what I read this month: July 2017!

This month was a big belly flop for books... sure I read a few really great ones, but I didn't get in NEAR the amount of summer reading that I had hoped to. I hate when that happens!  I finally snagged myself a Kindle Paperwhite and it's been the absolute BEST purchase.  I rent ebooks from the library and read until my hearts content in the dark, at the beach or it's super easy to slip in my purse for while I am waiting in the car for kids sports, etc. I've owned it almost a month and I've only charged it one time - so that's way better than reading on a Kindle app on your phone/ipad - hands down.

This month I read mostly contemporary fiction and while these were three really great reads, I easily get burnt out on this genre so I need to remember to mix it up a little better in the future.  Although, when a library book comes in from a waitlist you just have to read it. So it really couldn't be helped this month. Without further... this is what I read this month:

Dead Letters by Caite Dolan-Leach... Classic to the current themes in contemporary/thriller fiction right now this book is a page turner mystery rife with drama, a floundering winery and plenty of family drama.  When one twin sister is assumed dead in a barn fire ate the family winery a scavenger hunt for the living twin is orchestrated from seemingly beyond the grave.  Is the sister really dead? Is all as it seems? I will be honest, there were parts of this book that drove me a little crazy.  I soldiered through and found the ending quite satisfying. I think some people will love this book and some will be annoyed by it. I was middle of the road.  But I will say it's got great twists and turns and is a great beachy read.

A Beautiful Poison by Lydia Kang... This book is set at the end of WWI in New York City as influenza is rapidly taking over the city.  Four long time friends bond over the mysterious deaths of their friends and loved ones.  It's a classic whodunit with a completely unforeseeable ending that makes this book a super satisfying read. I couldn't stop thinking about the characters after I read this book.  And the cherry on top was the twist at the end that I never saw coming. This book comes out Tuesday, August 1 - so get on the Amazon pre-order for it now! (I received an Advance Readers Copy of this book complimentary, all opinions are my own!)

He Said/She Said by Erin Kelly... A+ for another perfectly crafted twisty and dark novel.  While it seems the modern thriller genre is a little crowded these days I couldn't put this book down. It follows the love and life of two solar eclipse chasers (timely with the upcoming eclipse on 8/21) who accidentally happen on a crime scene in the moments after an eclipse. But it turns out it's a classic he said/she said on what really happened. Told from multiple points of view and in the present and the past makes this book un-put-down-able.  (spoiler alert/trigger/senstivivity warning: the storyline revolves around a rape scene and if you aren't comfortable about reading about it, court proceedings relating to rape, etc then stay away from this book. I will say that while the rape scene wasn't overly violent or gruesome, but rape is rape and not all readers may feel comfortable with this.)

Also, don't forget that The Address that I reviewed last month is also available on August 1 - I really loved that book so be sure to check it out. You can see my review here.

What have you read lately? I would love to hear!