Here’s my August 2023 Reading Wrap Up. How was your August reading month?
August 2023 Reading Wrap Up
August was an “OK” reading month. Out of the 12 books completed, I had three 5-star reads, five 4-star reads, three 3-3.5-star reads, and one 2.5-star read. Unfortunately, I had two DNFs.
My most memorable fiction read this month was The Keeper of Hidden Books by Madeline Martin, story of resistance and brave librarians protecting books from Hitler.
***This post contains Amazon affiliate links.
Titles are Amazon affiliate links or my linked reviews.
ARC=Advanced Readers Copy (complimentary copy for review before pub date)
The Keeper of Hidden Books by Madeline Martin (ARC)
5 Stars. (ARC) WWII historical fiction set in Poland; a book about books and librarians; the resistance movement
West With Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge
5 Stars. Historical Fiction; road trip; zoo animals; multi-generational friendship
(this is a reread with my husband via audio format)
I developed a free Book Club Kit for West With Giraffes found here.
Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie by Jordan Sonnenblick (MG)
5 Stars. Middle Grade Contemporary Fiction. Witty and heartfelt. (not reviewed)
What You Are Looking For is in the Library by Michiko (ARC)
4 Stars. (ARC) Contemporary Fiction; a book in translation (from Japanese); character driven; book about books and readers (review coming soon)
Norah’s Ark by Victoria Williamson (MG) (ARC)
4 Stars. (ARC) Middle Grade Contemporary Fiction; friendship, homelessness, cancer remission. Review of Norah’s Ark here.
The Legacy of Longdale Manor by Carrie Turansky (ARC)
4 Stars. (ARC) Historical Christian fiction (England); romance (review coming soon)
The Secrets Beneath by Kimberley Woodhouse (ARC)
4 Stars. (ARC) Christian Fiction. Paleontology; romance; more troubling content than I was expecting (review coming soon)
The Book Club Hotel by Sarah Morgan
4 Stars. Women’s Friendship Fiction; Dragonfly Inn (Gilmore Girls) vibes; warmhearted with closed door romance and no profanity; Christmas setting (review coming soon)
A Christmas Baby at Goodwill House by Fenella J. Miller (ARC)
3.5 Stars. (rounded up for Goodreads and Netgalley) (ARC) Gently Written Historical Fiction/Women’s Fiction (England, WWII, home front); fade-to-black romance, last (#7) in the series
Unleashed Holiday by Victoria Schade (ARC)
3.5 Stars. (ARC) Women’s Fiction; romance (open door); dogs and more dogs (review coming soon)
Faking Christmas by Kerry Winfrey (ARC)
3.5 Stars. (ARC) Contemporary women’s fiction; loose retelling of the classic movie Christmas in Connecticut (review coming soon)
Happy Place by Emily Henry
2.5 Stars. Contemporary Friendship Fiction; Women’s Fiction. romance (forced proximity and fake dating; open door); a lot of readers have loved this one but it was a tedious read for me (I started skipping over the past timeline chapters) and the characters were annoyingly immature. (not yet reviewed)
DNF
True Biz by Sara Novic
I had high expectations for this story featuring deaf culture and ASL (that part was great) but the other content wasn’t to my taste. 2 Stars DNF 60%.
The Postcard by Anne Berest
Some content not to my taste.
August 2023 Wrap Up QOTD:
Did we read any of the same books?
Did you have a favorite August read?
August Blog Posts
Sparks Like Stars Review
Books With Water on the Cover
Book Club Kit: West With Giraffes
The Personal Librarian Review
Norah’s Ark Review
10 Books About the Journey
The Kitchen Front Review
What Would Jane Austen Do? Review
Brave the Wild River Review
Project Hail Mary Review
The Keeper of Hidden Books Review
Mrs. Porter Calling Review
The Bookbinder Review
A Fall of Marigolds Review
Liz’s Road Trip Review
Showing Love to Backlist Books
Happy Reading Book Friends!
“Ah, how good it is to be among people who are reading.”
~Rainer Maria Rilke
“I love the world of words, where life and literature connect.”
~Denise J Hughes
“Reading good books ruins you for enjoying bad ones.”
~Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
“I read because books are a form of transportation, of teaching, and of connection! Books take us to places we’ve never been, they teach us about our world, and they help us to understand human experience.”
~Madeleine Riley, Top Shelf Text
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Books I review are purchased by me or borrowed from the library unless explicitly stated that they are free (arcs).
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I didn’t enjoy what I read of Happy Place Carol, and had to return it to the library before I finished it because someone had a hold on it.
Well it didn’t get any better! I ended up skipping the past timeline chapters and skimmed a lot of the rest of it.
Too bad you had two DNFs this month Carol. I hope your next reads are all wonderful.
I blame my mood once again! 😂