Although I read seven books in August, none stood out as an overwhelming favorite. Having already read a few more books in September, I can promise I’ll return to posting my favorite book of the month next month.

Here are the seven books I read in August:

• Three Women, by Lisa Taddeo – An academic exploration of female desire or provocative sexual expose? You’ll need to be the judge of this title. That said, I found  Maggie’s profile informative and one that will forever change the way I interpret common headlines.
• The Guest Book, by Sarah Blake – The novel started strong, with wonderfully detailed depictions of Manhattan, but lost my interest. I found I never became attached to any of the characters, despite trying.
• Many Hands Make Light Work: A Memoir, by Cheryl Stritzel McCarthy – An enjoyable memoir of a ’70s-era midwestern family.
• Franny and Zooey, by J.D. Salinger – A time-honored classic. The Franny section arrested my attention, but the Zooey novella failed to maintain my interest.
• Black Card, by Chris L. Terry – An impulse purchase, I read this novel in just three or four sittings. Like the Maggie section from Three Women, Black Card changes for the good, I believe, the way I hear and perceive news by broadening the perspective from which I process events.
• The Witch Doesn’t Burn In This One, by Amanda Lovelace – A collection of aggressive and unapologetic poems sure to inspire many.
• The Day Is Ready For You, by Alison Malee – A collection of raw and sometimes insightful and rewarding poems, a smart volume for a rainy Sunday morning.