August was a weird reading month. I went almost two weeks without picking up a book. I didn’t finish a single book on a our road trip to Michigan (and I had 26 hours I could have read). I think I just had a lot on my mind this month, which made it difficult to concentrate on reading. I also binge watched Chesapeake Shores, so there’s that. I guess I just needed some mindless tv watching in my life.
I did update my 2021 reading list and organize all the beautiful books on my shelf!
Despite the weirdness, I still managed to finish six books this month. ( I’m not sure how that happened). Here’s what I read…
Talk Bookish to Me by Kate Bromley
I loved, loved, loved this romantic comedy. It reminded me a lot of The People We Meet on Vacation (which might rank as a top read for this year!) This is Bromley’s debut novel and it’s just a great read.
Best-selling romance writer, Kara Sullivan, is haunted by a major deadline, trying to get her best friend married and completely shocked when her college boyfriend shows up at the pre-wedding festivities.
Ryan’s unexpected arrival leaves Kara spinning, but it also sparks her creativity. She may not miss her deadline after all; but is she willing to risk her heart?
Family Reunion by Nancy Thayer
I typically enjoy Nancy Thayer’s novels because they are easy, breezy summer reads. I didn’t love this one – I think it’s because some of the characters were super unlikeable. This book also felt overly cheesy.
Eleanor Sunderland lives on Nantucket. Her grown children are constantly trying to get her to sell her beloved home because they want their share of the money. The only person who seems to appreciate the home and the memories made there is Eleanor’s granddaughter, Ari. Ari has decided to spend her summer in Nantucket after breaking off her engagement. The two women spend the summer growing closer and depending on each other like never before.
No More School: Meeting the Educational Needs of kids with Dyslexia and Language-Based Learning Difficulties by Marianne Sunderland
This book will go on my list of best books for homeschool mamas to read! It was packed with valuable information on homeschooling children with Dyslexia. I was so encouraged by this book. The author writes: The focus should be on consistency and making progress – not a sense of urgency to get to grade level.
The Summer List by Amy Mason Doan
Someone compared this book to Firefly Lane since it’s about friendship, but I didn’t love it the way I loved Firefly Lane. The story centers around Casey and Laura’s complicated relationship. It’s a story of friendship and forgiveness, with a mystery to be solved. Honestly, I felt like the book was a little too long. It took a long time to get to the meat of the story.
The Good Lie by A.R. Torre
This was my bookclub read for the month and it was a page turner! I stayed up late to finish it.
Psychiatrist Gwen Moore is an expert on killers. Defense Attorney Robert Kavin is determined to find the man who killed his son and five other teenagers. So determined, he agrees to represent the man accused of the murders; but he needs Dr. Moore’s help. Together, the two set out to figure out who the Bloody Heart Killer really is. Along the way, secrets are revealed, lines are crossed and relationships get complicated.
More Than Enough: Grow Your Confidence, Banish Burn-Out, and Love Your Homeschool Life by Kara Stephenson Anderson
When I find a new homeschool book I try my best to read it. I’m always up for learning how to be a better homeschool mom. I saw a quote from this book that I really loved – it went right along with my goals for this year – simplicity and consistency.
I decided to read the entire book, but honestly, I was a little disappointed. The book would be good for someone just starting to homeschool, but it seemed a little surface-level to me. There’s just not a lot of meat to it.
There were a few quotes that stood out to me, including this one: The beauty is not in finishing the math book. It is in the time you spend together learning.
