August Book Recap

It's still a little hard for some of y'all to believe, but I didn't really grow up reading. Clif Notes were a lifesaver in high school. I'd read 'enough' to get by, but I didn't enjoy the act of reading so never did it. Maybe I wasn't reading things that held my interest or maybe it was because it was "required", but whatever the reason, I'm glad I took the challenge to add the goal of reading 17 books in 2017 (which became 88 books in 2017, 77 books in 2018, 67 books in 2019, 66 books in 2020, 67 books in 2021, 41 books in 2022, 98 books in 2023, 224 books in 2024 and 136 books in 2025). The majority of my reading recently has been listening to audiobooks, but it still counts! Even still, holding a physical book is my JAM and I hope I can add that back into my routine on a more regular basis. Just like in years past, writing a monthly recap of the books I finish is a great way for me to both record what I'm reading (so I don't forget and in case anyone is curious) and to stay accountable. So, without further ado, here are the books I completed in the month of August:

• We're a Bad Idea, Right? by K.L. Walther - Apparently I've been on a YA fake dating trope kick lately and apparently we are going to keep the trend going. I have read a few books by this author and they've been cute enough and since this one was just released (or at least just added to my Libby app) I thought I'd grab it. This is about two best friends - Audrey and Henry. Audrey blows glass and Henry helps with the administrative side of her Etsy glass blowing shop. They are high school seniors and trying to decide what to do once they graduate. Audrey has been accepted to an amazing fellowship opportunity, but her parents aren't keen on the idea. One night, after a little too much to drink, she uses an emergency checking account to pay the tuition for the fellowship without her parents' approval. What comes next is her and her friends trying to recoup the money she spent by turning her house (and guest house) into short-term rentals. Oh yeah, and throughout the whole thing, Audrey and Henry start fake dating to try and make Henry's ex-girlfriend jealous, but, of course, their feelings become so much more and they truly fall for one another. I thought there were some unique aspects of the story and the romance was just sweet enough to keep me invested in everything as well. I will definitely keep my eyes peeled for more books by this author. I would give it an 8 out of 10.

• It Could Have Been Her by Lisa Jewell - I have enjoyed this author's books in the past, so when I saw she released a new one I kept my eyes peeled at my local library. Funny thing - the large print version became available before the regular sized font book, so I grabbed what I could get. This was a psychological thriller, but I'd say it wasn't my favorite in the genre. Don't worry, this isn't a spoiler, but I do want to mention there is a clown in this book, so if you are someone who is weirded out by that type of character, you may want to steer clear of this one ;) Jane, the main character, finds a small dog while out and about on her property, which leads her down quite the rabbit hole of trying to track down a missing girl and solve a few murders along the way. The story jumps between different characters and different timelines, but I wasn't super invested in any of them (I'd say her stepson Dexter might have been my fave person and his cameo was so small that it wasn't even worth mentioning). I guess I enjoyed Jane's ametuer sleuthing and how it tied back into her own personal story, but it felt slow at times and a bit too creepy/ dark for me. I would give it a 7 out of 10.

• Finding Her Edge by Jennifer Iacopelli - While scrolling through my Libby app, I saw this had the little Netflix logo on the cover, so I was hoping that if it was good enough to be turned into a series, it should be good enough to devote a couple of hours toward. Imagine my surprise when I realized it was yet another fake dating trope - HA! At least this one wasn't a fake romance to make others jealous - it was to fake out the figure skating world and hopefully get more sponsorships. Anywho, this is about Adrianna, who is pretty much figure skating royalty due to her super talented family, and her rise in the skating world (along with a swoon-worthy love triangle between her, her new skating partner and her old skating partner/ childhood best friend). I'd saw it was cute and I'm usually all for the sports rom-coms, but it seemed to try and tackle a few too many things all in one story (a reality tv show, a love triangle, financial troubles with her family, sister drama, etc). I see there is a second book coming out in the series next year, but the epilog sort of gave us a preview of what happens in the coming years, so I'm not sure where that one will start. It was good, but not great. If we find ourselves with Netflix in the future, I could see myself watching the series, but it isn't a need. I would give it an 8 out of 10.

• The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman - None of the books on my 'for later' list in my Libby app were grabbing my attention, so I clicked on the tab to see what was available immediately and this one popped up. And, of course, a yellow cover seems to get me every time ;) This is the story about Nina Hill - a bookstore employee, bar trivia teammate, anxious list-making woman who is making her way through the world. For her entire life, she has been an only child of a mother who is a world traveler, but she was left on the sidelines with a nanny to raise her. One day she receives word that a father she knew nothing about has died and she has had a huge family all along. It was quirky and cute, but, if I'm being honest, probably a story I will forget about within the week. The ending seemed a bit too tidy for me and I didn't really believe the relationship between Nina and Tom, but all-in-all, it is a fun and quick beach-type read. I would give it an 8 out of 10.

• June Baby by Shannon Garvey - I had seen this book on the recently released list and thought I'd grab it from my local library. I didn't know anything about it, but thought the cover looked beachy so was hoping it'd be a great summer read. It was a coming-of-age story about Ruth. When she was seventeen she lost her mom to cancer and a few months later her father sent her to stay with Diana on Block Island for the summer. Ruth had never met Diana, but her father couldn't handle her grief and figured staying with one of her mom's friends for the summer may help her deal with the loss. For ten years Ruth returns to the island every summer to work and get away. Ten years after losing her mom, Ruth is blindsided when Diana passes away from a cancer she knew nothing about. The story follows Ruth as she tries to process all of her grief, deal with a long held love for Diana's nephew and figure out what she should do next with her life. This was a character-driven story, which can be a bit slow for me. I didn't really connect with any of the characters, but appreciate the author's willingness to tackle topics such as grief, forgiveness and belonging. I would give it a 7 out of 10.

