The following is a short review of the six books I read during the month of August 2020, in order by author. Any and all of them would be great book club picks! All titles are shoppable by clicking on the cover images above. Read on for my August 2020 book recommendations. Enjoy!
The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh
I re-read this novel this month. It’s one of my favorites! It centers around Victoria Jones, who grew up in the foster care system. Her life thus far has been filled with disappoint and rejection, and all she has learned about people is that they can’t be trusted. She has a passion for the Victorian-era language of flowers, in which flowers were used to convey certain expressions and meaning.
Now, Victoria is eighteen and emancipated from the system with nowhere to go. She starts her new life, realizing that she has a gift for selecting flowers for people that actually seems to make an impact in their lives. I don’t want to give any more away, just trust me on this one!
Click to purchase The Language of Flowers:
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
This one was another re-read and another one of my favorites! I guess I was feeling nostalgic this month.
Anyway, there was a movie adaptation of this novel back in 2011 starring Reese Witherspoon and Robert Pattinson – did you see it? Well, as is true with most novels, the movie is never as good. So if you’ve already seen the movie, you should still consider reading this one!
Jacob Jankowski is a lost soul who stumbles into the circus world. A veterinary student who fell just short of earning his degree, Jacob instantly connects with the various circus animals and provides them with incredible care. He is especially smitten with an elephant named Rosie, who’s been deemed untrainable by the other circus members.
Jacob is determined to redeem Rosie in everyone else’s eyes, and in the process of working with her gains the attention of Marlena, an equestrian dancer who happens to be married to the circus animal trainer.
Set in the 1930’s, this novel is written beautifully and really takes you into the world of the novel.
Click to purchase Water for Elephants:
The Book of Unknown Americans by Cristina Henriquez
This breakout novel is so beautifully written and heartbreakingly written, and I loved each of the characters. Each chapter is told in the voice of one of the characters in the novel.
The novel centers around the Rivera family, who have just packed up their lives in Mexico to move to the United States. They hope for a better life fort their daughter Maribel, who suffered a near-fatal accident in Mexico. They don’t realize how difficult their transition to American life will be.
In America, they meet the Toro family, whose youngest son Mayor quickly falls for Maribel. And unlike everyone else, Mayor sees Maribel as so much more than damaged.
Fair warning: the ending is heartbreaking. This is a beautifully written story that serves as a glimpse into the lives of immigrants in the United States.
Click to purchase The Book of Unknown Americans:
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
If you’re a fantasy lover and you haven’t read this one yet, you’re really missing out! This is one of the best fantasy novels I have ever read.
Maas is an excellent story teller that weaves an amazing fictional universe with her words. She also has some of the best character development out there.
Feyre lives with her father and two sisters, and the family is barely scraping by. Feyre hunts in the woods outside their home to keep the family alive, and one day she is forced to kill a wolf in order to bag the deer it was pursuing. But it turns out, the wolf was actually a faerie, and as punishment, Feyre is dragged to world of the faeries.
Click to purchase A Court of Thorns and Roses:
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
This book has been on the New York Times Bestseller list for months, and with good reason! This novel really sucked me in.
Kya, known to the locals as the “Marsh Girl”, has spent her life on the outskirts of society. When one of the town’s handsome locals is found dead, Kya is immediately suspected. The “Marsh Girl” is not what she seems to the locals, though.
I don’t want to give away too much of this one. It’s likely you’ve already heard whispers about it. I went into it without knowing anything about the story, and I think I was better off for it.
It has a great twist at the end – one of the best I’ve read!
Click to purchase Where the Crawdads Sing:
Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough
My monthly book list wouldn’t be complete without some sort of suspense novel.
Louise is a stressed-out and stretched-thin single mom who on a rare night out finds herself smitten with a man she meets. They exchange only a kiss.
When she arrives at her new job the following Monday, she’s horrified to find that man is her new boss! Oh, and he also happens to be married to Adele, the woman that Louise has just recently befriended. Talk about awkward!
A third party friend warns Louise to stay away from the couple, but Louise is like a moth to a flame. She becomes caught up in David and Louise’s relationship, worried something is very wrong. If she only knew how wrong, she might have taken her friend’s advice to stay away…
I never could have predicted the end of this one!
Click to purchase Behind Her Eyes:
Looking for further book recommendations? Read my post here for my book recommendations from April 2020 or this post for my July 2020 recommendations.
This post may contain affiliate links. This means that if you click on a link and purchase a product, I may receive a small commission for it. However, all opinions are genuine and I would never link or recommend a product that I didn’t fully believe in and trust.
I cannot thank you enough for the post. Much thanks again. Really Great. Hilliary Byram Riancho
I really like your writing style, excellent information, thanks for putting up : D. Shaun Alix Meijer Ira Zebadiah Dale
Hiya, I am really glad I have found this info. Nowadays bloggers publish just about gossip and net stuff and this is really frustrating. A good blog with interesting content, that is what I need. Thanks for making this web site, and I will be visiting again. Do you do newsletters by email? Sherilyn Artemas Debora