Friday, September 6, 2019

Five Star Friday: August 2019



On the first Friday of each month, I will share my five-star reads from the previous month. Fingers crossed, I have lots of books to tell you about.

In the month of August, I read 35 books, and I am happy to report, 4 of those books earned 5-stars. Not too shabby.
The Mighty Heart of Sunny Saint James
Ashley Herring Blake
review

I am telling you all right now, reading an Ashley Herring Blake book is never a bad decision. I have enjoyed all of her books thus far, with her last three releases being outstanding. The heart of this book was Sunny, who while coming to terms with her new lease on life, was also trying to deal with her burgeoning sexuality, as well as the return of her mother and loss of her best friend. This was quite a summer of discovery for Sunny, and Blake handled these issues with so much care. This one left me with a bursting heart, and you know I love that sort of thing.

Gut Check
Eric Kester
review

This book just sideswiped me, but in the best way. It hit me so hard in the feels, and I think it impacted me with a greater force, because it was totally unexpected. This book explored the bond between these very different brothers, their complicated family dynamic, and the toxicity of their environment. It was amazing seeing men confront their feelings and emotions in such an honest way, and the ending was so touching. Loved it!

Things You Save in a Fire
Katherine Center
review

I have whined about women's fiction before, and for the most part, I am not a huge fan, but let me tell you! Katherine Center is writing the sort of women's fiction I am can get on board with. I road a roller coaster of emotions as I read this book, and though I was crying at the end, they were happy tears. I loved this book so much, I ran out to get my hands on Center's previous book, and it too, was a stupendous read for me. I am really glad I fell for all the hype on everyone's blog, because this was nowhere on my radar, and I am so glad I read it.

American Royals
Katharine McGee
review

I was chomping at the bit to read this book. I was a HUGE fan of McGee's previous series, and when I heard she was giving us an American Royal family, I was like, YES, please! I started reading this and could not put it down. It was all the drama, but done in the best way. I loved the characters, as well as their individual plot lines, and when McGee left me with that final dramatic scene, I was lamenting the fact, that I would have to wait so long for the next book.

Did you have any five-star reads in August? 
Let us know in the comments!

42 comments:

  1. What a great post! Glad you had some awesome reads - I definitely need to get to the latest Katherine Center book now!

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    1. Center's last two books were amazing. I am wondering if the rest of her back catalog is just as fantastic.

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  2. Things You Save in a Fire is so good! I can see why it made your list.

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    1. The blend of humor and emotion was done perfectly, and I wasn't even mad about all the tears she made me shed

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  3. These are some really good sounding read. I adored Things You Save in a Fire.

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    1. I honestly think it was your review that pushed me into reading it. I had seen a bunch of good ones, but yours was the final push.

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  4. I got in line for a copy at the library after seeing your praise for Things You Save in a Fire. :)

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    1. I hope you love it as much as I did. What a fantastic emotional ride it was.

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  5. I'll have to check if The Mighty Heart of Sunny James is out yet. I adored Ivy!

    Karen @ For What It's Worth

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    1. Definitely up there with Ivy. Blake does wonders in this age group

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  6. One Day in December was a 5-star read for me in August! Can't wait to read American Royals!

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    1. I LOVED that book. I remember, I read it on a Saturday, and my updates show me an emotional mess. It was very satisfying though.

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  7. Great idea for a feature! Glad you had such a great reading month!! I'd really like to read TMHoSSJ.

    Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction

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    1. Sunny was WONDERFUL! Both Blake's middle grades were beyond fantastic for me. I wanted to show more love to to my "top reads", so why not do a feature, and make you just read about them. XP

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  8. All of these books sound great! I've been wanting to read American Royals and thanks for putting The Mighty Heart of Sunny Saint James on my radar!

    Lindy@ A Bookish Escape

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    1. American Royals was everything I wanted and more! I hope you get to read it.

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  9. I love that moment in a book when you just KNOW you are going to give it five stars! It is such a buzz!

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    1. I have that happen, but I have had a few lose a star or so due to the ending. I am especially demanding of endings.

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  10. Ah I love this feature so much I really need to read more of Ashley Herring Blake's books, I have loved How To Make a Wish so much. And yes to American Royals! I loved all this drama and need the next book SO badly!

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    1. I have read all of Blake's books except her debut (soon!), and she gets better with each book.

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  11. I love having a bunch of 5 star books in such a short amount of time! I'm so glad you liked American Royals so much because that's one I'm actually interested in reading!

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    1. The whole time I read American Royals, I knew it was going to get 5-stars. It kept me rapt, and it had this really BIG dramatic ending, that left me ready to tackle book 2.

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  12. To say I'm jealous of your amazing reading month is an understatement. My last (and only) 5-star read was back in May.

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    1. That's why I am always excited to see 4-star reads for you.

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  13. I really loved Things You Save In a Fire was a five star read for me. I really loved it! I have Gut Check for review, I am looking forward to reading it soon. The others are new to me, need to read up on them.

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    1. I am so happy I believed all the hype about Fire and read it, and then read more Center. Both books were winners for me. Gut Check took me by surprise, and I just loved it. I hope you enjoy it.

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  14. This is an excellent idea to share your last five star reads Sam!!!

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    1. Fingers crossed I have books to feature each month. I mean, statistically, I read enough to have at least 1 five star book, right?

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  15. Wow, 4 5-star reads is pretty impressive. Things You Save in a Fire was a 5 star for me too, and after reading your review for American Royals, I'm dying to read that one!

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    1. I am so happy to see so many people also loving Things You Save in a Fire. Center just wowed me with that book. Did you read The Thousandth Floor? American Royals follows that same soapy drama pattern, and I am all over it.

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  16. These all sound so good, Sam! I didn't expect to love Things You Save in a Fire but I fell hard for that book. Hopefully, I can read a few more that made your list at some point.

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    1. I sometimes will like women's fiction very much, but they don't often blow me over the way Things You Save in a Fire did.

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  17. American Royals, my love! Seriously that was such an unexpected gem for me! I need to read her other series ASAP, since that one seemed even MORE up my alley! The others sound really good too, I am definitely going to check them out! Glad you had so many good books in August, hope you have just as many this month!

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    1. McGee's other series is written in a style similar to that of America Royals.

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  18. American ROyals is on my list too and hope to read it soon. You have summed up your thoughts so well just in a few lines. I can never do that :(

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    1. I am know for my terseness, but there are some bloggers, who I am trying to emulate.

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  19. WOW! 35 books read... and 4 were 5 star... I bet your average rating looks a lot different than my own. I'm always on the lookout for Women's lit that is actually decent... I will have to look it up now. ❤

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    1. When I DNF, I don't rate them, so a lot of my books fall into the 3.5 - 4 stars range (which essentially means 4-stars on GR). Women's lit is hit or miss for me. I tend to like the ones with stronger romantic elements more than the ones without.

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  20. Brilliant idea, great way to highlight some of your favourite reads, especially as I see how many books you get through (you are a reading machine) you're just making me want to get American Royals more and more and I'm meant to be restraining myself since I'm on a house quest!

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    1. I always am so excited, when I rate a book 5-stars, and I am all about the love-fest type posts. I loved American Royals. It was what I expected from McGee. Have you read her other books?

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  21. I like this idea of highlighting your favourites! I am glad you were able to really love American Royals. Especially as that is one I am so going to read once I am finished with the Thousandth Floor series.

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    1. I want to make this a thing. I can personally be negative, so I have to try and highlight positive things in my life. That's what Five-Star Fridays is about for me, being more positive, even if it's just about the books I read.

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