Month in Review: August 2024

Well, I've had some blog issues this week so this is the first post that's actually going up, but something's better than nothing! I know I''m a broken record with how often I say I'm shocked that the year is going by so quickly, but it really is crazy that it's September already! (I am so ready to get into the Halloween season, but I'm also still enjoying summer activities–it's still plenty warm, so my husband and I have been visiting the beach whenever we can, and I don't plan to stop anytime soon.) But before we can dive into September, let's talk about August.

It was a very busy month–once again–for a number of reasons, but the most fun reason was because I performed in my very first aerial performance a couple weeks ago! It was a group routine where we had some solo and partner pieces and it was an absolute blast (and if you're interested in seeing any photos/video from it, you can check some out here). I am so glad I had the opportunity to try it out and I was somehow not as paralyzingly anxious as I thought I would be. Based on this experience, I think I would definitely be open to doing another performance sometime in the future if I had the opportunity. :) 

In reading news, I read some really great books in August, including The Crimson Crown by Heather Walter, which was a highly anticipated release of mine. I also finally started the Dungeon Crawler Carl series and I am so hooked it's not even funny (although the books themselves are actually really funny and I'm having a great time).

How was your August?  Let me know how your month was below and what you've been reading!

   

# books read: 11

Dungeon Crawler Carl (Dungeon Crawler Carl #1) by Matt Dinniman

Source: Library | Format: Audiobook

Thoughts: I had a blast with this and am now kicking myself not starting the series sooner! I've been seeing people rave about this book for so long now and I finally had a chance to and it was the best decision. I listened to the audiobook version and I can't recommend it enough--the narrator is fantastic.

The Crimson Crown by Heather Walter

Source: NetGalley | Format: eARC

Thoughts: I really loved Heather Walter's Malice duology and have been eagerly anticipating something new from her, and this did not disappoint! This time it's a dark Snow White-inspired story, which I don't think I've seen yet (?), and it was a really great journey. I can't wait for the sequel!

The Mercy of Gods by James S.A. Corey

Source: Publisher | Format: Physical ARC

Thoughts: This was a really interesting sci-fi and I loved the concepts it explored, but unfortunately it didn't work for me as much as I'd hoped. Still, I'm curious enough to read the sequel when it's out.

Dreadful by Caitlin Rozakis

Source: Library | Format: Audiobook

Thoughts: This was a really fun story that puts readers in the shoes of the villain--a villain who doesn't really remember that he's the villain--and it was such an enjoyable adventure. Rozakis' writing is full of wit and cleverness and made for a very entertaining time. 

Pay the Piper by George A. Romero, Daniel Kraus

Source: Publisher | Format: Physical ARC

Thoughts: This was a really immersive horror that takes a deep dive into the culture of Louisiana and explores some interesting ideas. There's also a very colorful cast of characters to keep you company. 

Carl's Doomsday Scenario (Dungeon Crawler Carl #2) by Matt Dinniman

Source: Audible | Format: Audiobook

Thoughts: This was a very solid sequel and just left me even more excited for the next book!

Misinterpretation by Ledia Xhoga

Source: Publisher | Format: Physical ARC

Thoughts: I liked this literary novel that explores the life of a translator and the somewhat odd events that takes place. This was a really thoughtful book and I'd definitely read more from Ledia Xhoga.

Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach

Source: Library | Format: Audiobook

Thoughts: This was fascinating! For years I've seen people raving about Mary Roach and I always mentally put her books on my TBR, but I recently saw the audiobook available while scrolling through Libby and thought now was the time, and I can't believe I put her books off for so long! Her voice is so vibrant in her writing and made this somewhat morbid topic absolutely fascinating. I will definitely be diving into more books by Mary Roach in the future.

Ruin Road by Lamar Giles

Source: Publisher | Format: Physical ARC

Thoughts: I enjoyed one of Giles' previous thriller/horror books, The Getaway, and thought this was another solid addition to his work. It didn't grab me quite as much, but it still had some really great messaging and explored some really thought-provoking ideas. 

