Beneath the Book Club: It’s time to vote on our August read. And there are some great books to choose from.
The summer is flying by and we have spent much of it enjoying juicy beach reads.
This is the last month for that, then we will shift gears.
The Daughter is getting married in September, so to celebrate, we’ll dive into something with a little romance.
To mark Halloween, October’s book will be all things spooky, and of course, the holidays will involve Hallmark movie-style reads.
But for now, you have the choice between three new books for August.
I can’t wait to see which one you pick!
Book 1: The Return of Ellie Black by Emiko Jean
A USA Today bestseller, One of The Washington Post’s 10 noteworthy books in May 2024
WHAT AMAZON SAYS: “It’s been twenty years since Detective Chelsey Calhoun’s sister vanished when they were teenagers, and ever since she’s been searching: for signs, for closure, for other missing girls.
"But happy endings are rare in Chelsey’s line of work.
“Then a glimmer: local teenager Ellie Black, who disappeared without a trace two years earlier, has been found alive in the woods of Washington State.
“But something is not right with Ellie. She won’t say where she’s been, or who she’s protecting, and it’s up to Chelsey to find the answers. She needs to get to the bottom of what happened to Ellie: for herself, and for the memory of her sister, but mostly for the next girl who could be taken—and who, unlike Ellie, might never return.
“The debut thriller from New York Times bestselling author Emiko Jean, The Return of Ellie Black is both a feminist tour de force about the embers of hope that burn in the aftermath of tragedy and a twisty page-turner that will shock and surprise you right up until the final page."
Book 2: The Hollywood Assistant by May Cobb
Named a most anticipated read of 2024 by Zibby Media ∙ Jordy’s Book Club ∙ Novel Suspects ∙ The Nerd Daily ∙ Pure Wow ∙ She Reads
WHAT AMAZON SAYS: “Cassidy Foster is heartbroken, stuck in life, and getting a little too obsessed with plants.
"Then when a well-connected friend becomes sick of Cassidy’s moping and gets her a gig with famous Hollywood couple, Marisol and Nate Sterling, Cassidy jumps at the chance to move to sunny LA.
“The Sterlings are warm and welcoming. A perfect couple. All Cassidy has to do is be available a few hours a week for errands. In return, she has access to luxury: Designer clothes. A sparkling pool. Great pay.
“When Nate takes interest in her, asking her to read scripts he’s written, Cassidy thinks this could be the key to kickstarting her writing dreams. As their business relationship grows, so does their attraction. Nate is sexy and talented, and Cassidy can’t believe her luck.
“Clearly, Marisol doesn’t know what she has. Maybe that’s why the two are always fighting when they think Cassidy isn’t around.
“But Cassidy learns she was hired for a different purpose. The Sterlings aren’t the perfect couple. Marisol isn’t the perfect wife.
“And when one of them is found dead, Cassidy becomes the perfect suspect.”
Book 3: Sandwich by Catherine Newman
Instant New York Times bestseller
WHAT AMAZON SAYS: “For the past two decades, Rocky has looked forward to her family’s yearly escape to Cape Cod.
"Their humble beach-town rental has been the site of sweet memories, sunny days, great meals, and messes of all kinds: emotional, marital, and—thanks to the cottage’s ancient plumbing—septic too.
“This year’s vacation, with Rocky sandwiched between her half-grown kids and fully aging parents, promises to be just as delightful as summers past—except, perhaps, for Rocky’s hormonal bouts of rage and melancholy.
"(Hello, menopause!) Her body is changing—her life is, too.
“And then a chain of events sends Rocky into the past, reliving both the tenderness and sorrow of a handful of long-ago summers.
“It's one precious week: everything is in balance; everything is in flux. And when Rocky comes face to face with her family’s history and future, she is forced to accept that she can no longer hide her secrets from the people she loves.”
So, which one do you want to read? Vote on Beneath the Surface’s Facebook post now.
We will host our online discussion at 9 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 29.
interesting