August is definitely the Sunday of summer. I know the warm days aren’t for everyone but it is by far my favorite season. I think it has a lot to do with the fact that our busy schedule slims down to next to nothing mixed with reading outside on our porch is my favorite thing to do. I have really enjoyed these last few weeks of nothingness before we get back into a somewhat “normal” routine. Our kids are going back to school in-person (YAY!) and after school activities are coming back. I’ll miss these lazy days of summer but I’m so happy for them that life is resuming once again. (Fingers crossed it can stay that way!) With just a few weeks left before everything starts back up again here on the East coast of the US I hope you can find some time to relax and enjoy what is left of these sun-filled days with a good book by your side. This last 10 stack is a mixed bag but there is definitely something in here for everyone. Can you guess which one was my favorite?

“The Last Letter from Your Lover” by Jojo Moyes

Jennifer Sterling wakes up in the hospital with no recollection of how she got there, having no memory of her life before or the car accident that gave her the wounds and amnesia. Her family and friends try their best to remind her of her old life, her husband and the things she enjoys but to Jennifer it feels inauthentic, as if a piece of the puzzle is missing. One afternoon while reorganizing her things Jennifer comes across a passionate letter addressed to her from someone known only as “B”, Jennifer then realizes why things just don’t seem to fit. She was in love with someone else. Forty years later, a journalist struggling for her latest break comes across “B’s” letter in the newspaper’s archives. Intrigued on how it got there and if the woman ended up following her lover across the sea, Ellie sets off on a personal mission to uncover who the letter belongs to and to find out if they had their own personal happily ever after. After reading “Me Before You” I should have known that author Jojo Moyes gets a kick out of playing with her reader’s emotions. I was hoping that it was maybe a one off but no, it seems to be enjoyable for her to mess with us readers. (I kid…only slightly!) Fans of historical fiction romances will eat this book up but know it will cause some frustrations along the way because nothing comes easy when Jojo Moyes crafts a love story.

“Boop & Eve’s Road Trip” by Mary Helen Sheriff

Eve Prince is at the end of her rope and is on the verge of depression. College isn’t what she thought it would be, she hasn’t made any real friends and her mother is controlling every piece of her life. When she reaches out to her cousin for help she finds Ally less than helpful as she is in crisis mode herself. Eve discovers that Ally has disappeared leaving only Eve hidden clues on how to find her. When her grandmother, Boop, suggests a road trip home Eve decides it’s the perfect way to get to Ally. As the two set off on their adventure each have their own agenda – Eve is ready to confess her real passion in life and Boop is hopeful she can help Eve find her footing. Both women have secrets they are harboring, one that isn’t hers to share and the other could cause her to lose everything and those she loves. Boop and Eve will have to come clean before they reach their destination for their own sanity and to possibly save someone they both love. At first glance you would think that this book was a light-hearted, madcap adventure story shared between two women but it is much heavier and deeper than that. The story deals with mental health, disability, depression with a lot of southern slang mixed in for good measure. For the right reader “Boop and Eve” might be a perfect fit but for me it was just ok not quite getting the connection to the characters. I also found certain parts of the story difficult to read and relate to. Thank you to NetGalley and She Writes Press for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

“Invisible Girl” by Lisa Jewell

The Fours family has had to temporarily relocate while their house is being repaired. To make the most of a bad situation, Cate & Roan decide to go all in and rent a home in an upscale part of town. The gated walls don’t prove to be the safe, dream neighborhood however when a friend of Cate’s teenage daughter is attacked on her way home adding to a string of daylight assaults happening nearby. Cate is convinced that the strange man across the street is somehow involved, especially after he follows her daughter home from the tube station late one night. Then a girl goes missing with ties to their family, a former patient of Roan’s who has been seen recently near their home and the last person to see her alive is the man Cate suspects to be behind it all. “Invisible Girl” will not be for everyone. There are a lot of difficult themes in this book: self-harm, rape, adultery, emotional abuse, physical abuse…it goes on. Though Lisa Jewell has another expertly crafted mystery on her hands I had a hard time getting past the overall tone of the book. If you are fine with a darker story then give this one a try, if not I really enjoyed Jewell’s “I Found You” which I reviewed back in 2019. Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

