Here is everything I’ve been reading lately. And it was a good reading quarter – lots of great books! So if you only have time to skim through it right now, you can always come back. I save all of my book recommendations on my homepage menu under “Lifestyle” and then “Book Recommendations”.
The books I read and loved in July, August & September this year
My Favourite Mistake – by Marian Keyes
If you love stories about Irish people, small-town Ireland, middle-aged women and love, you’ll adore this one. I laughed out loud on more than one occasion because the Irish have a hilarious turn of phrase. This book is about Anna Walsh, a middle-aged woman who resigns from a good job in New York, breaks up with her boyfriend and moves back to Ireland.
She doesn’t have a definite plan, but she knows that she’s not happy and she needs a big change. Moving in with her family, and finding the job market quiet, she fears that she may have been too hasty in her decision to move. But one day, an opportunity comes up and Anna shows herself and everyone else exactly what she’s made of. Throw in family arguments, an ex-best friend, unrequited love, town secrets, new friendships – and you’ve got a book you can’t put down.
My rating is 5/5.
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Related: All the books I read and loved in the 2nd quarter of 2024
The Midnight Feast – by Lucy Foley
Lucy Foley’s books keep me guessing until the end – and this one was no exception. It’s opening night at The Manor and every small detail has been thought of to make this a phenomenal occasion. But something is amiss. Outside the Manor is a forest that seems to hold all kinds of secrets from the past. And then on the day of the opening, all hell breaks loose. It all sounds rather intriguing. And for the most part, it is. But while I enjoyed this book and tore through it quite quickly, without giving anything away, this one had a mystical element that seemed far-fetched. But, if you love a good murder mystery, this book is worth reading.
My rating is 3/5.
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Long Island – by Colm Tóibín
I loved Brooklyn (the first book in the Eilis Lacey series by Colm Cóibín), so this book was on my radar to read. And it didn’t disappoint. In this story, the Irish heroine, Eilis Lacey, is married to Tony Fiorello, one of four Italian American brothers, who all live in neighbouring houses in a cul-de-sac in Lindenhurst, Long Island, with their families. In the spring of 1976, Eilis is in her forties with two teenagers and has not been back to Ireland for decades. Then out of the blue, a man comes to her door and informs her that his wife is pregnant with Tony’s child and that when the baby is born, he will leave it on her doorstep.
Eilis’s response to this news takes us on a physical and emotional journey. This author writes in a haunting way that describes Eilis’s thoughts so beautifully. I highly recommend this series.
My rating is 5/5.
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The List of Suspicious Things – by Jennie Godfrey
This book blew me away. I related so much to how Jennie Godfrey described the late 1970s because I was a similar age to the heroine of this story at that time. She captures the essence of the time so well. This coming-of-age story is set against the backdrop of the late 70s in Yorkshire when the Yorkshire Ripper was committing his murders.
The pre-teen protagonist, Miv, is dealing with the usual issues of her age, a family problem and the fact that the Yorkshire Ripper is out on the streets of her city. So, to gain some control in life, she starts a list of suspicious things to catch the Ripper. I adored how Godfrey describes the friendships and first loves in Miv’s life. This stirring story features many fascinating characters and delves into many complex topics. I loved it and highly recommend this one.
My rating is 5/5.
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Just for the Summer – by Abby Jimenez
Justin has a curse – every woman he dates goes on to find their soul mate as soon as they break up. Then, because of a Reddit thread, he discovers that Emma has the same problem. So they hatch a plan – they’ll date each other and break up, and then their curses should cancel each other out. Right?
Yes, it’s a little cheesy, but this is a cute story if you need a little cheesy in your life. I enjoyed this one.
My rating is 4/5.
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The Distance Between Us – by Reyna Grande
I belong to an online book club, and this was one of the books that we read last quarter. I’m so happy I read it and learned about Reyna Grande’s story. This book describes her experiences as a child immigrant to America and all the hardships she endured. Books like Reyna’s are important because they humanise a controversial situation and show how complex immigration is. It was an emotional read, but I value everything I learnt.
My rating is 5/5.
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Related: All the books I read and loved in the first quarter of 2024
The God of the Woods – by Liz Moore
Sometimes, when a book is hyped up and recommended everywhere you look, it doesn’t live up to the hype. But this book deserves all the hype surrounding it. It was a great read from beginning to end, although you do have to concentrate as the storyline switches between timelines. A teenager disappears from her summer camp, but she’s not just any camper – she’s the daughter of the family who owns the camp. What’s even stranger is that her older brother also disappeared from this camp fourteen years ago. And he was never found. And so the drama begins. There are so many secrets and interesting characters – you could find yourself reading late into the night.
My rating is 5/5.
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The Rose Code – by Kate Quinn
Ugh, I love a good WW2 novel, and this one was good. It tells the story of three code-breakers at Bletchley Park and includes love, heartache, sexism, a debutante, a prince, secrets and even a spy. I thoroughly enjoyed this story.
