Caroline's Book Club

Happy book club day! This seems to be a reader favorite which is great because it's also my favorite thing to write every month. Over the summer I read a lot of cool books and this list is full of most of those. I felt like the only good way to usher in a new season was to recap my favorite stories from the previous one! This month's top five follows no theme. There's some romance, mystery, self-discovery, comedy, a little bit of everything, really. Hopefully you'll find one that peaks your interests! Let's dig into September's picks!

#5: The Lost Carousel of Provence by Juliet Blackwell
Personally, I love stories that take place internationally. There's just something so cool about imagining a place you've never been to or hope to visit eventually. Plus, it adds to the drama. I think most can agree that Europe is a much more interesting place then, I don't know? Ohio? The Lost Carousel of Provence takes place in Paris and follows a photographer from California as she sets out to rebuild her life following tragedy. Throughout the story, the narrative changes from present day to the early 1900s as a chateau's past shed's light on a mystery that's spanned a century: the lost carousel and what exactly led to its removal from history and memory.  

#4: The Dating Plan by Sara Desai
Ok, I'm not going to lie. I've been getting into romance novels. Now don't go getting any ideas. Thrillers are still my ultimate favorite. I mean, just wait until you see some of the titles I've been considering for October. However, I've noticed that after the last year, while I still love the goriness, mystery, and suspense, sometimes you need an infusion of joy to balance out the doom and gloom. This book accomplishes just that. The storyline is as follows. Girl has prying family. Girl needs fiancée to get said family to leave her alone. Enter very attractive, rich guy. Who is also her brother's best friend. Who she also crushed on as a teenager. Who stood her up at prom. Who then disappeared from her life forever. Cue the fake romance plan. Cue the feelings. Cue the drama. You get the point. The gist of all these short sentences? You NEED to read this book. You'll thank me later.

#3: Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid
This book is, I think, the best summer-set book I read. It's got the drama, the romance, the lovable characters, all set against the backdrop of sunny Malibu. Taking place over one day, the novel follows four siblings long-ago abandoned by their father. Unbeknownst to them, the decisions they make one fateful August night will set the path for the rest of their lives and quite literally cause everything to go up in smoke.

#2: A Million Junes by Emily Henry
If I could sum this novel up in one sentence, it would be: the modern day Romeo and Juliet without all the death...in the traditional sense. Super cryptic, I know but that's the fun of this post at least for me. I don't have to tell you everything. Just enough to drive you crazy and get you hooked until the only remedy is to go out and buy the book yourself. I'm terrible and you're welcome!
 
#1: The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner
This book actually shocked me but in a totally amazing way. I was expecting a suspenseful mystery and yes, that happened but there was also so much more. It's especially interesting that the setting is modern day London but then the perspective switches and you're transported back to London as it was in the late 1790s. The story seems to be a mystery at the surface but once you peel back the layers, it displays friendship, loss, broken marriages, betrayal, acceptance, joy, heartache, learning, and growth. I came to appreciate the story for the way that it showed that time connects us all and no one is ever truly lost to history.  

That's a wrap on this month's book club! I love each and every one of these books for different reasons and I hope I passed some of that appreciation onto you. I'll see you in October for some positively spook-tacular reads that are sure to keep you up at night. Have a great start to your fall season and have a fabulous day!