What I Read in August 2023

After an extra productive month of reading in July, I wanted to try and keep up that stamina for August. With no city commutes (our office is closed over the summer) and no holidays, my time for focused reading drastically decreased. I mostly tried to maintain my reading by dipping into some NetGalley ARCs and library loans, meaning I’d have specific review and loan deadlines to stick to. This did partly work, and I unexpectedly discovered some great books as well.

I’ve also been on a mission to improve my NetGalley feedback ratio, which dipped drastically when my older-than-old Samsung tablet stopped working in the 2020 lockdown. Of course, that meant I didn’t have a ‘good enough’ device to read eARCs on. With that in mind, I’m now actively factoring in time for ARCs!

The Water Outlaws by S.L. Huang

Thank you to Rebellion and NetGalley for my advanced reader copy of this book in return for an honest review.

Rating: ★★★★/5

I came across this book for the first time when doing my fortnightly NetGalley wander, and I couldn’t believe I hadn’t heard about it in the bookish circles that I frequent – it’s exactly the sort of fantasy fiction I adore.

Inspired by a classic of martial arts literature, S. L. Huang’s The Water Outlaws are bandits of devastating ruthlessness, unseemly femininity, dangerous philosophies, and ungovernable gender who are ready to make history—or tear it apart.

A retelling of Chinese classic Water Margin,this is a novel that doesn’t hold back, even from its very first page. Lin Chong is an arms instructor, expertly training the Emperor’s soldiers in every class. Her impressive skill and devotion to the job is what she holds higher than anything else, unlike her friends that are beginning to question and challenge inequalities in hierarchy, morals and values. After being targeted and disgraced by an Imperial Marshall, Lin Chong is recruited by the Bandits of Liangshan – mountain outlaws that believe in justice for women, progressive thinkers and other marginalised people.

I haven’t yet read the original text on which this was based, but I am thoroughly besotted by The Water Outlaws. The martial arts elements are fantastic: Huang brings the movements and fight scenes to life in a masterful fashion and it really feels like non-stop action. I’d LOVE to see this as a film adaptation someday. The lore, backstory and settings are also wonderful, there’s no questioning of the rich backdrop of the story.

What I adored the most here, however, is the feminist heart of the story. The sisterhood that are the Bandits of Liangshan was impressive and inspiring, and Lin Chong was the perfect heroine to catalyse the courage and progressive values of the clan. Huang comments on power and hierarchy against a backdrop of tradition here, and Lin Chong’s development is just… *chef’s kiss* My only note here is that while there are hungry ghosts and talismans and flashes of fantastical elements, there’s not nearly enough other magic and fantasy elements for a ‘fantasy historical fiction’, but I can let that slide.

The Water Outlaws was published on 17 August 2023.

Invitation to a Banquet: The Story of Chinese Food by Fuchsia Dunlop

Thank you to Penguin Press UK and NetGalley for my advanced reader copy of this book in return for an honest review.

Rating: ★★★.5/5

As somebody that was raised at a Chinese takeaway shop in England, I loved the sound of this book. In it, James Beard award-winning cook and writer Fuchsia Dunlop explores and ruminates everything from the history of Chinese food to the philosophies and techniques. The book is cleverly divided into chapters that each focus on a classic dish, each further diving into specific aspects of Chinese gastronomy.

Dunlop writes in an assured manner, beautifully bringing the cuisine and country to life. There are some wonderful passages where she meets local food producers, chefs and even home cooks, discussing at length the dishes and techniques and table manners of Chinese food. If I’m honest, I was at first wary that this was written by a non-Chinese author, but a few pages in and I was already thoroughly enamoured by Dunlop’s breadth of knowledge and experience. There’s brilliant commentary about food and its impact on the planet, insight commentary about Western vs. Eastern tastes and outlooks towards food, and so much valuable history. Invitation to a Banquet is a gorgeous celebration and introduction to Chinese cuisine, and it truly made me feel so nostalgic for many dishes that I ate growing up.

Damnation Spring by Ash Davidson

Rating: ★★★★/5

I picked this book up on a whim from the library, simply because its cover is gorgeous. But, I was soon pleasantly surprised by this eco-literary fiction. Damnation Spring is Davidson’s debut and it is a great one: told from the perspectives of a family in crisp and refreshing prose, it unravels the story of a community that has made a living felling California’s redwoods for generations.

