Here are the rest of my August books! Another good batch here for you!

Four For the Road by K.J. Reilly
Belladonna by Adalyn Grace
A Venom Dark and Sweet by Judy I. Lin
The Sleepless by Victor Manibo
The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy by Megan Bannen

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Four for the Road by K.J. Reilly
Published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers on August 23, 2022
Pages: 288
Format:eARC, Hardcover
Source:Copy provided by publisher for review, via Netgalley

The Perks of Being a Wallflower meets The End of the F***ing World in this dark young adult comedy about four unlikely friends dealing with the messy side of grief who embark on a road trip to Graceland.

Asher Hunting wants revenge.

Specifically, he wants revenge on the drunk driver who killed his mom and got off on a technicality. No one seems to think this is healthy, though, which is how he ends up in a bereavement group (well, bereavement groups. He goes to several.) It’s there he makes some unexpected friends: There’s Sloane, who lost her dad to cancer; Will, who lost his little brother to a different kind of cancer; and eighty-year-old Henry, who was married to his wife for fifty years until she decided to die on her own terms. And it’s these three who Asher invites on a road trip from New Jersey to Graceland. Asher doesn’t tell them that he’s planning to steal his dad’s car, or the real reason that he wants to go to Tennessee (spoiler alert: it’s revenge)—but then again, the others don’t share their reasons for going, either.

Complete with unexpected revelations, lots of chicken Caesar salads at roadside restaurants, a stolen motorcycle, and an epic kiss at a rest stop minimart, what begins as the road trip to revenge might just turn into a path towards forgiveness.

“Life is basically a miserable black hole and we’re only here for the cookies.”

This lovely story is both heartbreaking and heartwarming, and I absolutely enjoyed the ride (road trip pun mildly intended). We’re introduced to Asher, who has lost in mom in a pretty horrific car accident about a year ago. He has now fully devoted his existence to A) trying to keep his existing family alive, no matter how many of his sister’s bikes he must destroy, and B) plotting to literally murder the drunk driver who killed his mom. He is… well look, he isn’t doing well. He goes to grief support groups, but mostly to be snarky, until he meets a few people who may just understand what he is dealing with.

First he encounters Henry, an elderly fellow who has lost his wife Evelyn. Asher befriends Henry, but also finds some friends of his own generation at a bereavement group for young people. Sloan has lost her father, and Will who lost his little brother. Henry mentions that Evelyn has always wanted to go to Graceland, and since Asher’s revenge victim (and also his date to prom, but that is another story altogether) are in Memphis, he decides to get the whole band together for a road trip!

“En route I fell in love with a car full of strangers. And half of them were dead.”

So, as you can imagine, this book is going to be full of the feels. Each character, and their deceased love one, frankly, is incredibly well developed. I fell in love with each of them- perhaps even before I fell in love with Asher- and their stories wormed their way into my heart. They were all in very different places with their grief, but the bottom line was that they all really needed each other, to have that support from someone who could understand what they are going through. They had finally found people who didn’t try to force them to tamp down their grief, or shy away from the hard topics. Here, on this unsanctioned road trip, they were able to share their loved ones’ stories, and in many cases, favorite meals. They didn’t have to tiptoe around the non-grievers, to hide their pain and put on false fronts.

I don’t want to give away too much of this emotional journey, so I will just say that the book is full of amazing characters, a lot of friendship, and was hugely therapy positive. The characters undergo a ton of growth during their trip, but they are in no way done grieving. The author does a great job of making this trip life changing, but not in any way a fix-all, and it was truly the perfect balance.

Bottom Line: This book broke my heart, and then put it back together again mile by mile.

P.S.- Please, allow yourself to earworm along with me, as I did for most of the latter half of this lovely book! Also, if this book and the song don’t make you add Memphis to your bucket list, well, Idk what to tell you.

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Belladonna by Adalyn Grace
Series: Belladonna #1
Published by Little Brown Books for Young Readers on August 30, 2022
Pages: 416
Format:eARC
Source:Copy provided by publisher for review, via Netgalley

New York Times bestselling author Adalyn Grace brings to life a highly romantic, Gothic-infused world of wealth, desire, and betrayal.

