This was a great month of reading with mostly 4- and 5-star books. My favourite was definitely Good Dirt, so a huge thanks to whoever it was that recommended that to me!
PS. January. February. March. April. May. June. July.
BOOKS I READ IN AUGUST — THE SHORT VERSION
- Rebecca — Daphne du Maurier ★★★★☆
- Good Dirt — Charmaine Wilkerson ★★★★★
- Finding Grace — Loretta Rothschild ★★★★☆
- The Swiss Family Robinson — Johann David Wyss ★★★★★
- Secrets of Adulthood: Simple Truths for Our Complex Lives — Gretchen Rubin ★★★★☆
- Big Dumb Eyes: Stories from a Simpler Mind — Nate Bargatze ★★★★☆
- Small Things Like These — Claire Keegan ★★★☆☆
- Dinner for Vampires: Life on a Cult TV Show — Bethany Joy Lenz *not rated
- What the Dead Know: Learning About Life as a New York City Death Investigator — Barbara Butcher ★★★★★
- The Yellow Wallpaper — Charlotte Perkins Gilman ★★★★★
- Animal Farm — George Orwell ★★★★☆
- How to Share an Egg: A True Story of Hunger, Love, and Plenty — Bonny Reichert *not rated
BOOKS I READ IN AUGUST — THE LONG VERSION
Rebecca — Daphne du Maurier (fiction; thriller) ★★★★☆
This book reminded me a lot (A LOT) of Jane Eyre, with a hint of Downton Abbey. I had some of the same frustrations with Rebecca that I do with Jane Eyre: themes that feel repressive to women, the “crazy first wife” trope, and an emotionally volatile older man as the romantic lead. Despite those quibbles, this book kept me guessing in the best ways.
The ending felt abrupt, and I would’ve preferred less ambiguity. Some chapters were bogged down with lengthy descriptions about flowers and dinner menus that bored me to tears — though, to be fair, that’s pretty fitting for the time in which it was written.
All in all, a very solid read. I probably won’t ever reread it, but I’m really glad I finally experienced this classic. If you’re a fan of Jane Eyre, there’s a good chance you’ll enjoy Rebecca.
- Summary. The story kicks off in Monte Carlo, where a young woman working as a lady’s maid is charmed by the wealthy widower Maxim de Winter and his whirlwind proposal. But once they arrive at his grand estate (Manderley) she quickly realizes his late wife’s presence hangs over everything.
- Trigger warnings. References to suicide.
Good Dirt — Charmaine Wilkerson (historical fiction) ★★★★★
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The timeline isn’t linear, but the shifts between perspectives and centuries were handled really well. I especially loved the short, titled chapters — they helped keep things moving and gave it a sense of momentum. The story was layered and compelling, and I appreciated how it explored the intersections of history, memory, and identity.
- Summary. After ten-year-old Ebby Freeman hears a gunshot, she finds her brother Baz dead on the floor surrounded by the shattered pieces of a centuries-old jar. The crime is never solved, and the Freemans — one of the only Black families in their wealthy New England town — become the focus of unwanted attention. Years later, after being left at the altar, Ebby runs off to France, but her past tags along.
- Trigger warnings. Discussions of race, slavery, injustice, and infant loss. Occasional strong language.
Finding Grace — Loretta Rothschild (fiction) ★★★★☆
I’m conflicted about this one — definitely a 3.5-star book for me, but I’m rounding up.
The cover is stunning (it’s embroidery!) and the title is spot on. The premise is a little offbeat, and I didn’t love the narrated intros at the beginning of each chapter. Some of the characters grated on me. That said, the story itself was compelling, and I appreciated how neatly the plot threads were tied up in the end.
And the first big plot twist 100% stunned me; I did NOT see it coming.
This feels like a book people will either love or hate, though I guess I landed somewhere in the middle.
- Summary. Honor looks like she has it all — a sweet daughter, a hardworking (maybe too hardworking) husband, and a picture-perfect life. But her longing for another baby starts to take over. Then something shocking happens that turns everything upside down. Years later, a decision her husband Tom makes ends up affecting far more lives than he ever expected.
- Trigger warnings. Some strong language, miscarriage, references to violent death, and themes of infertility. Mostly closed-door intimacy, but not entirely.