• Cassandra in Reverse by Holly Smale - I was actually all out of library books at the moment, so I went to the little library in our front yard to see if anything caught my eye. Someone had recently dropped off this book and I hadn't read it before so I thought I'd give it a go. I am normally not one for the time travel/ time loop trope, but I'm glad I stuck with this one. This is about Cassandra, who gets the ability to travel through time (but only during a specific four month period). She finds out about this 'gift' on the day she is both dumped and fired, so figures she will use the ability to go back in time to fix her relationship and her job. As I'm sure you could guess, because most time travel-y type books are like this, things don't work out how she plans, but she gains more along the way than she originally expected (like friends, a relationship with her sister, a deeper understanding of who she is, etc). I love that this was written by a neurodivergent author about a neurodivergent main character. We need more diversity in books/ movies/ etc. I would give it an 8 out of 10. 

• Dolly All the Time by Annabel Monaghan - I had seen this book talked about quite a bit recently, so I got in line at my local library and it was finally my turn to check it out. I didn't realize, but this was yet again another fake dating trope. This follows Dolly, a single mom who is hustling to try to make a life for her and her thirteen year old son, while also being the one who holds everything together for her dad, brother and sister. While back at her childhood home after a minor fire, she has a chance run in with one of the town's elite, Stewart. Stewart was just dumped by his fiancee and needs to turn around his image from a workaholic to someone who has a work-life balance so he can take over the family's business. To the surprise of no one, the fake relationship between these two turns into real feelings and the pair has to navigate what that could look like. I thought it was sweet and had me feeling all the feels. I appreciated the more mature, single mom character and that the author touched on some mental health topics in this swoon worthy rom-com too. I would give it a 9 out of 10. 

• The Bright Side Running Club by Josie Lloyd - I had this book in my 'for later' list on my Libby app for quite some time, but for some reason hadn't grabbed it before. I figured it was time to change that and downloaded the book. This one is about Keira, who receives a diagnosis of breast cancer that seemingly comes out of nowhere. While at one of her appointments, she meets a fellow patient who is running around the park and she invites Keira to join her. Little does she know this running club will be just the lifeline she needs. Throughout her cancer treatments, Keira is also having to deal with her business partner being shady, her suspicions of her husband's infidelity and much more. This is a story about hope, friendship and community (and you obviously know I love the fact that running is a small part of the plot). I would give it an 8 out of 10.

• The Burning Side by Sarah Damoff - This book has been everywhere lately. I was a little hesitant to pick it up because this author's previous book had been the talk of the town and when I read it I didn't connect with it as much as other readers had so I was a little nervous this one would be a letdown as well. Well, I am happy to report that I was wrong. This one had me hooked from the jump. This story follows a family through a few different timelines. It starts off with April and Leo's house catching on fire on the same evening that Leo tells April he wants a divorce. The story is told from three of the family members' perspectives (April - the wife, Leo - the husband, Deb - April's mother), jumping back and forth through time. It technically follows two different marriages - April and Leo's and Deb and Billy's. I am normally not one for character-driven sagas, but this one was full of drama that grabbed my attention from the first page and never let go. A story about family, marriage, love, loss, betrayal, heartbreak, identity, grief and so much more. I would give it a 10 out of 10.

• I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman - Okay, so I had seen this book pop up a few times recently so I got in line at my local library. I will confess, just like the majority of the books I grab, I had no idea what this one was about when I checked it out. Well, let's just say I'm still not really sure what it was about even after reading it. I guess you could say it was a sci-fi book, but I'm not even certain about that. It was about a group of forty women who woke up and found themselves in an underground bunker. The story is told from the perspective of one of those prisoners. All but one of the women could remember a 'before', but one of them, the 'child' (who never actually even had a name) was so young that they thought her capture and inclusion with the others was probably a mistake. One day there is an alarm that goes off and the guards rush out while in the middle of entering the cage to provide food. The forty women eventually get up the courage to escape the bunker and try to find refuge. Where they find themselves seems to be a planet different than earth. The group wanders, finding more bunkers - all of which the prisoners inside have died, set up a little community and try to figure out what is going on. I am probably not the target audience for a book like this to begin with, but I think what I disliked most was there were no answers. Sorry if this is a spoiler, but you never find out why these women ended up in a bunker, where they are, what is going on, etc. It just sort of felt like a waste to me. I don't know, maybe I'm not intelligent enough to understand it or maybe I wasn't in the right mindspace to think more deeply about it or maybe it just wasn't my jam. I would give it a 4 out of 10. 

• The Summer of Second Chances by K.L. Walther - Remember at the beginning of the month when I listened to one of this author's books and mentioned I'd probably look for another one. Well, this next one was available on my Libby app so I grabbed it to listen to while on runs/ dog walks/ cleaning the house. This was another YA rom-com. It centered around Olivia, who was taking a gap year between graduating high school and starting college because her grandma had dementia and she wanted to spend more time with her before her disease progressed further. Her step-mother's family was having a huge family reunion on Martha's Vineyard for three weeks and Olivia is eventually talked into attending. Before she goes she finds out that her grandmother had been to the island before and Olivia uncovers some of the photos/ paintings/ drawings from the trips. She decides to retrace her grandma's footsteps and make a photo album combining her grandma's memories and her own. Oh yeah, and of course along the way there's a guy who comes along for the adventure (and who she may or may not fall head over heels for). I thought it was sweet and heartfelt. I would give it an 8 out of 10.

