Book Club: My August Reads
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We all know I’m a bookworm and I’m always reading… this past summer has been no exception, pandemic be damned. Not to be cavalier about it, of course, but being home more has definitely helped me get through a few more books! I’m slowly making my way through a stack of books next to my bedside table… but here’s what I read in August!
Let’s be honest, this summer has been a wild ride, but at least I’ve had plenty of time to read! I got through quite a few books in the last few weeks! So here we are, with the books I read in July and August! A pretty good mix of books, I think!
MY AUGUST READS
The Female Persuasion by Meg Wolitzer
I just finished this whopper of a book last night, and I can honestly say I thoroughly enjoyed it. The Female Persuasion tells the story of exactly what happened when Greer Kadetsky, a quiet college freshman, meets Faith Frank, a powerhouse feminist who’s been fighting the good fight and inspiring women the world over. The story itself is told through the point of view of multiple characters, but I was so intrigued to see how everyone grew and changed, and coped with the hands they were dealt! My only complaint was that some of the chapters were long, which made it a bit tricky for bedtime reading as, I couldn’t always find a good stopping place. It was definitely a good read though!
Beach Read by Emily Henry (PR Product)
A book that definitely lived up to it’s name. Perfect as a nice light read, but with some depth to it. Beach Read tells the story of two writers who move in next door to each other while they’re working on their latest manuscripts. Turns out there’s a bit of history… and at the moment, some baggage too. The story itself was familiar, but the twists and turns I definitely found intriguing and entertaining!
Expectation by Anna Hope
I’d heard so many great things about this book, so I definitely had my own expectations. Overall, I really enjoyed it. I sped through it at the speed of light, so it’s a fairly easy and well paced read. Expectation tells the story of three friends as they navigate life over a few years and their relationships with each other. The thing I enjoyed about it was that it all felt very real. None of the characters were perfect, and some were even, dare I say it, messy… but it felt truthful because of that. People make mistakes and can be selfish sometimes, and each friend definitely had moments like that. Still, it was fascinating to see their growth over the years as well, and how they dealt with and moved on from their issues. I’d definitely recommend!
Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane: I always find it interesting when books track a character from childhood into adulthood and beyond. It’s so interesting to me, to see how these characters grow and change. Ask Again, Yes offers that on a silver platter, but it’s so much more than that. It’s about two ordinary families, the Stanhopes and the Gleesons, living normal suburban lives… until something terrible happens that links the two families perhaps forever. More importantly, it looks at how the two children, Kate Gleeson and Peter Stanhope, are intrinsically linked even after Peter moves away, and the path that their lives take. I really enjoyed it, and every character was so fascinating to me!
The Dutch House by Ann Pratchett: I’ll say right off the bat, I liked this book but I didn’t love it. I was interested to see what happened with the characters, and I found it intriguing, but it didn’t totally know my socks off. The Dutch House tells the story of Danny Conroy and his older sister Maeve, who grew up in the Dutch House, and how the events that happened when they were children go on to shape the rest of their lives. Parts of the story were heartbreaking, and I was certainly captivated for big chunks of the story. I guess I’d just say that while it seemed like there was a lot happening, the end portion felt a little anticlimatic in a sense? I don’t know if that’s quite the right way to phrase it…
Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata
I loved this quirky book! I’d seen it ages ago and it was on my list for a while before I got round to reading it, but boy am I glad I did! Keiko is a 36-year old woman who works part time at a convenience store, much to the worry of all her family and friends… but it’s the only place she feels like she fits in… The novel is short, clocking in at under 200 pages, but boy is it fascinating. I loved the story and getting to experience another culture was really interesting too. I’d definitely recommend!
There you have it, my August reads! What have you been reading the last month? I’d love to know!
