Hello and happy Wednesday.
August is on its way out, and I have books to share.
I can’t believe it, but I read five books this month. With back to school, I just never know how much time I will have to read.
Here are the books I read in August:
The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife:
Summary:
Frederick Fife was born with an extra helping of kindness in his heart. If he borrowed your car, he’d return it washed with a full tank of gas. The problem is there’s nobody left in Fred’s life to borrow from. At eighty-two, he’s desperately lonely, broke, and on the brink of homelessness. But Fred’s luck changes when, in a bizarre case of mistaken identity, he takes the place of grumpy Bernard Greer at the local nursing home. Now he has warm meals in his belly and a roof over his head—as long as his poker face is in better shape than his prostate and that his look-alike never turns up.
Denise Simms is stuck breathing the same disappointing air again and again. A middle-aged mom and caregiver at Bernard’s facility, her crumbling marriage and daughter’s health concerns are suffocating her joy for life. Wounded by her two-faced husband, she vows never to let a man deceive her again.
As Fred walks in Bernard’s shoes, he leaves a trail of kindness behind him, fueling Denise’s suspicions about his true identity. When unexpected truths are revealed, Fred and Denise rediscover their sense of purpose and learn how to return a broken life to mint condition.
Quick Thoughts:
I actually finished this book at end of July after sharing my July post…
My sister-in-law recommended it to me, and she said it’s one of her favorite books of all time.
Goodreads said, “for readers of Remarkably Bright Creatures and A Man Called Ove…” I loved Remarkably Bright Creatures, so this book was definitely for me.
I feel like this is a book that I can say “I’ve never read anything like it.” The idea that Frederick swaps spots with Bernard…at first, my mind had a hard time grasping that concept…like before I even read more after the identity swap, I was thinking “Well, how is this going to work?” Anyway, Frederick is endearing and many of the other characters are as well. There’s a point towards the end where I didn’t want it to end because I wasn’t sure how it was going to end….but I was really satisfied with the ending.
This was just such a clever, heart-breaking, and heart-warming story all wrapped into one.
I did see there’s a (movie?) adaptation in the works. I will definitely watch it when it comes out.
Fave quotes:
- “His mother had always said that Fred had been born with an extra helping of love in his heart….the problem was now he didn’t have anywhere to put it. Grief was love with nowhere to go.”
- “Love is…about picking someone up and never, ever putting them down again, no matter how heavy things become.”
- “You can’t have shadows without light.”
Rating:
The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion, Vol 2:
Summary:
The Year is 1883 and Emma M. Lion has returned to her London neighbourhood of St. Crispian’s. But Emma’s plans for a charmed and studious life are sabotaged by her eccentric Cousin Archibald, her formidable Aunt Eugenia, and the slightly odd denizens of St. Crispian’s.
Emma M. Lion offers up her Unselected Journals, however self-incriminating they may be, which comprise a series of novella-length volumes. Armed with wit and a sideways amusement, Emma documents the curious realities of her life at Lapis Lazuli House.
Quick Thoughts:
Last month, I shared that I’d listened to vol 1, and this time I read Vol 2. I appreciated the journal format while listening to Vol. 1 but even more so while reading vol 2.
The characters are quirky, and I love getting to know them more and more with each journal entry.
Just like the first volume, there’s some humor, romance, and drama.
I loved the literary references of Pyramus and Thisbe (which I read with my freshmen), and the Cat’s name is Tybalt (Romeo and Juliet!)
I’m actually reading Volume 3 now!
Rating:
Down with the Shipmans:
Summary:
It’s the week after Fourth of July, and the Shipman sisters are returning to their picturesque summer home on the New Hampshire coast for what they believe is a family reunion, the first without their late mother. However, their tranquil setting quickly becomes a stage for drama when their father, Calvin, drops the bombshell news that he plans to sell the cherished beach house.
Mae, the youngest daughter, who has a newfound penchant for attracting trouble, is distraught, already dealing with her own emotional scars and a problematic rescue dog. Natalie, the middle sister and social media darling known for her seemingly idyllic life as a tradwife, is equally anxious, especially since her flawless public image is on the verge of imploding. Meanwhile, Jordan, the eldest, a high-powered crisis communications expert, is ready to be rid of the house so she can tend to her own professional disaster.
As old memories are stirred up and the sisters navigate both the packing of the house and their personal crises, the arrival of Calvin’s new wife pushes Jordan, Natalie, and Mae to decide how far they’re willing to go to preserve the Shipman bond.
