August was quite the array of genres. It was also the month of the three-star reviews. Let’s get to it.
All the Dangerous Things, Stacie Willingham ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Isabelle Drake experienced one of the worst things a wife and mom could: her toddler son was taken from his crib in the middle of the night. As she strains to keep the story alive a year later, she’s lost her marriage and the ability to sleep. On a plane, she meets a true crime podcaster who offers to help her keep Baby Mason’s story alive. Her search to find answers joggles her memory of her childhood and the questions surrounding the loss of her little sister. As she sees some startling similarities, she has to discover if she not only had something to do with her little sister’s death but possibly the death of her son.
Happy Place, Emily Henry ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 1/2
Emily Henry is gifted at creating a mix of characters with unique personalities and real lives. All those things are true in Happy Place, the story of six friends who met in college and began vacationing one week a year in Maine. This year seems different, though, as everyone has a secret, and the group is starting to pull apart. At the center of it all are Harriet and Wyn, who split up months ago but are faking their relationship to not let the rest of the group down.
This is a sweet book about relationships – both platonic and romantic, both one-on-one and group. It’s a great read, especially for the end of summer, but I’d say it’s a BORROW. Last year, Henry’s novel Book Lovers was one of my favorite books of the year. This one is good, but just not as good as Book Lovers.
Someone Else’s Shoes, Jojo Moyes ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Sam is your average woman, trying to keep her job and her marriage together. Nisha is a spoiled wife, blinded to the demise of her marriage by all the appearances she and her uber-wealthy husband keep up. In a chance encounter at the gym, the two women accidentally pick up each other’s bag. Sam finds herself having to wear a pair of Louboutin heels to a meeting that she can barely walk in, but it also gives her a huge boost of confidence. Alternatively, Nisha discovers she’s lost her bag and her husband, money and place to stay. She finds herself suddenly figuring out a new version of her own life. As both women work to find their belongings, life-changing experiences, and unique, unexpected friendships are made. This book shows the value of confidence, self-discovery, improvising, and friendship. This was my favorite book of August! And I was totally surprised by it. It’s a BUY!
The Guest, Emma Cline ⭐️ ⭐️ 1/2
Full disclosure: I only read this book for book club. If I were reading it on my own, I would have put it down way early. I finished the book, and I have no idea what it was really about. In brief, it’s the story of Alex, a sex worker who has been ousted by her current boyfriend. Believing it to only be a cooling down period and having no home to return to, the story follows Alex as she tries to find places to stay for a few days until her boyfriend’s Labor Day party where she believes he will take her back in. This book didn’t stir any real emotion in me other than a low level of stress as to whether Alex would find a place to stay and how she would screw it up (because she always does). And frustration because I have no clue what this book was trying to say to its reader. This book is a BYPASS.
The Only Survivors, Megan Miranda ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Nine high school students are the only survivors of a tragic bus crash. For ten years, the group has been gathering at a house in the Outer Banks on the memorial of the accident. What was nine has shrunk to seven, and one of them is now missing. Cassidy no longer wants to attend these reunions but feels compelled to go for a final year. In the midst of a big storm and trying to find their friend, the whole story of what happened that night – and what has happened since, comes to light. This book gave me Yellowjackets feels, minus the cannibalism. A group of students who aren’t all friends survive a major accident and must find a way to survive in the moment and years later. It’s a BORROW!
After That Night, Karin Slaughter ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Dr. Sara Linton has to relive the worst night of her life – the night she was sexually assaulted in a hospital bathroom. She revisits the nightmare to bring the assaulter of a deceased woman to justice, but her testimony opens a world she wasn’t prepared for. Sara realizes her rape is connected to potentially multiple similar cases over many years. Working with GBI Special Agent Will Trent, her fiance, to bring down a sadistic club of doctors can bring justice for many women and potentially save many more. This book is brand new from Slaughter and is a BUY! (Warning that what makes Karin Slaughter such an engaging writer of suspense police procedurals is that she is very detailed and doesn’t hold back. The story details could be too much for some readers.)
I also read two non-fiction books this month. Your New Now is by Christian author Nicki Koziarz. This book is an encouraging read for anyone who feels like they are in the midst of a transition. It’s a thoughtful, easy read. Win the Day by Mark Batterson is a set of guiding principles to help you master your day. Unlike other productivity books, this one is more about the mindsets behind the tasks and routines we use to organize our days and lives.
You know I love a suspenseful, true crime book, but for fall I’m really ready for something more cozy. Share what you’ve read recently and any recommendations in the comments.