July was a great month! I got a decent amount of reading done and watched a lot of movies (for me) – and it was my birthday month!
I’m a children’s librarian, so I read books for kids and for grown-ups. This month, I read 1 picture/early reader book and 7 “big” books, including audiobooks, adult novels, and chapter books for children. My average rating this month was 4.1 stars.
The Best Men by Sarina Bowen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This was so cute! I love the opposites attract trope. ❤️🔥
The Reluctant Countess: A Would-Be Wallflowers Novel by Eloisa James
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This was exactly what I needed, though imperfect. In my experience with Eloisa James, she comes so close to hitting the nail on the head but then misses the point entirely. Some great points about misogyny are almost made – almost. The character development for Giles takes way too long – I’ve dumped more than one boyfriend over similar behavior after only one or two incidents of jealousy bordering on slut-shaming. I also would’ve liked to have seen Yasmin and Giles married throughout the course of the book rather than just engaged… didn’t feel realistic for the time – the same with some anachronistic language. Huge fan of Yasmin and her grandfather though, and the chemistry was 🔥
Good Girl Complex by Elle Kennedy
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I liked this one! Fun and steamy.
10 Little Rubber Ducks by Eric Carle
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Simple, silly, and cute with iconic illustrations. Good for discussing concept words related to directions.
Much Ado About Dukes by Eva Devon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
What a great book! I devoured this romance. Beatrice is a feminist who plans never to marry. Will is a duke and an excellent example of an ally, always willing to listen and lift the voices of others, always willing to have his perspective challenged – except about love. He refuses to give in to emotion. Beatrice believes she won’t like Will, but once they meet, a friendship is quickly formed – with a spark, of course. When Beatrice finds her fortune is lost, she knows she needs to marry. Poverty is not an option, especially when she funds so many women and organizations. Will proposes, and the two enter a marriage of friendship and convenience, agreeing to never fall in love. But of course, they quickly do. Will has to accept that it’s alright to have emotions, and while Beatrice will stand for nothing less than his love, his brothers help him come to his senses and realize that love – between family, between partners, between friends – is a beautiful emotion and worth the risk of pain.
The Duke’s Accidental Bride by Eva Devon
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This is sweet. Jack never planned to marry, but then her family faces a financial struggle, and when her sister makes a love match with no monetary gain, Jack and her brother must look for spouses. Her childhood friend James is a Duke who has sworn off love but makes good matches. He agrees to help Jack find a husband but of course they quickly fall for one another. Not Devon’s best at all but still enjoyable.
Every Summer After by Carley Fortune
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This actually only took me 1 day to read. Read 20 pages the first two days and then devoured the other 285 in one day. Wow. WOW. Part YA friends to lovers, part adult second chance, full angst. I’m an emotional WRECK.
The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This was really fun! Obviously I liked it since I read it in two days. As a Star Wars fan, it was… VERY clearly fanfiction. And yet it touched on so many important things in the STEM field, and also had probably the HOTTEST cunnilingus scene I’ve ever read. *fans self*
A Peek Into My Planner
I’ve been trying to fill out my planner each day to keep myself organized and to use the plethora of planner supplies and stickers I possess. (I use The Happy Planner.) I started a brand new planner (well, two of them, actually) in January. Here are the spreads I shared in July.
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I’ve been keeping track of my moods to keep an eye on my depression and anxiety. In 2022, I also began habit tracking various aspects of my life, though I got overwhelmed with the process in February and have scaled back quite a bit, but on the blog I’ll just continue to share moods:
- Good – 8 days
- Okay – 5 days
- Great – 4 days
- Happy – 4 days
- Productive – 4 days
- Anxious – 1 day
- Creative – 1 day
- Depressed – 1 day
- Emotional – 1 day
- Relaxed – 1 day
I have been posting almost every day about my witchier interests on TikTok and also just having fun with it. I’m also sharing some #booktok posts there and just updates about my life in NYC.
@daily.manifestationx I would say check for sun, moon, and venus #astrologytiktok #astrology ♬ original sound – logan
I also watched Obi-Wan (possibly Season 1, not sure it’s been renewed and it might just be a limited series…) and the movies Elvis (in theaters), Persuasion, You’ve Got Mail (a rewatch), Anything’s Possible, Us (a rewatch), Where The Crawdads Sing (in theaters), and Nope (in theaters).
Looking Ahead: August
I’m taking care of myself and doing some grown-up things this month now that I’m 32. Looking forward to growing into my best self.
