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July 2015: Recap + On My Shelves


Whew, July passed in a blur! Work was incredibly busy, and I feel like that consumed my month. In my downtime, I barely read anything and didn't feel like blogging. But I finished my Alias re-watch, so that's a win!

1. My Anniversary - On July 2, Nick and I celebrated our fourth wedding anniversary. I was inspired by the occasion to write a post reflecting on our love story, including how we met. It was fun to write something a little more personal than normal! I'm so thankful for Nick, and I love the life we've built together.

2. The Addiction Continues - When I discovered Folio Society, I told Nick that I really wanted the Folio editions of my three favorite classics: Pride and Prejudice, Anne of Green Gables and Little Women. "And that's all I want!" I said. Yeah, I was wrong. Nick got me four gorgeous books during their incredible summer sale. I DIE.

3. Atlanta + Ferris Wheel Adventures - One of the biggest things that happened in July was my company's convention in Atlanta. It's an event we've spent all year preparing for, and I'm so glad that it finally happened. I didn't have much free time, but I did get a chance to play tourist and ride the giant ferris wheel!

Read 6 Books | Favorites:
Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee
A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
The Assassin's Blade by Sarah J. Maas *Re-Read

Challenge Progress:
1 Fantasy for Flights of Fantasy Challenge
2 Re-Reads for The Re-Read Challenge
0 Diverse Read for Dive into Diversity
0 Series for Series a Month
“Remember this also: it’s always easy to look back and see what we were, yesterday, ten years ago.
It is hard to see what we are. If you can master that trick, you’ll get along.”
Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee

“She just smiled, said that she loved books more than anything,
and started telling him excitedly what each of the ones in her lap was about.
And Ove realized that he wanted to hear her talking about the things she loved for the rest of his life.”
A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
[Most Popular]
Overall: Oh Heavenly Day
Review: Maybe in Another Life by Taylor Jenkins Reid

[Personal Favorite]
Review: These is My Words by Nancy E. Turner
1. Literary PSA: So You Want to Read Tamora Pierce by Gillian from Writer of Wrongs - I wasn't a fantasy reader growing up. I didn't read the Harry Potter series until a few years ago, so I've missed years of fantasy favorites! I've been meaning to try Tamora Pierce, but I didn't know where to start. Thankfully, Gillian saved the day with this post... but now I'm itching to drop everything and meet Alanna! (PS: This post was another favorite.)

2. Podcasts I'm Listening To by Jamie from Perpetual Page-Turner - I'd say I'm not a fan of podcasts, but the truth is that I've never tried them. I just started listening to The Katniss Chronicles (an adaptation/dramatization of The Hunger Games series) and am quite enjoying it. So Jamie's post came at the perfect time! I want to explore the world of podcasts, and now I've got a few places to start. (Also, this post is my life right now.)

3. How to Manage Your TBR Like a Boss by Kelly from Belle of the Literati - I've wanted Kelly to write this post for ages, so I had a dance party when she finally did! I've told her numerous times that she's mastered the art of the TBR, and I want her to teach me her ways. She shares her strict system in this post, and I need to adopt it. She's never stressed about how many books she's got to read and rarely lets stuff sit on her shelves for long!

Favorite Song: "What You Don't Do" by Lianne La Havas on Blood
I listened to a lot of the same music in July that I highlighted in my June recap,
but this is one new song on my radar this month. I love the sound and the lyrics - a perfect combo!

The Painted Veil (2006) starring Naomi Watts and Edward Norton - This is one of my favorite costume dramas, and I decided to highlight it in my recent Tune in Tonight post. It's such a gorgeous movie with an emotional and memorable story! And it's one of the few cases where I love the movie more than the book that inspired it.


Suffragette Trailer -  I can easily spend several hours watching trailers on YouTube - it's one of the best ways I find new costume dramas! This one caught my eye, and I cannot wait for it to come out. Meryl Streep + Carey Mulligan + Suffragettes = HELL YES. (And I'm obsessed with the cover of Landslide used in the trailer!)

Bought: Maybe in Another Life by Taylor Jenkins Reid, Mudbound by Hillary Jordan and Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee

UK Lovelies: A Man Called Ove and My Grandmother Sends Her Regards and Apologies by Fredrik Backman

eBay Score: Perrault's Fairy Tales by Charles Perrault

Review: Rome in Love by Anita Hughes and Bounce by Noelle August

Gifted: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, The Once and Future King by T.H. White, The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald and The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett (in What I Loved)


Kindle Deals: Dreams of gods and Monsters by Laini Taylor, The Opposite of Love by Julie Buxbaum and Here's Looking at You by Mhairi McFarlane 

6 comments

  1. Your wedding pictures are the BEST. also - hoping August gives you more reading and free time than July did! Can't believe you read Go Set A Watchman before me! I'm on the audio wait list! Yay for pretty new books!!

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  2. It looks like July was definitely busy for you, H! I love that you had the time to play tourist in Atlanta though; I remember when Mel and I visited in 2012, we were basically just trying to do whatever we could manage in a day and a half! Here's to hoping August is just as amazing ;)

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  3. I still need to read TKAM! But in a way I guess I'm sort of nervous to read because, what if I don't like it, and I really want to like it as it's the most well known classic! Ahhh the pressure! XD Sounds like you had a busy month though!

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  4. I am loving that song by Lianne La Havas. I can't wait to listen to more of her album because it is excellent.
    That cover of A Man Called Ove is GORGEOUSSSSS. I might need to get that cover instead o fthe US.

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  5. UM OKAY I had no idea about Folio Society but THANK YOU for introducing me and CURSE YOU for the damage to my wallet but I seriously need all of those Jane Austen's yesterday.

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  6. This whole summer has gone by in a blur, it's nuts! Happy late anniversary :) I'm scared to even check out Folio Society for fear of all the awesome that I'll find! I loved Gillian's Tamora Pierce post and it was even more fun to read it after I read a couple of the books. She does a great job of selling, doesn't she? :D Kelly's post was so helpful too, I deleted 400 books from my Goodreads TBR, with more to go! Learning to be more ruthless so I can enjoy and quit stressing so darn much. I used to love watching trailers online but don't much anymore, I should! I love costume dramas. Hope you've been have just as good of an August :)

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