I took just a few trips in August, which lent itself to more reading time on airplanes. I read just one non-fiction book about the Astors and the rest were all very interesting fiction books. Here are the books I read in August:
The Storm Breaker by Victoria Kimble
The Storm Breaker is the final book in The Hurricane Trilogy. Ash has finally discovered her father inside of the stationary hurricane but now needs to find a way to get out. Her father and most people inside are reluctant to even try. Ash has to not only figure out why they don’t want to leave, but also find out how they can weaken the storm. It’s a riveting end to the trilogy.
The Maid by Nita Prose
Molly is a maid at a small hotel that is on the spectrum. She was raised by her grandmother, but now lives on her own. One day, she discovers a man dead in his hotel room. She has the best intentions of helping her friends and the investigation, but she learns she can’t trust everyone close to her. The Maid was a very fun, quirky read.
The Moving Finger by Agatha Christie
I had The Moving Finger in my to-read pile for a long time, and I finally borrowed it through Libby to read. It’s a classic Agatha Christie mystery and while I thought I had it figured out, I didn’t. People in a small village are receiving anonymous letters alleging they have been unfaithful to their significant others. Then, two people die in quick succession. A man and his sister who are visiting the town for him to recover from a plane accident are the main detectives helping solve the case.
Astor by Anderson Cooper
After visiting New York City again, I saw this book about the Astors and read through it pretty quickly. Anderson Cooper comes from the Vanderbilt line and had met an Astor when he was younger. (I plan to read his book on the Vanderbilts soon, too.) I learned a lot about how the Astor fortune was built and lost within generations.
Death of a Domestic Diva by Sharon Short
Josie runs a laundromat in the small town of Paradise, Ohio. Life is quiet and easy until the town is left off the new state map. To try and draw attention to the town, Josie decides to try and invite the nation’s household tips sweetheart – Tyra Grimes – to their town to talk about stain removal. Tyra does appear – on Josie’s doorstep and then there’s a murder in town. Life won’t be quiet again until Josie can figure out why Tyra really came to Paradise. I really enjoyed Death of a Domestic Diva.
A Fall of Marigolds by Susan Meissner
A scarf connects two women through time. One is recovering from watching people fall from the building she worked at after it caught fire in 1911. One of them was a man she was beginning to know. She escapes facing her grief by working on, and never leaving, Ellis Island. That is, until a new doctor comes and starts to push her comfort levels. One hundred years later, another woman is dealing with losing her husband on Sept. 11, 2001, in one of the towers. She blames herself and so hasn’t shared her story. Her picture is published 10 years later on the anniversary, forcing her to finally face all that truly happened that day. The book was intense describing the fire and tower falling, but the storyline was captivating.
The Last Battle by C.S. Lewis
The Last Battle is the final book in the Chronicles of Narnia series. I’ve been enjoying slowly reading through the books the last couple months. The Last Battle is definitely a book that alludes to the Last Times in Christianity. I loved how it ended and its description of how Heaven is just the real beginning of life.
Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell
Hamnet is a historical fiction book about Shakespeare’s family. The book mainly focuses on his wife and children. They have a daughter and then twins – a boy and a girl. When the plague visits their house when Shakespeare is gone, both twins get sick. Only one survives and how each person in the family deals with grief changes their futures. It was a very interesting book to read.
Share your latest read in the comments below!