• Love You More by Emily Giffin - This book was on a few lists for the summer and it finally showed up at my library so I got in line. I was stoked to find out that it was a second-chance romance (not necessarily because I am all about that trope, but because I feel like it's been a while since that type of book has come across my reading list lately). This was about Billie, who was a successful fertility doctor in New York and her first love, her high school/ college boyfriend, Mick. The pair were best friends turned partners, but called in quits two years into her medical schooling because the distance and circumstances were proving too difficult. After a decade apart, Billie is unexpectedly forced back home to Wisconsin due to a tragic accident and the pair is brought back together again. The only issue... she's engaged! Don don don ;) It's tender and heartfelt and I might just have to track down many, many more of this author's books. I would give it an 8 out of 10.

• The Best Worst Thing by Lauren Oakie - I've had my eyes peeled for this book for a while now (had been hearing great things about it, but could never track it down). It finally popped up on my Hoopla app (last month but I was out of downloads by the time I saw it) and I was stoked. This is the story of Nicole. She's a woman who seems to have everything and anything that one could ever need. She has a gorgeous (and extremely wealthy) husband, a somewhat successful podcast and lives in an amazing house in Los Angeles. The one thing that she can't seem to get right is her fertility. After multiple miscarriages and numerous rounds of IVF, she and her husband are trying a third time for a surrogacy. Just when she thinks life is coming together for her, everything falls apart and she finds out that her husband is cheating on her. This is the story of the fallout, the story of starting over, the story of betrayal, of hope, of falling in love, of finding family. I'll be honest and say that it was a bit spicier than I normally enjoy and I didn't really connect with the characters as much as I would have hoped, but Logan was such a sweet man that it saved it for me. It was messy AF, but it made everything feel real. Definitely still keeping my eyes peeled for her newest release. I would give it an 8 out of 10. 

• Every Version of You by Natalie Messier - This was on a recently released list of rom-coms and I thought I'd keep my eyes peeled for it at my local library. Once they got it in stock, I checked it out. I guess I probably should have guessed from the title, but this is a time travel trope (apparently I need to read the synopsis of the books I'm checking out, seeing as I keep grabbing ones that aren't normally my cup of tea). Billie is a successful corporate lawyer who has a big secret - she has been in love with her best friend, Ellie, for fourteen years and he apparently has no idea. After leaving one of Ellie's dinner parties a bit flustered (due to seeing a man who has been in the peripheral for years and who she had a one night stand with seven years before), Billie gets into a car accident. Instead of waking up in a hospital, she wakes up in a waiting room and discovers that she has the opportunity for a do-over with her life - she just has to pick the time that she wants to return back to. She keeps all of her memories, but will be able to start again and see if she can get it right a second time around. She picks the night of the party she first met Ellie, in hopes that she will be able to change things and they will end up together. I don't want to give everything away, but as with most time travel books, things don't go the way the characters would have originally wanted... yet, it goes so much better than she could've imagined. For not usually enjoying magical realism (sometimes the plots are too complicated and sometimes I just can't suspend my grasp on reality enough to fully enjoy them), this book had me feeling the feels and wanting everyone to get their happily ever after (the second time around). I would give it a 9 out of 10.

• The One Day You Were My Husband by Rosie Walsh - Another recently released book that I had grabbed from my local library that I had no idea what to expect. I assumed it was going to be a thriller from the name and the cover art, but other than that I hadn't read anything by this author before and wasn't sure what I was in for. I am pleased to report that it was in fact a thriller (and a bit of a romance as well), one that I thoroughly enjoyed. I'll say this from the start - it did not feel realistic at all, but that said, if you could throw reality to the wind for a bit, I did get caught up in the story. This was about Carrie, a workaholic surgeon who meets Johan at the hospital one day and the two have a whirlwind of a romance. While traveling to Thailand the two get married and then, at the wedding, Johan is apprehended by Thai police, leaving Carrie in the dark about everything. There were a couple different timelines throughout the story (which tend to keep you on your toes because you don't have time to think about what comes next when you're jumping around into the past or future), but I enjoyed it enough. There were a few twists and turns that I was not expecting and seeing as I've been digging the thrillers and rom-coms recently, appreciated that this was a mix of the two. I would give it an 8 out of 10.

• How to Walk Away by Katherine Center - After being introduced to this author a few months back, I thought I'd grab a few more of her books. My Hoopla app had a couple of them available, so this was the first one I downloaded (I didn't know anything about it, but it was the highest rated of the few that were on that audiobook app). Turns out, this one follows Margaret after her life was turned upside down. Her boyfriend was a pilot-in-training and thought he'd surprise her with a 'romantic' flight (even though she was deathly afraid of flying) and ask her to marry him. After the proposal, the couple was trying to land at the runway and there was an accident that caused the cessna crash. Margaret's fiancee was able to get away unscathed and phone for help, but she was stuck in the plane when a fire broke out. Margaret finds herself in the hospital, paralyzed and with burns covering most of her body. This is the story of her attempt to put her life back together and find out what is most important to her. Along the way she is able to reconnect with her estranged sister, meet a grumpy physical therapist and learn long-held secrets of about her mother (and family). It was heartwarming and heartbreaking, humourous and hopeful, tender and truthful, full of loss and life. I would give it an 8 out of 10.

• The Romance Revival by Christina Lauren - Unlike most of the other books I read, I actually knew a bit about the premise of this one. First off, let me start by saying that books from this author duo are pretty much must-reads for me. I don't think I've ever not enjoyed something by them, so even though this one was going to be a little sci-fi-ish, I knew I'd give it a read anyway. Like I said, this one was a little outside of the normal rom-com, in the fact that it was about Emery, who was a scientist/ doctor for a very secretive company and was working on the possibility of bringing someone (so far they had only done trials on animals) BACK FROM THE DEAD! Yep, I know, a little out there, but I figured I'd suspend my logic for a bit and see if I could get into it. Emery was a workaholic and was technically living a lie to everyone, including her husband, Luca. Due to the NDAs that were signed, no one, besides the people she worked with, knew what she was actually doing. Well, as I'm sure you can guess, poop hits the fan, Luca is involved in a hit-and-run accident, dies at the scene and Emery has to use the never-tested-on-humans compound on her husband to potentially bring him back to life. The technology works, but Luca loses all of his memory and the pair have to see if they can fall back in love again. The premise might be something of fiction, but I was rooting for their relationship like it was a real as the Detroit Tigers potential comeback at the end of this baseball season! I would give it a 9 out of 10.

