It’s that time again… a new month means another blog post recapping what I read throughout the previous month. As a reminder, my 2021 New Year’s Resolution was to read 5 books per month, and this may be the first resolution I’m actually going to keep (no comment on if I’ve lost 10 lbs or became a vegan, those resolutions aren’t going as hot). Happy to share that all of the August books I’ve read were fantastic, and with a bunch of different genres, there’s sure to be one that’s a good fit for anyone looking for their next read. Without further ado…
- The People We Keep by Allison Larkin: Not only was this my favorite of the month, this is a strong contender as making my favorite of the entire year list. I loved everything about The People We Keep….Allison Larkin has given us a heroine who is raw and real, a young person capable of breaking your heart one moment and lifting it up the next.
- The Husbands by Chandler Baker: I don’t have children and I’m not married and I still loved this book. However, I HIGHLY recommend this to any working mother who’s ever felt the frustration of juggling both worlds and “having it all” (my best friend who’s an attorney, wife and mother of two just borrowed my copy and would attest to this being a must-read). Utterly engrossing and thoroughly timely, The Husbands is both a gripping, well-crafted mystery and an insightful critique of motherhood and marriage in the modern age–working mothers everywhere will feel seen in the best possible way.
- 56 Days by Catherine Ryan Howard: This was the first “COVID-era” book I’ve read (AKA a book set in our modern day ‘new reality’ where the pandemic is a focal point of the story). I wasn’t sure how I’d feel and I’m not sure that I’m necessarily dying to read another COVID-era story, but this one was GREAT (possibly because it’s a thriller, a genre that makes sense in our new reality since it is a living nightmare). The story is about two people who meet just before the first COVID case comes to Ireland and decide to spend what they originally believe to be just a two week lockdown period together (LOL remember when we thought this would just last two weeks? Good times). When one of them ends up dead, the question is can detectives determine what really happened, or has lockdown created an opportunity for someone to commit the perfect crime?
- Not a Happy Family by Shari Lapena: If you haven’t read The Couple Next Door by this author, put down this list and go read that book. If you’re a fan of that one and are hoping her latest book is better, it’s not but it’s still very good and worth a read. In this fast-paced, twisted family saga, Lapena keeps you guessing until the very last page.
- Fifty Words for Rain by Asha Lemmie: I had high hopes for this one because it is SO well-reviewed. Everyone seems to love it, so I’m sad to say that I just liked it. It’s beautifully written with a story and characters I was invested in the entirety of the book, but I cannot say how much I hated the ending. Like, Dexter series finale level of ruining everything that came before it level bad. Since everyone on the internet seems to disagree and love this book, I’d still recommend it. But, if you also hate the ending when you’re done, feel free to reach out so I feel less alone in my opinion J