Orphaned as a baby, nineteen-year-old Signa has been raised by a string of guardians, each more interested in her wealth than her well-being—and each has met an untimely end. Her remaining relatives are the elusive Hawthornes, an eccentric family living at Thorn Grove, an estate both glittering and gloomy. Its patriarch mourns his late wife through wild parties, while his son grapples for control of the family’s waning reputation and his daughter suffers from a mysterious illness. But when their mother’s restless spirit appears claiming she was poisoned, Signa realizes that the family she depends on could be in grave danger and enlists the help of a surly stable boy to hunt down the killer.   However, Signa’s best chance of uncovering the murderer is an alliance with Death himself, a fascinating, dangerous shadow who has never been far from her side. Though he’s made her life a living hell, Death shows Signa that their growing connection may be more powerful—and more irresistible—than she ever dared imagine.

Belladonna was quite a pleasant surprise for me! Admittedly, I wasn’t quite sure what I expected going in, but I think my expectations were slightly… off? Regardless, this ended up being different, but in a good way!

Signa has been left alone- once again- after her most recent guardian dies. Honestly, she’s not that broken up about it because her aunt/guardian was pretty awful. I wasn’t too broken up about it either, except for Signa’s life being thrown into upheaval. Oh, and the fact that she kiiiind of killed her aunt? But look, accidents happen. So, Signa is shipped off to yet another family member.

But when she gets to her most recent guardian’s estate, things are… okay fine, things are a hot mess here. Her cousin Blythe is actively dying (of seemingly whatever the heck killed her aunt- not the crappy aunt who just died, an aunt she never met), and no one else in the house is handling their grief well, either. Meanwhile, Signa is in communication with Death- yes, actual Death- on the regular, and she doesn’t particularly like him (at first, anyway).

The book is incredibly atmospheric, as you can feel the mystery and eeriness of this old house and its occupants. Not only is Signa seeing Death, but she can also see spirits. So with the help of Death and the spirit of Blythe’s dead mom, Signa sets out to figure out what killed the mom- and hopefully save Blythe’s life in the process.

Both the mystery and Signa’s character growth were my favorite aspects of the book. I too wanted to know what was happening in this place- who would want to kill the mom, who was seemingly loved by everyone? And even more, who would want to kill this innocent young girl? While she figures out the mystery and tries to save her cousin’s life, Signa ends up learning so much about who she is and what her role in the world is. And maybe she will learn more about Death along the way, too.

There are a few predictable moments, but the overall mystery wasn’t overly predictable, so it wasn’t too big of a deal. I also wasn’t sure when or where this was supposed to take place (though we do receive an indication of “when”, eventually), which is probably more of a personal gripe, because it doesn’t actually factor much into the story.

It ended on a big ol’ cliffhanger, and I am very excited to see what happens to Signa and her family next!

Bottom Line: Atmospheric and entertaining, Belladonna is a great start to a new series!

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A Venom Dark and Sweet by Judy I. Lin
Series: The Book of Tea #2
Published by Feiwel & Friends on August 23, 2022
Pages: 352
Format:eARC
Source:Copy provided by publisher for review, via Netgalley

The enthralling conclusion to Judy I. Lin's Book of Tea duology—A Magic Steeped in Poison and A Venom Dark and Sweet—is sure to enchant fans of Adrienne Young and Leigh Bardugo.

A great evil has come to the kingdom of Dàxi. The Banished Prince has returned to seize power, his rise to the dragon throne aided by the mass poisonings that have kept the people bound in fear and distrust.

Ning, a young but powerful shénnóng-shi—a wielder of magic using the ancient and delicate art of tea-making—has escorted Princess Zhen into exile. Joining them is the princess' loyal bodyguard, Ruyi, and Ning's newly healed sister, Shu. Together the four young women travel throughout the kingdom in search of allies to help oust the invaders and take back Zhen's rightful throne.

