I don’t know where this summer went, but it sure went by quick! I’m well aware I’ve said the same thing the past couple of months, but it’s still true. I blink and suddenly the month has gone by, but apparently I had a lot of time to read, because I somehow managed to finish my Goodreads Reading Challenge! I know I could adjust the goal, but I kind of like that there’s now zero pressure for the remainder of the year.

But let’s take a closer look at all the books I had the chance to check out during August!

• The Green Knight by Unknown (3 stars)
  I don’t think I’ve ever read a medieval poem and definitely not that long, but it was alright? They definitely talked more about kissing than the actual Green Knight. (This was a movie tie-in with foreword by director David Lowry)
• In the Wild Light by Jeff Zentner (5 stars!!!)
• Still Life with Woodpecker by Tom Robbins (1 star)
• The Lonely City: Adventures in the Art of Being Alone by Olivia Laing (3 stars)
• Ballad of the Whiskey Robber by Julian Rubinstein (3.5 stars)
• Take Me with You When You Go by David Levithan/Jennifer Niven (3.5 stars)
• Dark and Shallow Lies by Ginny Myers Sain (3.5 stars)

As per usual, click on the covers to get re-directed to Goodreads, where you are always welcome to add me as a reading buddy! My own reviews (where there is one) you’re able to find by clicking on the titles in the list above if there are posts for them.

So, August was alright? It was my birthday month, but I’m not much of a birthday person, so I didn’t really celebrate. I told all my friends and family that I didn’t want anything, except to maybe spend some time with them. Therefore, I went on some nice walks in town, got good food and even went hiking. I’m not a super athletic person and I need new hiking gear, but I still love the feeling of accomplishment once you get to the top (or your designated spot). That was hard, but nice! (And I’m completely going to ignore that I forgot to put on sun screen and had the worst sun burn afterwards.)

Not really sure if this constitutes as news, but I’m currently looking for an apartment in Vienna for myself. This is momentous due to a couple reasons for me, because 1) living with my parents has always been my safety net and a great way to save money during tough times, 2) I never really intended to stay in Vienna and therefore never went looking for a place of my own, so this is like admitting defeat in my pursuit of moving abroad? Kind of? and 3) as I’m getting over my crushed dreams, I’m developing new ones and I’m really looking forward to making some of them come true (this is not necessarily referring to a flat).

MY FAVORITE THINGS

I hope you’re not getting tired of hearing this, but I’m once again going to talk about my reader compatibility series! I put a lot of work into these posts and I know the topic is kind of silly and fun, but I’m really, really proud of the outcome. The latest installment was me checking to see if Sebastian Stan and I are compatible readers and the result was genuinely surprising to me! This series will continue to be a regular feature on the blog, however, I decided to take a break during September and possibly focus a little more on books that I just want to read for my own sake. Still, I have a list of names ready to go!

Another thing I completely adored and simply cannot get out of my head is the movie CODA! It’s about the only hearing child of deaf adults and her passion for music. It was honestly one of the most beautiful and emotional movies I had the pleasure of watching this year and I’m really not surprised audiences love it so much. If you haven’t yet, I hope you’re going to check out this masterpiece!!

ELSEWHERE ON THE BLOGOSPHERE

This part of the wrap-up is always dedicated to the amazing work other bloggers do in the community. I hope you give them a visit and show some appreciation for their contributions!

• Stephanie, my inspiration and idol when it comes to reading experiments, dedicated a huge chunk of her time to read the books on Harvard’s list of medieval-inspired summer reading list. I have so much respect for that!
• Jayati opened up about some blogging anxieties and I found the entire post very relatable.
• Sabrina talked about the choice to read multiple books at the same time. I do the same, so I really found myself in many points here as well.
• Marie once again shared her incredible knowledge with us and provided a list of (free) blogging tools that might help you improve your experience.
• Lashaan shared his thoughts on the Jupiter’s Legacy comics, which I still need to check out, but am intrigued by because I enjoyed the show (which got cancelled, but we don’t talk about that).
• Kal interviewed the ever amazing Sumedha for her Reading Around the Globe interview series, where people talk about their experiences and book culture in their respective countries. It’s very insightful!
• Ellyn gave all of us a little guide on how to approach and watch the Marvel universe content! Even though I am entirely up to date on that matter, I like how it depicts it really well for people who are overwhelmed by the topic.

MY OTHER POSTS

PREVIOUSLY ON WHAT IF …

• Captain Carter Were the First Avenger?
• T’Challa Became a Star-Lord?
• The World Lost Its Mightiest Heroes

TV SHOW/MOVIE RELATED

• What I’ve Been (Binge-)Watching #64

THURSDAY MOVIE PICKS

• Oscar Winner Edition: Best Costume Design and Best Makeup and Hairstyling
• Movies That Confused Me
• Treasure Hunt
• TV Edition: Books I Want to See Adapted Into a TV Series

VARIOUS POSTS AND TAGS

• Are Sebastian Stan and I compatible (readers)?

TRAILER POSTS

• Aug 2-8
• Aug 9-15
• Aug 16-22
• Aug 23-29

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I hope your August went well and that you are safe and healthy! Wishing you all the best for September and hope we can chat a bit in the comments!