July 2017: Recap + On My Shelves
It's been the best summer so far! From fun outdoor adventures to cuddling at home with my boy, we've loved every minute of this season. And that's partly why I didn't finish this recap until halfway through August. Oops!
1. Traipsing Around Tallulah - One Saturday, we drove up to Tallulah Gorge for a little exploration. The place has special meaning to our family because it's where Nick proposed to me six years ago! It was so fun to watch our boy take it all in. He was in heaven and loved getting to walk all around. Bonus? It wore him out!
2. Beatriz Williams & Karen White Signing - I went to my first Beatriz Williams signing back in February, and I quite enjoyed it. But my shameful secret? I'd only read one of her books at that point - even though I owned them all! Then, Kelly and I binged her books, which meant I had to go to her July signing and truly fangirl.
3. Library + Lake with My Boy - A few years ago, I visited my county's library and wasn't too impressed. I never went back (and paid to join another library system). However, I recently took my boy to our local library and discovered their excellent children's area. Another plus? It's near a lake with ducks, and my boy is obsessed.
Read 17 Books | Favorites:
What to Say Next by Julie Buxbaum
The Wicked City by Beatriz Williams
The Almost Sisters by Joshilyn Jackson
Somebody to Love by Kristan Higgins
“They seem to understand that the world is a big, diverse place,
and that different is not the same thing as scary.
It’s amazing to me how many people mistake the two.”
What to Say Next by Julie Buxbaum
“Once you bring forth a baby into this world, God help you,
the terror instinct takes up residence in your blood, like a chronic disease, and never leaves.”
A Certain Age by Beatriz Williams
“If you're not making enemies, you're not getting anywhere.”
The Wicked City by Beatriz Williams
“Maybe little girls should have the chance to see the world a bit,
while they're still young enough to see it in wonder.”
Cocoa Beach by Beatriz Williams
“Have we all become so desperate to share everything that we’ve stopped enjoying our lives?”
The Knockoff by Lucy Sykes and Jo Piazza
“Do I want to know where I came from? Yes. But that doesn’t impact who I want to be.
My past -- that's the work of other people. What I do -- that's up to me.”
The Forgotten Room by Karen White, Beatriz Williams and Lauren Willig
“God gave us crying so other folks could see when we needed help, and help us.”
gods in Alabama by Joshilyn Jackson
“It's safe to be in love with someone you know you'll never have.
Nothing is really risked when you know you can't lose.”
Catch of the Day by Kristan Higgins
“She smiled, and there it was again, that aching pressure in his chest.
Love, or a heart attack. Kind of the same thing.”
Somebody to Love by Kristan Higgins
“Young men, romantics, call it love at first sight, but even then I understood it was only prettiness.
Young men see pretty, and they start hanging all the things they hope you'll be onto you
till you're so weighed down you can't move.”
Backseat Saints by Joshilyn Jackson
and that different is not the same thing as scary.
It’s amazing to me how many people mistake the two.”
What to Say Next by Julie Buxbaum
“Once you bring forth a baby into this world, God help you,
the terror instinct takes up residence in your blood, like a chronic disease, and never leaves.”
A Certain Age by Beatriz Williams
“If you're not making enemies, you're not getting anywhere.”
The Wicked City by Beatriz Williams
“Maybe little girls should have the chance to see the world a bit,
while they're still young enough to see it in wonder.”
Cocoa Beach by Beatriz Williams
“Have we all become so desperate to share everything that we’ve stopped enjoying our lives?”
The Knockoff by Lucy Sykes and Jo Piazza
“Do I want to know where I came from? Yes. But that doesn’t impact who I want to be.
My past -- that's the work of other people. What I do -- that's up to me.”
The Forgotten Room by Karen White, Beatriz Williams and Lauren Willig
“God gave us crying so other folks could see when we needed help, and help us.”
gods in Alabama by Joshilyn Jackson
“It's safe to be in love with someone you know you'll never have.
Nothing is really risked when you know you can't lose.”
Catch of the Day by Kristan Higgins
“She smiled, and there it was again, that aching pressure in his chest.
Love, or a heart attack. Kind of the same thing.”