• We Became Wild by H. D. Carver - This one popped up on my Hoopla app last month (but I was out of downloads) in the recommended section. When I clicked on it I noticed it was a new release, a YA novel and about hiking the Pacific Crest Trail - sounds right up my alley, so I snagged it once my downloads refreshed for the month. This story is told by three different characters (and the audiobook is read by three different narrators) - Lottie, Messina and Gabe. The book doesn't hold back - it starts right from the jump with a teen dying when she fell from a cliff one night at a party. Val was the third in a best friend group with Lottie and Messina. She was sort of the glue that held the trio together and with her death they were starting to unravel. Gabe is Val's brother and had a major crush on Lottie. The three found out that Val was planning to hike the PCT for the summer and so Lottie and Messina decide to do it in her place (and may have stole the urn of her ashes to bring Val along for the adventure). There are a lot of heavy topics in this story - grief, guilt, abuse, etc. And although there is a male perspective throughout, it also hits on what it's like to be a woman (especially a woman alone in the world). I think I was expecting a little bit more of a happy-go-lucky type story (so I may not have completely been in the right headspace to listen), but it was still gripping. I would give it a 7 out of 10.

• Loathe to Love You by Ali Hazelwood - This is actually three novellas that were put together in a single volume, so I am going to consider them one book. This author always does a great romance book and I was expecting these to be no different. The three are intertwined because the female main characters in each were grad school besties and roommates. They have since graduated, moved apart and started life on their own. With that said, they all make little cameos in each of the other stories (and there was a bonus chapter told from the guys' perspectives that tied them together wonderfully). First up was Under One Roof, which was all about the forced proximity trope. Mara was left a house via the will of her mentor, but come to find out, she was a co-owner with the mentor's nephew, Liam. The pair couldn't be more different - Mara is an environmental engineer and Liam works as a lawyer for a big oil company. As I'm sure you could guess, the two fall for one another over their six months of cohabitation. The next story was Stuck with You, which was seeped in misunderstandings from the jump. Sadie and Erik are both engineers who work in the same building (but at competing firms). The two have an amazing day together, only to find out that Erik's firm swooped in and stole one of Sadie's potential clients using her ideas. They find themselves stuck together in a broken elevator and end up fleshing out the tension and confusion. Finally, Below Zero is about Hannah and Ian who both work for NASA. Hannah had a school assignment that led her to reach out to Ian, Mara's cousin (or something). They two hit it off amazingly, but Hannah doesn't 'do' relationships (or feelings), so the brakes were thrown on before anything could officially start. They find themselves working together years later, only for one of Hannah's projects to be vetoed by Ian. Hannah goes off to a remote part of the Arctic to prove him wrong, gets stranded and then he ends up coming in to rescue her when no one else would. It was fun that each of the stories were set up the same, with timelines jumping between past and present, and each a bit of the enemies-to-lovers feel. This author knows how to do steamy STEM characters and plotlines to a T. The female main characters are always smart, strong and a bit sassy. None of them 'needed' a man in their life, but each of them were better for having a partner to do life with. I'll be honest and say they were all good, but they could have been great if they had the space to really dig deeper into the stories (but I guess that tends to be the case with most novellas, in my opinion anyway). I needed more than these little snidbits. I would give it [overall] a 7 out of 10. 

• Things You Save in a Fire by Katherine Center - Figured I'd round out the last of this author's books on my Hoopla app and downloaded this one. This is the story of Cassie, a female firefighter who is tough as nails. At the beginning of the story she has everything going for her and is even collecting an highly prestigious award for her work with the fire department. Things take a turn when she's on stage accepting said award, because the presenter turns out to be someone who hurt her beyond belief when she was younger. While shaking her hand for the photo, he also grabs her butt and all hell breaks loose (she hits him over the head with the award, sending him to the hospital and even giving him a concussion). Her boss gives her an ultimatum, she either apologizes or she loses her job. Around this same time her somewhat estranged mother asks her to move from Texas to the Boston area to serve as her caretaker because she recently lost sight in one of her eyes. As a compromise, Cassie asks her boss if she can keep her record clean and be transferred to a firehouse near her mother (still without apologizing, of course). The new firehouse is nowhere near as progressive as the one she left in Texas - actually being pretty sexist and full of hazing. Although her old mentor gave her 'rules to live by' as a way to survive in a firehouse that doesn't welcome you, they may go out the window when she falls for the rookie she continually gets paired up with. I don't want to give anything away, but let's just say things heat up - both for her personally and professionally. I'll be honest and say that I think I like her newer rom-coms better, but these older books have still been entertaining. I would give it a 7 out of 10.

