August’s Must-Read: Join the Bookbie Club Favorites of the Month
As the sun stretches lazily across the August sky, it’s time for another exciting rendezvous with our beloved Bookbie Club Picks.
This month, we delve into captivating narratives that promise to enchant. I’m Not Done with You Yet by Jesse Q. Sutanto takes us on a roller-coaster of emotions, while The Invisible Hour by Alice Hoffman weaves a spellbinding tale.
And don’t miss California Golden by Melanie Benjamin, a mesmerizing journey through the sun-drenched beaches of Southern California.
Tom Lake by Ann Patchett (Family Life Fiction)
Ann Patchett weaves a luminous narrative, exploring familial bonds and rediscovering joy amidst chaos. In the enchanting spring of 2020, Lara’s orchard becomes the backdrop for a poignant journey. Cherries tumble like rubies, igniting a desire for the past. A theater’s embrace, a love named Peter Duke, all unfurl under Ann Patchett’s deft pen.
How to Love Your Daughter by Hila Blum, Translated by Daniella Zamir (Literary Fiction)
Blum’s narrative mosaic delves deep into love’s shadows, unraveling the tender threads that gave way to distance, asking if a fractured bond can mend. Amidst a heart-wrenching estrangement, we see a mother’s longing as she watches on distant streets, the flicker of life through a stranger’s windows, her own grandchildren dancing in the light.
The Bee Sting by Paul Murray (Family Life Fiction)
Can love rewrite their story before time runs out? Amidst spiraling turmoil, the Barnes family grapples with shattered dreams. Dickie’s empire crumbles, Imelda hawks heirlooms, Cass falters, and PJ plots escape. A single twist of fate sparks a quest for redemption, unearthing raw truths and illuminating the fragile bonds that hold them.
I'm Not Done with You Yet by Jesse Q. Sutanto (Psychological Thriller)
Jane’s discontent simmers. A midlist author tethered to an unfulfilling marriage and Bay Area’s weighty mortgage, her heart yearns for the elusive Thalia, her soulmate from Oxford’s cobblestone days. With Thalia’s literary ascent, a chance at revival twinkles. In the labyrinth of New York City, Jane races to rewrite their lost chapter.
The Museum of Human History by Rebekah Bergman (Magical Realism)
Within The Museum of Human History, Maeve’s enigmatic slumber defies time. A chorus of lives converges: Kevin, a guardian of relics; Monique, a refugee artist; Lionel, an entomologist-astronomer; and Evangeline, Maeve’s twin. Bergman’s work is a provocative odyssey questioning humanity’s essence.
Witness by Jamel Brinkley (Short Story Anthology)
Jamel Brinkley’s prose paints a portrait of life’s intricate dance, capturing New York City’s ever-evolving drama with unerring beauty. Witness delves into the profound act of seeing and its consequences. Through ten poignant tales, characters navigate moral dilemmas, seeking connection amid fleeting kindness and heart-wrenching disappointments.
Good Bad Girl by Alice Feeney (Psychological Thriller)
A stolen baby, a lethal care home, and secrets buried for two decades entwine. Edith, resilient at eighty, forms an unlikely alliance. Patience’s deceiving loyalty is shrouded in enigma. Clio, estranged and vulnerable, faces a sinister arrival. In a whirlwind of suspicion, lies, and twists, their tangled fates converge. Good Bad Girl is a heart-pounding thriller where truth hides in shadows.
The Breakaway by Jennifer Weiner (Literary Fiction)
Abby Stern’s life is like a jigsaw puzzle, except it’s missing only a few crucial pieces. Pedaling through Philly with her bike club, childhood sweetheart, and a plus-size attitude, everything seems like a dream come true—until doubts creep in. Enter Sebastian, a blast from the past. Yikes. Cycling to Niagara Falls becomes her comedic soul-searching adventure, complete with surprise guests and a few unexpected bumps. The Breakaway is an uproarious, heartwarming journey of self-discovery.
The Invisible Hour by Alice Hoffman (Historical Fiction)
Mia Jacob’s despair collides with the timeless power of words. A serendipitous encounter with The Scarlet Letter, written almost two hundred years earlier, pivots Mia’s life. Within an oppressive cult, she unearths eerie parallels to her mother’s past. As Mia navigates her life, she discovers literature’s ability to reshape reality and rewrite fate.
The Hundred Loves of Juliet by Evelyn Skye (Romantic Fantasy)
Under the Alaskan sky, Helene and Sebastien’s fates entwine in a love story that defies time. Each encounter—Romeo and Juliet reborn—holds echoes of tragic beauty. Helene, wielding her writer’s pen, strives to break the cycle. A passionate saga of eternal love unfolds, challenging destiny itself. Can they rewrite their tale and find a new forever?
Terrace Story by Hilary Leichter (Family Life Fiction)
Hilary Leichter’s Terrace Story invites readers to a world where ordinary confines yield to extraordinary dimensions. Annie, Edward, and young Rose discover an enigmatic terrace within their small apartment, an oasis conjured by the presence of a friend. As Leichter unravels the repercussions, the narrative morphs into a profound meditation on love, death, and human longing. This novel adeptly explores the emotional landscapes of relationships, transcending time and space.
California Golden by Melanie Benjamin (Literary Saga)
California Golden is a nostalgic ride to the 1960s, where the sun-drenched beaches of Southern California were a playground for legendary surfer Carol Donnelly. Amidst glittering nights and male-dominated waves, her daughters Mindy and Ginger navigate the tides of an unconventional upbringing. In an era of shifting norms, their lives diverge, yet their unbreakable bond becomes a lifeline.
