Book Nook Cafe discussion

Here is the Folder and thread to tell us what your monthly reads for August 2025 were.

Please provide:

~ A GoodReads link
~ A few sentences telling us how you felt about the book.
~ How would you rate the book

August:

5 stars (or close to it):
The Correspondent. I enjoyed this book. I do like epistolary novels and I liked how the letters unfolded the MC Sybil's life story

4 stars:
Three Days in June. Though there is not much plot, it is well written and Tyler seems to have an eye for the small ways people interact. I'm guessing she is very observant as he is so good at noting subtle things like a sideways glance or a slight voice quaver.
My Ántonia. Not as much prairie life as I expected from a "prairie trilogy" as the book takes place 50%+ in town, but I liked Antonia and learned about the immigrant prairie experience
How Steeple Sinderby Wanderers Won the FA Cup. Satire of English football (soccer) that was good for several laughs
Dave Barry's Book of Bad Songs. I have thought he was hilarious from the first time I read him and this very short book was no different.

3 stars:
Year of Wonders: Really more like 3.5, this book was based on a true story about a teen that quarantined itself during the plague
The Humans: also more like 3.5, this scifi story views humans from the POV of an alien from a planet that us immortal and has no negativity or real emotions
1 star:
The Missing Half. I only read this garbage for a book club. Poorly written unconvincing mystery with a predictable ending

Hello everyone! So I read a total of four books for the month of August.

My first August read was The River by Gary Paulsen. My review of it can be found here.

This is direct sequel to Hatchet and the plot of this one involves Brian being recruited by the government to go back into the wild and teach a psychologist named Derek how he survived. However, when Derek falls into a coma, Brian has to race against time in order to get Derek down the river to a distant trading post before he dies.

My thoughts on this one are... let's just say "mixed". Now one good thing I can say about this book is that it actually does a great job exploring the pros and cons of having a companion in a survival situation and using those pros and cons to challenge Brian despite the skills he gained in Hatchet. Speaking of Brian, the way that he really struggled to reacclimate to civilzation brought a layer of believability and also gave some insight as to why Brian was reluctant to go back into the wild.

However, this book really suffers from uneven pacing, ranging anywhere from slighty too slow to way too rushed. I think this is partly due to the fact that Brian and Derek don't really face all that many major obstacles on the river. I also think this issue extends to the anti-climactic ending. It's honestly one of the few times where I can say that making a book longer would've actually helped.

Rating: C

Another book that I read in August was Fortress of The Damned by J.B White. You can read my full thoughts on it here.

So this is the third installment in the Kit Barker series and in this one, a lot happens, but essentially, Kit and the gang have to go to this fort and defeat a demonic army.

In comparison to the last entry, this was definitely a step up!

For starters, there was a great character in the last entry that really didn't get enough time to shine and not only does he get that time to shine here, but he also gets an ending to his arc from the last entry and gets to partake in a new arc. God was this great to see! Speaking of characters, Crane could've easily become this boring, one-dimensional character, but thankfully, this entry was clever enough to allow the reader to understand why Crane is the way he is without excusing his actions and allowing Crane to grow and become a better person. I also have to give props to the prolouge and the fact that the demonic army is given the tools to actually be a legitimate threat. Oh and that ending! Action packed, dramatic, and satisfying as hell. Honestly, I couldn't have asked for a better ending.

With that said though, there were a couple of characters from the last entry that play a prominent role in this entry, but they surprisingly don't get a lot of character development, there were quite a few really cliched lines, and it really, really could've used a a couple more rounds of editing.

Rating: A-

Third was The Wild Robot Protects by Peter Brown. You can read my full review on it here.

This is the third entry in The Wild Robot series and in this one, Roz has to go on a quest to the far north in order to rid her home island of what the animals call "The Poison Tide".

Now, with a premise like that, you would think that it's gonna be preachy or too black and white, especially given its target audience.

But surprisingly, it actually has a lot of nuance, especially in the case of certain plot twists. What's also cool is that even though it's trying to teach a "be mindful of the environment" kind of message, it doesn't discard what made the previous entries so great to make it happen. Like, for the most part, the illustrations here are just as great as the previous entries, it has an abundance of emotional moments (including the heartwarming ending that also neatly wraps up an arc of one of the characters), and it's not afraid to push its characters to go beyond their limits.