Quick Thoughts:
This was a pretty quick read.
As expected, the three sisters were all different, and it was interesting to follow them as they have all experienced the same loss but are navigating this new phase of life differently while also learning about themselves as they go through other personal issues. Their mom’s coffee mugs with sayings were a fun part of the story line.
My favorite mug referenced was, “I’m the middle child. I’m the reason we have rules.” haha
Anyway, this book was about family dynamics and how sister relationships can be complicated. But, it was also about growing up, moving on, rebuilding lives and coming together at just the right time.
Fave quote:
- “The greatest acting job, a wise man has never said (but should), is being a mother.”
Rating:
Love You More:
Summary:
Billie has built the perfect life. Her practice as a doctor in New York City is thriving, and she’s finally found the right partner in Dean after years spent trying to move on from her high-school sweetheart, Mick. Their young love had been intense and true, but distance and ambition pulled them apart when she left Wisconsin for medical school.
Then one morning, just after accepting Dean’s romantic marriage proposal, Billie’s phone rings. It’s Mick—calling for the first time in nearly a decade. His news is urgent, and in a moment, everything changes.
As Billie boards a plane back to Wisconsin, the past comes rushing in—her friendships from home, the love she shared with Mick, and the choices that shaped them. What awaits her is a reckoning with what she’s lost, what she’s built, and what she still wants.
Quick Thoughts:
This book wasn’t on my radar, but I saw it shared on Instagram. It was a good read … and while somewhat predictable, there were some twists to keep my attention. I also appreciated the short chapters which kept me reading.
As Goodreads states, (the books is) “Gripping and deeply moving, Love You More is a story about the plot twists life throws at us—and how love, in all its forms, has the power to change everything.”
Fave quote:
- “Sometimes I wonder how much of who we are comes from our own choices – and how much is shaped by where we come from.”
Rating:
Strangers: A Memoir of Marriage
Summary:
In March 2020, Belle Burden was safe and secure with her family at their house on Martha’s Vineyard, navigating the early days of the pandemic together—building fires in the late afternoons, drinking whisky sours, making roast chicken. Then, with no warning or explanation, her husband of twenty years announced that he was leaving her. Overnight, her caring, steady partner became a man she hardly recognized. He exited his life with her like an actor shrugging off a costume.
In Strangers, Burden revisits her marriage, searching for clues that her husband was not who she always thought he was. As she examines her relationship through a new lens, she reckons with her own family history and the lessons she intuited about how a woman is expected to behave in the face of betrayal. Through all of it, she is transformed. The discreet, compliant woman she once was—someone nicknamed “Belle the Good”—gives way to someone braver, someone determined to use her voice.
Quick Thoughts:
I first saw this book on Shay’s blog in March….and then it seemed that this book has been “all the rage” the past few months.
I enjoy reading memoirs so I figured I would like this one even though the topic is heavy…I feel like memoirs are permission for readers to be nosy. haha
Anyway, since I listened to this book and Belle Burden was the narrator, I was even more invested in the details. I thought her life was interesting, I immediately Googled her grandmother when she talked about her. Sometimes, I like to read books that I can’t relate to…and I can’t relate to growing up rich or being rich in NYC. I think the back drop of the timing of March 2020 is really distinctive because it’s a point in time that I can reference, and as I reminisced on what I was going through at that time, her marriage was breaking up. Some of the details about her husband just leaving with no answers and not wanting to co-parent the kids just blows my mind.
While Belle lives a seemingly privileged life, this memoir is a reminder that heartbreak stops for no one.
Rating:
As I look back on my ratings, I’m wondering if I getting too easy on my ratings? haha
I just rarely read a book I don’t like…because if I’m not enjoying reading a book, I will move on to another one. Anyway, lots of four star reads for me and one five star read this month.
Summer Reading Update:
For the first time ever, I finished all my summer reading books. Also, the past few summers, it’s been pretty rare that I’ve read other books besides the ones on my list. This summer, I read a total of 17 books! (and I’m currently listening to and reading two others)
On top of that, when I finish those books I’m reading/listening to now, I will have completed my Goodreads goal of reading 40 books this year. The past couple of years, I’ve fallen short of my goal, and now I still have four months left of reading in 2026!
Honestly, I had a tough spring, and I really wasn’t enjoying reading very much…which kind of “scared” me a bit since I’ve always loved reading. It’s been so nice to find my reading groove this summer. I can’t wait to keep checking books off my TBR list!
Happy reading!
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