August Reading List

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Check out this great August reading list! Discover new domestic thrillers, and books about how to increase your productivity.

Welcome back, fellow book lovers! I’m happy to be back to share the books I read in August.

For some reason, I only got around to reading 4 books last month. My intention is to read 40 books in 2018, and these 4 books now bring my total to 37. Maybe I should increase my goal to 50…

I love hearing your book recommendations, so please leave a comment if you’ve read something great recently!

August was split 50/50 between fiction and non-fiction books. In the order that I read them, here were my August reads. (I kept the plot descriptions brief, so as to avoid spoilers.)

Related: How to Find Time to Read When You’re Just Too Busy

This post may contain affiliate links. You can view my full disclosure policy here. 

August Reading List

Check out this great August reading list! Discover new domestic thrillers, and books about how to increase your productivity.

The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen

The plot: Vanessa is obsessively jealous and infatuated with her replacement, the woman her ex-husband is about to marry. Or is she?

The purposefully vague synopsis printed inside the book promises twists, which I found kind of annoying. There were twists; some of which I guessed and some that I didn’t.

Overall, I liked this book. Though I don’t think it necessarily compares to The Girl on the Train or Gone Girl, as suggested.

I’m so intrigued that this was co-authored by two people. I can’t imagine what that process was like.

If you enjoy the ‘domestic thriller’ genre, or somewhat suspenseful books, I think you’ll like The Wife Between Us. It’s being made into a movie, and I’ll definitely be checking that out.

Check out this great August reading list! Discover new domestic thrillers, and books about how to increase your productivity.

An Anonymous Girl by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen

The plot: Seeking women ages 18–32 to participate in a study on ethics and morality. Generous compensation. Anonymity guaranteed. Jessica sneakily enters the psychological study to earn extra money. It sounds easy enough – just answer some questions from Dr. Shields on a computer for two hours. But Dr. Shields takes a liking to Jessica, and wants to expand her participation. But how much can she really trust this doctor?

I received an advance reading copy of this book from NetGalley. After enjoying The Wife Between Us by the same authors, I was excited about delving into An Anonymous Girl.

I really liked it! The plot was more interesting to me than their other book, and I respected the main character more.

The setting is New York City in the late Fall, approaching Christmas. I’m a sucker for that time of year. Also, Jessica is a makeup artist, so that part of it was also fun.

An Anonymous Girl is available for pre-order now, and releases January 2019. I think you’ll really like it too!

On the non-fiction, self-improvement front, I read a couple books to help with blogging and general productivity.

Check out this great August reading list! Discover new domestic thrillers, and books about how to increase your productivity.

The 12 Week Year by Brian Morgan and Michael Lennington

The idea: Get More Done in 12 Weeks Than Others Do in 12 Months

The authors turn the premise of year-long goals on its head by suggesting we make goals for 12 week periods instead of 12 months. By shortening your ‘year’ into only 12 weeks, you increase your urgency and concentration.

They contend that a year is too long to stay focused on something, and I’m inclined to agree. Our tasks tend to expand to fill the time we provide for them.

Using this premise, each day is like a week, and each week like a month. That means a wasted day is equivalent to not spending any time on your goal(s) for an entire month.

I like and respect the concept behind this method. Breaking your goals down into more manageable pieces, and focusing on them daily is definitely imperative and effective.

Honestly, I felt like this book was too filled fluff and repetition. The same information would have been just as sufficiently expressed as a blog post. And it definitely could have benefited from more tangible processes and examples, instead of mostly theory.

I was kind of surprised, because I’ve heard The 12 Week Year recommended by quite a few people whom I really respect. Maybe I missed something?

I do plan to implement the 12 week year method described in this book. It totally has value and merit. Forget year-long goals, like those New Year’s Resolutions we all know we won’t really stick to. 

Related: 12 Tricks to Setting Goals You’ll Actually Achieve

If you do read it, just expect to do some skimming over the repetitive spots.

Check out this great August reading list! Discover new domestic thrillers, and books about how to increase your productivity.

The Essential Habits of Six Figure Bloggers by Sally Miller

The premise: The secrets of 17 successful bloggers that you can use to build a six-figure business. Sally interviewed 17 bloggers across various niches, to reveal their common traits and habits.

I received an advanced reading copy of this book for free, in exchange for my honest review.

I was so curious and excited to read this book, as I really look up to several of the ladies interviewed within. The actionable tips and real-life examples offered by these successful bloggers really made it helpful.

I’m a firm believer that successful people of all kinds share similar traits and habits, and I appreciated having it all spelled out for me. I think reading The Essential Habits of Six Figure Bloggers would benefit a blogger at almost any stage, or anyone who is building a business.

While there is no shortcut or hidden secret to success, these bloggers’ inspiring stories demonstrate that hard work never goes to waste.

For the most part, I enjoyed all the books I read last month. An Anonymous Girl was definitely my favorite. I’ll be back next month to share some great Fall books!

Related: 107 Fun Ideas to Put On Your Fall Bucket List

I’d love to hear what you’ve been reading!

READING RESOURCES:

Kindle First Reads (a free ebook on the 1st of every month)

Amazon Prime: Free 30 day trial (borrow ebooks from the Prime lending library for free!)

FREE Kindle Reading App

Kindle Unlimited

Audible: Free 30 day trial (+2 free audiobooks)

PREVIOUS READING LISTS:

The 40 books I read in 2017

January 2018 Reading List

February 2018 Reading List

March 2018 Reading List

April 2018 Reading List

May 2018 Reading List

June 2018 Reading List

July 2018 Reading List

Linking up with Jana and Steph for Show Us Your Books

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6 Comments

    1. Hi Lauren! The Wife Between Us is definitely a worthy read, especially if you enjoy the ‘domestic thriller’ genre. When An Anonymous Girl comes out, I’d highly recommend checking it out. Thanks for stopping by!

    1. Hi Kasey! There sure is a lot to learn from The Essential Habits of 6-Figure Bloggers. I love knowing what habits and tips worked well for others.

  1. I also liked An Anonymous Girl more than The Wife Between Us. And I’d like to be a fly on the wall during the creation of the co-authored books.

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