August 2021 Reading Wrapup & Challenge Progress

Goodbye August!

This has been an extra busy month! 
We started our homeschool curriculum at the beginning of the month and had four fast weeks of fun projects and extra extra storytime. My Little One is reading on her own now but often needs help with bigger words so if I'm not reading to her, I'm reading along with her. We've gone through several chapter books, a few graphic novels, and what seems like ALL the picture books and easy readers. (Send help. Or books. Books always help.)

In other news, it hasn't rained every day so it's been extra hot. My garden is overgrown but suffering in the heat and we've already started the process of preparing for our Fall/Winter growing season. 
It's been slightly breezier though so it has us looking forward to the upcoming months.

In the meantime, here's what I read, reviewed, and more:

Book Reviews Shared on Lazy Day Literature in August:

Forest Magic: A Guidebook for Little Woodland Explorers by Sarah Grindler

The Wild World Handbook: Habitat by Andrea Debbink & Asia Orlando

Home Again (Heartwood Hotel #4) by Kallie George

Fatima's Great Outdoors by Ambreen Tariq

Maker Comics: Survive in the Outdoors by Mark Lawrence

Embassy of the Dead by Will Mabbitt

Final Girls by Riley Sager

Hour of the Witch by Chris Bohjalian

Books Read in August:

Listened to on audio:

Started but haven't finished:

Chapter Books read to my daughter:

CHALLENGE PROGRESS

ABC CHALLENGE

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

JUNE: none
JULY: +1 (P)
AUG: 0



POPSUGAR READING CHALLENGE

JUNE: +3
JULY:  +0
AUG: 


52 BOOKS CHALLENGE

JUNE: +3
JULY: +1
AUG: 


NEW TO ME AUTHORS

Will Mabbitt
David Polito
Pam Smy
Charis Cotter
TJ Klune
Mark Lawrence


READ AROUND THE WORLD

 [Final Girls]
?

[Embassy of the Dead]
?

[Off Trail]
Tuscon, Arizona

(I'm terrible at keeping track of locations now.)

__________________________________

What was your favorite read of the month?



You can keep up with what we are reading at @LazyDayLit on Bookstagram! 

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Maker Comics: How to Survive in the Outdoors by Mark Lawrence (MG Graphic Novel Review)

Maker Comics:
Survive in the Outdoors!
Written & illustrated by: Mike Lawrence 
Published by First Second Books
on June 15, 2021
Genre: Middle Grade, Graphic Novel, Environmental
Length: 128 pages
Ages: 9 - 13 years

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | BookDepository

Synopsis:
In this volume of Maker Comics, First Second's DIY graphic novel series, you'll find step-by-step instructions for seven projects that will help you survive in the wild! 

Prepare yourself before you set off on your next adventure! Whether you're hiking in the wilderness or camping in your own backyard, Survive in the Outdoors! will equip you with the know-how you need. 


My Thoughts:

This is a fantastic graphic novel that is both a sequential story and a how-to guide to being in the outdoors! 

Sophia and Alonso are whisked off to their grandfather's for a fishing trip they'd rather not be on, but their abuelito makes it a fun and educational trip by giving them a fun little DIY to do beforehand and preparing them for what may come. Along the way, a few things happen that could have potentially been dangerous or life-threatening, but Sophia and Alonso have a wonderful living guide to the outdoors that helps them through each step of the way, including an impromptu overnight stay in the wilderness!

If you like a mixture of story and useful information, or just enjoy survival stories and how-to's, this is the graphic novel for you!

Survive in the Outdoors! includes step-by-step instructions for several outdoor activities that could help you learn to stay alive in desperate wilderness situations. Learn how to build a campfire, catch and clean fish, build a shelter, and more!

