Hello my friends! Welcome to my wrap-up for August. I got a lot of reading done last month which I’m supremely happy about. I wish I could say the same for blogging but other than pumping out over-due book reviews I seem to be flailing in the pursuit of a blogging routine. So bear with me whilst I continue to try and get back into the swing of things and let’s hope everything is a bit more orderly this month!
Let’s have a quick look at what’s happening in the bookosphere first, however! Booktopia currently has a deal on for FREE SHIPPING [code: SPRINGTIME] so go grab yourself those books you’ve been after for a great price. This is valid through to the 11th September. Booktopia is also hosting a craft giveaway so go check that one out too to win $500 worth of craft stuff!
Free shipping can also be sort from Angus & Robertson Bookworld by spending over $60 in one order – a feat much easier to achieve than one first thinks!
And of course, let’s not forget The Book Depository where free shipping to most countries is offered around the clock. There is a selection of worldwide bestsellers for under $10 currently up or a range of the best bedtime stories ever. If you read Where’s Wally (/Waldo) as a child then be sure to also join in celebrating a whopping 30 years of it! Finally, if you’re not up to date with the current long-lists for various awards, check it out and grab a copy of your personal favourite! Go forth and find ye bargain!
Jane Eyre: The Graphic Novel
by Amy Corzine
Genre: Classic, Graphic Novel
Author: Amy Corzine
Published: 2008
Publisher: Classical Comics
Pages: 141 {paperback}
This was a really great take on Jane Eyre. I thoroughly enjoyed revisiting the classic in a graphic novel format. It was just a good as reading the novel but much, much quicker!
City of a Thousands Dolls
by Miriam Forster
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Author: Miriam Forster
Published: November 2014
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 384 {paperback}
Will I continue the series? YES
This was such a great book! I really enjoyed the setting and the fact that it was a little bit of a murder mystery as well just added to the suspense of the story. I can’t wait to continue the series!
A Court of Wings and Ruin
by Sarah J. Maas
Genre: New Adult, High Fantasy
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Published: May 2017
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Pages: 699 {paperback}
Will I continue the series? YES
This was really exciting being the semi-conclusion to this part of this series. I really enjoyed it for the most part although there were still a few aspects that had me a bit frustrated. I’m very intrigued to see what the remaining three books will take things.
Kitty Hawk and the Curse of the Yukon Gold
by Iain Reading
Genre: Young Adult, Mystery, Adventure
Author: Iain Reading
Published: November 2012
Publisher: Amazon Digital Services
Pages: 262 {paperback}
Will I continue the series? NO
Whilst this was a nice YA/middle grade adventure, I had some big problems with it in the overall picture. It got much better as the story progressed but not quite enough to convince me to continue the series.
// GOODREADS // BUY //
Cruel Crown
by Victoria Aveyard
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Novella
Author: Victoria Aveyard
Published: January 2016
Publisher: Orion
Pages: 208 {paperback}
Will I continue the series? YES
This was such a great little addition to the series! I’m really enjoying this world so far – I thought in particular Queen Song was fantastic and it’s got me super excited to continue the series.
Between Two Thorns
by Emma Newman
Genre: Young Adult, Urban Fantasy [Fae, Sorcerers]
Author: Emma Newman
Published: February 2013
Publisher: Diversion Publishing
Pages: 334 {paperback}
Will I continue the series? YES
This book was a wonderful surprise. When I first started it I wasn’t completely sold, however, now I really want to continue on the series because I found this such a unique and enjoyable read!
Review to come
The Piper’s Price
by Audrey Greathouse
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Retelling [Peter Pan]
Author: Audrey Greathouse
Published: February 2017
Publisher: Clean Teen Publishing
Pages: 300 {e-book}
Will I continue the series? YES
Whilst I didn’t enjoy this sequel as much as the first, it still was a good story and I definitely want to continue the series. It’s such a fun reimagining of Neverland and I think it’s really clever, too!
