READING

I read 9 books in September, which seems to be my sweet spot these days. I’m at 98 books read for the year, so I’ll hit 100 in early October. We’ll see if I can make it to 125 by the end of the year. It’s doable, especially since I have lots of time off coming up in November and December! My favorite book this month was Caste (and was my only 5-star book of the month!) and my least favorite was A Place for Us.

• One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston (print, owned, Book of the Month) ★★★☆☆
• The One-in-a-Million Boy by Monica Wood (print, library) ★★★☆☆
• The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides (print, owned, Book of the Month) ★★★★☆
• Kingdom of the Blind by Louise Penny (audiobook, library) ★★★★☆
• Hang the Moon by Alexandria Bellefleur (e-book, library) ★★★☆☆
• I’m Not Dying With You Tonight by Kimberly Jones and Gilly Segal (audiobook, library) ★★★☆☆
• Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson (print, owned, Book of the Month) ★★★★★
• A Place for Us by Fatima Farheen Mirza (e-book, owned, Amazon) ★★★☆☆
• Rising Star by Susannah Nix (e-book, owned, Amazon) ★★★★☆

WATCHING

• Booksmart – I watched my first movie of the year this month! Ha. And it was a phenomenal one. I loved, loved, loved this movie and I have a hankering to rewatch it soon, which is something I never do with movies. It was hilarious and heartfelt and led by two amazing actresses.
• Nailed It – A new season of Nailed It landed on Netflix just when I needed something light-hearted to watch. Nicole Byer has my heart forever.
• Brooklyn 99 (season 1) – I started rewatching Brooklyn 99 this month because I needed something comforting to watch. Also, their final season just finished up and I want to rewatch the entire series before settling in for that.

LISTENING TO

• Strange Bedfellows – My beloved Jack and Tanner of The Baby-Sitter’s Club Club podcast have been, shall we say, floundering a bit since they finished reviewing the BSC books. One of the things they did during that floundering period was review the book The Governess Game by Tessa Dare, a historical romance. I was delighted by this episode and all I wanted them to do was continue to review romance novels in their typical hilarious way. And they read my mind! They started Strange Bedfellows, a podcast about two men reading and reviewing romance novels and it is everything I never knew I wanted. They are hilarious (especially the segments where they rewrite the sex scenes in the novels, hehe) and I’m so glad they’ve found a new niche! (I want to note, too, that they aren’t making fun of this genre or anything like that. They are kind and respectful while also being hilarious. The hilarity doesn’t come at the expense of the romance genre.)
• This Land – This podcast from Crooked Media is hosted by Rebecca Nagle, a citizen of Cherokee Nation. Season 1 was about a Supreme Court decision affecting the treaty rights of Native American tribes. In season 2, she discusses a law called the Indian Children Welfare Act (ICWA), which gives tribes rights over the government for Indian children in foster care, and specifically, how one couple is trying to dismantle ICWA. The podcast is incredible and definitely worth a listen.

BUYING

• A new living room rug – I am so happy that I bought this new rug! While it could be just a smidge bigger, it still works well for my living room. I love the pattern and the fact that the stripes match my couch perfectly (the pink stripes match my couch pillows, even!) The girls love it, too, and isn’t that the MOST important thing?
• A new TV – Another home upgrade that I’ve had my eye on for a long, long time. I’m so glad I got a bigger TV! It makes me really happy, especially with football season in high gear.

HIGHLIGHTS

nfl football • my first psl of the season • my return to peloton workouts • a coffee date with amber • celebrating my brother’s 35th birthday • celebrating my nephew’s 13th birthday • trampoline jumping • spending time with my sweet cousin and her equally sweet daughter • reconnecting with old friends • sundays at mom’s • having people to reach out to when life feels immeasurably hard

READING

I read 10 books in August, and I’m on track to read around 140 books this year. It won’t be the standout year that last year was, but reading 140 books is still a lot of books to read in a year.

