I was in travel mode in August, which meant I didn’t read as many books as I would have liked.
August saw me travel to Hong Kong and Japan, and with jam-packed itineraries to see and do everything these incredible countries have to offer, meant very little reading time.
I read some good books in August, but no great books. I’m waiting to read a really good five-star book as it’s been quite a while now.
September brings my favourite season, and the cosiest time to get into good books. I’m still travelling this month and will be finishing up in Japan and exploring South Korea. We’ll see how many books we get through in September!
If you want to keep up with my reading in realtime, you can follow my Goodreads profile here.
The 7 Books I Read in August 2024
Body Check by Elle Kennedy
Hayden Houston, tired of her nomadic childhood with a hockey coach father, is taking time to figure out her future, uncertain whether it includes her on-again, off-again boyfriend. However, a one-night encounter with hockey star Brody Croft, a player on her dad’s team, unexpectedly sparks a deep connection. As Brody, driven and committed, realizes their chemistry is something special, Hayden wrestles with her aversion to a complicated relationship with a “bad boy” athlete. With a game-fixing scandal testing their loyalties, Hayden starts to see that people, including Brody, can be more than they appear.
My rating: ★★★
I loved The Deal by Elle Kennedy that I read back in June, so bought another of her books for 99p from Amazon. This was one of her first ever novels, so wasn’t as enjoyable or as entertaining as The Deal unfortunately. A nice romance novel, but nothing special.
One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle
After the death of her mother, Katy is devastated. Losing not only her mom but also her best friend and confidante. Left alone to face their planned mother-daughter trip to Positano, Italy, Katy embarks on the journey with a heavy heart. However, upon arriving on the Amalfi Coast, she begins to feel her mother’s presence, and to her astonishment, encounters a vibrant, thirty-year-old version of Carol in the flesh. As Katy spends the summer with this younger version of her mother, she discovers a side of Carol she never knew, challenging her perceptions and helping her reconcile the all-knowing mother she lost with the young woman still finding her way.
My rating: ★★★★
I’ve had this on my to-read list for a very long time. It was the perfect summer read for August! With a little bit of woo-woo thrown in for good measure, it reminded me of Ashley Poston’s style of writing. It’s definitely a book to pick up for the summer. It made me wish I was drinking wine in Italy.
Every Summer After by Carley Fortune
Persephone Fraser has spent a decade avoiding her past, choosing city life over the lakeside summers of her youth after making a life-altering mistake. But when she is called back to Barry’s Bay for the funeral of Sam Florek’s mother, she’s thrust into the orbit of the man she thought she’d lost forever. Percy and Sam once shared six idyllic summers together, transitioning from close friends to something deeper, before their relationship imploded. As they reunite, their undeniable connection resurfaces. But Percy must confront her past choices and self-imposed guilt. To see if their love can overcome the mistakes that tore them apart.
My rating: ★★★★
I saw this all over social media last year, and wanted to wait until peak summer time to read it. It was an enjoyable story, with past and present chapters. But I definitely expected to love it more given the hype around it.
Heaven by Mieko Kawakami
Kawakami’s novel, narrated by a 14-year-old boy who silently endures relentless bullying due to his lazy eye, explores the harrowing realities of torment and isolation. His only solace comes from a female classmate who faces similar abuse. The raw depiction of their suffering is intertwined with thoughtful examinations of the philosophical and religious implications of violence against the vulnerable. Kawakami’s simple yet profound storytelling solidifies her as a significant voice in contemporary Japanese literature, pushing the boundaries of the genre with this bold and poignant exploration of bullying.
My rating: ★★★
I had two books on my shelf that were written by Japanese authors. So I made sure to save them for my travels in Japan this August. This was heartbreaking and hard to read at times. I don’t enjoy watching or reading things about children being bullied, so found this tough. It reminded me slightly of Wonder by R. J. Palacio, which was also as heartbreaking.
What You Are Looking For is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama
What You Are Looking For Is in the Library centres around the enigmatic librarian Sayuri Komachi. Who not only knows every book on her shelves but also has the unique ability to read the souls of her library visitors. Each guest, arriving at a crossroads in their life—whether a restless sales attendant or a struggling mother—receives the perfect book recommendation, one that holds the key to unlocking their next steps. With charm and wisdom, the novel celebrates the transformative power of libraries, friendship, and community, offering inspiration to anyone seeking direction in life.
My rating: ★★★★
Another book by a Japanese author, and I really enjoyed this. It reminded me of The Midnight Library by Matt Haig and contained five short stories with characters that slightly intertwined. They were almost like fables in a way. Making you think of life-situations differently and to have a different perspective on things.
All Signs Point to Malibu by Jennifer Snow
Hailey Harris, a life coach with the ability to glimpse the future, uses her gift to guide others but struggles with loneliness. When she foresees disaster in her ex Liam’s upcoming marriage, she feels compelled to stop it, even as she plans their engagement party. Clashing with Liam’s best man, Warren, who questions her motives, Hailey uncovers the real cause of Liam’s future heartbreak. Now, she must decide whether to fight fate or trust in an unexpected love.
My rating: ★★★★
This was an enjoyable read, and read almost like a movie screenplay. I can definitely see this being adapted for the screen in the future. It was almost like an early 2000s rom-com from that peak era. They just don’t seem to make movies like that anymore.
Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez
Justin has a curse, and thanks to a Reddit thread, it’s now all over the internet. Every woman he dates goes on to find their soul mate the second they break up. When a woman slides into his DMs with the same problem, they come up with a plan: They’ll date each other and break up. Their curses will cancel each other’s out, and they’ll both go on to find the love of their lives. It’s a bonkers idea… and it just might work.
My rating: ★★★★★
It’s been a while since I’ve had a five star read. And a five star romance read at that. I’d seen Abby Jimenez’s books a lot across BookTube and BookTok and finally got around to reading this one as my last summer read. I loved the dialogue between Justin and Emma. It was natural, sarcastic and had me chuckling to myself. Mostly, it felt real. I can’t wait to read more of Abby Jimenez’s work and already have a few waiting on my shelf.
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