Unfortunately summer in Ohio doesn’t last forever. Soon it will be time to pull the winter coats out of the closet. Until then, lets continue to bask in the summer sun and read a few more books that give us that summer vacation feel we all know and love. No matter your taste there is sure to be a book on this list that peaks your interest.
Literary Fiction: The Wedding People (Alison Espach)
TW: severe depression, suicide, death of parent/partner/pets, cheating, (all described in detail – please take care when reading.)
“A propulsive and uncommonly wise novel about one unexpected wedding guest and the surprising people who help her start anew. It’s a beautiful day in Newport, Rhode Island, when Phoebe Stone arrives at the grand Cornwall Inn wearing a green dress and gold heels, not a bag in sight, alone. She’s immediately mistaken by everyone in the lobby for one of the wedding people, but she’s actually the only guest at the Cornwall who isn’t here for the big event. Phoebe is here because she’s dreamed of coming for years—she hoped to shuck oysters and take sunset sails with her husband, only now she’s here without him, at rock bottom, and determined to have one last decadent splurge on herself. Meanwhile, the bride has accounted for every detail and every possible disaster the weekend might yield except for, well, Phoebe and Phoebe’s plan—which makes it that much more surprising when the two women can’t stop confiding in each other. It turns absurdly funny and devastatingly tender, Alison Espach’s The Wedding People is ultimately an incredibly nuanced and resonant look at the winding paths we can take to places we never imagined—and the chance encounters it sometimes takes to reroute us.” – Goodreads
Like many books the cover was what initially grabbed my attention (yes, I do judge a book by its cover). The blue waves, celebratory campaign, and millennial peace sign instantly intrigued me. This however is NOT the lighthearted, carefree book that I initially thought that it was. Instead, its a book that navigates grief, difficult expectations, loss, and the seemingly impossible world we live in. If I aloud myself to give 6 stars to a book this would be one of the few that received that impossible rating. This book is a beautiful reminder that life can be changed in a moment by one tiny decision, “inconvenience”, or stranger. This book depicts the highs, lows, and utterly ridiculous things life throws at us each day. It is emotionally insightful (one of my absolute favorite things in a book), humorous, and well written.
My Goodreads Review: (5 stars)
“Honestly wouldn’t be surprised if this is my top read for August….. heck one of my top reads of all time. Such a moving story. There were parts of this book that chipped away at my soul with a chisel particularly the dark, haunting emotions the characters felt. They were each so well developed and complex and I loved it. But, there were also moments where I was literally dying of laughter… particularly the vintage car scene (iykyk). The idea this book focuses on (the love and companionship of strangers) hits me deep in the heart. I am a FIRM believer that most people come into your life for a reason even if it’s just a small lesson you are to learn. Anyways I definitely recommend this book if you love literary fiction and story’s that discus the depth of human interaction and the love between them.”
Mystery: The God of the Woods (Liz Moore)
TW: missing child/death of child, substance use, mental illness, domestic abuse, grief.
“When a teenager vanishes from her Adirondack summer camp, two worlds collide. Early morning, August 1975: a camp counselor discovers an empty bunk. Its occupant, Barbara Van Laar, has gone missing. Barbara isn’t just any thirteen-year-old: she’s the daughter of the family that owns the summer camp and employs most of the region’s residents. And this isn’t the first time a Van Laar child has disappeared. Barbara’s older brother similarly vanished fourteen years ago, never to be found. As a panicked search begins, a thrilling drama unfolds. Chasing down the layered secrets of the Van Laar family and the blue-collar community working in its shadow, Moore’s multi-threaded story invites readers into a rich and gripping dynasty of secrets and second chances. It is Liz Moore’s most ambitious and wide-reaching novel yet.” – Goodreads
The title = Grabbing! The setting = Unbeatable! The premise = Horrifying! A mystery or thriller set at a summer camp? SIGN ME UP! I have read many books with duel characters, some with duel timelines, and even several that had both, but none have been as in depth and complex as this. I can only imagine how difficult it was to keep track of everything while writing this book but Liz did a great job keeping it consistent all the way through. The multiple timelines and characters in their respective timeline(s) aloud the readers to become truly immersed in the story and setting. There is a reason this book was Book of the Month‘s, book of the year!
