✨let's talk thru: july

the weirdest month of the year for me

I find that every July I get either extremely introspective OR I get sick. In the past, it’s been these really horrible things called abdominal migraines (thanks, therapy for helping with that one), but now it’s just a wandering brain.

So let’s see where this edition goes….

READ

LEDGER:
🔘 read on my nook
🎧 audiobook
📚 reread
🔖 library
📔 own

🔖Under the Rainbow by Celia Laskey
rating: really liked it

This is a unique little book! It’s a linear story, but switches to a new person’s POV every chapter. A pro-LGTBQIA+ nonprofit decides to move to what is deemed the most homophobic city in the US. The story follows people within the organization, family in the group, and townspeople. It’s about acceptance, changing your beliefs, and who you really are.

📔Same Time Next Summer by Annabel Monoghan
rating: liked it

I liked this one, but there is something that is resisting me from rating it higher. I loved the setting, I loved the family, but the romance did frustrate me a bit. There was an immaturity, that was well explained, but still left me wanting to be a life coach to the main character lol

🔖Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld
rating: loved it

I need to set the scene for my reading experience for this one. Our AC wasn’t quite working 100% so Connor decided to sleep on the couch surrounded by fans. Therefore, I was left alone to stay up without supervision….

So I read this all in one sitting.

I loved this one, I feel like it was very polarizing in the reviews I saw. But this was classic Sittenfeld for me and a SNL setting? Sign me up. I loved the way it handled c*v*d and how romance grew during that time with emails. Swoon.

🔘Business or Pleasure by Rachel Lynn Solomon
rating: really liked it

Read this one super quickly as well! The spice factor is HIGH but so is the heart. During a horrible night, ghostwriter Chandler meets Finn. They have so much fun, but the one night stand….not so much. Then Chandler finds out that Finn is her next ghostwriting client. He opens up about his life for his book, and she teaches him how to…be physical…with someone in bed.

If you liked Solomon’s The Ex Talk, you will love this one!

🔘Christmas Orphans Club by Becca M Freeman
rating: loved it

It’s so fun to read a book from someone that you listen to/follow on Instagram. Seeing their dreams come true is so fun, and then the book is just as good as you hope!

There needs to be a version of romance but for friendship. This at its heart, is a friendship book. Hannah and Finn met in college, and always spend Christmas together. They add in some friends, but there is always the two of them, until they aren’t talking.

Told in past and present timelines, you will fall in love with these characters and want to go to NYC during Christmas.

🔘The Boyfriend Candidate by Ashley Winstead
rating: loved it

Maybe my top romance of the year? I want to read it again. Alexis has decided to have a one night stand on the anniversary of her ex saying she was too vanilla in bed. Her alter ego “Ruby Dangerfield” gets hit on by a not great guy, and a hot guy with a light British accept helps her get out of the situation. They stay up late talking, and then go to a hotel room. But when the fire alarm goes off and Alexis twists her ankle on the way out, Logan picks her up, they get outside, and their photo is taken. She doesn’t care, but then finds out that she’s famous while at work as a school librarian…because Logan is the democratic candidate for governor of Texas.

LET THE FAKE DATING ENSUE!

Is there miscommunication? Yes, but there has to be with fake dating.

Lots of swooning, feelings, and I want a book from Logan’s POV.

🔖The Feather Thief by Kirk W Johnson
rating: really liked it

I love an art book. I love a heist book. I didn’t think I could get into a book about feathers and fly fishing, but I was into this. It wasn’t just the heist, it was the author’s journey into the story. The author got obsessed with a story about someone else’s obsession. The lengths humans will go is a through-line of this book and it was very very good.

REALIZE

So many things this month. But the main take away was doing Low Buy July. I had slipped into such an entitlement mindset of spending. We have worked hard to get out of debt, save, etc. that I felt like I deserved to spend more. And in some cases, that is true. But I felt like if I saw something, I needed it. That is simply not true.

ORGANIZE

Nothing really here!

BUY

The only thing I really bought during low buy july was an apple watch. It was a splurge, but it was a great choice. I’m trying to move my body more and this helps keep me accountable and interested in how I’m moving my body.

EAT & DRINK

Not a ton this month due to low buy july! But here we are.

TL: I ate this wrap six days in a row, which is a minor miracle in my life. I usually get bored, but this was so god. Habanero lime wrap, layer of cream cheese, peppers, spinach, green goddess dressing. I think I might need to make this again….

TR: There’s very little things as good as a midwestern diner breakfast.

BL: Mi Kitchen Korean fried wings. Crispy, crunchy, perfect

BR: Kimchi risotto with shrimp. A combo I would have never picked, but my goodness I loved it

WEAR

It’s the time of the year where I am done with summer clothing. I want to wear layers, I want to wear coats. So I don’t have anything here that’s revolutionary, but if you don’t own linen pants, you need them.

WATCH

Law & Order….that’s really it.

LISTEN

Same as last month!

PODCASTS
Currently listening:
Bad on Paper
Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend
Over Under Achievers
The Popcast with Knox & Jamie
Sleep With Me
Scam Goddess
Normal Gossip (so sad this season is done already)
SCAMANDA (omg this woman sucks so hard)

Catching up:
Maintenance Phase

Added to queue:
None!

TRAVEL

We head to Montana in a few weeks! Super excited to get to the mountains. I also have done zero research because I need to start planning Portugal.

MEMORIES

🌊 Mornings by the pool

🎾 Watched so much Wimbledon. I loved the storylines this year

🎤👑🐝 BEYONCE BEYONCE BEYONCE. Seeing the queen live was incredible. The show started late, but who cares it was amazing.

💛 Seeing friends from high school was so good for my heart.

💕 I’ve seen Barbie twice and I still can’t wait for it to be streaming