August has been a bit of a quieter reading month for me, partly down to strong medication (🥴), but I still managed to finish four books, which takes me to 46 out of 52 for my 2026 reading challenge.
Just six more to go!
The StoryGraph stats speak for themselves, however I am starting to get annoyed at trying to find the right edition of a book so I can accurately track the format. I mean, it isn’t the end of the world really, and you would never know it was wrong unless I explicitly told you. 😂
Anyway, let’s get into it:
1. Somewhere Beyond the Sea by T. J. Klune – ★★★★★
I absolutely loved getting to return to Marsyas Island and catch up with Arthur, Linus and all the wonderful, slightly chaotic characters from The House in the Cerulean Sea. I’m aware of the controversies surrounding the first book and its inspiration, but in principle, I think this is such a warm, magical story about found family, acceptance and belonging. For me, a huge part of the enjoyment was simply getting to spend more time with characters I’d already fallen in love with. It had all the heart and charm I was hoping for from the sequel, and honestly, I just didn’t want to leave this little family behind again.
2. Vicious by V. E. Schwab – ★★★★★
A re-read for me, as I wanted to revisit the story before finally getting to Victorious, and I loved it just as much the second time around. I’m a huge fan any fantasy with a darker edge, and I really loved the whole concept of the series. Victor and Eli are such fascinating characters to follow, and I think that blurred line between who is actually the hero and who is the villain is what makes this series so much fun. If you haven’t read it, I suggest you do! Five stars again from me!
3. Hera by Jennifer Saint– ★★★★☆
We all know how I’ve fallen down the Greek mythology rabbit hole, and Hera was another great addition to my growing list of mythology retellings. I really enjoyed getting Hera’s story from her perspective and seeing her as more than just the jealous wife we usually hear about in the myths. I really liked seeing these larger-than-life gods as actual character, and although I didn’t love this quite as much as some of her other books, I still really enjoyed it. Four stars from me.
4. Vengeful by V. E. Schwab – ★★★★☆
Another re-read for me before diving into Victorious, and I enjoyed coming back to this world and these characters. I think Vengeful is a little darker and more complicated than Vicious, with more characters and storylines to keep track of, but that’s also part of what makes it so interesting. I’m still completely hooked on Victor, Eli and the whole morally-grey mess of this series, even if I didn’t love this one quite as much as the first book. Four stars from me.
📚 What’s Next?
Current reads:
So here we are, trying to balance life, library books, ARCs, and my ever-growing TBR…
- Medea by Rosie Hewlett (Library book)
I’m about 52% into this one and absolutely loving it so far! I’m still very much in my Greek mythology era and as soon as I spot a book I need to read it, so this was always going to be right up my street. It’s definitely a book I don’t want to put down. - Under the Iron Sky by A. T. Emerald (ARC)
I haven’t actually started this one yet, mainly because I’m struggling with the ARC formatting and the font size, which is making it a little difficult to get into. That said, the premise has definitely caught my attention, so I’m intrigued to see how I get on once I can actually read it comfortably. It’s the first book in a planned trilogy, so I’m hoping the formatting issue doesn’t put me off before I’ve even started! (If anyone has any good advice on how to make text more readable on NetGalley reader then please do hit me up!). - The Wrecking Storm by Michael Ward (Author Review)
Technically, I started this one about four months ago, but I just wasn’t in the right frame of mind for it at the time and nothing seemed to be sticking, so I parked it. I’ve just picked it back up and am hoping this is a better time for it. I really enjoyed the first book in the Thomas Tallant series, and I already have the third book sitting on my TBR, so I’m keen to see where the story goes next and how this one builds on the first.
September Hopefuls:
- The House of Cursed Daughters by C. J. Cooke (ARC)
This one immediately caught my attention with the whole generational curse, three women and multiple timelines setup. It moves between 1312, 1865 and the present day, so I’m expecting plenty of gothic atmosphere, secrets and hopefully a good dose of creepiness. Definitely sounds like my kind of book (and the perfect time of year for it), so I’m looking forward to getting stuck into this one. - The Slantwise Histories by Alix E. Harrow (ARC)
I’m really intrigued by this one because it’s a collection of fantasy stories rather than a single novel, spanning everything from ancient battlefields to more modern settings. There are apparently ghosts, tricksters, magic and stories about people pushed to the margins of history, which sounds like a lot crammed into a book, right? I don’t often read short stories or collections of, so I’m interested to see how I get on with this one!
Library Reads I Need to Finish:
- Ithaca by Claire North
This has been sitting on my library pile for far too long, and I really do need to get on with it before I have to return it. It’s another Greek mythology retelling, this time focusing on Penelope and the women left behind in Ithaca while Odysseus is away at war, so it’s very much fitting in with my current obsession. - Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati
And because apparently I haven’t had enough Greek mythology yet, I also need to finally read Clytemnestra. It tells Clytemnestra’s story from her perspective, giving us the woman behind the infamous myth, and honestly, after Hera and Medea, I’m very much in the mood for another female-led retelling.
👋🏻So that’s it for August
Four books down, six to go, and another £34 added to the NYC fund.
I’d say September is looking manageable…
…but we all know that’s probably not true. 😂
Until next time, happy reading… 🕯️📖🖤
