Posted on by Holly

JULY 2019 | Wrap-Up

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:

  1. P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han
  2. This Common Secret by Susan Wicklund
  3. The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs by Steve Brusatte
  4. The Moon and More by Sarah Dessen
  5. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
  6. My Beloved World by Sonia Sotomayor
  7. I Might Regret This by Abbi Jacobson
  8. The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame
  9. Til September Petronella by Jean Rhys
  10. The Lifted Veil by George Eliot
  11. The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros
  12. Prince Caspian by C.S. Lewis
  13. The Big Short by Michael Lewis
  14. Everything I Know About Love by Dolly Alderton
  15. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and Other Stories by F. Scott Fitzgerald
  16. 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

The farm we pick berries at is so beautiful!

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

I love getting there early when the beach is still and quiet.

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: 

Here are some notable posts from my blog this past month:

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

37 Replies to “JULY 2019 | Wrap-Up”

  4. Pingback: JULY 2019 | Wrap-Up — Nut Free Nerd – WEMA blog

    1. Thanks! And of course! ❤ Haha same–think of all the summer days we would have left if it were June again! But we'd also have longer to go until autumn, which is my absolute favorite season…

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  9. Sixteen books!! That’s amazing, Holly! I wish I could have joined the Reading Rush but I was out of my city for most of the days and I wouldn’t have gotten any reading done, unfortunately … Maybe next year!
    Ok, I’m a bit confused right now! If you don’t mind me asking, how does the education system work? You just finished college and still have to go through law school? I’m asking because here, you gotta go through four years of a Law bachelor, then two more of a Master’s and I suppose Law students still have to go through some other evaluations but it doesn’t seem similar to what you’re experiencing …

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    1. Thanks, Marta! ❤ Haha yeah the American system is very long… so you can't actually study law in undergrad, you have to major in something else (literally anything else) and then go through three years of law school. Basically there's no way to become a lawyer unless you go through seven years of schooling at least… quite the process!

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    1. I was kind of conflicted about PS I Still Love You… mostly just frustrated because I think Lara Jean deserves better than Peter *gasp! I said it!* but it was still a great read, and I’m really looking forward to reading the third one!

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  15. I remember seriously loving the novel Caramelo by Sandra Cisneros — but that ending! My soul almost drooped in disappointment. I’ve also read The House on Mango Street and did not find it as rich as the best parts of Caramelo.

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  16. Hmmm, blueberries. I love blueberries. And blueberry pie. … wait, what were we talking about?

    You read so many books this month, Holly! What did you think of The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs? I’ve had my eye on it for a while.

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    1. The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs was so good! I listened to the audiobook, which I also highly recommend. I learned so much from it and it was also a really funny and entertaining read 🙂

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  17. July is the time of snowboarding and reading, for me the most pensive month is always early January as I consider what I will do in the new year! It’s inspiring how you keep so busy!

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  18. It’s amazing you read soo many books in July. July went pretty quick for me as I am adjusting from retirement from my full time admin assistant job. And I’m loving the idea of beginning my own blog site. Happy reading!

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