Summer is coming to an end, friends. It’s true that as you get older, time seems to fly by. I love summertime with the warmer temperatures and longer days, but I’m also looking forward to the arrival of fall. The coziness and the return to routine are things I love about fall, but the shorter days are, to be completely honest, not my favorite. But before we go into full fall mode, here are my August 2024 book reviews.
I tend to read less in summertime generally because it is the only session when I usually go for more road trips. This season though, I haven’t done much traveling at all. Hence, I managed to read more than usual. Whereas I read about 4-5 books per month in summer, this year I’ve been reading on average seven to nine books monthly. And that makes my heart happy.
Without further ado, let’s get to my August 2024 book reviews.
Death in Summer by Lina Areklew
I read this book as part of my July-August Nordic Noir read-along hosted by Aina, @readbydusk. Areklew is not an author I have heard of before, but I’m glad I discovered her. The book was atmospheric, as per Nordic Noir fashion. The small town vibes and damaged detective is what I liked most about this book. The storyline was fast-paced and well-developed, and the ending took me by surprise. I had an idea of where the author was going with it, but it still managed to provide me with enough twists and turns. This is a new-to-me author, but one I will definitely pick up again.
House of Glass by Sarah Pekkanen
Before anything, I would like to thank Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for my advanced reader’s copy. The book was published on August 6th.
This was a reliable thriller/mystery, but it’s not my favorite book the author wrote. It was an ok novel and it kept me entertained.
I thought I had the culprit figured out, but for a good part of the story I had the suspect wrong. Which is what I appreciated about this book. I liked the fact that the author managed to surprise me, but there was something I can’t quite pinpoint that irked me about this book.
Maybe it was the damaged child trope, or the way all the characters were behaving. And they were all shady and weird. To me, that was the downside to this book.
Having said all that, it wasn’t a book I will remember in a couple of months.
Friends With Secrets by Christine Gunderson
I discovered this book through Amazon Reads First through Kindle Unlimited, and I was pleasantly surprised.
I was immersed in the book from page one, and I found myself breezing through it during a weekend. The novel is a mix of a couple different genres: it contains some juicy gossip typical of a rom-com, part mystery with a couple of surprising twists. But at the center of the story is the bond two newfound friends created through similar experiences. It was fun and easy to read, the perfect summer book.
The Glass Hotel by Emily St. John Mantel
I listened to this book on audio and I was lost for a good part of the book. If you want to read it, I suggest you opt for the physical or digital copy. The multiple timelines and different points of view confused me, and I had to refer to the physical copy to know what was going on. No doubt, the author’s writing style is excellent, but I don’t care much for the dystopian genre. I didn’t love it, but I can understand how some people would enjoy it. Just because it wasn’t for me, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t give it a try.
Hidden in Snow by Vivica Sten
The typical Nordic-Noir thriller, Hidden in Snow is the first in the Are murders series. Viveca Sten became popular in the early 200s thanks to her Standham murders series which became a well-known tv adaptation as well. This is her second series, with Hidden in Snow as its first installment. It was super engaging and fast-paced, with a cast of shady characters that made me enjoy this Nordic Noir thriller.
If Viveca Sten is also an author you haven’t read, I definitely recommend her.
Not What She Seems by Yasmin Angoe
This is the second Amazon First book for the month that I borrowed through Kindle Unlimited. It was a good popcorn thriller that is an easy-to-read book with a shocking twist at the end. Easily bingeable, Not What She Seems follows an intricate storyline about a young lady who returns to her hometown after years of exile to be by her grandad’s side at the hospital. When she starts to find strange occurrences that don’t add up, Jac decides to dig up and find out what happened to her grandfather. But she uncovers some very unpleasant truths that she never saw coming years ago when she decided to skip town.
The Return of Ellie Black by Emiko Jean
It was an enjoyable read, but it will not make my top ten of the year, unfortunately. The book was overhyped, in my opinion. It was well written and engaging, but it’s not as amazing as I had hoped. The last couple of twists took me by surprise though, but overall it was an ok book. Nothing that I will jump and recommend to anyone, my favorite part of this book was its cover.
What Lies in Darkness by Christina McDonald
It’s a well-layered thriller that I couldn’t wait to finish. As each chapter progressed, there were more clues and more puzzle pieces that started to shape up into the shocking finale.
This was my third book by the author, and I think it was my favorite so far. The multiple twists and turns kept me on the edge of my seat. Plus the character development was so well done, by the end of the book I felt I knew Jess. Although this was the second Jess Lambert series, it can read well as a standalone. Her previous novel, These Still Black Waters, came out in October of last year, while What Lies in Darkness was published on July 16th 2024.
Thank you Netgalley, Thomas & Mercer, as well as Christina McDonald for my advanced reader’s copy.
Same As It Ever Was by Claire Lombardo
I loved Lombardo’s previous novel, The Most Fun We Ever Had, but “Same as It Ever Was” didn’t come close for me. Don’t get me wrong, it was an intricate family saga with multiple timelines and a diverse set of characters. I enjoyed the book, but at times it felt repetitive. It was quite long at almost 500 pages. I find the story could have been told in under 400 pages. Plus Julia, the main character, got on my nerves. Her insecurities and constant internal dialogue sounded tedious and mundane, which took away from the beautiful storyline the author layed out. The reason I gave it four stars is because the writing flows and it keeps you engaged. Still, it was a solid yet flawed novel.
Concluding Words
This sums up my August 2024 book reviews. Like I previously stated, it was a very good reading month for me even though i didn’t give any of them five stars, I didn’t have any books that I did not finish, so that’s excellent as far as i’m concerned.
How was your August reading? Any favorite books that you couldn’t put down? Let me know in the comment box below, as per usual.
Until next time, keep reading fellow bookworms.