However, there are times where the illustrations don't match with what the text is saying and the actual quest portion of the book was very repetitive and really dragged down the pacing of the book.

Rating: A-

The last book I read for August was Here, There Be Dragons by James A. Owen. My review on it can be found here.

This book is about three guys named John, Jack, and Charles who are thrust into becoming caretakers of an atlas that documents every imaginary land ever and stopping the Winter King from taking over everything.

This book really needs more attention. Yeah, some of the characters are not very well developed, but it's got a lot of imagination, a number of fun characters (like Jack, Charles, and Tummeler), amazing illustrations, and writing that goes so hard.

Rating: A

Overall, I'd say August was a really solid month for me.

#2 Denise wrote:

"August:

5 stars (or close to it):
The Correspondent. I enjoyed this book. I do like epistolary novels and I liked how the letters unfolded the MC Sybil's life story

4 stars:
[boo..."

Only one clunker for you, Denise. Thanks for the clear ratings. It's very helpful.

#3 Hailey wrote:

"Hello everyone! So I read a total of four books for the month of August.

My first August read was The River by Gary Paulsen. My review of it can be found here.

This is direct sequel to Hatchet an..."

Thanks for sharing, Hailey. I enjoyed the reviews you wrote. I see only one disappointing read. A solid reading month for you.

Denise wrote: "August:

5 stars (or close to it):
The Correspondent. I enjoyed this book. I do like epistolary novels and I liked how the letters unfolded the MC Sybil's life story

4 stars:
[boo..."

Great list, Denise. Or is that you've listed a couple i've read & a couple more i look forward to reading? Regardless, i appreciate your comments. Thanks.

Denise wrote: "My Ántonia. Not as much prairie life as I expected from a "prairie trilogy" as the book takes place 50%+ in town, but I liked Antonia and learned about the immigrant prairie experience..."

I enjoy Willa Cather's writing. Have you read O Pioneers! and Death Comes for the Archbishop: A Masterpiece of Literature Comes to Life - Illustrated and Annotated by ClassyBookRead?

The Humans sounds right up my alley, too. Have you read The Human Son?

Hailey wrote: "Hello everyone! So I read a total of four books for the month of August.

My first August read was The River by Gary Paulsen. My review of it can be found here.

This is direct sequel to Hatchet an..."

Hailey, thanks for the reviews. It's a shame about the pacing of the first one, of course. There is no excuse for the grammar & misuse of some words. What the heck?!

Overall, though, what a winning month of reading. I'm glad you shared them with us.

Hailey wrote: "Hello everyone! So I read a total of four books for the month of August...."

Hailey, your month is concentrated on continuing reading series. It's nice to see that they are continuing to be good series for you.
I enjoy a series that keeps my attention.

Nice reading month.

In August I read:

The Small Change Trilogy:
Farthing - 4 star
Ha'penny - 4 star
Half a Crown - 4 star
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I enjoyed this story so much that I picked up the next book after finishing the previous book.
It's an alternative history-type of story where WWII is over and Hitler still lives and controls Europe. The story is set in England. Well paced, good character, good story throughout.

Robinson Crusoe (3 star) - I've never read this book, so when another group offered it as a group read, I thought I'd join in. Turns out I didn't really enjoy this book. I'm glad I read this with others. I don't think I would have finished it otherwise. The 3-star rating is because of the insights I found in the discussion, which added to the story I was reading.
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

The Mayor of Casterbridge (3-star) - another group read that I joined because I like Hardy's writing. This story, though, didn't hold my interest as much as his other works. It's well written, but the story wasn't as compelling.
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

(I think I'm done with group reads for awhile. Fun, but limiting as I'm a slow reader)

Petra wrote: "In August I read:

The Small Change Trilogy:
Farthing - 4 star
Ha'penny - 4 star
Half a Crown - 4 star
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show......"

Thank you for sharing your thoughts on these books, Petra. I'm impressed you could get so much reading accomplished, given the change in your life. Still, good books are hard to put down.