My Goodreads Review: (4.75 stars)
“First of all, this book was intimidating (it’s length mostly….I think). Don’t get me wrong it was interesting in the beginning but started off a little slow in my opinion. However, once I got about 100 pages in I really started to fly through it. I loved the world and found the imagery in this book spectacular. I think I’m going to find myself thinking about this place and its preserve for a long time. Tiny parts of the book were confusing, but I think everything tied up alright at the end (maybe not in the most straightforward way as some of it seemed a little doubtful) but nonetheless it all tied up. I read a lot of complaints about the timeline and all of the characters. I will agree there are a lot of characters. But I think that made me love it even more. I love the way it was written. I’ve never read a book that had so many timelines and people and things going on. I was truly never bored once getting into the actual mystery. I loved seeing it from all angles allowing me really feel like I was in the story myself. Also, the ending tugged at my heartstrings. Ugh if you know you know!”
Classic: Anne of Green Gables (L.M. Montgomery)
“This heartwarming story has beckoned generations of readers into the special world of Green Gables, an old-fashioned farm outside a town called Avonlea. Anne Shirley, an eleven-year-old orphan, has arrived in this verdant corner of Prince Edward Island only to discover that the Cuthberts-elderly Matthew and his stern sister, Marilla-want to adopt a boy, not a feisty redheaded girl. But before they can send her back, Anne-who simply must have more scope for her imagination and a real home-wins them over completely. A much-loved classic that explores all the vulnerability, expectations, and dreams of a child growing up, Anne of Green Gables is also a wonderful portrait of a time, a place, a family and, most of all, love.”- Goodreads
The saying “the book is better then the movie” is no exception when it comes to Anne of Green Gables. As someone who grew up watching the movies, and later watching the Netflix adaption Ann With and E I can conform the book is better. It is such a cozy story filled with adventure and wonder. You truly can’t help but love Anne and Avonlea.
My Goodreads Review: (5 stars)
“I grew up watching the movies. Then moved on to Anne with an E and now I’ve read the book. I will forever love Anne, her personality and all of her adventures. I will admit it took me a minute to understand some of the phrases from the original text but I am so glad I read the unaltered text. Gil I love you as always, and Mathew, you were the dearest. I can’t wait to share Anne’s story with my daughter(s) someday!”
Romance: Love Resigned (Lauren Asher)
TW: anxiety, depression, child loss, grief, infertility, death of parent
“Julian
If I ever caught on fire, Dahlia Muñoz would fan the flames with a smile.
So, when she returns to Lake Wisteria, I fully intend to avoid the interior designer.
At least until my meddling mother exploits my savior complex.
The faster I help Dahlia find her creative spark, the sooner she will leave town.
But while I was busy getting rid of Dahlia, I overlooked one potential issue.
What happens if I want her to stay?
Dahlia
People say the devil has many faces, but I know only one.
Julian Lopez—my childhood rival and family frenemy.
I vow to steer clear of him while recovering from my broken engagement, but then the billionaire makes an irresistible offer.
Renovate a historic house together and triple our profits.
Our temporary truce becomes compromised as we face years’ worth of denied attraction and mixed emotions.
Giving into our desire is inevitable…but falling in love?
That isn’t part of the plan.
Love Redesigned is a steamy, small town romance about two family friends-turned-childhood rivals. It is the first book in the standalone Lakefront Billionaires series and has a happy ending.” – Goodreads
One of my favorite book boyfriends! The first book I read that really showed grand gestures as a type of love language. The third and final book in the trilogy comes out August 19th 2025. I have yet to read the second as my goal is to reread the this book before continuing the series. Each book is a standalone in the trilogy allowing a reader to choose if they want to read the whole series or just one of them independently. I really enjoyed this book so I don’t mind rereading it and am actually really excited to do so! The small town setting and vibes really feel like summer. Growing up I always loved architecture and interior design so this book was really fun to read as the characters work on making over an old home. Also this book does have some spice in it so look up a guide on chapters to skip if you aren’t interested in reading those parts.
My Goodreads Review: (4.75 stars)
“Dude…….. I love Julian. He is perfect. I will say this book did take me decent amount of time to read because it felt really slow in the beginning, but man did it get good. Oh and Oliver is gross.”
