What I read in August

Anthea Booysen August reads.jpg

Last month was one awesome reading month! I read 4 books, 2 of which were on my TBR list.

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The Authenticity Project by Clare Pooley

The Plot: Julian is a lonely elderly man who is tired of hiding the way he feels. He starts The Authenticity Project in a notebook where he writes down facts of his life.

Monica is a coffee shop owner and when she finds his notebook, she is inspired to write her own story and then leave the book for someone else to find it.

And so 6 strangers meet with one thing in common. The life they are portraying to others isn’t always what they are experiencing themselves.

What I thought: I enjoyed the story and characters - they are introduced gradually as Julian’s notebook brings them together. There is alot of feeling in the chapters - the characters make themselves vulnerable by opening up regarding hidden truths in the notebook. The topic of social media and how fake it can be was an interesting subject.

My Goodreads rating: 4 stars

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The Housemate by C L Pattison

The plot: Best friends Megan and Chloe find the perfect house to share but to cover rent they need a housemate. Megan isn’t sure about Samantha and wonders if she is hiding something. Why does their new housemate have no friends and never mention her family? When Samantha moves in, strange things start happening in the house and Megan and Chloe start to worry they have made a terrible mistake.

What I thought: You know when you think you have guessed the plot to a book? Well I was 100% wrong! This book has more twists and turns than a rollercoaster.

I did wish that Megan and Chloe had communicated better with each other throughout the book. But I couldn’t put it down. There are chilling chapters scattered throughout the book told from a young girl’s perspective. From the start of the book, you get a feeling something terrible is going to happen and there is nothing Megan and Chloe can do to stop it. It is a super creepy book!

My Goodreads rating: 4 stars

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Just My Luck by Adele Parks

The Plot: For fifteen years Lexi and Jake along with two other couples have played the same lottery numbers each week. The 6 friends are close and their Saturday evening dinners are a routine that is part of their lives.

Until one evening there is huge a fallout.

And then the following Saturday their numbers are the only winning ones chosen in the lottery draw.

Lexi and Jake have the ticket and now their friends are willing to do anything to get their share.

What I thought: This book started off as a real page turner, then it seemed to slow down, then pick up again. Jake and alot of the characters are quite dislikable. Jake is instantly changed by the money (I personally found it vulgur in a few chapters) while Lexi tries to keep her feet on the ground. Their friends who were willing to end their friendship a week previously and their change in attitude the moment their ticket is a winner makes for interesting reading.

I didn’t guess all of the surprises but some I did from early in the book.

My Goodreads rating: 4 stars (3.5 in my opinion)

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The Little Book of Hygge by Meik Wiking

What it is about: Meik Wiking is the CEO of the Happiness research Institute in Copenhagen and he shares in this book ways to make life more hygge. You will know hygge when you feel it. It is the feeling you get snuggled up on the couch, or lighting candles, or sipping coffee while it pours with rain outside.

Wiking shares ways to incorporate this into everyday life. It is about taking pleasure in soothing and cosy things.

What I thought: I loved reading this in winter! When the weather is cold and rainy, this book is perfect to enjoy with a cup of tea (or hot chocolate) while sitting under a warm blanket. The Author shares ways to enjoy hugge all year round and tips on making your home cosy, gives ideas of activities and there are even recipes.

My Goodreads rating: 4 stars.

Linking up with Steph https://www.lifeaccordingtosteph.com/ and Jana http://janasays.com/ for what I consider to be the best book club ever. We read and we post reviews. Steph and Jana host an amazing blog link up which means we can share what books we are loving (or not) without putting on pants and leaving the house. It is awesome to say the least.

xx

Anthea Booysen22 Comments