“Mistress of the Ritz” by Melanie Benjamin

The glamorous Hôtel Ritz is Paris perfection. The men are handsome, the women beautiful, the fashions impeccable, the finest cuisine at your fingertips and only the most elite are allowed inside. That is until June of 1940 when the Nazis arrive and declare the Ritz for themselves. The hotel manager, Claude Auzello and his wife Blanche must now navigate catering for and living among their new “guests”. The Azuellos keep the shine on their exteriors to live up to the place they call home but inside they are living on the razor’s edge. Claude, terrified for his employees who keep vanishing and Blanche with her sharp tongue, is an escalating threat with each martini she consumes in the hotel bar. As the war rages on, Claude and Blanche are forced to keep secrets from one another, secrets that could destroy everything they have built all while guarding one very precious truth that only the two of them can know. Based on true events and told between dual time lines/perspectives, “Mistress of the Ritz” shines a light on how everyday citizens played pivotal roles during WW2. Before reading this I had no knowledge of the Azuellos, their lives and their contributions to the war. Fans of His Fic will enjoy this read, though the story is based loosely on their lives the bravery this couple had is worth reading about even if only to honor what they gave to save others and protect those they loved.

“Survive the Night” by Riley Sager

After the murder of her roommate and best friend Charlie wants to leave campus and get home as soon as possible as her guilt and grief have become unmanageable. Instead of waiting a few days so her boyfriend can drive her back to Ohio she opts to check out the school’s ride share board. As fate would have it Josh just happens to be looking for a passenger to make the same drive with and the two agree to share the journey. Her boyfriend, Robbie, begs Charlie to reconsider after all the Campus Killer is still on the loose leaving Maddy’s murder still unsolved. Charlie just can’t bare being in their room any longer and at 9pm the next night she climbs into the passenger seat of Josh’s car. As the night edges on and the dark, empty road stretches before them Charlie starts to recognize suspicious things about Josh and starts to believe she may just be sitting next to the man who took Maddy’s life, the Campus Killer himself. Trapped in his car, Charlie must play her cards carefully if she wants to survive the night. Riley Sager is one of my absolute favorite authors. He can do no wrong in my eyes and no matter what he writes, I’m buying it. Though “Survive the Night” wasn’t my favorite of Sager’s (“Home Before Dark” wins that title) it certainly is up there. Set in 1991 and filled with all the nostalgia – Nirvana on repeat in the tape deck, anyone? – I could not put this book down. However, this won’t be for everyone. Large portions of the book are set in the car with mostly conversation and inner dialog happening but man, can Sager bring it home. If you haven’t yet picked up a book by Riley Sager do yourself a favor and get on it immediately. You won’t regret it.

“Betrayal in Time” by Julie McElwain

Kendra Donovan is tasked with helping to solve yet another murder in the 1800s after getting trapped there when she crossed through a rift in time. Having no way of knowing if she will ever be able to get back to the present day, Kendra is using all of her skills learned at the FBI to help navigate this era. After becoming an official ward of the Duke of Aldridge, Kendra is afforded more respect with the Ton and finds herself in the ballrooms of the upper class elite knowing one of them might just be the murderer she is looking for. “Betrayal in Time” is the fourth book I’ve read in the “…in Time” series and I hope Julie McElwain never stops writing them! They are the perfect mix of mystery, historical fiction and romance all mixed together with a little sci-fi fun. These books are definitely made to be read in order so if time traveling mysteries is up your alley check out book one “Murder in Time” first.

“The Kindred Spirits Supper Club” by Amy. E. Reichert

There is nothing that Sabrina Monroe dreads more than returning to her hometown because that is when the family curse returns. With unemployment to thank that is exactly where Sabrina now finds herself. Growing up with the Monroe family gift was torture especially when the teenage years hit and panic would set in trying to keep her abilities hidden. All Sabrina ever wanted was to be normal and here in the Dells she is anything but. The women in the Monroe family, for as far back as they can recall, have been able to see spirits and are tasked with helping those that come to them complete their unfinished business so they can cross over. Sabrina’s mother has always been a natural at assisting those who need her, Sabrina wants nothing to do with it, except for Molly. Molly has been with her family for as long as she can remember, unable to cross over. When Ray moves into town Sabrina keeps him at arms length despite Molly’s pleas to give him a chance. There is no way Sabrina can let anyone into her life because sharing the family secret has only ever led to disaster. The longer she stays at home the more Sabrina finds it difficult to leave but can she live with the afterlife forever? This was such a cute book. Amy E. Reichert has written a heartwarming story that is so fun and entertaining. If you are looking for a new rom-com but are tired of the same ole tropes, give “The Kindred Spirits Supper Club” a try.

