What's Dawn Devouring Lately?

Before summer slips away, August always feels like one last invitation to slow down and savor the season. Whether you're reading by the pool, enjoying a quiet morning on the patio, or sneaking in a few chapters before bed, I hope you've been able to carve out a little time for yourself and a good book. This month, I found myself reaching for stories that made me laugh, tugged at my heart, and kept me turning the pages long after I should have been asleep. I'm excited to share what I've been devouring lately and, hopefully, help you discover your next great read.

Until Next Month!

Happy Reading! 😎📚🌻

This month, friendship seemed to be the theme running through much of my reading. I kicked things off with The Five-Star Weekend, followed by Night Objects, a coming-of-age story that explores the complexities of friendship. The Last Marriage of Dot Brightmore beautifully captures what friendship can look like later in life, while Kindred took me in a completely different direction with its blend of historical fiction and time travel. And then there was The Burning Side, which earned a five-star rating from me for its honest portrayal of flawed, complicated, and wonderfully messy people. Overall, it was a pretty great reading month and I’m always happy when my books take me on such a variety of journeys!

It wouldn’t be summer without cracking open an Elin Hilderbrand book! This one had been sitting on my shelf since 2023, but when I saw the previews for the Peacock miniseries adaptation, I knew it was finally time to pick it up.

In The Five-Star Weekend, we meet Hollis Shaw, a successful food blogger whose life is turned upside down when she learns that her husband has unexpectedly died in a car accident. After spending several months grieving, Hollis hears about another widow who hosted a “Five-Star Weekend” getaway with her girlfriends. The idea inspires her to create her own version inviting four women who each represent a different season of her life to her beautiful Nantucket home. Her college aged daughter joins them as well, hoping the weekend will help Hollis begin to move forward.

Of course, bringing a group of women together who haven’t seen each other in years comes with plenty of drama. An ex-boyfriend unexpectedly reappears, old friendships are tested, and Hollis begins to realize that perhaps her marriage wasn’t quite what she thought it was.

This was such a typical Elin Hilderbrand summer read, filled with friendship, love, secrets, and self-discovery. If you enjoy stories about complicated friendships, relationships, and starting over, then this is a book for you. I gave it 🤩🤩🤩🤩 on the devour scale.

This was the August selection for my in-person book club. Although Kindred is an older book and not one I would normally pick up, I came away feeling that it is a book that should be required reading for everyone. It’s a unique blend of historical fiction and time travel that offers a powerful look at America’s past.

The story begins in 1976 with Dana, a young Black woman who has recently married Kevin and moved into a new home. While unpacking their belongings, Dana suddenly becomes dizzy and finds herself transported back to the antebellum South. There, she discovers a young white boy drowning in a river. Dana jumps in to save him, only to be pulled back to her own time moments later.

This happens repeatedly throughout the book, with Dana being transported back in time to protect and save the same boy, Rufus, the son of a slave owning plantation family. During her longer stays in the past, Dana is forced to experience the brutal realities of slavery and the horrific treatment endured by enslaved people. Her relationship with Rufus becomes increasingly complicated as she realizes how deeply his future, and her own, are connected.

What I appreciated most about this book was the way it allowed me to experience history from a completely different perspective. It’s not always an easy read, but it is an important one that makes you think about the past, the choices people make, and how history continues to shape the present.

If you enjoy books that combine time travel, historical fiction, and thought provoking perspectives or if you simply want to read something that will challenge you and teach you something along the way, then this is a book for you. I gave it 🤩🤩🤩🤩 on the devour scale.

Sarah Damoff’s first novel, The Bright Years, made my “Top 5 of 2025,” so I was excited when I heard her sophomore novel, The Burning Side, was being released this summer. I’m happy to say that I found this one just as good, if not even better.

Told through alternating points of view, the story follows April, Leo, and Deb. It begins when April and Leo’s house burns down, forcing them to flee with their two young children to April’s family home, where her parents, Deb and her husband, welcome them in. But as the story unfolds, we quickly learn that April and Leo’s marriage is already on shaky ground, while April’s father has recently been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.

Damoff uses flashbacks beautifully to trace April and Leo’s relationship from its earliest days of connection through the complicated and devastating choices that have brought them to this point. The result is a deeply emotional family saga about what we inherit and what we choose, the power of forgiveness, the meaning of home, and the costs of loving someone for a lifetime.

If you enjoy character-driven novels that focus on flawed, messy, and incredibly realistic people rather than fast-paced plots and endless twists, then this is a book for you. Damoff has once again created a story that feels honest, heartbreaking, and ultimately hopeful and one that stayed with me long after I turned the final page. I gave it 🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩 on the devour scale and devoured it in 3 days.

With its dark academia setting and coming-of-age storyline, this book would be the perfect read for a crisp fall day. The story follows Lenny, a fifteen-year-old girl who moves with her mom and stepdad from Miami to the rugged coast of Washington. Shortly after arriving, a family tragedy changes everything, and Lenny is sent to a prestigious boarding school.

There, she discovers a secret society that has been a long-standing school tradition. Desperate to find a place where she belongs, Lenny will do whatever it takes to fit in, even when it means going against everything she believes in. But her choices eventually lead to a murder investigation that forces her to question everything she has told herself about guilt, power, and the desire to belong.