The series intrigues, just because it doesn't sound far from today and how willing we are to be complicit, lest we endanger ourselves or our income. These ask a nation what it is that defines them.

I was an adult when i read Crusoe, which i liked. As you recounted the legal bits & all, i vaguely recall not liking that, either. Overall, though, i thought it was clever. I read a couple of articles about Alexander Selkirk, the real man who lived part of Crusoe's adventure. Interesting addition for me.

Like you, i enjoy Hardy and feel nothing but warm toward him and his characters. Also like you, it's not one of my favorites.

This seemed like a good reading month for you, Petra. Well done.

Readjusting to staying in one place for more than a week took its toll on my reading. Below are my selections.

Northland: A 4,000-Mile Journey Along America's Forgotten Border--Porter Fox. This is about one man's journey along the US-Canada border. While the book began strongly, full of history and accounts of his canoe trip, by the mid-way, it floundered, to the point of being hundreds of miles (& one state) away from the border. I think Fox lost interest, but expects us not to notice.

The Royal Wulff Murders--Keith McCafferty. This is the first in a series of mysteries set in Montana. Each title features a fly fishers use, in this case, the Royal Wulff. There is plenty of humor in the book, as well as some political issues, as far as land ownership & locals. I'll probably read further in the series.

A Spy in the House of Love--Anaïs Nin. This was a best seller in the '50s, which rather surprises me, as the wife is a promiscuous woman. The book is also full of psychiatric talk, used to justify both her acts and those of her lovers. I suspect it was a stunning addition to the '50s lists. She wrote well but, honestly, the story was not as interesting as she thought. Incidentally, she is better known for her journals, beginning with The Diary of Anais Nin Volume 1 1931-1934, which partly tells about her romance with Henry Miller & his wife, June.

The Bad Seed--William March. While her husband is working in South America for awhile, Christine Penmark worries about their 8 year old daughter Rhoda. The child is very tidy, orderly, sweet and polite. What's to worry? Well, ask the principals of her school. Ask the recently dead child's parents. It's a chilling story but a bit too full of psychology for my tastes. Apparently, psych talk was the U.S. thing in the '50s. Several of the novels i've read from the first 5 years of the '50s contain quite a bit of philosophizing about behaviors. Good book, though.

The Sabbath: Its Meaning for Modern Man--Abraham Joshua Heschel. As an atheist, one might expect me to pass on this '50s bestseller. I'm glad i didn't, as Heschell makes some excellent points about our need for rest, citing the Torah and centuries of Rabbis to bolster his thoughts. He begins by stating humans are at war between time and space. To him, space is about things and an appropriate concern for 6 days of the week; the Sabbath is about time. As he put it, "Six days a week we seek to dominate the world, on the seventh day we try to dominate the self." This under 200-page book was full of new stories, legends and ideas about calm.

#10 Petra wrote: "In August I read:

The Small Change Trilogy:
Farthing - 4 star
Ha'penny - 4 star
Half a Crown - 4 star
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show......"

Sorry your group reads weren't that compelling. I usually enjoy group reads, especially f2f ones.

I'm glad you found that The Small Change Trilogy. It made your month !

A decent month for me!


by R.C. Sherriff ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

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by https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...


—-------


by https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️


Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

madrano wrote: "Readjusting to staying in one place for more than a week took its toll on my reading. Below are my selections..."

Nice blend of books, Deb.
The Royal Wuff series sound fun and entertaining. I like a good, relaxing read.

The Sabbath also calls to me because of the "ideas of calm". Life can be so hectic at times. We do need to remember ourselves.

John wrote: "A decent month for me!..."

Yes it was!
I really enjoy your reviews each month.

I also like a book where one later wonders how the characters are doing. It's a warm feeling to remember those stories and lives.

John wrote: "A decent month for me!

The Fortnight in September-- R C Sherriff
----------

I'm glad to hear it works well on audio. I'm always looking for a easy to follow audio book.

I didn't recognize the author's name but see he is quite famous.
"In the 1930s, Sherriff went to Hollywood to write the script for The Invisible Man, and subsequently worked on the script for Mrs. Miniver, Goodbye Mr. Chips, and many other successful films. "

Nice reading month, John !

