#SBS August Monthly Wrap-Up

Welcome to our monthly feature where we talk about what we read, adopted into our libraries, and what’s on our minds. After hosting #SignedBookSundays on instagram for 4+ years, we are transitioning to this format as a way to share signed books and talk about bookish (and personal) highlights. Join us the last Sunday or last day of every month (or whatever day today is…we are busy!)!

In Case You Missed It

• Interviewed Charlene Thomas with her debut Seton Girls!
• Interviewed Goldy Moldavsky about their newest release Lord of the Fly Fest!
• Special feature on Spooky Season with Page Street books!
• The where to buy signed books page has been updated and I have found a few September YA releases – of course I keep adding more and more when I find them…check it out!
• We curate a Bookshop page with most of the YA New Releases – please consider supporting us by buying books through our links or shop, or we have a Ko-Fi!

What We Read

Kelly: I managed 8 books in August, some were novellas, but all reading is reading! I am taking that number and running with it! The 5-star stand outs were:

• The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston– 5 stars – This adult romcom was exactly what I needed…it is definitely a book for book lovers! Both the MC & LI work in publishing, but she’s a ghost writer and her new editor ends up a ghost! No seriously, so good, without spoilers you just need to read it, and well its perfect for your #SpookySzn reads!
• Yerba Buena by Nina LaCour – 5 stars – This was an emotional book, some triggering content, but done well and didn’t burn me, but instead showed how someone can always have that experience, and use it to grow and be a better person going forward.

Christy: I read 16 books this month? Most amount of books I’ve read since December 2020! I thank a vacation and a lot of plane time.

• Padawan by Kiersten White – It’s the year of Obi-Wan and Kiersten’s take on young Obi is not to be missed. This is absolutely one of my favorite Star Wars stories!
• Welcome to St. Hell: My Trans Teen Misadventure: A Graphic Novel by Lewis Hancox – Yet another amazing memior to add to every non-fiction and LGBTQ shelf.
• Shadow of the Sith by Adam Christopher – Was Adam tasked with fixing absolutely every undone thread from The Rise of Skywalker? This is the best sequel-era story you’ll read.
• By the Book by Jasmie Guillory – Both of the Meant to Be novels have been fantastic and I am SO glad I read this!

What We Hauled

You too can be obsessed with signed books, look here for where to buy a copy from your favorite author’s local indie or preorder incentives that include bookplates.

Kelly’s Highlights

• Never Getting Back Together by Sophie Gonzales – Releases Novemeber 29th – Many thanks to Wednesday Books for the advance copy!
• The Honeys by Ryan La Sala – Released Aug 16th – Many thanks to I Read YA/Scholastic for the gifted finished copy!
• Labyrinth Bestiary by S.T. Bende & Iris Compiet – Released June 7th – Many thanks to Insight Editions & the author for a finished copy!
• Coven by Jennifer Dugan – Releases September 6th – Many thanks to Penguin Teen for the finished copy!
• Signed Books I added to my collection this month: The Princess and the Scoundrel by Beth Revis, and Love on the Brains by Ali Hazelwood

Christy’s Highlights

• The Princess and the Scoundrel by Beth Revis- Out now!
• Ghost Eaters by Clay McLeod Chapman – TY to Quirk Books for the finished copy. Pick yours up on September 20th!
• The Honeys by Ryan La Sala – Out now!
• Our Shadows have Claws edited by Amparo Ortiz, Yamile Saied Méndez – Out Tuesday! TY to Algonquin Young Readers for the finished copy!
• Poster Girl by Veronica Roth – Excited to be part of the street team!
• Neverlanders by Tom Taylor and Jon Sommariva – TY to Penguin for the ARC!
• To Break a Covenant by Alison Ames – Out now!
• Three Kisses, One Midnight by Evelyn Skye, Sandhya Menon, and Roshani Chokshi – TY to Evelyn and Epic Reads for the finished copy!

What We Hope to Read

Kelly’s TBR

This month I am creating an actual hopeful TBR, because its been months since I actually crossed something off… I’m such a moody bitch (mood reader, ya jerk!). You can follow my reading on goodreads and/or storygraph where I share what I just read, and some immediate reading reactions – full reviews are almost exclusively on here or instagram.

• The Sunbearer Trials by Aiden Thomas
• Self Made Boys by AM McLemore
• Coven by Jennifer Dugan
• Defend the Dawn by Brigid Kemmerer
• and I packed a ton of graphic novels for my beach vacation starting today!

Christy’s TBR

I read both of my August TBR picks. GO ME. Now to add some new ones to kick off spooky szn.

• Dark Legends by George Man
• Lucas on the Line by Suyi Davies
• Dead End Girls by Wendy Heard
• Long Live the Pumpkin Queen by Shea Ernshaw
• The Princess and the Scoundrel by Beth Revis

On the Top of Our Minds

Kelly: 

Right now I am in full beach vacation mode…what was August, absolutely nothing…not a damn thing I can remember…wait! I finally sent the Pride Month giveaway books and some giveaways I did last year, y’all I shipped 12 packages and I am proud of myself, it was something that has been holding me down and I am glad I got a lot of that off my back. I do still owe some more packages, and I promise I will get there – but with the leaking roof I packed so much stuff up to keep it safe, that I have to find it to ship it! Hahahaha!

And some more semi-bad news that will be good news – I did skip our 10year anniversary at the end of August, because both Christy and I were way too busy with non-blogging things, but we are working on a celebration plan and we hope you stick around to find out more! 10 years man!

Christy:

Woooo August was super busy and fun! I am super proud of Kelly for getting those giveaways out. It was a beast to put them together! And our 10 year is ALL YEAR so heck yeah we will celebrate!

August, how did I do so much and yet it’s like it just…happened?

We bought an RV! One of our main motivations in moving to CO was to be able to buy an RV and travel. After a particularly hard week, we said, fuck it – and bought one. So we are camping every weekend we can leading up to winter. You can follow along with our adventures at ChasingChayes!

I also did a big thing finishing my Spartan Trifecta! We did back to back Beast (13.1 obstacle miles) and Super (10k obstacle miles) races in Seattle. Even PR’d the Super! I’m glad that’s done so I can focus on my upcoming triathlon and Disney races (eep, officially in marathon training season!). Next year I am hoping to complete a DekaFit trifecta and the Madison trifecta (a tri, duathlon, and full marathon in a weekend – at elevation in Montana!). If you’re ever interested in following my fitness journey, you can find that over at my fitsta.

I took my first trip out of the US! It feels weird to say “international” because we went to Canada but it was a big deal for me. Traveling with my eating disorder can be daunting but Canada was a safe bet. We went up to see the Aurora Borealis and the pics you see online are quite different than the experience. I highly recommend a visit to the Yukon if you can. It’s an amazing place and the people are incredible.

I grew lots of things in my garden! We have beans, corn, bell peppers, and pumpkins! I am shocked!!

Did a lot of planning for my upcoming Disney trips. I am headed to Disney’s big convention, D23, and honestly far more excited to go to the parks for Halloween. Disneyland’s Halloween celebration is superior to WDW and I will die on this hill LOL. September will be another whirlwind with this trip, my triathlon, and more!