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I'm Shay! I’m a cookbook author, lifestyle blogger, travel agency owner, wife and mama who loves making every day special for my family.

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Mix & Match Mama

Books ·

August 2020 Book Review


Hey, hey, hey…IT’S BOOK DAY!!!!

Awwwww!  Friends, I’m so excited!!!  This month, I read four fictional stories and LOVED THEM ALL!  Two of the four were a part of Shay’s Summer Book Club, so just like last month, typically, I don’t publish comments with spoilers, but for today’s books, in the comment section, you can talk spoilers if you want for the TWO books that were in our book club (not the other books).  My review here WILL NOT contain any spoilers for those of you who haven’t read the books yet (just make sure you don’t read the comment section!), but there will be spoilers/discussion in the comment section for everyone who has already read the book(s).  I will not be publishing any comments that are hateful/ugly.  There are a lot of book clubs if you want to express your thoughts in that way, but mine will not be one of them.  You can absolutely say you don’t like a book and list reasons, but we’re going to even keep that in a positive, upbeat way or else it won’t be published for the discussion.

Got it?!

Also, after today, I will resume NOT having a book club.  I think I’m going to keep that a “summer only” thing as I know so many of you count on/love/rely on the comment section for ideas about your next read, so I want to go back to keeping those spoiler-free PLUS, I like the freedom of picking up and putting down any old book I like, so we’re going to take a pause after today’s post.

Let’s do this…the first two books are from our book club and will be discussed in the comment section with spoilers starting with…

The Girl with the Louding Voice

Well dang.

This one was phenomenal.

This book right here could very easily make it into my top three this year.

This novel takes place pretty present day in Nigeria and is about a girl, who at only 14, is sold by her dad into marriage so he can have the money to pay bills.  She has absolutely no interest in marriage as she considers herself an academic and wants to pursue an education, but is thrust into this household with him, his other wives and the life of a girl who will grow up with no other purpose than to serve the man who “owns” her. Oh my word, this is book is hard.  It’s hard, it’s ugly, it’s deep, it’s hopeful, it’s brutal, it’s beautiful…it’s everything in one book.  After I finished it, I had the same feeling I did after reading Where the Crawdads Sing.  You know?  That weird feeling where you realize you loved the book, but at the same time, it was painful to read.  I want to also make it clear that this book covers every topic from rape to death, so I will give this an R rating for content and warn any of you in advance who are sensitive to those topics.  This book is highly emotional and a roller-coaster ride throughout every page about overcoming insurmountable odds.  It’s an amazing book.  I hope you read it!

The second book in our book club this month was LIGHT and BRIGHT…

The Boyfriend Project

Whew!  I needed light and bright after reading such a hard book before.

This novel checks every box!  Cute, funny, charming, great cast of characters, a little love, a little mystery, a lot of great food references and best of all, it takes place in Texas, so lots of fun references for us Lone Star State-ers!   The real meat of this chick lit though, in my opinion, is how the main character, a strong, well-educated, Black woman in the tech industry had to work extra hard to be seen at her job.  I loved this character…she was the perfect blend of sweet and sassy, and very much appreciated her perspective at her company.  I also loooooved her girlfriends (they reminded me of mine!) and the undercover agent also working in her office (he was adorable!).  I will say, it took me a minute to figure out what this book was about (a little slow to start), but once I did, I couldn’t put it down.  I’m going to give this novel an R rating too for language and sexual content.  I hate discouraging anyone from reading a book…BUT I also know that it’s really important to some of you, so even though I hate doing this…

…Wild at Heart is also rated R.  This is the second book in the series (I reviewed the first book last month), and again, I LOVED IT!  If you’re looking for just good old fashioned chick lit, here you go.  In the second novel, our main character is still living in Alaska with her new boyfriend, but now, they’ve moved away from friends and she’s trying to discover exactly who she is.  I actually might even have loved this one more than the first because now that we know her, we could dive a bit deeper.  I’m very excited to read the third book in this series now too!!  Charming, quaint, adorable, cozy…yup, that’s a fall book if I’ve ever heard of one!

