august ‘23 book reviews
beach read by emily henry
rating: 5/5
there’s nothing sweeter than a warm love story on vacation and that’s exactly what emily henry delivers with beach read. i had been saving this for north carolina’s coast and read it in early august. when one writer’s life gets flipped upside down after learning of her father’s affair, she retreats to his “other” home in hopes of shutting out this scandal and writing her next big novel. she believes in happily ever afters, much in part due to her parent’s “love”, but now she’s questioning everything. soon she figures out that her next door neighbor is none other than her college rival and fellow author. the houses are close enough together that she can see him moving around the kitchen fixing coffee in the mornings and writing on his porch in the evenings — it’s about to be one long summer.
hands down my favorite emily henry novel!! i was obsessed with gus and january’s relationship from the get-go. it’s the enemy’s to lovers, forced proximity and grumpy/sunshine dynamic that keeps you turning the page. each love story is not without its hardships, and that’s true with gus and january, but the way they support one another and finds ways to laugh when life is hard is inspiring.
evidence of the affair by taylor jenkins reid
rating: 4.5/5
so i’ve had a kindle for years but never use it because i am a physical book girlie through and through, but i’m trying to branch out so i dusted off the paperwhite and downloaded this amazon original story, evidence of the affair by tjr. this short story is the quickest read and follows two people who learn of their spouses affairs. written entirely in letter correspondence, carrie and david express rage, anger, disappointment and sorrow as the navigate what comes next. told over the course of a year, and ending with the ultimate cliffhanger, tjr does it again with an incredibly written and entertaining story.
done and dusted by lyla sage
rating: 4/5
i’d seen this blow up on tiktok and had to see what the hype was about. done and dusted is about a talented barrel rider (aptly named emmy ryder) and her struggle with a recent injury that’s left her nervous to get back on the horse, literally. enter her brother’s best friend and pain in her ass, luke brooks. he’s gotten around town and his reputation precedes him. but, when he takes the time to help her conquer her anxiety and fears, her attitude on the town’s bad boy begins to shift. could he actually be a good guy? her heart won’t stop fluttering every time he’s near and she’s beginning to think he feels the same way.
i’ll start by saying, i can see a cowboy romance obsession forming after reading about emmy and luke. he’s protective and rough around the edges and exactly what emmy doesn’t want in her life — only she sort of does. there were parts of the story that didn’t make sense to me, or i felt needed more time to bake, but the spice level was HOT and wasn’t cringe-y like some other novels i’ve read. i’ll be looking forward to sage’s next book!
fourth wing by rebecca yarros
rating: 5/5
i did not want another book to take the place of a court of mist and fury but damn fourth wing is right up there!!!!!! believe the hype!! ok so, in fourth wing, there’s a war college called basgiath where first-, second-, and third-year students train to become dragon riders. violet sorrengail, yes the same sorrengail as navarre’s commanding general, is not like the others. she has a connective tissue disorder that leaves her weak and brittle. perfect for the life of a scribe, but not a rider. when she’s forced to become a rider and train with the most ruthless and cut-throat cadets, her sister gives her one clear warning. watch your back and stay clear of xaden riorson, who will kill you when given the chance. the odds are stacked against violet but when xaden starts to help her, she grows even more confused. when word comes of strategic attacks across the country, the entire college is on edge. is a war coming?
i loved this book. it’s addicting and intelligent and captivating. i read most of it on my couch on a friday afternoon because i couldn’t put it down. if you’ve read acotar, xaden gives off rhys energy and i was obsessed. i enjoyed the banter between not only xaden and violet but also between the riders and their dragons. my friend equated fourth wing to hunger games and i have to agree. well worth the read!
none of this is true by lisa jewell
rating: 3/5
captivating and page turning, lisa jewell crafts a thrilling tale about two “birthday twins” — or people who were born on the same day at the same hospital and happen to cross paths later in life. alix summer is a famous podcaster who sheds light on powerful women. josie fair has a complicated life, one she’s all too eager to share with alix. as the interviews unfold and the two become closer, alix begins to wonder just who josie is and what she could be capable of.
as mysterious as this was, i have to say the ending fell a little flat for me and felt rushed. i wish we would’ve spent more time on what was unfolding towards the end - it probably would have earned another star or two in my book!
us history: important american documents (i made up) by alexandra petri
rating: 2/5
to celebrate my 75th book this year, i had picked up a “blind date with a book” a few months back. after unwrapping a book about political satire from the last 500 years of american history, i have to say, i was intrigued. this is not something i’d pick up in a bookstore but i was pleasantly surprised. petri is witty!!
