In Ascension by Martin MacInnes

• Fiction – Literary, Science Fiction

• My Rating – 5/5 stars

• Read if you’re looking for: 

  • Emotional & affecting science fiction

  • Deep awe & reverence for nature & exploration

  • Makes you realize the interconnectedness of all things

  • Hard sci-fi moments, particularly including the miracle of evolution & life in the oceans

  • A gorgeous ending

• Read the full review

Toward Eternity by Anton Hur

• Fiction – Literary, Science Fiction

• My Rating – 5/5 stars

• Read if you’re looking for: 

  • Beautiful science fiction with a love story that spans across centuries

  • A meditation on how language and art shape who we are & how they make us human

  • Exploration of AI & the “ship of Theseus” of personhood

  • A shorter book with huge scale and depth

  • Wonderful, diverse representation

• Read the full review

The Hole by Hiroko Oyamada, translated by David Boyd

• Fiction – Literary, Surrealism, Magical Realism

• My Rating – 4.5/5 stars

• Translated from Japanese

• Read if you’re looking for: 

  • A short, surreal novella from a Japanese author

  • Dreamlike and unsettling imagery

  • Feelings of the oppressive summer heat & malaise

  • A strange creature who digs deep holes that seem to fit a person’s body perfectly

  • Visual allusions to transformation, loss, and disconnection

• Read the full review

Breasts and Eggs by Mieko Kawakami, translated by Sam Bett & David Boyd

• Fiction – Literary

• My Rating – 4/5 stars

• Translated from Japanese

• Read if you’re looking for: 

  • Feminist, literary fiction from Japan

  • Expression of the pains & pressures of being a woman

  • An exploration of women’s roles in society, how those expectations can suffocate you, & the difficulty of making nontraditional life choices

  • A bold, direct, & fresh writing style

• Read the full review

Counterweight by Djuna, translated by Anton Hur

• Fiction – Science Fiction, Noir, Mystery

• My Rating – 3/5 stars

• Translated from Korean

• Read if you’re looking for: 

  • A noir, sci-fi mystery with corporate espionage

  • A fictional island nation grappling with colonization

  • Tons of film and literature references

  • Written by a mysterious, anonymous, queer author

  • Author originally intended it to be a low-budget sci-fi movie

  • Translated Korean fiction

• Read the full review

August YouTube Videos

Below are links to all of the YouTube videos I released in August. I tried a new journaling style in August, so check out my bullet journal setup video to see a collage style setup using various types of paper, stickers, and ephemera.

July Reading Wrap Up

My reading wrap up for July, including some interesting weird literary fiction, which seems to be my favorite thing right now.

Mushroom-Themed Reading Journal Setup

I loved doing this mushroom-themed setup. I’m really into botanical and natural illustrations right now, so you might be seeing more plants and animals from me in the coming months.

Autumn-Themed Bullet Journal Setup

This was my first attempt at doing a collage-style setup, and it was really fun to experiment with. I think I will be continuing this style some of the time, particularly in my bullet journal.

Read With Me Ambience Videos

30 minutes – Distant thunderstorm

45 minutes – Rain Sounds

1 hour – Bird sounds

Upcoming

YouTube Videos

Below are the upcoming videos I’ll be releasing in August, so I hope you’ll join me for those!

• October Reading Journal Setup

• October Bullet Journal Setup

• Shorts for Inktober

• September Reading Wrap Up

• More “Read With Me” Ambience videos!