August was a great month for reading, thanks to a two week vacation! I usually like to read lighter books when I’m on the beach/in relaxation mode, and there were some of those. But, I also read some fantastic historical fiction, and a real page-turner from Internet favorite, Colleen Hoover. Here are reviews of what I read in August:
The Diamond Eye by Kate Quinn: In 1937 in the snowbound city of Kiev (now known as Kyiv), wry and bookish history student Mila Pavlichenko organizes her life around her library job and her young son–but Hitler’s invasion of Ukraine and Russia sends her on a different path. Kate Quinn’s books automatically get added to my TBR list. She is absolutely masterful at historical fiction, and I love that she likes to highlight real women who played a role in history (but probably didn’t get enough credit). This book was long, but considering that it was mostly historical and less fiction (based on the protagonist’s memoirs), the length made sense. Such a powerful story about the role of women in war, and in general.
Something Wilder by Christina Lauren: Growing up the daughter of notorious treasure hunter and absentee father Duke Wilder left Lily without much patience for the profession… or much money in the bank. But Lily is nothing if not resourceful, and now uses Duke’s coveted hand-drawn maps to guide tourists on fake treasure hunts through the red rock canyons of Utah. When someone from her past unknowingly signs up for one of her tours, they end up on a very unexpected adventure. I just love Christina and Lauren’s books so much. This is the perfect summer/vacation read with a combination or romance and suspense.
This Time Tomorrow by Emma Straub: On the eve of her 40th birthday, Alice’s life isn’t terrible. She likes her job, even if it isn’t exactly the one she expected. She’s happy with her apartment, her romantic status, her independence, and she adores her lifelong best friend. But her father is ailing, and it feels to her as if something is missing. She gets the opportunity to potentially change the course of their lives, and it gives her a lot to think about. I heard so much about this one, but it just missed the mark for me. I was just kind of annoyed with Alice, and although I finished it, I wasn’t sad when it was over.
Verity by Colleen Hoover: Lowen Ashleigh is a struggling writer on the brink of financial ruin when she accepts the job offer of a lifetime. Jeremy Crawford, husband of bestselling author Verity Crawford, has hired Lowen to complete the remaining books in a successful series his injured wife is unable to finish. She doesn’t realize how complicated the situation is until she’s in the middle of it, and the twists keep on coming. I’ve been a Colleen Hoover fan since 2016, long before she blew up on social media, and I really loved this one.
The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray: The remarkable, little-known story of Belle da Costa Greene, J. P. Morgan’s personal librarian—who became one of the most powerful women in New York despite the dangerous secret she kept in order to make her dreams come true. I found this story SO fascinating. I hadn’t heard of Belle (even though she was a real person), but I really enjoyed reading about how she earned her place in the art world and high society, the challenges she and her family faced, and the choices they each made.
Mary Jane by Jessica Anya Blau: In 1970s Baltimore, fourteen-year-old Mary Jane loves cooking with her mother, singing in her church choir, and enjoying her family’s subscription to the Broadway Show Tunes of the Month record club. Shy, quiet, and bookish, she’s glad when she lands a summer job as a nanny for the daughter of a local doctor. A respectable job, Mary Jane’s mother says. In a respectable house. But, things aren’t always what they seem, and Mary Jane experiences a lot of new things over the course of the summer. I technically finished this one on September 2nd, but we’re counting it anyway. When you see life through a different lens for even a short time, there is no way you could come away unchanged. That is definitely true of Mary Jane, and this was such a captivating coming of age story about family dynamics and life experience.
Last month’s reviews can be found here.
