One of my favorite summer reads!

Thursday, July 30, 2026

I’m a couple of days early, but it works out well to post this today since tomorrow is Friday Favorites and the first of the new month falls on a Saturday!

July was a blur! Did you also think so? My reading was down a little bit because I was so busy, I think. My preferred reading is outside on my porch, and it was too hot to do much of that this month. I still managed to read quite a bit, so let’s start with my reading…

This book is better than The Help. It should and will be a movie. I loved the dialogue. I laughed out loud. I read lines to Tom. It was one of my favorite books of 2026.

I thoroughly enjoyed this. I think it’s my favorite Carley Fortune book now. Someone said, “Is it even summer without a Carley Fortune book?”

This was a fun little read. I liked the setting on Isle Royale of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. I really enjoyed the story.

I really don’t know what to say about this book. It was melancholy. It was real life. I didn’t like the decisions of the adults. I guess it made me think about what inaction and secrets can do in one’s life.

And, finally I started this relatively short book about a restaurant. Ugh – I’m pretty mad. I enjoyed all of the restaurant talk and logistics but it left me hanging at the end. Maybe I shouldn’t have said that. I also am not sure what the point of the book was.

I started Yesteryear back in the spring and only read about 100 pages. I have recently read about the ending, so I know where the book was headed. It’s causing a lot of buzz and conversation. I think I still stand by my decision not to finish it. Any thoughts if you read Yesteryear? I think the intent of the author was to make you think about social media and what’s really going on behind the scenes.

I’ve been reading about 7 books a month in 2026 which puts me close to 50 books. I really had no idea how many books I would read when I started doing a better job of recording my books this year.

This month Calamity Club was the size of 2-3 books so that kept my count lower, too. If you are daunted by the length of it, Theo of Golden felt way longer. Once you get into CC, it goes by fast or at least it did for me. Favorite books of the year so far are: Mad Mabel, This Book Made Me Think of You, Calamity Club, and Dolly All the Time. This sometimes can tell you if you share the same taste as someone else, no? But, also, I do think there is much to be said about a book hitting or not hitting for you depending on your mood or stage in life.

Here are my other books of the year:

January books, February books, March books, April books, May Books, and June Books – if you want to go back and see. All of my books are from the library (with very few exceptions) so I do regularly DNF (do not finish) if the book isn’t for me or for my current stage of life. I feel no guilt. Sometimes I DNF if another book comes in that I requested or if the due date of a book is approaching, too.

This year I have read so many books where a parent has just passed away. What is going on? Has this helped me to process my parents’ deaths? Maybe so. I never followed up on my blog about Kristy Woodson Harvey’s Summer State of Mind, by the way. I couldn’t finish it. It was so bad. It was super cheesy and just unrealistic. I hated the actions of the adults. I was triggered. As I read what I have written, it seems that I get pretty worked up about adult decisions in books. Does this come from my background as a high school teacher? Maybe.

I am about ready to wrap up my summer themed books. I know I have a couple still on my library request list.

One more thing on the topic of books…when do I read? I sometimes read with my breakfast, but I almost always read in the early afternoon. I usually take an “accidental nap” during this time, too. I would say I read for an hour or two every day. Sometimes I also read in the evening if Tom has a show on that I’m not interested in but I want to be in the same room with him. I have loved to read my whole life. I could read in the car, and I could really read anywhere and tune the world out. My sister Kate has never been a reader, and she said she finally at age 51 has accepted it. She’s so funny! Molly is a reader, too, but doesn’t read as much as I do because she is busier.

Now let’s talk groceries which really aren’t as interesting as reading…

Kroger Delivery continued to rule my grocery shopping! It was really nice to have this service this summer. Will I continue? I’m not sure. The reason I started it was because of Tom’s specific type of bread not available at our store anymore, but available through delivery. I guess I liked the delivery service because I kept it up even when I didn’t need his bread in that current order. Now I am ordering a couple of loaves at a time and keeping them in the freezer. He is going through more bread since he started taking his lunch to work. Wow – I just over-explained about Tom’s bread.

I went to Trader Joe’s a few times, but I don’t think I did Whole Foods at all in July! I would like to get back there and get one of their family meal deals so I can take some nights off of cooking.

Kroger: $737

7/2 $150.53

7/8 $119.83 (stuff for Michigan – leaving the next day)

7/13 $101.90 (back from Michigan so needed groceries again)

7/19 $211.01 (included vitamins, shampoo, conditioner, dry shampoo, laundry and dish soap)

7/24 $156 (stuff for niece’s visit)

Trader Joe’s:

$53 wine store

$45 grocery store

$50 grocery store

I enjoyed going back into Trader Joe’s this month. I happened to be in that shopping center a few times and just bundled my errands.

$885 is the monthly grand total

This is accurate as far as I know. It’s still probably too much for two people, but we did have other mouths to feed in July with the meals we took to Michigan and having houseguests.

July Wrap-Up:

July held many highlights for me. I like looking back at both my phone camera roll and my uploaded blog media. It really helps me to remember how I spent my time. We boated on the river by our house with our friends, my niece, and just us (always with Eddie Otis, too!), we went to Lake Michigan, we celebrated Tom’s mom’s milestone birthday and our 26th anniversary, and we hosted our niece. We had some dinners out with friends, and I had some friend time, too, at breakfast out, coffee out, pool time, and happy hours. Our kids popped into our house a few times for visits and for food. I took a few loads of donations and worked on a few areas in our house. You know, I never did publish a summer bucket list, but I have done several things I was going to put on it!

