July 2017 Book Review & My First Blog Post!

It's my first post on my new blog and it's about one of my favorite topics ever...  BOOKS!

I read about 5 - 6 books each month, and I love it!  I've been getting lots of people asking for my book recommendations lately so I was inspired to share on my own blog post. 

So, here we go, my book review for July 2017.

The Blue Bistro by Elin Hilderbrand

This was written by my favorite summer beach read author and I wasn’t disappointed.  Light and fun with characters who left me eager to get back to the book to see what they were up to next.  It’s about a famous bistro in Nantucket and the stories (and drama) of the people who run it.  The details of running a fast-paced restaurant were fun, and the description of the food they serve literally made me hungry.  I finished it wanting to make a reservation at the Blue Bistro!  Too bad it’s fiction.  I think I read somewhere that this is the author’s favorite book that she wrote.  So if you love Elin Hilderbrand, I recommend it for sure!  I gave it 4 stars.

The Identicals by Elin Hilderbrand

Yay!  I couldn’t wait to get my hands on her latest book.  I was excited when my library bought the digital version after I requested them to do so.  (Did you know you can do that? Best thing ever.)  All of her books so far have been set on Nantucket but this one was set in both Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard.  I loved hearing about the two beautiful places.  Cute story line about a set of twins and the drama they get into apart, while finding their way back to each other.  I gave it 4 stars.

Same Beach Next Year by Dorothea Benton Frank

This was a beach read which is my favorite in the summer, but I wasn't crazy about the storyline in this one.  It was good enough for a light easy read though.  It was about two families who summer together. I gave it 3 stars.

Edgar & Lucy by Victor Lodato

I wanted to love this one.  One of my besties gave it a 5-star rating, and it was recommended on lots of reading sites but I could not get into it.  It’s the story of a boy learning about himself and his family and their secrets.  Eh, didn’t do it for me and for some reason, it felt very disjointed.  I kept having to go back to check if I missed something.  I gave it 2 stars.

Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult

Finally got around to reading this book and was worried I'd be let down after all the hype around it. But no, I couldn't be let down by the characters, and the thought-provoking storyline and dialogues. The book discussed the things regarding racial awareness that make us uncomfortable but through a lovely story. Even when I felt like I had already received the lesson, more was uncovered and I continued feeling attached to ALL the characters.

Also, I was consciously impressed while reading it, by the author's research and knowledge. I was clapping for her and for what this book must have meant for her - enormous amounts of research, fact finding, inquiry, empathy, and open mindedness.  This book will stay with me forever.  My favorite book of the month.  5 stars!

That's it for July! Yay for my first post and for great reads.  For a complete list of all the books I've read in 2017 so far, just head to the Books tab from my home page.

Please comment with book recommendations if you have them!  I always pick books based on other readers' reviews.  Happy Reading!