Hi everyone! As I said in my last blog post, I took an unintentional break from blogging over the summer. However, I have been wanting to write more recently, so here is my August Mini Review! This month started with such an incredible book, then two romances, a book I’ve been meaning to read for a while, and a new young adult thriller from an author I like! Overall, I enjoyed all of the books I read. I hope you enjoy my August Mini Review!

Synopsis: “Women can be heroes. When twenty-year-old nursing student Frances “Frankie” McGrath hears these words, it is a revelation. Raised in the sun-drenched, idyllic world of Southern California and sheltered by her conservative parents, she has always prided herself on doing the right thing. But in 1965, the world is changing, and she suddenly dares to imagine a different future for herself. When her brother ships out to serve in Vietnam, she joins the Army Nurse Corps and follows his path. As green and inexperienced as the men sent to Vietnam to fight, Frankie is over- whelmed by the chaos and destruction of war. Each day is a gamble of life and death, hope and betrayal; friendships run deep and can be shattered in an instant. In war, she meets—and becomes one of—the lucky, the brave, the broken, and the lost. But war is just the beginning for Frankie and her veteran friends. The real battle lies in coming home to a changed and divided America, to angry protesters, and to a country that wants to forget Vietnam. The Women is the story of one woman gone to war, but it shines a light on all women who put themselves in harm’s way and whose sacrifice and commitment to their country has too often been forgotten. A novel about deep friendships and bold patriotism, The Women is a richly drawn story with a memorable heroine whose idealism and courage under fire will come to define an era.” (goodreads.com)

This book!! I will continue to think about it! If this isn’t on your tbr you should add it!! Kristin Hannah is such an incredible storyteller, at times it felt like I was reading non-fiction. I don’t know much about the Vietnam War, outside of what I learned in school, but this story was easy to follow and I really enjoyed her author’s note in the back of the book. This will be a book that I will recommend to everyone, even if historical fiction isn’t your genre of choice, it was just that good!

Playlist listened to on Spotify: The Women Book Playlist

Synopsis: “Catalina Martín desperately needs a date to her sister’s wedding. Especially since her little white lie about her American boyfriend has spiralled out of control. Now everyone she knows—including her ex and his fiancée—will be there and eager to meet him. She only has four weeks to find someone willing to cross the Atlantic and aid in her deception. New York to Spain is no short flight and her raucous family won’t be easy to fool. Enter Aaron Blackford—her tall, handsome, condescending colleague—who surprisingly offers to step in. She’d rather refuse; never has there been a more aggravating, blood-boiling, and insufferable man. But Catalina is desperate, and as the wedding draws nearer, Aaron looks like her best option. And she begins to realize he might not be as terrible in the real world as he is at the office.” (goodreads.com)

This was a cute story! I feel like the beginning could have been shortened a bit, but overall a good read! I loved the enemies to lovers and fake dating troupes! Plus, the romance was fun!

Playlist listened to on Spotify: the spanish love deception (my version)

Synopsis: “Lucy is the tourist vacationing at a beach house on Prince Edward Island. Felix is the local who shows her a very good time. The only problem: Lucy doesn’t know he’s her best friend’s younger brother. Lucy and Felix’s chemistry is unreal, but the list of reasons why they need to stay away from each other is long, and they vow to never repeat that electric night again. It’s easier said than done. Each year, Lucy escapes to PEI for a big breath of coastal air, fresh oysters and crisp vinho verde with her best friend, Bridget. Every visit begins with a long walk on the beach, beneath soaring red cliffs and a golden sun. And every visit, Lucy promises herself she won’t wind up in Felix’s bed. Again. If Lucy can’t help being drawn to Felix, at least she’s always kept her heart out of it. When Bridget suddenly flees Toronto a week before her wedding, Lucy drops everything to follow her to the island. Her mission is to help Bridget through her crisis and resist the one man she’s never been able to. But Felix’s sparkling eyes and flirty quips have been replaced with something new, and Lucy’s beginning to wonder just how safe her heart truly is.” (goodreads.com)

This was a cute fun read, I think I like this one more than her other two books! I enjoyed the best friends brother troupe, plus this made me want to go visit Prince Edward Island! I ended up reading this book in about a day, so it was a cute quick read! If you want to hold on to the feelings of summer, this would be a good book to read!

I didn’t end up listening to a playlist with this book.

Synopsis: “When Dorothy triumphed over the Wicked Witch of the West in L. Frank Baum’s classic tale, we heard only her side of the story. But what about her arch-nemesis, the mysterious witch? Where did she come from? How did she become so wicked? And what is the true nature of evil? Gregory Maguire creates a fantasy world so rich and vivid that we will never look at Oz the same way again. Wicked is about a land where animals talk and strive to be treated like first-class citizens, Munchkinlanders seek the comfort of middle-class stability and the Tin Man becomes a victim of domestic violence. And then there is the little green-skinned girl named Elphaba, who will grow up to be the infamous Wicked Witch of the West, a smart, prickly and misunderstood creature who challenges all our preconceived notions about the nature of good and evil.” (goodreads.com)

I am a huge fan of the musical, so I was excited to read the book! It took me a bit to get into the story, but then I wanted to know what would happen and how it differed from the musical. It is quite different, but overall I really enjoyed it! I love reading books based on stories or characters I already know (Heartless, about the Queen of Hearts, is one of my favorites!) and I loved watching the Wizard of Oz as a kid, so I loved reading more about Oz. If you’re a fan of Wicked or the Wizard of Oz, I recommend reading this book, but get through the beginning and I promise it will be better!

I didn’t end up listening to a playlist with this book.

Synopsis: “A new true-crime fueled mystery thriller about a girl determined to uncover the shocking truth about her missing mother while filming a documentary on the unsolved case. Lights. Camera. Lies. 18-year-old Bel has lived her whole life in the shadow of her mom’s mysterious disappearance. Sixteen years ago, Rachel Price vanished and young Bel was the only witness, but she has no memory of it. Rachel is gone, long presumed dead, and Bel wishes everyone would just move on. But the case is dragged up from the past when the Price family agree to a true crime documentary. Bel can’t wait for filming to end, for life to go back to normal. And then the impossible happens. Rachel Price reappears, and life will never be normal again. Rachel has an unbelievable story about what happened to her. Unbelievable, because Bel isn’t sure it’s real. If Rachel is lying, then where has she been all this time? And – could she be dangerous? With the cameras still rolling, Bel must uncover the truth about her mother, and find out why Rachel Price really came back from the dead . . .” (goodreads.com)

This was good! It took me a bit to get hooked, but then I really wanted to know how everything connected! I picked up on a couple of things but was completely shocked by others! A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder is one of my favorite series, which is by this author, so I was trying really hard not to compare it while I was reading. If you’re looking to read a mystery thriller with twists, check out this book!

I didn’t end up listening to a playlist with this book.

I hope you enjoyed my August Mini Review! What was your favorite read from this month? Check out the Books category on my home page for more book reviews and recommendations. Please give me a follow on Instagram or Facebook to stay updated about when I post! I’ve been making a lot of fun reels on Instagram, so check it out! I’ve loved engaging with the Bookstagram community, so it would be great to have you join! As always, thank you for your continued support!

Take care and stay safe,

Renée