These are the books I’ve read Summer through Fall 2020, because … COVID.

I know everyone’s opinions on Covid and quarantine vary, and that’s fine, but in our household – we’re taking extreme caution and staying in as much as possible.

Our daughter is virtual learning and I’m working outside the home, but our office is not seeing clients in person. I don’t go to the store, we don’t go out to eat. I wear a mask if I’m outside the house. In turn, I’ve done quite a bit of reading.

Here is a quick rundown of the books I’ve read this summer and fall and my two cents on each. Come back next month for the winter wrap up of what I’ve read.

The Charm of the Defeated and Ten Years Taken by Susannah B. Lewis. Both of these books by author and down right hilarious woman Susannah B. Lewis were purchased as gifts since I went on and on about her and wanted to support a fellow self-published author. Both were wonderful reads, Ten Years Taken being completely different than I expected. The Charm of the Defeated was a delightful look at the South through several different characters and timelines.

Daughters of the Lake and The End of Temperance Dare by Wendy Webb. I’ve read all of Wendy Webb’s books (with the exception of The Haunting of Brynn Wilder that was just released) and I thoroughly enjoy her style of writing. You get caught up in the tale and within pages you’re right there with the characters. If you haven’t read her works, you should. I’d recommend any of them!

Bitter Falls by Rachel Caine
I was sad to hear that author Rachel Caine passed away recently. She’s got a huge volume of work, but I’m most familiar with her Stillhouse Lake series. I have a thing for books with lake houses, houses in the middle of nowhere, decrepit, old mansions. My friend Jeanne bought me my first Rachel Caine book and I was blown away by the nonstop action and despair of the main character. Bitter Falls is the latest in the series and does not disappoint. Check out the entire series and get ready for the next release Heartbreak Bay in March 2021.

The Cat, the Devil and the Last Escape by Shirley Murphy
This book is a spin off of the Joe Grey Mystery series. If you’re not familiar, the Joe Grey mystery series is about a talking cat that solves mysteries and it’s amazing. Jeanne started me on Joe Grey many years ago and I fell in love with him. I could go on and on about these books. They are so special to me because Jeanne loved them so much. Jeanne passed in January 2019 and I feel like any books in this collection are a connection to her.

Almost Missed You by Jessica Strawser
This is the first Jessica Strawser book I’ve read and I fell in love with it. Almost Missed You was a page turner that I couldn’t put down. I rarely find a book that I can’t put down, but this was one of them. I can’t wait to pick up some of her other books!

Silent Lies by Kathryn Croft
This is another author I’ve not read before and picked up this book on a whim. I LOVED IT. Books like this that keep you turning the page and guessing what happens next are so much fun. I kept guessing what would happen next and then second guess myself. By the time it was over, I was exhausted. Great read!

The Legacy, The Unseen and The Misbegotten by Katherine Webb
Some of my favorite authors are Kate Morton and Wendy Webb with their sprawling houses and haunting characters. In looking for something similar, I came across Katherine Webb. I picked up The Legacy first and found a match for what I was looking for! Now I’ve read several of Katherine’s books with some more on their way to me. Check her out if you have any interest in this area of writing – haunting and whimsical historical fiction.

Replica and Rooms by Lauren Oliver
I fell in love with Lauren Oliver’s writing when I read Broken Things last year. It was one of those books that stuck with me. This year, I picked up Vanishing Girls, Replica and Ringer. Now I did this ass backwards and read Ringer before I read Replica, which should have been the other way around. Doesn’t matter. Both books were great. All her books are great. I recently finished Rooms and it blew me away!

Now the book that left a lasting impact most …

Night Road by Kristin Hannah
This was another gift and I’d never read a novel by Kristin Hannah before. I started the book knowing that Kristin Hannah is a huge author with loads of books under her belt. I was excited to see what everyone loved. I couldn’t put this book down. I think I read it in a couple of nights, maybe three. I identified with each character and the heartbreaking lives they were dealt. Ugh. This book tore me up. And not just while I was reading it. For days afterward it stuck with me, plagued me and wore heavy on my heart. It was such an expierence I want to read it again, but I also don’t because it was so emotional and quite a physical read – at least for me. And that is what makes it amazing – a book that can stay with you well after you’ve finished it and put it on the shelf is superb.

That’s my list! Next month I’ll have my wrap up of 2020. I have a few books in the mail to read but not enough. What do you recommend? I’d love to check them out!