But the golden serpent still haunts Ning's nightmares with visions of war and bloodshed. An evil far more ancient than the petty conflicts of men has awoken, and all the magic in the land may not be enough to stop it from consuming the world...

I quite liked the first book in this series, and was pretty excited to dive into this sequel/finale! I must admit, I struggled a bit to recall what exactly had gone down in the first book, so it did take me a minute to get back into the world. But it ended up being a pretty solid, if a bit safe, sequel. 

First, we are given points of view from both Ning and Kang- one from first person, one from third, which is a trend I am seeing a lot of lately, and plan to write a post about sooner than later. Anyway, because they are split up, this makes sense. Ning is on the run, because of some political shenanigans from the last book which I won’t get into, and Kang is being groomed as the next leader of the kingdom. Not the rightful leader, mind, but the leader nonetheless.

So it’s pretty exiting, in that everyone is basically afraid for their lives and trying to both survive, but make sure that their respective sides end up on the throne. Here’s the thing: While I absolutely appreciated this, I didn’t feel a sense of actual danger? Like sure, I knew that cognitively the characters were technically in danger, running for their lives and from their foes, but… I just didn’t actually feel it?

But the story is good, even if I didn’t feel the sense of urgency, and I enjoyed the characters and their growth.  The world-building was really good too, I loved how unique and well done it was. Overall, a solid ending that certainly tied the story together.

Bottom Line: A solid, albeit safe-feeling conclusion that left me satisfied.

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The Sleepless by Victor Manibo
Published by Erewhon on August 2, 2022
Pages: 336
Format:eARC
Source:Copy provided by publisher for review, via Netgalley

Journalist Jamie Vega is Sleepless: he can’t sleep, nor does he need to. When his boss dies on the eve of a controversial corporate takeover, Jamie doesn’t buy the too-convenient explanation of suicide, and launches an investigation of his own.

But everything goes awry when Jamie discovers that he was the last person who saw Simon alive. Not only do the police suspect him, Jamie himself has no memory of that night. Alarmingly, his memory loss may have to do with how he became Sleepless: not naturally, like other Sleepless people, but through a risky and illegal biohacking process.

As Jamie delves deeper into Simon’s final days, he tangles with extremist organizations and powerful corporate interests, all while confronting past traumas and unforeseen consequences of his medical experimentation. But Jamie soon faces the most dangerous decision of all as he uncovers a terrifying truth about Sleeplessness that imperils him—and all of humanity.

First: can you imagine never needing to sleep? That is wild, and such a cool premise for a story! It starts out as a virus of sorts that causes humans to not be able to/need to sleep. But… some folks decide that they could be more productive sans sleep, so they try to become sleepless. Such is the case with our friend Jamie, who no longer needs sleep, but also finds himself missing chunks of time.

This story is kind of two-in-one: You have the component of sleeplessness, which is obviously a big part of it. How the virus started, what the side effects are, the pharmaceutically-manufactured sleeplessness and whether it has side effects, how the various Powers That Be react to sleeplessness, how society itself views those who are Sleepless. But the second component is a mystery, a whodunit, if you will. When Jamie finds his boss and mentor dead, from what at first looks like a suicide, Jamie is not buying it. And eventually, neither do the police.

The mystery and the Sleepless are of course intertwined, and not only because Jamie himself is Sleepless. But he refuses to give up his quest for information on what may have led to the death of Simon, and along the way, he finds himself in the center of a whole world of messiness.

That is all I’ll say about the plot. Because obviously this is the kind of book you want to read this stuff for yourself. Jamie has to come to terms with a lot of stuff from his past, as well as confront some of why he chose to become Sleepless in the first place. He also will uncover a lot of things that he never bargained for, and hopefully will solve the mystery along the way. The book is exciting and incredibly readable, as well as thought-provoking. I could not help but wonder what choices I would have made in Jamie’s shoes.

Bottom Line: Thought-provoking and complete with an exciting mystery, this book has something for everyone.

