My August 2026 Reading Wrap‑Up: 14 Books, Big Surprises, and New Favourites
My August 2026 Reading Wrap Up
This month, I have finished 14 books, from YA mysteries to horror to literary fiction. There’s a wide range of novels - some that you may not have heard of before, so here is a collection of them, with some of my thoughts and recommendations.
The Hawthorne Legacy by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Publish Date - 07 September 2021
Rating: 4/5
The second book in the Inheritance Games series, it truly is a quick and easy read. The mystery, betrayals, romance and secrets mix together to make an inhalable book. It’s YA in its truest form, and Barnes’ writing for this type of novel is spectacular. The first book was still my favourite, but the character progression in The Hawthorne Legacy was really interesting. I am excited to finish the rest of the series.
Synopsis:
The Inheritance Games ended with a bombshell, and now heiress Avery Grambs has to pick up the pieces and find the man who might hold the answers to all of her questions - including why Tobias Hawthorne left his entire fortune to Avery, a virtual stranger, rather than to his own daughters or grandsons.
Thanks to a DNA test, Avery knows that she's not a Hawthorne by blood, but clues pile up hinting at a deeper connection to the family than she had ever imagined. As the mystery grows and the plot thickens, Grayson and Jameson, the enigmatic and magnetic Hawthorne grandsons, continue to pull Avery in different directions. And there are threats lurking around every corner, as adversaries emerge who will stop at nothing to see Avery out of the picture - by any means necessary.
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Butcher & Blackbird by Brynne Weaver
Publish Date - 15th August 2023
Rating: 4/5
This was my first Brynne Weaver novel and I was not disappointed. I read this as an immersive read, which I would also recommend to you if you’re planning on reading it as the narrators are god-tier.
Synopsis:
When a chance encounter sparks an unlikely bond between rival murderers Sloane and Rowan, the two find something elusive—the friendship of a like-minded, pitch-black soul. From small town West Virginia to upscale California, from downtown Boston to rural Texas, the two hunters collide in an annual game of blood and suffering, one that pits them against the most dangerous monsters in the country. But as their friendship develops into something more, the restless ghosts left in their wake are only a few steps behind, ready to claim more than just their newfound love. Can Rowan and Sloane dig themselves out of a game of graves? Or have they finally met their match?
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The Happy Couple by Naoise Dolan
Publish Date - 25 April 2024
Rating: 4.5/5
The Happy Couple is one of the best books I read in August. I read Naoise Dolan’s debut novel ー Exciting Times ーand fell in love with her writing style. The only reason this is not rated at 5/5 is because I still preferred her debut novel, but rest assured it is still such an interesting read. The only thing that needs to be noted is that it is a character-focused novel rather than plot based. I felt like I was in the room with the characters rather than following the plot details, which some people don’t enjoy.
Synopsis:
Meet Celine and Luke--for all intents and purposes the happy couple. Luke (a serial cheater) and Celine (more interested in piano than in domestic life) plan to marry in a year. Archie (the best man) should be moving on from his love for Luke and up the corporate ladder, but he finds himself utterly stuck. Phoebe (the bridesmaid and Celine’s sister) just wants to get to the bottom of Luke’s frequent unexplained disappearances. And Vivian (a wedding guest), as the only one with any emotional distance, observes her friends like ants in a colony. As the wedding approaches and these five lives intersect, each will find themselves looking for a path to their happily ever after--but does it lie at the end of an aisle?
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The Witches Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna
Publish Date - 02 July 2026
Rating: 2/5
I truly expected to like this book more than I did. It was marketed as a cozy fantasy novel, which I typically adore, but it felt like it was missing something to me. Although the characters and plot were incredibly cute, the writing style itself lacked a warmth that I needed to rate this book higher. However, I do believe I am in the minority here and think most people will enjoy it. I did love the inclusion of neurodivergent characters into the plot and I wish we could see more of this!
Synopsis:
Sera Swan was once one of the most powerful witches in Britain. Then she resurrected her great-aunt Jasmine from the (very recently) dead, lost most of her magic, befriended a semi-villainous talking fox, and was exiled from her magical Guild. Now she (slightly reluctantly and just a bit grumpily) helps Aunt Jasmine run an inn in Lancashire, where she deals with her quirky guests' shenanigans, tries to keep the talking fox in check, and longs for the magical future she lost.