The Swiss Family Robinson — Johann David Wyss (YA fiction) ★★★★★
It was such a delight to revisit this classic! I read (and re-read) The Swiss Family Robinson many times as a kid, so it holds a lot of nostalgia for me.
This time around, I’ve been reading it aloud with Indy. While some parts are clearly dated, the family’s resilience and creativity are still so fun to read about. There’s something magical about a story where resourcefulness, courage, and imagination help a family survive after a shipwreck.
- Summary. The Robinson family gets shipwrecked on their way to Australia and ends up on a deserted island. Instead of giving up, they use their smarts and creativity to build a new life together. It’s all about resourcefulness, adventure, and a family figuring out how to make the best of an unexpected situation.
- Trigger warnings. Peril and danger in a survival setting. Outdated cultural references including depictions of indigenous peoples and slavery.
Secrets of Adulthood: Simple Truths for Our Complex Lives — Gretchen Rubin (non-fiction; quotes) ★★★★☆
3.5 stars rounded up to 4, with caveats.
I love Gretchen Rubin. Reading The Happiness Project had a profound impact on my life. That said, this is not really an original book. It’s a passion project filled with collected aphorisms.
I found it repetitive, and if you’ve read her back catalogue you will recognize almost everything here. There aren’t many anecdotes, so it feels a bit impersonal.
That said, it’s quick, digestible, and could be a nice resource for someone who wants bite-sized inspiration. Tl;dr…I enjoyed it, but was underwhelmed.
Some of the more thought-provoking quotes:
- One day, now will be a long time ago.
- We can’t change our children’s natures by nagging them or signing them up for classes.
- We know what matters to people when they repeat themselves.
- Beautiful tools make work a joy.
- Luck plays an enormous role in success, and hard work is a way to attract luck.
- Slicing is easier than ripping.
- We don’t have to be good at something to be good at something. Dolly Parton, Michael Jackson, and Paul McCartney never learned to read music.
- If we’re not likely to win a starring role, we can stage our own performance.
- Whenever we choose one path, we must forgo other paths, so any choice may bring unavoidable regret.
- We often know that we want to leave before we know where we want to go.
- Don’t judge the wisdom of a decision by its outcome.
- When uncertain about how to proceed, make a choice that allows you to: Choose the bigger life, step into the future, live in an atmosphere of growth, deepen or broaden your relationships, put your values into the world.
- The place that hurts isn’t always the place that’s injured.
Big Dumb Eyes: Stories from a Simpler Mind — Nate Bargatze (non-fiction; memoir; comedy) ★★★★☆
If you like Nate Bargatze’s comedy, you’ll probably enjoy this book. It’s witty, easy to read, and I laughed out loud a few times. It’s not hilarious, but it is fun — with plenty of behind-the-scenes anecdotes from his life.
If you’re not familiar with Nate Bargatze, this likely won’t convince you to check out his standup. His specials are much stronger, so I’d start there.
I was surprised by how much he discusses his Christian faith. It comes out occasionally in his routines, but it’s much more overt in the book.
Small Things Like These — Claire Keegan (fiction; novella) ★★★☆☆
This was…okay. I wish there had been more resolution or back story. I think the loose ends were intentional, but as a reader I was left wanting more.
This is a novella, so it’s very short!
- Summary. It’s 1985 in a small Irish town and Bill Furlong, a married coal merchant, is swamped with work in the lead-up to Christmas. One morning, while making a delivery to the local convent, he finds a young girl locked in the coal shed. The discovery forces him to face his own past (he was born to an unwed mother) and the way the whole town looks the other way under the church’s control.
- Trigger warnings. Occasional strong language, inhumane treatment/abuse.
Dinner for Vampires: Life on a Cult TV Show — Bethany Joy Lenz (memoir; religious cult) *not rated
A reminder that I don’t typically rate memoirs and I didn’t rate this one!
It’s heartbreaking to read about anyone caught in the quicksand of a cult. I know this book would have resonated more with me if I’d watched One Tree Hill (or really anything Lenz has been in).
My biggest quibble was the length. It felt redundant, and the sheer amount of recreated dialogue started to feel exhausting (this is a pet peeve for me in memoirs).