The fourth book this month might also be in my top 3 for the entire year…

…Dear Edward

Wow.

Okay.

Wow.

This was the most recommended book by you ladies last month, and I am SO GLAD that I read it!  This novel is gripping.  I don’t know how you start this one and ever put it down (I sure didn’t!!).  This is the story about a 10 year old boy who boards a commercial flight with his family…and then becomes the soul survivor of their plane crash.  That’s how the story starts.  How it unfolds?  Well, I thought that part was brilliant.  It moves forward both sharing his story of the years to follow along with (in alternating chapters) reflecting back about the lives of the other passengers on board.  It’s hard to really explain this book except to say, it reminds you that life is often intertwined with other people in ways you might never truly understand…and how you always take bits of people with you after you meet them.  I read and read and kept putting myself in his position.  In the other passenger’s position.  In his family’s position.  It’s thought-provoking, gut-wrenching, raw, and hopeful.  Every page was filled with so many emotions…but at the same time, not really sad/depressing, just emotional.  This is an excellent novel.  It’s about moving on, remembering, learning, growing and letting go.  Oh…and one of the main characters name is Shay 😉 .  Read it.

Whoa!  That was August!

Now, don’t forget…

…you can catch Kensington’s Summer Reading List too!

Plus, I will do an updated version for 2020, but you can also check out and bookmark…

…my FALL READING LIST for your next cozy fall book!

As always, you can see the other book reviews I’ve done so far in 2020 right HERE along with my TOP THREE books of 2019 and a list of every book I read in 2019 ? .

From here, if you do not want to see any spoilers about the first two books, click off and come back Monday.  If you want to read spoilers/participate in our book club discussion, that’s happening below in the comment section. If you want to comment on the last three books, that’s happening too (with no spoilers!).

One last thing, WHAT ARE YOU READING RIGHT NOW? I’d love new ideas please!!!

Happy Book Day!!  I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday! xo

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Comments

  1. Hekla Gunnarsdóttir says

    Hi Shay
    Thank you for the book review, I like your choice of books – some of them I have read and some I put on my ,,to read list”. There is one author I´d like to recommend to you since you are a bit English in spirit ;-). Jill Mansell https://jillmansell.co.uk/ Her books are described as romantic comedy and they are British, what could be better 🙂
    Check her out if you have time 🙂

  2. Amanda @ Cupcake N Dreams says

    I need light and easy these days so The Boyfriend Project sounds right up my alley! I just finished What Happen’s in Paradise by Elin Hilderbrand, can’t wait for the third in the series! On to 28 Summers now! Have you read Her Last Flight by Beatriz Williams yet? It came out in June and I know she is one of your favorite authors. It was definitely an interesting love story/historical fiction novel about aviation. Happy Reading!

    Amanda @ Cupcake N Dreams 

  5. Megan says

    I also felt joy and heartbreak when reading The Girl with the Louding Voice. Adunni is one of the best characters I’ve read in a long time. Adunni’s story was encouraging while at the same time bringing to light the oppression many women still face in our world. She stayed true to her dreams and spoke her mind throughout her journey. This is definitely a novel I’ll recommend to my daughter when she is a bit older.
    The Boyfriend Project was a fantastic summer read and as I read I could totally see it being turned into a movie. The first few chapters were a little slow and felt forced, but once I started learning more about Samiah’s career and was introduced to Daniel’s storyline I couldn’t put it down. I really enjoyed reading about her experiences as black woman in the technology field. Another strong female character who stays focused on her dreams and learns to enjoy herself along the way!
    If you are looking for a mystery, I’d recommend The Guest List by Lucy Foley. I also enjoyed The Stationery Shop by Marjan Kamali- it is a love story with another strong female lead that takes place in Tehran in the 1950’s and moves to present day on the east coast of the U.S.

