This month, I have read a few 5 star books so far and I’m excited to share them with you here. It was a month of less than stellar reads for me, so I’m glad I have this many to share today. You can see the first half of my August reading here and I will share the rest of my August reads next week. The Amazon links to the books I’ve read are affiliate links and if you use them and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission.
Title: Vacationland
Author: Meg Mitchell Moore
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Publisher: William Morrow, 6/14/22
Source: Publisher
Why I Read It: Sent to me for my review
My Rating: 5 Stars
Vacationland is a family drama somewhat in the vibe of a Jennifer Weiner story in that it featured three generations of a complex family and takes place in Maine over the course of a summer. I really enjoyed getting to know these characters and enjoyed that it is a book told from multiple points of view.
“Louisa has come to her parents’ house in Maine this summer with all three of her kids, a barely-written book, and a trunkful of resentment. Left behind in Brooklyn is her husband, who has promised that after this final round of fundraising at his startup he will once again pick up his share of the household responsibilities. Louisa is hoping that the crisp breeze off Penobscot Bay will blow away the irritation she is feeling with her life choices and replace it with enthusiasm for both her family and her work. But all isn’t well in Maine. Louisa’s father, a retired judge and pillar of the community, is suffering from Alzheimer’s. Louisa’s mother is alternately pretending everything is fine and not pretending at all. And one of Louisa’s children happens upon a very confusing and heartfelt letter referring to something Louisa doesn’t think her father could possibly have done. Louisa’s not the only one searching for something in Maine this summer. Kristie took the Greyhound bus from Pennsylvania with one small suitcase, $761, and a lot of baggage. She’s got a past she’s trying to outrun, a secret she’s trying to unpack, and a new boyfriend who’s so impossibly kind she can’t figure out what she did to deserve him. But she can’t keep her various lives from colliding forever. As June turns to July turns to August, secrets will be unearthed, betrayals will come to light, and both Louisa and Kristie will ask themselves what they are owed and what they owe others.”
I have seen this described as character-driven, but I think I liked that it was told by more than one character and that way you get to know them all. This was a surprise hit for me!
Title: Stay Awake
Author: Megan Goldin
Genre: Thriller
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, 8/9/22
Source: Publisher
Why I Read It: Sent to me for my review
My Rating: 5 Stars
I have seen a few mixed reviews for Stay Awake by Megan Goldin, but I loved this book and read the whole thing in one day! Liv wakes up thinking it’s two years ago – and every time she falls asleep it happens all over again. The story line takes place over one day in the present as told by Liv and a detective who is looking for a murder suspect – and Liv is that suspect even though she has no idea why. The book also flashes back to two years ago and we come to understand what happened and why Liv is afraid to fall asleep.
“Liv Reese wakes up in the back of a taxi with no idea where she is or how she got there. When she’s dropped off at the door of her brownstone, a stranger answers―a stranger who claims to live in her apartment. She reaches for her phone to call for help, only to discover it’s missing. In its place is a bloodstained knife. Her hands are covered in scribbled messages, like graffiti on her skin: STAY AWAKE. Two years ago, Liv was thriving as a successful writer for a trendy magazine. Now, she’s lost and disoriented in a New York City that looks nothing like what she remembers. Catching a glimpse of the local news, she’s horrified to see reports of a crime scene where the victim’s blood has been used to scrawl a message across a window, similar to the message that’s inked on her hands. What did she do last night? And why does she remember nothing from the past two years? Liv finds herself on the run for a crime she doesn’t remember committing. But there’s someone who does know exactly what she did, and they’ll do anything to make her forget―permanently.”
I did not guess the culprit but when it was revealed it all made sense and I was happy with how it turned out!
Title: Luck and Last Resorts
Author: Sarah Grunder Ruiz
Genre: Rom Com
Publisher: Berkley, 8/9/22
Source: Publisher
Why I Read It: Sent to me for my review
My Rating: 5 Stars
I feel like all the romances I’ve been reading lately are 2nd chance romances! This one is about Nina, who loves Ollie but can’t seem to commit to a real relationship, even after 10 years of back and forth. Ollie gives her an ultimatum – either be with him for real or he’ll go back to Ireland after this charter season on the yacht they work on.
“Commitment-phobe Nina Lejeune lives by two rules:
1. Always have fun.
2. Don’t rely on anyone but yourself.
The first rule is easy; the second, she’s only broken once.
Ten years after fleeing home, Nina is the chief stewardess on the super yacht Serendipity, single by choice, and perfectly content with how life has turned out. But Nina’s ex-coworker and old flame, Irish chef Ollie Dunne, isn’t so happy with the status quo. One year after leaving yachting, he’s returned as the Serendipity’s chef with an ultimatum: if Nina continues to deny she’s in love with him by the end of this charter season, he’ll go back to Ireland for good. Nina and Ollie’s shared secret from their past threatens to shipwreck not only their relationship, but the entire boat. But as their connection grows amidst chaotic guests and crew drama, could there be smooth sailing in their future?”
The book tells their story in the present and flashes back to their initial meeting and friendship. I loved the first book in this series and I loved reading Nina’s story too!
Title: The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie
Author: Rachel Linden
Genre: Rom Com
Publisher: Penguin Audio, 8/2/22
Source: Audio Publisher
Why I Read It: Heard it was good
My Rating: 5 Stars
Lolly has a list of things she wanted when she was younger and she realizes she hasn’t accomplished any of them. Her great aunt gives her magic lemon drops which allow her to see what could have been if her life had gone in different directions. She realizes what she wants and that if she pays attention, she may be able to change her future.