When she learns about an old spellbook that holds the secret to restoring her power, she turns to Luke Larsen, a gorgeous historian who might just be able to help her unlock the book’s mysteries. Luke, who has his own reasons for staying at the inn, never planned on getting involved in the madcap goings-on around him and certainly had no intention of letting certain grumpy innkeepers past his icy walls, so no one is more surprised than he is when he not only agrees to help, but also finds himself thawing .
Running an inn, reclaiming lost magic, and staying one step ahead of the watchful Guild is a lot for anyone, but Sera is about to discover that she doesn’t have to do it alone... and that the weird, wonderful family she’s made might be the best magic of all.
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Daybreak by Autumn Woods
Publish Date - 30 July 2026
Rating: 3.5/5
Daybreak is the well awaited sequel to Nightshade, and although I did enjoy it, this felt quite rushed in comparison to the first. Alex and Ophelia’s friends really carried this book. With Alex’s POVs, there was a real desire to see him overcome his struggles and continue to fight his depression. It was quite emotional to read. But, they only needed to carry the book because the plot seemed so sparse. The stalker plot should have felt ever-looming but there were entire chapters where I entirely forgot that there was even a stalker in the first place. It only appeared in the plot when convenient to move it along.
Synopsis:
Alex’s Corbeau-Green’s world is burning down around him, and Ophelia Winters is desperate to prove she didn’t light the fire.
When Ophelia first accepted a scholarship from Sorrowsong, an elite university in the Scottish Highlands, she wanted nothing more than to destroy Alex and his family at any cost. But that was before she knew him, before they became each other’s everything. Now, after an unthinkable betrayal and the disappearance of his father, Alex is forced to return to New York, desperate to forget what they had, and salvage the damage done to his family. In Scotland, Ophelia is left reeling, alone . . . and watched.
With a new anonymous tormentor threatening to release evidence that Ophelia and Alex committed a murder on campus, it’s clear that they’re going to need each other once again. But can they find a way to trust each other, and repair the love that they had? And even if they can—will it be enough this time to keep them alive?
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The Rippling of Power by Josie Rose Langdon
Publish Date - 22 February 2026
Rating: 3/5
A Rippling of Power was published as an indie debut novel, and with such a stunning cover, I couldn’t resist putting it off any longer. Despite this being a lower rating, I do recommend this endlessly. This is the first book in a series, and more so acts as an introduction and the set-up for the books to come, which is why it is scored at only a 3/5. It has disability awareness, an intricate magic system and found family combined with the inability to pull punches to save the readers feelings.
Synopsis:
Cleo is an orphan, a peasant—and worst of all, a Halfling. To the Veari, whose survival instinct makes them nearly unbeatable, she’s an abomination. To the Kes, masters of elemental magic, she’s an outsider who will never belong.
But Cleo is about to discover, the power within her runs deeper than anyone suspects, and even the highest ranks of the kingdom may not be beyond her reach.
Haunted by mysterious voices and with her homeland teetering on the edge of tyranny, Cleo must learn to command the gifts bestowed upon her. Failure means more than losing her life. Success could change the fate of her country.
But can Cleo master her power or will it consume her?
I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacequeline Harpman
Publish Date - 01 January 1995
Rating: 5/5
I had this book on my shelf for a long time before I worked up the nerve to read it. It was one of those books that has been hyped up so much that I got fearful I’d been lied to about its quality. Luckily, I was not. This book is one of the top 3 books I read this month, as featured on my tiktok page. There is not a single thing I would change about it, which is an incredible feat to manage.
Synopsis:
As the burn of electric light merges day into night and numberless years pass, a young girl—the fortieth prisoner—sits alone and outcast in the corner. Soon she will show herself to be the key to the others' escape and survival in the strange world that awaits them above ground.
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Two Can Play by Ali Hazelwood
Publish Date - 24 October 2024
Rating: 3.5/5
Two Can Play is a novella written by one of my favourite authors, and I did enjoy it but not as much as her full length novels. It was light, easy and the perfect light read in between darker reads. I could have easily read this in a singular reading session and I’m sure you could too.
Synopsis:
Viola Bowen has the chance of a lifetime: to design a video game based on her all-time favorite book series. The only problem? Her co-lead is Jesse F-ing Andrews, aka her archnemesis. Jesse has made it abundantly clear over the years that he wants nothing to do with her—and Viola has no idea why.
