Today, let’s look back on August and look forward to September.
Favourite August reads
I read six books in August and DNF’d one—but we won’t talk about that one because nobody cares. Why did I read so few books this month, you ask? Great question!
Two reasons. First, I wasn’t in a reading mood. I did binge watch all seven seasons of Good Witch, though, and I loved it! Highly recommend. And second, I was hard at work on my current WIP, Chasing Sunsets (more on that below), and because I was working on a bit of a tighter deadline than usual, I spent more time writing than reading.
My favourite three books of the month are below. Just click on the images to be taken to the book’s Amazon page.
Best Laid Plans by Roan Parrish was so, so good! I absolutely adored it. I listened to the audiobook by Greg Boudreaux and it was excellent. This story is such a warm, sweet, low-angst character-driven one and I can’t recommend it enough.
I finally got around to reading the first book in Jackie North’s Farthingdale Ranch series, The Foreman and the Drifter, and what a lovely novel it was! Jamie and Leland were so very sweet together and you can’t beat that Wyoming setting. I look forward to reading more in this series.
Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim blew my expectations right out of the water! This is a young adult fantasy novel about a princess in exile trying to break a curse that’s been cast on her brothers—and for every word she speaks, one of her brothers will die. I adored this retelling of the Brothers Grimm’s The Six Swans mixed with east Asian folklore. From the familial bonds to the fantastical elements to the storyline to the constant relevations to the super slow burn romance. It was so well-written and I never wanted to put it down.
Books I’m looking forward to reading in September
I’ve had a Netgalley ARC of Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune on my Kindle for months. Why haven’t I read it yet, you ask? Because it’s been so hyped and I’ve seen such great reviews for it, that I’m afraid it’s not going to live up to my expectations. In September, I’m finally going to bite the bullet and give it a read.
This Poison Heart by Kalynn Bayron is a young adult fantasy novel featuring an f/f romance with a girl with a gift for growing plants with only a single touch.
Last October, I read Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko and absolutely adored it. It’s a beautiful tale rich in magic and friendship. Its sequel, Redemptor, is sitting on my bookshelf and I can’t wait to dive in and see how this lush story ends.
Lee Welch has a new book coming, everyone! Have you read Salt Magic, Skin Magic? Ugh, it’s so good, and I’ve been waiting and waiting for a new Lee Welch book for forever. I’m SO EXCITED for Lee’s new fantasy novel coming September 23, Seducing the Sorcerer.
The last book on my TBR for September is Chrysalis by S.E. Harmon. I’m a huge S.E. Harmon fan. In fact, Coddiwomple was one of my favourite books of the year and I can’t wait to devour this new one soon.
On the writing front
Two-Man Team (Stick Side #5) is with my copyeditor! Did you see that I revealed the cover, the blurb, and the release date a couple of weeks ago? Check it out below if you missed it.
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Coming October 20th!
One wrongful arrest ruined Kris Xappa’s image—and made his NHL team look bad. Now, with orders to keep his head down, the last thing he needs is to develop feelings for his younger teammate—and best friend’s brother. The fact that he can’t stop thinking about their one illicit kiss doesn’t mean anything.
Rory Stanton is perfectly capable of taking care of himself and doesn’t need his brother’s best friend keeping an eye on him. Sure, he likes having Kris’s attention, but he’d rather have it for entirely different reasons. Too bad that one kiss they shared wasn’t enough to convince Kris to take a chance on him.
When an injury lands Rory in Kris’s care, will these teammates be able to see past the obstacles to become a two-man team?
Pre-order: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Apple Books
Audiobook news! My narrator is working on producing The Nature of the Game (Stick Side #2) in audio! He’s got a couple of projects to finish first, so I’m looking at a release date of November or December. It’s the same narrator who did On the Ice, Adam Lawrence, which I thought he did a fantastic job on.
And speaking of The Nature of the Game, it’s coming in Italian this November! Cover reveal for that coming on November 8.
In other book news, I finished the first draft of my current WIP, Chasing Sunsets, which I talked about in last month’s High Five Friday post. It’s a small town, second chance romance featuring Dane, an NHL player hanging out in his hometown in the off season, and his college sweetheart, Grant, who now co-manages Dane’s family’s hotel. (Psst. There’s a special appearance from one of the guys from Keeping Casey!)
Does the name Grant sound familiar? If you’ve read The Nature of the Game you might remember Grant. He’s one of the teenagers who hangs out at Try Out Center for Youth, where Ashton Yager volunteers. Hell, he’s the entire reason that (SPOILER ALERT AHEAD) Ash came out in Game! Now he’s all grown up, living in Glen Hill, Vermont, and manages his ex’s family’s boutique hotel.
Chasing Sunsets will greet your e-readers in early 2022. Look for a cover reveal and blurb coming this fall.
What books are you looking forward to reading in September? Leave a comment below!
