August 2024 reading is a wrap! Did you have a satisfactory reading month?
August 2024 Reading Wrap Up
I managed a satisfactory reading month despite a couple of obstacles: cataract surgery and run-in with a virus. Out of 15 books completed, I had one 5-star read, six 4-star reads, and eight 3-3.5-star reads. Unfortunately, I also experienced one DNF.
My most engaging and memorable read was The Berlin Apartment, a compelling story of loss, desperation, restoration, and The Berlin Wall.
***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 Berlin Apartment by Bryn Turnbull (ARC)
5 Stars. (ARC) Historical Fiction (1960s-1980s), Political Ideologies, Love Story, Berlin Wall, Germany (East and West Berlin). Review coming next week.
Saved By the Matchmaker by Jody Hedlund (ARC)
4 Stars. (ARC) Historical Fiction (1800s), Historical Romance (marriage of convenience), St. Louis (Missouri).
The Hazelbourne Ladies Motorcycle and Flying Club by Helen Simonson
4 Stars. Historical Fiction (post WWI), Women Supporting Women, Friendship, Girl Power, English Countryside.
The Lily of Ludgate Hill by Mimi Matthews
4 Stars. Historical Fiction, Victorian Romance (second chance romance), #3 in Belles of London series (stand alone), Women’s Fiction, Equestrian, England, Not yet reviewed. You might be interested in my review of The Belle of Belgrave Square (#2 in the series and my fav so far).
Christmas With the Queen by Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb (ARC)
4 Stars. (ARC) Historical Fiction (1950s), Slow-burn, Friends-to-lovers Romance, Cooking, Secrets, Christmas, Royal Family (adjacent), English Estate. Review coming soon. (Pub Date: 11/19/2024)
The Library by Bella Osborne
4 Stars. Contemporary Fiction, Books About Books, Multi-generational, Found Family, Coming of Age, English Village. Not reviewed.
Love You a Latke by Amanda Elliot (ARC)
4 Stars. (ARC) Contemporary Fiction, Women’s Fiction, Romance, Jewish, Rural Vermont and New York City. Review coming soon. (Pub Date: 10/8/2024)
Love at First Book by Jenn McKinlay
3.5-4 Stars. Contemporary Women’s Fiction, Books About Books, Authors/Writing, Slow-burn Romance, Irish Village. Not net reviewed.
The Christmas Inn by Pamela Kelley (ARC)
3.5-4 Stars. (ARC) Contemporary Women’s Fiction, Found Family, Multigenerational Friendships, Small Sides of Romance, Women Supporting Women, Comfort Food and Hot Chocolate, Christmas. Vermont. (a lovely, gentle read) Not yet reviewed. (Pub Date: 9/24/2024)
And So I Roar by Abi Dare
3 Stars. Contemporary Fiction, Nigeria, Diverse Read, Sequel to The Girl With the Louding Voice. Not reviewed (Louding Voice is my fav).
You Never Know by Tom Selleck
3 Stars. Nonfiction, Memoir. Underwhelmed with this glorified resume and not-too-personal memoir (but I still love Tom Selleck!) Not reviewed.
The (mostly) True Story of Cleopatra’s Needle by Dan Gutman (ARC)
3 Stars. Middle-Grade Historical Fiction, Monuments, Egypt and New York City, A (mostly) informational read that was simply and cleverly told….I took issue with the author repeatedly referring to Evil Americans….just relate the facts and let the reader form opinions! Not yet reviewed.
The Bookworm and the Cat’s Meow by Jeanine Lauren (ARC)
3 Stars. (ARC) Contemporary Women’s Fiction. Mature characters. Gently-written slow-burn, sweet romance (no profanity, firmly closed door), Animal Rescue. Not yet reviewed (Pub Date: 9/10/2024) I’ve also enjoyed Repositioning by the same author)
How to Hide in Plain Sight by Emma Noyes (ARC)
3 Stars. (ARC) Contemporary Fiction, Complicated (and heavy at times) Family Drama, Mental Health (OCD/Intrusive Thoughts), Grief (child/sibling death), Friends-to-lovers, Ontario (Canada). Not yet reviewed. (Pub Date: 9/10/2024)
Pony by R.J. Palacio
3 Stars. Middle-grade Fiction (middle-grade written for adults in my opinion), Heavy Content (violence, guns, ghosts, death of parents). I do not recommend for MG readers. Disappointing considering it’s the author of Wonder. Not reviewed.
