August’s Book Round Up

I didn’t set out with the intention of reading 15 books for August, but that is exactly what happened. Honestly, I hadn’t read any books in a few months. So once I got started, I couldn’t stop. This month I read books the Belletrist club picked as their monthly book pick, Vogue’s book club monthly book pick, and a few books from BOTM. Here is my take on the five books I enjoyed most this month.

First up is Tomorrow And Tomorrow And Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin. This book was not a typical pick for me, but the cover looked interesting; plus, it was a Belletrist pick, so I gave it a read. The author wrote the book around the 90s, early 2000s computer game obsession, and the beginning of the internet changing everything. The two main characters become friends through playing video games during their visits together in the hospital. Something big happens, and they stop being friends till finding each other again while going to college in New York. They become friends again and decide to build a computer game together that becomes a massive hit and leads to them forming their own business out in California. Throughout the years, they have a lot happen that drives them apart, and ultimately they stop talking. Then the death of one of their grandparents leads them to find each other, ending with them finding love within each other.

Next, we have All This Could Be Different by Sarah Thankam Mathews, a Vogue book of the month pick. This book is another book I wouldn’t usually pick for myself, and it is about a young queer immigrant woman trying to make it at a new job she moved to Milwaukee to take. We find that she is hiding parts of herself from her family out of shame, as the culture in India goes against same-sex couples being a thing. We find that this also stops her from fully being in a relationship and finding true love. As the story moves forward, we see her caring less about what others think, and she begins to live the life she has dreamed of and finds that even though it is difficult for her parents, they still want to support her. And that the friends she has made in America are all the family she needs.

Then we have my third pick, The Lifestyle by Taylor Hahn. It’s a book about a 30+-year-old lawyer that finds her husband cheating at the law office with her young intern. Still wanting everyone to think she has the perfect life and husband, she joins a swingers club with her husband and friends. Unfortunately, upon entering the group, she runs into her ex-boyfriend from college. And this leads her down a dangerous path, ultimately causing her to end her marriage. And what might look like the end to her perfect life is the start of something special. This book made me want to join a sex club and live out my sexual fantasies. I loved all the drama in this book.

Next of my picks is The House Across The Lake by Riley Sager. I will say that I have read other books by Riley Sager, and this was a no-brainer pick for me. I love the suspense and thrill of his books. And this book was no different. The mystery of this book intrigued me from the get-go, allowing me to people-watch without feeling guilty. I love reading and watching anything about serial killers; this was an excellent book. It had you wondering who the serial killer was and being surprised by who it was, and that sneak-in of another killer out there was so good, definitely worth the read.

Last, by not least, we have A History of Wild Places by Shea Ernshaw. In this book, we have a well know child author go missing for five years after kids start going missing and dying out in the woods after reading her dark children’s books. Her family finally hires an unusual private investigator with a weird knack for finding missing people to look for her, leading him to a forgotten commune in northern California. It’s not until a young couple in the commune starts finding things and pricing together that we discover what has happened to the author and the private investigator—leading those within the commune to wonder if they can trust their leader and begin to find they’re a way out. This book is a must-read for those that like a little mystery and suspense.

As I said, I read 15 books for August, but that would take too long to talk about them all. I hope you enjoyed my little review of these books and that you get yourself a copy of them today! These books are definitely worth your time to read!

I look forward to sharing more book reviews with you though out September!