If you enjoy books filled with female friendship, found family, grief, secrets, and a little bit of mystery, this one is definitely worth adding to your fall TBR!. I gave it 🤩🤩🤩💫 on the devour scale.

After reading The Last List of Mabel Beaumont (see backlist book below), I was excited to see that Laura Pearson decided to write a sequel. Without giving too much away, in the first book, Mabel finally reconnects with her old friend Dot, and I always wondered what came next for these two older ladies. The Last Marriage of Dot Brightmore fills us in on the next chapters of these women’s lives together.

This time, the story shifts the focus to Dot, giving us a closer look at her life, her past, and the choices that have shaped her. I loved getting to know Dot on a deeper level and seeing how her friendship with Mabel continues to evolve. Their relationship is at the heart of the story, and Pearson does a beautiful job showing that it’s never too late to find friendship, connection, and even a little adventure.

Like the first book, this is a character driven story filled with heart, warmth, and plenty of emotion. I especially enjoyed the themes of friendship, aging, second chances, and the idea that life doesn’t stop surprising us simply because we’ve reached a certain age. Pearson reminds us that new chapters can begin at any stage of life.

If you enjoyed The Last List of Mabel Beaumont, I definitely recommend continuing with Dot’s story. It was wonderful to revisit these characters and discover what life had in store for them next. A lovely follow-up that left me smiling! I gave it 🤩🤩🤩🤩 on the devour scale. (Both books are available free on the Hoopla App in both audio and ebook.)

Mabel’s husband passes unexpectedly and she finds a slip of paper from him “Find D”. This sets her off looking for her friend Dot that she’s been estranged from for over 60 years. If you like books about friendship, second chances, and following your heart, then this book is for you. I devoured this one in 5 days and gave it 🤩🤩🤩🤩 on the Devour Scale.

I’m still using Goodreads to track my reading and keep a running list of books I’d like to read, but I recently discovered a newer app called Fable. I was pleasantly surprised by how easy it was to transfer all of my Goodreads information over to Fable, and I’m really enjoying the fresh visuals, graphics, and fun features the app has to offer. It’s another great way to keep track of what I’m reading, discover new books, and connect with other readers. If you’d like to follow along with my reading adventures, you can find me on Fable under Dawn Nacker. I’d love to connect with you there!

Fable is a modern, community-driven social reading app designed for bookworms and TV bingewatchers. Join a community of good people discussing great stories on Fable, an app designed to find, discuss, and track books and TV shows. Connect with fellow bookworms and bingewatchers through book clubs and TV clubs, discover new books and shows, manage your TBR and other lists, set reading goals, track your progress, and discover a whole new kind of ebook reader.

This month was all about The Five-Star Weekend. After reading the book, I was very pleased with the eight episode series on Peacock. In my opinion, the casting was perfect and some of the the differences between the book and show were even better. I also found a podcast that you could listen to or watch on Peacock, that Elin Hildenbrand interviewed the actresses and answered some reader's questions.

When I saw that Ted Lasso was coming back with Season 4, after a 3 year hiatus, I wasn't sure how I felt about it. However, after watching the new episodes that dropped this month, I couldn't be more pleased. Every episode has me laughing our loud and ending on a high note leaving me waiting for more the next week.

Hollis Shaw, a famed cook and best-selling author known for her delicious recipes, impeccable taste and warm demeanor, suffers a devastating loss. Unable to move forward, the death starts to expose the cracks in Hollis' picture-perfect life -- her strained marriage, her complicated relationship with her daughter and her growing pursuit of validation from her fans. In an effort to overcome grief and find herself again, Hollis gets the idea to host a weekend away at her house on Nantucket with three friends from different stages in her life: her childhood, her twenties, thirties and one surprise fifth star. Set against a luxurious and coastal backdrop, the stars will mature in ways they could never imagine as boundaries are pushed and secrets are exposed. Watch Trailer Here

Set three years after the season 3 finale, Ted Lass Season 4, on Apple TV+ follows Ted returning to England from Kansas City. He takes on a new challenge: coaching AFC Richmond’s newly formed second-division women’s team, the Lady Greyhounds. The season introduces fresh characters like tactical coach Alice Chilton, while featuring reunions like Coach Beard re-joining Ted's side. Watch Trailer Here

After enjoying chia pudding at a couple of restaurants this summer, I decided it was time to try making my own at home. It’s incredibly easy to make, and I love how customizable it is. You can use whatever liquid or sweeteners you prefer. I like using Premier Protein to sneak in a little extra protein and honey to sweeten it. Then, add your favorite toppings. Fresh fruit is definitely my favorite addition!

I discovered a fun new craft for my analog bag. It's sticker by number book. This is a mess-free craft activity similar to paint by number. You peel small, numbered geometric or shaped stickers and place them onto matching numbered spaces on a grid or canvas. As you fill in the spaces, a complete, colorful piece of art or mosaic emerges.

How It Works

• Find the number: Look at the background template and pick an empty spot with a number.
• Match the sticker: Find the sticker sheet that has the matching number or code.
• Peel and stick: Peel the sticker off the sheet and press it down onto the correct space.
• Complete the picture: Repeat the process until all empty slots are covered to reveal the finished image.

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Did you happen to miss a month or two? Wish you could go back and find that show or book that I reviewed months ago? Now, you can go back to past issues of What's Dawn Devouring Lately? I will continue updating this section each month, so you can always go back without having to search on social media to find a past edition.

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