August 2014 Wrap-Up

Okay, so August is officially over, and September is here. It's Labor Day here in the United States, so it's the unofficial end to summer. The pools close, and everyone is back to school. But to remember the true meaning behind the holiday... Labor Day is really about the celebration of the American Labor Movement. I'm a firm believer in labor unions. They built this country that I love, and I'm very proud that they protect their workers. I'm also very proud to have grown up in a family with many ties to many labor unions in the area.

This is the start of one of the most beautiful parts of the year. The sun casts a certain kind of light in the mornings and evenings that I just find to be so completely beautiful. The leaves will begin to change. The air is crisp and has a cool bite to it, and the scents of fall are amazing! Apples, pumpkins, cinnamon. I just can't get over it, and so much of it really begins to change in September.

Late August and September also mean that it is back to school time, and for me (at the moment), it is back to work time. As a sub, more and more work days will become available at the end of September.

But before I say hello to September, I need to say goodbye to August. A lot of good things happened this August for me both personally and for my reading and the blog.

I turned twenty-five. I still don't know how I feel about this because I feel like I should be married or at least in a serious relationship by now. Oh well. I also babysat a lot, and made some money that I wouldn't have made, so that was fun. Exhausting, but fun.

I was asked to review quite a few books. I won quite a few books, and my blog really started to pick up this month, so I want to thank each and every one of you who reads my posts and takes the time to comment. It means the world to me. Also, the six Liebster Awards that I've won make me extremely happy. An extra special thanks goes to all who nominated me. I also bought a lot of books in August. Check the book haul and Stacking the Shelves posts if you're interested in seeing what I bought.

Now for my August Wrap-Up

Books that I read:

• Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher - I didn't really enjoy this book, despite all of the praise I've seen for it. You can view my full review if you haven't seen it yet.
• Mister Teacher Person by J.M. Varner - Jason and I had a few college classes together, and we recently found one another on Goodreads. He asked me to read and review an ARC of his book, and it was thoroughly enjoyable. My review is spoiler-free for those of you who would like to read it. P.S. It is for free this week for Kindle. You should go check it out.
• Cinder by Marissa Meyer - I think everyone who reads my blog knows that I am binge-reading the released books in this series. My full review can be found here.
• Scarlet by Marissa Meyer - Shortly after finishing my ARCs and Cinder, I read Scarlet. I didn't enjoy it as much as I enjoyed Cinder, but it was very cute and adventurous. My review can be seen here if you'd like to read it.
• The Snail and the Whale by Julia Donaldson - Surprisingly, this is the only book the twins have asked me to read to them while I've been babysitting them this month. When I worked as an after-school care assistant at their preschool, they were always asking me to read to them. Anyways, the book is completely adorable, and it's written in poem form. I'll buy this if I ever have kids.

Looking Forward

• Susan Srikant is sending me three of her books. I'll be reading and reviewing them this month and in October.
• I am participating in an ARC Tour for Damsel Distressed, so you'll be seeing an advanced review for the book on my blog soon. I'll pass along more information when I get it so you can follow the other reviewers involved with the tour.
• I'm anxiously waiting on some September releases, so keep your eyes peeled for "Stacking the Shelves." I'll probably be buying a lot of books this month. 
• Books I plan on reading in September include:
  • Cress by Marissa Meyer
  • Say What You Will by Cammie McGovern
  • The Spectacular Now by Tim Tharp
  • The Disappearance of Lars Wellingsworth by Susan Srikant
  • The Remedy by Susan Srikant
  • The Infinite Sea by Rick Yancey