    • Megan says

      I have to add that I love going back and reading all the comments on the Book Review posts with my amazon app and library hold request page open so I can stock up on books for the coming month. I’ll miss the summer Book Club because it kept me accountable to finish books that wouldn’t necessarily be on my radar, but the reader recommendations certainly help to grow my “to be read” pile.

  6. Katherine says

    Can’t wait to read all of these! Have you read A Woman Is No Man? It sounds similar to the first book you reviewed! Such a great book but hard to read at times!!! Thanks for reviewing these for us! 🙂

    • Mix and Match Mama says

      Yes! I read it in November and LOVED it! One of the best books I’ve ever read!!

  7. Lisa De says

    I’m reading Friends and Strangers by J Courtney Sullivan. The plot is thickening… something is about to happen! So far sooo good!

  8. Kelly M Sites says

    Just finished reading THE WIVES. Fantastic. I flew through it, and its many twists and turns. A great thriller, that had be wondering what was going until the very last page, which rarely happens.

  11. Melanie says

    LOVED Dear Edward. It’s probably my #1 for this year so far. Now I’m going to have to check out The Girl with the Louding Voice. Thank you for your book reviews! I always find my next “must read” from them.

  12. Meghan says

    Any book by Charles Martin, you have to read! His most recent The Water Keeper was excellent. When Crickets Cry is also so good. He has some religious undertones to his stories and is just a good southern writer from Jacksonville so all of his stories take place in the south. So good

  13. Hannah Boss says

    Totally agree with you about The Girl with the Louding Voice- just wow!! Such an amazing read. I also loved The Boyfriend Project! Ordering the other two books now!! Thanks for another great month of books!

  14. Kate says

    If Kensington hasn’t already read these books I think she would really enjoy them!
    Girl With the Silver Eyes
    Secret Horses of Briar Hill

  15. Amy Heinl says

    Currently reading The Lions at Fifth by Fiona Davis which takes place against the back drop of the iconic NY Public Library famous for the two lions statues at the entrance. I started yesterday after work and read until after 2am. I just couldnt put it down and I am just itching to pick it back up tonight. As a book lover the fact this story transpires between generations of two women in the same family who work in the library with a mystery thrown in…it is just one page Turner after another. Hope you check it out

    • Charlotte Place says

      I love Fiona Davis and her books! As a retired librarian, I can’t wait to read this one!!

  17. Julie says

    Good morning from Boston! I was so happy to see ‘Wild at Heart’ on your review today. I just finished the first one a few weeks ago at the Cape, and LOVED it. I was so worried the next wouldn’t deliver, so I thought, I’ll wait and see what Shay says ;). Now that I know you love it, I’m adding to my list. I’m wondering if you plan to read the new Colleen Hoover? I have it on my list. I hope your construction is moving along and have a great Thursday!

  18. Malorie F says

    I enjoyed The Girl with the Louding Voice. It certainly took me a bit to get used to the writing in broken english as Adunni would speak, but added a lot to the emotional connection with the book. I moved on to “After the End” by Clare Mackintosh and have not been able to put it down, but it’s also emotional. I’m going to need to read the boyfriend project to lighten it up after this!

    • Mix and Match Mama says

      It was terrible and beautiful all at once. It did take me a minute to get into the pattern of the language too, but I loved it!

  19. Leslie S says

    I am reading Open by Andre Agassi, bc Shay said it was good and Shay is almost never wrong! LOL. He used to be one of my fav players so this is super interesting! Thanks Shay! I’m also reading the Vanderbeekers bc Kensington suggested and I’m definitely passing this on to my girls! Thank you Kensington, I plan to check out a couple others you wrote about too!

  20. Kathryn R says

    You should read Circe next! It’s so different than anything you’ve probably read and the story and writing are amazing.

