August saw the start of soccer, cross country and homeschooling. By the time the end of the day came, I found myself falling asleep rather quickly, so there’s fewer books read this month. Again, there were some unintended themes – two books had time travel and two books were WW2 historical fiction that involved affairs. I did read a Madeline L’Engle book that I hadn’t read before, too. Here’s what I read in August:
Winter’s Tale by Mark Helprin
I enjoyed reading Paris in the Present Tense by Mark Helprin so I wanted to read another of his books. I enjoyed Winter’s Tale, but I’m still slightly confused about some parts of the plot. The book is sent in New York City during two different time periods and there’s time travel involved between the two periods. There’s a love story and a gang war and magic. I think I’m going to watch the movie soon to see if it will help me make sense of the book more.
The Winemaker’s Wife by Kristin Harmel
I usually love historical fiction, but The Winemaker’s Wife is more about the repercussions of an affair than about WW2. Michel is the owner of a winery and his wife, Ines, is more of a hinderance to him than a help. Michel’s right-hand man lives next door and his wife, Celine, often helps in the winery. Michel and Celine give in finally to their passions instead of focusing on their own marriages. Ines has her own affair after being pushed away by Michel. Dangerous consequences collide and cost them all dearly.
Cassandra in Reverse by Holly Smale
After her boyfriend breaks up with her, Cassandra realizes she can travel back in time. She uses her newfound power to try and make the relationship work better. She also has to focus on not getting fired again and trying to get along better with her flatmates. What she’d really like to do is go back in time and stop her parents’ fatal car accident. However, a person from her past shows up and causes Cassandra to change the focus of her life goals. I enjoyed the plot of Cassandra in Reverse until the end (I didn’t like her change in focus) and the book does have a lot of language and descriptive romance.
The Winter Guest by Pam Jenoff
Unfortunately, The Winter Guest is another WW2 historical fiction novel that gets off track because it’s dealing with the consequences of an affair (yes – another one). Twin sisters are raising their younger siblings after their father dies and their mother is in the hospital with cancer. The war comes to their doorstep and one twin is distracted by the American pilot who she is caring for in the nearby chapel. When they finally decide they need to escape, it’s almost too late. And when the other twin makes a visit to the chapel to finally see the pilot her sister is taking care of, things take a dramatic turn for the worse.
The Little Italian Hotel by Phaedra Patrick
Ginny has a radio show where she offers people advice. One day, her assistant convinces her to go live and a woman calls in asking her if she really knows her husband well. At home that night, she finds out he’s got an online dating profile and wants to take some time away from their relationship. She had already booked a trip for them to Italy for the anniversary and when she can’t cancel it, she decides to take some of her listeners with her so they can help each other in their heartbreak. While in Italy, Ginny starts to discover what she wants for her future may be different than what she thought it would be. The Little Italian Hotel is an interesting book and it won’t end how you think it will.
Habits for a Sacred Home by Jennifer Pepito
Habits for a Sacred Home is a book for homemakers who want to be intentional about how they create a life for their families. Her advice is solid and each chapter covers a different topic to think about for families. She offers a free template to create a family vision statement. The book is a good reminder to think purposefully about all aspects of life – even homemaking.
Camilla by Madeliene L’Engle
I listened to Camilla while painting bedrooms. I was looking for an interesting audiobook that I wouldn’t have to wait for and looked for a Madeliene L’Engle book. Camilla is young adult novel about a 15-year-old living in New York City. Her parents’ marriage is falling apart and she starts dating her best friend’s brother. It gets complicated but she start figuring out how to navigate this transition from childhood to adulthood as she deals with these new situations.
What books have you read recently that you loved? Share in the comments!
