What's Dawn Devouring Lately?
July 2025
There’s something timeless about a good book in the summertime—when the days stretch long and golden, and quiet moments invite us to slow down and savor a story. Whether you’re seaside, poolside, or nestled into a shaded porch, summer offers the perfect setting to wander through pages. From lighthearted escapes to moving tales that linger, let your next great read accompany you through the warmth of the season.
Until Next Month!
Happy Reading! 🤓📚🌻
A Family Matter By: Claire Lynch
This 220 page novel is small but mighty. It is best to go in blind, not knowing much, about the story before you read it. I will just say, A Family Matter, is a heartbreaking and hopeful exploration of love, loss, injustice and healing. The timelines alternate between 1982, where Dawn is a young newly married wife and mother. During this timeline, we learn of her love for her daughter, Maggie, and her marriage to Heron. The other timeline, is from 2022, where we get Maggie's viewpoint and learn of her relationship with her father, Heron. If you like books that are emotionally deep, center around prejudice, and leave you thinking about it long after reading it, then this is a book for you. I gave it 🤩🤩🤩🤩 on the devour scale.
The Correspondent By: Virginia Evans
In this epistolary novel, we meet 72-year old crotchety and outspoken Sybil. She lives alone, is well read, enjoys writing letters but has also recently found out her eye sight is going to worsen over the next few years. Throughout the book, we are treated to her letters and various correspondences, back and forth with various people in her life. It is through these letters and replies, that we truly get to know the story of Sybil's life for better or worse. Just like all of us, she has made some mistakes in her life and she realizes in this stage in her life, she must try to make amends for them. If you like "Curmudgeonly" like characters, books told only through letter format, and with both serious and uplifting tones, then this is a book for you. I gave it 🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩 on the devour scale and devoured it in five days.
The Personal Librarian By: Marie Benedict & Victoria Christopher Murray
It's been a minute since I've read a Historical Fiction book. This one has been on my radar for a while and I was glad it was chosen for my Get Lit Book Club. This story is based on the true story of Belle da Costa Greene and her experience as J.P Morgan's personal librarian. The events span from 1905- 1948. During this time, although, she is a Black American, Belle is forced to hide her true identity and pass as white in order to keep this prestigious position. I really enjoyed learning about this extraordinary woman, well- ahead of her times, and what she went through to protect herself and her family. If you like reading historical fiction about courageous women, then this is a book for you. I gave it 🤩🤩🤩🤩 on the devour scale.
The Road to Tender Hearts By: Annie Hartnett
Every so often you start a book, get hooked immediately, and know it's going to be hard to put down, and for me that was Annie Hartnett's newest: The Road to Tender Hearts. Her book, Unlikely Animals, was in was in my Top 10 In 2022 (see review below) and I have a strong feeling this one will be in my Top 10 this year. At sixty-three, PJ Halliday is a million dollar lottery winner, but despite the money, he has had a number of life tragedies that make him an unhappy man. When his estranged brother's family dies, PJ assumes the responsibility of caring for his great niece and nephew. With the children in tow, along with his cranky daughter, they set off to Arizona on a once in a lifetime roadtrip. End point in mind, to find his supposed long lost love at the Tender Heart Retirement Community. Along the way, I found laugh out loud moments along with ones that made me teary eyed. I also was routing so hard for PJ at the end to admit his flaws and get a once in lifetime "Do Over". If you like books about second chances, leaving behind no regrets, and messy but real to life characters, then this is a book for you. I gave it
🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩 on the devour scale and devoured it in four days.
Unlikely Animals By: Annie Hartnett
Here's the description from Bookshop.org: Emma arrives home knowing she must face her dad’s illness, her mom’s judgment, and her younger brother’s recent stint in rehab, but she’s unprepared to find that her former best friend from high school is missing, with no one bothering to look for her. The police say they don’t spend much time looking for drug addicts. Emma’s dad is the only one convinced the young woman might still be alive, and Emma is hopeful he could be right. Someone should look for her, at least. Emma isn’t really trying to be a hero, but somehow she and her father bring about just the kind of miracle the town needs.
Set against the backdrop of a small town in the throes of a very real opioid crisis, Unlikely Animals is a tragicomic novel about familial expectations, imperfect friendships, and the possibility of resurrecting that which had been thought irrevocably lost. I gave it 🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩 on the devour scale in 2022.
The Waterfront - Netflix
For fans of good old-fashioned dysfunctional families, a fresh drama is stirring up some troubled waters on Netflix now. Inspired by true events and set against the backdrop of coastal North Carolina, The Waterfront explores family dynamics and the lengths people will go to when their legacy is on the line. “This is about a working man who’s trying to make a go of it for his family. They’ve pulled themselves up from nothing and they’ve built this mini fishing empire in their small little town. Now it’s being taken away from them bit by bit. They’ll do anything to hold onto it, because it represents their family. Watch Trailer Here
