Books of the Month August 2023

For many readers, August is the perfect opportunity to catch up on reading before all the hustle and bustle that comes with the final quarter of the year fully sets in. Our readers definitely made the most of this opportunity and enjoyed the following great books across all genres.    Best Romance Protege King By Lisa Renee Jones Protege King is the first book in the Wall Street Empire: Strictly Business series by Lisa Renee Jones. The protagonist, Alana Blue, has worked her way up in her parents’ real estate firm catering to the rich and famous to become one of the top agents in the country. Her success has also landed her on television, as the star of Selling in New York. This also causes her to cross paths again with Damion West, the boy who stole her young heart and then broke it. Except, Damion is now the heir to West Enterprises and sexier as well as more arrogant than ever. However, what Damion wants from Alana isn’t as simple as a real estate contract, especially as both their family has secrets.   Best Mystery & Thriller The Alpha Plague By Michael Robertson The Alpha Plague is the first novel in the post-apocalyptic action thriller series of the same name by Michael Robertson. Rhy is overworked, underpaid, and out of shape, but he is also a father trying to gain custody of his six-year-old son. So, when faced with an apocalypse unleashed by terrorists attacking a tower where a virus is being created, Rhys knows that his son comes first and sets out to save him before it is too late.    Best Children’s Book The Adventures of Kitt and Gianna: Paris, France By Devin Kerzich Kitt and Gianna, the stars of The Adventures of Kitt and Gianna: Paris, France, by Devin Kerzich is a curious young boy and his food-loving Australian Labradoodle. In this book, the duo explores the magical city of Paris where they take in both historical landmarks as well as mouthwatering culinary delights. Readers are swept along on their journey as they learn all about famous Parisian landmarks as well as the delectable treats that the city is famous for.   Best Young Adult Lady Reaper By Toni Cabell Lady Reaper is the fifth book in the Serving Magic series of novels by Toni Cabell. It follows the adventures of the previous books and sees Mara, experiencing some repercussions from her heroic acts. After rescuing many people from the dark fays her physical injuries are healed, but she finds that her magic doesn’t recover. The timing of this happening couldn’t be worse as chasms are opening in the streets and chaos breaking out in the lower realms. Meanwhile, Arnesto faces troubles of his own as he blames himself for his brother’s spirit being unable to cross over to the far shore. Mara and Arnesto must find a way to work together despite their difference and misunderstandings before time runs out if they want to save the worlds of the living and the dead.   Best Fantasy The Full Moon By David Neth The Full Moon is the first book in the Under the Moon series by David Neth. It is the story of two sisters, Kathy and Samantha, who have always been a team. The two are witches and have taken out more than their share of bad guys, but things change when Kathy meets a demonic Dark Knight, named Will. While Samantha doesn’t trust him or his intentions, Kathy falls deeper in love with Will and is tempted by the dark side. Doing so would give her the freedom to do whatever she wanted with her magic, but accepting Will’s proposal to take over the underworld would mean abandoning her family and the life she has always known.   Best Historical Fiction The Keeper of the Laugh By Danny Fromchenko The Keeper of the Laugh is a gripping World War 2 historical fiction novel by Danny Fromchenko. The story is set in Munich, 1945 where Max Fischer is a holocaust survivor who can’t remember anything from his life before the concentration camp. The only thing he is left with is a sickening, maniacal laugh that echoes in his head and haunts his every waking moment. After being liberated from the camp that interned him, Max meets the beautiful and wealthy Alexandra Brecholdt, who is adamant about taking him into her care. However, as Max’s memories begin to unravel he discovers that the laugh is the key to his past, but meanwhile Alexandra has something that she is too ashamed or too afraid to tell him.   Best Horror Shivers Down My Spine By Kenni Silas Shivers Down My Spine by Kenni Silas features three different yet terrifying stories. Can You See Me? is the tale of the Standish Family mansion, a place with a tragic past and bad luck for everyone that has entered its walls. Three people find themselves drawn to this forsaken property on the eerie night of Halloween, but after getting separated they encounter unsettling phenomena. Beyond the Ashes is a tale set in a city where a battle for humanity’s future is being fought against an invasion of Suckers that are leeching the life and vitality of the populace. Finally, in Stretched Reality, a woman is trying to carve out her own path as an artist while dealing with relationships and the trying task of trying to find a replacement for her old apartment roommate.    Best Literary Fiction The Oldest Word By Johnny Firic The Oldest Word by Johnny Firic is a story that spans ten thousand years and more than a dozen settings. It begins with the discovery of a mysterious box made by five orphaned friends in the distant past. Their hope was to help civilizational knowledge survive disruptive climate change centuries in the future. In the process readers get to experience the different perspectives of the various owners the box has throughout the years.   Best Science Fiction The Blind Spot By Michael Robertson The Blind Spot by Michael Robertson is the first book in the Neon Horizon series of dystopian cyberpunk novels. Marcie Hugo has lived her entire life in the garish neon rat run of debauchery known as the Blind Spot. However, she isn’t a typical sixteen-year-old as she's been cybernetically enhanced to have superhuman strength, speed, and judgment. Unfortunately for her safety, her dad has been keeping her imprisoned in her own home since the murder of her mother several years ago. Then, just as Marcie decides to start making her own life choices and move away to the neighboring city with the boy she loves a terrorist attack stirs up trouble.    Best Paranormal  Dorothy Lyle in Avarice By Ella Carmichael Dorothy Lyle in Averice is the first book in the Miracles and Millions Saga by Ella Carmichael. It sees forty-year-old Dorothy Lyle frustrated at still being single and living a boring, routine nine-to-five existence. All of this changes when she wins a fortune in the lottery and is able to join the realms of the super-rich elite. However, in her old, boring life it was easy to hide her psychic powers, but being rich beyond belief is making it much harder. Even worse, her dreams and visions are starting to become more vivid and frightening. Dorothy has to figure out what the dreams and visions mean and why one particular strange and dangerous man keeps appearing to her.    Best Non-Fiction Be Your Own Personal Trainer By Yigal Pinchas Ph.D Be Your Own Personal Trainer is a science-based fitness guide to maximizing gym workouts and minimizing injuries, written by Yigal Pinchas. The author is an expert fitness trainer and veteran physical educator and in this book shares more than 100 exercises specially designed to target different muscle groups. It also covers all aspects of training, from stretches and cardio to aerobics and effectively using multi-purpose machines. Everything is baked by years of experience and scientific evidence, and is even recognized by the Israel Defence Forces as the leading training and instruction manual for soldiers.