When their bosses insist a wintery retreat is the perfect team-building exercise, Viola can’t think of anything worse. Being freezing cold in a remote mountain lodge knowing Jesse is right next door? No, thank you.
But as the snow piles on, Viola discovers there’s more to Jesse than she knew, and heat builds in more ways than one.
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Something in the Walls by Daisy Pearce
Publish Date - 25 February 2025
Rating: 3.5/5
Despite taking place in an English summer, this book is the perfect autumnal horror novel for you to scare yourself with. It has paranormal activity, secrets, betrayal and a subtle eeriness throughout. I really enjoyed reading this, particularly with its use of a heatwave to make the town seem dystopian. I rarely see the heat being used in horror novels but it worked so well here.
Synopsis:
Newly minted child psychologist Mina has little experience. In a field where the first people called are experts, she’s been unable to get her feet wet. Instead she aimlessly spends her days stuck in the stifling heat wave sweeping across Britain and anxiously contemplates her upcoming marriage to careful, precise researcher Oscar. The only reprieve from her small, close world is attending the local bereavement group to mourn her brother’s death from years ago.
Then she meets journalist Sam Hunter at the grief group one day, and he has a proposition for her: Thirteen-year-old Alice Webber claims a witch is haunting her. Living with her family in the remote village of Banathel, Alice finds her symptoms are getting increasingly disturbing. Taking this job will give Mina some experience and much-needed money; Sam will get the scoop of a lifetime; and Alice will get better—Mina is sure of it.
But instead of improving, Alice’s behavior becomes inexplicable and intense. The town of Banathel has a deep history of superstition and witchcraft. They believe there is evil in the world. They believe there are ways of…dealing with it. And they don’t expect outsiders to understand.
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The Auction by Sadie Kincaid
Publish Date - 14 April 2026
Rating: 0.5/5
The Auction was marketed as a dark mafia romance with forced proximity and spice, but all I got from reading this was whiplash. I really cannot understate how distasteful this novel was with its use of human trafficking to set up the plot, a romance built on lies and naivety and awful sex scenes. I will never be able to read the word ‘Sir’ again without cringing due to how much it was used in this book. I have no problem with age gaps in novels, but when he knew her as a child and she is acting like one, it’s difficult to read.
Synopsis:
I was trained to be a pawn, but I will rise as a queen.
My life has never been my own. After the death of my parents, I was saved by my grandfather, with the promise that he would turn me over to the Brotherhood on my twenty-first birthday.
I was kept away from the outside world so I could one day be sold to the highest bidder—pure and unsullied. Penance for my parents’ alleged crimes.
That’s how I come to be sold at an auction.
And who buys me but the reclusive billionaire, Lincoln Knight?
Some say that he’s a monster, more dangerous than any of the evil men from the Brotherhood. That he wears a mask to cover his scars. But I believe he’s hiding more than just his face behind his mask.
My fate is sealed when he takes me to his crumbling mansion deep in the woods. I’m trapped. Entirely at his mercy.
I have to escape.
But something here isn’t what it seems.
Lincoln isn’t what he seems. Maybe he’s not a monster at all. I’m drawn to him in a way that I can’t explain. Until I discover that his secrets go far beyond his mask.
He’s everything I’ve been taught to fear, but what if everything I’ve ever known has been a lie?
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People in Love by Claire Daverley
Publish Date -
Rating: 5/5
People in Love will definitely be on my list of best books I read this year. Her debut novel - Talking at Night - was a gut-wrenching read filled with ‘right person, wrong lifetime’ vibes that left me in pieces so going into this book I had no idea what to expect. This book wasn’t as outwardly sad, but it did create a deep nostalgic hole in me that was stuffed with complex emotions about the different types of love and what place they can have in your life.
Synopsis:
One bright blue day, on a bench by the river, Nora’s partner Robin proposes.
It is unexpected; they’d always agreed that they didn’t need a wedding. But after a decade of in-jokes, dancing in the low-lit kitchen and sharing morning toast in bed, Nora says yes. Why wouldn’t she?
The answer lands on the night of their engagement party, when Bren turns up on her doorstep.
Growing up, Bren and Nora were the sort of best friends who everyone swore would end up together. But when a sudden heartbreak turned their lives upside down, Bren left, Nora stayed, and the silent longing between them remained unspoken.