These were my August reads. It was a good month for me. I really had only one disappointment. I wrote about these in the August Book Salon, so I will try to be brief.

Never Flinch by Stephen King
Fiction
Format: eBook
Rate: 3/5 - Good

This is not a Stephen King horror novel. This is a crime novel.
the plot follows two killers. One killer is on revenge mission for an innocent man who was sent to jail and died in custody. He is planning on killing not the people on the jury but random innocent people and placing the name of a jury person in their hands after he kills them. The another killer is a vigilante targeting a pro choice celebrity speaker, Kate McKay, who is going on a multi state tour.

I felt there was too much going on in this 450 page novel. There is a big cast of characters to keep track of. There were also quite a bit of coincidences that seemed forced and just didn't ring true as King tried to bring in characters from the previous books and bring all these different events to a climax. This was not Stephen Kings best effort. Still, it's Stephen King, who even not at his best is better than most.

King ends with a poignant note at the end with a list of some of the people who have been murdered because of their work for a women's right to choose. I admire his standing up for his beliefs and not playing it safe and so many today seem to be doing.


How to Read a Book by Monica Wood
Fiction
Format: ebook
Rate: 4/5 Better than expected

If you are willing to just go along with the unlikely premise you will enjoy this heartwarming tale. I enjoyed reading about the themes of forgiveness, compassion and second chances.

The novels main story line is about a group of twelve women in a prison in Maine. The prison has a book club run by an ex teacher named Harriet. I loved their motto which they recited at the beginning of each meeting. “I am a reader. I am intelligent. I have something worthy to contribute.” This novel would give a book club a lot to discuss. It shows that people have many sides to them. Some good, some not so good. We are human. We make mistakes.

Courage Is Calling: Fortune Favors the Brave by Ryan Holiday
Non Fiction
Format: eBook
Rate: 2/5 Disappointing.

I normally like Ryan's books. However, this one missed the mark. In this book he gives very brief quotes and actions by famous people in history to inspire the reader. I found it an odd mix of people he choose to highlight. The chapters are short. I found it jumped around too much. The same people are mentioned over and over. It became too repetitious without and real depth to the discussion. At times it seemed like a bunch of cliches and platitudes.

Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop by Hwang Bo-Reum
Fiction
Format: eBook
Rate: 3+ /5 Good-

This is a Korean novel. The Translator was Shanna Tan. This is a very quiet slow paced novel with almost no plot. It's more a thoughtful meditation on life/work balance, love, marriage, friendship and the meaning and purpose of life. I did have a bit of a problem with the translation to English. I found it to be choppy and perhaps at times I think something got lost is the translation.

Upon writing up my notes I found I liked the book more than my 3/5 rating would suggest. It's not a page turner but a thoughtful book that will give the reader food for thought.

Orbital by Samantha Harvey
Fiction
Format: Audio book
Rating 4/5 better than expected

This fiction book was the 2024 Booker Prize winner. This is another book I read this month that is a quiet gentle read and it's not a plot driven book.

The story follows the thoughts of four astronauts from the United States, Italy, Britain, and Japan and two cosmonauts from the Russia, over the course of a day, sixteen orbits around the earth, as they travel in the international space station.

The audiobook is narrated perfectly by Sarah Naudi. I would recommend the audio over the paper book. The audio added a lot to my enjoyment as I listened to it on my exercise walks.

I found the book to be, contemplative, thought provoking, and a meditation about the wonder of space, our beautiful blue planet and humankind. The novel was beautifully written.

The Correspondent by Virginia Evans
Fiction
Format: eBook
Rate: 5/5
This is a terrific debut novel. It's an epistolary novel. I won't say much about the plot as part of the enjoyment of the novel is reading the correspondence and learning about events from the letters and emails with friends, family, neighbors, authors, and a customer service rep to name a few. The main character is Sybil Van Antwerp. She is a retired lawyer. She is a bit of a curmudgeon but I found her endearing. She made me laughed and also tear up a bit. This book hit all the right notes. The writing, the plot, the pace all were spot on. It's a solid five star read.

madrano wrote: "Readjusting to staying in one place for more than a week took its toll on my reading. Below are my selections.

