August First Book Picks

 Coming up on my TBR for August! 

I went through my Goodreads TBR shelf and narrowed it down to a handful of physical books to read this year, (I read on my Kindle a lot, but I still love a good physical copy) and these are just a few that will be on my August list to read. 

 First up, we have You Belong Here: A Novel Hardcover – July 29, 2025 by Megan Miranda. I’m a little ashamed to admit it, but until last month, I had never read one of her books. I picked up Daughter of Mine and really enjoyed it, so I decided this would be my BOTM pick (from July… that I’m starting in August), and I’m excited for it!

Since the resale value is so low for BOTM books, I donate all of them when I’m done to my Free Little Library (you can check it out on Instagram here). I also love the idea of sharing annotated books, so I’ll be annotating this one before I add it.

Annotating definitely slows down the reading process for me, like, a lot, but it also keeps me from getting too in my own head and rushing through a book. It’s honestly really good for me to annotate one every now and then. Kind of keeps me grounded, I think. lol

Anyway… that’s book number one! I’m excited to add it to the library later this month :)

July Book Reviews

 And that’s a wrap! I hope everyone had an amazing month filled with some fantastic five-star reads.

Personally, I had a really successful reading month—mostly because I had two whole weeks off from work (my first time ever, yay!). It was the perfect opportunity to make a serious dent in my never-ending TBR stack.

So, without further delay, here are the most memorable books I read this month!

1st Place: As Many Souls As Stars by Natasha Siegel  
Coming in first is this beautiful ARC I received of As Many Souls As Stars—just look at that cover! 😍 Though it wasn’t quite a five-star read for me, it’s definitely my top pick for upcoming releases. This book is a sapphic, gothic, witchy journey full of angst, a love story fueled by loathing, and timelines that span generations. I am so excited for the November 2025 release, and you should definitely be adding this one to your radar.

As Many Souls as Stars: A Historical Fantasy Romance of Gothic Magic, Reincarnation, and a Battle for Dominance Across Centuries

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2nd: Silver Elite by Dani Francis

Next up is Silver Elite. This book stirred a lot of controversy, and trust me, I get why. The reviews were highly passionate and mixed, but despite that, I absolutely loved it. It’s a dystopian with the perfect slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers arc that was steamy in all the right ways. But it wasn’t just about the spice; it had fantastic world-building, an intriguing plot, and writing that kept me hooked. I seriously couldn’t wait for book two, and if it had been available halfway through book one, I would’ve snapped it up. If you’re into dark, steamy dystopia's, this one’s for you.

Silver Elite

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3rd: Edge of Collapse series by Kyla Stone
I know I already mentioned The Edge of Collapse series earlier this month, but if you haven’t picked them up yet… what are you waiting for? These books are so good. There are seven books in the series, and every single one had me hooked from start to finish. It’s a heart-pounding apocalyptic thriller with themes of found family and just the right amount of romance to keep things grounded. Oh, and it’s action-packed in every single page.

Edge of Collapse: A Post-Apocalyptic EMP Survival Thriller

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Worst Book of July: The House on Buzzards Bay by Dwyer Murphy
I also had a few three- and two-star books this month, but my one-star book was The House on Buzzards Bay. I received an ARC from the publisher, and honestly, I really struggled with this one. I almost DNFed it (and in hindsight, maybe I should’ve). This Nantucket-vibes thriller was supposed to be suspenseful, eerie, and full of haunting twists—but it completely fell flat. There was no suspense, no real plot, and the characters just didn’t hit the mark. It felt like a book with a lot of nothing happening, and it didn’t deliver on the promised haunted house vibes. I know I’m in the minority with this opinion, but it just wasn’t for me.

The House on Buzzards Bay: A Novel

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Noteworthy Mentions
A Teller of Small Fortunes by Julie Leong
This is a super cute, cozy fantasy that has the most adorable found family, and just enough adventure to keep things interesting. It’s definitely more on the YA side, but it’s the kind of book that leaves you with a smile on your face. If you’re in the mood for something light and heartwarming, check it out.

The Teller of Small Fortunes

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While The Dark Remains by Joanna Ruth Meyer
Last but not least, The Dark Remains. This one had amazing world-building, characters I immediately loved, and a twist that totally blew my mind. I’ll definitely be picking up the next book in the series. Highly recommend it if you’re into immersive fantasy with some unexpected turns.

While the Dark Remains (The Winter Dark)

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And that’s a wrap on my top reads of the month! I’d love to hear your thoughts if you’ve read any of these, or if you’ve got some new recommendations for me to add to my TBR! Drop them in the comments below! 😊

Full Review for The Battle of the Bookshops by Poppy Alexander

Review of The Battle of the Bookshops by Poppy Alexander

As promised, here’s my full review for the early release copy of The Battle of the Bookshops by Poppy Alexander.

First off, I had no idea I was walking into a Romeo-and-Juliet retelling here. But honestly, it wasn’t the worst thing. If anything, I actually loved that part the most, even though I wasn’t expecting it.

