Guess I’m writing bi-monthly book roundups now! That’s OK! Besides reading (and listening) to books, I’ve started unwinding with a Nintendo Switch. It might seem blasphemous to bookworms, but I really love it. And I still get some reading in! Here are the books that have filled my summer (so far).
The Club by Ellery Lloyd • ★★★★☆
I’ve had this title on hold at the library since last summer. I couldn’t wait any longer and finally downloaded it from Libro.fm. It was worth it.
The Club is set at the newest branch of a super exclusive private resort. But what goes on there isn’t all champagne and caviar. Throughout the book, what’s going on behind the scenes for the staff, the founders and the members is revealed, and oooo it’s a doozy!
I’ll Be You by Janelle Brown • ★★★☆☆
I’ll Be You features two Mary Kate and Ashley types. Sam and Elli experienced a lot of fame as children and teens but as they grew up, they took different paths. Sam is in recovery and working at a café while Elli has flower business and just adopted a child.
Bit Elli disappears on a retreat and Sam has to return home to help care for her daughter and track down her sister who seems like she’s in a cult.
Twin swapping will always be alluring (1998’s The Parent Trap is a masterpiece), and a thrill-tinged take was sort of a nice way to dress up this trope.
Call Me Elizabeth Lark by Melissa Colasanti • ★★★☆☆
This was a totally fine domestic thriller to me. It had some really exciting moments. How could it not? A young woman rolls up to a roadside motel and, uh oh, she looks just like the motel owners’ long-lost daughter. But is she? Does it matter?
This was a good listen for afternoon walks and would make a nice read if you’re sitting by the pool.
Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall • ★★★★☆
I am a sucker for adorable British rom com (see Red, White & Royal Blue, Get a Life, Chloe Brown and A Season for Second Chances just as a start). Boyfriend Material gets its start with the fake dating trope which is great if you love that! It’s even great if you don’t quite get it (it’s totally inexplicable to me!).
So what’s the deal here? Luc, a nonprofit employee with a world-famous dad, needs to shore up his reputation for the sake of his organization. Enter Oliver, a straight-laced guy in his social sphere that needs a date to his parents’ 40th-anniversary party. They’re both in it for the appearances and, uh oh, they catch feels.
I read this while planning my parents’ 40th-anniversary shindig so that was sort of sweet! And the story was sweet as well.
The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova • ★★★★☆
I don’t think anyone is immune to vampire stories—certainly not me. That’s why I eagerly dove into The Historian. It all starts with Paul finding a mysterious book on his desk in the library. From there, the story flashes between Paul’s time and his daughter’s. The providence of the book is revealed along with how Vlad Dracula may not have ended his reign back in 1467.
Be prepared: This is a long one clocking in at 704 pages. But it was a really great read to get into. It’s the sort of story that sort of envelops you in the world it creates from the get-go. I felt this way with A Gentleman in Moscow (one of my all-time favorites). This being said, The Historian could be about 200 pages shorter and the story still would have been great. Enjoy this one when you’ve got some time.
Just Like Home by Sarah Gailey • ★★★★☆
This book was not what I expected based on the blurb I read online; it’s much stranger.
There are a lot of complicated themes in Just Like Home. Vera returns to her childhood home to care for her dying mother. It’s the home she grew up in, the home her father built—oh and her father was a serial killer. Despite this, Vera loved her dad. So that’s just the foundation for this whole situation. Layer in an artist living in the backyard looking to dig into the home’s history, a town full of people that hate Vera’s family and a mother that just can’t seem to stand her. Oh, and is the place haunted? It’s a lot!
As always, you can follow along with my progress and see what I’ve read over on Goodreads! Also, if you’re an audiobook fan, I encourage you to try Libro.fm—you can support your favorite small bookstore while downloading your next listen.
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