What a wonderfully written book! The character was just amazing and I adored every part of this sweet story. So well written!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The writing style is phenomenal and I liked the story of three generations of women who struggle with life's obstacles and prejudices.. The story is very realistic and emotional and you can empathize with the characters.
Overall, I enjoyed the book and would like to say thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read it.

Thoroughly enjoyed this novel! Its about a 15 year old girl , Aurora, set in Indiana, whose Mom is a flirtacious young mother who refuses to grow up. She wants to settle down but life often doesnt go her way. The female characters lead the novel and they are very different and easily identifiable. The male characters are secondary which was a nice change. It felt so real that I feel as if I have just spent a week in heatwave Indiana! If you love small town America fiction, or mother daughter relationship fiction, or young innocent romance you may love it too.

End of August by Paige Dinnery brings very realistic family dynamics to life. She tells the story of a family of women all trying to find their way after different tragedies have affected them individually and as a family. Wonderful read!

This is such an interesting book. Aurora, even at 15, comes across as super wise. The way she sees the world really makes her different from her mom and grandma, which is pretty interesting to see. The characters are easy to relate to, and there’s a lot to learn from their experiences. Definitely a story that sticks with you.

I wasn't too sure what to expect when I started reading this book but I was pleasantly surprised. I thoroughly enjoyed it!
The interaction between Aurora (15), her mother Laine(33) and her gran Katherine (50?) keeps the reader invested in seeing this story to the end. Family relationships aren’t always easy and add a small-town atmosphere of gossip; these and more will keep you wanting more; waiting to see how this will all pan out.

Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for my eARC copy. I highly recommend End of August. Enjoyable read! 4.5 stars

5 ⭐

This was really good. A very character driven story that captures the feelings of growing up and making difficult choices and explores the themes of love, friendship, rights, and wrongs.

The characters, their feelings, their habits and their choices are all well written.
Given that the story is set in a small town in Indiana over a time period of 3 months and still doesn't feel boring is exceptional.

Highly recommended. 👍

A pretty cool book of authentic emotions and struggles.
Aurora is a 15 yo never given the chance to call a place home and have her own life because her mother drags her from place to place.
They visit grandma and things start to take a turn.
You feel for Aurora, and want her to be happy. The ending is satisfying and the pacing is good.
Plot 3
Characaterisation 3.5
Prose 3
Themes 4
3.5 stars.

“I think she’d do anything to keep me in the passenger seat, and sometimes I want to be there.” End of August is a languid but enjoyable book that settles over you like the cloying heat of an Indiana summer. It tells the story of three generations of women—Aurora, Laine and Katherine—in a small town called Monroe. The trio are reunited due to the death of Jay, Katherine’s partner.

Fifteen year old Aurora, on the cusp of awareness, starts to see how different her family is from other small town exemplars: “There was a time when everything she did seemed so glamorous. By fifteen, some of the charm had worn off.” The book gently explores Katherine’s alcoholism and its role in Laine’s nomadic life through the kindhearted eyes of Aurora: “I’d never thought of my life as ‘messed up’. I’d just thought of it as my life. One dictated by the whims of a mother who preferred to leave when things got hard.”

As Aurora starts to catalogue the things she’s missed out on by moving on so often—riding a bike, learning to cook a meal, dating—and Laine starts sleeping with the married postman, tensions begin to simmer between the three women. However amongst all the problems there’s love, so Aurora has a hard choice to make when the road “with Mom and the men she’d pick up along the way seemed impossibly long.” There’s also acknowledgment in the book of the gendered disparity of consequences for bad actions, most often being borne by women: “Our world is easier on men.”

Aurora's mother prefers to leave when things get hard. She has moved more times in her life than years she has existed. Aurora just goes with the flow, never expecting more from life.
Until her Grandpa Jay passes away and Aurora and her mother return to her mothers home town. Aurora finally feels at home, and that she is more than just her mothers daughter. She has her own friends, her own job and develops a close relationship with her Gran.
The summer comes to an end and Aurora starts to fear that the new life she has fallen in love with will end as soon as her mothers new relationship runs it course.
I absolutely adored this story, it was a little slow to begin with, although it did draw me in. I love stories in which I feel some sort of connection with the characters, and I felt it for each of the ladies inthis story, Aurora, her mother Lanie and Gran. The theme of forgiveness and the understanding that no one is perfect and we all have our flaws is one I could relate to.
I can not wait to add a physical copy of this book to my library. This is the authors debut novel however I will definitely be interested in anything else she publishes.
Thank you to Netgallery and Alcove Press for the digital ARC copy to read in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you, Alcove Press, for the advance reading copy.

