Top Ten Tuesday: Series I Want to Catch Up On

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish back in June 2010. It is currently hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl and, as is stated on the blog, it was “born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.”

Hello, reader!

Today’s Top Ten Tuesday post is really calling me out 😂 Not only on the fact that I’m in the middle of several series, but the fact that I’ve been failing dismally on my Series Takedown reading project. Since I already have ten books on that list, I decided to pick ten different series for this post. Because I’m in the middle of enough for me to be able to pick ten more 😅

Let’s dive in!

My Past August Reads

Ninth House Trilogy by Leigh Bardugo
The Sunbearer Duology by Aiden Thomas
Dungeon Crawler Carl series by Matt Dinniman
Green Creek series by T.J. Klune
Sworn Soldier series by T. Kingfisher

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wrap up

July 2026 Wrap Up

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Hello, reader!

We’ve gotten to mid-August, so I figured it was about time I did my July Wrap Up! July has to be one of my best reading months when it comes to star ratings because I was reading banger after banger. I also read the most books out of any month so far! It was a good, freakin’ time.

Now, let’s get into the wrap up!

July Reading Stats

In July 2026, I read 12 books for 4,152 pages and I had one DNF. That two months in a row with a DNF! It really gets easier and easier the more you do it 😂 The book deserved it, though, because it had the nerve to be boring and have a plot twist that pissed me off! One or the other, I’m not dealing with both.

Once again fantasy has come out on top! Are we at all surprised? It’s my favorite genre after all. I did read a lot more romance than usual, though. I did say I was in a romance mood and I leaned into it. Maybe that’s why I read so many books in July… I actually followed my mood for what I wanted to read! Still, I have a pretty good spread of genres from last month which makes me happy.

Ohhhh, we have an upset in the format section! Physical books were 50% of my reads in July. And audiobooks are at the lowest since the start of the year. I even read two e-books… that’s unheard of for me! This is the most I’ve diversified my reading, I think, but I’m kind of happy I read so many physical books. I’ve been neglecting them a bit because I’ve been so into audiobooks lately. Perhaps we can keep this going for the rest of the year.

My average star rating in July was a whooping 4.21! I told y’all I had the best reading month of the year (so far) in July! I read so many books that I thoroughly enjoyed and even came out of the month with another five star. I did unfortunately DNF Swept Away by Beth O’Leary because I could not get past the third act drama of it. Not to mention I was bored which is a feat when they are quite literally fighting for their lives out on the ocean. Still, at least it was balanced out by all the amazing books I got to read!

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top ten tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday: Past August Reads

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Hello, reader!

I was so excited when I read the topic for this week’s Top Ten Tuesday. Why? Because it’s just so fun! This week, we’re taking a trip back in time and I’ll be sharing the ten books I was reading on August 11th for the past ten years! Or, at least, as close to August 11th as I can get, haha. Thank goodness I’ve been on Goodreads since 2011 because my memory is not that good 😅

It was fun looking at my past reads and now it’s time to share them with you!

My Past August Reads

2016: A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess (⭐⭐⭐)
2017: All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr (⭐⭐⭐⭐)
2018: The Road to Jonestown by Jeff Guinn (⭐⭐⭐⭐)
2019: Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson (⭐⭐⭐⭐)
2020: Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn (⭐⭐⭐⭐)

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monthly tbr

August 2026 TBR

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Hello, reader!

We are in the dog days of summer or at least it feels that way here in New England! It has been hot and muggy and sunny. I’m a summer girl, so I’ve been loving it 😁 I think it’s good reading weather, as well, since it encourages you to stay inside with the A/C and curl up with a book, haha. But to the point of this post! It’s a new month and, with that, comes a new monthly TBR! I have no solid reading plans for August, so this is gonna be a bit of a random mix.

Now let me share my August TBR!

The Book Club Reads

Always Fully Booked (AFB) Book Club
- The Will of the Many by James Islington
- That’s right, y’all. I’m finally going to be starting this series! This book has been all over the place the past couple of years and I was getting a severe case of FOMO because I hadn’t read it yet. Thank goodness for book clubs because it gave me just the nudge I needed to bump this up the TBR. So far, I’m having a great time with this!
Literally Dead Book Club
- We Don’t Talk About Carol by Kristen L. Berry
- I know absolutely nothing about this book, lol. I didn’t know it existed until it was picked for this book club! I’m honestly waffling about whether or not I’m going to participating in this read. I have a couple of big books I want to get through in August and this one might ended up getting skipped because of that. We’ll see.
Weirdo Book Club
- A Lesson in Vengeance by Victoria Lee
- We have another instance of a book club pushing me to read a book that is already on my TBR! In this case, this poor book has become a shelf veteran because I have owned it for ages and haven’t picked it up once. I was, obviously, intrigued by the premise of the novel enough to pick it up, so I’m looking forward to finally giving it a chance.

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www wednesday

WWW Wednesday: August 5th, 2026

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It’s time for another WWW Wednesday! This is a bookish meme hosted by Taking on a World of Words where bloggers answer the 3 Ws:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

If you’d like to learn more about any of these books, click on the cover to be taken to the Goodreads page.

