Book Chat: August 2020 TBR

Just how on Earth is it already August. Even with everything going on, this year seems to have flown by – but that’s probably a converesation for a different sort of post.

We know the drill by now, here are the books I plan on reading in August this year. I’ve only picked out a few titles this time around as I’m going to be busy this month and I have to be realistic with what I’m going to be able to get through. If you didn’t see my July TBR, you can check it out here. My wrap-up for July will be posted soon 🙂

Below you will find the list of books plus links to their Goodreads apges. I’ve stopped adding the blurbs directly as I’ve noticed that they can sometimes be a bit spoiler-y, and I don’t want to be blamed for that! So, there’s the list, a link to Goodreads pages for the books, and some brief thoughts. Please let me know if you have any thoughts on these!

1. Words of Radiance – Brandon Sanderson.

The next book in #Stormalong2020 – the Sanderson readalong which hopes to get participants up to date with The Stormlight Archives series before the release of the fourth book in November this year, Words of Radiance is already impressing me. As I write this, I am around 200 pages in and I am massively impressed. The book picks up exactly where the first book in the series left off, with all the tension, scheming, and relationship continuing with greater fluidity that any other series I can recall off the top of my head. I loved the first book, The Way of Kings. And I mean really loved it – I’ve already ordered my copy of Rhythm of War for November’s release and will be backing the current Kickstarter campaign for the fancy-pants edition of TWoK soon.

Although these books are chunky, they are very accessible reads and once I started I found myself wanting to tear through and finish them as soon as possible. But I’ve been good so far and have paced myself. I’m not sure this can continue, though! Anyway, I recommend this series to no end 🙂

2. Guild of Tokens – Jon Auerbach.

The author of this book is not only a good writer, but also a generous person. Having already sent me an eArc for an earlier novellette of Guild of Tokens (reviewed here), he kindly kept in touch and sent me an audiobook copy (to review or not!) for the full-length expanded novel. And I am thoroughly enjoying it. I will certainly be reviewing this – it basically follows a character as she stumbles across magic in the real world, fantasy-like quests, and… well let’s say that the history of this version of the Earth is not exactly he same as ours. Another huge bonus is that the audio narration is genuinely wonderful and adds a depth to the story that I don’t think I could personally replicate just reading it ony my Kindle. Check it out!

3. Chew: The Omnivore Edition, Volume 2 – John Layman & Rob Guillory.

I read the first bind-up (the first two TPBs) not too long ago and thoroughly enjoyed them. I haven’t started this yet (I’ve just finished a BPRD graphic novel and am having a bit of a breather) but honestly the art of the first Omnivore Edition was gorgeous and the story incredibly engaging – I have no doubt that this will be another 5/5 read for me. I also recommend that you check this out 🙂

4. ? -?

This is my free slot for the month. If I commit at this stage I can almost guarantee that the ontaly book I will most definitely not read this months will be this one. So, my options are as follows:

• Price and Prejudice – Jane Austen (I named this book last months and… didn’t read it).
• The Watchmaker of Filigree Street – Natasha Pulley (Which I have previously read and reviewed but feel like I want to refamiliarise myself with this, Pulley’s subsequent novel, The Bedlam Stacks, before reading The Lost Future of Pepperharrow which has been on my shelf for months now).
• The Twelves Caesars – Suetonius. I somehow didn’t read this as part of my Classics degree (actually, it isn’t all too surprising given that most of my time was spent learning about ancient religions but hey ho), but I have two copies sat on myself and there’s a readalong planned on the YouTube channel Rambling Raconteur and that could just be the push I need to get to it.
• Pretty much anything else, to be honest! I’ve neglected my study books for quitea while now (replacing them with documentaries) but I still plan on getting through a few more of these (focusing on the Very Short Introduction series from OUP) by the end of the year.

Anyway, that’s enough from me! Please do let me know if you have any thoughts about these, and keep your eye out for my July Wrap-Up coming soon 🙂

As usual, you can catch me on Twitter @ApertureReads