  21. Marie D. says

    Personally, I am glad you took away the Book Club. I was petrified to read the comments section for fear of all the spoilers! So happy to be back to reading everyone’s book suggestions! Fave books I read this summer were The Swap by Robin Harding, 28 Summers by Elin Hildebrand as well as her What Happens in Paradise series! Not only am I anxiously awaiting the third book in this series to come out, but I now have St John’s on my travel bucket list for next summer!

      • Meg says

        Shay, just a suggestion for book club – maybe it could be a separate blog post a month? or every other month? So we could get both the recs from the book post, but also a discussion. Just an idea for the best of both worlds 🙂

  22. Katie says

    I read The Alice Network by Kate Quinn this month. It was so so good!!! Def recommend to add to your list!

  24. Candy says

    Just finished Open and loved it! Like you I did not know much about him or the sport. I listened 18 hours a huge commitment and I was riveted the whole time. Amazing!

    • Mix and Match Mama says

      Right?! I was too! I know nothing about the tennis world but I couldn’t put it down!

      • Jessica C. says

        The Girl With the Louding Voice was so emotional. I loved how she kept going after her dream even while facing adversity. I couldn’t put it down once I started! I also read The Book of Lost Names right after and my husband wondered why I kept picking books that make me cry! The Boyfriend Project was a fun read after those 2 books. I really liked the dynamics with her friends and can’t wait to read more about them.

  25. MelanieL says

    I’m reading The Residence right now and I just placed a hold on Swear on This Life at my library because I’ve had it on my list for a while so thanks for the reminder from your fall list. 🙂

  26. Heather says

    Best post of the month!! Would The Simple Wild & Wild at Heart be great books to add to my fall reading list? You mentioned cozy and that’s what I’m looking for ?

  27. Alexa says

    Yay for book review day! Putting these books on my list now! Here are three books I read last month that I loved!!
    The Marriage Game by Sara Desai-typical chick lit, but the characters are Indian so there were tons of cultural references that I thought were fun to learn about. The main character’s parents want her to have an arranged marriage but she wants true love. So good, I think it’s the author’s debut album.
    The Lies That Bind by Emily Giffin-this story intertwines with September 11. It had some really great twists. I read it in one day.
    Dance Away with Me by Susan Elizabeth Phillips-This one started out very similar to Virgin River (at least the show, I haven’t read the books yet) so it took me a little bit to get into it. Once it picked up, I could not put it down! Another great chick lit that I loved so much!

  28. Brittany S says

    Yay!!! Book Review day is my FAVORITE! 🙂 I am currently reading The Book of Lost Names and it’s SO good!!! Your recommendation of The Things We Cannot Say was amazing and this one reminds me of that in some ways, yet it’s completely different too.

    • Meghen says

      Agreed! Loved that book. Shay you should check out Kristin Harmel. She writes historical fiction and is the author of Book of Lost Names.

  29. Kelsey C says

    I just finished The Wedding Date and am now reading The Proposal, both by Jasmine Guillory. Both are great!! If you haven’t read her books before, you should! Light and easy to read

  30. Celeste says

    The Girl With the Louding Voice was phenomenal! I can completely relate finishing it with the same feeling as Where the Crawdads Sing! Adunni is an amazing character! So glad you had it in your book club. Currently, I’m reading Emily Giffin’s The Lies that Bind. It’s too early to make a verdict, but the reviews on Goodreads weren’t exactly stellar…I just decided to go for it!

  31. Lindsey says

    I just read The Hating Game by Sally Thorne. I loved it! I heard it is being made into a movie. I am currently reading the That Boy series by Jillian Dodd. I love all your book suggestions and I often refer back to all your posts when looking for a new book to read.

  32. Lori says

    WOO HOO..book day!! I absolutely loved The Girl with the Louding Voice, but Dear Edward fell a little flat for me. The three books I’ve read this month are The Banker’s Wife, The Guest List, and A Thousand Splendid Suns. Loved all three, but A Thousand SS was my favorite. Just be warned it’s a heartbreaking story! I loved A Simple Wild and am so looking forward to reading Wild at Heart. I’m up soon for it on my library waiting list. Have a great day Shay.