Northland: A 4,000-Mile Journey Along America's Forgotten Border--[au..."

I read The Bad Seed back in the day - really creeped me out! Regarding Royal Wulff, USPS put out a sheet of fishing ties stamps not long ago!

Petra wrote: "In August I read:

The Small Change Trilogy:
Farthing - 4 star
Ha'penny - 4 star
Half a Crown - 4 star
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show......"

Thanks for the input! I've never had any interest in Crusoe, classic or not. Casterbridge was the one Hardy I've read, which was enough for me. If you've heard of the old TV show 'The Waltons', there was mention of a custom called Shivaree, seemingly related to a Skimmington, though without the direct connotation, more like sending off newlyweds.

Alias Reader wrote: "These were my August reads. It was a good month for me. I really had only one disappointment. I wrote about these in the August Book Salon, so I will try to be brief.

[bookcover:Never Flinch|2216..."

I appreciated all of your comments, as always. However, I'm going to zero-in on The Correspondent: we have a family tradition that we can give a "token" (not so impressive) gift, with an eye for "that's it!" later; that book will be my mother's "delayed" birthday gift. She's a slow reader, so it should keep for going for a while - thanks!

Alias Reader wrote: "#3 Hailey wrote:

"Hello everyone! So I read a total of four books for the month of August.

My first August read was The River by Gary Paulsen. My review of it can be found here.

This is direct ..."

Thank you, Alias! I'm glad to hear you enjoyed my reviews.

Gonna be honest. I wasn't a hundred percent sure what I was expecting from The River other than maybe, "Oh. This could be good."

#21 John wrote:
"However, I'm going to zero-in on The Correspondent: we have a family tradition that we can give a "token" (not so impressive) gift, with an eye for "that's it!" later; that book will be my mother's "delayed" birthday gift. She's a slow reader, so it should keep for going for a while - thanks!
..."

Happy Birthday to your mom. I hope she enjoys the book as much as I did.

#22 Hailey wrote:

"Thank you, Alias! I'm glad to hear you enjoyed my reviews.

Gonna be honest. I wasn't a hundred percent sure what I was expecting from The River other than maybe, "Oh. This could be good.".."

I see Paulsen passed away recently in 2021. He was certainly a prolific author.

" He was the author of more than 200 books and wrote more than 200 magazine articles and short stories, and several plays, all primarily for teenagers. He won the Margaret Edwards Award from the American Library Association in 1997 for his lifetime contribution in writing for teens"

John wrote: "A decent month for me!

by R.C. Sherriff ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
"

John, I follow Persephone Books on Instagram. They just highlighted the book in a post. It's from their list. They have it at #67.

"The "Persephone Books list" refers to books published by Persephone Books, an imprint focused on bringing back forgotten fiction and non-fiction by and about women, primarily from the early to mid-20th century

Here is their full list.
https://persephonebooks.co.uk/pages/b...


I love the cover they showed.

Petra wrote: "Denise wrote: "My Ántonia. Not as much prairie life as I expected from a "prairie trilogy" as the book takes place 50%+ in town, but I liked Antonia and learned about the immigrant prairie experien..."

I have those two Cather books but have not read them yet

John wrote: "A decent month for me!


by R.C. Sherriff ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

----------..."

Good, straight to the point reviews, John. I added two to my own TBR. First the Queen Mum bio, when i first saw that you read it. Then, it's about time i read Terabithia. Thank you for sharing here.

Alias Reader wrote: "These were my August reads. It was a good month for me. I really had only one disappointment. I wrote about these in the August Book Salon, so I will try to be brief.

[bookcover:Never Flinch|2216..."

What a good month of reading, Alias. I previously added Correspondent to my TBR and, because i appear to be an eternal optimist, have also added the two with "book" in the title.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts about the book here, as well as in the "Salon".

John wrote: "I read The Bad Seed back in the day - really creeped me out! Regarding Royal Wulff, USPS put out a sheet of fishing ties stamps not long ago!..."

I can see how the book could be chilling earlier in my life, too. Toward the end i couldn't put it down, wondering how he would end it.

Thanks for the USPS notice. My husband collects and his brother fishes, so they Must Be Purchased.