In many ways, Damnation Spring feels like my very beloved The Overstory. There’s a captivating cast of characters, a family saga feel and a really beautifully evocative forest-centred backdrop. Davidson works her way right into the intricacies of family life too – Rich, Colleen and Chub Gunderson are brought to life through their intricate thoughts and dialogue, and it feels immersive and believably real.

Rich is a logger, like his father before him, and his grandfather before them. It’s treacherous, hard work, and he hopes for a better future for his family. His wife, Colleen, is desperate for another child, a sibling for Chub, after enduring multiple miscarriages – but they don’t talk about that anymore. When Rich is offered the chance to acquire a plot of life-securing timber, he is enthralled at the opportunity. But the Gunderson family are barely speaking, drifting further apart by the day.

This is a quiet and slow-paced book, set in a small town, which might not be for everyone. For me, however, it was perfect. I adore unassuming, understated narratives where the plot unravels slowly but surely (then all at once). There’s a wondrous balance of prose and dialogue, bringing the family and setting to life, and it feels cinematic in a way.

Before We Say Goodbye by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

Thank you to Pan Macmillan and NetGalley for my advanced reader copy of this book in return for an honest review.

Rating: ★★★★★/5

I was thrilled to be accepted for an eARC of Before We Say Goodbye, because I’m a big fan of this series. Like I’ve said countless times before, Toshikazu Kawaguchi – and the translator – has a really special way of making magic from quiet stories. Set again in the mysterious Funiculi Funicula café, four more guests are offered the chance to travel back in time and meet someone from the past.

This installment of the series is sad: sadder than any of the other books. For the first time, we go back in time to visit a pet (I cried) and somehow there’s more depth and reasoning with the characters that return to go back in time. It feels as though Kawaguchi has found their rhythm with the series as well, with longer passages set within the café itself and a little more rumination of the café characters. Slow-paced yet short in length, this is another lyrical addition to the Before the Coffee Gets Cold saga.

Before We Say Goodbye publishes on 14 September 2023.

Her Own Happiness by Eden Appiah-Kubi

Thank you to Montlake and NetGalley for my advanced reader copy of this book in return for an honest review.

Rating: ★★★.5/5

Maya is a queer, fat, Black woman whose dreamy life has fallen apart. Before she knows it, Maya is packing away her life into two suitcases and flying back home to Maryland right as she turns 31 – no plan B in mind. Thankfully, as she moves home, her best friend Ant is moving away, so they share a flight right as they both embark on life-changing journeys.

This is a really sweet, refreshingly compelling and honest novel about self-discovery, self-growth and friendship. Our protagonists are perfectly fleshed-out; Maya a determined but easily influenced woman and Ant a shaky but reliable best friend. I enjoyed this ‘coming of age’-ish story, it shines a light on many of the worries that people in their thirties still have. There’s also the additional layer of a TED Talk/life coach-guru character, which I found fascinating. It isn’t a genre I typically read, but I do love the cosy coming of age/romance reads because you know it’ll wrap up into a lovely ending. From friendship to careers, sexuality to healthcare, I thought Her Own Happiness was a thoroughly enjoyable novel.

This is also the first-ever book that I’ve read set in or around the pandemic. I’ve quite happily existed without those for now, but I found it lent an additionally layer of humanity to this book – I lived for all the P-name alternatives to pandemic, which was a big source of fun for me in lockdown!

Her Own Happiness publishes on 5 September 2023.

September Hopefuls

In September, I’m hoping to plough through a few more NetGalley ARCs so that I can be on top of my advance-reader reviews. I really love being able to read books ahead of their release, and hope that this can form more of my bookstagram content! Aside from those, I’ve decided to return to mood reading and using my brand-new TBR jar for upcoming reads. On reflection, jumping aboard the ‘Hopefuls’ bandwagon hasn’t worked for me and makes me feel pressured to pick up books even when I don’t feel like it. As we step into busy months, I’m looking forward to reading whatever I fancy at the time!

What was your favourite read in August?