As always, I’m relieved when people escape cults. What a tragedy that it’s so easy for predators to prey on those looking for love, acceptance, and belonging — and ruin lives along the way.
- Trigger warnings. Occasional strong language. Emotional and physical abuse. Religious cult behaviour.
What the Dead Know: Learning About Life as a New York City Death Investigator — Barbara Butcher (non-fiction; memoir; true crime) ★★★★★
I really enjoyed this memoir, though it reads more like a behind-the-scenes account of medical examiners than a traditional life story.
That said, it can be a tough read. It discusses death in detail (including murder and suicide), contains graphic crime scene descriptions, and devotes several chapters to the 9/11 attacks.
Despite the heavy subject matter, I found it fascinating. It also offered an insightful and sad look at the toll this kind of work takes on first responders.
- Trigger warnings. Graphic death scenes; details about the attacks on 9/11; strong language; mental illness (including shock treatment); substance abuse.
The Yellow Wallpaper — Charlotte Perkins Gilman (Gothic fiction; novella) ★★★★★
How do I even rate this? 4.5 rounded up to 5?
Sure. Let’s go with that.
Also, how had I never heard of this book before? It’s a fascinating look at early feminism and mental health.
It’s very short, but I definitely want to reread it to catch more of the nuanced symbolism. I suspect this is a love/hate book, depending on the reader. I’m not going to claim I understood all of it, but I found it gripping.
- Summary. A woman’s mental health slowly unravels after her husband (a doctor) prescribes her a “rest cure” shortly after giving birth. Stuck in a room with hideous yellow wallpaper, she becomes obsessed with its pattern and starts to imagine there is a woman trapped inside the paper. It’s eerie and unsettling, but also a sharp critique of how women were treated — especially with regard to mental health — in the 19th century.
- Trigger warnings. Paranoia. Patriarchy. Mental illness.
Animal Farm — George Orwell (satirical fiction; political allegory; dystopian) ★★★★☆
Did I absolutely love this book? No. Does it seem very prescient? Yes. Can I see why it was so controversial at the time of publication? Yes. It is masterfully written in terms of a scathing portrayal of communist Russia and the revolution? Yes. Did it remind me of one of my most hated books, Lord of the Flies? YES!
Orwell really is a master at finding unique ways to explain current events. Like 1984, it feels like this book is just as relevant today as it was when it was first published.
I’m really glad I finally got around to reading this novella. I went into it blind and it was nothing like what I had been expecting. (Though the title should have been a giveaway!)
- Summary. On a quiet farm in England, a set of overworked and mistreated animals decide they’ve had enough. With big dreams and catchy slogans, they unite to establish a place of fairness, justice, and equality. But what starts as an inspiring revolution quickly twists into something much darker. This is a fable about how the fight against tyranny can easily slip into a new kind of oppression.
- Trigger warnings. Animal death.
How to Share an Egg: A True Story of Hunger, Love, and Plenty — Bonny Reichert (memoir)
I don’t usually rate memoirs and I won’t rate this one.
It was quite different from what I was expecting; it jumps around between the author (daughter of a Holocaust survivor) and snippets of what her father has told her about his experience. Overall, I’d label it more of a memoir about the author than direct stories from her father’s experience in a concentration camp. And I do wish there had been less of her story and more of her father’s but obviously she gets to make those choices as the author of the book! That said, it was woven together in an engaging way (the common thread of food was compelling) and there were a few especially impactful sections.
Trigger warnings. I forgot to make note of trigger warnings, but there are frank discussions about Holocaust atrocities. I don’t remember language?
AUGUST DNF’S
- You Didn’t Hear This From Me — Kelsey McKinney. This book explores gossip — its history, its role in society, and the many pitfalls of talking about others behind their backs. It’s not really my usual cup of tea, but I skimmed enough to take note of one point in particular: gossip can be invaluable in helping protect women, especially from predatory men. I hadn’t thought about it that way before, but I can absolutely see how women warning other women about risks of abuse can provide real protection.
- The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians — James Patterson. A collection of short vignettes (2-3 pages each) featuring people in the world of writing, selling, and supplying books. It was interesting at first, but with so many stories, the voices started to blend together. I also had other books calling my name, so I set this one aside for now — though I could see myself picking it up again later.
