July books

48 Runs for the Hills by Kevin Wilson    7/3   (print/library)

 

52 Book Club 1. A Pun In The Title

MMD June book club. It was an amusing read, didn't love it as much as I thought I might. I did enjoy the author talk which was why I went ahead and finished the book.

Four half siblings set off on a cross country road trip in a PT Cruiser to find their estranged father.

49 The Atlas of Untold Stories by Sara Brunsvold    7/16   (print/own)

52 Book club 7. Genre 2: Set In Summer

Well Read Coll. 1. Buddy Read a Book

Our first cousin book club book! This one has been on my radar ever since I first heard about it, I preordered it months in advance and eagerly awaited its release.  That said it didn't turn out to be the book I expected, although I did enjoy it.  It was  also a timely read, as a lot of it delt with letting go and letting your kids live the lives they were meant too. The week I read this our youngest moved out, leaving us empty nesters- so it hit me in all the feels.

"It's hard, isn't it?" Hattie asked
"What is?"
The woman nodded toward Chloe.  "Releasing them to their own lives."

50 Swan Song by Elin Hilderbrand    7/18    (kindle/library)

I don't know why I read this one- other than I heard Anne Bogel talking about Elin Hilderbrand on her podcast and this one was readily available on my libby app. It was enjoyable and a page turner. 

Coco immediately spies some of her favorite titles on the shelves—This Is How It Always Is, Beautiful Children, Luster. “Are these your books?” Coco asks. She plucks Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff off the shelf. “How much did you love this?” Leslee stares at her blankly and Coco puts the book back. Okay, never mind. The books must have come with the house too.

It was the last two lines of the Mary Oliver poem “The Summer Day”: Tell me, what is it you plan to do / with your one wild and precious life?

51 A Lady's Guide to Marvels and Misadventures by Angela Bell    7/22    (print/own)

52 Book Club 51. A Book With 300-400 Pages 

Avid Readers CF | Outside our World  (outside the country you're living in) 

A fun, quirky story. Such a delight to read. Also had a wonderful faith journey for both main characters, showing the importance of community and depending on God.  I think Fred the ermine, was one of my favorite characters. Especially when he becomes a surrogate father to a trio of orphaned fox kits.

The Klementinum library stole Clara's breath with a rush of unrestrained wonderment.  Less than a minute prior she'd wanted nothing more than to find Grand's clue and escape to the solitude of the next inn posthaste.  Yet now, enveloped by the musty incense of nigh on twenty thousand books, she didn't want to hasten.  She wanted to linger.

“My Dear Miss Stanton, I would rather be absurd with you than normal with anyone else.”

52 The Cinnamon Bun Book Store by Laurie Gilmore    7/25    (kindle/own)

A fun little romance. A couple very spicy, open-door scenes FYI

“You brought a book.’ ‘Of course I did.’ His mouth tipped up in the corner, unable to resist the little smirk on her face. ‘Of course you did.’ ‘I always bring a book, just in case.”

Maybe she hadn’t needed to change her life, maybe she’d just needed to change how she saw her life. How she saw herself.

Because what more did one need besides good friends, good books, and the occasional cinnamon bun?

 

53 The Bright Years by Sarah Damoff    7/29    (print/library)

I read this because of the MMD SRG. A family saga but felt so tragic and sad in so many parts and without much hope. I am not sure how I feel about it.  It made me feel thankful for my family and I also could not put it down- so there's that.

Time can wash dirt off a memory until it is revealed as something else entirely.

She’s a wave in an ocean of reminders, and I am quietly drowning.

If there’s any liar bigger than an alcoholic, it’s the alcohol, saying, All there is is now and It won’t hurt anyone and This is the last time.

 

 54 What Not to do on Vacation by Rachel Magee   7/30   (audio/hoopla)★★★★

This was a new to me author and I read it because it was the July pick for Faith&Fables book club. It was a delight through and through. Three sisters get together to spend a month together at the beach to fulfill their mother's dying request they have one more summer together at their childhood vacation spot. Secrets, family drama and bets complicate things, of course. It was funny and heartwarming. 

