August was a rough month for me. On a personal level, it was fantastic! I spent a lot of time with friends, family & didn’t spend a single weekend at home in New York. All this travel provided me with plenty of time to read. Who doesn’t want to spend their summer in a beach chair with a book? I was blessed enough to have time to read six books last month. Unfortunately, I read two books that gave me a reading hangover. You know how when you have a really drunk night & need to eat fast food the next day? Well I read a couple of grocery store novels for the same effect– Danielle Steel is my McDonalds. In July I liked every book I read. In August I had far more opinions….
WORTH BUYING:
There were two books in August that were worth buying & they surpassed my expectations in every way.
i should have honor by khalida brohi
If you’re looking for a book that will routinely break and restore your heart– it’s “I Should Have Honor.” Khalida Brohi’s fearless memoir about tribal life in rural Pakistan will change the way you view her area of the world. The book is about exchange marriages and honor killings; both the context behind them and her activism against them. Though the content is heavy, Khalida’s pursuit is to bring visibility to these issues, but also awareness of the beautiful customs that come from rural Pakistan. This book only came out yesterday and in my opinion is an instant classic. A must-read. Also, best cover art I’ve ever seen.
the hate u give by angie thomas
If you want to see the review of this, email me mackenzie@mackinstyle.com + join my book club! This was August’s book of the month, and reviews of it are exclusive to my book club 🙂 Spoiler alert: it was beyond amazing.
WORTH RENTING FROM THE LIBRARY:
I read two Danielle Steel books this August and liked them both!
the good fight by danielle steel
Meredith Mckenzie is the granddaughter of a forward-thinking Supreme Court justice and the daughter of a conservative federal judge. She was destined for a life of debutante balls, an MRS degree and a life at home caring for children. But she had other plans for herself. I really enjoyed this story, once I got over the 50 page lump that is every. single. Danielle Steel book ever.
the cast by danielle steel
August was sandwiched with Danielle Steel books. I read “The Good Fight” the first weekend of the month, and finished “The Cast” just before Labor Day. Both were totally different, despite having the same slow beginning. Kait Whittier has built an impressive career in the magazine industry, with a column that everyone seems to read! One fateful New Years Eve she finds herself sitting next to a studly Hollywood producer. The two hit it off and the next thing you know it… they aren’t boning, they are collaborating for a TV show that celebrates strong women throughout history! This is a really fun book, and I think your mom would love it.
WORTH passing:
heartbreaker by claudia dey
Heartbreaker is the story of Pony Darlene, who grew up in a cult that sustains itself by selling the blood of it’s teen members. I love a good cult story, but this one bore me to tears. It was told in 3 parts– by two people and a dog. The best part was the perspective of the dog. I nearly always finish the books I start, but this one I came close to quitting– I likely would have if I weren’t on vacation without anymore books to read! Buzzfeed listed this as the #1 book of the Fall, but they obviously didn’t read it!!
the prisoner in the castle by susan elia macneal
A pet-peeve of mine is when writers insist on using a MILLION adjectives to describe something. I don’t need a full paragraph to know what a building looks like!