Boating with our niece and her boyfriend:

Happy hour:

Just the three of us eating brunch on the boat:

Celebrating with Tom’s family:

Pool with my friend:

That’s a lot of kids in Michigan and we were missing 4:

Tom showing he’s still got the moves but not the hair:

Hair and Denny’s humor after 26 years of marriage:

Now’s the time, folks! If there is something you want to do before end of summer, put it on the calendar. I heard someone say they haven’t put a bathing suit on yet. What are you waiting for? I am also going to think about what I still want to do.

Thanks for following along with me in the month of July!

Amy

28 thoughts on “July Books + Groceries + July Recap”

  1. I haven’t put on a bathing suit this summer either; in fact I don’t think I’ve worn one since our Hawaii trip in 2024. I don’t feel like I’m missing out on anything though.

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  2. I quite frequently stop reading a book if I’m not enjoying it and/or if it contains too many words/subject matters that I find offensive. I feel like I’m more selective the older I’m getting- time isn’t running out per se but the knowledge that you aren’t going to do everything you want to do is very real… so why waste time? I have found myself skimming occasionally if I am intrigued by what happens but it’s overbearingly long. I always mention that I skim, though, if I’m doing a book review since skimming is definitely not the same as reading :). Your July looks like a good one! You did a lot of fun things!!

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    1. Thank you! Jenn from My Joyful Life bought it. I think you would really like it. I have heard that, too. It went much faster than Theo for me and didn’t seem as long as it is. I promise!

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  4. I loved reading about the books you read and things you did this month! I shared your advice with my friend Karen yesterday; she was disappointed that she didn’t get to the pool this summer like she’d planned, so I reminded her that just because we’re starting back to work/school, that it doesn’t mean that summer is over just yet. She appreciated the advice and said she would try to do that some afternoons and over the weekend.

    You always give the BEST advice, and I just wanted to make sure you know that I really do take what you advise to heart and often share it with others. You always talk about how you like my outlook on life, and I love your practical advice, tips, and tricks. You really are a great friend to many, and I am so fortunate to call you that now…you are SO much more than just another blog I love to read, you’ve become one of my dearest friends over the last couple of years. Just wanted you to know all of that on a Thursday, friend. I hope you enjoy the day and get to do something you love!

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    1. Oh, that makes me happy that you shared that with Karen. I also saw that Memphis has two hotel pools with resort pass – you can buy a day pass. Bougie! We only have one in Louisville and it’s the Omni. Today I am going to the little boutique hotel pool that has their own day pass program. I really hope Karen makes a plan to go! It’s sometimes hard to go as an adult to a public pool.
      Well, what did I do to deserve all these compliments? Thank you so much! You only have two days left. I hope it’s been ok this week! I know how it can go much more slowly. Are your legs sore from the cement floors? We can have a virtual happy hour when you get home one day if you have some alone time. I love to give advice so it’s nice when people ask for it. Lol!

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  7. That’s impressive on the books! I have started reading outside while the kids swim and that’s new this year (though it’s our own pool so I don’t have to constantly track like at a public pool..they’re right there.) I never really read outside much before.

    I start every month attempting to keep track of groceries but so many household items are wrapped into grocery bills and then Walmart is all digital so it’s extra work to add that in. Maybe August will be my month!

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    1. Thank you! Isn’t that the best when you can finally read by the pool?
      I know – I have that same struggle since our household stuff is all bundled.

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  8. I read Yesteryear, but I was definitely skimming after the first 2/3 of the book. Once I got to the “big twist” I was mostly puzzled, mostly because I guess there was never really any sense about the amount of time that had passed. It was okay but did not live up to the hype.

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  9. I think July flew over! I can’t believe it is August in a couple of days! Those do sound like great reads. I listened to the audiobook of Yesteryear and I did finish it but only kept listening to see how it ended as there was so much hype. I did not like it at all. I don’t read books, I listen to them. I just could never find the time to pick one up but with audiobooks I can be doing other things as well as listening. Fab photos from your month!

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  10. I gave up on Yesteryear. I never used to DNF books but as I get older, I have decided not to waste my time on books that I just don’t like or can’t get in to. I thought Yesteryear was REALLY promising at the beginning. I made it to the big plot twist and then quit. I just got tired of the negative comments about her children and husband. All the relationships were transactional and it was depressing.

    I love Carley Fortune!

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  12. I enjoyed reading this recap! So many great books…& I always love reading about how other grocery shop. Ironically having more time this summer, I’ve leaned on Kroger delivery more? Oops. But it comes in handy. I have one more book on my summer reading list and I have downloaded Calamity Club …I am afraid August and back to school isn’t the right time to read a longer book but we’ll see.

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    1. Thank you! I enjoy doing these now, too. I love reading that, too. I know – the delivery right now probably seems strange to some but it’s worked for me. Just because I have time doesn’t mean that’s how I want to spend my time, you know?
      Well, you might read in your downtime and you might be intentional about not planning too much after school.

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  13. Thanks for sharing all the lovely July memories! I can’t believe July is over either! Time is strange… We’re back home and are trying to summarize this year’s Florida summer :D.

    You read so many books! I only read in bed before I go to sleep… Thank you for all the book recommendations! I just bought The calamity club for my daughter’s birthday, hope she’ll like it! 😀

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    1. Thank you! Oh, you are already home! Bittersweet!
      I did. I hope she likes it, too. Did you buy it in English or Swedish? I wonder if the southern dialogue would translate.

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      1. Well, Florida is intense, and Sweden is very calm, so it’s always a bit of a chock to come home… And jet lag is messing with sleeping… but I’m good and have a full summer month ahead of me (hopefully, Swedish weather has a mind of its own!).

        The girls and I mainly read in English, translations can really destroy a book… I’ve only read Emily Henry in Swedish and now I don’t like her…

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