Monthly Wrap-Up for August 2016

The month of August screamed past, packed with the final days of summer, a last-minute vacation, and the start of a new school year. My family spent a long weekend in Hendersonville, NC, which was lovely! And I was able to attend Read Up Greenville and meet some awesome authors. You can read about my experience and see my book haul here.

Here at The Story Sanctuary, things were bustling, too, with lots of reviews and book news. Here’s a quick look at what you may have missed:

	Dreadlands: Wolf Moon by Jaimie Engle Review | Amazon | Goodreads I loved the way Engle incorporated Viking lore into this story featuring werewolves. I’m not a big reader in the paranormal genre, but I definitely enjoyed reading this book.
	The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater Review | Amazon | Goodreads I’d been seriously anticipating the conclusion of this series, and I’m not sorry I read it. But if I’m honest, I’m a bit disappointed in this book. Yes, we get some satisfying conclusions to some romantic tension, but overall, the ending just didn’t live up to my expectations.
	Lightning by Bonnie Calhoun Review | Amazon | Goodreads This is the second book in a series. Sometimes you can read the second book without reading the first. I don’t recommend that with this particular series. If you’re going to tackle the Stone Braid Chronicles, I say read Thunder first.
	Pirouette (Andari Chronicles #3) by Kenley Davidson Review | Amazon | Goodreads I loved this whole series of fairytales retold and would read anything new by Kenley Davidson. There’s some brief, light profanity, but otherwise these books are clean and not to be missed!
	Just a Few Inches by Tara St. Pierre Review | Amazon | Goodreads While it starts with a girl taking diet pills, this book goes way beyond anorexia to look at body image and teen pressure in a very different way. I liked the unique spin on the topic that St. Pierre gives. She shares more in an author interview found here.
	Haven by Katherine Bogle Review | Amazon | Goodreads Fantasy with girl power– that’s what I’d call this book. Though some of the plotlines were a little muddled to me, there’s a strong sense of independence and strength from the female cast members. Fans of The Key by Jennifer Anne Davis should check this one out.
	Be Light Like a Bird by Monika Schröder Review | Amazon | Goodreads Novels which address grief seem to hold a special place in my heart. This one is no exception. I loved the way the author used birdwatching and a love of nature to nurture Wren through the loss of her father.
	Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas Review | Amazon | Goodreads Though I read this book much earlier this summer, I’m still not totally sure what I think about it. I liked some things about it. I know a lot of people rave about the series, but I’m not sure I liked it well enough to continue through the other books.
	First & Then by Emma Mills Review | Amazon | Goodreads This was one of the most fun reads I’ve had in a long time. I liked the charm of it and the way the romance resolves. The strong profanity felt out of place in novel that channels Jane Austen, but other than that, I really liked it.
	One Paris Summer by Denise Grover Swank Review | Amazon | Goodreads The Paris setting made me swoon (and crave crepes). I enjoyed the window into Sophie’s world of music and her first love, despite a few plot points that I had trouble buying into.
	Tell Me Something Real by Calla Devlin Review to Come | Amazon | Goodreads Right after reading One Paris Summer, I dove into this other novel about a talented pianist. In this story about sisterhood and betrayal, it’s Vanessa’s music that carries her through the darkest times. The story moved me and definitely took a different direction than I expected.

Have you read any of these books?

If you’ve read these titles, what did you think of them? Which ones on this list look most interesting to you?

Save

Save