I genuinely can’t believe it’s September, and at the same time, I eagerly awaited being able to say that all month. We’re finally within sight of welcoming baby girl into the world. I feel like my entire life, including every spare bit of brainpower I have, has been dedicated to preparing, excitement, and anxiety as we gear up toward this major life change. Welcoming your first baby is a truly earth-shattering event. We’re conscious of how much is about to change, and at the same time, we’re constantly looking at each other like “I can’t believe this is about to happen.”

Because of this, my reading life has been somewhat… lacklustre. I technically have the time to read, but the capacity? Not so much. As soon as I sit down with a book, I typically find myself immediately thinking about how I could be a mother anytime in the next two weeks or two hours, and it’s enough to incite a wave of panic cleaning and organizing that I simply can’t stop.

That said, I did manage to take in a few books in August, and I’ve still been actively taking note of books I want to read in the future as well, particularly as I know that once the newborn phase lightens up a little, I’m likely to find myself with more flex time than I’ve ever had in my life. I’ve been working without significant pause since I was 15 years old, so the concept of an entire maternity leave where I won’t have that aspect of life on the go is a little staggering to me. 

Some big changes are coming for us, and I have no idea what September will look like given that baby girl could be here at any moment, so for now I’ll just continue focusing on what I can and plowing through my massive TBR like usual.

Books Read in August 2024

I didn’t read a huge amount in August, but what I did read, I really enjoyed. Here’s the summary:

1. Cribsheet by Emily Oster: a non-fiction, data-driven guide to parenting that I loved. This is my second Oster book, and there’s something deeply satisfying to me about the way she approaches everything through an economist’s lens. I don’t typically review non-fiction books, but this was an easy 5 stars for me in this genre.
2. A River Enchanted by Rebecca Ross: this book was GORGEOUS. I’ve come to love Ross’ writing so much and was so glad to see that even outside of the Letters of Enchantment duology this held true. This story was beautiful and I’ve already started the sequel, an easy 5 stars for me with a full review to come.
3. Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands by Heather Fawcett: another 5-star book, and the perfect sequel to the original cozy fantasy. I loved where Fawcett took the characters in this book and thoroughly enjoyed seeing her flush out more of the world and the magic of the setting. This is such a comfort series, I love it.
4. Bewitched by Laura Thalassa: this was a ridiculously fun book that didn’t take itself too seriously. I felt like it was a little reminiscent of Zodiac Academy but a touch less spicy and less outrageous. It was like a fantasy beach read that made me smile every time I picked it up. I rated this one 3.5 stars of pure enjoyment with a full review to come.
5. The Love of My Afterlife by Kirsty Greenwood: this might be a new contender for favourite romcom ever. This book was so delightfully surprising, the main character was awkward and hilarious and the premise was ridiculous and full of surprises. I laughed and cried at different times and legitimately couldn’t put it down. This book was a 5-star read for me with a full review to come.
6. Percy Jackson and the Battle of the Labrinth by Rick Riordan: this might be my favourite Percy Jackson yet! I felt like we were finally beginning to see the characters grow up and lean into more mature themes and subjects, and I loved the new characters and twists on Greek mythology weaved through this one. This continues to be a 5-star middle-grade series for me.

TBR Lists

Perhaps even more than usual, I’ve been keeping track of books I see casually as much as I can so that I can come back to them later. I don’t feel like I have a ton of brain capacity for reading at this exact moment, but I know this is inevitably going to change and that I’ll be glad for this never-ending list when it does. For August, these are the books I added to my TBR:

• The Tournament of Heirs by Amilea Perez: billed as an Aztec mythology that combines enemies to lovers, Hunger Games and Game of Thrones, and deadly trials and tournaments, it has so many things that I love. I couldn’t resist adding this one to the list.
• Boys With Sharp Teeth by Jenni Howell: a YA dark academia book that sounds wonderfully full of tension.
• Amid Clouds and Bones by Ella Fields: a fast-paced standalone fantasy with enemies to lovers, arranged marriage, and a set of morally grey/villainous characters. Plus, some outstanding recommendations from bookstagrammers. 
• Quicksilver by Callie Hart: a romantasy recommended because of the many twists and turns, a shocking ending, and an addictive quality. I feel like I need a good binge, so hoping this could do the trick.
• The Incandescent by Emily Tesh: billed as “the grown-up answer to the magical boarding school tale” told from the perspective of a very tired teacher trying to keep the kids alive. This one sounds SO intriguing. 
• Fear the Flames by Olivia Rose Darling: while the actual description of this book didn’t pull me in, I saw a recommendation that highlighted the book as being allies to lovers, with magic, danger, and dragons. That was enough for me to add to my list.
• A Story Spun in Scarlet by R. Dugan: a story about storytellers without a purpose, adventuring to find meaning. I saw this one is hitting KU shorty and the premise sounds unique.

A New Era

Usually, I talk about what I’m loving right now at the end of my monthly updates. I’m still practicing that gratitude in my every day, but my mind is mostly preoccupied with the very near future right now and the cataclysmic shifts that it will bring. I did some reflecting on my Instagram about what this might mean for my reading future, and the truth of the matter is that at this point, I really don’t know. 

Reading is still one of the things that brings me the greatest joy. I love getting lost in fictional worlds, I love the calming effects that reading has on me, and I love the community I’ve discovered through sharing this passion of mine with others. But I’m also conscious I’m headed into an entirely new era of being for myself, one that is notoriously plagued with exhaustion and overwhelm as you adapt and learn what it means to go from a “me” to a “we”. 

For right now, I’m just taking it one day at a time. On the days I feel I can read, it’s great. And the days I don’t? I’m just not sweating it. There’s only so much that I can do with my focus so split and that’s okay for this season.

I’m fortunate to live in a country that’s extremely supportive of new parents. My husband will be taking 5 weeks off when baby girl gets here alongside me, and then I’ve got another 8 months beyond that before I start easing back into work again. It seems likely that in the early days, books may be the last thing on my mind, but I’m looking forward to finding my footing again once everything is less new and more settled. I particularly can’t wait to lean on my audiobooks as we make our way through the sleepless newborn stages. 

I’m hoping to get a few more reviews posted before baby girl arrives but this may be my last monthly update for a bit—who knows! All that I can say for sure is that I am endlessly excited for this new era to begin, and I can’t wait to see the new ways our lives take shape around it.