My August 2023 TBR
How the hell it's already nearly half-way through August, I have no idea. BUT there's still plenty of time to get some reading done before September arrives. After all, I do have a book blog to update now, so I better get through at least a few pieces before the end of the month. ;)
My TBR (to-be-read for my fellow olds and any booktok newbies) is focusing mostly on what I currently have borrowed through Libby, which read on my Kindle. I also have three physical books I want to get through for my Goosebumps Challenge. Here's a closer look at each.
9 Books on My August TBR
1. "What Lies in the Woods" by Kate Alice Marshall
Genre: Crime, Mystery
GoodReads Rating: 3.99 ⭐⭐⭐
The StoryGraph Rating: 4.01 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
I'm so excited to finally get my hands on this novel as I’ve had it on hold for weeks. According to the publisher's summary, the story follows two women decades after their testimonies put an alleged serial killer in prison. However, their truths were in fact lies. Now, they – and the readers – return to the woods of the crime to find the actual truth.
2. "Magpie Murders" by Anthony Horowitz
Genre: Crime, Mystery
GoodReads Rating: 3.95 ⭐⭐⭐
The StoryGraph Rating: 3.89 ⭐⭐⭐
I started "Magpie" last month but then fell into a reading slump - slash - lost all sense of time and space on TikTok. I'm determined to get back on track and finish it up by September because I loved the T.V. show so much. In fact, I watched "Magpie Murders" on BBC before I knew it was based on a book, and that's the whole reason I went looking for it.
The crime novel is what I like to call a "two-for-one". On one hand, it follows editor Susan Ryeland in the present day as she reads her star author's (Alan Conway) latest manuscript when he's found dead under suspicious circumstances, giving the reader mystery number one. On the other hand, Conway's manuscript is, in itself, a crime novel, following another mysterious death set in the past, giving us mystery number two. I'm excited to get into it properly and finish it, and if I love it as much as I think I will, I plan to move on in the series.
3. "Good Grief" by E.B. Bartels
Genre: Non-Fiction
GoodReads Rating: 4.27 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The StoryGraph Rating: 4.45 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Written by a fellow lover of four-legged, winged, scaled, and finned family members, this book sets out to look at different ways cultures around the world – past and present – celebrate the life and grieve the death of their non-human companions. Why, exactly, would i want to torture myself with such sad information? Well, I recently lost my beloved feline Bentley, and the pain is incredible. I think that's reason enough.
4. "The Lady's Guide to Celestial Mechanics" by Oliva Waite
Genre: Historical Fiction, LGBTQ+, Historical Romance
GoodReads Rating: 4.01 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The StoryGraph Rating: 3.99 ⭐⭐⭐
Typically, I go for the scares, the jumps, the creepy and crawly, but every once in a blue moon, I want a little romance. As a sapphic-inclined person myself, I lean to LGBTQ+ stories. I don't usually go for historical romance, but this particular book was recommended on TikTok so I decided to step out of my comfort zone a bit. The synopsis suggests a star-crossed-lovers trope featuring a countess and a French translator. Girl dinner, anyone?
5. "The Surgeon" (Rizzoli & Isles, #1) by Tess Gerritsen
Genre: Crime, Medical Thriller
GoodReads Rating: 4.09 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The StoryGraph Rating: 3.91 ⭐⭐⭐
I have borrowed and renewed this mystery novel an embarrassingly number of times, meaning to get to it but never quite making it. Alas, August 2023 is the month I finally get there. Even though Rizzoli & Isles isn't technically a LGBTQ+ series, it has long been celebrated for those that read between the lines. I remember many sapphic-themed Tumblrs dedicating their space to the two characters and their (secretly romantic?) partnership.
[Side note: After not seeing any mention of Isles in the synopsis, I did some quick research and found out she doesn't make an appearance in book one at all. Apparently, Rizzoli is more of a side character and not a main protagonist either. I'm still going to give it a go with my fingers crossed that I'm not disappointed.]
6. "Welcome to Dead House" (Goosebumps, #1) by R. L. Stine
Genre: Horror, Children's Fiction
GoodReads Rating: 3.84 ⭐⭐⭐
The StoryGraph Rating: 3.55 ⭐⭐⭐
I'm officially kicking off my Goosebumps Challenge this month, starting with book one and working through – roughly one a week. "Welcome to Dead House" follows two siblings as they get used to a new house in a new town – both of which are extraordinarily creepy.
7. "Stay Out of the Basement" (Goosebumps, #2) by R. L. Stine
Genre: Horror, Children's Fiction
GoodReads Rating: 3.69 ⭐⭐⭐
The StoryGraph Rating: 3.39 ⭐⭐⭐
Book two in the series also follows two siblings, but in this horror novel, the source of creepiness is their dad, who is obsessively breeding plants in the basement. The hobby itself is a bit weird, but when their old man starts becoming a bit plant-like himself, the kids get concerned.
8. "Monster Blood" (Goosebumps, #3) by R. L. Stine
Genre: Horror, Children's Fiction
GoodReads Rating: 3.53 ⭐⭐⭐
The StoryGraph Rating: 3.2 ⭐⭐⭐
The third book in the original Goosebumps series starts with a very standard childhood activity – visiting a toy store. An innocent purchase of some green Monster Blood quickly turns into a nightmare when it takes on a life of its own.
Bonus Read: "No One Asked For This" by Cazzie David
Genre: Nonfiction, Essays
GoodReads Rating: 3.55 ⭐⭐⭐
The StoryGraph Rating: 3.39 ⭐⭐⭐
Two non-fictions in one month — look at me go! But seriously, I do love a good essay, I just don't reach for them very often since my college days when they were a regular requirement. This set is described as humorous with a twinge of darkness, and that is right up my alley. While the essay collection is technically number nine on my TBR list for August, I'm not confident I’ll make it to it before September, which is why I'm calling it a "Bonus Read".
Follow My August Reading Journey
Any book on my TBR that I start and finish will get a review. (DNFs are spared as it doesn't seem fair to the author to rate and review them if I couldn't be bothered to finish.) So, check back on my book blog at the end of the month to see my thoughts, or follow along as I go on TikTok and Instagram. I also hangout on Goodreads and The StoryGraph, so please join me! AND if you’ve read of these already, drop me line — I’d love to know your thoughts.
🖤 Thanks, Tiff