• The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune (print, owned, Tombolo Books) – ★★★★★
• Foreplayer by Kate Meader (e-book, owned, Amazon) – ★★★★☆
• A Very Punchable Face by Colin Jost (audiobook, library) – ★★★★☆
• It Takes Two to Tumble by Cat Sebastian (e-book, library) – ★★★☆☆
• Finlay Donovan Is Killing It by Elle Cosimano (print, library) – ★★★★☆
• The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas (Serial Reader app) – ★★★★★
• Handle With Care by Helena Hunting (e-book, owned, Amazon) – ★★★☆☆
• I See You by Clare Mackintosh (e-book, owned, Amazon) – ★★★★☆
• The Viscount Who Loved Me by Julia Quinn (e-book, library) – ★★★★☆
• The Guncle by Steven Rowley (print, library) – ★★★★☆

My favorite book this month was The House in the Cerulean Sea (a month later and I am still thinking about that book and those characters!) and my least favorite was It Takes Two to Tumble.

WATCHING

• Big Brother – It’s hard to believe the finale is in a few weeks! I love this show so much and get so obsessed with it when it’s on. My favorite houseguest went home last week and I’m not feeling good about the odds of my other favorite making it to finale night. But I’ll hope and pray she does!
• The Crown, season 4 – I’m only a few episodes into this season, but it introduces Diana as Charles’ love interest. It’s hard to get super invested in their story, though, knowing how toxic their relationship was and how everything ended.
• Schitt’s Creek, season 6 – I’m oh-so-very-slowly making my way through the last season of Schitt’s Creek because I just don’t want my rewatch to be over.

LISTENING TO

• Rob Has a Podcast for all of my Big Brother updates and analysis. I usually listen to the the podcast episodes right after they download to my feed (the morning after each TV episode, which are on Sundays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays). This season, I’ve also been listening to their live feed recaps. (Big Brother has a live feed where you can watch the houseguests 24/7—I don’t watch the live feeds, but I do love hearing the updates because there is so much strategy and game talk that is missed if you only watch the TV episodes.)
• Scam Goddess is the newest podcast I’ve added to my feed, and I love it so much! It’s hosted by Laci Mosley and she is hilarious and so much fun to listen to. Every week, she talks about different scams—both big and small—with a comedic guest. It’s truly a delight!
• Stuff You Should Know released an archived episode last month about animal domestication that was fascinating. They discussed all the ways we’ve bred and changed the genetic makeup of certain animals (like horses and chickens!) to meet our agricultural needs.

BUYING

• Microfiber hair turban – I was influenced by Suzanne to try these hair turbans out, which is a much easier way to wrap up your hair after a shower than using a towel. I really like them! Using a regular towel has never been very effective, as the towel usually comes undone if I make one sudden movement, so I like that I can sit with my hair in a towel for a long time after my shower. I don’t think it does much to dry my hair (at least, I haven’t noticed a difference), but the convenience factor is key.
• More face masks – The number of face masks I brought with me to Chicago was kinda ridiculous. I just always wanted to be able to switch out my mask if the one I was wearing started getting smelly. (Smelly face masks are so gross.) Obviously, I switched out my face masks daily but I wanted the option to switch them out multiple times a day if needed. As such, I discovered I needed more face masks! So I bought a pack at Target on a whim and I really like them. They were only $5 for two masks so they aren’t the most protective, but they work in a pinch.
• Pop-up parchment sheets – This is a supremely boring adult purchase, but it’s brought great joy to my life! I needed more parchment paper and found these cool pop-up parchment sheets. I don’t have to bring out the whole roll of parchment paper, eyeball how much I need, and rip it off the roll. This sits in a kitchen drawer and I just grab the top piece of parchment and it’s always the perfect size. Genius!

HIGHLIGHTS

great seats (and even better company) at a baseball game • a yummy dinner out with sweet friends • making a belated birthday cake • lots and lots of long walks • finishing the count of monte cristo • the younger nephew joining us for game nights • deleting 150+ books off my Goodreads TBR  • four days in Chicago • meeting Kim! • a full week off work • the cats being extra clingy when I returned • a negative covid test • annual fantasy football draft • exploring the museum of fine arts • tapas tuesday with Bri • quality time with my fur-brother and -sister • a reading weekend • dating that feels fun and enjoyable, not stressful and overwhelming

What was the highlight of August for you?