Now, let me be real with you, the first 100 pages? A struggle. I had to force myself through them. The writing just wasn’t clicking with me, and it was so slow. I couldn’t connect with Jules, and her situation didn’t really grab me. If you’ve seen other reviews, you probably already know about that part where Jules compares her boss denying her time off to genocide. That was in very poor taste, and I didn’t love it.

But thankfully, it started picking up after about 100 pages. The plot got moving, and the character development grew stronger. The big reveal about Roman’s plan to take down Capelthorne—the bookstore Jules and her great-aunt Flo both love—was when things started to get interesting.

There were a couple of side characters, but honestly, they didn’t add much. Charlie, for example, is this overly enthusiastic kid who works for free in exchange for listing books online and then somehow uncovers an ancient grimoire. I get it, the grimoire part does eventually play into the plot, but Charlie himself was a bit much. I couldn’t fully buy into him.

What I did love, though, was the grimoire. I really enjoyed how Jules got to read a book written by her ancestor, filled with medicinal remedies and stories about how she was seen as a “witch” in the community. That was definitely one of my favorite parts. I just wish the grimoire had been a bigger part of the plot. It’s introduced, but then dropped for long stretches, only to show up again later. If it had played a bigger role, I think it would’ve made the story a lot stronger instead of only playing a larger part in the last part of the book.

Okay, now Roman. I really struggled with him. His whole thing of trying to undermine Jules and closer her business wasn’t something I could forgive. I know it’s supposed to be an enemies-to-lovers situation, but if someone tried to sabotage my family business like that, I’d be completely done with them. Sure, Jules thought he was hot and that messed with her head a little, but still, I couldn’t get over how he was actively trying to bring her down and seemed to enjoy and even relish how he was going to put her-and effectively her family-out of business.

And speaking of the enemies-to-lovers thing...this needed way more build-up. One second, Jules is practically spitting fire at Roman, and the next, they’re kissing. There was so little time spent on them actually interacting or building any kind of tension, and then suddenly they’re in love. It just didn’t work for me. By the time Roman was talking about a future with her, I was thinking, “Wait, what future? You’ve barely spent any time together.” The whole thing felt rushed, and I didn’t buy into their romance at all. There was more about her friend’s bachelorette party and a ridiculous yellow dress than actual time spent on their relationship before Roman was confessing his undying love.

So, at the end of the day, I’m giving The Battle of the Bookshops a 1 star. There was potential; a bookstore rivalry, a grimoire, enemies-to-lovers, a seaside town...but it didn’t come together for me. If the plot had been more focused, the rivalry had been stronger, and the romance had been fleshed out better, this could’ve been a great book. But as it is, it just wasn’t my vibe.

What did you think? Loved it, hated it, or thought it was just meh?
Let me know in the comments below!

Always-

The Scribbler

Get your copy of The Battle of The Bookshops here

July Lookback

 Hi everyone!

As July winds down, I’ve been feeling the need to hit pause and take stock. A little mid-year review, if you will; what I’ve read, what I’ve been up to, and what goals I still want to work on (reading and otherwise) for the rest of the year.

So far in 2025, I’ve read over 100 books (yay!) and a few of them have really stood out as five-star favorites. But before I get into all that, let me share what I’m currently reading.

I finally picked up the Edge of Collapse series, which has been sitting on my TBR for way too long. They’re on Kindle Unlimited right now, so I figured it was the perfect time to dive in, and I’m so glad I did. These books are post-apocalyptic thrillers with a romantic edge, and they are intense in the best way. The world has basically been reset after an EMP blast over America, and the writing pulls you right into the grit and chaos. The characters feel so genuine, and the story is completely immersive. Hands down, this has been the best series I’ve started this year (so far). If you’re into survival stories with strong character development, definitely check them out. You can find them on Amazon here:

Edge of Collapse: An Apocalyptic Survival Thriller

I’m also reading an early copy of The Battle of the Bookshops by Poppy Alexander—thank you, Goodreads! I’ll be sharing a full review later this month, but it’s shaping up to be a charming Romeo and Juliet-style story set in a cozy British village. Total comfort read energy with some fun rivalry vibes.

You can grab The Battle of the Bookshops here:

The Battle of the Bookshops: A Heartwarming Enemies-to-Lovers Novel of Romance, Rivalry, and the Fight to Save a Cherished Bookstore in a Quaint Seaside Town―Perfect for Summer Reading

Outside of reading, I did something big this summer: I took two full weeks off work. For the first time ever. It was so needed, and honestly, it was the best thing I’ve done for myself in a long time. I got to spend real, uninterrupted time with my family, most of it outside. We even went camping together for the first time!

Now, I haven’t been camping in years. The last time I tried, I had three kids under five and told myself never again. Shoutout to anyone who’s ever tried to camp with toddlers. But now that my youngest is five, we finally gave it another shot. And it was amazing. Messy, chaotic, and full of those little moments that make your heart burst. I can’t wait to go again.

That said, coming home to a hot shower and my own bed felt like pure luxury. Next time, I’ll definitely be bringing more padding for sleeping. My body is not quite as resilient as it used to be.

I’ll be back soon with that full review of The Battle of the Bookshops and a look at my top reads so far this year. If you’ve done your own mid-year check-in—or picked up a new favorite—I’d love to hear about it in the comments!

Until next time,

The Scribbler