Current Reads

The Secret World of Briar Rose by Cindy Pham: Y’all, I’m stalling out on this one 😣 I don’t know if it’s just because I’m reading the e-book and that is my least favorite format or if this one is going to end up not being for me. I’ve but the audiobook on hold at my library to see if maybe it’s just a format thing. It’s bothersome because I’ll find myself really loving a section and then my enthusiasm swiftly peters out. I’m hoping the audiobook will help me sink into it.
The Will of the Many by James Islington: I’ve only read the first chapter so far and I’m already hooked! There are so many juicy secrets I can sense lingering right under the surface. I’m excited to dig into the story and see if I can figure them out. I’m enjoying the writing style, the setting, and the main character. He seems very intriguing. I’m certainly excited to read more!
The Sunbearer Trials by Aiden Thomas: This is my current audiobook read. I was looking at my 26 books in 26 list that I have been woefully neglecting because I couldn’t decide what my next audio read was going to be. This was the first one that was available in Libby and, so far, it is a hit! The world being built is so lush and vivid that I just want to luxuriate in the story. I’m loving the characters, too. I feel bad for neglecting this book for so long but I’m happy I’m finally giving it a chance.

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top ten tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday: Covers With A Summer Vibe

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Hello, reader!

Today’s Top Ten Tuesday topic is a cover freebie! So, since we’ve entered August, the last full month of summer, I figured I’d make my favorite season the theme! I’ve picked some books that I’ve enjoyed that have covers that give me a summery vibe! It doesn’t necessarily mean that anything contained within the book is summery, but the cover makes me think about hot weather, lazy days in the sun, and vacations.

Now let me share what I’ve picked!

Books With Summery Covers

Heartstopper Vol 3 by Alice Oseman
The Someday Garden by Ashley Poston
Wildblood by Lauren Blackwood
The Night We Met by Abby Jimenez
The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst

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www wednesday

WWW Wednesday: July 29th, 2026

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It’s time for another WWW Wednesday! This is a bookish meme hosted by Taking on a World of Words where bloggers answer the 3 Ws:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

If you’d like to learn more about any of these books, click on the cover to be taken to the Goodreads page.

Current Reads

The Butcher’s Masquerade by Matt Dinniman: Y’all, I think this is going to end up my favorite one of the series so far! I’m only a few chapters in and I’m obsessed! I love the jungle setting, I love the set up for the level, and I love that we’re getting to see more of some side characters I’ve been wanting to see. I was up way too late the other day because I didn’t want to stop reading! Always a good sign.
Dead But Dreaming of Electric Sheep by Paul Tremblay: This book is weird, y’all. And I’m still on the fence on whether or not it’s a “good” weird or a “bad” weird 😅 I will say that the audiobook is excellent, so far! I’m loving the production of it. It adds another element to the whole story that I’m thoroughly enjoying. Am I enjoying the plot or any of the characters? …Jury is still out on that one.
The Lion’s Tusk by Robert Jackson Bennett: This is an Amazon Original short story that just came out in their most recent collection, Magic & Mystery. It’s set in the world of his Shadow of the Leviathan series, so you know I had to read it! More time with Ana & Din? Even if it’s only 38 pages? Yes, please!

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www wednesday

WWW Wednesday: July 22nd, 2026

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It’s time for another WWW Wednesday! This is a bookish meme hosted by Taking on a World of Words where bloggers answer the 3 Ws:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

If you’d like to learn more about any of these books, click on the cover to be taken to the Goodreads page.

Current Reads

Leech by Hiron Ennes: I’ve gotten to about 80% into this audiobook and it has become a wild ride! I’m so intrigued by the mess that is happening in this creepy chateau. The reveals and drama is a lot but I’m loving every moment of it! It has currently gone down a road I wasn’t expecting and I’m eager to see where this new thread takes me.
In Stormy Weather by Chelsea Curto: This was my July Book of the Month Club pick! Since it’s set during the summer time, I figured now would be the perfect time to read it. I just started it today and, already, I think I’m going to like our female lead, Quincy. She seems like she’s fun with a good head on her shoulders. Now I just have to meet the love interest and see how I feel about him, haha.
The Butcher’s Masquerade by Matt Dinniman: My read-through of the Dungeon Crawler Carl series continues 😁 I feel like this book is going to give me a lot of lore about the Crawl and a lot more of my faves, Carl and Princess Donut. I have a feeling I’m going to like the set up of this level, too. I’ve only just started and I’m already having a great time!

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top ten tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday: Books Living Rent Free

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Hello, reader!

It’s time for another Top Ten Tuesday! We have a fun topic today, too, because I’ll be sharing ten books that live rent free in my head. You know those books that you think about all the time, even years after you’ve read them? That’s the kind of reads I’ll be featuring today! Some of them are newer favorites and others have been camping in my headspace for awhile. All of them are books that I can’t stop thinking about!

Now, let’s get to the list.

Books That Are Living In My Head Rent Free

The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern
The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin
The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett
Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng by Kylie Lee Baker
Network Effect by Martha Wells

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first lines friday

First Lines Friday: July 17th, 2026

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First Lines Fridays is a weekly feature for book lovers hosted by Wandering Words. What if instead of judging a book by its cover, its author or its prestige, we judged it by its opening lines? If you want to make your own post, feel free to use or edit the banner above, and follow the rules below:

Pick a book off your shelf (it could be your current read or on your TBR) and open to the first page
Copy the first few lines, but don’t give anything else about the book away just yet – you need to hook the reader first
Finally… reveal the book!

If you’re sharing on social media, don’t forget to use #FirstLinesFridays!

Hello, reader!

For this week’s First Lines Friday, I’m featuring a book that I’m currently reading. It’s a horror novel that messes with your head in the best of ways! I’m having such a good time trying to figure out what is going on and following our very intriguing main character.

Let’s see if the first line will intrigue you enough to give it a read.