The Ultimate August Wrap-Up

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
   • Welcome to Laura's Library Card!
2. August Wrap-Up
   • Total Books Read: 15
   • Participated in Enneagram Readathon and Tropeical Readathon
3. Enneagram Readathon Wrap-Up
   • Review of books read during Enneagram Readathon
4. Tropeical Readathon Books
   • Challenges and books read
5. Second Half of the Month
   • Books read after Enneagram Readathon
6. Book Club Selection: "The Giver of Stars"
   • Historical and Literary Fiction Book
   • Review and Rating
7. "Cinder" by Marissa Meyer
   • YA Science Fiction Retelling of Cinderella
   • Review and Rating
8. Ice Planet Barbarians Series
   • "Barbarian Mine" - Review and Rating
   • "Barbarian's Prize" - Review and Rating
   • "Barbarian's Mate" - Review and Rating
9. Manga Reads: "Yona of the DAWN"
   • Volumes 2 and 3- Review and Overall Rating
10. "Gideon the Ninth" by Tamsyn Muir
    • Necromancers and Swordsman in Space
    • Review and Rating
11. Tropeical Readathon Challenges and Results
    • Completed common challenges, but not romance-specific ones
12. Conclusion
    • Success in Tropeical Readathon
    • Variety in reading choices
    • Encouragement for comments and feedback

August Wrap-Up: My Book-filled Month

Hi there! Welcome to Laura's Library Card! Today, I'll be sharing with You my August wrap-up. It was an incredible month for me as I managed to finish a total of 15 books. In addition to that, I participated in two exciting readathons, the Enneagram Readathon and the Tropeical Readathon. So, let's dive into the details of each book and readathon experience!

Enneagram Readathon Wrap-Up

To kick off the month, I took part in the Enneagram Readathon during the first two weeks of August. I created a wrap-up video where I discussed the books I read and how my points fell within the readathon. If you're interested in my thoughts on each book, I highly encourage you to check out that video as I went into a good amount of Detail for each book.

In a nutshell, here are the seven books I read for the Enneagram Readathon:

1. "Check Please! Book Two: Sticks and Scones" by Ngozi Ukazu - A male/male, new adult, college sports romance graphic Novel. I found it incredibly cute and gave it a rating of 4.5 stars.
2. "Leave the World Behind" by Rumaan Alam - A literary fiction/vague thriller book that didn't quite meet my expectations. I didn't enjoy the writing style or the plot, giving it a rating of 2 stars.
3. "The Mammoth Hunters" by Jean M. Auel - The third book in the Earth's Children series. It's a long literary fiction/anthropological drama that I reread. While I enjoyed it less on the second read, I still gave it 2.5 stars.
4. "It Happened One Summer" by Tessa Bailey - An opposites-attract romance inspired by the Schitt's Creek character Alexis. I found it enjoyable, sweet, and spicy, deserving a rating of 4.5 stars.
5. "Chasing Redbird" by Sharon Creech - A middle-grade coming-of-age book that explores themes of grief and growing up. It was a reread from my youth, and I enjoyed it, giving it a rating of 4 stars.
6. "The Things We Leave Unfinished" by Rebecca Yarros - A romance with strong historical fiction elements, featuring dual plotlines and multiple points of view. I absolutely loved this spicy and captivating story, awarding it 5 stars.
7. "The Shadows Between Us" by Tricia Levenseller - A YA fantasy romance with an antagonistic female lead. Unfortunately, it didn't live up to its promising premise, resulting in a rating of 2 stars.

Tropeical Readathon Books and Challenges

Following the Enneagram Readathon, I delved into the Tropeical Readathon for the rest of the month. Let's explore how the books I read aligned with the readathon's challenges:

• "Check Please! Book Two: Sticks and Scones" was not eligible for challenges as it is a graphic novel.
• "Leave the World Behind" fulfilled the challenge of a "post-apocalyptic" book, although it stretched the definition a bit. I rated it 2 stars.
• "The Mammoth Hunters" met the challenge of reading a book that was over 500 pages long. It was a reread that slightly disappointed me, receiving a rating of 2.5 stars.
• "It Happened One Summer" fulfilled the challenge of a book published in 2021. I thoroughly enjoyed this romance and awarded it a rating of 4.5 stars.
• "Chasing Redbird" satisfied the challenge of reading a book published before the year 2000. With its focus on grief and coming of age, it earned a rating of 4 stars.
• "The Things We Leave Unfinished" fulfilled the challenge of a book with multiple points of view. It expertly blended romance and historical fiction, earning a well-deserved 5-star rating.
• "The Shadows Between Us" was the last book I finished for the Enneagram Readathon. Although it had a promising premise, it failed to deliver, receiving a rating of 2 stars.

In the second half of the month, I continued my reading Journey with a diverse selection of books, including non-readathon picks. Stay tuned as I share my thoughts on each of these books!

Book Club Selection: "The Giver of Stars"

One of the books I read in August was "The Giver of Stars" by Jojo Moyes. This book was chosen as a selection for one of my book clubs, and I decided to listen to the audiobook. It falls under the genres of historical fiction and literary fiction, with the storyline following Alice and Margery in rural Kentucky in 1937. Both characters are pack horse librarians, serving a community spread out over rugged terrain.

While I enjoyed reading "The Giver of Stars" at the time, I can't deny that I wanted it to have a little more excitement in the latter half. The book takes an unexpected turn, almost transforming into a courtroom drama, which I found somewhat frustrating. I appreciated the focus on community and promoting literacy, but I felt that the characters were somewhat stereotypical and lacked depth.

