August goal:
I’ve finished a book I started in late July, so I’m going to set a goal of 3 total. I want one of those to be some sort of collection/anthology. I still have a lot of editing to finish over the next couple of weeks so I don’t want to be too ambitious.
What I read: (Link to my Goodreads 2019 Reading Challenge)
She’s Not There – PJ Parrish
2.5* (Aug 2)
Review
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo – Taylor Jenkins Reid
4.5* (Aug 7)
Review
Slumber Party – Christopher Pike
2* (Aug 10)
Review
The 7 ½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle – Stuart Turton
3.5* (Aug 29)
Review
(Don’t) Call Me Crazy – Kelly Jensen
3* (Aug 30)
Review (on Goodreads)
(I finished this after I completed my last Friday Reads post so here’s the review)
I bought this on impulse and I’m not sure what I was expecting. It was a worthwhile read if only to extend my understanding of how mental health affects people in different ways. I already knew that, but reading more specific examples is always good for broadening my knowledge.
I’m not sure that I found the book particularly helpful or life-changing, but I appreciate the effort to present the situations people live through in hopes that something will help a reader, if only to not feel so alone.
Excuse(s) for Not Reading More: I did really well. This doesn’t even count the 105k-word novel I edited.
Diversity? Essays and a bunch of stabby mysteries set in various eras.
Star Ratings: I base this on the flat stars Goodreads displays in list-view, not the quarter-star system I assign in my reviews. (I made it to July this year before realizing I’d screwed up the math somewhere along the way.)
- 5 stars: 6 books
- 4 stars: 10 books
- 3 stars: 13 books
- 2 stars: 1 book
- 1 star: 0 books
- 0 stars: 0 books
- Abandoned: 2 books
- Not rated: 0 books
Pages Read: (does not include abandoned books, edited manuscripts, or Coffin Bell)
- January – 993
- February – 1232
- March – 454 (ouch)
- April – 1615
- May – 1248
- June – 1076
- July – 375 (ewww)
- August – 1603
Coffin Bell Submissions: I used to include these because they took up so much of my time. I resigned my position as their short story editor in March so I could prioritize other projects.
- January
- 20 short stories
- February
- 14 short stories
- 1 CNF (creative nonfiction)
- March
- 15 short stories
Reading Goals:
1. Read 40 books – I’m 5 books ahead with 31 books (which includes a book I finished Sept. 1)
2. Decrease my TBR –
- Jan 1 – 73 physical / 21 Kindle
- Feb 1 – 71 / 22
- Mar 4 – 71/22 (huh)
- Apr 3 – 73/23 (it was my birthday month)
- May 1 – 73/23 (how?!?!)
- Jun 1 – 72/22 (it was a good month for reading books I already own)
- Jul 1 – 71/22 (surprising – I visited 2 bookstores this weekend)
- Aug 4 – 71/22
- Sept 3 – 71/23
3. Read 6 short story/essay/poetry collections – I wanted to double that if possible. Not sure that’s going to happen.
- Jan – 1 (short story: The Sadness of Beautiful Things – Simon Van Booy)
- Feb – 1 (poetry: No Matter the Wreckage -Sarah Kay & Sophia Janowitz)
- Mar – 1 (essays: Well-Read Black Girl – Glory Edim)
- Apr – 1 (short story: Get in Trouble – Kelly Link)
- May – 1 (short story: The Bloody Chamber and Other Stories – Angela Carter)
- Aug – 1 (short story: The Doll – Daphne du Maurier)
- Sept – 1 (essays: (Don’t) Call Me Crazy – Kelly Jensen)
August was a great reading month, especially considering I had a huge editing project. I’ve finished one book already for September, but I also have a bunch of travel and a final round of edits on a novel so I don’t want to be too optimistic. I’m setting a goal of 3 books for September—and planning for Poe-tober!