• Everything was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt by Ben Reeves - I had seen this book mentioned a few times in the past month since it was just coming out, so I thought I'd keep my eyes peeled and see if my library got a copy. Lucky for me, they did AND I was one of the first in line for it. From the couple of times I saw this book pop up, I picked up a little of the premise - there was a character who was death personified (but that's about the extent to what I knew). I really wanted to like this one, but I just couldn't. I normally have been finishing a book every day or two, but with this one it took me about four days because I just couldn't get into it. For me, it felt slow and like the author was trying to write too beautifully (I know, that might not make sense, but it seemed like more effort was put into the prose than the plot). Travis seems to be a 'regular guy', but in fact he is actually Death and he sits with people as they take their final breath. We don't know any of the backstory (has he been like this forever, did he inherit this 'job', is it more a local thing (seeing as I'm not sure he could be everywhere at the same time and more than one person is dying at a time), etc), but we meet him and then he meets one of his neighbors, Dalia. I guess you can say he falls for her (and her daughters) and his ideas about his role become a little more complicated. It's a fairly short book, but I just was not sold on the concept or the characters (although maybe you'll love it) so it seemed to drag on and on for me. It didn't live up to the hype for me, but it was the author's debut novel, so maybe I'll enjoy his next book. I would give it a 6 out of 10.

• The Someday Garden by Ashley Poston - This was another book that I had seen which was highly anticipated. I had read one of this author's previous books a couple years ago and thought it was cute, so I figured I'd wait in line for it ay my local library and grab it once it was ready for me. I guess you can say this is another time travel-ish book (apparently although that isn't my preferred trope, all of the books keep finding their way to me these past few weeks). This is the story of Sophie, a horticulturalist who takes a summer job at a 'magical' garden in Maine. She and her college best friend visited the site ten years previously as a way to end a road trip they were taking before starting out in the 'real world'. They promised that they would meet back at the garden in ten years to celebrate the bicentennial - but Harrie, Sophie's best friend, died almost a year before the event took place. Sophie is using the summer job as a way to move through her grief and also decide if she wants to return to her current job in New York or what her next step(s) should be. While working on the grounds, she finds a door that leads her to a garden. In said garden she meets a mysterious man (who turns out to be one of the garden's owner's nephews), who appears to be stuck in the garden and in time. Her quest is to free him from the garden (and find where it might actually be on the property) and, oops, during the process she may or may not fall in love with him. Again, magical realism isn't normally my jam, but this was whimsy, sweet enough and a fun vacation/ spring or summer/ beach-type read. I would give it an 8 out of 10.

• Fruit Fly by Josh Silver - I had watched a social media post by someone who mentioned this was the next book on their TBR (to be read) list, but I had never heard of it before... And, then, the next time I logged into my Hoopla app the audiobook was right there on the main page - so I took it as a sign and used my final download of the month to grab it. I had no idea what this one was about, but I guess you can call it a thriller. It is told from two different perspectives (and the audiobook was read by two different narrators), Mallory and Leo. Mallory is an author who has had writers block for a few years and Leo is a young, gay, unhoused addict. Mallory becomes fixated on him and actually uses (or, more accurately, exploits) his life story (or the story that he tells her) as the premise for her new book. This might be funny to say, but I'm not sure if I enjoyed it or not. The characters were a bit unreliable (which I normally do NOT enjoy) and a bit unlikeable (at different times I was rooting for them and then against them). I also was confused by the marriage between Mallory and Ronan. All-in-all I don't think this was the book for me (but I did like the little twist at the end). I would give it a 6 out of 10. 

• The Five-Star Weekend by Elin Hilderbrand - This book was on a few "summer TBR" lists that I came across and since we are coming to the end of the season (okay, let's be real, it's always summer in SoCal, but you know what I mean) I thought I'd pick it up from my local library. This author has a ton of books (like over 30 novels!), but surprisingly, this is my first of hers. As with most of her books, this one is set in Nantucket. The main character, Hollis, is an at-home cooking influencer who has recently put her new fame to the top of her priority list. Tragedy strikes and her husband is killed in a car accident after they had a heavy conversation about their relationship. While grieving, she comes across the idea of the "five-star weekend" - a girls weekend where you invite your best friend from four different phases of your life (teens, twenties, thirties and midlife) to come together. This is the story of said long weekend. There is drama, forgiveness, plenty of secrets, health scares, scandals, unresolved tension, rekindled romance, self-discovery and much more. I actually really enjoyed the way this book was written. The chapters were short (which kept me wanting to read 'just one more'), there were outside perspectives, each of the friends all had their own distinct storyline, etc. It's an endearing friendship focused beach read (which was recently turned into a series that I might just have to watch) that reminds us to make sure the main thing is the main thing. I would give it an 8 out of 10.  

• Everything I Know About Love by Dolly Alderton - I don't really remember how this landed on my 'for later' list on my Libby app, but there wasn't a long line for it, so I put it on hold and waited for my turn. This is a memoir by a British author that focuses on life lessons (about love) she learned in her twenties. The audiobook was actually read by the author, which I always enjoy (even though I wasn't super familiar with her prior to checking out this book). It was silly, sweet and super relatable. Although there was quite a bit about her romantic relationships in the book, the main focus (at least in my opinion) was the platonic love she had for her female friends. The book is set up in short essays (and I think the one about the text messages she sent from her friend's phone was the best by far - it had me rolling!), full of quick wit and messy moments. I don't know that I would say this is a 'must read', but it was enjoyable, candid and chaotic. I would give it an 8 out of 10.

• The Midnight Train by Matt Haig - This book isn't necessarily a sequel, but it's in the 'same world' as The Midnight Library, which I read two years ago. I had seen a few folks talking this new release up, so I got in line for it at my local library. This one follows the life of Wilbur. We meet him in his old age and shortly after we're introduced he dies (he's in his eighties, so it isn't that surprising). Once he passes on, he finds himself at a magical train station. The Midnight Train takes him on a journey back through his life (starting at the beginning of his life, ending with his death and then ushering him into eternity), stopping at some of his life-defining moments. Well, let's just say his life wasn't all sunshine and unicorns. Not only did he lose his father and brother, but he prioritized work over relationships and ends up divorced and alone. Along the journey through his life, he disobeys one of the main rules and intervenes in one of his memories. You must be back on the train before your old self goes to sleep, but Wilbur decides he's going to chance losing eternity and tries to reach out to himself while he's on his honeymoon. It sort of felt a little like A Christmas Carol and Wilbur was the ghost of Christmas future, showing what will happen in his life (they're reliving these memories together, now that his 'dreaming' self has joined him on the train). This was all about regret and second chances. It was good, but you can guess where the story is leading and what will happen. I'd give it a 7 out of 10.