  33. Margaret says

    You don’t need to post this in your comments section, but I love love love that you won’t post hateful comments. I cannot even believe some of the things people post online. Just mean bitter people. ?

  34. Samantha says

    Hi Shay! I just read The Girl with the Louding Voice and I loved it! It was so well-written and very gripping. At first I didn’t realize it was taking place in present day and when it hit me, it was so eye-opening that those things happen to girls & women in today’s world! I felt like Adunni’s voice & thoughts became more grammatically correct as the story went on and she was learning. Did anyone else feel that?
    Thank you so much for choosing this book as a part of your book club. I am highly recommending it to others 🙂

    • Mix and Match Mama says

      YES!!!!! Right?! When you’re reading it, you could allow yourself to think there’s no way things like this happen TODAY!! It was very eye opening to me. And yes, that thought did cross my mind too.

  35. Jayne says

    I also loved both book club books. I felt every emotion so intensely while reading Girl With the Louding Voice – just wow! The Boyfriend Project was fun as an audiobook. I made excuses to run errands by myself so I could listen more in the car without interruptions lol. Great characters! Another favorite this month was Where the Wind Leads about a family’s harrowing journey from Vietnam to the U.S. in the 1970s. It’s a gripping true story, and I couldn’t put it down. I’d highly recommend it!

  36. sandi says

    YAY for book review day! Last month I read Open: Andre Agassi (my husband is now reading it), The Two Lives of Lydia Bird and The Flatshare… all recommended by you. As a tennis fan, I really liked the Agassi book.

    In my email yesterday was a notification from the library that The Girl with the Louding Voice is ready for pick up. Looking forward to reading that one.

    Thanks for adding Kensington’s reading list here also. One of my four always has a book in her hand and she is about K’s age.

    • sandi says

      I had to read the first two pages of The Girl with the Louding Voice several times to get the feel of the writing. Sad, gut-wrenching and so many other emotions. Glad I read it though. I picked up a “breezy” Nancy Thayer book afterwards so I could recuperate and I just got Dear Edward from the library. My husband is reading “Open” while watching the US Open in the evenings.

      I always love your recommendations.

  37. Brandi Carson says

    Love, love, love, book review day!!!! I just finished “Heart Bones” by Colleen Hoover and I couldn’t put it down!!!! LOVED IT!!!!!!

  38. Victoria says

    Do you have any sort of book subscription or do you buy each book separately? I just got a kindle and am trying to learn my options!!

    • Kaelyn says

      Check out your local public library. Mine has an option to download free kindle books! My library has quite a large online library. Tip- they usually only let you keep the book for about 2 weeks but if you need longer just put your kindle on airplane mode and the book will stay on your kindle as long as you want. Hope this is helpful!

    • Andee says

      I got a library card and linked it to an online library app that allows me to download books to my Kindle. Sometimes you have to place a hold and wait, but it has been much cheaper than buying 30+ books a year. Hope this helps!

  39. Kate says

    Hi – favorite post time, yay! I read seven this month and have some recommendations for you!
    Movie Star By Lizzie Pepper (Liftin) – SO good! Despite seeming like a take right from the Tom Cruise/Katie Holmes situation it was still creative and intriguing, – a fun read!
    The Last Flight (Clark) – couldn’t put it down, thought it was so original and really hooks you right in.
    The Dilemma – (BA Paris) – love this author and this did not disappoint, it was another one I had to read in a day and couldn’t put down. Another fresh, creative story and lots of twists and turns.
    I also tried The Jetsetters this month and wanted to like it but could not click with any of the characters, found them off-putting.

  40. Kristine says

    So glad you liked Dear Edward! I would recommend watching Sole Survivor on Amazon Prime. It’s a documentary about people who were sole survivors on plane crashes.

