August 2026 Wrap-Up

Happy September, or I guess end of September 😅

I finished zero books in July, hence no wrap-up for that month, but because I was reading around 8 books at that time, I ended up finishing way more books in August!

Editing Update: I have been happily slammed with editing projects and I’m loving them all! I also attended the When Words Collide conference this month and had such an amazing time! I am so proud of myself for talking to more people. The little introvert in me was just shaking like a leaf. Anyhoo, I’m fully booked until November, but I always love to hear about any WIPs you have. Everybody is so creative! You can tell me all about them here.

My Library

Strange Houses by Uketsu

Review:

I’ve finally completed the Strange series and I feel so lost. Apparently, there’s another book currently being translated(?) so I may get to read more in the future! This one was not my favorite in the series but it was still a very enjoyable read. I felt like the storyline was more linear whereas Strange Pictures had more unexpected twists and reveals.

3.5/5⭐

Netgalley eARCs

Witch Hat Atelier Vol. 1 by Kamome Shirahama

Review:

I’ve seen this manga on social media a lot recently, especially with the gorgeous grimoires being released, and I wanted to read it and see if it was worth the hype. It’s so cute! I loved Coco’s character and the innocence and excitement with which she sees the magical world. You get to experience everything with her and it just draws you into the story. The art style is beautiful and the world-building is so creative! Overall, I wasn’t too invested in the story so I’m not sure if I’ll continue with the series, but I can see why people love it so much and I’d still recommend checking it out!

3/5⭐

Other (e)ARCs

From Simon & Schuster CA

The Woods by Jessica Hamilton

Review:

This was such a great spooky read! It’s marketed as Amityville Horror but if the woman kills her family. It’s told from the POV of all the members of the family and it was really well done! The horror builds up slowly but I never lost interest and the pace never really lagged. The wait was worth it for the gory scenes because those were spooky! There was also a plot twist near the end of the story that I wasn’t expecting at all, but looking back there were signs that hinted at it throughout the story. All elements of the story worked together so well. The ending was very subtle. I loved this book so much and highly recommend checking it out if you love a good spooky story!

4.5/5⭐

From BOOM! Comics

Faithless Complete Collection by Brian Azzarello

Review:

This was a very interesting comic. It’s about a girl who becomes a famous artist and essentially deals with the Devil. There are so many elements in this story and so many layers and themes that I feel like I’d have to reread this at least 10 times to fully understand all the nuances. The story is told in the style of a divine comedy according to the notes at the end. Honestly, this could totally be taught in an English class. It’s very graphic, so content warnings for sexual content, nudity, death, and gory images. The art style was so beautiful as well. I loved all the additional illustrations at the end.

4/5⭐

From Tor

Kill All Wizards by Jedediah Berry

Review:

This book was so weird but in the best way possible 😅 It’s a short read but not a fast one due to the prose. The characters also sometimes broke the fourth wall which was fun. The world-building was very fascinating and fantastical, but there were also some dark and gory moments which I highly enjoyed. This was also a lot more emotional than I expected it to be, which led me to tear up a tiny bit at the end. I’d definitely recommend checking this out and I would love to read the next book in the series!

4.5/5⭐

Audiobooks

Storm Over Camelot by Sophie Keetch

Review:

The trilogy is over! I wish there was more. I loved this story, the world-building, and Morgan’s character. Morgan goes through so much but she also goes through so much character growth throughout the story. Her relationship with Lancelot was so captivating and they had great chemistry. Her relationship with Arthur was an emotional rollercoaster, but I didn’t hate him as much as in Book 2. There is much more communication happening in the story which is great. I love that Morgan does have some joyous moments but I can’t say more without spoiling things. I felt like the ending was a bit rushed because so much happens at the end, but overall it was a good end to the series. I just want to go back and reread it now because I’m not really ready for this to be over.

4/5⭐

This House Will Feed by Marie Tureaud

Review:

If you need a creepy book set during the famine of Ireland, this would be a great place to start. This book will make you feel physically sick at some of the atrocities the Irish people went through to survive the famine. All the content warnings for gore and elements of cannibalism. I thought the story would be more ghostly, but it was actually more focused on folklore and mythical beings. I still highly enjoyed it because of all the other horrific elements of the story. There is also a lot of emotional depth to the characters. You really feel for Maggie especially. In terms of plot, the present and past timeline POVs were helpful and kept the story progressing. There were some plot twists but nothing too intense. There was also an Author’s Note at the end which was super enlightening!

4/5⭐

As it’s almost October when I’m posting this, what are some fall things you’re looking forward to? Any spooky reads on your list? Let me know in the comments below!

Happy reading!