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orange book recs, moodboards, and a bear 🐻
VIII. yes, like an actual bear
in this edition
I swear I'm alive, I just suck at sending regular newsletters
book recs and new books
writing woes
kitties and... bears?!
Books
for your TBR
Out Now!
I swear I put this book off since it released because it intimidated me, and it wasn't until we read it for my group's book club that I finally got around to finishing it. Took 3 days and I couldn't put it down!! The worldbuilding is so immersive. It inspired me from a writing standpoint just seeing what someone could do with a second world. I adored the characters and loved visiting every point of view. And despite its size, this book kept the pacing the whole way through and I never thought it suffered for a story so vast and sprawling. Rather, I was very much satisfied with the payoff at the end. I can't get my hands on the upcoming prequel, A Day of Fallen Night, fast enough!!
Out Now!
I didn't have many expectations going into this book. I knew it would not be a light read, and that it might read more like historical fiction than fantasy, both of which proved true, but it was honestly just such a rich story. Thought provoking, brutal, and morally gray in all the ways humanity is. Zhu Chongba is a protagonist you can't help but follow. I devoured this book from start to finish and had the lovely surprise when I realized that this is a series, not a standalone (as I went in thinking). I will absolutely be pre-ordering the sequel as soon as I can!
currently reading
July (and really most of the summer) have been slow reading months for me but hoping that changes a little come fall!
The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri. My writing group's tome book club is reading this one for the next 3 months so I've just started it but am very excited to dive in, especially with the sequel releasing so soon! I might have to fast track it outside the reading schedule in case I want to pre-order book 2 before it releases...
The Final Empire (Mistborn) by Brandon Sanderson. Yep. It's been... 3? months since my last newsletter went out and I'm still reading it. And haven't really made much progress since then either. I haven't hit the mental point of DNFing yet but I'm close. It's one of those books I just go back to every now and then, chip away at a chapter, then find something new to read. Love his writing class on YouTube but thinking maybe this book isn't for me.
The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy by Megan Bannen. Okay. I haven't technically started reading this one yet BUT... I really want to read it this month and I adore this author's books and now I have a pretty edition of it to dive into and... Yeah. This is accountability. I should be able to talk about this one by the end of the month 😅
new books
Greek Fire, Poison Arrows, and Scorpion Bombs by Adrienne Mayor
The Odyssey translated by Emily Wilson (first woman to translate it!)
Godzina wiedźm by Alexis Henderson (this. this is the GORGEOUS foreign edition I picked up, love this book!)
The Way Spring Arrives and Other Stories edited by Yu Chen and Regina Kanyu Wang
Wild Witchcraft by Rebecca Beyer (probably one of my new favorite books on witchcraft and herbal medicine)
The Rise and Reign of the Mammals by Steve Brusatte (I have this author's dinosaur book so very excited for this one)
The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy by Megan Bannen (I adore this author's books so much!!)
anticipated august releases
Not including the books I already have copies of now but this is another great month for books!
Writing
I'm not saying I spent most of the last few months making moodboards instead of writing... but... the writing has been going sluggishly slow. The first 10K words were pretty solid but then I hit that point in the first act where I want to throw it against the wall and write a short story instead.
Project Thistle has been a lesson in patience, understanding how my brain works and looking for systems I can lean into to be productive without burning out.
But progress is being made and I'm excited to see where August takes me after a disastrous July (totally blaming work for that one...). I had a ton of fun during the #2KAes event on Twitter last month, and looking forward to all the fun writer events coming in the future.
I'm just hoping all this work on things that aren't the draft help keep me motivated the rest of this month. I'm still trying to finish this draft by the end of summer/early fall so I have the rest of the year for edits and can begin querying in the new year and I'm sticking to that!
Although I have to say, writing has been particularly hard the last few days because of the Department of Justice vs. Penguin Random House trial happening right now.
Everything Else
My life outside of reading and writing has been consumed by my animals, both domesticated... and not. Marlowe here has been enjoying going out on the harness for walks around the yard. He even found a patch of catnip to roll in (had to pick him up just to get him to move!).
In the barn, I've been working with the kittens to get them more accustomed to humans. Two of the kittens have been pretty receptive, especially the black one below we're calling Star (for the little white patch on its chest). Neither has let me touch them yet but we're making progress!
The adult cats haven't come around nearly as quickly but we're making progress on that front too. Just takes a lot of time and patience, and it's been so disgustingly hot out that I haven't spent too much time with them lately.
We also have our local bear back around again, getting into the bird feeders if we forget to bring them in. For a week or so we had "Bear Hour" in the evening when it came around without a care in the world. My smallest cat even chased it off the other night, all 8lbs of feline against a young bear (no one was harmed, my cat is just very territorial 😅).
currently…
reading… The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri
listening… Black Page to Book with Katie Wolf (podcast)
watching… The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
have a good august!
💜 austine
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