If You Only Read One: September 2021
We know that we read — and review — a lot of books. It definitely helps that there are three of us, in that regard. So with this feature, we want to tell you our favorite read of the month - if we only recommend one book to pick up, what would it be?
Moira
This hasn’t been my most prolific reading month ever. I blame the beginning of the school year! However, I was very excited for Liane Moriarty’s “Apples Never Fall” (Bookshop | Kindle) which did not disappoint. Moriarty is an absolute rockstar at family dynamics, and this story of the missing matriarch of a family whose outwardly perfect appearance belies their issues: some quotidian, and some more sinister. This is a propulsive, fun read, with an ending worth the price of admission.
Elizabeth
I actually had some wonderful reads this morning — hallelujah! a slump is the worst — but at the top of the list is Karen White’s “The Last Night in London” (Bookshop | Kindle). This was the first standalone book of hers I have read, though I have greatly enjoyed her collaborations with Beatriz Williams and Lauren Willig, and tbh, I’m not sure what took me so long. At some point, I’m going to get tired of reading about women at war, but not today! This is a “across-the-generations” mystery, told through the lens of Precious Dubose, who is reliving her modeling career in London to a journalist in 2019. I actually really appreciate that this isn’t a story of spies or assassins or women behind enemy lines; it’s a tale of the blitz, of fashion and lovers, and of totally getting in over your head with the wrong kind of dude. All in all, a great Sunday afternoon read - full review to come!
Shannon
For whatever reason, I had an incredibly lackluster month of reading. I actually just reorganized my books to try to sort out what to donate, what to keep, what to prioritize in my piles of unread books; I’m hoping that helps me get out my slump. Anyway, this month I have to recommend “The Ivies” by Alexa Donne (Bookshop | Kindle). Who doesn’t love teens behaving badly? And at a boarding school, no less! The book centers around Olivia, a scholarship student who’s part of an elite group on campus that has christened themselves The Ivies. In order to not compete with one another for admission into…the Ivy Leagues (duh), they’ve each picked one as their goal. Of course, chaos (and murder) ensues when things don’t go as planned.
If you click on one of the links in this article and make a purchase, She’s Full of Lit may receive a small commission. It doesn’t add anything to your price — we promise! Thanks so much for your support.
