Mini-Reviews of Recent Reads – August 2024
August 2024 reviews of How to Plot Payback, Five-Star Stranger, One of Our Kind, The God of the Woods, The Wedding People, and Slow Dance
This post may include affiliate links. That means if you click and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission. Please see Disclosures for more information.
You can’t beat a month of reading with multiple five-star or near-five-star books!
Yes, there were a couple of books that I don’t highly recommend from this past month, but the winners overshadowed them and kept me happily reading throughout the month.
What books are rounding out your summer reading?
The God of the Woods
Author: Liz Moore
Publish Date: July 2, 2024
Source: Book of the Month
Genres: Literary Fiction, Mysteries & Thrillers
One summer morning in 1975, 13-year-old Barbara Van Laar goes missing from summer camp. Barbara is the daughter of the family that owns the camp, and 14 years prior, her brother had also gone missing. He was never found. As the story jumps between past and present, we learn the complicated history of the Van Laars, as well as the locals with ties to the wealthy family.
These past few years, I’ve found literary mysteries to be a satisfying alternative to the more trendy “thrillers with a twist” that get a lot of hype. The God of the Woods is another excellent addition to the sub-genre, with well-drawn characters, a slow unfolding of multiple mysteries, and an intriguing puzzle that comes together nicely. Recommended for readers who don’t need fast-paced thrills with their mysteries.
Five-Star Stranger
Author: Kat Tang
Publish Date: August 6, 2024
Source: Book of the Month
Genres: Contemporary Fiction
Our main character is a five-star stranger-for-rent on the app Rental Stranger. He makes his living by pretending to be fiances, mourners, dates, wedding guests–whatever people need. He’s a master chameleon, and his longest-running client is a single mother who has hired him to pretend to be a father to her daughter. But her daughter is getting older now, and things are getting more complicated–especially when a client threatens to expose the ruse. He’s forced to confront what led him to this life devoid of real connections–and how he really feels about his pretend daughter.
The premise of this novel was fascinating, and this is one of very few times when a nameless narrator worked for me (it’s usually a pet peeve). The various stranger jobs added entertainment alongside the more character-driven reflections that grounded this novel. While I wished the ending had been a bit more fleshed out, this one will stick with me.
Get 30+ free printable reading lists and Explode Your TBR when You Subscribe to Updates
Audiobooks
Slow Dance
Author: Rainbow Rowell
Publish Date: July 30, 2024
Source: Libro.fm ALC
Genres: Contemporary Fiction, Romance
Shiloh and Cary were best friends in high school. Everyone thought they would end up together, but Shiloh was going to college and Cary to the Navy, and their friendship was too important. But they haven’t spoken in 14 years. Shiloh is divorced with two kids, and Cary is back in town for their friend’s wedding. And when they see each other, it’s like nothing’s changed–and everything’s changed.
I just loved this sweet story of second-chance romance, friendship, and coming to terms with the past. The story jumps between past and present (and my only criticism is that it occasionally took a bit to orient to which time we were in, on the audiobook), and we get a clear picture of Shiloh and Cary’s history and what makes their connection so special. I love a romance that starts with a strong friendship, so this hit all the right notes for me.
The Wedding People
Author: Alison Espach
Narrator: Helen Laser
Publish Date: July 30, 2024
Source: Libro.fm ALC
Genres: Contemporary Fiction
Phoebe is finally staying in the luxury Rhode Island inn she and her husband had planned to visit for years. But this visit is nothing like they dreamed: she’s alone, since he left her for another woman, her cat has just died, and she’s there to end her life. She’s also the only guest in the hotel who is not there for the week-long wedding extravaganza. She’s quickly mistaken for a guest, and when the bride finds out her plans, she quickly takes her into the fold (mostly so the wedding won’t be ruined).
Soon she finds herself part of the festivities, forging an unlikely (and very funny) friendship with the flighty bride, as well as other unexpected connections. Filled with fantastic characters, heartfelt moments, realistic portrayals of mental health struggles, and funny interactions, I enjoyed this from start to finish.
One of Our Kind
Author: Nicola Yoon
Narrator: Nicole Lewis
Publish Date: June 11, 2024
Source: Libro.fm ALC
Genres: Contemporary Fiction, Mysteries & Thrillers
When Jasmyn and King move their family to the Black utopian community of Liberty, they expect to find like-minded people interested in social justice activism. Instead, everyone seems mostly indifferent and devoted to the wellness center in the community–which King soon settles into as well. Jasmyn can’t shake the feeling that something is off–and things just get weirder when the few allies she has also seem to turn indifferent.
In the same way that Jasmyn felt something was “off” with the community, something felt very off about this book. Jasmyn’s concern about racism is heavy-handed and is her whole personality; we never see her as a mother, wife, friend, or professional. As the story progresses, it becomes increasingly anti-Black and veers into some truly disturbing directions. None of it is subtle, and while there were some interesting germs of ideas here, the story ignored them and instead landed like an anvil. (I recommend reading the Goodreads reviews for perspectives from Black readers.)
How to Plot a Payback
Author: Melissa Ferguson
Narrator: Fiona Hardingham & Steve West
Publish Date: April 2, 2024
Source: Libro.fm ALC
Genres: Contemporary Fiction, Romance
Finn is a screenwriter who’s just been offered his dream job on the sitcom Neighbors. The only problem? The star of the show, Lavender Rhodes, is his old nemesis from his school days. She doesn’t realize it, but years ago she ruined his chances at an acting career–while launching her own. Finn would really like to get some revenge, and his role as a writer may give him the perfect chance. The problem? Lavender is perfectly charming, and Finn feels bad every time his attempts at small revenge backfire.
This was cutely written–dogs! A Friends-like show!–with kind of a ridiculous premise. I found it hard to get past the idea of a successful grown man holding onto such grudges and plotting small acts of revenge. There was much more comedy than romance in this rom-com, which was fitting, because the romance didn’t land very well for me. Overall fine, but not a must-read.
Pin this!