Considering all these factors, I settled on a rating of three stars for "The Giver of Stars." It didn't leave a lasting impression, and I had already forgotten some of the specifics of the book by the time I wrote this wrap-up. Overall, my book club members shared similar sentiments, finding it good but not outstanding.

"Cinder" by Marissa Meyer: A Sci-Fi Retelling

Another book I tackled in August was "Cinder" by Marissa Meyer, the first book in the Lunar Chronicles series. This young adult science fiction novel offers a unique retelling of Cinderella, set in a futuristic world where our main character, Cinder, happens to be a cyborg.

As I had seen "Cinder" Mentioned frequently, I finally decided to jump into the Lunar Chronicles read-along. I'm glad I did because it turned out to be an enjoyable read. The book features a contagious plague (quite Relevant to our Current times), political intrigue, and a quick-paced narrative that kept me engaged. However, I did find the characterization somewhat predictable and craved more world-building, especially since the story is set in New Beijing.

Although I initially considered giving "Cinder" a rating of four stars due to its entertainment value, the predictability and lack of extensive world-building made me settle for three stars in the end. Nevertheless, I appreciated how it sets up the series and introduces a strong main character who will likely Continue to develop throughout the books.

Ice Planet Barbarians Series: Captivating Romance

Among my reads in August were three books from the Ice Planet Barbarians series by Ruby Dixon - "Barbarian Mine," "Barbarian's Prize," and "Barbarian's Mate." Each book in this series follows a different female protagonist who finds herself involved with an alien warrior on an ice planet.

In "Barbarian Mine," we meet Harlow and Rukh, a caveman-like figure who kidnaps Harlow, leading to a complicated but ultimately consensual relationship. The book explores consent and pleasurable experiences for both parties, which I found refreshing. However, I had some issues with the time jump and the unresolved medical condition of the main character, resulting in a three-star rating.

"Barbarian's Prize" revolves around Tiffany and Salukh. Tiffany is one of the few remaining human women who hasn't mated, primarily due to the trauma she experienced at the hands of the aliens. The book delves into her recovery process and PTSD, showcasing a friends-to-lovers dynamic. While I appreciate the author's attempt to explore this sensitive topic, I had some reservations about the depiction's overall effectiveness. Consequently, I rated it three stars.

Finally, "Barbarian's Mate" features Josie and Haeden, who start off as enemies but go through a compelling character arc. Haeden's dedication and commitment to Josie, even with their initial antagonism, impressed me. The book also raises intriguing questions about the nature of resonating and the implications it holds for relationships. However, it did contain an excessive amount of explicit content, happening almost every 30 minutes in the latter half of the book. Despite this minor issue, I thoroughly enjoyed "Barbarian's Mate" and gave it a four-star rating.

Manga Reads: "Yona of the Dawn"

In August, I also delved into the world of manga with volumes 2 and 3 of "Yona of the Dawn" by Mizuho Kusanagi. This ongoing series follows the story of Yona, a princess who is on a Quest to Gather the legendary Four Dragon Warriors to save her Kingdom.

Volumes of manga often challenge traditional rating systems, as they do not have distinct story arcs within each volume. My experience with "Yona of the Dawn" has been positive so far, although I wish each volume had a more defined storyline. In volumes 2 and 3, the wind tribe, political machinations, and a prophetic encounter were the primary focus. While Yona's character is slowly developing, I still yearn for more in terms of her personality. Overall, my enjoyment factor for the series stands at a solid four out of five stars.

"Gideon the Ninth" by Tamsyn Muir: A Complex Journey

Lastly, I tackled "Gideon the Ninth" by Tamsyn Muir. This book falls into the genre of necromancers and swordsman in space, promising a thrilling competition packed with LGBT sexual tension. However, I found the writing style to be dense, filled with jargon and intricate descriptions that often left me confused about the world-building. I craved more elaboration and Clarity.

Although "Gideon the Ninth" had its redeeming qualities and was an intriguing ride, I couldn't overlook my frustrations. Therefore, I settled on a rating of three stars for this book.

Tropeical Readathon Challenges and Achievements

In terms of the Tropeical Readathon, I managed to complete all of the common challenges shared by all participants except for the "reread" challenge. However, I had already used the books that qualified as rereads for other Prompts, so I couldn't double up. Alternatively, the alternate prompt for a "time loop" book captured my interest, and I would appreciate any recommendations in that genre.

While I accomplished the common challenges, I didn't complete any of the romance-specific challenges. My intention was to read "XOXO" by Axie Oh, but I didn't get around to it. Nevertheless, I still consider my Tropeical Readathon experience a success, earning plenty of points for my team, even though I ended up reading a broader range of genres than solely romance.

Conclusion: Wrapping Up a Literary Adventure

To conclude, I had an exciting and book-filled August, exploring various genres and participating in thrilling readathons. I successfully read and reviewed numerous books, earning points for the Tropeical Readathon challenges. While I didn't fulfill the romance-specific prompts, I still found joy in exploring a diverse range of literature.

I encourage you to leave a comment with your thoughts on the books I discussed or any critiques you have regarding my commentary. Your feedback is always welcome and appreciated. Thank you for joining me on this literary adventure, and don't forget to like and subscribe to my Channel for more content like this. Until next time, happy reading!