350+ pages of political satire is a bit too much for me and this book shouldn’t be read in one setting, but merely picked up when you need a laugh. maybe it’s just been that long since i opened my own ap us history book, but many of these references and details went a little over my head. i did enjoy these particular chapters:
would you describe yourselves as europeans? a survey for new arrivals
nellie bly reviews blackwell’s island
why the national parks were set aside
julia child’s cookbook that made it much clearer she was a spy
1970s urban legends
a court of frost and starlight by sarah j maas
rating: 4/5
i’ve often heard this book described as the hallmark special of acotar and i have to say i agree! winter has taken over the night court and with it, the upcoming solstice celebration where feyre, rhysand and their inner circle exchange gifts and enjoy each others company. everyone that is except nesta who’s still brooding.
while it’s not my favorite in the series, it was a super easy read and one that just made me feel warm & cozy inside. i will forever love feyre and rhys and their chosen family. the dynamic is very well written. time to dive into book #5 now i suppose!
love in the time of serial killers by alicia thompson
rating: 2/5
when phoebe reluctantly moves to florida for the summer to clean out the house of her recently deceased father, she plans to get through these few months and finish the dissertation she’s been working so hard on for the last couple years. it’s about authors and their relationship with serial killers — specifically how they can get too close to their subjects that they become biased and spin the story a certain way (look at capote with dick and perry). as she’s adjusting to the florida weather, and reconnecting with her brother, she’s got a strange neighbor who appears randomly, makes loud noises at night and most definitely walked out of the garage with— is that blood on his hands? phoebe suspects him to be a serial killer! what’s worse is when she learns he’s just a normal, nice guy who might want a relationship!
i had many qualms with this book; mainly i just didn’t jive with phoebe - i found her to be so annoying and self sabotaging that i almost dnf’d it. the plot had some holes in it and so little weak that i lost interest. i guess i just wanted more from the story!
in the shadow of the greenbrier by emily matchar
rating: 3.5/5
i’m a sucker for any story about west virginia, especially one about the greenbrier, so when i saw the opportunity for an advanced reader copy (arc) i jumped at the chance. in the shadow of the greenbrier follows one jewish-american family over the course of nearly 100 years and is told by one generation at a time starting with sol after the turn of the 20th century all the way to his great-grandson jordan in the early 1990s. the family has a complicated past with the greenbrier and white sulphur springs and this comes to a head in 1992 when jordan receives an anonymous letter about a mysterious and secret project under the west virginia wing. as he starts to pull at loose threads, the story of his family’s challenges and betrayals all come to light.
first, i loved how matchar’s writing placed you exactly at the entrance of the lobby with the bright and whimsical colors courtesy of dorothy draper — so descriptive it made you feel as if you were a guest. at first the multiple viewpoints were a little tough to keep track of but it all came together very nicely. i have to say i was a little disappointed with sylvia’s character but i won’t give away any spoilers. thank you netgalley & emily matchar for the arc — you can get your copy in march 2024!
a court of silver flames by sarah j maas
rating: 5/5
just when i thought nothing could top a court of mist and fury, sjm gives us silver flames. for those of you who have not read this far, please skip now!
silver flames centers around a different archeron sister, one who hates this new life she’s living. nesta is struggling hard core and copes the only way she knows how, drinking into oblivion and sleeping with randos. when feyre puts her foot down declaring she’s had enough, nesta soon finds herself training with the last person she wants to see, cassian. i 100% hated nesta at the beginning of this book and wasn’t sure i was even going to like it but her character growth is astounding. fantastic. inspiring. a MASTERPIECE. the tension between cassian and nesta is torture and the spice sure as hell delivers. i read this in two sittings because i couldn’t stop. i need elaine’s story now!
she started it by sian gilbert
rating: 3/5
annabelle, esther, chloe and tanya are shocked when they each get an invitation to poppy greer’s hen do on a luxurious private island in the bahamas. the group of four basically made poppy’s life a living hell in grade school, why would they get invited after not speaking for 10 years? maybe it’s a chance to reconnect and let bygones be bygones. forgive & forget is the saying right? wrong. it’s a trip from hell that takes a shocking turn.