- Nesting — Roisin O’Donnell. I loved Madwoman, but maybe that used up my emotional runway for domestic abuse stories. Nesting was just too heavy for me. It follows a married mother of two (pregnant with her third child) who is emotionally abused by her husband. The book is filled with gaslighting and the trauma of being manipulated by someone who doesn’t have her best interests at heart. I just…couldn’t keep going. A heads-up: there’s also a lot of strong language. It’s well written and very relevant, but with everything else happening in the world right now, I wasn’t in the right headspace for something this emotionally intense.
And that’s a wrap on my August books. Now it’s your turn.
- What was the best book you read in August?
- What’s the last book you DNF’d?
- Does anyone else loathe Lord of the Flies as much as I do?
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Oh boy, we have some differing views this month. I LOVED Small Things Like These, I loved how spare and how ambiguous it was. I also love Animal Farm and interestingly, I recently learned that it was written as an anti-Stalinist book in 1943, but no one wanted to piss off Stalin at that time since he was an ally in the war. Well, once it did get published, the world was in a Red Scare and so it was marketed as anti-Communist! Which was actually a very different thing. The tl;dr is that it is incredible how these things evolve. I also really like Rebecca – I read it as a teen and then again recently and wow, did my perception change!
I…do not love Gretchen Rubin (as you know!) so I’m going to pass on that one.
I do love the Yellow Wallpaper! It’s wild.
I enjoyed Animal Farm, but it really DID remind me of Lord of the Flies (only much, much better). I really should re-read LOTF. Maybe I wouldn’t hate it as much now?
I enjoyed Rebecca more than I enjoyed my most recent re-read of Jane Eyre (for context, for YEARS, I listed Jane Eyre as my favourite book and I then I re-read it as an adult and it bothered me deeply/viseraly).
“Wild” is a great way to describe The Yellow Wallpaper.
Oh, I want to read Good Dirt. It sounds great. The Yellow Wallpaper has been on my to read list for ages. I need to move it up.
Good to know about Gretchen Rubin’s book. I also liked The Happiness Project and loved her book on habits, but this one sounds like one I can skip.
I spent the summer reading War and Peace. It was sooo long but excellent. I’m glad I read it even if it took up a lot of my reading time June through August. I still plowed through a bunch of detective novels but the only book that has been a great read for me recently other than Tolstoy was The Correspondent by Virginia Evans.
I was disappointed in GR’s new book. I think I expected more original material. But it was still an easy, enjoyable “read”.
I am way down on the wait list for The Correspondent, but I’ve heard nothing but good things about it.
I really enjoyed Good Dirt and plan to get her other book out as well.
So much to talk about! My takeaway note is that I need to read Good Dirt.
Rebecca is one of my all time favorite books/movies, and I can never decide if I like the book or the movie better. One detail had to be changed for the movie to be in compliance with censorship standards, which makes the motivations a bit different.
My best book of August was…wait for it…Nesting. I put off reading that book forever for the same reason that you DNF’d, which is that I need to pace myself between domestic violence books. I felt very tense for the first 20% of the book and then I was practically applauding for the rest of it. My big phat DNF of the month was Broken Country, which is a book that everyone else loved.
I have never seen the movie. Maybe something we need to do when you visit me??
Tense is the perfect way to describe how I felt reading that book. It was SO well written and so maddening and unsettling. I can see why it was your favourite and I also know you understand why I didn’t finish it! You really have to be in a certain headspace to wade through this type of topic.
The two memoirs, Butcher and Bargatze, sound really interesting. I’ll add them to my list. The movie version of Rebecca, with Laurence Olivier, is really good at conveying the atmosphere ( and extends the abrupt ending!).
I’ve read a bunch of mysteries, reread some sci fi, and have binged on T. Kingfisher books. I keep checking other things out and not finding them worth the effort.
I just picked up a Lisa Jewell book, and couldn’t get past the 3rd chapter. But I did read the last few, and they were interesting, so I might just start again at chapter 10 or so.
I haven’t seen any of the movie versions (I know there are multiple). I should watch one!
Lisa Jewell is hit and miss for me.
I really loved Good Dirt, and just finished another book by the same author, Black Cake, which is also excellent but maybe deduct 1/2 star for not being quite as excellent as Good Dirt. But if you weren’t comparing, Black Cake is a 5 star read.
