August was filled with travel, which meant that writing book lists and reading, in general, was somewhat on the back burner...but never fear, the month was still filled with a few great reads!
East - 4/5
This book is just a lovely escape. I really enjoy retellings, and this one is really beautifully done. It felt a little slow at times, and I thought it could have been about 50 pages shorter, but definitely worth a read!! (Also, I read a used version of this book, and it still had the book's original title, North Child).
Beastie Boys Book - 4/5
The Beastie Boys are one of my favorite guilty pleasure bands. This book is incredible. I loved listening to it on audio, there are a ton of great narrators, and it is just an overall fun listen! Even if you don’t like the Beastie Boys, but you enjoy that era of music or have a love of NYC in the 1990s, this is a good one!
People We Meet on Vacation - 4.5/5
I really enjoyed Beach Read, and honestly, I loved People We Meet on Vacation even more. This book is a perfect summer read. It has every rom-com trope I love. Highly recommend it, especially if you are looking for something light.
Searching for Sylvie Lee - 3/5
The first half of this book had me hooked, but I got bored as the story went on. I loved the writing style, and the characters are really well written, but the way the story wrapped up felt incomplete and drawn out at the same time.
Group - 2/5
I know that I am in the minority with this book, but I honestly hated it. I am not sure if that is because I listened to it on audio, but I almost couldn’t finish it. I love therapy, and I think it is so important. But this book made me feel really uneasy, and some of the therapy practices felt very unethical. I wouldn’t recommend this book.
The Guest List - 5/5
This book is a perfect armchair thriller if your vacation plans have been put on hold. I really love books that are told from multiple perspectives. Though it took a little bit to catch on to each character and their role in the story, I could not put this book down!!
Dangerous Prayers - 4/5
I had done the devotional version of this book and loved it so much that I picked up the actual book. It is short and to the point. The ideas presented are nothing I hadn’t heard before, but I really enjoyed the way they were presented.
Eat a Peach - 4/5
This book made me want to eat all the food. I loved learning about the ins and outs of starting a restaurant and how hard David Chang has worked to build his restaurant empire. I learned a lot about food, and particularly Korean and Japanese food and its perception in America. I loved this on audio!
The Mercies - 4/5
I wouldn’t have picked this book up on my own, but I am so glad that it found its way to me. The writing is beautiful, and the story is so powerful. This was the first book I have read set in Norway, and I loved learning more about Norwegian history. If you enjoyed learning about the Salem Witch Trials, you might find this one really interesting.
Crying in H Mart - 5/5
This might be one of my top 5 books of the year. It is an incredible study of grief and loss. Zauner’s vulnerability is so moving, and the way she writes about the loss of her mother was so relatable to my own experience. She put into words what I have failed to do for years. If you have experienced loss, I highly recommend this book. This book also made me want to travel to Korea and eat. Her descriptions of food are breathtaking.
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