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1. I went on a road trip to Michigan: I was so happy that it worked out that Will and I could road trip to see my girl Tara, one of my original book blogging buddies from back when I started, and I got to see my other bffs I met through blogging Anna and Ginger (who I actually have never met in these 5 years since we’ve known each other!!). Tara was a beautiful bride and it was a super fun wedding. Will and I explored Grand Rapids a bit (lots of foodie adventures) and it was soooo nice to spend time with some of my favorite people and have Will FINALLY meet people who are so important to me.
2. Went on a week long vacation to the beach with my family — My stepdad’s family is HUGE and every other year we rent 3 beach houses and hang out together all week and eat soooo much food. I’m typing this the day we got back from vacation and I have to tell you I cannot fit into my clothes the way I did pre-vacation. We end the week with a crab feast with even more extended family and it’s just a really fun week!
3. I found a Little Free Library really close to me: I was so excited to find a nearby Little Free Library but I got talking to the lady who owns that particular one and the experience really reminded me why I do all this.
4. I had a really big reading slump in the beginning to half of the month– I just didn’t feel like reading at ALL so I didn’t but then I got so busy I didn’t HAVE time to read and that was annoying. Luckily the second half of the month I made up for it.
5. I started a major purge of my closet & bookshelves: I still have a LONG way to go but I’m working on paring down on a lot of things. I’m planning on getting that KonMari book to try that method.
I put all my Monthly Rewinds in a Spotify playlist so you can listen to them here !
1. Flame by Sundara Karma
2. Leave A Trace – CHVRCHES
3. Silhouettes — Colony House
4. Back of the Car — RAC, Nate Henricks
5. Forever Mine — Andra Day
6. Revolution — Catey Shaw
Honorable mentions:
– New Americana by Halsey
– Number One by Tove Styrke
– Molecules by Atlas Genius
– Wasn’t Expecting That by Jamie Lawson
– Avalanche by Hana
– Gorgeous by X Ambassadors
– Sparks by Beach House
– Clap Snap by Icona Pop
Check out the rest of my July playlist
I read 9 book this month!
1. God-Shaped Hole by Tiffanie DeBartolo — Oh man this book was soooooo good! Made me sob. (And no, it’s not religious…you’ll see what the “god-shaped hole” is)
2. Dumplin’ by Julie Murphy: This book was so delightful!!
3. Yes Please by Amy Poehler: Really enjoyed this one! If you love Amy, it’s a must!
Was kind of surprised that a more negative review was most popular this month! Was super disappointed by this one 🙁
“‘The only way we can get by in this world is through the help we receive from others. No one can do it alone, no matter how great the machines are.” — Yes Please by Amy Poehler
It was in a section about technology and living in the moment and I just loved it! Lots of quoteable lines from this book!
1. In Memory Of — in which I reflect on memories and remembering on the 9th anniversary of my mom’s passing.
2. Why I Am the Way I Am: a bittersweet story + how it reminded me of why I do what I do when it comes to blogging.
3. Ten Hyped Books I’ve Never Read: This was fun to confess those major hyped books I’ve still not read and hear your shouts of “READ THIS OMG”
4. Podcasts I’m Listening To: I’ve gotten into podcasts and shared what I’ve been listening to! Love your recs as well!
5. Status: Fatigued & Overwhelmed: I think I have a case of internet/social media fatigue
My post on friend breakups or maybe my Whatcha In the Mood For post?
NADA. Too busy to film.
1. In Five Years – Really loved this post from my friend Ginger — it had some great reflections and reminded me that it’s never too late!
2. How To Get Back On Track When You Are Backsliding On A Goal: Really relevant to my life right now haha
3. How Giving Away 1000 Books Made Me Love Reading Again: This was an interesting read that I found on a minimalist blog I follow! Curious what all my fellow book nerds think about it!
4. When Information Becomes Clutter & Noise: I was checking my Feedly and came across this not too long after I wrote about my internet fatigue I was feeling and this was PERFECT!
5. 15 Lessons from Turning My Travel Blog Into A Career: I have followed Kate for quite a few years and there’s a reason she is one of my faves! Loved her lessons!
The last book you read that made you cry?
Pick a category (or 5… or all of them) and tell me what went on in YOUR life this month!! What sort of things were noteworthy for you this month? New obsessions? Any new song recs?? Best books you read this month? Great posts I missed on your blog? Answer to my question of the month?
Brandyn says
Yes Please is SO quotable. I limited myself to 2 quotes in my review, but was tempted to just do a review in all quotes. I listened to it and I’m considering another listen already.