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Fatima's Great Outdoors by Ambreen Tariq & Stevie Lewis (Children's Picture Book Review)

Fatima's Great Outdoors
Written by Abreen Tariq
Illustrated by Stevie Lewis
Published by Kokila
on March 31, 2021
Genre: Children's, Picture Books, Nature
Length: 40 pages
Ages: 4 - 8 years

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | BookDepository

Synopsis:
An immigrant family embarks on their first camping trip in the Midwest in this lively picture book by Ambreen Tariq, outdoor activist and founder of @BrownPeopleCamping

Ambreen Tariq's picture book debut, with cheerful illustrations by Stevie Lewis, is a rollicking family adventure, a love letter to the outdoors, and a reminder that public land belongs to all of us. 


My Thoughts:

Fatima's Great Outdoors is a beautiful story of one family's newest overnight outdoor adventure. 
After a long road trip filled with yummy snacks, Fatima and her family pitch a tent, learn to start a fire, cook their favorite foods, and fall asleep to the sounds of the forest around them. Even thought it is all a new experience, they come to love it so much that they are sad to leave! 

This beautifully illustrated story is about a Hindu-American family partaking in a 'great American pastime' for the very first time! They experience a lot of new firsts and we really enjoyed seeing how much fun they had! 

Camping is a fun outdoor activity that all families should be able to enjoy so I love that the author is the founder of @brownpeoplecamping and recommend checking out their instagram! 

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Embassy of the Dead by Will Mabbitt (Middle Grade Book Review)

 I received an ecopy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.  

Embassy of the Dead
(Embassy of the Dead #1)
Written by Will Mabbitt
Illustrations by Taryn Knight
Published by Walker Books US
on October 6, 2020 
(first published 2018)
Genre: Middle Grade, Ghost Stories, 
Length: 272 pages
Ages: 8 - 12 years

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | BookDepository

Synopsis:
The first book in a spookily funny new series, where the living meets the dead and the survival is a race against time. Perfect for fans of Skulduggery Pleasant and Who Let the Gods Out. 

Welcome to the Embassy of the Dead. Leave your life at the door. (Thanks.)

When Jake opens a strange box containing a severed finger, he accidentally summons a grim reaper to drag him to the Eternal Void (yep, it's as fatal as it sounds) and now he's running for his life! But luckily Jake isn't alone--he can see and speak to ghosts.

My Thoughts:

A case of mistaken identity lands twelve-year-old Jake Green in possession of a mysterious and dangerous box containing a frighteningly severed finger. The messenger, a ghostly man named Stiffkey, returns for the box when he realizes his mistake but it is too late for Jake who quickly becomes the target of the Embassy of the Dead and their reaper. Jake's only chance at escaping the Eternal Void is to help a troubled ghost pass on and become an Undoer.

This was a lot of fun and I couldn't help but think it would make a wonderful Tim Burton or Laika stop-motion film while reading! The characters are interesting and the plot is fast-paced and spooky and adventurous at the same time. 

This is the first in a fun and spooky middle-grade trilogy and I'm excited to see what Jake and his rag-tag group of ghostie friends are up to next! 

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Final Girls by Riley Sager (Adult Horror Thriller Review)

 

Final Girls
by Riley Sager
Published by Dutton Books
on July 11, 2017
Genre: Adult, Horror, Thriller
Length: 342 pages

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | BookDepository

Literary Awards:
Litsy Award for Horror (2017)
Goodreads Choice Award for Horror (2017)
ITW Thriller Award for Best Novel (2018)

Synopsis:
Ten years ago, college student Quincy Carpenter went on vacation with five friends and came back alone, the only survivor of a horror-movie scale massacre. In an instant, she became a member of a club no one wants to belong to--a group of similar survivors known in the press as the Final Girls. There was Lisa, and Sam, and now Quincy. The three girls are all attempting to put their nightmares behind them...
That is, until Lisa, the first Final Girl, is found dead in her bathtub, and Sam, the second, appears on Quincy's doorstep. 


