Fancy seeing you here. It’s been a while. Want to talk about books?

Hello! This summer’s haul of books was read at the campsite or on the beach 😊🏖️Buckle up! We’ve got the first 4 (of 9!) to review today!

A Peculiar Combination by Ashley Weaver
★★★★★/5
Mystery | Historical Fiction
After finishing book #3 last month, I knew I had to start at the beginning and catch myself up on the story of Ellie, Ramsey, Uncle Mick, Nacy, & Felix. I don’t regret my decisions and I was instantly reminded why I love Weaver’s stories so much!
This series is set during WWII but it’s not a war novel. Instead, it’s a light historical mystery with a slight hint of romance. Definitely start at the beginning with this series- not in book #3 like I did.
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The Key to Deceit by Ashley Weaver
★★★★/5
Mystery | Historical Fiction
Well… I can’t really say too much because I don’t want to give away the first book in the series… And I also know what happens in the 3rd book, so I can’t really speculate either. Haha. (And this is why I usually refuse to read anything out of order.) But I’ll try to sum this up anyway.
Ellie and Ramsey are working together, once again, to intercept information and take down German spies. This one lost a star because it felt a little stagnant. I think many second books fall victim to that… and I can happily report that book 3 ramps everything back up again!
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The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
★★★★/5
Classic | Fantasy
This book has been on my tbr list for a while, but I had no idea what it was about. It would probably still be on my list if my brother’s book club hadn’t suggested it. (We needed something on the shorter side.)
I really enjoyed this story. It’s written in a story-telling voice. I actually read part of it and listened to part of it. (Spotify has the audiobook, recorded by Scar from The Lion King Jeremy Irons.) I usually dislike audiobooks, but this story lends itself to telling, rather than reading. It’s a coming-of-age novel about fate and finding your destiny and the experiences and people we encounter along the way. It’s thought-provoking and deep in a spiritual way, but only if you’re in the mood to receive it that way. It’s a very strange book.
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Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
★★★★★/5
Historical Fiction
Shame on me for taking so dang long to read this beautiful, heartbreaking, amazing book. I have to space “heavy books” out between lighter ones (i.e. romance, thrillers, cozy mysteries) and I think I was afraid to take this one on. Yes, it made me cry, but it was a historical reality that SO many people lived. And I needed that view point. I will recommend this novel to anyone who will listen. Slavery was and is disgusting. It’s dehuminzing and violent and unfair at the highest level. And this book is rooting in the pain and harm born of this offense. If you’ve not read it, you need to pick it up.
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If I’m being honest, these four have been on my tbr list or on the periphery of my tbr for a while. I’m glad I finally read them this summer. I’ll be back soon with a few more reviews!

-Aud