Somebody to Love by Kristan Higgins
“Young men, romantics, call it love at first sight, but even then I understood it was only prettiness.
Young men see pretty, and they start hanging all the things they hope you'll be onto you
till you're so weighed down you can't move.”
Backseat Saints by Joshilyn Jackson
I kicked off July with my June 2017 recap. Then, I was excited to be able to share So Obsessed With: Baby Edition #3 - a post with all the baby/toddler products our household has been loving lately. My Quick Lit: June 2017 post only featured one book, but it was a new favorite! Finally, it was time for the Bestie Beatriz Binge, a blog event that I hosted with Kelly from Belle of the Literati to celebrate our love for Beatriz Williams. We shared five reasons to read Beatriz Williams, mini reviews of all nine Beatriz Williams novels, favorite quotes + bookish photos and wrapped the week up with a fun superlatives + if you like X, try X post.
1. The Appeal of Limited Choices... and the Irony of My Overflowing Bookshelves by Christine at Buckling Bookshelves - I really loved this post because it expressed something that I've noticed recently in my own reading life. I did a little experiment this summer (details to come!) and came to similar conclusions as Christine.
2. The Hamilton Book Tag by Morgan at The Bookish Beagle - Morgan has shared some really fun tags on her blog, but this is definitely one of my favorites! It was fun to read through the prompts and see what she chose for each one. And I made sure to bookmark it so that I can hopefully complete the tag, too!
3. Bookish Memories by Lauren at Bookmark Lit - Like Lauren, I've talked about memories associated with music before on my blog, but never thought to do it with books, too. I thought this was such a great idea for a post, and it definitely made me ponder my own bookish memories. I'll have to share them soon!
4. When Your Kids Won't Bow to Your Idols by Jennifer at Jennifer Phillips - Oh man, this was definitely the most thought-provoking post I read in July - and one I can see myself re-reading in the future. A friend shared this on Facebook, and I'm so glad I clicked through to read it because I needed to read what it said.
The Popcast
with Knox McCoy and Jamie Golden
OMG, HOW DID I NOT KNOW ABOUT THIS PODCAST UNTIL NOW?
Y'all, so obsessed with doesn't even begin to cover how I feel about it. LOVE LOVE LOVE.
I've now listened to almost all of their 2017 episodes, and I feel like they're my new best friends.
Favorite Song: “I Like Me Better” by Lauv
One of my friends posted about this song on Instagram, and of course I went to look it up.
I liked the song immediately, and it's grown on me with every listen. It's so catchy!
Grantchester, Season 3, starring James Norton and Robson Green - I always forget how much I enjoy this show until it comes back on each season! I love James Norton, and the weekly murder mysteries always fascinate me. Plus, I'm totally hooked into the overarching storylines that span the whole season. And it's one of the few British shows my husband enjoys watching with me so that's a win, too.
So You Think You Can Dance, Season 14 - Ugh, I have a contentious relationship with this show. I used to be obsessed with it - and can still get sucked into the YouTube black hole of rewatching past dances. But they keep tweaking the format (not to mention the kids season, which I refused to watch), and it's so frustrating as a longtime viewer. However, this season seems to be recapturing a bit of the old magic.
Had to Buy: Cocoa Beach by Beatriz Williams
For My Collection: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (Left | Right) and Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery (Left | Right)
Bargain Finds: The Opposite of Everyone by Joshilyn Jackson and The Night the Lights Went Out by Karen White
From My Mama: The Almost Sisters by Joshilyn Jackson, Beartown by Fredrik Backman and What to Say Next by Julie Buxbaum
Audible Sale: Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas
Audible Credits: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling
Oh hey, I'm in your recap again -- thanks so much for sharing :) :)
ReplyDeleteLibrary and duck lake, what's better than that?! 17 books- I am seriously impressed, that's awesome. And thank you so much for including me in your roundup! I loooved doing the Hamilton tag, glad you liked what I chose :) I hope you do participate, I assumed you had at some point! Pretty sure I'll never be tired of Hamilton.
ReplyDeleteI love reading your monthly recaps, Hannah! It's always interesting to find out what your highlights for the month are (particularly with the personal stuff and the books) <3
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