Review to come
The Demolished Man
by Alfred Bester
Genre: Classic, Sci-Fi, Mystery
Author: Alfred Bester
Published: March 1953
Publisher: Millenium
Pages: 250 {paperback}
This was a very interesting book. Considering when it was written, it’s a really cool sci-fi story and entirely unique from what I’ve read before. It was a little confusing at times with the language and working out what was going on, but overall really good!
Review to come
Translucent
by Dan Rix
Genre: Young Adult, Sci-Fi, Scary!
Author: Dan Rix
Published: January 2015
Publisher: Burning Ember Press
Pages: 274 {e-book}
Will I continue the series? NO
This was not the book for me. Whilst I won’t classify this out-right as horror, for me it practically was. See my full review for a list of things in the book that make it horror but the miss-advertising of this one as a paranormal sci-fi and only that was so wrong that I couldn’t enjoy the story at all.
// GOODREADS //
Rotten Magic
by Jeffrey Bardwell
Genre: Sci-Fi, Steampunk, Novella
Author: Jeffrey Bardwell
Published: August 2017
Publisher: Twigboat Press
Pages: 122 {e-book}
Will I continue the series? YES
I read this one for review and really enjoyed it. Whilst the mechanical dragon didn’t appear quite how I was expecting I still liked it and am so curious to see where the story will go with it.
// GOODREADS //
Pride & Prejudice: The Graphic Novel
by Nancy Butler
Genre: Classic, Graphic Novel
Author: Nancy Butler
Published: October 2009
Publisher: Marvel
Pages: 114 {hardback}
Again, I loved reading this classic in its graphic novel format. I’ve been wanting to re-read the story for so long now so it was nice to be able to do it relatively quickly through this format! Loved having the pictures to go alongside the dialog, as well.
Review to come
What else did I blog about this month?
- Reviews:
- A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas
- Translucent by Dan Rix
- City of a Thousand Dolls by Miriam Forster
- Rotten Magic by Jeffrey Bardwell
- Cruel Crown by Victoria Aveyard
- Kitty Hawk & the Curse of the Yukon Gold by Iain Reading
- Jane Eyre: The Graphic Novel by Amy Corzine
- The Philosopher Kings by Jo Walton
- Top 5 Laid Back Characters of All Time
- August TBR
- Booktube-a-thon Wrap-Up
- July Wrap-Up
The Statistics
Genres Read:
Pages Read:
Total: 3,088
Progress Towards Goodreads Challenge:
57%, or, 23/40 books
I’m ever so slowly catching up on this challenge and am only 3 books behind now. I’m really hoping that I’ll read far more than 40 books this year but I guess we’ll see.
What about me?
August was a good month for me. I utterly surprised myself by how much I managed to read. I’m still job hunting after having come back from Disney so I guess it’s helped that I’ve had a bit of time on my hands. The YouTube channel is going well and I’m thoroughly enjoying running it and alongside that I’m trying to crack the whip to get on with writing my book.
I’m hoping that as I sit more comfortably into a routine I’ll get back on track with a better blogging rhythm – right now I feel like everything is a little sporadic. I’m hoping in September to reboot my monthly feature of Past to Paper and alongside that I’ve got a new series going: Bookstores Around the World.
I’ve been made a co-host for a read-a-thon called the Alphabethon which is heaps of fun. So I’m really looking forward to the next round to get even more people involved in that! I’ve also decided to try tackling my TBR slightly differently; I’ve set myself monthly goals to achieve to take on particular parts of my TBR. So, in August I finished off all the current reads I had on the go (it was a lot!) and in September I’m doing “series September”. Due to my utter lack of organisation I’ve not got my TBR up on my blog but it is up on my YouTube channel – so head over there to see which series I’m finishing off. Other than that, I haven’t really got too much else to report on.
Movies I watched:
Hot Fuzz, 2007: 7/10 stars
I LOVED this. This was right up there with The World’s End for me. I found it 100% hilarious and can’t believe that it’s taken me this long to get around to it! Ridiculously funny.
Shaun of the Dead, 2004: 6/10 stars 
I really enjoyed finishing off the Cornetto Trilogy with this one, however, zombies are most definitely not my thing and I have to say this scared me a little. I don’t forsee myself re-watching this anytime soon in the future.
