The summer days are getting shorter, but we’ve still got some lovely sunny afternoons to enjoy by the beach or pool. Before we get too close to the fall, grab your towel and a cool drink and pick up one of Sandy’s selections for August. She’s got something for everyone this month, from international thrillers to historical fiction; you’re sure to find something you enjoy. I’m always delighted when I see something on her list that another person just recommended to me. This month, it’s Two Nights in Lisbon by Chris Pavone – I can’t wait to settle in and get started!
Not My First Rodeo is not a book about politics; it is the story of growing up on a ranch and how a blessed life of true grit taught Kristi Noem how to lead. It includes honest glimpses into marriage, motherhood, and leadership in an unpredictable time. Not My First Rodeo shows that Kristi’s can-do attitude came from her family’s influence, faith, and a strong work ethic that developed since childhood.
Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow is a story about two friends who are often in love but never lovers—who work as creative partners in the world of video game design. Their success brings them fame, joy, and tragedy. Spanning thirty years, the novel examines the nature of identity, disability, success and failure, and our need to connect: to be loved and to love.
Two Nights in Lisbon is a dynamic and original story of a wife who wakes up in her hotel room alone. Her husband seems to be gone – no warning, no note, and not answering his phone. This is a masterly, sleek, sophisticated novel about love and marriage. Two Nights in Lisbon is a riveting thriller about a woman under pressure, thinking about how far she can go when everything is on the line.
The It Girl is a psychological thriller about a murder in Oxford and the person who may have been responsible for the conviction of the wrong man for the crime. The narrative alternates between “before” and “after” the crime, with a familiar plot and familiar characters. On the plus side, it is well-written, and all the characters are suspicious of the murder at one point or another.
The India vs. China plot in Rising Tiger involves negotiating an Asian version of NATO. The plan is to bring the United States, Australia, India, and Japan together to counter the growing threat from China. Rising Tiger is an intense thriller with America’s top spy willing to risk everything to untangle an explosive plot and bring every bad actor to justice. Fast-paced twists and turns.
The Second Husband is a clever and well-executed psychological thriller. A woman’s seemingly perfect second marriage is rocked by a discovery about the mysterious murder of her first husband. When she discovers that her first meeting with The Second Husband was not actually her first meeting, things start to spiral out of control, and she wonders who she should trust.
The Woman in White is the story of a ghostly woman who warns a Victorian heiress about a count and his baron cohort who are after her fortune. This 1860 novel was very successful and published as a series in a magazine owned by the author’s friend, Charles Dickens. There have been many adaptations in theaters, films, movies, and 2018, BBC-TV series with 5 episodes.
In Case You Missed It: Here’s Sandy’s summer reading list from August 2020!
Can you believe this month is already halfway gone? This summer reading list for August will entertain you with stories about a woman running for President, Shakespeare’s son Hamnet, Beethoven’s lovers, a psychological thriller, and historical fiction about the New York Public Library. All by women authors, all new releases, and selected exclusively for PrimeWomen! Enjoy reading these great new books!
Your Second Act: Inspiring Stories of Reinvention is an inspirational book about reinventing yourself in life from actress Patricia Heaton, star of Everybody Loves Raymond. She shares wisdom from her personal journey and insight from 14 courageous people navigating life transitions.
Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell | Shakespearean Fan Fiction
This beautiful book reimagines Shakespeare’s little-explored home life in Stratford-upon-Avon, mostly in 1596, when his 11-year-old son Hamnet dies of the plague. This family is complicated and troubled yet brimming with love and passion.
A Harvard graduate and the first female African American emergency room physician explores how each of us is physically, emotionally, or psychologically broken. The Beauty in Breaking: A Memoir takes us from injustice and heartbreak to healing and hope.
A must-read for music lovers, The Woman in the Moonlight: A Novel is about Beethoven’s life, music, and lovers. You’ll enjoy this epic tale of love, loss, rivalry, and political intrigue in Vienna during the 18th Century. Well written and well documented.
Cleo McDougal is a Presidential candidate, an ambitious politician with a complicated story about having power, losing power, abusing power, flaunting it, sharing it, and craving it. This is a sharp and funny novel about truth and consequences in the world of politics.
This is a chilling mystery of a woman with a forgotten past and a town with dark secrets. White Out’s storylines twist and turn and combine, revealing loss, fear, and love in a riveting, compelling, and constantly surprising tale of lives forgotten and lives found.
This novel tells the secrets of the famous New York Public Library and the family whose lives are intertwined with it in 1913 and again in 1993. It’s the story of their lost dreams and the redemption that comes from discovering the truth about missing rare books that were assumed to be stolen. It’s a perfect read for fans of female-driven historical fiction.