Killers Amidst Killers: Hunting Serial Killers Operating Under the Cloak of America's Opioid Epidemic by Billy Jensen

Source: Audible | Format: Audiobook

Thoughts: I have no idea how I got this book, but I saw it on my Audible account while looking for something new (maybe it was an Audible deal at some point and I grabbed it and forgot?) and decided to give it a go. It was really fascinating, and although I think the author strays around to different topics sometimes, it had really great insights into murders associated with the opioid epidemic and a whole host of issues associated with those topics. 

The Millicent Quibb School of Etiquette for Young Ladies of Mad Science by Kate McKinnon

Source: Publisher | Format: Physical ARC

Thoughts: This was really cute! I definitely see it for a slightly younger crowd than I anticipated, and I think younger me would have absolutely loved it. It's so creative and unpredictable and never gives you a moment to rest. 

DNF/To-Be-Finished:

None!

 

Mystery Lights by Lena Valencia
The Phoenix Keeper by S.A. MacLean
Long Live Evil by Sarah Rees Brennan
The Crimson Crown by Heather Walter
The Mercy of Gods by James S.A. Corey
Pay the Piper by George A. Romero, Daniel Kraus
Misinterpretation by Ledia Xhoga

 Posts:

Month in Review: July 2024
Anticipated September 2024 Releases

Blog Memes:

Can't-Wait Wednesday:
8/7: The Naming Song by Jedediah Berry, The Empusium by Olga Tokarczuk, & We Kept Her in the Cellar by W.R. Gorman
8/14: William by Mason Coile, Haunt Sweet Home by Sarah Pinsker, & Evil in Me by Brom
8/21: The Gods Below by Andrea Stewart & Bitter is the Heart by Mina Hardy
8/28: Dearest by Jacquie Walters & Entitlement by Rumaan Alam

Review: Long Live Evil by Sarah Rees Brennan

 

Long Live Evil by Sarah Rees Brennan

Orbit

Publication Date: August 27th, 2024

Paperback. 464 pages.

About Long Live Evil:

"When her whole life collapsed, Rae still had books. Dying, she seizes a second chance at living: a magical bargain that lets her enter the world of her favourite fantasy series.

She wakes in a castle on the edge of a hellish chasm, in a kingdom on the brink of war. Home to dangerous monsters, scheming courtiers and her favourite fictional character: the Once and Forever Emperor. He’s impossibly alluring, as only fiction can be. And in this fantasy world, she discovers she's not the heroine, but the villainess in the Emperor's tale.

So be it. The wicked are better dressed, with better one-liners, even if they're doomed to bad ends. She assembles the wildly disparate villains of the story under her evil leadership, plotting to change their fate. But as the body count rises and the Emperor's fury increases, it seems Rae and her allies may not survive to see the final page.

This adult epic fantasy debut from Sarah Rees Brennan puts the reader in the villain's shoes, for an adventure that is both 'brilliant' (Holly Black) and 'supremely satisfying' (Leigh Bardugo). Expect a rogue's gallery of villains including an axe wielding maid, a shining knight with dark moods, a homicidal bodyguard, and a playboy spymaster with a golden heart and a filthy reputation."

Long Live Evil is a clever and entertaining twist on the epic fantasy with a portal fantasy style and where the protagonist takes on the role of the villain. Sarah Rees Brennan embraces and provides a self-aware take on stereotypical fantasy tropes, offering a fresh perspective highly entertaining story. 

Rae is dying in her hospital when she's met with a choice: continue on her current path or have a chance at life by entering the world of her favorite fantasy book and completing a specific quest. As one might expect, her grim reality was pushed aside and a trip to the fantasy world was in order. Once Rae is plopped into her new fantasy world, Rae discovers she's actually the villain of the story and must embrace her new role in order to outwit her opponents, forge alliances, and be clever enough-and more importantly, evil enough-to complete her quest.

Rae's is easily the highlight of this book as she embarks on this new journey, and I loved following along with her development. She is cynical and general resigned to her fate, but her sharp wit, dry humor, and sarcasm leave her with threads of defiance that prompt her to continue trying at every turn. Rae is someone with a bit of a hard outer shell who tends to keep things close to her chest, as well as someone who possesses plenty of anger at everything that's happened, and her journey throughout the book really allows her to explore her own emotions and undergo some great growth and development along the way. I felt that Rae's journey added some much-needed depth to the narrative and made this a much more compelling story.