“Lolly Blanchard’s life only seems to give her lemons. Ten years ago, after her mother’s tragic death, she broke up with her first love and abandoned her dream of opening a restaurant in order to keep her family’s struggling Seattle diner afloat and care for her younger sister and grieving father. Now, a decade later, she dutifully whips up the diner’s famous lemon meringue pies each morning while still pining for all she’s lost. As Lolly’s thirty-third birthday approaches, her quirky great-aunt gives her a mysterious gift—three lemon drops, each of which allows her to live a single day in a life that might have been hers. What if her mom hadn’t passed away? What if she had opened her own restaurant in England? What if she hadn’t broken up with the only man she’s ever loved? Surprising and empowering, each experience helps Lolly let go of her regrets and realize the key to transforming her life lies not in redoing her past but in having the courage to embrace her present.”
Another second chance romance but it was so unique! I really loved this one.
Title: Nothing More To Tell
Author: Karen M. McManus
Genre: YA Thriller
Publisher: Delacorte, 8/30/22
Source: Publisher
Why I Read It: Sent to me for my review
My Rating: 5 Stars
Two years ago, I read and loved The Cousins by Karen M. McManus. Last year, I received and didn’t get a chance to read You’ll Be The Death of Me. Now I really need to read that one, because I loved Nothing More To Tell! (And yes, she is the author of One of Us Is Lying.) Nothing More To Tell was similar to A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder, as Brynn, who wants to be a journalist, tries to find out what happened to her 8th grade English teacher who was killed 4 years ago.
“Four years ago, Brynn left Saint Ambrose School following the shocking murder of her favorite teacher—a story that made headlines after the teacher’s body was found by three Saint Ambrose students in the woods behind their school. The case was never solved. Now that Brynn is moving home and starting her dream internship at a true-crime show, she’s determined to find out what really happened. The kids who found Mr. Larkin are her way in, and her ex–best friend, Tripp Talbot, was one of them. Without his account of events, the other two kids might have gone down for Mr. Larkin’s murder—but instead, thanks to Tripp, they’re now at the top of the Saint Ambrose social pyramid. Tripp’s friends have never forgotten what Tripp did for them that day, and neither has he. Just like he hasn’t forgotten that everything he told the police was a lie. Digging into the past is bound to shake up the present, and when Brynn begins to investigate what happened in the woods that day, she uncovers secrets that might change everything—about Saint Ambrose, about Mr. Larkin, and about her ex-best friend, Tripp Talbot. Four years ago someone got away with murder. More terrifying is that they might be closer than anyone thinks.”
There were a lot of red herrings and I didn’t guess who was the culprit until just before Brynn did. While the ending was maybe a little rushed, I enjoyed reading this one a lot.
Title: The Storied Life of AJ Fikry
Author: Gabrielle Zevin
Genre: Contemporary
Publisher: Algonquin, 4/1/14
Source: Bought
Why I Read It: Was waiting on my shelf
My Rating: 5 Stars
This was one of the oldest books I had bought and not read and I finally picked it up this month. Gabrielle Zevin’s newest book, Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow, has been making a splash and many reviewers mentioned how much they loved this book as well – as did I! It was a short, but impactful book about a curmudgeon book store owner. This book is full of references to other books and short stories and surprising pieces that I can’t reveal in this review.
“A. J. Fikry’s life is not at all what he expected it to be. He lives alone, his bookstore is experiencing the worst sales in its history, and now his prized possession, a rare collection of Poe poems, has been stolen. But when a mysterious package appears at the bookstore, its unexpected arrival gives Fikry the chance to make his life over–and see everything anew.”
While this book does contain a lot of content that may be upsetting – car accidents, suicide, miscarriage, infidelity, and cancer – it was funny as well as sad. I had many quotes that I wrote down including “People tell boring lies about politics, God, and love. You know everything you need to know about a person from the answer to the question, What is your favorite book?” And “Sometimes books don’t find us until the right time. We agree to be disappointed sometimes so that we can be exhilarated every now and again.”
Title: Scandalized
Author: Ivy Owens
Genre: Rom Com
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio, 8/23/22
Source: Audio Publisher
Why I Read It: Heard it was good
My Rating: 5 Stars
I overlooked this book until I found out that Ivy Owens is a pen name for Lauren from Christina Lauren. I would have a print copy if I’d known that from the beginning, but now I will buy one for myself because this book was so good.
“Exhausted and on deadline with a story that could make or break her career, investigative journalist Georgia Ross is on the verge of a meltdown when a cancelled flight leaves her stuck in the airport overnight. But when a familiar face appears—the older brother of her childhood friend—and offers help, Gigi seems to have caught a break. Alec Kim is handsome, humble, and kind—exactly the sort of man that Gigi has forgotten existed after her own painful heartbreaks. An evening of reconnection followed by a night of no-strings-attached passion with Alec feels like a gift—that is, until Gigi finally realizes that their childhood connection isn’t the only reason he seems so familiar to her. Alec is determined to prove to Gigi that he is truly the man she thinks he is, even if it means coming clean about his fame—and his family’s connection to the story Gigi’s been working so hard to break. But as their feelings for each other grow deeper, Gigi and Alec must navigate a new reality…one where both of their hard-won careers are put directly in the path of an international scandal.”
I am loving the celebrity plus normal person trope lately! This book was steamy but also has a great plot as Georgia works to uncover a scandal. I did enjoy it on audio but would love to have a print copy to look back on!
Come back next week for the rest of my August reads!
Do you have a favorite book you’ve read this month?
