August wrap-up and life updates

Hi guys ! August is over, which means it’s time for yet another wrap-up post ! Unlike last month, I managed to fit what is “many” books for me in my schedule. I read a grand total of 7 books in August, which is VERY unusual for me ! I wonder how that happened, seriously 😮

Anyway, here’s what I read this month :

The Ancestor | Lee Matthew Goldberg | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | My review

The Ancestor was a great book ! I don’t often read general fiction but this one intrigued me a lot, and it turned out amazing. The plot is rather original, as we follow Wyatt, a man who has been frozen for over a century and wakes up in our modern world only to discover everyone he knew is dead, and that a strange man looks a lot like him and seems to be his descendant… That plot, along with all the fantastic descriptions of Alaska and the various characters made for a fiction worth reading anytime !

The Ghost variations : One hundred stories | Kevin Brockmeier | ⭐⭐⭐⭐| My review

Ghost variations was a quick and interesting read. I don’t usually read short stories, but the “ghost” aspect of it attracted me to it. I was rather surprised to see how many differents views of ghosts can exist, not all paranormal, but it was quite interesting.

Crown of crowns | Clara Loveman | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | My review

Crown of crowns was a really enjoyable YA fantasy ! It completely drew me in, and I loved the concept of having higher being kind of controlling the world via humans. The plot was quite well thought and the characters were interesting, if you don’t count some side characters. If YA fantasy is one of your favorite genres, you’ll definitely want to dive in this book !

Stuck on you | Portia McIntosh | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | My review

What a refreshing and cute read this was ! I had read a lot of heavy books before this one, and reading it was like a wave of fresh air, giving me all the cute feelings I desperately wanted. It’s not necessarily original and different from other books in this genre, but the writing is impeccable and the author knows how to tell a good story, which is all we ask for in the end !

The Song of Achilles | Madeline Miller | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | RTC

I already loved Madeline Miller since I had read Circe last year, but this confirmed I would do anything for her and read any of her books without hesitation. She has a talent to explore ancient Greece and bring it to life with new angles. What more could we possibly want ? 100% would recommend.

Echo Island | Jared C. Wilson | ⭐⭐ | RTC

Soooooo Echo Island is one of those books that has immense potential and starts off really well. Actually, I was totally invested in the story and the mystery surrounding the island and the group until approximately 70% of the book. This is where everything went sideways. The plot twist, even though I didn’t really see it coming, is utterly unoriginal and pissed me off like no other book twist has. The author could have done so much better had he decided to really put his mind to it.

Brides of Rome ( Vesta Shadows #1) | Debra May Macleod | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | RTC

That’s the second book I read about ancient Greece/Rome etc. and I thought maybe I would feel a bit done with the genre for now but no ! I adored everything about this book ! All the characters were so lively and the author really knew how to bring Rome and Egypt to life in a realistic maner (at least it felt like it to me). We meet famous characters such as Caesar, Cleopatra etc., get glimpses of their lives and how they intertwine with those of Vestal priestesses, the main characters of the book and the series. A fabulous read if you want to discover historical fiction or if you already love it !

I’m amazed I managed to read so much in August considering I had more to do in my personal life than usual ! I still interned full-time at the publishing house, so my days were pretty full. Add to that the fact that my grand-mother had to go to the hospital with my and my family’s help and you get even less time, but I mean, that’s for a good cause. I spent some hours after work going to see her to keep her company and bring her various objects. Since she lives with only my grandpa, I also had to take care of him because he relies entirely on my grandma for EVERYTHING, which means someone has to help him everyday with daily chores etc.

Taking care of two older handicapped people while working full-time is rather tiring, but so far I’m managing, and if I can still read in the middle of all that, it’s pretty impressive ! I’m definitely giving myself a shoutout here 😂 I can’t imagine how September will be at this rate ! I will be going back to Grenoble for my studies, and even though I’ll have to work on a new Masters thesis and finding a new internship (probably in Paris !), I have so few classes I’ll have a lot of time to read. Yay ! 🎉

How did August treat you ? Did you read a lot as well ?
For those of you going back to school today : good luck and I hope you have the best day, even with all the restrictions that apply where you are !

Thanks for reading,
See you soon,
Love,
Jade ❤