Goodbye, August!

August was...a rollercoaster. And I'm telling myself it's all for the best. 

2026 Resolutions:

     (1) Don't stop reading
            (b) Complete Monthly Reading Challenge(s)
     (2) Make memories
     (3) Share love of books/reading
     (4) Be kinder to myself

(1) Book's Read This Month: 48 (a lot of novellas) (though, I might squeeze one more in before midnight).

    (b) Monthly Reading Challenge(s): Shape = Leo. Got some A-Z stuff recorded. Some ARCs. Got a lot of Beat The Backlog done.

(2) August Memories: Dinner with my best friend, then dinner with both of my best friends. Sooo much work (10-14 hours worth of work in 7-8 hours--for two+ weeks). Visited my sister, dog-sat for my sister, and helped my sister prep for a cross-country move (yes, another one). Then my job and I...broke up; it was sudden and it sucked and it wasn't my choice and I was angry and soo upset. So here's to trying to find some new passion.

(3) Posts this month (including this one): 45.

(4) My depression this month really got a go. I was a little low at the beginning of the month, but the end of the month was really bad. I struggled with sadness and fatigue and body aches. It lasted (the really bad parts) for at least a week; it's gotten a little better. But the existential crisis is back. As is the pure hatred of capitalist societies, especially the state of our society. I wasn't eating, then I wasn't eating well. The future is unknown and that's terrifying, but I'm trying to take it a day at a time. I keep telling myself that all of the change recently is a blessing in disguise. 

Anyone still holding onto their resolutions?

Any exciting September reads? Any existing 2026 reads?
Anything I should check out?

#newyearsresolutions #goodbyeaugust #helloseptember #hello2026 #dontstopreading #makememories #shareloveofbooks #shareloveofreading #bekindertomyself #books #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Glow (Legends)

Here's Morgan Brice's "Glow." It's a novel in the multi-author series, Legends ("where National Parks hold secrets—and monsters steal hearts").

["Let your light shine.

When Dan, the Dover Demon, is pursued by bounty hunters, he seeks sanctuary in Fox Hollow in the Adirondack Forest. An attractive park ranger becomes his protector, and sparks fly between them. But the bounty hunter hasn't given up, and an even more dangerous threat has emerged from the deepest caverns, one that will take all the magic and courage they can muster."]

I reeeaaally liked that Dan's daemon other half (Wally) was his own person. He had thoughts and feelings separate to Dan's. It was cute and unique. 

As were these two. Instant connection, barely any relationship angst, complimenting paranormal "powers." They were both protective of each other without being over the top or over baring. They communicated with each other constantly and honestly. If it weren't for the bounty hunters (or the "dragon"), they would have had suuuch an each story. Then again, easy doesn't have stakes, and no stakes equals no plot.

Fox Hollow in general was really interesting! I would not say no to reading more of the universe. All of the different shifts, the found family, the safe-haven. 

Trigger Warnings: stalking/hunting, violence, virtual/one-line bullying, and more. 

#glow #morganbrice #bootilious #blade #starlight #maneater #beast #legends #legendsseries #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks 

Maneater (Legends)

Here's MM Wilde's "Maneater." It's a novel in the multi-author series, Legends ("where National Parks hold secrets—and monsters steal hearts").

["Darien
As much fun as it is making two dollars above minimum wage, I’ve always dreamed of a career as an herbalist. Now that I’ve broken up with my girlfriend, it seems like the perfect time to trade the go-go-go culture of LA for the peace of the great outdoors. But once I arrive in the Ozarks, communing with nature takes on a whole new meaning.

Rex
It’s spring once again, and the Monster Network chat is alive with preparations for our yearly summer solstice bash. Sure, it’s great seeing all my buddies—except they’ll have someone by their side and I’ll be traveling solo. Romance is overrated, right? At least I have all my adorable forest friends to keep me company.
I’ve never considered getting involved with a human, because seriously, how many of them have ‘ISO a giant hairy bear with horns’ on their dating profile? However, when Darien’s life is threatened, I have no choice but to reveal my true form and out myself as an Ozark Howler.
Is it possible that a human is my forever guy after all?"]

This book was entirely too sweet. There were a few minor angsty parts (if you can call that angst), but it was basically love at first sight...with a few bumps in the trail. They both wanted the same things in life: nature, quite, protection for flora and fauna. They were both a little (or not so little) lonely and dreamed of something more. Fate (and a mountain lion) stepped in and gave them everything HEA and more.

#maneater #mmwilde #bootilious #blade #starlight #glow #beast #legends #legendsseries #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks 

Starlight (Legends)

Here's TJ Nichols's "Starlight." It's a novel in the multi-author series, Legends ("where National Parks hold secrets—and monsters steal hearts").

["A little stalking never hurt anyone…

Or at least that’s what Akai told himself every time he checked on the human building the cabin deep in the woods. Before that, the man had camped there alone. Akai wants to believe that he’s only making sure the human doesn’t injure himself and die alone the same way his sister did. But it’s more than that, even though he doesn’t know what to do about it. Monsters aren’t supposed to reveal themselves to humans, and he’d already done that once before and narrowly avoided trouble.

For months, Cole Denny has felt like he’s being watched. Sometimes, he’ll find things near his cabin that shouldn’t be there. Yet he’s never seen evidence of another person.

Until one night, under a meteor shower, he sees something in the shadows. At first, it looks like a man. Then a wolf. Then something else entirely. Cole is always armed at the cabin, but he doesn’t want to hurt it, so he fires two warning shots into the air.

Wolves should not grow wings.