Suite Français, 2014: 5/10 stars
Whilst this was a really sweet film and the true story about the author to go with it is heart-breaking, I didn’t find that it delivered. Having recently read The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah the plot was way too similar for me and wasn’t as good, even if this did come first.
Under the Tuscan Sun, 2003: 8/10 stars 
This was such a sweet film and I really enjoyed it. It reminded me a lot of Eat, Pray, Love (although, admittedly, not quite as good). I highly recommend this one of a light-hearted, rom-com watch for sure!
The Wedding Planner, 2001: 7/10
This was a film I watched completely on a whim – and I really enjoyed it! Such a simply story but I found it really enjoyable. Completely harmless and also really quite funny.
Spider-Man: Homecoming, 2017: 8/10 
This was crazy good. I don’t know what exactly I was expecting from this film but I have to say I wasn’t expecting a whole heap. But it SO SO SO delivered. This is just as good and just as funny as all the other Marvel films and I can’t wait to continue the story!
How To Train Your Dragon, 2010: 9/10
Re-watch. Seeing as I’m completely obsessed with the Netflix series, it only makes sense that I sat down to watch the original film. I just love this story so much and it actually really surprised me to see how young the characters are in this first film!
The Swan Princess, 1994: 3/10 
I can’t say this was all that good. It was so cringe-worthy that it took an enormous effort to actually get to the end of it. I was so hoping it would be a great story but ah well, what can we do?
TV shows I watched:
Dragons: Race to the Edge, 2015
I am completely obsessed over this series and I can’t stop watching it. I polished off the first four seasons so quickly and am now eagerly lapping up the new fifth season!
Black Books, 2000 
This was a new series introduced to me by one of my friends and I am 1000% hooked on it. I’m also very nearly finished which makes me sad. It’s about a grumpy guy running a bookshop – what more do you need in life?!
A Series of Unfortunate Events, 2017
I didn’t really enjoy this one that much. I had such high hopes for it but it took me a couple of attempts to actually get through the first episode. I *might* continue on with the series but I’m not very inspired to.
Trollhunters, 2017 
I totally started watching this one as a bit of a joke BUT NOW I’M ADDICTED. This is actually a really fun kid’s show – excuse me whilst I de-age down to 5 years old again.
Tick! August done!
What was your favourite book that you read in August?
~~ Kirstie ~~
Upside-Down Books 
Hold the phone. There is a Jane Eyre graphic novel?!?!?!?! Be still my heart!!! I love Jane Eyre so much, I’ve been contemplating a Jane Eyre tattoo… Yes I am series.
Bummer The Piper’s Price came up a little short. I remember how much you enjoyed The Neverland Wars… which I have a signed copy of and have yet to read ((shakes head))
Um. I’ve been waiting on a Past to Paper post since… FOREVER. Give me!
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I know right?! When I saw it I was like, ho-hum what’s this gibberish – then it turned out to be legit. Omg, a tattoo??! Of what? Please do this. That would be the single greatest decision of your life.
I know, *sigh*, I was so hoping I’d fall head over heels for it. But I have high hopes for the third book, I think that’ll be spell-binding. I can’t even look at you anymore with your signed copies and meeting with Bardugo, I shall remain in my quiet corner of the world and spontaneous yell at people that I once met Robin Hobb.
SORRY! I’m . . . working on it? That’s a lie. I’m being lazy. Okay okay I’ll get back to the keyboard and start writing today.
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The plan is to get an open bird cage with a bird flying free with the quote “I am no bird; and no net ensnares me”
Bookish tattoos are always good life decisions lol
You met Robin Hobb?! That is HUGE! She is like the queen of epic fantasy… which reminds me I still need to read one of her books lol
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errmaagahhhd PLEASE YES THAT’S AWESOME. I love it!
YES I DID. HAH. SEE, I’M COOL. Legit she is – AND she compliment my super geeky Doctor Who t-shirt. It was very awesome, I was standing there like an idiot gawking at her as she signs my book, then, suddenly she looks up at me, examine the shirt and goes, I love your t-shirt. And I promptly flailed and said THANKSOKAYGOODBYE.
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serious***
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