I had originally decided to include this feature in my monthly wrap ups, but I just felt there were too many facts squeezed into one little post and the whole purpose of putting my favorite reads in the spotlight was lost. So this is me giving those favorites their well deserved extra attention! August ended up being a bit of a dud with only two titles above 4 stars… Both belonging to the same series, and one that stood out clearly above the rest. Can you guess which one? Without further delay, August’s favorite is: *drumroll*

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The Botanist by M.W. Craven!! It’s no secret that this is one of my absolute favorite detective thriller series featuring one of my favorite character duos. You can never have enough Tilly and Poe banter! ❤

“The banter makes for such a nice contrast with the more serious topics and the two murder cases… And it’s part of the reason why this series stands out for me. The Botanist itself has a fantastic plot, with not one, but TWO locked room mysteries to solve.”

“There is danger, there is suspense, there is action, there is a serial killer angle, there are two locked room mysteries, there is plenty of banter to lighten things up… What more can you ask for in a story?”

Click here for my full review

Like I said before, I only had one 4,5 star read and that was actually a short story collection belonging to the same series, so I decided to highlight my favorite 4 star reads as well.

What I said in my review:

“ I’ve loved the dynamics between Tilly and Poe from the very beginning, and it’s always such a blast to spend more time with them.”

“All in all it turned out to be a successful bundle for me, and perfect for those who love the series as much as I do. There is no such thing as too much Tilly and Poe banter!”

Click here for my full review

What I said in my review:

“This was such a fun, touching and mainly uplifting slowburn romance!”

“I really liked the writing style and the banter incorporated into the dialogues, and the secondary characters were brilliant. I had so much fun reading this story, and what I liked is that Runaway Groomsman had a great balance of the light and fluffy with more serious topics.”

Click here for my full review

What I said in my review:

“…there was also something rather charming about it all, and I do love a quirky story with quirky characters.”

“The descriptions of Frick Island and its inhabitants made it feel like I was visiting the island myself, and I liked how the podcast was incorporated into the plot. The romance is true slowburn, and the story focuses instead on grief, mental health and small island life… And I liked how everything was wrapped up in the end.”

Click here for my full review

What I said in my review:

“The plot itself is filled with a lot of twists and turns as well as a lot of characters with something to hide. The story has an ominous feel and there are plenty of moments of suspense and danger… And the plot seems to be building up the tension until things are about ready to explode.”

“The Last Girl To Die turned out to be a solid thriller that packs a punch. Definitely prepare yourself for some graphic scenes and heavy topics! But it’s an excellent read if you don’t mind a story that isn’t afraid to go dark.”

Click here for my full review

What I said in my review:

“I’ve been hearing mixed things about this story though, and magical realism in general can go both ways for me, so I wasn’t sure if the story would be for me… But I’m glad I did pick it up, because it ended up being a pleasant surprise for me.”

“This is a story focusing mostly on grief, family bonds and also self discovery. All seasoned with the best descriptions of Italian food and surroundings you could wish for!”

Click here for my full review

What I said in my review:

“True, things can be said about the credibility of it all and certain aspects of the plot are WAY over the top. Some characters could have done with more fleshing out as well… But I personally didn’t mind too much, because Seat 7A was just so darn engaging!”

“Sebastian Fitzek basically takes you on a rollercoaster ride, and especially the second half will have more than one plot twist bomb hiding in the corners. There were so many things I never saw coming!”

Click here for my full review

Have you read any of these titles above? What did you think of them? What were your favorite reads in August?

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