What I Read and Loved | August 2024

Seven books, a great app, and more

Photo by Akshika Singh on Unsplash

August always feels like the Sunday night of months. As I get further and further into August, I start getting that sense of unrest that means my summer break is almost over. Thankfully, I love my school library job, but summer break is always a much-needed gift. Having time to prioritize rest and joy is an immense privilege, and it can be hard to let go of that freedom and exchange it for alarm clocks and meetings.

I returned to work last Monday, and I’m still adjusting. Students return next week, and I’m excited about the energy they’ll bring with them. I could definitely use some extra energy!

Despite my complicated relationship with August, it turned out to be an incredible reading month. I read seven books, three of which earned five stars. I can’t wait to share my thoughts with you, so let’s dive in.

What I Read

My Brilliant Friend by Elene Ferrante; translated by Ann Goldstein: Set in post-World War II Italy, My Brilliant Friend begins the story of friends Elena and Lila. This volume, the first of the Neapolitan quartet, follows the girls through childhood and adolescence. Elena is intelligent and driven, while emotions and anger easily overcome Lila. Elena is fascinated by Lila and can't help but be pulled into her orbit over and over again. While Lila demonstrates scholastic aptitude, Elena is the one who gets to progress in school, while Lila is forced to grow up far too quickly.

If I had a relationship status with My Brilliant Friend, it would be, "It's complicated." I liked this book enough to finish it, but I'll admit that it was a struggle sometimes. I loved and felt invested in some chapters but found others dry and repetitive. The last few chapters are excellent, though, and the book ends with a cliffhanger that intrigues me about book #2.

Part of my disappointment with the novel is that I went into it expecting one thing and was surprised by what was actually on the page. The story is much darker and more violent than I thought it would be, and that's not a fault of the book, just something to note. Overall, My Brilliant Friend was a good read, but I'll confess that I don't get the adoration it's received. If you love this book, I'd love to hear why in the comments and if I should try the second book in the series, The Story of a New Name.

Headshot by Rita Bullwinkel: Headshot is set over one weekend in Reno as eight teenage girl boxers fight for a championship. Each girl gets her own chapter, and readers find out what led her to box, what she's feeling during the competition, and, through occasional flash-forwards, where she'll eventually end up.

I loved this storytelling style in which each chapter was like a short story that connected with all the others. The format is great, but the writing is, too. I was invested in each character, like the girl who witnessed a child drowning as she worked as a lifeguard or the pair of cousins who boxed together. Each character is well-developed, and their stories contain the highs and lows of teenage emotion and relationships, told in striking prose.

Headshot is shortlisted for the Booker Prize, and I'm thrilled it's on the list. Though this is an adult novel, older teens who appreciate good writing would love it. I can think of a couple of girls I know who would devour this fantastic book about strong, determined young women. Headshot deserves more attention from readers, so I hope you pick it up soon.

The God of the Woods by Liz Moore: It's August 1975, and summer camp is in session. Panic ensues one morning when a counselor notices an empty bunk. Thirteen-year-old Barbara Van Laar is missing, the daughter of the camp's owner. Her closest friend in the cabin doesn't know where she went, just that she'd been sneaking out at night. Barbara isn't the only Van Laar to have vanished. Over a decade earlier, her brother disappeared, never to be found. As the search begins for Barbara, the authorities can't help but make connections to her brother. Who are the Van Laars, really? And who else in town might have reason to abduct another child?

Thanks to the engrossing summer camp setting and stellar literary mystery, The God of the Woods is the perfect summer read. I love that the book is plot-driven and character-driven. Each character is complex, and I enjoyed learning their stories as the novel progressed. If you appreciate the dark atmosphere of Tana French and the propulsive storytelling of Donna Tartt, you'll love The God of the Woods. Plus, that cover is all kinds of dreamy.

James by Percival Everett: In this reimagining of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Percival Everett focuses on Huck's enslaved companion, Jim. When he finds out he's about to be sold and forced to leave his beloved wife and daughter, Jim runs away, hoping to make it to a free state and get a chance to buy back his family. Huck finds him, and the two journey together.

Everett tells a fast-paced story packed full of adventures and hijinks. It's funny but also heartbreaking. The satire is perfection. James is a rich character whose intelligence and wit help him survive his brutal life.

Even though this book has been getting a ton of positive buzz, I didn't think I would like it since I'm not that interested in retellings and hadn't read Twain's book in many years. I'm grateful I followed my curiosity because I was invested in James from the very beginning. It's one of the best books I've read in 2024 so far, and I hope you'll pick it up if you haven't yet.