I’ve heard of Rebecca for decades, but I’ve never read it.
Ohhh, Julie…I think you’d really like Rebecca!!
I want to read Black Cake soon; I’ve heard nothing but good things about it as well. (Good Dirt would be hard to beat!)
I gave two books five stars on GoodReads in August.
1. The Mules of Mineral King is a memoir by Kevin Alltucker, a cabin neighbor whom I haven’t met, and it would be very good even if I wasn’t so familiar with the locale. It is about being a packer in the Sierra Nevada mountains, beginning at the extraordinarily young age of 12. This is probably considered a “coming of age” book, and he writes so very well.
2. Ordinary Time: Lessons Learned While Staying Put by Annie B. Jones, owner of The Bookshelf in Thomasville, Georgia and podcaster of From the Front Porch. I feel as if I know Annie, and was so happy to read this memoir to learn more. Since I still live in the county where I was born, I wanted to read how someone else deals with this same same same-ity sameness. She did not disappoint!
Awww. Those sound like wonderful books that have special meaning. I’m glad they ticked all the boxes! That’s so satisfying as a reader.
I read Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson and loved it – I think it was the first book I read that year.
Am I the only one who rolls her eyes when I hear about a character ‘having it all’? I know it’s a useful shorthand, it’s just one of those cliches that grates on me.
I love the point about not being able to change our children’s (or our own) nature, but the part about luck seems facile to me – I guess I would say working hard could put you in a position to take the best advantage of lucky breaks. The way it’s said here still evokes the bootstraps thing to me.
I had to read and write about The Yellow Wallpaper SO many times in the course of my degrees – this made me think I should read it again for pleasure.
I actually think not rating memoirs is a brilliant decision – I’ve talked before about how difficult and icky it can by.
I want to read Black Cake. I’ve heard such great things!
I had never even heard of The Yellow Wallpaper until a few weeks ago. It was such a delightful (maybe the wrong word) experience. And it is definitely a book that needs to be read more than once.
Completely forgot to answer the question, as usual. Best book I read in August: Behind You is the Sea by Susan Muadi Darraj (interconnected short stories about Palestinian Americans). Last book I DNFed: Dammit, I know there was one. I am really bad at DNFing, and I was very proud of myself for deciding I didn’t want to finish it and returning it to the library. Is it in my borrowing history? Nope, can’t find it. I guess I should record them in Goodreads after all.
I’m proud of you for DNFing, regardless of what the book was…
I know it can be hard. Especially when you think the book is going to get better and then it doesn’t, but you’ve already spent enough time to get this far into the book it seems silly to stop.
Barbara Butcher’s book was one of my favorite reads so far this year. I found it so eye-opening, but also very personal. The thing she says about (paraphrasing here) surrounding oneself with beauty to get through hard things really stuck with me.
I read Rebecca in Grade 8 and loved it so much. I re-read it last year and, even while recognizing the truly messed up/manipulative/bonkers parts of it, I think it’s such a well crafted thriller of a novel.
I had a friend who LOVED Lord of the Flies, so after many years of hearing her talk about her love for the book, I finally read it. And talk about messed up – the book is so disturbing! Which I guess is sort of the point. Now whenever I get into a situation that is truly messed up anarchy, I call it “Lord of the Flies”. It’s one of those things, I think, where it’s such a part of a certain cultural vocabulary that I’m glad I read it, but… ick. So much ick.
I thought the Butcher book was excellent. Raw and gritty, but at so many levels. She was very vulnerable about sharing details about the toll this sort of work has on a human.
Rebecca is VERY well crafted and is a compelling thriller!
I have only read LOTF once (in high school) and I was so repulsed by it. I know other people that really like the book and…I just don’t get it. But I suppose that is the wonder of literature. And I suppose some books are designed to be “liked” but they do reveal some important/sad truths about human nature.
Ick is the perfect summary for it, though. SO MUCH ICK.
Oh, now I feel like I need to reread “Rebecca”! Like Nicole and Diane, I first read it as a teenager and absolutely loved it, I suspect it would strike me quite differently now.
And thank you for including the Gretchen quotes, they’re really good!
