The Daughter's August Reads

HOLD ONTO YOUR SEATS, PEOPLE!!!

This August I made it a goal to read at least two books a week and I happily crushed that goal! Getting so inspired to keep this trend up but hopefully my social and family life will allow it!

As always, if you would like to purchase any of these books please use our affiliate links below.

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Liar Temptress Soldier Spy by Karen Abbott

"War, like politics, was men's work, and women were supposed to be among its victims, not its perpetrators. Women's loyalty was assumed, regarded as a prime attribute of femininity itself."

As the title implies, this book revolves around four distinct women - a socialite, a farm girl, a widow, and an abolitionist - who all massively impact the Civil War's history. This book contained heavy source material and is incredibly detailed. I loved how this book seamlessly wove the adventures and scandals of these four women into the dire, horrendous years of the Civil War. I was often forgetting while I was reading that these four women actually existed and really did have so much influence over the course of the war!

Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam

This book left me feeling uneasy, dreadful, and doomed. A white family of four rents a house outside of NYC for a week. On the first night in the rental house, a black couple knocks on the door. The couple says it is their house and that there is a nationwide blackout. They have come to take shelter. Is it a hoax? Do they trust these people? What would you do if the world was really ending?

The beauty of this book is the in-depth look at the inner workings of the human mind when safety comes into question. That being said, the author's writing style was not right for me and the tone was overwhelmingly deep, devastating, and haunting.

The Dutch House by Ann Patchett

I would say this is a dark fairytale book. Maeve and Danny are siblings growing up in The Dutch House, and this book spans five decades growing with them and diving deep into these two people who cannot or will not untie themselves from their past. This book cover many heavy topics - love, forgiveness, family trauma, how we want to see ourselves versus who we have actually become as human beings. I love the close bond of brother and sister because I can relate to this with my brother who is my best friend. Although I understand the appeal of this book, I felt like I was reading the same page over and over and over again. I would not recommend this one but still happy I read it for the in-depth character analysis.

The Children of Jocasta by Natalie Haynes

Told from dual viewpoints of Jocasta and Ismene, a tragedy ensues. Jocasta is married off to a king at just 15 years old, and Ismene is the same age as Jocasta when she is stabbed inside the palace. Resulting tragedies are set in motion, and this leads to a gripping retelling of classic Greek tales. As stated on the back of the book, following 'the lives of two forgotten women form the myths of Oedipus and Antigone, casting fresh light on these ancient and engrossing stories.'

I found this book absolutely sensational and could not put it down. Every character was nuanced and fascinating. Haynes melodic writing style you can't help but be swept up in the story and it's characters.

The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly

Grimm's fairytales and dark folklore - I'm all in! David and his mother are extremely close, so when she passes away exhaustively, it plays a huge part in his life. His books begin to whisper to him and soon his reality and imagination become indistinguishable. This book did not have a young adult tone even though it is told from the point of view of a child. Fear is a critically important part of this book and I savored every minute of it! You don't have to look too far to see parallels drawn between childhood and adulthood in this story, and how that fear and the unknown propel our stories. I loved being swept away with this story!

Beach Read by Emily Henry

This book was a delight! Writers January and Gus have been bitter rivals since college...or are they?! After a series of life upending events, they find that they are actually neighbors and are more alike than they want to believe. A bet is made to write a book in each other's preferred genres/writing styles. Who will win? Very much stereotypical chick-lit reading but every once in a while, ya just gotta give into it, you know?! This book fit the light, summer reading bill! There is so much to love about this story - clever humor, expert writing, witty banter, awkward run-ins, crackling chemistry, and more! Highly recommend to round out your summer reading!

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If you would like to purchase any of the books listed above, please use our Amazon affiliate links below here:

Liar Temptress Solider Spy - https://amzn.to/2VpAlqV

Leave The World Behind - https://amzn.to/3CqSTrY

The Dutch House - https://amzn.to/3fyjrgZ

The Book of Lost Things - https://amzn.to/2VACDUo

Beach Read - https://amzn.to/3kA0Cf4