The Most by Jessica Anthony: It's an unusually warm Sunday in November 1957. Virgil Beckett takes his sons to church while his wife, Kathleen, stays home. She's hot and decides to get into her family's apartment complex pool. When her family returns home, she's still there and refuses to come out. Set over a few hours, The Most examines what looks to be a happy family and strong marriage.

This book is a slim 144 pages and could have been longer. The story was over just as I felt like it was getting started. Despite that complaint, I enjoyed how Jessica Anthony explored male and female gender roles and how those expectations left people frustrated and, in some cases, broken. Kathleen was a promising tennis star who couldn't help but wonder what might have been while Virgil struggled to find fulfillment in his marriage, career, or role as a father. Pick up The Most if you like nuanced stories about women's internal lives. Speaking of. . .

Same As It Ever Was by Claire Lombardo: Julia Ames is in her late 50s. She's been married to Mark for about 30 years. Her 24-year-old son has just made a shocking announcement, and her teen daughter is graduating from high school. Everything in Julia's world is changing, so she starts reflecting on her past, including an important friendship with an older woman.

Julia is a complicated character who grew up with an absent father and an emotionally unavailable mother. Her childhood scars have shaped her life in obvious and not-so-obvious ways, and she has a hard time acknowledging her pain and where it came from, which can be frustrating for her husband and kids.

While Julia is the novel's center, the other characters each have important roles to play. Same As It Ever Was is a messy family drama about relationships between spouses, friends, and parents and children. I liked the book’s depiction of intergenerational friendship, and I also relished the up-close look at a marriage that felt very real. At nearly 500 pages, this book could have been shorter and just as effective, but I found most of the novel gripping despite the length.

The story contains light and funny moments and completely heartbreaking moments in which I cried like a tiny newborn. That range of emotion mirrors real life, something I always appreciate in fiction. If you're a fan of Ann Patchett or Jonathan Franzen, you'll delight in this moving novel about a flawed but ultimately lovable woman who's trying to be the person that those she loves believe she can be.

Men Have Called Her Crazy by Anna Marie Tendler: Anna Marie Tendler might be known as the ex-wife of comedian John Mulaney, but this book is not a rehashing of their relationship or breakup. Instead, Tendler focuses her narrative during the Covid pandemic when she checked herself into a psychiatric hospital due to depression and extreme suicidal ideation. She details the hospital house she lived in with other female roommates, having made it clear to her doctor that she was unwilling to cohabitate with men thanks to a string of heartbreaks and hurts.

In addition to her mental health, Tendler also discusses her parents' divorce and complicated relationships with her mom and dad. When a psychiatrist tries to explain how her mom's rage affected her childhood, Tendler writes that she wishes he could see the times her mom drove her to school or cooked with her. She's more than one thing, Tendler notes, a good reminder that all of us are more than our wounds and worst impulses.

Men Have Called Her Crazy is a raw story about a woman's struggle to survive in a world that hasn't always been kind to her. There are graphic depictions of self-harm, suicidal thoughts, misogyny, and debilitating depression, so keep that in mind if you decide to read this memoir. I'm thankful for vulnerable people like Tendler who are brave enough to share the darkness in their stories as it shines a light for others to know they're not alone.

What I Loved

WEBSITE/APP: Trello

Since I’m back at work, I’ve started using Trello again. I’ve used this website/app for years, but I don’t think I’ve mentioned it here before. Trello is a free productivity tool for making boards, lists, and categories. I work in five schools, so I love that Trello allows me to create boards for each site. Within that board, I can have several lists populated with what Trello calls “cards.” For each school, I track my daily to-do list, upcoming projects, things to be discussed, and supplies I need to re-order. I have another Trello board in which I track book display ideas. Trello makes it easy to stay organized while going between different sites, ensuring that I don’t forget what I need to do at each school. It’s an essential resource for me.

MUSIC: My “new” piano

This is Penelope. I bought her at a thrift store for $40 over the summer. As a kid, I took piano lessons for about seven years and continued playing intermittently ever since. I’ve only had a keyboard in recent years, and it was never the same as playing on a real piano. I’d wanted a piano for a while, and when I saw Penelope, it was love at first sight.

Playing music again has brought me such joy. When I was taking lessons, I practiced for recitals or because my teacher expected me to. Now, I play because it makes me happy. It’s also nice to feel proud when I hear myself improving on a song or notice my sight-reading skills getting better. Penelope has been worth every penny of my $40. Having her has been a great reminder of the importance of doing activities just because they’re fun. (She also makes a lovely home for my Penguin drop caps collection.)

What I Wrote

This was a guest post:

Nine Book Recs for Pocketful of Prose Readers

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What did you read and love in August? Have you read any of the books I enjoyed this month? Tell me everything.