My rating is 4/5.
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The Wedding People – by Alison Espach
Phoebe Stone arrives at the beautiful Cornwall Inn and is immediately mistaken as one of the wedding people who arrived the same day. She is, in fact, the only guest who isn’t there for the wedding. She was supposed to be here with her husband, with whom she’d planned this romantic getaway, but now she’s alone.
And even though the bride has meticulously planned her wedding, she takes this surprising guest in her stride. She befriends Phoebe, and the two quickly become confidantes. This is a heartfelt story that will make you laugh and cry. I was sad when it finished.
My rating is 5/5.
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Elizabeth of East Hampton – by Audrey Bellezza
This is the second book in the Love of Austen series by Audrey Bellezza. I read the first one, Emma of 83rd Street, last year, so I was very excited when this book came out in August. While the previous one was based on Austen’s Emma, this is a modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice. Playing out in the Hamptons, it features Elizabeth and her sisters, class differences, voicemail misunderstandings, pride, gossip, sacrifice and, of course, love. This is a light read that will leave you feeling happy.
My rating is 4/5.
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Same As It Ever Was – by Claire Lombardo
To be fair, this was a well-written book. But because I didn’t like the main character, Julia, I didn’t enjoy it as much as I’d hoped I would. Julia had a tough upbringing, and her relationship with her mother is fraught with difficulties. She often self-sabotages her life in the pursuit of a deep connection that she’s never been able to experience. But now she finds herself in midlife with a loving husband and two teenagers, and she finally feels content.
Then her son makes a surprise announcement, her daughter experiences some difficulties of her own, and she has a chance encounter with somebody from her past. This book describes relationships so well, and as I said, it’s very well-written. If its darkness didn’t leave me feeling slightly uneasy, I may have given it a 4.
My rating is 3.5/5.
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The Paradise Problem – by Christina Lauren
I needed a light holiday read, and this is the one I picked. It was, indeed, sufficiently light-hearted, so if you need a quick read, I would recommend this one. Anna Green agreed to marry Liam Weston, the heir of a grocery chain, for access to subsidised family housing at UCLA and then thought she’d signed the divorce papers when they graduated. But three years later, it turns out that isn’t the case. While Liam isn’t interested in working in his family’s heartless corporation, he is interested in his 100 million dollar inheritance. This inheritance, however, can only be his if he’s been happily married for five years. And as the five years is nearly up, his family insists that he and his wife join the family at his sister’s wedding on a private island. And that’s when the fun begins.
My rating is 3/5.
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The Funny Thing About Norman Foreman – by Julietta Henderson
Oh my goodness, this book is one of my all-time favourite reads ever. It’s honestly that good. My friend Silvia recommended this book to me two years ago, but I only just got around to reading it because I thought the book was going to be too sad for me. You see, twelve-year-old Norman Foreman’s best, Jax dies. And when I read that, I couldn’t bring myself to start it. Anyway, I’m now so pleased that I did. Julietta Henderson’s writing is soothing, clever and ultimately uplifting so don’t be put off by the initial sadness.
Norman and Jax are a comedic duo who have plans to perform at the Edinburgh Fringe, but then Jax dies and leaves Norman with some decisions to make. He eventually decides to not only fulfil their dream by performing solo as a tribute to his friend but to find his father, whom he’s never known. And so begins an epic road trip – one that’ll stay with you for a long time.
My rating is 5/5.
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Tell Me Everything – by Elizabeth Strout
Elizabeth Strout writes stories that draw you into the lives of her characters in such a novel way. The way she describes characters, relationships and events is endearing and slightly blunt, but her words certainly pack a punch. I’ve read many of her books, and I love the way she incorporates all her characters, in some way, into every different book. It almost feels comforting to read about characters from her other books in the story you’re currently reading. This story is set in Maine and tells the story of Bob Burgess and Lucy Barton. Bob, a lawyer, is working on a murder investigation and dealing with relationship and family issues. And Lucy befriends Olive Kitteridge through their storytelling and works through her relationship hiccups. I love the tone of Elizabeth Strout’s writing and always finish her books with a feeling of longing for the worlds she has created.
My rating is 4/5.
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The Small and the Mighty – by Sharon McMahon
If you’re a history lover like me, you’re going to love this book. Sharon McMahon is “America’s favourite government (and history) teacher” who has written a beautiful book about twelve unsung heroes of America from the Founding to the Civil Rights Movement. These were ordinary people who did courageous things and didn’t make it to the textbooks. I learnt so much through these fascinating stories and loved the enduring lesson that “the small are truly the mighty”. We should not feel discouraged by overwhelming situations, but we should know that we can all do something, however small, with what we’ve got, wherever we are. This was a very inspiring read that I’d highly recommend, especially if you are American.
My rating is 4/5.
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