John wrote: "If you've heard of the old TV show 'The Waltons', there was mention of a custom called Shivaree, seemingly related to a Skimmington, though without the direct connotation, more like sending off newlyweds..."

I remember that because not much later i watched the film "Oklahoma" again & it was mentioned. Wiki explains, about mid-America, "In some communities the ritual served as a gentle spoof of the newlyweds, intended to disrupt for a while any sexual activities that might be under way. In parts of the midwest US, such as Kansas, in the mid 1960–1970s, shivaree customs continued as good natured wedding humour along the lines of the musical Oklahoma! Rituals included wheeling the bride about in a wheelbarrow or tying cowbells under a wedding bed. This ritual may be the base of the fastening of tin cans to the newlyweds car."

Neat connection to today's tin cans.

John wrote: "I'm going to zero-in on The Correspondent: we have a family tradition that we can give a "token" (not so impressive) gift, with an eye for "that's it!" later..."

Great tradition, imo, John. Your mother will probably enjoy it. Sometimes i like to read such novels because, frankly, i just do not get enough postal letters nowadays.

Alias Reader wrote: "He won the Margaret Edwards Award from the American Library Association in 1997 for his lifetime contribution in writing for teens..."

You wrote this to Hailey, as one of her books was written by Paulsen. I wanted to add that i think that is a wonderful award. I wonder how many winners have been banned. Many familiar banned authors listed.

https://www.ala.org/yalsa/edwards-award

Good info, Alias, thanks.

Petra wrote: "I enjoy Willa Cather's writing. Have you read O Pioneers! and Death Comes for the Archbishop: A Masterpiece of Literature Comes to Life - Illustrated and Annotated by ClassyBookRead?

The..."

I am a big fan of Cather's work but haven't read an illustrated version. I first heard of her writing via a rave about her The Song of the Lark.

For August I read a few.

The Devil's in the Next Room by John Durgin - 4 stars.
My Review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

End of Watch by Stephen King - 5 stars.
My Review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

We Hunt at Night: A Short Story of Zombie Horror by Duncan Ralston - 4 stars.
My Review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Flee by J.A. Konrath - 5 stars.
My Review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

The Envelope by John Durgin - 5 stars.
My Review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Something Stirs by Thomas Smith - 5 stars.
My Review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Magician by David Kempf - 5 stars.
My Review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

That is my wrap up for August - no clunkers this month - lol. Just 4 & 5 star books. :)

John wrote: "If you've heard of the old TV show 'The Waltons', there was mention of a custom called Shivaree, seemingly related to a Skimmington, though without the direct connotation, more like sending off newlyweds..."

That's rather interesting. I had no idea what the word Skimmington implied until Mayor of Casterbridge.
I remember The Waltons but not the episode with a Shivaree.
Thanks for this interesting and entertaining fact.

Alias Reader wrote: "These were my August reads. It was a good month for me. I really had only one disappointment. I wrote about these in the August Book Salon, so I will try to be brief. ......"

Many of these are ones I'll look up, Alias. Thanks. I particularly am attracted to The Correspondent.

madrano wrote: "I am a big fan of Cather's work but haven't read an illustrated version. I first heard of her writing via a rave about her The Song of the Lark.
..."

I haven't read an illustrated version of Cather's work either. For some reason, this is the only option that came up when I searched for Death Comes To The Archbishop.

Marie wrote: "For August I read a few. ..."

Marie, your list is always interesting. I haven't heard of these titles and am happy that you enjoyed them so much.

Petra wrote: "Marie wrote: "For August I read a few. ..."

Marie, your list is always interesting. I haven't heard of these titles and am happy that you enjoyed them so much."

Thank you so much, Petra. :) I am a mood reader so I really never know what I will be pulling out of my kindle pile to read each month and sometimes I surprise myself. lol :)

Marie wrote: "For August I read a few.

The Devil's in the Next Room by John Durgin - 4 stars.
My Review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[book:End of Watch..."


All 4 & 5 stars. You certainly had a terrific August, Marie !

madrano wrote: "Readjusting to staying in one place for more than a week took its toll on my reading. Below are my selections.

The Bad Seed--William March. While her husband is working in South America for awhile, Christine Penmark worries about their 8 year old daughter Rhoda.-[au..."