My Thoughts:

Quincy Carpenter finally has her life together years after the Pine Cottage Massacre that she was the sole survivor of. She spends her days sharing her cute baked goods on social media and almost never thinks of herself as a Final Girl, that is until her good friend, Coop--the cop that saved her from Him ten years before--makes the long journey to inform her of another Final Girl--Lisa--'s suicide. Shortly after, the elusive second Final Girl, Sam, shows up on Quincy's doorstep and though she kind of always dreamed of being friends with the others, she quickly finds that being a Final Girl has it's ultimate ups and downs. 

This debut novel from Riley Sager has a great mix of horror and mystery thriller with a twist ending that will blow you away.  Our MC survived the group stabbing of her college friends at Pine Cottage and is now known as a Final Girl. She's fine with it. Nbd. But when Sam, another Final Girl who has avoided the press for years, shows up on her doorstep, they become quick friends. But Sam wants Quincy to remember that night at Pine Cottage, and she just might do anything to get her to.

  This is my third Sager novel and I'm a little disappointed that I didn't jump on this author's books from the start because they are all so good! I surprisingly went into this without having anything spoiled for me after years of seeing it on Bookstagram and while the beginning was a little slow to get into, I finally get why there was so much hype surrounding this when it released. He's quickly becoming a favorite and I plan on reading his other two novels in the next few months!  

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Home Again (Heartwood Hotel #4) by Kallie George (Children's Chapter Book Review)

 

Home Again
(Heartwood Hotel #4)
Written by Kallie George
Illustrated by Stephanie Graegin 
Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers 
on July 3, 2018
Genre: Children's, Chapter Book
Length: 176 pages
Ages: 7 - 10 years

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | BookDepository

Synopsis:
In the final installment of this sweet illustrated chapter book series, summer has come to Fernwood Forest, and the staff of the Heartwood Hotel must trust each other as they contend with their biggest challenge yet. 


My Thoughts:

Summer is in full swing and the Heartwood is all abustle over a wedding when news travels by way of hummingbird that a fire has started in the forest. Meanwhile, a mysterious mouse named Strawberry from a nearby inn has a secret to share with Mona, and Mona hopes to gain the family she always wanted, but the fire rages on, threatening all that she holds dear. 

This is a fantastic ending to what has become one of our top favorite children's book series! 

The Heartwood Hotel series is full of lovable anthropomorphic characters that work in the grand Heartwood Hotel, a safe haven in an old oak that is run by a badger named Mr. Heartwood and tucked into the relative safety of Fernwood Forest. Mona the mouse is orphaned in a storm and finds herself washed downstream where she is taken in by Mr. Heartwood and given a job as a maid, makes great friends, and becomes a brave little hero of a mouse. 

This series is a quartet with each book taking place in one of the four seasons, starting in Autumn and ending in Summer. All four books kept us engaged and rooting for Mona in all her endeavors to fit in and save the hotel from various dangers. There's just enough plot to keep readers engaged but these books are also quite gentle reads and perfect for little listeners that love animals. 

We have loved each of these four stories and wish there were more!

A True Home (#1)

The Greatest Gift (#2)

Better Together (#3)

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The Wild World Handbook: Habitats by Andrea Debbink & Asia Orlando (Middle Grade Nonfiction Book Review)

 We received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

The Wild World Handbook:
Habitats
Written by Andrea Debbink
Illustrated by Asia Orlando
Published by Quirk Books
on April 20, 2021
Genre: Middle Grade, Nonfiction 
Length: 231 pages
Ages: 8 - 12 years

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | BookDepository

Synopsis:
Packed with real-life tales of adventure, breathtaking illustrations, and practical tools, this handbook is an inspiring guide for the next generation of climate activists, conservationists, and nature lovers. 

My Thoughts:

The Wild World Handbook: Habitats is a fantastic exploration of all the different major habitats in our world, with a focus on conservation that is perfect for nature-loving children.

This middle-grade nonfiction is split into 9 chapters that cover the mountains, forests, rainforests, deserts, grasslands, polar lands, the ocean, freshwater, and cities. Each chapter includes two biographies, a natural wonder, a field trip idea, a story of environmental success, a DIY project, and ideas for good stewardship in that particular environment. 

