August is my favourite reading month, because my job doesn’t get in the way of my reading. Although the children are at home, I still managed to sit and read. Plus, I like my children seeing me with a book in my hand rather than a phone or tablet.
This August has been exceptional, not just for the number of books I’ve read but for their quality. Apart from one, they have all been five-star reads. If I had to pick a favourite, it would be The Grapes of Wrath, but that’s not a reflection on the rest. Rather, John Steinbeck’s novel is a book that will live with me for years.
Iron Widow — Xiran Jay Zhao ⭐️⭐️
Iron Widow is a fast-paced dystopian sci-fi set in a fictional world, where giant mechanical beasts are powered by male-female pilot pairs. Except that the girls usually don’t survive. Zetian, the protagonist, enters the system not to play by its rules, but to break it completely.
The themes are clear: rage against patriarchy, sacrifice, and control. Zetian is a strong, angry lead, but her character lacks depth. She’s all vengeance and power, but not much emotional range. The story moves quickly, but relies more on concept than character.
The biggest issue is structure. This is book one in a trilogy, and it ends abruptly. Nothing is resolved, it just stops. I don’t enjoy books that function solely as setups without offering a complete story and this is exactly that.
It also leans heavily on familiar ground. Fans of The Hunger Games will recognise the blueprint. The world is interesting, but not especially original. While there’s a romantic subplot that challenges norms, it feels more like a device than something earned. The battle scenes are not particularly well written, in places both boring and extremely hard to follow.
Ultimately, Iron Widow has strong ideas, but it didn’t leave me invested. I won’t be reading the sequel.
Witchcraft and Fury — T.T. Greenshaw ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Witchcraft and Fury is a well-executed coming-of-age fantasy that gets the balance just right. The world is rich without being overwhelming, and the story moves at a steady pace that keeps you engaged from start to finish.
What sets this apart is the characters. They’re fully developed, believable, and, rare in fantasy, genuinely likeable. You actually care what happens to them, which makes the stakes feel real.
For a first book in a series, it’s impressive how complete the story feels. There’s a clear arc, and it rounds off properly. No abrupt cliffhanger, no forced setup. At the same time, it leaves enough unanswered to keep you interested in what’s next. That’s a hard line to walk, and Greenshaw nails it.
This is a strong start to what looks to be a promising series from a debut author. If you enjoy character-driven fantasy with solid worldbuilding and emotional depth, it’s well worth your time.
Fury of the Gods — John Gwynne ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Fury of the Gods, the third book in the Bloodsworn Trilogy, is a masterclass in how to end a series. It tackles the messiness of war, showing both sides with equal depth and humanity. There’s no simple “good” or “bad,” just people fighting for what they believe in, and you feel sympathy for most of them.
The emotional range is remarkable. One moment you’re laughing at sharp, well-placed humour, the next you’re hit with something that makes you pause and feel the weight of it. The pacing keeps you locked in from start to finish.
The fight scenes are some of the best I’ve read. They’re complex and layered, yet easy to follow. The shifts in perspective make the action clearer and more engaging.
There are parts of this book that reminded me of Game of Thrones, with one major difference this concludes.
The ending is exactly what I wanted: satisfying, earned, and true to the story. I couldn’t have wished for more. This trilogy has set a new bar for me in fantasy. It’s my favourite series to date, and several of these books will likely sit in my top five of the year.
The Night Circus — Erin Morgenstern ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Night Circus is unlike anything else I’ve read. It’s a novel that resists easy description, existing somewhere between fantasy, romance, and dreamscape. The structure itself is unusual chapters jumping back and forth in time so you need to keep an eye on the dates. But once you fall into its rhythm, the story flows like a spell being cast.
What makes this book remarkable is the sensory writing. Morgenstern doesn’t just tell you what the circus looks like, she makes you hear the rustle of silks, smell the caramel in the air, and feel the chill of the midnight breeze. You don’t just read about the circus, you inhabit it. I came away wishing I could walk through those black-and-white tents myself.
At its heart, this is also one of the most engaging love stories I’ve encountered. Subtle, slow-burning, and deeply affecting, it grows naturally within the magic around it. The supporting cast is just as strong, each adding richness to the world rather than fading into the background.
It’s hard to categorise The Night Circus it is part love story, part fantasy, part meditation on art and imagination. Whatever label you try to give it, it doesn’t quite fit. And that’s exactly what makes it so memorable.
The Grapes of Wrath — John Steinbeck ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Grapes of Wrath is a profoundly beautiful yet deeply depressing novel. Steinbeck never disappoints, and here his prose is at its most powerful. This is not a quick or light read, but the time you give it is rewarded with a story that lingers long after you close the book.
At its core, the novel is a study of hardship, survival, and the relentless pull of human dignity. Steinbeck shows how landowners used supply and demand, bringing in more desperate workers than needed, to drive wages down. It’s impossible not to see parallels with modern struggles, such as the pressures faced by UK farmers today.
What stands out most is the balance of despair and beauty. The writing is awe-inspiring and descriptive in a way that plays on all the senses, immersing you in the dust, the sweat, and the hunger. It’s a novel that makes you feel the weight of history while forcing you to reflect on the present.
While I prefer East of Eden by a fraction, both novels are five-star reads. The biblical resonance of The Grapes of Wrath’s ending is unforgettable, a piece of literature that doesn’t just conclude, but gives you more to think about.
Steinbeck has a way of leaving you both broken and enlightened. This book is no exception.
The Treehouse Library — Anna James ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Pages & Co. series has been my favourite to read with my daughter, and The Treehouse Library is another reminder why. She’s so enchanted by the characters and the stories that I can never stop at just one chapter. There’s always another, and then another. Few series manage to capture that kind of magic.
This instalment goes a little deeper than some others, weaving in more weighty themes while keeping the warmth, charm, and imagination that make these books so special. All the characters we’ve grown to love across the series come together here, making it feel like both a reunion and a continuation.
It’s a joy to share this world of bookwanders, and while we can’t wait to see how the series concludes, we’ll also be sad when it does. This has been a truly wonderful journey. One we’ll remember long after the final page.
Royal Assassin — Robin Hobb ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Royal Assassin builds perfectly on the foundation laid in Assassin’s Apprentice. What stands out most here is the character development. We spend far more time with the people we first met in book one, and the depth Hobb brings to them is remarkable. Some characters reveal new sides unexpected, complex, and sometimes heartbreaking.
The pacing is slower in places, but it works. It gives space for the relationships, loyalties, and betrayals to grow naturally, and you become completely invested in their fates. By the time the tension rises, the emotional weight behind it feels earned.
And then comes the ending. The twist is sharp, shocking, and leaves you no choice but to reach straight for the next book. This is fantasy at its most character-driven, and it’s a series I can already tell will stay with me for a long time.
Share Your Reading
I hope you’ve had a good reading month. Reading should not be about numbers, but about how much you enjoy the journey. For me, August was spectacularly packed with five-star reads.
What was your favourite book of August? Tell me in the comments the book that stuck with you.