I like the 1956 movie based on this book. That little girl is a demon. 😨

Marie wrote: "For August I read a few.

The Devil's in the Next Room by John Durgin - 4 stars.
My Review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show......"

Another good roundup about the books you read, Marie. The first, with the four "Creepy Cult" stars creeped me out. Lately, in the last few years, i've become too concerned about cults, that reading stories about them is a No-No for me.

The Envelope reminded me of the great short story, written by Shirley Jackson, The Lottery. It would be interesting to read this author's spin on it.

Thank you for sharing here, Marie. And continued pleasure in reading your selections. It's neat to see which ones keep you awake all hours. :-)

Petra wrote: "Death Comes To The Archbishop ..."

This would be a good one to see illustrated, imo. There is one image, of a sunset, that has stayed with me since the first time i read the novel. Yes, that vivid.

Being set in what's now New Mexico didn't help. The geology of that state is varied and lovely.

Barbara wrote: "I like the 1956 movie based on this book. That little girl is a demon..."

In some ways this was the theme of the book. What comes through a bloodline and what through the way we are raised. It added insight to the novel, imo. Not that i had any more empathy for Rhoda, you understand! lol

Addendum to Post # 12. I forgot to mention another book i read in August, yes, another of my '50s bestsellers, from '54. The Sound of Waves--Yukio Mishima.

Set in post war Japan, this is a sweet, not cloying, romance. First, the romance of living on an isolated island, then early/first love of two characters. Shinji, a young fisherman on Uta-jima Island, works to support his mother and brother, having lost their father during the war. He hopes to eventually work on a larger ship, but cannot until his brother finishes his education. The book opens with Shinji hand delivering a fresh fish he caught to the lighthouse keeper, who is a family friend.

While walking to the lighthouse, he sees a lovely female, Hatsue, whose father is one of the richest men in town. She has just returned from schooling, mostly because her father misses her. From the first sighting, Shinji cannot get her out of his mind.

And so the story progresses. Mishima's writing, as translated, is lovely and descriptive, as much about the people as the island and what keeps people there. In relating moments from the growing attraction of these two main characters, we learn much about small community rules, as well as wider ones from across the nation. This was needed to help readers understand some of the decisions the characters make.

Hatsue's father had another reason to bring his daughter home, he feels it's time to marry her off. And he wants to be there to select the man. Shinji is not on the list of prospects, as you may imagine.

Mishima is not known for his light novels. Indeed, most often they are dark, partly due to the changes he observed in post-War Japan. However, this early sample is different, lively and the kind of romance i do not mind.

madrano wrote: "Addendum to Post # 12. I forgot to mention another book i read in August, yes, another of my '50s bestsellers, from '54. The Sound of Waves--Yukio Mishima.

Set in post..."
I need to add this to my TBR

See that read a book a day idea I referenced on another post is getting more and more appealing. How else will I read through my books/TBR before my 400th birthday?

No kidding! Often our Challenges have a "Romance" prompt, you could save this for next year's challenge, if desired.

#46 Denise wrote:
See that read a book a day idea I referenced on another post is getting more and more appealing. How else will I read through my books/TBR before my 400th birthday?"

:)

Petra wrote: "Hailey wrote: "Hello everyone! So I read a total of four books for the month of August...."

Hailey, your month is concentrated on continuing reading series. It's nice to see that they are continui..."

Thank you, Petra. I definitely agree!

Though I will say that Here, There Be Dragons is the first entry of The Chronicles of the Imaginarium Geographica series.

Also, I've heard of Robinson Crusoe, but I can't say that I remember reading it, so it was pretty interesting to read your take on it and how the book just basically crashed and burned when it took the focus off the survival stuff.

If you're looking for a much better survival story, I highly recommend Hatchet by Gary Paulsen.

Marie wrote: "For August I read a few.

The Devil's in the Next Room by John Durgin - 4 stars.
My Review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[book:End of Watch..."

Glad to hear your August was solid, Marie!

Magician sounds like a lot of fun and I love the cover for it. Simple and elegant, but with a touch of playfulness.

The Envelope sounds pretty cool too.

I added both to my TBR.