If you don’t know what arc august is, head over HERE, to my initial post to find out more about this reading challenge. So, I wanted to make this post to measure how well I stuck to my TBR (because I’m a huge mood reader) and book goal for this month. So, here’s my initial TBR as a reminder, plus how I matched up. Also, included are mini-reviews of all the Arcs I finished this month.
ARC August TBR:
Here There Are Monsters
Let’s Call it a Doomsday
House of Salt and Sorrows
On the Corner or Love and Hate
To Haiti, Love Alaine
Secondary Library TBR:
The Cruel Prince, Arabesque, and Spin the Dawn
Books I Actually Read in August:
Here There Are Monsters by Amelinda Bérubé [2/5 stars]
Genre: YA Fiction/Mystery
Pages: 352
I really enjoyed this book up until about 60%; it was magical and spooky, but then it took a hard-left turn into Messed-Up Land. Also, the plot, reasoning, and characters start to dissolve into a completely twisted and grotesque nightmare after that point. I was horrified and disgusted and I can’t believe the twisted morals that are featured in this book. I’m sorry, maybe this book is someone’s cup of tea, but it’s definitely not mine.
Let’s Call It Doomsday by Katie Henry [4/5 stars]
Genre: YA Contemporary
Pages: 400
Unfortunately, Katie Henry’s sophomore novel did not enrapture me like Heretic’s Anonymous did. Basically, the whole plot is based on a question of “Is it real or not?” and with the entire book revolving around this uncertainty, it was hard for me to actually get invested. I do have lots of positives about this book though! There are amazing LGBTQIA+, mental health, and homelessness reps. Katie Henry has a special way of approaching volatile topics. Her explanations and elaborations strike right to the heart of the matter and makes it understandable, if not relatable. I can’t wait to see topic she tackles next.
House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig [4/5 stars]
Genre: YA Fantasy
Pages: 416
Another enjoyable read. The writing is beautiful and infuses magic into every line. The setting of the book is unique and fascinating. The mystery kept me on my toes and constantly questioning every character. And the world that is spun out between the pages is carefully crafted and curated. When I was reading I couldn’t but this book down. The problem was picking it back up after it being set down for more than a day. Due to the world being so decadently elaborate, it took an adjustment to sink back in.
Well Met by Jen DeLuca [5/5 stars]
Genre: Romance
Pages: 336
This was such a fun read and an instant favorite. Well Met features my favorite romance trope, hate-to-love, and it’s set in during a Renaissance Festival. What more could you ask for? The writing is playful, and the characters are relatable. My favorite parts were the sarcastic retorts and moony flirting between the MCs. You can tell I how much I loved this book by the fact that I didn’t take any notes. (It means I was enjoying myself too much to pull away.)
With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo [5/5 stars]
Genre: YA Contemporary
Pages: 400
I absolutely loved this book, not that it’s a surprise. I loved Elizabeth Acevedo’s other book, the Poet X, too. With the Fire on High is so fun and foody but at the same time has real depth and authenticity. The characters are faulted, yet still relatable and charming. This book brings a genuine warmth to your heart and a desperate hunger to your stomach.
Library Reads:
The Cruel Prince, Slayer and (as this post goes up) I’m in the middle of both Arabesque, and a Fangirl reread.
In the end, I really enjoyed this challenge. It was a fun way to knock off some of the ARCs weighing on my conscience. I’m happy I was able to finish as many books as I had set out to, even if its contents got a little shaken up. I do find it funny that even though two of the books on my TBR got swapped out, their replacements were still the same genres and around the same page count. Like, what are the chances? I hope this trend of mowing through ARCs sticks around, and I’m looking forward to officially participating next year!
xoxo, Bree
Words About Words 
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