Now, he’s back, and their tentative yet undeniable spark reignites, forcing Nora to ask herself: How can you know your heart, if it feels like it’s split in two?
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The Safekeep by Yael van der Wouden
Publish Date - 5 April 2024
Rating - 4/5
This was another book that had been on my shelf for an embarrassingly long time, but I finally got around to it and I was not disappointed. There were definitely problems with the pacing and the heavy-handedness of the writing, but for a debut novel that is to be expected. I adored the symbolism within the characters and it really saved the book for me, alongside the changes in the format of information in the latter half of the book. I think the largest problem was the marketing of the novel because it was said to be an exhilarating novel but it was fairly slow.
Synopsis:
It is 1961 and the rural Dutch province of Overijssel is quiet. Bomb craters have been filled, buildings reconstructed, and the war is truly over. Living alone in her late mother’s country home, Isabel knows her life is as it should be—led by routine and discipline. But all is upended when her brother Louis brings his graceless new girlfriend Eva, leaving her at Isabel’s doorstep as a guest, to stay for the season.
Eva is Isabel’s antithesis: she sleeps late, walks loudly through the house, and touches things she shouldn’t. In response, Isabel develops a fury-fueled obsession, and when things start disappearing around the house—a spoon, a knife, a bowl—Isabel’s suspicions begin to spiral. In the sweltering peak of summer, Isabel’s paranoia gives way to infatuation—leading to a discovery that unravels all Isabel has ever known. The war might not be well and truly over after all, and neither Eva—nor the house in which they live—are what they seem.
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The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst
Publish Date - 9 July 2024
Rating - 3.5/5
Synopsis:
Kiela has always had trouble dealing with people. Thankfully, as a librarian at the Great Library of Alyssium, she and her assistant, Caz—a magically sentient spider plant—have spent the last decade sequestered among the empire’s most precious spellbooks, preserving their magic for the city’s elite.
When a revolution begins and the library goes up in flames, she and Caz flee with all the spellbooks they can carry and head to a remote island Kiela never thought she’d see again: her childhood home. Taking refuge there, Kiela discovers, much to her dismay, a nosy—and very handsome—neighbor who can’t take a hint and keeps showing up day after day to make sure she’s fed and to help fix up her new home.
In need of income, Kiela identifies something that even the bakery in town doesn’t have: jam. With the help of an old recipe book her parents left her and a bit of illegal magic, her cottage garden is soon covered in ripe berries.
But magic can do more than make life a little sweeter, so Kiela risks the consequences of using unsanctioned spells and opens the island’s first-ever and much needed secret spellshop.
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Gaining Ground by Joan Barfoot
Publish Date - 1 January 1978
Rating - Unrated
Gaining Ground was certainly an interesting read, and there is a reason that it remains unrated (despite that being my entire job). I felt it would be unfair and incorrect to stick a number on this book when I have such mixed feelings. I could rate it 0 or 5 and both would feel right. This writing itself is boring. It’s repetitive and cyclical which makes the reading experience almost painful to sit through. There are a lot of problems I have with the unrecognised privilege of Abra throughout the novel. However, when taking into account that this was written in 1978, there is so much discussion about a woman’s life, the expectations given to them and female rage.
This isn’t a book I would recommend that you read, but if you do, you’ll come out of it with a different view than when you went in.
Synopsis:
Gaining Ground is the story of Abra, a woman who leaves her husband, children and suburban security to live as a hermit. She buys an isolated cabin and a piece of land and settles to a life without mirrors, clocks or human The first winter is tremendously hard but her senses sharpen and her muscles harden, and as her socialised masks drop away her rhythms gradually match the seasonal changes dictated by nature, giving her an inner peace and strength which had increasingly eluded her in the world of city and family life. Nine years after Abra chooses solitude and self-sufficiency, her peace is broken by her daughter, now a young woman full of questions as to how and why Abra had 'run out on her' for a life so lacking in conventional comforts. Gaining Ground is beautifully written and within a compelling story raises important and pertinent questions about the right of a woman to self-defined autonomy and solitude when her role is still seen primarily as one of caretaker and nurturer. Joan Barfoot's stunning descriptions of nature will absorb and challenge even those most addicted to socialised urban life, and will speak directly to every reader who has ever considered how frightening - or satisfying - it would be to live completely alone.
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