The field trip ideas are very interactive, prompting the reader to research or visit (or both!) a mountain or forest or ocean in the area and gives many questions to find answers to as well as how to wander, explore, and record their findings. The DIY pages are especially fun and the Stewardship pages give lots of great ways to care for or repair nature. 

There is lots to learn and do in this fun look at our world's habitats! 

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Hour of the Witch by Chris Bohjalian (Adult Historical Thriller Review)

Hour of the Witch
by Chris Bohjalian
Published by Doubleday Books
on May 4, 2021
Genre: Adult, Historical Fiction, Thriller
Length: 406 pages

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | BookDepository

Synopsis:
A young Puritan woman--faithful, resourceful, but afraid of the demons that dog her soul--plots her escape from a violent marriage in this riveting and propulsive historical thriller from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Flight Attendant. 

My Thoughts:

Hour of the Witch is set in Boston, Massachusetts in 1662 just as the 'witch' hangings we're starting to happen more frequently in the area and is about a young woman named Mary Deerfield who petitions for a divorce from her cruelly abusive husband and is subsequently accused of witchcraft. 

Twenty-four-year-old Mary is the second wife of Thomas Deerfield, a man who dips into drink a little too often but seems to hide all of his outbursts for his wife alone so no one quite believes her when Mary turns up with bruises, and eventually an even worse wound that prompts her to leave her husband even though no woman she knew had done it before. But with whispers of witches circling the community, Mary must fight a bitter battle to win her freedom.

I love historical fiction, especially if it has darker elements, and this may be one of my newest favorites! 
I have read many like it but this one really stands out for me, and not just because it had the ending I really really hoped for. There's also a big dark mystery at the center of this story that keeps us wondering who is innocent and who is scheming. The ending is so very thrilling that I think even non-historical fiction readers might enjoy this one! 

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Forest Magic: A Guidebook for Little Woodland Explorers by Sarah Grindler (Children's Nonfiction Picture Book Review)

 We received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

Forest Magic:
A Guidebook for Little Woodland Explorers
Words & art by Sarah Grindler
Published by Nimbus Publishing
on May 31, 2021
Genre: Children's, Nonfiction, Nature
Length: 32 pages
Ages: 4 - 8 years

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | BookDepository

Synopsis:
A beautifully illustrated, compact, interactive nature guide to exploring the forest for young readers. 

Our Thoughts:

Forest Magic is a beautifully illustrated picture book guide to discovering nature and its many little surprises.

This picture book is not only a gorgeous book to look at; it's perfect for taking right out into the world as a guidebook!
You can learn to identify trees from their leaves, which birds and animals make the forest their home, different types of wildflowers and fungi and lichens, and how these things all play a part in a balanced ecosystem.

 It's a fantastic introduction to nature with lots of identification labels for tree leaves, animals, wildflowers, fungi, and lichen! We especially loved the fungi pages, as we so rarely come across mushroom identification in picture books and have been on the lookout for some! The mushrooms are accurately illustrated, as is everything in this book! There's even a 'Do Not Touch' page that shares which animals, plants, and fungi to avoid!

Perfect for outdoor storytime and/or wildschooling! 

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AUGUST 2021 TBR & Reading Goals

 Happy August, readers! 

I'm a little extra happy that we are one month closer to Spooky Season and the end of the year. I'm so ready for it. 

In the meantime, I'm planning on reading a few goodies to finish up summer and continue anticipating Autumn. 

Here's what I have on my pile / list!


For Review:

Many thanks to Walker Books, Forge Books, Goodreads, and Netgalley for the chance to read these! 

Current Library Loans:

From my shelves:

And my one big goal for the month is to find more graphic novels to read so leave some recs in the comments for me! Please and thank you!


You can keep up with what I do get around to reading over on Bookstagram @LazyDayLit! 

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