July was a VERY short + sweet reading month for me—somehow I only read three books (I’m not slumped, it was just busy), but the good news is every single one was a hit. These reads are still kind of living with me, and even though none of them were quite a full five stars, they were all dang near close. In this wrap up I talk through what worked, what hit emotionally, and why I’m determined to ramp it up in August—especially because I’m currently challenging myself to get through my entire physical TBR (and it’s sitting at like 130-something books… so three books is not making a dent). I start with Happy Place by Emily Henry, which is my favorite Emily Henry so far. It’s a second-chance romance with forced proximity and a dual timeline, and it felt so relatable and real—like a natural life progression instead of plot-forcing. Then I get into How to Stop Time by Matt Haig, which honestly altered my brain chemistry in the best way; it hit my nostalgia, my anxiety about time, and that “am I even present?” spiral that motherhood can bring up. And I finish with The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren, which was hilarious, flirty, well-rounded, and the perfect summer romcom to balance out the heavier feelings.