Goodbye, July! As soon as August hits, I always feel like summer is on its way out. July is the core of summer for me, the essence of what I look forward to as the break between school years. Here’s what I got up to this past month:
- P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han
- This Common Secret by Susan Wicklund
- The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs by Steve Brusatte
- The Moon and More by Sarah Dessen
- Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
- My Beloved World by Sonia Sotomayor
- I Might Regret This by Abbi Jacobson
- The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame
- Til September Petronella by Jean Rhys
- The Lifted Veil by George Eliot
- The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros
- Prince Caspian by C.S. Lewis
- The Big Short by Michael Lewis
- Everything I Know About Love by Dolly Alderton
- The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and Other Stories by F. Scott Fitzgerald
- Billy Budd by Herman Melville
HOW DID I MANAGE TO READ SIXTEEN BOOKS THIS MONTH?!?! (Answer: the Reading Rush, but STILL.) It feels great to have knocked so many books off of my TBR, especially since some of these (like My Beloved World, This Common Secret, and P.S. I Still Love You) had been on my TBR for ages. My goal was for this to be a summer of reading, and I’d say that I definitely accomplished that!
Choosing a favorite read this month is DIFFICULT because I read some genuinely fantastic books in July. Instead, I’m going to pick my top three: Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, My Beloved World by Sonia Sotomayor, and Everything I Know About Love by Dolly Alderton. These are three very different books, but I loved them all!
+ TO WATCH: STRANGER THINGS
Like seemingly everyone on earth, I spent my Fourth of July weekend binge-watching the new season of Stranger Things with my mom. I have some conflicting feelings about this season (a little too gory for me, too many fighting scenes and not enough actual plot, etc.) but the ending RUINED ME so I have to give it an A+ for emotions.
+ TO LISTEN TO: THE WILD REEDS
I started listening to this wonderful band this month and their music is just like a breath of fresh air. So many of their songs speak to me in a way that makes me feel like I’m not alone–that other people also experience these surprisingly specific feelings. A few favorite songs include “Recognize,” “Capable,” and “Where I’m Going.”
+ TO EAT: BLUEBERRIES
My mom and I always pick berries in the summer, and July was time for round two: blueberries! And the best part? The pie that inevitably follows.
+ TO GO: WHITE LAKE STATE PARK
For over a decade, my family and I camped in a tent for one week at White Lake State Park every summer. Same week, same campsite, same tent, same lake. I have so many fond memories in this campground, and it’s always nice to visit each summer even though we don’t camp there anymore.
July was surprisingly a lot busier than I expected! Alongside work I managed to squeak in plenty of beach days, day trips with my family, and lovely weekends with friends. The fact that I’m moving out soon to start law school is slowly starting to become a reality… and it feels simultaneously scary and exciting! I also participated in the Reading Rush this month, which was an absolute blast (click here to see my wrap up!).
July has always been a bit of a strange month for me. I generally like to be kept busy, to constantly work towards a goal, but July always seems to be lacking in that regard. This summer especially has been a strange limbo between college and law school, moving out and moving in, seeing friends and making new ones. Again, a nerve-wracking but exciting time. But I’d be lying if I didn’t say I’m glad that August is finally here.
Here are some posts from other bloggers that I’ve loved this month:
- Ally gives tips on how to get that ~aesthetic~
- Camillea puts indie books in the spotlight
- Lindsey list six reasons why she loves audiobooks
- Mandy reviews books written by celebrities
- Tracy asks: Would you read that ugly book?
- Lory wonders how we remember what we read
- Kelly highlights small things she loves about books
- Tabby share some weird happenings at the library
- Emer shares why she loves reading
- Kay shares mini rant reviews for all 19 books she read in high school (!!!)
Here are some notable posts from my blog this past month:
- Returning to Oxford | Holly Goes Abroad
- Mid-Year Freak Out Tag 2019
- To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han | Review
- Reading Rush Wrap Up
How was your month of July? What was the best book you read? Did you do anything really fun or exciting? Let me know in the comments section below!
Yours,
HOLLY
book oats 
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