read the trigger warnings before diving into this one! it’s a page turning book that reminds you just how cruel tweens and teens can be to one another for no reason at all. when they girls arrive at the island they soon realize poppy is not here to forget the past but dredge up the painful memories. the ending wasn’t a total shock but it was a good read!
eleanor oliphant is completely fine by gail honeyman
rating: 5/5
a heartwarming tale of profound humanity, eleanor oliphant is completely fine is a magician work of art. our main character, eleanor, can be a bit of a social outcasts at times, not understanding societal norms. but that’s ok because she’s got her routine — work monday through friday at a graphic design firm and drink vodka on the weekends with pizza. when she meets the it guy at the office, the two form somewhat of an odd friendship.
i am blown away at honeyman’s talents and the way she’s spun a story to make you feel every emotion possible. i was utterly upset at eleanor’s past traumas and wanted to rush to her defense when the world was cruel. the relationship that eleanor and raymond built is warm & accepting, and one i hope everyone finds someday. a fabulous read and one of my favorites this year!
the rocks by peter nichols
rating: 3/5
a seaside resort community in the mediterranean was the perfect way to end my summery reads this month. lulu and gerald were married once, sixty years ago, and divorced like a week later. despite the quick relationship, the two lived on mallorca for the rest of their lives, up until they were both found dead in the ocean. now, their children from separate marriages, luc and aegina, try to unravel what happened back in 1948.
what i loved about this book was told in reverse. we’re introduced to lulu and gerald on the day they die and chapter by chapter, turning back the clock, we learn more about these two and how their lives are intertwined. and how their children’s lives are intertwined. what i hated about this book was the constant theme of miscommunication — oh how their lives would have been different if they simply said what they thought!!!!!! parts of it were a little cringe in my opinion too (luc and aegina are basically step siblings & there were a lot of underage sex scenes). mixed feelings here!!
same time next summer by annabel monaghan
rating: 3/5
soaking up all the summer stories in august (while not so patiently waiting for cooler temps). same time next summer is the warm, predictable, second chance romance you love to get lost in. sam is visiting her childhood home out on long island with her fiance and her family and things are as perfect as they can be. that is until her childhood crush (and the one who shattered her heart when they were 18) magically appears next door, like no time has past. you can guess where this is headed!
this is not a groundbreaking piece of literature but it is a little love story that gets the sweet ending you hope for. i have to say the plot was fairly simple and we don’t get that much depth out of the story but is it a good one to read cover to cover on a saturday night (like i did), yes, yes it is!
happy-go-lucky by david sedaris
rating: 4.5/5
david sedaris is an absolute genius when it comes to humor and i laughed out loud at this book, like i do with many of his stories. sedaris writes relateable anecdotes about his family, friends and total strangers. i am obsessed with his prose. in his latest, happy-go-lucky, he touches on hurricane season at his beach house on the north carolina coast, his ailing father in his later years, the global pandemic and life split between the uk and the big apple. hilariously funny without trying hard, sedaris is a must read.
georgie all along by kate clayborn
rating: 5/5
swooonworthy read i tell you!! when georgie’s la life is turned upside down by the loss of her job (the boss no longer needs a personal assistant) she’s forced to return home to virginia and “figure out what she wants.” while at home, and back with her pregnant best friend bel, she finds the old bucket list of sorts that they made in high school. determined to find the meaning to life, she decides to tackle that bucket list. she crosses paths with the town’s bad boy (and the older brother of her high school crush) and sparks fly.
in all honesty, the plot was lacking in many ways (i also don’t know why they referred to the bucket list as “friend fic” - it drove me up a wall) BUT the relationship between georgie and levi is amazing. literally the only reason i kept reading! i love the dual pov and their feelings towards one another.
a perfect vintage by chelsea fagan
rating: 4/5
thirty six year old lea’s got a pretty cool gig; she transforms old french estates into trendy hotels & she’s really good at it. before she gears up to spend the summer in france, her cousin and best friend stephanie gets devastating news — her husband’s been cheating on her. like the great gal she is, lea sets it up so that stephanie, and her twenty year old daughter maya, can stay at the estate she’s renovating — a bit of a summer vacation of sorts. but as soon as they get there, it starts to get a little awkward because maya and lea both fall for the same guy!
a perfect vintage was a page turner! the age gap relationship between lea and theo (twelve years) amid the budding flirtation between maya and theo is juicy!!! i loved the lust and the banter and the sneaking around. the ending fell just a little short of my expectations but it was a great read!