. Things have continued to be busy with our schedules, but it feels like we’re handling it a bit more smoothly than we have in previous months.

My older dog had her 17th birthday in August, and she celebrated with treats, table scraps, belly rubs, and naps, just like the sweet little angel she is. She is about 7 pounds of personality, and even with her hearing and vision loss and missing teeth, she still totters over to my biggest dog (she’s just over 30 pounds), who will back up and hide from the little one. It’s really funny to watch. Before I had dogs of my own, I never realized how funny they are—each of them has quirks and a totally unique personality. 

August was a pretty good reading month, and I read quite a few ARCs, so that’s a relief. I read some really great books and some that weren’t quite as great for me, but I didn’t have any DNFs all month.

Here’s some of my August highlights:

• My blog keeps growing, and I’m so glad to see it continue to do so.
• My reading for the month took me to Lithuania, Peru, the South of France, Appalachia, Australia, a small town in Georgia, Nigeria, Tel Aviv, California, and the coast of Maine.
• I didn’t DNF any books this month.

Here’s my breakdown of monthly totals for August: 

August Totals:

• Books read: 16
• Books DNF’d: 0

Genres Read in August:

• Fantasy: 6
• Historical Fiction: 2
• History: 1
• Horror: 1
• Mystery: 5
• Suspense: 1

Backlist vs. New Releases:

• Backlist books: 5
• 2025 releases: 11

Fiction Vs. Nonfiction:

• Fiction: 15
• Nonfiction: 1

Format Read:

• Print: 2
• Digital: 2
• Audio: 12

Age Range:

• Adult: 14
• YA: 2
• MG: 0

My favorite book of the month was We Are All Guilty Here by Karin Slaughter.

Here’s what I read in August:

1. Ponary Diary, 1941-1943: A Bystander’s Account of a Mass Murder by Kazimierz Sakowicz, translated by Laurence Weinbaum, edited by Yitzhak Arad | Goodreads | Amazon
2. Level: Unknown by David Dalglish (Level: Unknown #1) (Publisher ARC) | Goodreads | Amazon
3. Buried Beneath the Baobab Tree by Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani and Vivianna Mazza | Goodreads | Amazon
4. On Her Own by Lihi Lapid | Goodreads | Amazon
5. We Are All Guilty Here by Karin Slaughter (North Falls #1) | Goodreads | Amazon

1. The Witch’s Orchard by Archer Sullivan (NG ARC) | Goodreads | Amazon
2. Level: Ascension by David Dalglish (Level: Unknown #2) (Publisher ARC) | Goodreads | Amazon

1. High Season by Katie Bishop (NG ARC) | Goodreads | Amazon
2. Hemlock and Silver by T. Kingfisher (NG ARC) | Goodreads | Amazon
3. Call of the Owl Woman: A Novel of Ancient Peru by K.M. Huber (Publisher ARC) | Goodreads | Amazon
4. A Mother’s Guide to the Apocalypse by Hollie Overton (Publisher ARC) | Goodreads | Amazon

1. Joy Moody Is Out of Time by Kerryn Mayne (NG ARC) | Goodreads | Amazon

1. The Mercy Makers by Tessa Gratton (The Moon Heresies #1) (Publisher ARC) | Goodreads | Amazon

1. This Vicious Hunger by Francesca May (Publisher ARC) | Goodreads | Amazon

1. Inheritance by Nora Roberts (The Lost Bride Trilogy #1) | Goodreads | Amazon — reread
2. The Mirror by Nora Roberts (The Lost Bride Trilogy #2) | Goodreads | Amazon — reread

How was your August?