August ended up being a really solid reading month! I had three 5-star reads land I loved how much variety there was in what I picked up. Romance is still my comfort genre, but this month I read across several different genres which kept things interesting and gave me some unexpected favorites along the way.

My three 5-star reads were The Lost by Sarah Beth Durst, The King by Nana Malone, and Grim Tidings by B.K. Borison. They were all very different books, but each one had characters and relationships that completely pulled me into the story. The Lost surprised me with how emotional and unpredictable it was. The King had the action, banter, and chemistry I was hoping for after reading The Heir. Grim Tidings may have become my favorite B.K. Borison book yet. I loved Darcy and Gabriel’s individual journeys just as much as their slow-burn romance.

One of my goals going into August was to continue balancing ARCs with mood reading while reminding myself that reading is a hobby, not a chore. I’m happy with the balance I found this month. I read plenty of ARCs, but I also made room for library books, books I already owned, and whatever caught my attention at the time. Having that flexibility made for a much more enjoyable reading month and gave me the opportunity to read such a wide variety of books.

Going into September, I want to continue balancing ARCs with mood reading and give myself plenty of freedom when deciding what to pick up next. I have upcoming releases I’m excited about. I also want to continue being intentional about what I pick up, put down books that aren’t working for me, and remind myself that reading is something I do because I enjoy it.