I love the blurb of the book and it is exactly as it is. The writing is good and the characters are believable.
However, I feel like I was reading a book I have read and loved before.

I love how the characters of three different generations are struggling with their own challenges and how they come to terms with them. I wanted more character development and the romance to be more interesting.

However, I would say the closure towards the end is commendable.

I would recommend this book for the readers who are looking for a weekend getaway read.

Aurora’s mom left her small town at 17, and has been jumping from place to place with her daughter in tow ever since. When Aurora’s grandmother’s husband dies the travelling duo return for the funeral and staying for a few days turns into stay for “awhile”. As Aurora gets to experience putting down roots and making friends for the first time, her mother has made a friend of her own, a married one. Her mother’s choices could blow up the happiness she found and the home she has come to love.
I really enjoyed this book. It’s a great summery book that isn’t a beach read. @paigedinneny wrote a story that is reflective and layered and still hopeful and joyful. I was sucked in and invested in this book within a few pages.
Thank you so much to @alcovepress and @netgalley for letting me have this one a little early in exchange for a review. There is a bit of a wait for this one, it doesn’t hit shelves till February 11 2025, but it’s worth the wait.
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"End of August" is the story of a complex family who face real-world struggles such as alcohol abuse. The central character is 15-year old Aurora, who must navigate her life a long witih her mother and grandmother. The subject matter is melancholy and the tone can be difficult to stay with as the story moves slowly. This is an emotionally intelligent character-based novel, so I would recommend this for readers enjoy stories of women and the women who raise them. Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for the Arc.

Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for the eARC.

I just loved this story. Aurora, her mom, and her Gran who all were just trying to navigate the world and the hurt they all felt (some of it caused by each other). This book made me nostalgic for growing up in a way I haven’t in a very long time. What a painful, beautiful book.

This multigenerational story embodies the struggles of 15-year-old Aurora and her single mother who tends to pick up and move when the going gets tough. Her grandmother loves her and tries hard to care for her, but she has her own struggles with alcohol. Aurora must find her own happiness and hold on to it with all her might.

This is a very well written, emotional story that is sure to pique your interest. Thank you, NetGalley and Alcove Press for the opportunity to read this advanced copy.

A good coming of age story focused on three generations of women in one family. I did enjoy it and read it quite quickly, at some points I got a bit bored but overall was a fun book to read.

A beautiful coming of age story of a young girl finding home for the first time in her life. Fifteen year old Aurora has lived in 18 places already and never feels she belongs or has a place in the world. Her mother moves from place to place on a whim with little regard for Aurora’s feelings. When they go visit her grandmother, Aurora doesn’t want to get to comfortable because she knows what’s coming. But as the summer unfolds, she finds love and friendship and finally, a real place to call home. But her mother’s reckless decisions puts her future in jeopardy as once again she is ready to move on and escape the latest mess she’s created. Aurora has to decide her future for once and for all. I loved this book and the eclectic cast of characters and finished it in two days.

I enjoyed this book very much! The characters were very well written and the story fit the intended period perfectly. The interaction between the 3 generations of women seemed very realistic. I would highly recommend this author and I look forward to reading her next book. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity.

An amazing story that captivated me from the start. Well done, Dinneny. Thanks so much to NetGalley for the ARC. Five star read.

This was an insightful read about families with struggles and poor coping mechanisms. My heart went out to Aurora, she's a 15 year old girl who has to deal with her families struggles and poor life choices. It made me sad to think what the girl has been through just because her family doesn't know how to properly handle tough situations, she deserved better. I'm glad we get to see Aurora grow into her own person and make her own choices, I found this to be a very heartfelt, genuine and realistic book.

4.5 Stars