Monthly Recap | August 2021

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?