August Books and Reviews

August Reads

August was a busy month, but not so busy that I couldn’t find time to read. Being a mom of two little ones, balancing a full-time job, working on the second book in my Moonlit Chronicles series, and illustrating characters for other authors does not exactly leave me with endless free hours.

But reading is my fuel, my escape, and my favorite way to recharge.

This month I managed to read four books, all within my most beloved genre: romantasy. It is the one genre I keep returning to again and again, and I do not see myself stopping anytime soon.

Out of these four, two were by an indie author and two were Lithuanian books, since I'm originally from Lithuania, so once a while I give it a try. If you can read in Lithuanian, then read what I have to say about those two.

Books by Serra Rose

The first book I want to talk about is Consumed by Serra Rose. It is the second book in the series, so before I share my thoughts on this one, let me give a quick mention of the first book, Bloodsong, which I read back in June.

Bloodsong

My rating:✨✨✨✨✨ 5.0

Goodreads rating: ✨✨✨✨ 4.23

I loved the vibe and the tension between the characters in this book. The story plot was very interesting, and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys romance that delivers both tension and mystery.

And yes, it does have really good spice.

The story is set in Australia, with an Italian male character who is morally gray, mysterious, and a vampire. That combination alone hooked me right in. It was an easy read, engaging from start to finish, and the kind of book that makes you want to jump right into the sequel.

It set the foundation beautifully, which is why I knew I had to continue with the series.

Consumed

My rating:✨✨✨✨✨ 5.0

Goodreads rating: ✨✨✨✨ 4.65

Moving on to Consumed, I was not disappointed.

This is the second book in the series, and after falling in love with Quinn and Mateo in Bloodsong, I was super excited to dive into Carlos’s story.

The book opens with a killer scene about how Carlos became a vampire, which I thought was a fantastic way to set the stage. Then it fast-forwards to the year 2045, twenty years after the events of the first book. I was curious to see how the world had changed, and while I was expecting a bit more futuristic world building, I still enjoyed the setting.

One of my favorite parts was the secret event where Carlos invited Camilla to. It had this super exclusive, mysterious vibe that was just so well done.

The story is mainly told through Carlos, with some POVs from Camilla, but it’s clear from the beginning that this is Carlos’s show.

The book is dark, bloody, and full of the bite you’d expect from a vampire novel, and I loved every bit of it. And let’s talk about the spice! It was really tasteful and enjoyable. There’s a little something for everyone, with a playful harem vibe that keeps things exciting. As a straight reader, I found it refreshing and fun to see the different dynamics play out.

The side characters were just as engaging. Erik, the Viking and I would say, he's also the watcher, brought humor and levity that made me laugh out loud more than once. And then there was Carlos’s unforgettable line, “I’m not gentle,” which absolutely made my heart race.

Overall, I have to say I enjoyed Consumed even more than Bloodsong. Carlos was exactly what I needed, and the spice was plentiful and surprisingly fun. If you’re looking for a dark, sexy vampire read, this book is absolutely worth picking up.

Heart of the Wolf

My rating:✨✨✨✨ 4.0

Goodreads rating: ✨✨✨✨ 4.38

This book is a spinoff, and it turned out to be a really good read!

Knowing that Roman and Jewel will be back in Bloodking, the third book in the series, made me look forward to it even more.

Let's jump into the Heart of the Wolf .

The vibes in this story were fantastic, and the characters were beautifully written, which made it easy to get invested.

That said, I did feel like certain areas could have been expanded more. The story was on the shorter side, and the tension built up a little too quickly for my taste.

I found myself wishing for just a bit more time with the characters and their life.

Still, overall, I really enjoyed it. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who is already a fan of Serra’s writing. If you haven’t read the Bloodsong series, though, this spinoff might not make as much sense since some familiar characters show up here. My advice would be to start with Bloodsong, continue with Consumed, and then jump into Heart of the Wolf.

You won’t regret it!

Hell Between Us by Simona Šara(Pragaras tarp mūsų(LT))

My rating:✨✨✨ 3.0

Goodreads rating: ✨✨✨ 3.75

"Hell Between Us" was a decent read! I’d give it 3 stars. It’s got love, magic, and some personal struggles all rolled into one.

The main character, Saulenė, is a young archaeology grad who moves to the tiny town of Grožius looking for some adventure. But she quickly finds out the town has more than just secrets, there’s also some serious feelings brewing.

Grožius, the town, itself is such a vibe. The author describes it so well that I could totally picture it. Saulenė was fun to follow, she's curious and determined.

Her relationship with Dargu Goira, who’s mysterious and a bit dark, gave me classic love-hate vibes. Their chemistry is there, though I wish their relationship had a few more surprises.

The book mixes folklore and modern stuff in a cool way, though some parts felt a bit slow. The fate and sacrifice themes are strong, but a few moments were kind of over-the-top melodrama.

Overall, "Hell Between Us" is a solid read for romantasy fans, even if it wasn’t mind-blowing. If you like magical romance with a little drama, from a Lithuanian author, it’s worth checking out.

You Belong to Me by Agnė Bausienė (Tu priklausai man(LT))

My rating:✨✨✨ 3.0

Goodreads rating: ✨✨✨ 3.10

Another Lithuanian read in August was a lithuanian dark romance.

I’d give this one 3 stars.

First of all, I didn't think this was within “dark romance” genre.

I’d call it more of a straightforward romance with some steamy sex scenes and that’s basically what the whole book was.

I was hoping for a slow burn, but everything happened way too fast. The book could have been longer. Most of the story revolves around Iva and Ryd, and there’s almost no background on the characters’ lives.

We know she’s a nurse, but who is he? Some kind of debt collector? It’s unclear.

The book is definitely hot, and there are some great scenes. But the story moves so quickly that aside from their sexual tension, there isn’t much else happening. I would have preferred a longer book with a proper plot.

It was an easy read though and I finished it in just a couple of days. The male character feels “dark,” but this is not dark romance, so don’t be fooled. The steamy scenes are fine, no BDSM, and it’s fast-paced.

I’d recommend it to anyone who likes light, quick romances with just a hint of darkness.

Final Thoughts

August turned out to be a surprisingly good reading month, even with a packed schedule. Between working on my second Moonlit Chronicles book, illustrating other authors’ characters, and keeping up with life as a mom of two little ones, I still managed to dive into some fantastic reads.

This month I stuck mostly to romantasy, which remains my favorite genre right now. From dark and steamy vampires in Serra Rose’s series to magical adventures in Lithuanian novels, there was a little something for every mood. Some books were quick, fun reads, while others offered deeper worlds and interesting character dynamics.

If there’s one takeaway, it’s that reading, even a few pages here and there, keeps your imagination alive and your mind refreshed. I loved exploring new places in books this August, and I can’t wait to see what September brings.

September TBR

I’m super excited to share my September TBR!

I’ve picked five books that I can’t wait to dive into. After a busy August, I’m looking forward to some fun, magical, and steamy reads this month.

One of the books is by an indie author, which I’m especially excited about. I love supporting indie voices and discovering hidden gems.

See you soon my darlings, with September finished reads. Don't forget to check out "Moonlit Awakening", that's perhaps your next dark romantasy read.