Monthly Reading Wrap-Up: August 2024

Back again for another fun month of book suggestions? Here are the things Kristin and I have been reading since the last wrap-up. Be sure to tell us if you see any of your favorite reads, something on the never-ending To-Be-Read list, or if you know of a comparable title we might enjoy. Thanks again for reading! Write on.

Kamryn:

I’ve been a little busy lately, so I’ve read about 1 ½ books since the last wrap-up.

Read 1 is The Six by Loren Grush, and it’s definitely going to be one of my favorite reads for this year. This is a pretty new non-fiction book, I believe, and it follows the first six women brought into NASA’s astronaut corps in the late 1970s through the space shuttle program. Space history is one of my absolute favorite non-fiction topics to read about, especially in regard to women’s involvement as it’s kind of a wild topic due to historical, social, cultural, and gender norms. I’ve read other great books on this topic before, but I’d never come across one that had focused solely on this particular group of women as a whole and I was so excited when I saw it.

The Six is a fascinating read and I really loved Grush’s writing style, as it’s very in the moment and descriptive in a way that makes you feel as if you’re right there in all the action too. It really digs into the six women as people, with hopes and struggles, and doesn’t leave it at “This is the first woman to do this”. You can tell Grush researched things extremely thoroughly and finally told the narrative of how Sally Ride, Judy Resnik, Anna Fisher, Kathy Sullivan, Shannon Lucid, and Rhea Seddon fought for every inch of their astounding legacies.

I know I’m jabbering, but this is something I really enjoy talking about, so if this book sounds interesting to you, also try out these reads about women in regard to NASA as well: The Astronaut Wives Club (Lily Koppel), Integrating Women into the Astronaut Corps: Politics and Logistics at NASA, 1972-2004 (Amy E. Foster), and Through the Glass Ceiling to the Stars (Col. Eileen M. Collins, USAF (Retired) with Jonathan H. Ward). I’ve only seen the movie so far, but I’d like to read Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly as well, which falls within the same category. 

If none of these sound like your cup of tea or you don’t think nonfiction is quite for you, check out one of our recent blogs on how to find the right nonfiction book for you, here.

My second read for this month is a much lighter topic, as it probably falls into an Elementary or Middle Grade category. If I like an author, I tend to branch out to read their other books as well, and so that led me to The World Between Blinks by Amie Kaufman and Ryan Graudin. Essentially, two cousins get caught up in “the world between blinks” which is a kind of alternate plane of existence to our world where lost things disappear. It’s creative, I really love the description used within the story, and the cover art is very fun. I’ve not finished it yet, but I’ve enjoyed it so far and would say it’s a good option, especially if you’re looking for young readers who like adventure, mystery, or history. Several famous lost historical figures and locations make appearances, so there is an educational element as well. I believe this is part of a duology, so I’ll have to hunt down the second one eventually, but it’s a very interesting concept and a fun adventure.

Kristin:  

I am happy to announce, I finished a book! And I discovered I can check out books from home and get them sent to my kindle! Check out your local library and see if yours does too! It’s great, my wallet is happy. Though that won’t stop me from buying a physical copy of a book I really love.

Anyways, this month I read His Majesty’s Dragon by Naomi Novik. This is a fantasy series that actually was less than 300 pages so it was a quick read. Or, would have been, if I had had time to read more than a chapter at a time. This was very different than my usual reading line up. It focuses a lot on the relationship between the dragon, Temeraire, and former naval officer, Laurnce. It deals with social relations in a historical fantasy world. I really enjoyed the sass, fluffy friendship and I can definitely feel some found family vibes starting in. There’s no romance or excessive gore or violence and I would recommend it if you want something a bit more on the chill side. This is only the first of eight books, so that opinion may change but so far I am enjoying it. 

That’s all for this month! Be sure to let us know what you’re reading and we’ll see you in September! As always, write-on!