Summer Wrap Up Book List

Books, books, books, books, books, books, books, books, books, books, books, books, books, books, books, books, Everybody!

 (to the tune of “Shots”).

Honestly, this runs through my head 72.3 percent of the time… School started a few weeks ago, signaling the unofficial unofficial end of summer (yes, I meant to put it twice) and now that September has graced us with her presence, the actual end of summer will be here before you know it. August was a fair month for me with only six books read, and here’s my two cents on them:

1. 1. Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens (Libby audiobook): is part coming of age, part James Audubon-esque, and part fight for survival. Wild child Kya has managed to survive living alone for most of her life and vows to never depend on anyone to stay when first her family, then later, her only friend abandons her without saying goodbye. Years later she is accused of killing Chase, one of the town’s beloved, forcing its inhabitants to face their own prejudices and biases. This was a pretty good book, but I wasn’t awed by it. However, the writing is very good. I expected to be more moved by the story based on others’ reactions and the hype surrounding the movie. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

1. 1. The Family Remains by Lisa Jewell (Kindle): Lisa Jewell never, ever disappoints. This story is about adults trying to cope after trauma of twisted childhoods and the detective who is trying to piece together the mystery of a set of bones found in the “house of horrors” they grew up in. There were a few twists, my reactions ranged from a mild “hmph” to a loud “say whattt??!!” My only regret is not reading the first book, The Family Upstairs, first. But it’s on the TBR list before the year ends. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

1. 1. Find Me by Alafair Burke (Libby audiobook): A story about a woman, Hope Miller, with a fifteen-year long bout of amnesia, living in a small town who disappears after she relocates to try to build a life outside of what’s been familiar since she lost her memory. When Hope’s best friend, Lindsay, sets out to find her, she gets much more than what she bargained for. Listen… this book was so good, I don’t have the words. I’ve said this before, but I pride myself on being able to figure out what will happen or guess who the bad guy is. This was one of those reads with one surprise after the other. Definitely a must-read for those who like a good thriller. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

1. 1. One of Us is Next by Karen McManus (Libby audiobook): The sequel to One of Us is Lying, it’s about a copycat attempting to stir up more drama at Bayview High, not too long after the death of Simon, in the form of Truth or Dare. Turns out this game isn’t fun and someone dies as a result. I was underwhelmed by this. I think had I not listened to it, it probably would have gone into the DNF pile. I tuned out a few times and still managed to follow the plot without missing much. Meh. ⭐⭐

1. 1. The Secret Lives of Church Ladies by Deesha Philyaw (Libby audiobook): A collection of short stories told from several perspectives–young, old, bold, timid–of black women who “dare to follow their desires and pursue a momentary reprieve from being good.” (borrowed from Goodreads. I just didn’t’ have the words y’all). After all the hype, I was a little disappointed. I love the writing, the voices of the characters were vivid and beautiful. I chuckled, cried a little, and rolled my eyes. Speaking for myself, I tend to steer clear of black romance that’s more realistic than romantic so most of these stories–plot wise–didn’t appeal to me. ⭐⭐⭐

1. 1. Unnatural Deeds by Cyn Balog (Paperback): I bought this book from Dollar Tree (back when everything was still a dollar) about three or four years ago. I am trying incorporate reading more tangible books into my routine so I randomly plucked this one off the shelf. It’s the story about the shy girl, Victoria (who likes to be called Vic), who’s been attending a small private school for a year and hasn’t made a single friend until the newest new kid, Zachary aka Z helps her come out of her shell. Then he loses interest and Vic–already socially inept–does not know how to handle it. Remember how consumed we were with our fist crush/love? Multiply that by 100 and that’s Vic. The events that unfold as a result will have you thinking about this one long after the last page. I loved this book. It is my favorite of the month. The narration is interesting and definitely adds to the suspense, very much appealing to the English major in me. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

As usual, I hope you enjoyed my little take on what I’m reading and if you’ve read any or want to share your book recommendations, I would love to hear from you. Until Next Time, Inilya XOXO

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