Book Reviews

July 2020 Book Review

It’s the last day of July, which means it’s…Book Review Day!!

I read three killer books this month that I’m so excited to share. All a little different in their own way, but each one had me looking forward to picking up my Kindle any chance I could get!

So here’s what I’ve been reading this month…

The Guest List

Okay, this one started off at warp speed and had me hooked IN-STANT-LY! Jules, founder of a lifestyle website The Download, and Will, a reality TV star best known for his wilderness show, are getting married on a spooky remote island. On the night of their wedding, there’s a murder. Oh…that’s just chapter one. 🙂

It’s an edge of your seat ‘who dunnit’ story that switches perspectives each chapter, moving through the stories of several members of the wedding party and guests.

I LOVED this story! When it got to the last 50 pages, I was reading it in between making dinner and getting kids ready for bedtime, literally picking up my Kindle every chance I could get. Lucy Foley did an incredible job of tying this story all together with some great twists and awesome character development (if you’ve been here long, this is a big one for me!)

On the Bright Side

Melanie Shankle, you did it again. I loved her book Everyday Holy: FInding a Big God in LIttle Moments, and I need to just invest in the rest of her books because this one had me laughing, had me thinking, and had me reflecting every inch of the way through. She’s a sarcastic, upbeat writer that has a way of tying in Bible verses into the chaos of our lives. She can tell a story in a way that you feel like you were there or like you’re sitting down with your best friend having a coffee or a cocktail. She’s so relatable and wonderful and I love everything about her wit.

In her book, On the Bright Side, she talks about finding the…you guessed it…bright side of life. Finding the bright side of love, of family, of being nice to people, of making it through some of the hardships of life with a little more mercy, grace, and love. In a world where there are so many voices telling us what we should do, how we should act, and what we should believe, we’ve lost the key fundamental parts of being a good human.

She does a wonderful job of tying in her faith without being preachy. She’ll be the first to tell you about her wrong-doings in hysterical stories. She uses her wit and her stories to guide how we can manage through this wild ride of life with a little more positivity and laughter. I adore her and I adore her writing, and this book was par for the course. So well done, Melanie!

American Dirt

Whoa. Whoa, whoa, whoa. I heard so many people rave about this book that I almost didn’t read it. We all remember how I felt about Little Fires Everywhere after everyone raved about it. 😕 But I finally decided I’d go for it. I read two easy reads this month and I was ready to dig a little deeper and read more of a raw story. This one did not disappoint from day 1. I actually felt my heart racing in my chest as this story unfolded. I was so fully engulfed in this story and the characters and felt an immediate connection to their well-being.

It’s a fictional story about a mother and her young son who lived a very normal life in Mexico. Middle-class family, two working parents, quaint home in a good area. All normal. Until the drug cartel comes after her and her family, and suddenly she is on the run. She becomes a migrant fleeing the Mexican cartel, in search of sanctuary in the United States. I’m the first one to say that the borders are extremely black and white, and you feel one way or the other about the issues. After reading this book, I realize things aren’t so clear. I would be shocked if you didn’t see there is so much grey area with the borders, border security, and migrants. It was so well-written, it was eye-opening, it was deep, it was tragic, it was about being a mom, and it’s politically provocative.

My goodness, this book was incredible. If this doesn’t make my favorite book of 2020 list, I would be shocked. Thank you for this story, Jeanine Cummins. I just loved it.

Alright, that’s it for July 2020! If you missed my book reviews each month, check HERE for the full list of 2020 so far.

Have any recommendations for next month? I’m thinking something lighter to start the month because American Dirt will stick with me for some time. What are you loving?

Have a great weekend and I’ll see you back here next week! xx Rach

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