Monthly Wrap-Up

Monthly Wrap-Up: August 2025

Dini @ dinipandareads35 Comments

August… Wasn’t a great month in terms of health. I spent the majority of it knocked down by various illnesses, the latest being the worst flare up of my chronic bronchitis that I’ve experienced since I first got it. As I’m writing this up on the last day of August, I’m just extremely exhausted of feeling exhausted. On the bright side, my chest no longer feels like it’s been stomped on by a herd of elephants and run over by a train, but it still feels like a weight is hanging off it and I hate that I get out of breath from simply moving around. 🥲 I’m really hoping that September will be much better health wise! 🤞🏽

I guess the one “upside” of being sick so often this month is the fact that I spent a lot of time recuperating in bed and reading, which shows by the fact that I finished 19 books in August. This is the most I’ve read in any month this year and I’m shocked! 🤭 It was also the month where I had the most 5-star ratings of any month so far this year! It was so hard to pick a favourite but I think it’s a tie between 🥇 The Eye of the Bedlam Bride by Matt Dinniman and The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett. 🥇 I’m heavily emotionally invested in DCC and spent a good chunk of the last half of book 6 bawling, and I had such an incredible time reading TTC that I immediately wanted to re-read it the moment I finished it!

It was also another fun month co-hosting the Let’s Talk Bookish weekly meme. You can learn more about it, read all the discussions, and see the upcoming month’s topics HERE.

*COVERS are linked to Goodreads and the TEXT is linked to my review, if available*
*books are arranged by READING ORDER with the last read first*

5 pandas

The Eye of the Bedlam Bride by Matt Dinniman, The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett, The Butcher’s Masquerade by Matt Dinniman

4.5 pandas

This Poison Heart by Kalynn Bayron, We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer

4 pandas

Waltzing with Witches by Hazel Mack, Partying with Pixies by Hazel Mack, Tangling with Trolls by Hazel Mack, Lightfall: The Girl and the Galdurian by Tim Probert, Full Speed to a Crash Landing by Beth Revis, Enchantra by Kaylie Smith

Mini Book Review: Full Speed to a Crash Landing by Beth Revis

3.5 pandas

Getting It On With Gargoyles by Hazel Mack (3.75), The Guy for Me by Marzy Opal, Potions & Prejudice by Tee Harlowe

3 pandas

To Be Your Last by Rae Kennedy, To Be Your Wife by Rae Kennedy, To Be Your Only by Rae Kennedy

less than 3 pandas (*or no rating for erotic romances)

To Be Your Girl by Rae Kennedy, Change on the Fly by Maren Moore

I fulfilled the monthly reading challenges this month but I didn’t go the extra mile with my reads. I also still haven’t caught up with the missed Buzzword challenge, but I’ll get to it… I swear, lol.

✔ Goodreads Reading Challenge (Notion tracker): 107/150 books
✔ Beat the Backlist: 📚 1 backlist book // 📱 0 backlist ARCs ⇢ 0 Bingo Spaces
✔ 2025 Buzzword Reading Challenge: August (“with”) ⇢ Tangling with Trolls
✔ 2025 Year in Aeldia: August (“has ‘light’ in the title”) ⇢ Lightfall: The Girl and the Galdurian
✔ 2025 Popsugar Reading Challenge: 1 book ⇢ Prompt 34

This one’s a bit too wide to see properly… You can click the image to see the wider frame (and all the books)

And that’s it for August! How was your month and what was your favourite book? I hope everyone is doing good and taking care. 💜

35 thoughts on “Monthly Wrap-Up: August 2025”

  3. Aww Dini it SUCKS that you’ve been so sick. That heavy chest feeling is so shitty. 💔 I very very much hope the elephants and train leave you alone and don’t come back.

    Regarding The Tainted Cup, though: glad you had that to distract you a bit while feeling that way. I agree, it was fab, and I also ended it and wanted to stay in that world. Thankfully I had book two already, although I’m a fickle lady and didn’t actually read it yet?? Despite having loved it?? I think it’s that issue of, once I read it, I can’t read it again for the first time. So I’m saving it.. for… some other time? xD

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    • Yeah, bronchitis sucks so bad! 🥲 But thankfully, I’m starting to feel a whole lot better now. Apparently a lot of people were getting sick the past week though so things have been going around. Let’s hope that stays in August and doesn’t leak into September anywhere!

      Haha, I totally get what you mean re. reading the second book after Tainted Cup! I’m hoping that I don’t end up that way but it depends on the person who I’m buddy reading with too. Thankfully, I know that means we’ll get to it at some point just… Not sure when that some point is… 🤣 I feel like this applies to a lot of the series that I have, hahaa

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  5. I’m so sorry to hear how ill you’ve been, it sounds horrible. I really hope you feel better soon and have a much healthier September ❤️

    I’m glad you loved TCC & DCC so much, it’s lovely being torn between monthly favourites. I love how many of your reads were 4 pandas plus 🥰

    I hope you have a lovely September ❤️❤️

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    • Thanks, Charlotte! Here’s hoping that the illness stays in August and doesn’t leak too far into September. Thankfully, I am starting to feel much better now! 💜

      I’m happy that the majority of my books were wins too though! Let’s hope that trend continues through the rest of the year, hehe. I hope you have a lovely September as well, my friend! 💜

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      • I’m glad you’re feeling better. Hopefully you can have an incredible September to make up for last month ❤️

        Yes here’s hoping your reads stay strong. And thank you, it’s been lovely so far (it’s my birthday week and I’ve been to Madame Tussauds, London Zoo and saw The Lion King which was incredible 😍

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  8. I hope you start feeling better soon!! For my favorite book of the month it’s a tie between Step in the Zone by Blane Bellamy and Not Quite Dead Yet by Holly Jackson but if I had to pick one I’d say the one from Holly Jackson.

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    • A bright side indeed! 💜 Thanks, Lindsey! And the DCC books are amazing. I was so taken by surprise when I started this series because even though everyone has been raving about it, I wasn’t sure whether it’d be my jam. Ooh, it’s so my jam and just a really good time! One of my favourite reads this year for sure. I’d highly recommend the audiobook if you’re curious enough to try it!

      I hope you have an amazing September as well 🙂

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  10. Oh no, I am sorry you were not feeling good this August. I hope September makes up for it and you feel 100% again soon! You definetely made up for it with all these books, how amazing! But even better, and as you said, you had some amazing reads.

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  11. I’m glad you are finally feeling better! It was so hard to pick between the two Dinniman books! They were both amazing. The Tainted Cup is also such an amazing book. I thought book two was just as good. I am so glad you liked Enchantra! I hope you have an amazing September!! ❤

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    • The two DCC books really were amazing but if we’re talking about emotional impact, the last one turned me into an absolute wreck—as you know! Haha 😆 This series is getting me good! I’m so excited to read the second book in TTC and I’m so glad to know everyone who read it this year has only good things to say about it.

      I hope you have an amazing September too, my friend! Happy reading 💜

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  13. I hope you feel better! Bronchitis is awful, and when I’ve had it, it’s knocked me out for longer than most things ever have.

    Looks like a great reading month, though! Thanks for the reminder that I need to go read the Tainted Cup sequel… I’ve been forgetting about that one. (Oooh, and book 3 in the series is confirmed to be coming out next spring!)

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  16. I’m glad to hear you’re slowly on the mend – I hope September is better month for you! But wow 19 books in 1 month is amazing!!! Looks like you had great fun with your book choices – The Tainted Cup sounds really interesting! xo

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