I wish it was easier to capture quotes from audio books.

Life doesn't always go according to plan but that's what makes it fun.  You just have to go with it, the wife said. "Sometimes the best memories come from those unexpected turns."

I'm also deep into Emma. I was hoping to finish it by the end of July so I could start Mansfield Park with MMD book club for August.  But that didn't happen but hopefully I can keep my momentum going and finish soon. I both listening and reading.

 

Total: 7   2025: 54

Kindle/Ebook: 2   Print: 4    Audio: 1

Library: 4  Owned: 3    Kindle Unlimited:     Amazon Music: 

Favorite: What Not to do on Vacation

Challenges:

July so far

 The summer is just speeding by! Here we are already halfway through July. 

We had kind of a low key 4th of July.  Rhett was off camping but the kids came over for a little cookout. I tried making sourdough burger buns for the first time and I was so excited by how they came out.  I spent way too much time on the 4th watching sourdough reels! 😅

Hannah made this super amazing cake!

I also baked this gorgeous loaf-

Hannah was inspired to start her own starter to bring with her to Buffalo

Saturday my sourdough obsession continued- I tried a couple mini loaves with inclusions- one blueberry lemon and one jalapeno cheddar.

The jalapeno cheddar one quickly became a favorite!

Hannah bought herself a used car.  Meet Melinda.

Saturday was Hannah's grad party! It was so hot but we had a great time. 

Hannah showcased her top notch baking skills

Mac and Cheese Bar

Chocolate fountain

Cold brew coffee bar was one of our favorite features!

Hannah's stockpile of baked goods in the basement Friday night for the party.

We recreated this iconic photo of Hannah and Ryan-

And also the nephews doing the same!

And now our girl just has a few days before she moves to Buffalo- close to three hours from home. Our nest will be empty (sooner than I expected) and I am not entirely sure what to think or what to do. My heart is sad. 💙

June Books

39 Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry    6/2    (audio/amazon music)

Emily Henry is an auto-read author for me and often I choose to listen to the audio because Julia Whelan. I snapped this up the second I saw it was offered as a monthly pick for on my amazon music. I enjoyed the story but it wasn't my favorite Emily Henry book. I found myself not caring much about the alternate time line story- and my mind wandered a bit during those sections but I think I got the overall gist. Alice and Hayden are writers competing for the chance to write legend and reclusive Margaret Ives story.  (The alternate timeline is Margaret telling her families history).  I loved Alice (mostly), I found Hayden endearing and I enjoyed the setting of their quiet Georgia island. 

“There’s an old saying about stories, and how there are always three versions of them: yours, mine, and the truth.”

It’s important that I play this cool. Fact: I have never played it cool in my life.

You always looked…not just happy, but like you were delighted by the world.

 40 Heat of the Everflame by Penn Cole    6/5    (kindle/kindle unlimited)

The third in the Kindred's Curse, its been fun listening to the deep dive with the Fantasy Fangirls. I randomly started watching Facebook reels of them when I was reading Onyx Storm and got sucked into their podcasts. One reason I love them is its a pair of sisters talking about books. (Definitely a R rated podcast though, be advised.) Parts of this book felt a little drawn out but it was probably all important for the story.

and, to my delight, the book market.

Drusila stroked a thumb across her tattoo, and its glimmering ink brightened. “The heart doesn’t care who it should love. Only who makes it sing.” “Indeed,” I murmured. I thought of my father, who walked away from his career for my mother. Teller and Lily, and their ill-fated love. And Luther...

Love isn’t contingent on never keeping a secret. It’s about trust. It’s about standing together, even when you don’t understand, and never giving up, even when things get hard.

41    The Lies We Believe by Lisa Harris    6/9    (kindle/kindle unlimited)

52 Bookclub: 41. Cover Font Is In A Primary Color

This was an incredibly fast read.  Maybe even too fast? It was a shorter book (page count- 232) or maybe it just felt so on the heels of the 1000+ pages of Heat of the Everflame. I enjoyed it overall. It is the first in the series. Part of me is curious to see where the author takes it- the other part is not sure I care enough to continue. Riley the main character is still reeling from her husband's death/murder? several months before.  Things are also happening to make her question her own state of mind. Her husband seems to have been involved in some sort of embezzling or money laundering or some kind of financial scandal. And now her 12- year old daughter has gone missing! It was a ride I will say- although I did peg the bad guy (or one of them anyway) pretty early on. Something about him rubbed me the wrong way from the start. As I am writing this I am starting to wonder what happens next especially given something revealed at the end... so maybe I'll check out the next book after all.