DNF: This Summer Will be Different by Carley Fortune
DNF: 10% I need to quit Carley Fortune. I don’t enjoy her story structures. It’s probably me and not the book since she has many devoted fans. (not star rated) Do you have an author you don’t click with?
QOTD:
Did we read any of the same books?
Did you have a favorite August read?
August Blog Posts
The Belle of Belgrave Square Review
10 Posts That Give a Glimpse Into Me and/or My Reading Life
A Christmas Gift For the East End Library Girls
The Matchmaker’s Gift Review
Books About Sisters
What Makes Books Unputdownable?
The Secret Keeper Review
Saved By the Matchmaker Review
Books Featuring Travel
The Home Front Nurses Review
How to Read a Book Review
The Girl From Guernica Review
Favorite Book in a Favorite Series
Second Tide’s the Charm Review
The Briar Club Review
Atomic Habits Review
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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Find me at:
Twitter/X
Blue Sky
Instagram (Threads link in bio)
Goodreads and StoryGraph
Pinterest
SubStack: @carolreadingladies
Reading Ladies Book Club on Facebook
***Blog posts may contain affiliate links. I can earn a small percentage of your purchase price at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support.
Books I review are purchased by me or borrowed from the library unless explicitly stated that they are free (arcs).
Amazon or publisher websites receive all credit for author and book cover images.
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That was a good reading month! I read Bella Osborne’s The Library a while back and I loved it.
Maybe I got the rec from you! 🙌
What a fantastic bookish month Carol! How disappointing that Tom Selleck’s memoir was as personal as you hoped it would be.
I highly anticipated that memoir! 😔
Love the title of LOVE YOU A LATKE! Might look into that one later. Glad to see you had a satisfactory reading month!
It’s a fake relationship trope which is always entertaining!
You had a great reading month! I also read a book by Jenn McKinlay from one of her cozy mystery series. It was one of my favorites of the month.
Thanks for sharing the author love!
I’m impressed, Carol! You blew me out of the water once again. I only finished reading four books in August; however, that was an improvement over the “0” I finished in July.
I quite surprised myself! You’re trending up! 🙌📚😍
This is such a great mixture of books, Carol. I haven’t read any that you have featured here, but once again, I greatly enjoyed your reviews.
The Berlin Apartment is the one I most recommend! Happy September reading!
I read Bella Osborne’s The Library when it was first published and loved it, Carol. Glad you enjoyed it too.
Pony was a bit of a surprise. Not what I would have expected from a MG reader either!
There are several popular authors I just don’t connect with. Like you say, it’s personal preference.
Have another wonderful reading month in September. 💖📚💐
Maybe I heard about The Library from you?! It’s memorable!
Not sure if my comment will appear as it gave a weird message when I clicked the comment button. Just in case, The Berlin Apartment just zoomed to the top of my TBR for next week. I will pass on the Tom Selleck book, even though I really like him. Yes, there are a few authors I just didn’t click with, but others love. I hope September has been a great reading month so far.
This is the only comment I received…I’ll check spam in case it went there. I hope you enjoy Berlin Apartment! Re Selleck…he’s a private person so he’s guarded but I don’t blame him! There were a few interesting parts but I hoped for more personal reflections.
It was a weird comment about verification. I am often surprised about what is shared in some books.
I was having difficulty with my laptop and then it died….so I had to buy a new one. Perhaps that was affecting WP?? But WP glitches all on its own at times! 🤷♀️
It sure does, Carol. I redid the comment, although not quite as detailed and it posted fine, within seconds. So weird.