August in Chicago is a point of contention. For summer lovers, August is the last month of guaranteed sunshine and festivals. For me, it is a soggy humid month which challenges my sanity. I was not built for this heat. So, when I set up my reading plan for the year I thought I would read Australia books this month. It is a place I cannot wait to visit, and I thought the heat would make the books feel more authentic.
I didn't get as many read as I wanted to, however, because I planned my reading list poorly. This is not Australia's fault!
AUSTRALIA READING
All three nonfiction books!
Secrets of Women's Healthy Ageing is based on the longest running study on women's health from Australia. The introduction was powerful and uplifting. The rest of the book was largely common sense (eat well, exercise, don't isolate) along with notations about how women have been ignored by science. If I hadn't already read Unwell Women and Invisible Women, I think it would have been more eyeopening. It left me wanting more information about how the women in the study were doing.
After reading You're Doing in Wrong I picked up Kaz Cooke's Real Gorgeous. This book was super cute....but it was not for women my age. I only wish I had this book when I was in high school instead of all the misinformation I gleaned from Seventeen Magazine.
Finally, while this may not seem connected, the How to ADHD book was inspired by an Australian connection. This was a good book for understanding ADHD a little more, or rather, how the author's experience with ADHD has been. I cannot say that I recommend it, it is a YouTuber who largely repeats other scientists work and provides a lot of her own experience, but, I learned something.
BOOKS NOT ON THEME
The best thing I ever did for myself was subscribe to Kindle Unlimited. August was another month of insomnia and Lucy Score's books kept me company. I love (love) the Riley Thorn series and The Body in the Backyard was a new one in the series for me. How I managed to read book 4 but not 2 and 3.....ah well, I will save those for another time. These little murder mysteries with psychic Riley and the ridiculous senior citizen neighbors is a fun filled cast of characters to keep me company all night.
After that book, I downloaded a Blue Moon I hadn't read. Living in a big city like Chicago can make you romanticize small town life and there is no small town cuter than Blue Moon. Apparently, every single man in this small town walked straight off a firefighter calendar. That's okay, I was able to suspend my disbelief long enough to enjoy the match up between the writer Eva and the Sheriff.
I Only Read Murder by Ian and Will Ferguson was a bit uneven. The main character was very hard to like, even when she had moments of redemption. She leaves her cushy life in Hollywood after every single avenue back to fame has been closed to her to travel to Happy Rock. I will say, while the main character fell flat, the people of Happy Rock delivered. However, they didn't bring me enough joy to want to return.
DID NOT FINISH
I was so excited to read about the Great Emu War. This was partly my fault since I didn't realize that this was historical fiction. The book had a shocking number of characters and went through huge periods of time and I just couldn't keep track of anything. I felt like I had been trapped in the corner of a party by someone harping on about something they love...I finally had to just get away.
A friend asked me to buddy read Rabbit, Run and I was so happy to read with someone! But, at 30%, I quit. Ugh. Why is this book popular? Why is this a series? Who is reading these books!?! I will say, Updike is an amazing writer. Even while I hated Rabbit, I did like the way Updike wrote. Sadly, Rabbit is too big of an ass to take up any more of my time so I put it in the DNF pile.
Tell me, please! What did you read this month?
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