Thriller: One By One (Freida McFadden)
TW: murder
“A night spent sleeping on dirt and leaves is not how Claire Matchett expected to spend her vacation. She thought this would be a break from the stresses of work and raising her young children. A chance to repair her damaged marriage. A week of hiking and hot tubs with two other couple friends. It sounded like heaven. Then Claire’s minivan breaks down on a lonely dirt road. With no cell reception, the group has no choice but to hike the rest of the way to their hotel. But it turns out the woods aren’t as easy to navigate as they thought. Hours later, they are lost. Hopelessly lost. And as they navigate deeper into the woods, the members of their party are struck down mysteriously one by one. Has a wild animal been hunting them? Or is the hunter one of them? But as more time passes, one thing becomes clear: Only one of them will return home alive.” – Goodreads
Let me start by saying I LOVE Freida McFadden! But there are several of her books that I am not as drawn too. This was one of them. I mean how many shows, movies, and other books have followed the plot of a group disappearing/getting killed off one by one? The answer….. A LOT! However, there was something about this book that made it different and particularly enjoyable. Maybe a large part of it was the narration done by Anonymous. There was not a single person in this book that I wasn’t suspicious of other then maybe Claire herself. I will say, I really thought I knew who Anonymous was but I was so wrong! The twists were absolutely twisting in this one! One of my favorite reads of hers thus far!
My Goodreads Review: (4.5 stars)
“READ THIS IN JUNE!! (if you can). I unknowingly read this at the perfect time…..the last week of June. (That is when this all takes place) I will be honest with you, I was not really looking forward to this book. It was one of the books along with The Crash that I figured I wouldn’t enjoy that well because I felt the premise has been done time after time. But Freida had a slightly different twist on this, for starters the fact that they got lost and not actually being at a luxury vacation destination the whole time was nice. Not to mention weird things kept happening, not just a simple slasher plot. The twist at the end was somewhat surprising. However when we found out who anonymous was, I was disappointed because in the flashbacks it didn’t quite make sense. I was picturing it a completely different person so that part disappointed me and that’s why it’s only 4.5 stars. Like I felt what was said during the anonymous chapters contradicts the truth too much and yeah. Anyways, a great summer and I’m so excited to continue her catalog. My goal is 2 every month (audio) – I really love them on audio!
Psychological Thriller: The Compound (Aisling Rawle)
TW: manipulation, control, animal cruelty, child abuse
“Nothing to lose. Everything to gain. Winner takes all. Lily a bored, beautiful twenty-something wakes up on a remote desert compound alongside nineteen other contestants on a popular reality TV show. To win, she must outlast her housemates while competing in challenges for luxury rewards, such as champagne and lipstick, and communal necessities to outfit their new home, like food, appliances, and a front door. The cameras are catching all her angles, good and bad, but Lily has no desire to leave: Why would she, when the world outside is falling apart? As the competition intensifies, intimacy between the players deepens, and it becomes increasingly difficult to distinguish between desire and desperation. When the producers raise the stakes, forcing contestants into upsetting, even dangerous situations, the line between playing the game and surviving it begins to blur. If Lily makes it to the end, she’ll receive prizes beyond her wildest dreams—but what will she have to do to win? Addictive and prescient, The Compound is an explosive debut from a major new voice in fiction and will linger in your mind long after the game ends. – Goodreads
This is where the -ish comes in. I have not actually finished this book yet (hints the reason for no review) however, it is such a fun page turning read! The best way to describe this is love island, with both communal and personal tasks added that have high value rewards. The cover is absolutely stunning and the title draws my dystopian loving brain to attention. While there is subtle mention of some sort of dystopia on the outside of the compound it is not discussed in detail. The imagery in this book is fantastic, though truthfully possibly due to my understanding of the love island universe. I have found The Compound equally if not slightly more bingeable then love island itself. I honestly haven’t been bored once while reading.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read MY FIRST BLOG POST! I am so excited to share more of my favorite stories with you. Please like + share! Feel free to engage with the content on my blog however, I ask that there are NO SPOILERS shared! Thank you and happy reading – Rachael xoxo
Rachael Reads 
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