July 2025 Wrap-Up & August Plans

Happy August, y’all! Is it just me, or does the year feel like it’s speeding up? The beginning of the year felt like it would never end. And now it’s August! Maybe it’s because I’m looking forward to fall and all that it brings: post-season baseball, football season, my birthday, and Halloween? But before we get to all of that, let’s take a look at my July 2025 wrap-up and my August plans.

July Reading Wrap-Up & August TBR

Let’s take a look back at my June 2025 Wrap-Up for a glimpse at what I planned to read in July.

• The Fort by Christy K. Lee
• Valentine in Montreal by Heather O’Neill and Arizona O’Neill
• Icing on the Murder by Valerie Burns
• Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes by Sandra Jackson-Opoku

Books Read in July

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Yay for another TBR completed! In July, I managed to read 16 books, the majority of which were ebooks. The three Christmas books were the only audiobooks for the month. It helps that I had seven days at work with nothing to do but read. I think I figured out that I started and finished four books in that period. There are seven graphic novels in there, too. And before anyone says my numbers don’t match the covers, I can explain. With March, I combined the three volumes.

My favorite read in July? The only 5-star reads I had were the three volumes of March. What about 4.5-star reads? There’s The Fort, Icing on the Murder, and Big Mushy Happy Lump.

There was one DNF in July. I found A Merry Little Meet Cute to be too much. I know it was super spicy, and I don’t mind that. What I do mind is that some of the situations were just too over the top.

August TBR

• The Re-Write by Lizzie Damilola Blackburn
• SON by Johana Gustawsson & Thomas Enger
• Mrs. Christie at the Mystery Guild Library by Amanda Chapman

July Blog Wrap-Up & August Plans

In July, I published 13 blog posts. Of those, there were four reviews, five Top Ten Tuesday posts, and a couple of different wrap-up posts. I even managed a cookbook review!

In July 2024, I wrote a post about the app Too Good To Go, which was also my most popular post overall in July. Of the 13 posts I published in July, my list of books set in Toronto has been the most popular.

In August, I’m hoping to publish four reviews and four Top Ten Tuesday posts. I’m working on a craft project, but it probably won’t be ready for a little while because I’m still ironing out the kinks.

Personal Stuff

Overall, my July turned into a month of changes for me. A couple of minor changes. One was a bit more significant change. So what are these changes? I took a chance when I got my new glasses. In all my years of wearing glasses, I’ve always gone the safe route with my frames being gold, silver, and black. This time around, one pair is tortoiseshell. I know that’s a safe route. The other pair, though, they are a bright blue. How bright blue? Picture a blue Jolly Rancher candy. I’ve had a lot of compliments on them, and even been told they suit me.

Another change isn’t a massive deal for me as of recent years. I’ve been coloring my hair in fun colors. In the past, I’ve used blue and pink. This year I went with purple. At the moment, it’s a grape shade of purple. It’s still loads of fun.

So what’s the significant change? I bought a new car. My previous car was 11 years old and approaching 200,000 kilometers. While she was paid off and fully mine, she was also approaching the stage where repairs would cost more than she was worth.

During all of this time of change, my husband and I got to go to a concert. For our anniversary, I got tickets to Weird Al’s current tour. And it turned out to be the only stop in Canada. LOL! We had so much fun, even though it rained intermittently throughout the show. It was a late night for me, as I’m generally in bed before 9 pm, and the show didn’t end until 10:30. Then it took us another three hours to get home. But I would do it all over again!

What does August hold for me? We’re heading out of town for a week early in the month, and as the month wraps up, we need to prepare the youngest one for her final year of high school. Where did the time go?

That’s my July in a nutshell. How was your July? What was your favorite read? What are your plans for August?

Are you looking for some more ideas to read? Check out my other monthly reading wrap-ups.