There are a lot of other equally engaging characters in this book that made it that made it an even more enjoyable experience. I was particular taken by Key, Rae's (or rather, Lady Rahela, her villain counterpart) bodyguard of sorts, and was fully entertained by his somewhat psychopathic-leaning tendencies. Scenes with Key always made me laugh, even though he is technically not a great person. In addition to Key are a variety of different characters (including one known as Cobra who is a true delight to meet), from evil to 'good' to everything in between, and I had an incredible time meeting all of them. 

The self-awareness of Long Live Evil allows for clever engagement with traditional fantasy tropes, as Rae directly addresses them and often critiques them with sarcasm and often a good deal of exasperation. This 'meta-commentary' can feel overdone or overutilized at times, but overall it made for a really entertaining time and really lets us as readers feel like we're in on the joke. 

This book is well written, but I struggle with whether I think this is really a "good" book. I found the pacing was really hit and miss, often times going really quickly and other times it felt like we were just dragging along with a lot of extraneous content added in. Things are honestly a bit messy at times, but somehow it fit with the story so I'm not entirely sure how I feel about it. I think the only way this book really works is because of the meta/self-aware aspect that makes it somewhat campy and therefore makes the sometimes weird or awkward dialogue and predictable story beats work. Without this, this book simply wouldn't work, and I think that's sort of what makes this such an entertaining and successful book, because Brennan hits those notes excellently. 

Overall, I've given Long Live Evil 3.75 stars! This is an excellent choice for readers who enjoy a campy, self-aware story with a focus on deconstructing fantasy tropes and plenty of laughs along the way. This is also a perfect book for anyone who loves villains and would love to follow someone along as they embrace their role as villain and have a lot of fun doing it. 

*I received a copy of Long Live Evil in exchange for an honest review. This has no effect on my rating.*

Buy the book: Amazon | Bookshop.org

Can't-Wait Wednesday: Sacrificial Animals by Kailee Pedersen, The Enchanted Lies of Céleste Artois by Ryan Graudin, & Long Live Evil by Sarah Rees Brennan

        

Can't-Wait is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings that spotlights exciting upcoming releases that we can't wait to be released! This meme is based off of Jill @ Breaking the Spine's Waiting on Wednesday meme.

Sacrificial Animals by Kailee Pedersen
Publication: August 20th, 2024
St. Martin's Press
Hardcover. 320 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"Inspired by Kailee Pedersen's own journey being adopted from Nanning, China in 1996 and growing up on a farm in Nebraska, this rich and atmospheric supernatural horror debut explores an ancient Chinese mythology.

The last thing Nick Morrow expected to receive was an invitation from his father to return home. When he left rural Nebraska behind, he believed he was leaving everything there, including his abusive father, Carlyle, and the farm that loomed so large in memory, forever.

But neither Nick nor his brother Joshua, disowned for marrying Emilia, a woman of Asian descent, can ignore such summons from their father, who hopes for a deathbed reconciliation. Predictably, Joshua and Carlyle quickly warm to each other while Nick and Emilia are left to their own devices. Nick puts the time to good use and his flirtation with Emilia quickly blooms into romance. Though not long after the affair turns intimate, Nick begins to suspect that Emilia’s interest in him may have sinister, and possibly even ancient, motivations."

I don’t really know what to expect from this one because I feel like there’s a lot going on in the synopsis, but I’m excited to check it out.

The Enchanted Lies of Céleste Artois by Ryan Graudin
Publication: August 27th, 2024
Redhook
Hardcover. 544 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"In this lush and lyrical fantasy, Ryan Graudin transports readers to the hidden magical pockets of early 1900s Paris, a place of enchanted salons, fortune tellers who can change your stars, and doorways that can take you to the most unexpected places—and introduces readers to the delightful Céleste Artois, a con artist who will make a deal with the devil in exchange for her life...and change the fate of the world.

Once, Céleste Artois had dreams of being an artist. But when the creative elite of Paris dashed those plans, she turned her talents to forgery and cons. She and the Enchantresses—her two fellow thieves and best friends—see Paris as a rich hunting ground for marks. Yet even though their hideout in Peré Lachaise cemetery is bursting with francs, Céleste cannot rest. There is always more to take. And the blood she has begun to cough into her handkerchief means her time is running out.

