july: 25, 26, 27, 28 & 29

hello beautiful, by ann napolitano (this is the second book by this author that i've read, and both have made such a small impression on me that i can't remember what the books are about...even this one that i finished just a month before writing this post.  does that mean the titles are boring and vague?  or the writing is flat?  i'm not sure.  i know that this author is popular, but her books fall flat for me.  this one is [thanks, internet, for reminding me] about sibling relationships, marriage, and forgiveness.  if you want a perfectly fine book that may not stick with you, i did enjoy reading this one!)

gather, by kenneth m. cadow (totally moved by this book, a YA one about a boy and his dog in vermont.  i had heard it referred to as a YA version of demon copperhead, which is a reasonable comparison.  i loved this book and would highly recommend it!  after finishing it i learned that the author is a high school principal who wrote this as a covid project and that really filled my heart up even more.)

there will be fire, by rory carroll (i listened to this audiobook at the recommendation of kevin hazzard, the author of american sirens that my book club at school read and then we zoomed with the author.  it's the story of the IRA bombing of a hotel in brighton, england in 1984 and is excellent narrative nonfiction.  i learned a lot and would definitely recommend it!  as a bonus, the audiobook narrator is excellent.)

family meal, by bryan washington (this is the second book by this author that i've read, both set in houston and interesting for that reason.  this is the story of two men, childhood friends, and how they deal with a tragedy and their relationship with each other.  i think the author is a beautiful writer but this book didn't totally enthrall me.)

the god of the woods, by liz moore (i sped through this book, a read with jenna book club pick, and would definitely recommend it!  the author creates a vibrant world at a summer camp where a girl has gone missing, and flashes back to a missing kid 15 years earlier at the same camp. you follow the investigators, the camp counselors, the girl's best friend, her mother, and others...and it winds together a really intriguing story.  a great summer read!)