Summer is really truly coming to a close (well… Michigan hasn’t quite gotten the memo, on the day that I’m writing this it was just 85 degrees out) and I am excited for what this means for my reading habits! And nervous! Fall always makes me want to read scarier books, but reading those scary books also makes me need light gentle reads to break up the scariness so the more I’m thinking about it maybe my reading doesn’t actually chage much?
Anyways - it’s nearly fall and I’m excited. I am trying to pace myself but I already have so many creepy reads I’ve been getting into. A few of them made it onto my August list because I just couldn’t wait - like Tantrum by Rachel Eve Moulton and Ripe by Sarah Rose Etter, which was less of a true horror book but was definitely creepy.
I’ve got a pretty small list of September hopeful reads because I am giving my stream community an opportunity to influence my TBR during an upcoming charity stream (wish me luck)!
August 2025 Reads
- Out On a Limb by Hannah Bonam-Young audiobook ⭐ 3.5
- The Anthropocene Reviewed: Essays on a Human-Centered Planet by John Green borrowed from library
- Tantrum by Rachel Eve Moulton ALC, published August 5 ⭐ 4
- Ripe by Sarah Rose Etter audiobook ⭐ 4
- Katabasis by R.F. Kuang ARC, published August 26 ⭐ 5
- Well, Actually by Mazey Eddings ALC, published August 5 ⭐ 4
- Out of the Woods by Hannah Bonam-Young borrowed from library ⭐ 3.5
August 2025 StoryGraph Numbers
📚 total: 7 books
📖 read: 1,196 pages
🎧 listened: 36.83 hours
September 2025 Hopeful Reads
- Spread Me by Sarah Gailey ALC, published September 23
- Mounted: On Horses, Blackness, and Liberation ALC, published August 19
- The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
- Harrow the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir
Books for Starlight
This month, a stream team I am a part of, Cosmic Hearts, is fundraising for Starlight Children’s Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to delivering happiness to seriously ill kids. You can donate to my fundraiser on Tiltify to support!
Join me on stream on Friday September 19 at 12pm ET for a book-focused charity event.
Hispanic & Latine Heritage Month
September 15 through October 15 is Hispanic and Latine Heritage Month! This is a particularly important time to celebrate and uplift Latine authors and stories, so consider adding some to your reading list this month! Check out these Instagram posts from Flatiron Books and We Need Diverse Books full of great book recommendations!
Bella’s Book Recs
I’ve shared a few different lists of book recommendations (my list of books with queer representation and my list of books that are great for halloween) but I’ve realized I didn’t have just a general list of books that I recommend… so now I do! This is a list that will continue to evolve and grow as I come up with more recommendations so keep in mind it’s not exactly 100% done, but I hope you enjoy!
Great places to get books:
- Audiobooks: Libro.FM (use my referral code: lfm461686)
- Free books: use the Libby app to get audiobooks and ebooks for free with your library card
- Public domain books: use the Project Gutenberg website to view ebooks and digital copies of books in the public domain
- Digital ARC books for reviewers: NetGalley