• Know My Name by Chanel Miller - I have had this one on my 'for later' list on my Libby app for a while, but the wait had always been super long. I decided if I wanted to give it a listen, I'd need to just jump in line. It took awhile for my turn to come around, but oh my goodness. This is a memoir and the audiobook is read by the author. I cannot recommend it enough (especially the audiobook version because you hear the emotion in Chanel's voice). Let me warn you, this is NOT an easy one to get through. Chanel was sexually assaulted and then went through the process of reporting and helping to prosecute her rapist. I don't want this comment to come across as trite, but it reads like a real version of Law & Order SVU. Her experiences echo so many other victims that it I just can't believe there isn't more outrage surrounding this (yet, at the same time, I live in a country that elected Donald Trump not once but TWICE, so it only seems obvious that issues such as this are swept under the rug, ignored or made into jokes). Throughout the book I wanted to sit next to Chanel, hold her hand, rage with her, lend her my shoulder to cry on. I cannot imagine the strength and courage it took to not only live through her experiences, but then to write about them and put everything out into the ether. We should all be forever appreciative for her candor, her audacity, her resilience. I would give this a 10 out of 10. 

• Pretty Dead Things by Kelsey Cox - This was a new release that I saw mentioned on a few accounts that frequently make their appearance on my social media accounts, so I thought I'd get in line for it at my local library. I guessed it was a thriller, but that's about all I knew when I checked it out. It ended up being about a high school senior who disappeared twenty five years prior (and a beauty pageant that might be linked to the mystery). There were A LOT of characters and the story switched back-and-forth between them all (all written in first-person narrative). At first I'd say it was a little difficult to keep track of who everyone was, but eventually I wrapped my head around it all. Isabelle went missing twenty five years ago and with the Lone Star Princess Pageant ramping up for their fiftieth anniversary, secrets start to be uncovered. There were a lot of twists and turns (some I saw coming from a mile away and some that actually caught me off guard). I could see this being turned into a series. It was entertaining and the short chapters made me want to read on. The ending felt super rushed (like everything was shoved down your throat after a fairly long build-up). I would give it an 8 out of 10.

• The Villa by Rachel Hawkins - I'll be honest and say this one made it on my Libby 'for later' list because Julia Whelan was the narrator for it (although, come to find out, she was just one of many in the cast of actors). I didn't know anything about it before I downloaded it, but I thought it might have said it was both in the romance and thriller genres, so I was intrigued how it would handle both. Let's just say there was A LOT going on in this one. There were multiple timelines and storylines that the reader needed to follow. First, there was a pair of best friends, Emily and Chess, who were best friends and visiting Italy on vacation (and sort of as a writing retreat, seeing as they were both authors). Next, the villa the two friends were staying at in Italy was the scene of a murder/ tragedy back in the 1970s, so it flash backed to that timeframe and the vacation that Mari, her step-sister Lara, her up-and-coming artist boyfriend Pierce and a rockstar Noel were experiencing. Oh yeah, Mari would eventually become a famous writer so it also jumped into the novel that she was writing. And don't forget that every once in a while there would be transcripts from a podcast or a magazine article included in the story. I enjoyed it, but it was a bit chaotic (at times it felt like there was too much going on and I didn't have time to take a breath). I think if it was longer and some of the ideas were more thoroughly fleshed out (or maybe if some of the side plots were removed so we didn't have our focus so spread out), I might have liked it more - it had the recipe to be better, just not fully executed, in my opinion. I would give it a 7 out of 10.

• What You Wish For by Katherine Center - This was the last book by this author that my local library had in its catalog, so I figured I'd better give it a read. It's a second-chance romance, following a sweet elementary school librarian named Sam. Sam had moved from her previous job to get away from an unrequited crush. She reinvents herself, creates a new life for herself, makes friends, loves her job at an amazing school, has found family, seems to have it all. Well, that is until the principal/ school owner/ her mentor (and fill-in father figure) passes away at his sixtieth birthday party. Life gets flipped upside down for her and the school community within a matter of moments and while she/ they are still reeling from this tragedy, they are told that the school board is bringing in someone new to take over. The new principal turns out to be none other than Sam's old crush, but he has changed from the fun-loving goofball he once was to a strict, no-nonsense rule follower. I'll be honest, I think I guessed about 95% of the plot points, and, even with that being said, my eyes still 'leaked' throughout the story (which is probably a tell of a good book - not that you guess what's going to happen, but that it makes you feel all the feels along the way). Maybe topics such as school shootings, grief and chronic illness will always tear at my heartstrings, but, golly gee, there were quite a few gut punches in this one for me. I'd say, of this author's older books, I think this might be my top pick. I would give it a 9 out of 10. 

