This month’s recap might be a bit longer than usual: July was one of those months where looking back, you can see that a lot happened, but in the moment, it didn’t feel as much. Or maybe that’s because it was so very hot to start the month. Thankfully we had a major cold front move through that brought several inches of rain and washed away the 90s. And I am crossing all my fingers that we’ve seen the last of those! I did see the first early goldenrod blooms Friday, so we are getting closer to moderate temperatures. Okay, let’s look back at July, shall we?
📖 Pride, Prejudice and Peril | Katie Oliver | ⭐⭐⭐⭐
📖 The Fatal Unpleasantness at Netherfield | Claudia Gray | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
📱 The Storm | Rachel Hawkins| ⭐⭐⭐
🎧 Dolly All the Time | Annabel Monaghan | ⭐⭐⭐⭐
📖 The Chowder House Murder | Lee Hollis | ⭐⭐⭐⭐
📖 A Founding Mother | Stephanie Dray & Laura Kamoie | ⭐⭐⭐⭐
It feels like so little reading happened in July. Some things I flew through {the Austenesque mysteries}, and others took unexpectedly long to read {A Founding Mother took the entire month}. That inconsistency has been the ongoing theme of 2026 reading: books are either taking 3 days or a whole month. Obviously, judging by the stars given out for July, the reading is good, it’s just weirdly paced. But the numbers on my little library sign keep going up, and maybe I’m “behind,” but I’m also pleased with my reads.
It’s interesting to me the way format shifts and changes, with print dominating again this month. While I’m not tracking as many statistics this year, I am still noting source, and July was evenly split between my own books and the Library. As my TBR continues to battle the unpredictability of my holds list, this is always an interesting number to watch.
Listening:
Honestly, not much. I only managed one audiobook in July, and you can tell it’s been too hot to walk. This section will probably increase again as the temperatures start leveling out. Hopefully.
Watching:
There was actually some viewing in July! Shocking, I know. With a long holiday weekend, and intense heat that kept us inside most of the daylight hours, we managed a little afternoon viewing.
- 📺 House of the Dragon (Season 2) | HBOmax
Yes, that says Season 2. We’re running behind, but the opening episode of Season 2 was rough and when we first saw it last year, the time was not right. With the heat and a long weekend for Mr, we decided to skip the first episode and try again. Of course there was so much intrigue and {too much} blood and dragon fire, but that season finale? Masterfully done, especially the last say 5 minutes? Now that’s how you close a season and set a new one up. {It also gave me really strong Maasverse vibes for some reason, which I am a-ok with!}. - 📺 House of the Dragon (Season 3) | HBOmax
We actually caught up to the “live” version, and had to join those waiting week by week for a new episode to drop. Although instead of catching the new episode(s) at drop, we’re letting them build up again and then will dive back in. - 📺 The Count of Monte Cristo | PBS Passport/Masterpiece
We picked up a few more episodes of this one, and are almost finished! This man’s revenge plot is … astonishingly detailed and so very intricate. - 📺 What I Like About You (Season 2) | Netflix
Picked up where I left off in the Spring, and am about halfway through Season 2. It’s been so long since I last watched this show, I’d forgotten a lot of the “little things” – like I remembered the fancy Loft Val and Holly moved into, but not how they got there. It’s an enjoyable nostalgia watch that doesn’t require a lot of focus or thinking.
On the Blog:
Fun fact: going into the month, I had a list of posts I was planning to feature in July. Of that list, I think 3 of them actually made it to the blog. The lists, I am learning, are more for brainstorming than actual plans: it helps to see the ideas I’ve come up with, and even if they happen in another month – they can still happen. Anyway … all that to say, it was an interesting month on the blog.
There were two exciting chicken updates: first a look at how they grew from week to week, and then moving outside with the big chickens! {I am also so happy that I only had to put them to bed for 3 nights before they learned to put themselves up. Crawling around on hands and knees in the chicken coop was as fun as it sounds…}. All things summer days were discussed in a Tea Time post, including a peek at the mix of tomatoes we’re enjoying. While the heat limits some of my baking, I’m still managing to make batches of this easy homemade granola, to enjoy with fresh {local} fruit and Greek yogurt. And with all of that, I still managed to have pictures beyond the posts, and was able to feature Glimpses of July.
Picking back up the reading thread, we hit the halfway mark of Summer of Jane, and I’m nowhere near making the progress I thought I would. When not reading, I’m continuing to build book lists, like the rabbit trail of Julia Child books. I’ve also been working on ideas and lists for My Christmas is Booked, because that time is swiftly approaching. And Fall reads: there are some really good ones coming out! {Or at least, the covers + titles look good}. Might have to do a little Fall feature …
Shared on Instagram, but including here too: my birthday month book haul! Between BOTM, a birthday bookstore trip, and needing “shelf trophy” copies of the Villain series, it was a good month. {And at the time of writing, I’ve already read 2 of these new additions!}.
How was your July?
Hopefully you too have had a break in the intense heat, and rain if needed!
What was the best read/listen/watch of the month for you?
What are you most excited about in August? I’m waiting on my preorder of Adversary to the Villain to be delivered … So. Excited.
