About a month ago I decided to plan a little bit more than I usually do about what books I would read this month. I was starting to feel that I was getting lost in the shiny and new and only sticking to new releases and yet I have so many “older” books on my list to read. I decided that in July and August I would read books that were published in 2017 or prior as my first 5 books. I even named the 5 I planned: China Rich Girlfriend, Happy People Read and Drink Coffee, Death on Tap, Hotel On The Corner of Bitter & Sweet and Lilac Girls.
So how did I do on this new reading plan you ask? Not too shabby! I changed it up a little bit. First, these “older” books were not the first 5 I read. I still did get sidetracked a little bit. And I didn’t stick exactly to my planned list – but I did read five of them. I decided I just wasn’t into China Rich Girlfriend and took it off my list. I did enjoy Crazy Rich Asians, but decided that was enough of that for me and I was moving on from the Kevin Kwan series.
So my SIX older books started in July were –
Happy People Read and Drink Coffee – Agnes Martin-Lugand
Death on Tap – Ellie Alexander
Hotel On The Corner of Bitter & Sweet – Jamie Ford
Lilac Girls – Martha Hall Kelly – not completed – stay tuned!
The Art of Racing in The Rain – Garth Stein
Case Histories – Kate Atkinson – DNF
I would up not finishing Case Histories. The first book in this Kate Atkinson series does have many good reviews but it just wasn’t a fit for me. I started it, didn’t like anything about it and just put it down and walked away. I love that I can do that now, it wasn’t always that way! So freeing!
As fas as Lilac Girls goes, I did start it, but I haven’t finished it yet as we enter August, therefore you won’t see it rated below this month. Stay tuned for that book next time.
I also read plenty of newer books too, it was a great reading month – I started 13, still reading one, finished 11 and DNF one. I had one 5🍷 read and several 4🍷’s. Here is everything I read.
The Art of Racing in the Rain – Garth Stein
I loved this book. Laughter, smiles, tears and all. One of my local book clubs picked this for our book this month and I devoured it in less than 48 hours. I started it on a plane and it may have been the first time I cried in the air. You will fall in love with Enzo and Denny and all of their family. I can’t wait to see the movie! Alert – major tear jerker! Is that really a surprise? It is a book about a dog, people as seen by a dog and narrated by a dog.
🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷
Whisper Network – Chandler Baker
This book was the Reese WIthersppon Hello Sunshine book club if the month. I have hit or miss luck with these picks but I did like this one quite a bit. This story felt plucked out of the deadlines of any U.S. city and circles around the way women are treated often in the workplace. I found it to be an Engaging read but just a bit clunky sometimes and hard to follow, almost like the author was trying just a little too hard to be witty. Don’t miss the Author’s Note at the end, better written than the entire book summing up what many, many women go through every. single. day.
🍷🍷🍷🍷 1/2
Hotel On The Corner Of Bitter and Sweet – Jamie Ford
I fell in love with Henry and the story of his love with his wife and his love of his past that is affecting his present. So much woven in here, history, culture, growth, values, love, hope… I could keep going. I also adored Henry’s son even though he was not a main character. If you are looking for a historical fiction book that covers WWII in a unique way, this could be it.
🍷🍷🍷🍷
The Kiss Quotient – Helen Hoang
Cute, cute, cute. But I must also warn much more steamier than I usually read and that surprised me at first. Think Pretty Women with role reversal – but the women is analyst with Asperger’s. I fell in love with Stella and Michael.
🍷🍷🍷🍷
Verity – Colleen Hoover
I found this book unputdownable. Verity is creepy domestic thriller that will leave you with your jaw dropping and thinking, what the heck did I just read. Warnings – some steamy scenes (I had 2 books like this in July – goodness!) and some disturbing abuse. I have never read a Colleen Hoover book before this but I understand Verity is different that what she has put out there prior.
🍷🍷🍷🍷
Girl, Stop Apologizing – Rachel Hollis
I liked this book. I did listen on audio and the only thing stopping me from making this 5🍷s is Mrs. Hollis repeated over and over and OVER about her word count with her publisher. It sort of drove me crazy. She definitely got a good 500 words in from that alone. With that said, I think she has some solid thought in a crowded market of self improvement books and I did think it was a better book than her other, Girl, Wash Your Face.
🍷🍷🍷🍷
The Moment of Lift: How Empowering Women Changes The World – Melinda Gates
Bill & Melinda Gates are of course famous for many things but this was a great way for me to learn more about the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and hear it directly from Melinda on Audible. I loved hearing all of the stories about how her involvement came about and her beliefs that to strengthen a poverty stricken area we must empower and invest in women. She has very strong views about birth control and whether they resonate with you or not, this book is worth a read or listen to see what is happening in to real people in the areas that the foundations has worked in.
🍷🍷🍷🍷
All The Beautiful Lies – Peter Swanson
While I tore through this quickly, this was the least favorite Peter Swanson book that I have read so far. Very disturbing themes of sexual abuse transcending time and story lines that just made it impossible for me to enjoy this book as I have his others. It is just a topic I don’t do well when it comes to inappropriate age relationships. I did like the character of Harry and was routing for him, but other than that, it was just ok.
🍷🍷🍷
Death on Tap – Ellie Alexander
I am not sure what drew me to this one to begin with to get in on my TBR list but I found it pretty weak all around. The characters were unlikeable to be and the second two thirds of the books just felt sloppy and quite a mess. I did enjoy learning about Leavenworth, WA and beer breweries – those were the best parts of the book.
🍷🍷 1/2
The Friends We Keep – Jane Green
I think I may have been drawn to the cover on this one, has that ever happened to you? This book felt like a bit of.a train wreck to me. I couldn’t look away and stop reading but I really didn’t enjoy much of it at all. 3 people draw together their first year of college and we explore their individual lives as time marches on and the bonds that keep them together.
🍷🍷 1/2
Happy People Read and Drink Coffee – Agnes Martin-Lugand
I am not going to sugar coat this one. This is an excellent example that you literally cannot judge a book by its cover. Look at that pretty book cover above. Well let me tell you, this book isn’t pretty, at all. This book was not for me and was terrible. If it had not been a pick for my local book club I would not have finished it. There was nothing happy about the book. Diane’s husband and daughter die on page 2. It all goes down hill from there. I do think that this was originally translated into English and perhaps some of it was lost in translation but in any case, it is not good. I have no idea how this was picked for my book club. It will get a 1 from me because I finished it. But it is a half of a glass of wine at best.
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Did Not Finish – DNF
Case Histories – Kate Atkinson
July 2019 Favorite Book of the Month – The Art of Racing in the Rain