But everything changes when she encounters Rafe, a mysterious and beautiful stranger who leads her to an enchanted salon—a place where artists can bring wondrous imaginations to life. Céleste is captivated by this establishment, and learns of the existence of magical Paris, hidden in the pockets and alleys of the ordinary world, if one only knows where to look.

Rafe offers Céleste an irresistible deal: the gift of time in exchange for lending him and his benefactor her forging talents. But one must be careful making deals with devils, and there's more to this hidden world than meets the eye. Shadows have begun to circle Paris. And soon, the Enchantresses will find that true magic is far more powerful, and deadly, than they ever imagined."

I’ve not ready any of Graudin’s books yet, but I always hear great things so I’m looking forward to checking this one out!

Long Live Evil by Sarah Rees Brennan
Publication: August 27th, 2024
Orbit
Paperback. 464 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"When her whole life collapsed, Rae still had books. Dying, she seizes a second chance at living: a magical bargain that lets her enter the world of her favourite fantasy series.

She wakes in a castle on the edge of a hellish chasm, in a kingdom on the brink of war. Home to dangerous monsters, scheming courtiers and her favourite fictional character: the Once and Forever Emperor. He’s impossibly alluring, as only fiction can be. And in this fantasy world, she discovers she's not the heroine, but the villainess in the Emperor's tale.

So be it. The wicked are better dressed, with better one-liners, even if they're doomed to bad ends. She assembles the wildly disparate villains of the story under her evil leadership, plotting to change their fate. But as the body count rises and the Emperor's fury increases, it seems Rae and her allies may not survive to see the final page.

This adult epic fantasy debut from Sarah Rees Brennan puts the reader in the villain's shoes, for an adventure that is both 'brilliant' (Holly Black) and 'supremely satisfying' (Leigh Bardugo). Expect a rogue's gallery of villains including an axe wielding maid, a shining knight with dark moods, a homicidal bodyguard, and a playboy spymaster with a golden heart and a filthy reputation."

I’ve already read an ARC of this and it was so much fun, I enjoyed it a lot more than I expected. Can’t wait for it to be released!

Anticipated August 2024 Releases

Summer is in full swing and these summer releases are not slowing in the slightest! August is bringing with it a huge slew of new books to sink into while you soak up the sun (or preferably while you stay inside and avoid overheating yourself and hide from the sun's intense rays, but whatever you prefer!). I've read a few of these already and can confirm it's going to be a great month of books from what I can see so far, and I just have to note that The Phoenix Keeper was absolutely wonderful and would make for an awesome vacation read. Be sure to take a look at everything come out so you can prepare yourself, and be sure to let me know which August releases you're most excited about–and also let me know if any of your most anticipated releases are ones I forgot to put on this list! Happy reading!

A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher || August 6th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Phoenix Keeper by S.A. MacLean || August 13th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Crimson Crown by Heather Walter || August 27th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The House Where Death Lives edited by Alex Brown || August 6th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Mercy of Gods by James S. A. Corey || August 6th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Mystery Lights by Lena Valencia || August 6th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Seventh Veil of Salome by Silvia Moreno-Garcia || August 6th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Sacrificial Animals by Kailee Pedersen || August 20th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Empire Wars by Akana Phenix || August 6th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Hum by Helen Phillips || August 6th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Mistress of Lies by K.M. Enright || August 13th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Long Live Evil by Sarah Rees Brennan || August 27th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Heir of Venus by Laura Shepperson || August 6th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Palace of Eros by Caro de Robertis || August 13th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Oath of Fire by K. Arsenault Rivera || August 13th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

There are Rivers in the Sky by Elif Shafak || August 20th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Glass Houses by Madeline Ashby || August 13th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Red River Road by Anna Downes || August 27th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Dark We Know by Wen-Yi Lee || August 13th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

House of Thorns by Isabel Strychacz || August 20th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Death at Morning House by Maureen Johnson || August 6th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Chamber by Will Dean || August 6th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

You Will Never Be Me by Jesse Q. Sutanto || August 20th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Volcano Daughters by Gina Maria Balibrera || August 20th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Hera by Jennifer Saint || August 13th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

The Enchanted Lies of Celeste Artois by Ryan Graudin || August 27th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

Swallow the Ghost by Eugenie Montague || August 20th -- Amazon | Bookshop.org

What are your anticipated August releases?