Monthly Wrap up – August 2022: The Gems of the Year so Far?

Lately, I’ve been wondering how to inject more bookish content into my blog which I’ve saturated with posts about writing as I’ve delved into fiction once again. So, I thought, what better than a wrap-up showcasing the whopping 2 books I managed to read in August to fill the book-sized void?

Even though my reading this month was lacking in quantity, it certainly did not lack quality. Though one of these books is over a decade old and the other was published in 2020, I’m really pleased I read them. They have quickly shot to the top of the list of the best books I’ve come across this year, and I’m eager to share why I loved them so much, hoping it inspires you to pick them up too.

Take A Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert

Synopsis: Dedicated academic Dani Brown has renounced romance and after another break-up over her decisive rejection of commitment, she asks the universe to direct her towards the perfect friend-with-benefits. When her friend Zafir Ansari, a security guard at the university where she works and studies, saves her during a fire drill, Dani takes it as a sign and resolves to seduce him for casual hook-ups. But Zafir, though brooding, has a thing for romance and won’t let Dani slip between his fingers or give up on the possibility of love so easily…

Rating: 5/5 stars

Recommended for: romance, fake dating, mental health, diversity.

Anyone who reads romance probably knows about Talia Hibbert but after reading Get a Life, Chloe Brown I’ve held off from reading anything else by Hibbert (except The Princess Trap, which I also thoroughly enjoyed, but decided does not count). I fear running out of Talia Hibbert content, and so as I do with everything else I adore, I try to drip-feed it to myself before I binge it all, though if it happens to end up in front of me, all bets are off.

Yes, this book came out in 2020 and yes, I’ve held onto it since then, but sometimes I end up holding onto the books I expect to love for when I’ve fallen into a bit of a reading slump or want to recover from a book I didn’t enjoy as much as I hoped I would.

When I read Take a Hint, Dani Brown, however, I just did it because the bright yellow cover had been calling to me since I mentioned Hibbert to a friend who was looking for romance recommendations. Like her other novels, this one did not disappoint, delivering an amazing romance alongside incredible character arcs that left no doubt about just how well-rounded both Hibbert’s main characters and love interests are.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Synopsis: The Book Thief is a story about a young girl named Liesel growing up in Germany during World War II, narrated rather charismatically by Death. Death narrates as Liesel experiences the tragedy of losing her mother and brother, steals her first book at her brother’s graveside, and then learns to read with the help of her foster family, who must then navigate the difficulties of providing a hiding place for a Jewish man when tensions in Germany mount into war…

Rating: 5/5 stars

Recommended for: young adult, historical fiction, WWII, tragedy, unique narrator.

I’ve known The Book Thief existed for years and always wanted to read it, but as with a lot of popular things, I’ve always been too intimidated to give it a go. Thanks to a random draw from one of my TBR jars, it was next on my reading list with a tough book to follow, but it took on the challenge with quiet confidence and made me love it for a different reason.

Though it was strange to go from a romance to a novel akin to a tragedy, I enjoyed every page. My favourite part had to be Zusak’s choice to include Death as a character and narrator. The unconventionality of the narrative structure blew my mind, even when Death would spoil future events and still manage to crush me with his stories anyway.

I would recommend The Book Thief if somehow, like me, you either have not heard of it or have not read it yet, as it’s a beautiful tale of a girl who holds on to hope despite the challenges thrown at her every step of the way, and I think everyone could somehow benefit from that.

That’s all for August, but I have high hopes for my reading in September. This month, I think there will be times when I have little else to do other than pick up a book and read, so I might just get to three books this time. Though if I want to hit my 2022 goal of 40 books, I’ll have to pick up the pace!