    I just finished An American Marriage and loved it! Would highly recommend!!!!

  41. Sam says

    Dear Edward is so good! I’m just finishing Her Last Flight. I love Williams (and you do sometimes!), so you should check this one out! Kindred is an older book that I picked up and absolutely loved.

  42. Kaelyn says

    I’m reading Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult. It’s about race in America and focuses on a labor and delivery nurse. I can’t put it down! I think you would enjoy it too.

    • Madison Spence says

      I LOVE Jodi Picoult books, they are some of my favorites. I’ve been reading her books for about 15 years and they never disappoint. Small Great Things was no exception, I would definitely recommend.

  43. Kelsee says

    Dear Edwards and Girl with the Louding Voice are both in my TBR pile. I’m so glad to hear you loved them. This month I read The Night Swim, The Wife Who Knew Too Much, Little Secrets and the Unraveling of Cassidy Holmes. The Unraveling of Cassidy Holmes was by far my favorite. It had Daisy Jones and Spice Girl Vibes.

  44. Melissa says

    Hi Shay, I always look forward to your fall book reviews! I really appreciate your R warnings for so many of the books you review, and I opt not to read those. I would love to see more recommended books without the language and explicit nature. Thanks!

  46. Christie says

    I’m currently reading The One by John Marrs and it is goooood! Really interesting subject told by several different people per chapter. I can’t put it down!

    • Joan says

      I am always in agreement with the books you review. I look forward to your post every month.
      I just could not get into Dear Edward and did not finish the book.?

  48. Patti Mayo says

    Reading This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger- At times sad, but extremely rich story, Wow just Wow!
    have you read What You Wish For by Katherine Center…so GOOD! Light and quick read!

  49. Addison Edwards-Blanton says

    The Lions Den by Katherine St. John

    Majesty by Katherine McGee (American Royals)

    Night Swim by Megan Goldin

    Louisiana Lucky by Julie Penell

    One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London

    Bringing Down the Duke by Evie Dunmore

    American Predator by Maureen Callahan

    The Only Plane in the Sky by Garrett Graff

    The Wife Who Knew Too Much by Michelle Campbell

  50. Nadine Hartnett says

    I love your book recommendations (I have listened to EVERY Mary Kay Edwards book on Audible because of your recommendations as well as the two Paradise books by Erin Hildebrand!). I cannot, cannot wait to read Dear Edward. I’m going to put it on my Ipad today. In 1987 a Northwest airplane crashed on takeoff in Detroit. There was a sole survivor, a 4 year old girl. Her mom, dad, and brother were on the flight too. Years before I had dated her uncle and I had held her as a baby. I was riveted to the news. After initially expressing my condolences for their loss, I never kept in touch with the family. Today she is a 37 years old and I wish I knew how she was doing. I might also have to watch Sole Survivor too!

  51. Melissa says

    Also LOVED Girl with the Louding Voice!! So amazing and has stuck with me for a long time. Always the sign of a great book for me. Dear Edward was not my favorite. I liked it but it was a bit slow in the middle, yet also emotionally draining. Just a tough one for me.

  52. Polly says

    I just finished American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins. I could not put this book down. It’s not for the faint hearted – would highly recommend it

  53. Melanie says

    This isn’t a book comment!
    Shay your hair looks amazing today!
    ( day wearing yellow tank)

  55. Heather Alley says

    I am sooooooo excited for you to read Swear on this Life!!!!!! You aren’t going to be able to put it down!!!! I bet you will read it in 24 hours or less like I did! ?

  56. Jen W says

    Man I love going through these comments! I’m dad that I have to go back to work next week and my reading time will be more limited!
    I read both your picks and was happy with both. The reason why I like your (or any for that matter) book club is because it forces me to read books I wouldn’t usually choose. Both of these books this month I don’t think I would have but I enjoyed them both.
    I kind of see The Boyfriend Project as a hallmark movie which are right up my alley so it was a nice fun read. The Girl with the alluding Voice was a hard read but a needed and educating one. Puts into perspective what we are dealing with here.
    You should read Little Disasters by Sarah Vaughn that just came out. I got an early copy and I think I read it in one day. Finding Freeom is a fun juicy type read if you like The Royals and I’ve said it before but The Heir to the Affair is a must!

