I’ve already gone into detail in past posts about the events of this summer which have been mostly terrible. But there have been positive events for my family as well. Which is the true magic of this world, life does indeed go on. I am trying to learn how to roll with it. Our daughter will be taking the plunge and moving to NYC and we even had a very busy quick but successful trip to find her an apartment. Our son has decided to continue to live in the PNW so he will be moving soon too and signing another year lease. We also took a very short but wonderful trip to Mexico to rest and reset after the emotionally exhausting events of the summer. And, I have been trying to read a little more again. I am still very busy and I wish I had more time, but audio books are serving me well. I was also quick to DNF books this month that weren’t serving me, there were two of them – although I’ve decided its not productive to mention those titles here. Here are the books I read in August.
The Seven Year Slip – Ashley Poston
I loved this book. I read it while being 100% lazy on a cabana bed in Los Cabos, Mexico. I’m going with 5🍷 on this one, fully admitting that timing, mood and location (vacation beach read) factors in. Solid regardless. I loved it, but you’ll need to let go of reality – which I general don’t do well. Bravo. I’m not going to say more, I will ruin it if I do. Just go in blind.
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The Women – Kristin Hannah
THIS BOOK! I loved this book! I loved the story, the setting, the music, the fashion – and the magnificent way we see historical viewpoints repeating in current time. I was in awe at how many quotes rang through today. Overall this is a keeper. Frankie is a young impressionable nurse who is going to follow her brother to Vietnam and do her family of war heroes proud. That is not how it turns out of course. The story of The Women that served in Vietnam needs to be told more and loudly. Nurses are heroes to begin with in my book, but these nurses – just amazing what they did for their country. And they came home to be treated so poorly when they were true heroes. I will quickly address the obvious question, if I loved it so much, why is it not a 5🍷? I don’t know. There was just something that held me back and I am a 5🍷 stingy gal. But I did love this book, I think you will too, and you will probably give it a 5.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an early release copy in exchange for my honest opinion. The Women will be available on 2/6/24. Just go pre-order it now or get on the library hold list as soon as it is allowed. I predict this will be everywhere and only a matter of time before its optioned for the screen.
🍷🍷🍷🍷1/2
Strange Sally Diamond – Liz Nugent
This is a dark and honestly quite sad book. Sally Diamond is now left to fend for herself mostly, after doing only what her father told her to do: “Sally Diamond cannot understand why what she did was so strange. She was only doing what her father told her to do, to put him out with the rubbish when he died.” This sets off a series of events that puts recluse, Sally, in the spotlight and events from her horrific childhood come to light. A page turner for sure but there will be much in this one to set off any triggers you may have.
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The Connelly’s of County Down – Tracey Lange
This was a good, mostly heart warming story of sibling devotion. Great writing accompanied the plot with Tara returning from prison on a drug trafficking charge – and of course there is more to the story than it seems. Eddie is continuing to deal with a disability from a prior incident and Geraldine has secrets of her own. Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books for an advance e-copy in exchange for my honest opinion. The Connellys of County Down is now available.
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The Second Ending – Michelle Hoffman
This was a quirky little tale that I enjoyed on audio. We have two main characters we meet, Prudence, a former child piano prodigy and Alexei, a young adult piano genius. Prudence is a recent empty nester that doesn’t know what is next for her in her life and seems a bit depressed about it. Alexei is a reality tv music contest host/star that is controlled by his parents and hasn’t yet learned how to adult on his own. Their paths cross in a somewhat comical way with a great supporting cast of characters.
🍷🍷🍷1/2
The Daydreams – Laura Hankin
The Daydreams was a musical hit show for teens in the early 2000’s that fell apart immediately after a scandal involving cast members. Now a reunion is planned thirteen years later. The story alternates between current time and the past and we find out more about who The Daydreams really are and what their motivations are to reunite. This was enjoyable with a bit of hmmmmm….
🍷🍷🍷1/2
The Hurricane Blonde – Halley Sutton
I had some high hopes here but ultimately several very descriptive, disturbing scenes held this one back for me from being rated higher. Salma is a recovering alcoholic/former child star that is still grappling with the death/murder of her sister. When she stumbles upon another body at her sister’s former home that looks just like her sister, she is drawn back into the dredges of Hollywood. If you thoroughly enjoy very dysfunctional Hollywood families, you may love this one more than I did. Thank you to NetGalley and G. P. Putnam’s Sons for an early e-copy in exchange for my honest opinion. Hurricane Blonde is now available.
🍷🍷🍷1/2
The Drowning Woman – Robyn Harding
So hard for me to rate this book. Sometimes it was really pretty good, other times, not so much. Two distinct POV’s – Hazel & Lee. Lee’s chapters were generally quite better in writing quality, it almost felt like two different writers at times. The last 40% of the book was pretty boring. but since early chapters were page turners, I kept going. Just a stranger reading experience for me. I seem to be in the minority as this one is getting much online praise.
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I’m Not Done With You Yet – Jesse Sutanto
This book was just ok for me. It definitely had the pace I was expecting and kept me turning pages, however ultimately it fell a tad short. Jane and Thalia met on their way to Oxford for a writing program and Jane became very infatuated with Thalia. On top of being a self diagnosed sociopath (which you will be reminded of often), Jane isn’t extremely happy at how her life has turned out. She feels a tad pushed into the home that was purchased in Cali with her spouse and isn’t satisfied of her own writing career. This all spins up further when a highly anticipated novel by Thalia is about the be released. Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for an advance copy in exchange for my honest opinion. I’m Not Done With You Yet is now available.
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