Now the creature lies at his feet—bleeding and broken--and Cole is dragged back to the worst night of his life when he lay dying on the road with the same red eyes staring down at him."]

Whelp, talk about a meet-ugly. Times two. Some (Cole) would call that bad luck. Some (Akai's sister--therefore, eventually, him) would think their fates are intertwined. 

The tropes list Akai as an "overly dramatic mothman." Which...fits. But it meshed well with Cole's search for something new, something exciting. Akai helped Cole escape. Cole helped ground Akai. They helped each other escape that growing chasm of lonliness. 

Trigger Warnings: on-page car accident, on-page allusions to death/murder of not-so-loved family members, past death/murder of a loved one, gun injury, and more.

#starlight #tjnichols #bootilious #blade #maneater #glow #beast #legends #legendsseries #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks 

Blade (Legends)

Here's Shaw Montgomery's "Blade." It's a novel in the multi-author series, Legends ("where National Parks hold secrets—and monsters steal hearts").

["Hunting The Beast of Bladenboro was supposed to be foolproof. It wasn’t a sentient creature I could have coffee with or chat with online. It wasn’t running an online jewelry store or complaining about how humans ruin the national parks. It wasn’t even on the list for the Solstice Festival.

It should’ve been a real monster I could save people from.

It wasn’t.

Somehow I had the worst luck of any monster hunter ever…and getting trapped in my own net was just the start. Things might be improving, though, as long as I can count finding my murder kitty, saving my mate from being trapped forever, and falling in love…yeah…things might be improving. Fingers crossed."]

Ha, I thought Henley would be a little more…less sunshine-y and kind and utterly too adorable for his own good. From the blurb, I somehow got a totally different vibe for who Henley is. So I hesitated reading this one; though in reality, I spent much of this book fan-girl giggling and feet-kicking. Who goes from fearing your own life to adopting a cryptid in less than five minutes? Henley. Then again, Blade was gone for his mate even after (see second chapter). 

After...the initial mystery was solved, the plot pacing dropped a little, which makes sense. But their bond and planning their future kept it steady enough. These two were adorable as fuuuck. 

Trigger Warnings: magic spells gone wrong, toxic family members, bad humans, bad witches, and more.

#blade #shawmontgomery #bootilious #starlight #maneater #glow #beast #legends #legendsseries #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks 

The To-Do List (Liberty Heights U #2)

Here's "The To-Do List" by Chase Moorcox. Its the second books in her Liberty Heights U series.

["Felix Messer’s life has always revolved around his childhood best friend, Jacob. So when Jacob announces he won’t move in with Felix because he isn’t ‘housetrained,’ the solution is obvious: Felix will learn how to be the perfect roommate before they move out of their college dorms.
What’s a little cooking and cleaning if he gets to live with the guy he’s been in love with since they were kids?
But he’s not the only one trying to change. Jacob has a List. A List that offers Felix everything he’s ever wanted… almost.

-

Jacob Branson is the same uptight, inexperienced guy he’s been since high school. But he has a List to change that: a List that involves his best friend Felix taking his virginity. Among other things.
The List is meant to make a whole new Jacob. But sleeping with Felix doesn’t make anything new. It only reveals something that Jacob has been repressing for a long time…"]

Oof, I was right. The hurt/comfort in this was real. It was the kind of hurt/comfort where the one mc doesn't know they're hurting the other mc. Jacob didn't know the things he said (and didn't say) were slowly breaking Felix and that hurts more than your standard hurt/comfort. One: obliviousness is only cute sometimes. Two: you don't realize you're hurting your best friend. Three: it's hard to comfort someone if you don't know you're hurting them. The annngggssst!

These two made me cry. My chest was tight during so much of this novel (see above described angst). But I was also smiling like an idiot..so often. They were adorable together: the care, the concern, the barely hidden possession, the fluff, the history, the s.p.i.c.e. Their relationship was easy (minus the angst--and the lack of communication), their friendship (almost) bleeding seamlessly into more. 

I wonder if we're ever getting a Jack (or David) story eventually?

Trigger Warnings: over controlling parents, and more.

#thedoover #thetodolist #chasemoorcox #libertyheightsu #libertyheightsuseries #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

The Do-Over (Liberty Heights U #1)

Here's "The Do-Over" by Chase Moorcox. Its the first books in her Liberty Heights U series.

["For snarky loner Shane Tuner, the best part of going to college is getting as far away from his small-minded hometown as possible. So when his creative writing TA assigns him to tutor Nate, the infuriatingly handsome jock who used to pick on him in high school, Shane lets everybody know just how much he isn’t going to do that.

Reformed jock Nate Whitterman vows to win him over, no matter how many scowls Shane aims at him. He wants to make up for high school, and besides, he’s weirdly excited to spend more time with the mysterious, alluring boy he used to stare at for reasons he still doesn’t understand.

Everything becomes clear when he discovers a note Shane didn’t mean to leave behind. A note that reveals that Shane does miss some things about high school… like Nate holding him down."]

I wasn't sure about this for the first few chapters. The characters (particularly our Shane) felt a little too juvenile. But the novel really started to flourish and mature as I kept reading. The hurt/comfort went from a little cringe to so achingly sweet and angsty. The mutual pining?! The spice?! It was alll so perfect. 

The miscommunication trope, as always, was frustrating. But it...kinda worked for them. It kept the tension up (and the hurt/comfort). The sweetness also sustained the plot nicely.

So HERE for Felix's HEA...even if it's also probably a lot of angst and mutual pining.

Trigger Warnings: past bullying, depictions of migraines, and more. 

#thedoover #thetodolist #chasemoorcox #libertyheightsu #libertyheightsuseries #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks