The 12 Books I Read This August

I somehow managed to read a dozen books this month!  I think I just happened to find some truly great books and each time I picked up a book I just could not put it down until I finished it.  Some books were lighter reads than others but all of them were simply fantastic!




Secrets in Summer by Nancy Thayer-- When Darci becomes friends with three of the renters near her home in Nantucket she had no idea just how many secrets she'll uncover and have to keep by summer's end.



Dangerous Games by Danielle Steel-- Alix Philips is an investigative reporter and uncovers a plot that leaves her in danger.  Looking into the life of the vice president, Alix is left to rely on those she knows best and hope that her life is still recognizable when all is said and done.


The Summer House by Jenny Hale-- I read this cute romance book on our vacation to Charleston.  Callie and her friend Olivia are working to change a much loved home on the shores of North Carolina's outer banks into a bed and breakfast.  They uncover a secret diary that could change the lives of a family friend.  With a romance brewing and a hurricane threatening their progress they begin to wonder if their dreams and hard work will ever come to fruition.



Out of the Rain by Debbie Macomber-- Two short stories in one great book!  The first story find wedding planner Savannah at odds with divorce attorney Nash over Nash's sisters wedding.  Will the two ever be able to see eye to eye and give his sister the wedding of her dreams?  The second book find Abby torn between her long time boyfriend Logan and an exciting new interest Tate.


The Last Original Wife by Dorothea Benton Frank-- I LOVED this book.  When all of Leslie's husbands friends divorce and find new wives Leslie begins to realize she has had enough of being the good wife.  She packs her bags and heads to her brother's house in Charleston for some distance from her husband and their life.  She takes time to reflect on her life, their marriage, and tries to develop a plan for her life going forward.



The Things We Do For Love by Kristin Hannah-- When infertility problems lead Angie to divorce she heads back home to help out with the family restaurant business.  Feeling broken, battered, and fragile she throws herself into turning the family restaurant around and finds herself making friends with the most unlikely person; an un-wed teen mom.



The Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline-- I first learned about the orphan trains while studying the great depression with the boys and I was intrigued by this period of American history.   This historical fiction book came with pages in the back showing actual photos of the orphan train, their posters advertising them, and a few of the children who rode on them.  The story of the book focuses on a young foster girl sentenced to community service helping an elderly lady clean out her attic.  Through cleaning the reader learns of the old woman's experiences with the orphan train.  The two form an unlikely friendship.



The Book of Summer by Michelle Gable--  Bess is called to Nantucket to try and get her mother to move out of the family compound Cliff House; which is slowly tumbling into the sea.  While packing up the house Bess comes across the guest book that spans back several generations weaving together a spell binding story of the people who visited through the years.



Beautiful Day by Elin Hilderbrand--  No wedding ever seems to come off without a hitch and this wedding was filled with it's fair share of strife and aggravation.  The brides mother passed away from cancer a few years prior to the wedding and left behind a notebook where she poured out her love and advice hoping to be a part of her daughter's beautiful day.



Mystic Summer by Hannah McKinnon--  Maggie works at a small private school in Boston and is helping to plan her best friend's wedding.  When her friend's wedding venue cancels at the last minute and Maggie finds herself without a job the two turn to their hometown, Mystic, Ct.  With the wedding relocated Maggie tries to turn her focus on her life and finding a new job but a chance run in with an old high school flame muddies up her plans and her focus.



Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty-- It took me a few chapters to really get into this book but once I did I could not put it down!  The book opens with a death at a small private school's annual fundraiser.  The reader is brought back to months before the fundraiser and the friendship of three women; one who seems to have it all, one who is struggling to hold onto her life, and one who is slowly trying to rebuilt her shattered life.  Through friendship and strife these women form a bond but in the end are left questioning... the lies we tell ourselves.



I Liked My Life by Abby Fabiaschi-- Maddy is a devoted wife and mother who seemed quite content with her life but when she takes her own life her family and friends are left wondering what happened.  Her husband and daughter struggle to find a way to move on.  Maddy, however, isn't ready to move on and guides her family from the beyond; helping them forge a new closer relationship and navigate through all the questions and guilt.  With a few twists and a surprise ending this book was both gripping and heartwarming.


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Comments

  1. Thanks for the list! Looks like a good one. Jotted down a few titles to check out of my local library. Visiting from Saturday Shuffle party.

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  2. 12 books wow! I aim for about four a month, so I'm impressed :) The only one I've read on your list is by Liane Moriarty and I really liked it.

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    Replies
    1. I read a lot and tend to read pretty fast too. Summer is definitely my reading time as I bring books to the lakeside, the pool, and the beach. My boys spent a lot of time in the water and I spent a lot of time reading! I heard that they made the Liane Moriarty book into a miniseries and I am dying to check it out!

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