I’m not 100% sure about the one “Don’t judge the wisdom of a decision by its outcome,” though. Sometimes the outcome does feel like it tells you something important about the decision itself.
I’m STILL on “Gone with the Wind”, can you believe it?? It’s taking me so long, but I really love the book.
I loved Jane Eyre as a teen, but actually struggled with some of the storyline as an adult. Rebecca reminded me of Jane Eyre, but it wasn’t nearly so horrible toward women. I wonder how I would have read it as a teen vs. now. But it’s definitely a classic for a reason.
GWTW is soooo long. I haven’t been brave enough to tackle it yet.
Now I want to read Nate Barzgate’s book! Maybe my library will have it.
I finished Strength in the Struggle and Habits of the Household.
https://practicalwalk.com/2025/09/02/august-book-stack/
It was a fun, easy read! I’m glad I read it and it’s fascinating to me how he has become a household name through offering “clean” comedy!
I read Rebecca as a teenager, and now I’m realizing I’m due for a reread! I haven’t read any of these other ones, but some of them sound really good. Small Things Like These is on my December TBR (should I rethink that?) And… I can see how the Gretchen Rubin book has some good quotes, but most are things I’ve already heard.
The best book I read in August was probably The Anomaly.
You might love Small Things Like These!! It was good…I just wasn’t in the mood for a somewhat ambiguous ending, I guess. There is also a movie which looks really good, too.
I haven’t read many of those books, besides the classics. Believe it or not, Lord of the Flies was my favorite book that I had to read in high school. I found it very realistic, which is a sad statement for a teenager. Middle Child, who works at a library, always comments that James Patterson is the most circulated adult books. He’s an author that you couldn’t pay me to read – LOL!
I don’t think I’ve read a single James Patterson novel, but I know he is a prolific author and publishes so many books it’s staggering!
I believe it about Lord of the Flies because I know lots of other people who liked it. Boggles my mind, but such is the way of books. They impact us all so differently. I was NOT a fan of My Brilliant Friend, but it’s absolutely beloved by so many people. I think that’s part of the magic of reading and books. We each take different things from the same set of words and the same group of characters. It’s fascinating!
Good Dirt is on my (very long) TBR list. You had a great month of reading! My 6th grade teacher read Animal Farm to us… I think we were far too young to understand the book, but I do have a vivid memory of him reading it to us so I guess it made an impact!
My best read in August was The Correspondent. I also loved The Names. I would not read The Names since you DNF’d Nesting – The Names has a lot of domestic abuse (physical and emotional). But it was so well done.
I DNFd some high profile books, like the new Emily Henry. I kind of slogged through her last book, but I learned my lesson and DNF’d this time around. I also DNF’d The Poppy Fields. I gave it a good 30% but was reading it just to get to the ending so decided to ditch it.
I don’t think I would have internalized anything from Animal Farm in Grade 6!!
I am on the holds list for The Correspondent. I have literally heard nothing but good things. Good to now re. The Names.
Good Dirt was great for me. I hope you end up liking it!
I haven’t read TLOTF but watched the black and white film at school at aged 14 and was absolutely terrified by it. Like one of the commenters above I could imagine myself and my school in that situation and I would have been the victim. The relief at the end almost had me crying. I have never had the remotest desire to read the book. Loved Rebecca but not read it for a long time. Best book read in August was A Fortnight in September by R C Sherriff, who wrote the brilliant play Journey’s End, but this book is completely different, so seemingly mundane yet profound. Very calming and absolutely no trigger warnings at all, except being written in the 1930s a tiny bit of stereotyping, but not offensive. Highly recommend.
I didn’t even know there was a film version of LOTF and I cannot imagine! It must have been horrific.
I read A Fortnight in September a few years ago! I don’t remember all the details, but I do recall it being a relaxing read!
