August Wrap Up
With it being the end of Summer, I thought August would be filled with only light contemporary romance reads. Turns out, I wanted to dabble in a little from each genre. I ended up reading a total of 8 books. My favorite part of the month was finally checking off a book that’s been on my TBR for over a year and loving it just as much as I thought I would.
Head on down to check out my mini reviews and star ratings for each of my August reads and let me know if we’ve read any of the same books.
My Dark Vanessa By Kate Elizabeth Russell
Rating: 5 Stars
Please say ‘hello’ to the book that’s officially made its way to my top five favorite reads of the year. The story follows Vanessa, a 15 year high school student who is groomed into having an inappropriate relationship with her much older teacher and how the affects of this affair consume her long after it ends. Though many want to parallel this story with another favorite read of mine, Being Lolita: A memoir by Alison Wood, it should be clear—this story is a work of fiction.
This book has been on TBR shelf for almost a year and half and I can’t recommend it enough. The narrative is gritty, intoxicating, smart, and dark. I appreciated its nod to the late 90’s and early 2000’s. I can easily see this one being better suited for a fall read. Please be mindful this story includes triggers such as: consent, explicit descriptions of sexual abuse of a minor, and grooming tactics.
Hello, Summer By Mary Kay Andrews
Rating: 3 1/2 Stars
The book cover of this was deceitful in the best way. This story follows Conley, a woman who returns home after a failed job opportunity only to find herself interwoven into solving a local mysterious death. I loved the backdrop of the small town and Conley’s relationship with her grandmother, Lorraine.
On the contrary, some of the plot seemed redundant, the problems described throughout were very ‘white,’ and the few persons of color mentioned were written pretty stereotypically. Though this wasn’t a favorite read, I was still hooked until the very end so I could find out who done it.
Nightbitch By Rachael Yoder
Rating: 4 Stars
Yes, I know a story about a new mother slowly turning into a dog sounds weird, but I promise it’s worth the read. There’s a wealth of conversation around society’s ideas about women, adulthood, motherhood, marriage, and career. I was more than happy to suspend reality for this insightful and unique concept.
I will never look at women named Jenn or multi-level marketing schemes the same. All I can say is just lean into the weirdness and learn something. Also, I’m more than available to deep dive into the restaurant scene seeing as I've not been able to stop thinking about it since finishing.
Local Woman Missing By Mary Kubica
Rating: 3 1/2 Stars
I love when a mystery/thriller gets right to the main plot. This story follows two women who go missing without a trace eleven years prior and the effort exerted to solve their disappearance today. I enjoyed that the narrative’s timeline was divided between 11 years ago from when the disappearances occurred and present day.
Even though I came for the mystery and thrill, I did think the characters’ development lacked depth and layers. I’d classify myself as a mystery/thriller pro, but I truly didn’t see the twist or ending coming before all was revealed.
Arsenic and Adobo by Mia P. Manasala
Rating: 3 1/2 Stars
After deciding to move back home after a hard breakup, Lila finds herself having to prove her innocence after her ex-boyfriend mysteriously dies at her family’s Filipino restaurant. I enjoyed the rich conversation about returning home after having been gone for a while and seeing it from a different angle in order not to judge it, but rather appreciate it.
Though there was little surprise at who ended up committing the murder, the food, love triangle, and Filipino culture and family dynamics kept me around. I loved that the book included its mentioned recipes at the end. They made me almost question my decision to follow a vegetarian lifestyle.
Exciting Times By Naoise Dolan
Rating: 3 Stars
Ava is a 20-something Irish woman expat in Hong Kong who enters into a relationship with a woman for the first time after being in an entanglement with a slightly older, non-committal male banker that she can’t seem to (truly) quit. I finally decided to pick this up because I heard it’s being turned into a movie. I was fascinated with its approach to exploring life’s standard ebbs and flows associated with one’s navigation of their twenties. There was quite a bit of wit, angst, and self discovery that was so easily relatable.
I really wanted to love this one, but unfortunately, I had a difficult time overlooking its subtle use of racism and privilege to develop Ava. I’d still recommend it, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t caution readers of its harmful dialogue and skewed perspective.
American Royals By Katharine McGee
Rating: 4 1/2 Stars
This is the book you read if you’ve ever wondered about America being governed by a monarchy. This story follows Beatrice, the first to-be Queen of America, as her parents set out to find her a suitor even though she has her eye on someone else. Though Beatrice was the focus, it seem her decision making had a ripple affect on many around her. The moment I shared that I picked this one up via my IG stories, I was inundated with positive feedback about how good it is. Here to share, folks weren’t lying. This book is excellent.
I’m never here to play favorites, but I was engrossed with Nina and Jefferson’s relationship. Their courtship gave me Megan and Harry vibes. You know, the only royals I truly follow. The cliffhanger at the end was disrespectful and I can not wait for my library hold to come through so I can start the second book.
Emergency Contact By Mary H. K. Choi
Rating: 3 Stars
This story follows Penny, a peculiar freshmen college student who befriends and starts falling for her new roommate’s uncle, Sam, after he suffers a panic attack. It’s been a while since I picked a YA book. I had this sort of kinship with the story thanks to its Texas references and backdrop.
Sadly, I struggled with this one. I felt it read so slowly and the plot dragged. Considering their ages and personal circumstances, I expected more conflict amongst the leads. However, it’s exploration into projected stereotypes of persons from the Asian community, sexual assault, and the discovery of one’s passion and purpose added more depth to Penny and Sam’s stories that made me connect with them and appreciate their interactions with one another.
