August Book Report: Quick Reviews of What I’ve Been Reading

Hello! Another month has passed and, as I often do, I’m following the lead of Modern Mrs. Darcy and sharing quick reviews of what I’ve been reading.

A word about these reviews: I generally don’t finish books I don’t like so if a book makes this report I was at least interested enough to read to the end. Some books I like better than others, obviously, but this month I really enjoyed all three books.

Also, this post contains Amazon affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. More details are here if you’re interested.

Now, onto the books…

Hello, Summer by Mary Kay Andrews. I read Mary Kay’s new release every summer and I always know I’m going to enjoy it but this may be my favorite of hers so far. Our main character, Conley Hawkins, returns to her hometown after her promising journalism career hits a major bump in the road. Despite her misgivings, she agrees to work for her family’s struggling, small town newspaper while trying to figure out what’s next and finds herself covering the mysterious death of a local Congressman. A little mystery, a little journalism, and a little romance, this story is the perfect escapist reading for the end of summer.

The Night Swim by Megan Goldin. This was my Book of the Month Club choice for last month and I’m so glad I took the chance on it. Rachel Krall has a popular true crime podcast, but she keeps a low profile so she’s surprised when, on her way to cover a rape trial in a small North Carolina town, someone leaves a note on her car asking her to look into their sister’s death in the same town 25 years earlier. As Rachel reaches the town and becomes immersed in the trial she’s there to cover (a young swimmer with Olympic aspirations is accused of raping a local high school girl) the mysterious notes keep coming and she finds herself drawn into this new story from a generation earlier. The premise of this book, with the podcast element, was so interesting to me.

In the Shadow of Statues: A White Southerner Confronts History by Mitch Landrieu. Mitch Landrieu is the former mayor of New Orleans who in 2017 made the controversial decision to remove four Confederate monuments from the city. The speech he gave to the citizens of New Orleans explaining that decision went viral and sparked a national conversation about the subject. The final chapter of this book covers that decision but the rest of the book is equally compelling reading about Landrieu’s experiences growing up in a prominent Louisiana political family (his father Moon Landrieu was a judge and also a mayor of New Orleans, and his sister Mary is the former US Senator from Louisiana), and his experiences as mayor, including the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. I listened to the audiobook, which is read by the author in his unmistakable Louisiana accent and makes for enjoyable listening.

What have you read lately? Anything good? I’d love to hear.