• Shark Heart by Emily Habeck - I must have come across this book on social media somewhere, but by the time I picked it up from my local library I couldn't have told you anything about it. The cover says "A Love Story" so I was thinking maybe a romcom of sorts, but I was very wrong. This was quite a unique and interesting story - sort of sci-fi, sort of fantasy-ish. It centered around a newly married couple - Wren and Lewis. In this 'world', people can mutate into animals. This is not something done at will or even something that is positive, think of it sort of like a disease or a somewhat rare condition. Within the couple's first year of marriage, Lewis starts to mutate into a great white shark. He keeps his mind and memories, but he is slowly transforming into a physical shark.  Wren is tasked with caring for him and deciding what her future will look like once the mutation completes. While grieving for the life she had imagined for herself, the story then focuses on Wren's mother and Wren's early years. It was magical-realism done well (and who would have thought that a story about a man turning into a shark would have you feeling all the feels about love, grief and family?!). I thought it was beautifully written and I couldn't put it down - it was like nothing I had read before (I saw someone said it was 'fantastical' and thought it was the perfect word to describe it). Although it was over 400 pages, some of the pages only have a few sentences on them (the formating was interesting too - some parts read as a play, others a poem, etc), so I flew through this in an afternoon. I would give it a 9 out of 10.

• Wish You Were Here by Jodi Picoult - I don't remember how long ago I added this book to my 'for later' list on my Libby app, but I feel like every time I've scrolled past it there was always a wait. Well, I must have lucked out, because I was in need of a new audiobook and I noticed this one was finally available. I grabbed it without knowing anything about it (although I have read a few of this author's books before). This might be one of the first books I've read where the COVID-19 pandemic is a main focus. Diana works for Sotheby's and her boyfriend, Finn, is a surgical resident in a New York City hospital. The pair is getting ready to go on a trip to the Galapagos Islands when the pandemic hits. Seeing as it's all hands on deck at the hospital, Finn has to back out of the trip, but tells Diana to go on without him. As she arrives, everything is shut down, leaving her without her luggage, her hotel reservation and unable to speak the language of the people. She befriends a family while struggling with not being back with her boyfriend in New York as the world seems to be crumbling around him. Wow, I wasn't sure what I was expecting, but this one sort of blew me away. I mean, yes, I lived through the pandemic, but this brought it back to the forefront (and gave a glimpse into what it was like for the medical workers). I was not expecting the twist and thought it was beautifully written. I would give it a 9 out of 10.

• Nothing Tastes As Good by Luke Dumas - I know, I know, I'm a broken record... "I didn't know what this book was about before I picked it up"... Well, let's just say this one was quite the surprise. I must have seen it mentioned somewhere and I got in line for it at my local library. Had I known what it was about I doubt I would have checked it out. Emmett has struggled with food and his weight his entire life. When he comes across an ad on Instagram about a new weight loss drug, he figured he'd give it a try. Let's just say the side effects were more than he bargained for... because it turned him into a cannibal. Uh huh. Don't get me wrong, I appreciated the author's commentary on how society sees overweight and obese people, but the story left me wanting more. I was glad it wasn't more horror-esque/ gory (one of the perks of the main character not remembering all of his feasting on flesh), but the ending left me unsatisfied. I doubt I was the target audience, but I thought the story could have wrapped up a little better. I did enjoy all of the San Diego scenes. I would give it a 6 out of 10.

• Well, Actually by Mazey Eddings - After going into the last couple of reads 'blind', I wanted to know what to expect with this one. It was in the rom-com section on my Libby app, so I knew it'd probably be sweet, flirty and end with a happily ever after (and I was right). This was a second-chance romance (along with a little of the black cat/ golden retriever trope) between Eva and Rylie. The two had gone on a couple dates and hooked up while in college, but after Eva had opened her heart Rylie ghosted her and she never heard from him again. Well, that was until six years later when his face popped up on her social media feed. He was explaining to his following what makes a good partner and Eva had to fire back on her platform because he had done the exact opposite of what he was preaching to his people. Eva didn't think anyone would see her drunken rant, but, surprise, surprise, it went viral and brought the two back together. Eva's boss at the media company she works for thinks they should capitalize on the fifteen minutes of fame and bring Rylie on to the online show she hosts to clear the air. During the episode, Rylie suggests that they go on dates to see if he can prove that he's changed/ grown and then they can recap the dates on his podcast. As I'm sure you can guess, what starts out as a media bit turns into much more. It was spicy, but I could overlook it because of how sweet of a book boyfriend Rylie was (and I love me some strong women characters too). I would give it an 8 out of 10.

• Good People by Patmeena Sabit - This is another recently released book that had been getting a good amount of hype on social media, so I got in line for it at my local library. The sticker on the spine said it was a mystery, but I didn't know much else than that (and, honestly, I actually liked going into this one blind). I think this was one of the more unique books I've read it quite some time. This was told completely in the form of interviews (it seems like maybe they are with police officers or maybe a documentary crew) and news paper articles. I don't want to give too much away, so I will say it is about an Afghan family living in the DC area. The family is never interviewed, so all you know about them is from people around them. If you watch shows like Law & Order or listen to true crime podcasts, you know that personal testimony isn't always accurate, so it was an interesting premise in the way that you really never know whose perspectives were reality. This will have you questioning what 'truth' really is, looking at your prejudices and wondering what happens behind closed doors. I'll be honest and say I didn't really pay attention to who the person was that was sharing their story, just what their relationship was to the family (since there are A LOT of people in the book). Let's just say this one had me devouring page after page. And for this being the author's debut novel - KUDOS! I would give it a 10 out of 10.