I appreciate these posts, as they tend to point me towards books I might really like. I didn’t enjoy Yellow Wallpaper – or whatever it was called. It was really well done. I had to read it for a writing class and it was literally at the start of the pandemic. I think I was distracted and was like What is going on here? My guess is it was the timing, plus me not pleased with being assigned to read something. I had not heard of most of these books, so that means you’ve given me lots of great ideas. I didn’t read nearly as much in August as I have (or any month this summer) in recent summers. Less time at the pool and no vacation since we went to Italy. I read Remarkable Creatures, or whatever about the octopus. It was good. I liked it, but I don’t think I loved it. Oh, wait – I read Be Ready When the Luck Happens. I also liked it and found it interesting. I think I would’ve liked it more if I knew who she was or every followed her show or tried one of her recipes. Had never heard of her until this was assigned for book club. Yes, I live under a rock. Why do you ask? I’ve just started the Heaven and Earth Grocery Store and I’m having a difficult time getting into it (note to self: stop going to bed so late so you can stay awake to read more than a page a night).
Yes, The Yellow Wallpaper is certainly a book that would make one wonder WHAT IS GOING ON HERE!!!
Remarkably Bright Creatures was okay for me, but I didn’t love it either.
I have just read the Wikipedia article about the 1963 film I saw and how it was made with amateur boys with no background in acting basically let loose and filmed and can now see even more why I found the film terrifying. A film like that would never be made today! Fascinating to read about it but I will never willingly watch that film again!
That sounds positively horrid, Katherine. I went to YouTube and watched a trailer. Um, no thanks!
I think August was a decent reading month for everyone (or at least the recaps I’ve seen so far, but I’m behind on blog hopping, lol) 🙂
I tried listening to the audio of Patterson Book-book, and it was too much. I may try again in a print format, because it does sound intriguing … just not yet.
LOTF is in my top five worst books I’ve ever read. Shudder. Native Son and Catcher in the Rye are also up there as awful classics that I read in high school and still occasionally get bad flashbacks from them.
I’m slowly coming out of a reading slump. Just finished a book I loved and hoping I can quickly jump into another one before I start slumping again.
I’m behind on commenting and don’t want to spam you with a bunch of comments on four posts, so I want to say here thank you for the comment reply plug in tip, and for the link shoutout on the happy things post! Going to try to install the plug in on my blog later today. WordPress is glitchy for me lately so we’ll see how it goes!
I’ve not heard of Native Son, but I did NOT like The Giver which was assigned reading in high school and I read Where the Red Fern Grows a few years ago and it was horrifying and so, so sad.
I was on the waitlist for the Nate Bargatze audiobook, but somehow it’s no longer on my holds list. Gah! I’ve downloaded it on Spotify so I’m going to listen to it next.
I haven’t read Rebecca but I really want to! Maybe in October.
My favorite books in August were Say You’ll Remember Me, Bad City, and The Road to Tender Hearts.
If he narrates it (which I’m sure he will) that would make it next level, I’m sure!!! I hadn’t even thought of listening to it.
I think you’ll love Rebecca.
I’m on the wait list for The Road to Tender Hearts.
I didn’t know Nate had a book! I’ll have to look into that one as I do enjoy his comedy.
Dirt. I need to find this one too—thank you for sharing!
I finished Atmosphere last month. It was excellent, but probably not for you. I’m working on Hail Mary now, it’s more science fiction than I thought it would be, but I’m still enjoying it.
Dirt was EXCELLENT!
You did have a great month of reading in August! For me, it was hard to pick a favorite book in August–I read so many good ones, but if I had to pick one, it was probably In Berlin. This was an ARC that I went in blind–I had no expectations. Sometimes that’s the best way to read a book.
I loved Dirt and liked Finding Grace. I have Small Things Like these in my Kindle–I will get to it soon.
I loved being surprised by a book. It was like that for me with Good Dirt. I knew nothing about the story and it was so much more nuanced and rich than I was expecting!
The Swiss Family Robinson is a great book! I remember reading it as a kid (and watching the movie too!) That is bringing back some good memories! My Aug books were just so-so, but I did enjoy one called The Nine, which is a true story about nine women who escaped from a German work camp during WWII.
I’ve read a lot of WWII books this year and that one sounds like another one I need to check out. It sounds like it would be gripping.
Oh so happy you had so many great reads. Mine are a bit rougher the past months.
Rebecca is on my TBR for October where I try to reason one of the more atmospheric/ghost story like types. Since I haven’t read either Jane Eyre or Downtown Abbey I guess I am in for a surprise.
I’ll be so interested to hear what you think of Rebecca! I really enjoyed it and need to watch the Hitchcock movie.