I have a theory on why negative reviews are more enlightening than positive. I think it’s easier to put your finger on precisely what you DIDN’T like about a books (or movie, or product) than it is to specifically say why it’s awesome. Plus I could LOVE certain elements of a book so much that I don’t notice negative things that would be a deal breaker for others and therefor neglect to mention them during a review. On Goodreads I’m always looking for well written three star reviews. They usually highlight positives and negatives and I can decide for myself if those negatives will bother me.
Sounds like you’re having an great summer:)
Emmah says
I love “Silhouettes” by: Colony House! I found it awhile ago back when Amazon used to do this Artists To Watch thing each month where 20 songs would be free!
Last book that made me cry? Heir of Fire! My poor bby Dorian D’:
Noteworthy for me in July? My family stayed with me for 6 days and I survived haha. Only wil two bouts of crying. Thank God for anxiety medicine.
Oh, and I signed up for a new round of OTSP Secret Sister! I can’t wait to get to know the one I send to and the one who sends to me better! 🙂
New obsessions? Blue raspberry pop-tarts!!
New song recs? “Work Song” by: Hozier, “Start A Fire” by: UNSPOKEN, and “I’m Your’s” by: The Script (that one is old, but I hadn’t heard that song of their’s until recently).
Best books? I only read two books in July, but out of those, “The Heir” by: Kiera Cass was the best.
Kristin @ Simply Bookish Things says
Funnily enough I heard my best friends mom talking about that post ‘How giving away 1000 books made me love reading again’ because she was lecturing her on how she had way to many books etc. But to read it was really quite interesting! Love the post that you starred about decluttering your phone, so helpful as lately I feel like I’m in a life slump. I’ve heard so many things about Dumplin’ and I think I really need to read it as soon as it comes out! Sounds like you had a really busy but fun month! 😀
Virginia says
The Book Thief made me cry! Usually, I don’t get too emotional when reading books (is it weird?); if you’ve read the book: Rudy. I don’t need to say more.
Happy August!
Virginia
Theresa says
Great post! I love all the information you include in your monthly wrap-up. I really, really want to read Dumplin. It sounds so fantastic! I am glad to see that you liked it. I don’t think I have seen anything negative about it.
Kate @ Mom's Radius says
The last book that made me cry was The Boys in the Boat. Here’s my month recap: http://momsradius.blogspot.com/2015/08/month-in-review-july.html
Inah @ The Bibliophile Confessions says
Leave A Trace by CHVRCHES was also one of my most listened songs this July! I can’t wait for their next album!!
Sounds like you reall had an interesting month! I hope your August will be as interesting as this was!
Cynthia @ Bingeing On Books says
God-shaped hole sounds so interesting. I need to check that one out. The last book that made me cry was The Book Thief. I read it for the first time in July and it devastated me.
Leah says
I love that you linked to the 1000 books post – thank you for that! Books have always been something I needed and craved, wanting to buy EVERYTHING and display them (and obvs in my high school days I went through hoity toity phases where ~highbrow~ and doorstop novels were all the rage.) But then, over the past year, I realized that a) I have no room for them and b) a lot of it had to do with that retail high if that makes sense..? Buying something new – especially if it’s on sale! – had me smiling for days.
Now that Matt and I have our own home I’ve really been hellbent on making a change. While I don’t think I could go full-on minimalist (I LOVE the idea of living in one of those teensy houses, but I can’t imagine actually doing it) there are so many books I bought and have never gotten around to and stacks of unsolicited books I’ve received that I have no intentions to read. There’s a Little Free Library in the park within walking distance that I’ve been thinking about and my local bookstore buys books, so why not? I want to do the same with my closet!
hahahahaha I’m a whole two months older than Matt, but if you were to hear him talk about it, you’d think it was two decades, so I’m totally with you there.
Anna says
COME BACK TO ME I MISS YOU
Alexa S. says
Hooray for a very busy + very awesome July for you! It sounds like such a fun month, and I’m still totally jealous you got to be on vacation for a week at the beach. Here’s to hoping August is amazing too!
Dee says
I cried at the end of A Tale of Two Cities :p
Becky says
Great post! If you end up trying out the KonMari method, would you write a post about it? I actually just finished her book last week. She’s got some unique ideas but overall it was really interesting, and it made me want to do a hardcore purge of my closet and bookshelves. I’m definitely feeling the clutter lately.
I think my top 3 books for July were An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir, Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater, and Uprooted by Naomi Novik (I loooooooved Uprooted SO MUCH). None of them made me cry though, haha. I haven’t cried over a book in a while.
Emma says
I just read “Emily of New Moon” by L.M. Montgomery and for some reason that ending. That ending just made me tear up, which is weird because I’m not a crier when it comes to books! (I do tend to cry at movies though. Oddly enough.)
I cannot wait to read Dumplin’! I have heard so many good things about it.
Have a great August!
(Also, 9 Books after a reading slump? Wow. That’s so great!)