“But God,” Tucker says.
“But God?” I shake my head.
“It’s something my mom has always said to me. When life feels like it’s spiraling into an impossible situation, those two words can change everything.”

42 Lulu's Cafe by T I Lowe    6/11    (kindle/kindle unlimited) ★★★★★

52 Bookclub: 22. Found Family Trope

This book rips your heart out and puts it back together again.  I read this one for the F&F bookclub.  The beginning especially is hard to read and deals with pretty severe spousal abuse. But has such a wonderful thread of healing and redemption and God's grace.  Fresh starts and found family.

“Honey, there’s nothing fun about pain, but you have to face it in order to heal from it. It wouldn’t hurt you to ask God for some help. It wouldn’t hurt you to trust me or one of your other friends around here enough to confide in.”

She was sick of feeling weak and incapable. “Strong,” she would repeat. “I will be strong.”

“I know the bad can’t be ignored. Please observe it, learn from it, but never overlook the good. Bad is everywhere, and I have no doubt that you have survived something horribly bad that I can’t even imagine. Please remember good is like treasure. You have to seek it out. And remember how rewarding it is when you find it.”

43 Every Moment Until Then by Gabrielle Meyer    6/13    (print/own)

52 Bookclub 45. Author Releases More Than One Book A Year

I was so excited for this book and it took me far longer than I thought it would.  (But it may have been I was trying to read to many books at one time). Once it grabbed me though I blew through the rest of it.  I feel like this often happens to me with her books through- the beginning maybe a little slow but over all amazing stories!

44 Wings of the Wind by Connilyn Cossette    6/19    (kindle/kindle unlimited)

The third book in the Out of Egypt series...maybe my favorite yet.  This one takes place as the Israelites are preparing to finally enter the Promised Land.

I blinked at the dichotomy. These Hebrews ate the most mouthwatering food every single day and yet it had become mundane to them. They had forgotten the pleasure of its taste and texture. Bread was supplied from the heavens each day, but they were blind to the amazing miracle of it.

Someone once told me that Yahweh would make himself known to me, if I searched. And he did. Perhaps he will make himself known to you.

45    Sometimes You Stay: A Red Door Inn Romance by Liz Johnson    6/21    (audio/hoopla)

Avid readers CF | Animal Antics

I heard the author talking about this on a podcast and immediately downloaded to listen. I light fun romance set on PE Island. Also featured dogs, one in particular named Joe Jr.

46 Blizzard of the Blue Moon (Magic Treehouse) by Mary Pope Osborne    6/22    (print/library)

I read this book because a little girl in my Sunday school class was talking about it.  It was a fun little read. I love being able share books with the kids in my life, again making me wish I realized children's librarian could have been a career path. 😅 It also brought back memories of reading Magic Treehouse books with Hannah when she was that age. 💖

47 When the Meadow Blooms by Ann H. Gabhart    6/24    (print/own)

 

52 Bookclub 35. Written In Third Person

Our Alive book club selection for this month.  I listened to this one on audio a couple years ago and reread it on paperback for book club.  I enjoyed it just as much this time around.

Total:  9    2025:  47

Kindle/Ebook:  4   Print: 3    Audio: 2

Library: 2  Owned: 2   Kindle Unlimited: 4    Amazon Music: 1

Favorite: Lulu's Cafe closlely followed by my reread of When the Meadow Blooms

Challenges:

July TBR-

• finish Emma
• The Atlas of Untold Stories (Cousins Book club)
• The Lady's Guide to Marvels and Misadventures (Alive book club)
• The Pheonix Pencil Company (MMD book club)

What was your favorite book of June? What do you hope to read in July?