“Love Your Life” by Sophie Kinsella

You won’t find Ava on a dating app. To her love should be something organic – boy meets girl movie romance and such and after her latest breakup she is swearing off dating for a while. Ava decides it’s time to focus on writing her novel and books a spot in a writing retreat in Italy. After passing off her rescue dog, Harold, to her best friends she settles into her adventure. Upon arrival she learns that while she is at the monastery she isn’t allowed to use her real name or share any personal information with the other writers so Ava becomes “Aria”. Day one begins with a little confusion as three non-writers join their group after their course was canceled at the last minute. Quickly “Aria” finds herself swooning over one of the late-comers named “Dutch” and a fast romance ignites. After days filled with cliff-jumping into the Mediterranean and consuming all the gelato “Aria” and “Dutch” find themselves head over heels in love – only one problem…they don’t know the first thing about each other. When the retreat ends and the two must return to their normal lives Ava and Matt must navigate who they really are which proves to be much more difficult than they thought. Why does Ava feel the need to rescue everything and why does Matt behave like a robot with his family? As things get increasingly more complicated Ava wonders if they can keep the promises they made to each other back in Italy and be each other’s happily ever after. Sophie Kinsella is an automatic buy for me. I love her writing style and reading her books usually just makes me happy. However, this one did not give me the warm and fuzzies. I had such a strong feeling of ick reading most of this as two people couldn’t be more wrong for one another. Both Matt and Ava were selfish and self-centered and really didn’t deserve one another at times. Though I didn’t enjoy this one, it might be the right fit for others. Big thanks to NetGalley and Random House for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

“The Only Plane in the Sky: An Oral History of 9/11” by Garrett M. Graff

For anyone who witnessed the events of September 11, 2001 you will always be able to remember where you were that day. I clearly remember being at my parents house, walking into the living room asking my Nana what she was watching. Because the television was on mute she thought it was a movie. It was only when I pointed out to her that the program said “live” did we both comprehend what we were seeing and then soon after the second plane hit. “The Only Plane in the Sky” is an incredible, comprehensive collection of first hand experiences from September 10th and beyond from those that lived through that horrific day. Lifting the veil behind what was happening at the White House, where the President spent his day, shining a much needed light on the attack on the Pentagon, highlighting the brave citizens on Flight 93 and countless stories from emergency first responders and World Trade Center employees who escaped before and after the towers fell “The Only Plane in the Sky” is an absolute must read as the 20th anniversary approaches. A few years ago my husband and I visited the 9/11 Memorial & Museum and were moved beyond words at the experience. In my opinion, every American should visit this place to truly understand the magnitude of the day, especially those who were too young to have witnessed it themselves. I HIGHLY recommend listening to the audiobook version of this book as it’s narrated by 45 different actors and includes audio from the National Archives of phone calls, speeches and interviews from that day and beyond. I’m not a big audiobook person but this was an outstanding listen. It’s exceptional work like this that will help us all continue to honor those who lost their lives that day and continue to do so from WTC related illnesses. Be sure to add this to your TBR list. I will never forget.

“The German Girl” by Armando Lucas Correa

Being among the elite in Berlin in 1939 did not protect you from the dangers that were slowly creeping their way into the city and Hannah Rosenthal and her family were all too aware of this. Even at the young age of eleven, Hannah knew that her time in Berlin was coming to an end. Things were changing, people were disappearing and more and more of those red flags were being hung up everywhere you look. Hannah and her best friend, Leo, make a pact that no matter what they would stick together when both of their families book passage out of Germany to Cuba on the St. Louis leaving almost everything behind. Setting sail on the most luxurious boat at the time felt like they could breathe again. A new life lay ahead at the end of a two week journey. Decades later Anna Rosen receives a strange package in the mail from Cuba, the country of her father’s birth. Never having met him, Anna is desperate for any connection to this man she can get. Inside are very old pictures and a magazine cover with a girl who looks eerily like her. The realization that this has come from a relative in Cuba who knew her father pushes Anna to ask her mother to take her to meet her great-aunt Hannah so she can learn more about her past and maybe learn who she is meant to become. It never ceases to amaze me that after reading so many WW2 themed books there are still events to learn about. The story of the St. Louis and its passengers was something I had never heard of before and will stay with me for a long time. I am so grateful for historical fiction writers who dive in to difficult topics like this to not only educate but to preserve these stories for generations to come. Fans of his fic, be sure to add this to your TBR list.

Til next time,

The Booked Mama

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