July & August 2022: Summer Monthly Wrap-Up

Hold onto your flannel blankets and grab those pumpkin-spiced lattes… Because cozy season is officially upon us! 🍂☕️🧣🧡✨

Are you a big fan of fall? I sure am. And I’m very glad it’s finally here! Despite working in schools, summertime is not my favorite time of the year (though I have to admit, I do enjoy the vacation 😎). That most coveted spot is reserved solely for autumn. The beautiful colors, perfect weather for sweaters, pumpkin-flavored everything – what’s a basic girl like me supposed to do? 😍

The fall does bring with it the start of a new school year… And now that I work full-time in the education sector, a whole lot of stress. My role has changed this year – and brought with it some new responsibilities – so I am acutely feeling the ramp-up of work right now. But (I hope) I’m up to the challenge! 💪 (Check in with me in a few weeks to be certain… 🙈)

But before I get too carried away with pumpkins and leaves and cozy clothing, I have to talk about my summer! 🌞 Because something pretty big happened in the past month…

I got ENGAGED!!!! 💍💓

It was very romantic and very private and so, so, so lovely. 🥰

We’re planning for a long-ish engagement, so there won’t be a rush to plan the wedding. But it is definitely something stealing my focus lately! 👰🏻‍♀️🤵🏻‍♀️💕

So, even though I’ve been a little preoccupied with future-nuptials arranging and back-to-school busyness – not to mention that pesky professional exam I’m still in the midst of preparing for – I’ve still managed to crack open a few novels in my (little) spare time.

I actually managed to convince my girlfriend to listen to an audiobook with me, which was the first time we’ve ever done that and was so. much. fun! We took a road trip this summer, and my girlfriend actually got super into the audiobook I selected for the journey: Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak. Neither of us rated it as highly as I had anticipated, but we still had a good time trying to figure out the mysteries before they were revealed. 👀🔎

Books Read:

The Girl from Widow Hills by Megan Miranda | I enjoyed this one! But I did predict the “twist” quick early and was slightly underwhelmed by how things resolved themselves.

The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins | My first Rachel Hawkins novel! It was okay, a quick and fun read. I did not, in fact, predict the twister here! But I was still a little disappointed with how things shook out.

Within These Wicked Walls by Lauren Blackwood | The premise for this novel was everything! The execution was not perfect, but I still really enjoyed it. I would have liked it if there had been a bigger focus on world-building and less on romance. To read my review, click the cover below!

Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak | An interesting premise… but one I saw through very easily. Like, we were maybe 30% in the audiobook and I guessed the Big Twist. And a little preachy? I felt like the author was trying to make a political statement, but it wasn’t exactly clear what it was supposed to be.

I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy | McCurdy holds back nothing in this eye-opening and harshly honest memoir. Highly recommended!

Next Month’s TBR:

I am still intending to read both Pachinko and The Priority of the Orange Tree (don’t judge me 🙈). But I’m also really excited to pick up A Wilderness of Stars and All That’s Left Unsaid, which I got as ARCs in the mail! (Thank you publishers!! 😭🙏) They sound soooo good!