READING

I read 10 books in July, which is a little low for me but TV kinda had more of my attention this month than usual. It’s all good! Here’s what I read in July:

• My Favorite Half-Night Stand by Christina Lauren (print, owned, Amazon) – ★★★☆☆
• Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir (print, owned, Book of the Month) – ★★★★☆
• The Breakdown Lane by Jacquelyn Mitchard (audiobook, library) – ★★★☆☆
• A Lady by Midnight by Tessa Dare (e-book, library) – ★★★★☆
• Untamed by Glennon Doyle (print, owned, Book of the Month) – ★★★★☆
• Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge (print, library) – ★★★★☆
• How to Find a Princess by Alyssa Cole (e-book, owned, Amazon) – ★★★☆☆
• The Stationery Shop by Marjan Kamali (audiobook, library) – ★★★★☆
• Steal Me by Lauren Layne (e-book, library) – ★★★★☆
• The Red Tent by Anita Diamant (print, owned, Thriftbooks) – ★★★★★

My favorite book this month was The Red Tent by Anita Diamant and my least favorite was The Breakdown Lane by Jacquelyn Mitchard.

WATCHING

• Superstore, season 4 – I have just two episodes left in this season! It’s been a fun season to watch with lots of changes happening.
• The Bachelorette – Yeppp. Still watching this show! It’s almost over and I don’t know what I’m going to do with my life afterward. Good thing there’s another Bachelorette season coming in October.
• Big Brother – Season 23 of Big Brother has been phenomenal! (Which the viewers really deserved after many lackluster seasons.) Tiffany and Kyland are my “must protect at all costs” favorites, and I just love how diverse this cast is. Way to go, CBS!
• The Olympics – Of course, I’ve been spending my evenings watching Olympics coverage! As someone mentioned on Instagram, the Olympics feel like the last vestige of patriotism because damn if I don’t root hard for my USA Olympians.

LISTENING TO

• Book Talk, Etc. – I started listening to this new book podcast thanks to a recommendation from another book podcast (Currently Reading). I’m really enjoying it! Each episode involves the hosts discussing something they’re currently obsessed with, their most recent read, and the last book they placed on their TBR. They also have a deep dive discussion about a bookish topic.
• Edith! – I’ve never listened to a fictionalized podcast series, but this one has been sensational. It stars Rosamund Pike as First Lady Edith Wilson and is about the time she essentially ran the country after her husband, President Woodrow Wilson, suffered a stroke during his second term. It’s funny and teaching me about something in US history that I knew nothing about!
• The Flavortown episode on The Popcast – If you haven’t started listening to The Popcast yet, may I recommend starting with this episode? It will have you laughing hysterically and thinking about a much more efficient way to say banana and if the letter “c” should be eliminated from the alphabet. Give it a listen!

BUYING

• A new bathing suit – I’ve had great luck with buying bathing suits off Amazon lately, especially Aqua Eve plus-size swimsuits that fit my body so perfectly. (Something I never thought I’d say about a bathing suit!) I purchased this leopard-style one-piece this month and I love it.
• Mixtiles – For my mom’s birthday, I planned to order a set of Mixtiles of Chip and Lucy. When I went to order the photos, Mixtiles was running a huge sale (buy 10, get 10) so I couldn’t help adding a whole bunch of photos to my cart for my own photo wall at home. I’ve been wanting to make the wall next to my couch into a gallery of photos but just have never gotten around to it. I’m so pleased with this little area of my home now and it makes me smile every time I see it!

• So. Many. Books. – I went a little crazy with book-buying in August. I bought 10 (!!!) books. To be fair, I used a gift card for a good chunk of that stack, but still. What can I say? Buying books brings me the greatest joy. (But I’m definitely putting myself on a book-buying ban for August!)

HIGHLIGHTS

dinner with family I rarely see • earning employee of the month • fireworks on the 4th of July • coffee flights at a local coffeeshop • a bookstore date with Briana • a tea party with friends • the Olympics • Olive finishing chemo • celebrating mom’s birthday • a friend’s baby’s birthday party • book club and jackbox • a pool day with mom •  an easy vet appointment for Eloise • a reading weekend • many, many, many wonderful dates with a wonderful person