  57. Kristi:) says

    Getting ready to start The Heir Affair (The Royal We Book 2). I loved The Royal We so very much that I’m so excited to start this one but I almost want to read it at a leisurely pace so I have more time with the characters!!!?

  60. Jenn says

    You MUST read two books ASAP:

    The Book of Lost Names – Kristin Harmel
    Anxious People – Frederik Backman

    I only found out about them because they both were suggested on goodreads and had 4.3+ stars, but man, were the reviews right! You’ll love them both.

  61. Aparna says

    Hello Shay! I read 3 books this month and enjoyed all three. Royal we, American Dirt and Dear Edward. Thought American Dirt was really gripping though quite graphic. Also enjoyed Dear Edward, it was a little different than what I usually read but because all you ladies recommended it so highly, thought I’d give it a try and am glad that I did! And although Royal we was a nice light Romance and I love a good romance, I definitely enjoyed the other 2 books much more! Can’t wait to read The Girl with the louding voice. xx

  65. Jenna Miller says

    I always look forward to this post!
    I read several books this month, but thought I’d give a couple recs and second a few already mentioned!
    The Last Flight by Julie Clark (suspense, I think you’d totally enjoy.)
    The Dry by Jane Harper (so good, set one Australia)
    The Book Charmer by Karen Hawkins (kind of hard to describe, but one of the main characters hears her books speak, telling her who needs them)
    Has K read The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place by Maryrose Wood? That one is a lot of fun. All your kiddos may like it. I’ve heard the audiobook is great!
    The Emancipation of Evan Walls by Jeffrey Blount (about a black boy growing up in the 1960s-1970s—taken partly from news headlines and partly from the author’s own life)
    In Pursuit of Love: One Woman’s Journey from Trafficked to Triumphant by Rebecca Bender (memoir—so interesting!!)

  66. Pam Zercher says

    I understand branching out and reading books not really “in your wheelhouse” but I’m a little disappointed that many of the books you report on are R rated. ? I’m not a prude but I don’t like reading books that are out there. However, thank you THANK you for telling us. I won’t even put them on my “read list.”
    Virtual hug ?
    Pam~

    • Mix and Match Mama says

      That’s another reason why I don’t like the book club idea for year around. I didn’t know that both of the books I picked would be “R” (at least my version of R). I completely agree with you!

  67. Erin McGuire says

    Try one of Kate Morton’s books – so so good!!! The Lake House is a great one to start with – has some cool twists!

  68. Kelly says

    Hi Shay! Had to share I’m reading “This Tender Land” and thought you may want to check It out. So far, it’s as good as “”Where The Crawdads Sing”. Happy Friday & Happy Fall?

  69. Karla Nore says

    I recommend reading Lauren Aikin’s Live in Love. My 23 year old daughter loved it. She gave me her copy to read & I can’t put it down! Cheers

  70. JoAnne L says

    The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson

    https://www.amazon.com/Book-Woman-Troublesome-Creek-Novel-ebook/dp/B07LGD67ZZ/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3MNTX3MK08AF8&dchild=1&keywords=woman+of+troublesome+creek&qid=1600364133&sprefix=woman+of+troubl%2Caps%2C226&sr=8-1

    is one of the best stories that I have read in a long time. Its a story that will resonate on so many levels… it hits so many timely topics today: belonging, loneliness, Christian response to the world’s sins, discrimination, poverty, poor education…

    It is a NY Times and USA Today best seller so I know it resonates with readers but I don’t hear/see many ppl actually talking about it

    Truly, please, consider reading this book and reviewing it. I’d love to see it get some attention with your audience

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