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The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy by Megan Bannen
Published by Orbit on August 23, 2022
Pages: 448
Format:eARC
Source:Copy provided by publisher for review, via Netgalley

"A uniquely charming mixture of whimsy and the macabre that completely won me over. If you ever wished for an adult romance that felt like Howl's Moving Castle, THIS IS THAT BOOK." —Helen Hoang, author of The Kiss Quotient

Hart is a marshal, tasked with patrolling the strange and magical wilds of Tanria. It’s an unforgiving job, and Hart’s got nothing but time to ponder his loneliness.

Mercy never has a moment to herself. She’s been single-handedly keeping Birdsall & Son Undertakers afloat in defiance of sullen jerks like Hart, who seems to have a gift for showing up right when her patience is thinnest.

After yet another exasperating run-in with Mercy, Hart finds himself penning a letter addressed simply to “A Friend”. Much to his surprise, an anonymous letter comes back in return, and a tentative friendship is born.

If only Hart knew he’s been baring his soul to the person who infuriates him most—Mercy. As the dangers from Tanria grow closer, so do the unlikely correspondents. But can their blossoming romance survive the fated discovery that their pen pals are their worst nightmares—each other?

Set in a world full of magic and demigods, donuts and small-town drama, this enchantingly quirky, utterly unique fantasy is perfect for readers of The House in the Cerulean Sea and The Invisible Library.

"Truly outstanding romantic fantasy." —India Holton

"An unabashedly offbeat adventure." —Freya Marske

"I cried twice and smiled plenty." —Olivia Atwater

"A little sweet, a little spicy, a little sharp and entirely moreish!" —Davinia Evans

"I showed up for the fantastic, fun fantasy setting but it was Hart and Mercy that kept me reading." —Ruby Dixon

I am a big fan of Megan Bannen’s work, so when I heard she was writing an adult fantasy, I was all in. This is a bit lighter than her usual fare, though not exactly fluffy. Frankly, however you’d define it, it was the perfect blend of high stakes and dark adventure, and humorous, heartwarming moments, which made it so very readable.

To say I loved this book is an understatement. And I will try to tell you why, but really you just need to go read it for yourself, yeah?

• The characters were amazing. I fell in love with Hart and Mercy long before they fell for each other. Heck, they loathe each other. But they were both so well-developed and entertaining, I felt as though I knew them personally. They come from very different backgrounds, and I loved that they both had to reconclile their pasts before they could be ready to be with each other in the present.
• Speaking of, I loved their support systems! Mercy’s family is incredible, and wholly realistic. They love each other deeply, but they also have their problems and arguments. Mercy is basically taking over the family undertaking business, even though her dad has assumed her brother would take the role. I mean, dude literally named it “Birdsall & Son”, so. But turns out, he has less than no interest in the family business. But Mercy loves it. It is also awesome to see a woman venturing into this business which, in this world, is very clearly male-dominated.

  Then we have Hart’s “family”. His actual family passed long ago, and he tries to keep everyone at arm’s length. But some people have weaseled their way past his tough veneer. His boss and her wife are wonderful supports to him, and his boss insists that he take on an apprentice, which becomes a really great connection for Hart.

• Obviously, the relationship between Hart and Mercy is key. First, they hate each other. Hate, hate, utterly loathe. They don’t even have good reasons for hating each other, they just… do. But even when they’re not fond of each other, their banter is A+. The chemistry is there from the start, no doubt.
• The whole “pen pals” bit is so cute. Okay first of all, the letters are delivered by talking animals, which usually I am iffy about, but man, these fit so seamlessly into the world (and provide such great humor) that I was absolutely living for them! And I loved how Hart and Mercy both let themselves be vulnerable, when they thought they were talking to a stranger.
• So many emotions! Look, I laughed, I cried, I swooned. It was perfection. I won’t tell you why I did those things, because spoilers, but this book provided so many emotional experiences. The humor is fabulous, and makes the darker topic of death and undertaking so much more palatable.

Bottom Line: Perfect characters, a very swoonworthy romance, and an entertaining plot full of feels puts this book on my favorites list for sure!

FAM. I need to know. Would you choose to be Sleepless?

Have you read any of these books? Plan to? Let us chat about them!