• Just for the Cameras by Meghan Quinn - I had seen this rom-com mentioned on social media recently and it was available at my local library (at least the large print version), so I scooped it up. This is an enemies-to-lovers, fake relationship, grumpy/ sunshine romance. The professional sports teams in San Francisco were in a slump, so a PR firm came up with an idea - link a professional athlete from each of the teams (baseball, football and hockey) up with a zookeeper and hope that it will increase the positive feelings towards the teams (which will hopefully lead to an uptick in ticket and merch sales). One of the zookeepers, Maple, who worked with the flamingos, was paired with the brooding bully from the football team, Graydon. Graydon let his frustration be known at every turn, so as a way to try and turn that frown upside down, Maple thought she'd offer a bit of a trade - she'd train with him and the football team, something she knew nothing about and which was wildly outside of her comfort zone. The two would then share their antics on social media and hopefully gain some good will for that football team and some fundraising for the flamingos. When the PR firm found out, they thought they'd up the ante and suggested a PR relationship (aka fake dating for the press). As I'm sure you could have guessed, the fake relationship didn't stay fake for long and the two fell for one another. Obviously there was a lot of drama along the way (including a vindictive father, family secrets and public scrutiny) that threaten to derail the budding relationship. I will say that there were points that I wasn't sure I would stick with this one. I realize the whole enemies-to-lovers trope is enjoyed by many, but this felt like it was bordering on verbal abuse at times. It had me cringing at some of the harsh comments Graydon made and hoping Maple would just kick him to the curb (but knew that'd never happen and he'd eventually get his act together). I'll probably read the other books in the series (once they're released) because I enjoyed the other pro athletes (Bennett and OC) and think those may be a little more light hearted. I would give it a 7 out of 10.

• Runner 13 by Amy McCulloch - Someone in one of my running Facebook pages had mentioned this book a while ago, but I could never track it down. I was recently able to get the audiobook version on my Libby app and was stoked to give it a go. Okay, so this might not be everyone's cup of tea, but it was right up my alley! This was a thriller that was set around an ultramarathon across the Sahara Desert. The story flipped back and forth between two main perspectives - Adri and Stella. Adri was the 'rock GOAT', but had been out of the racing world for seven years after a major scandal with her running coach at the time. She was tempted to come back for this new race because the race director said he had details about an accident involving her son that he knew she wanted. Stella turned out to be the race director's daughter and the new fiancee of Adri's ex-husband. This was full of scandal, survival and sandstorms. I'll be honest and say that the killer on the loose during an ultra was maybe a little far-fetched (it sort of felt a bit like the Hunger Games), but I was so hooked because of the running that I was along for all 250 miles of the ride. As a runner, I'd totally recommend it, but even if you know nothing about the sport, I'd still say you'd race through it. I would give it a 9 out of 10. 

• Just Friends by Haley Pham - Another rom-com recently released that I picked up from my local library (not sure if I saw it on a social media post or when I was doing some Googling, but it doesn't really matter, right?!). This was a super sweet second-chance romance. Blair and Declan were childhood best friends who eventually started dating at the end of their high school career. Declan was involved in an accident and the two parted ways (which left each of them pining for the other one for years). Blair heads back home after graduating from college when her great-aunt (who was like a second mother to her) was given just a short amount of time to live. While back in town for the summer, she starts looking for a short-term job (since her mom and great-aunt don't want her sitting in the house all day long). She hits up a new coffee shop, only to find out that Declan is the manager. She applies for the job (in hopes to get some closure) and the two are forced to confront their demons of the past. I enjoyed the flashbacks throughout the book, which showed us their friendship (and subsequent split). This was full of yearning, heartbreak, guilt and hidden secrets. I thought it was swoon-worthy and would be a great beachy read (and personally appreciated the lack of spice ;)). For this being the author's debit novel, I'm impressed and would totally read more of her work in the future. I would give it an 8 out of 10. 

• Summer Romance by Annabel Monaghan - I first read one of this author's books at the beginning of the month and enjoyed it, so added a few more of her titles to my Libby audiobook app. I figured we'd be heading into the fall soon (even though the weather is giving us ZERO indication that this might be the case), so might as well get in the last of my summer-y type reads. This was a rom-com about Ali, a single mother of three who is a professional organizer, but her own personal life seems to be falling apart. When we first meet Ali, her mother had passed away two years prior and a year later her husband decided he no longer wanted to be married to her. To say that she lost herself would be an understatement. One day she finally decides to put on 'hard pants' and take off her wedding ring. That morning she meets a man at the dog park (after her pup pees on his leg) and 'the rest is history'. Okay, the rest might not be history, but it's at least a sweet meet-cute ;) Ethan turns out to be her friend's younger brother who has been trying to get away from the perspective everyone has had of him as a screw-up kid. What starts as a summer romance (since Ethan will be going back to his home four hours away once he packs up and sells his parents' home), turns into much more. I loved that the characters were older (as if late-thirties is older, hehe) and was rooting for the pair the entire time. It was a quick summer read (I honestly would have been okay if it had been even a bit longer). I would give it an 8 out of 10. 

• Ejaculate Responsibly by Gabrielle Blair - I have had this on my 'notify me' list on my Libby app for quite some time (like it was one of the first ten I added and I'm up to almost 200 books now), but it wasn't until last week when I was able to add another library card to my account that I actually had access to it. Think of this as a long essay. The audiobook was just over 3 hours long, which means when I listen at 1.75x speed, I was able to finish it one morning (I listened on my way to and from the park and during my run and I was done by the time I got home). The author's whole premise is that we can STOP abortions if we men ejaculate responsibly. She does not go into whether she is for or against abortions, the politics around abortions, etc, she simply states (and backs up with 28 arguments) that if men were to ejaculate responsibly, there would be almost ZERO unwanted pregnancies and therefore no need for the procedure. Living in a patriarchal society, you may or may not realize how much women's bodies are policed and therefore may or may not realize how hands OFF we are about men's bodies. This book goes into (very clearly and precisely) how we need to shift our focus away from legislating women's bodies and instead focus on holding men accountable. I think this should be required reading for EVERYONE - including high school students (and will be buying a physical copy for my personal library ASAP) - it is thought-provoking and easily digestible. I would give it a 10 out of 10. 

With that, August is done-zo. If you have suggestions, let me know! I'm always looking to add to my "must read" list! 

What's the best book you've read lately?