Mini Book Reviews: July 2025

Disclaimer: I received ARCs of Spectacular Things, The Homemade God, and Finding Grace from the publishers and Netgalley in exchange for my honest reviews. This post contains affiliate links.

July was a busy month for me, and I struggled to find time to read. When I did try to read at bedtime, I kept falling asleep, only to have my iPad wake me up by hitting me in the face. One of the hazards of reading on a tablet in bed, I guess!

Anyhoo, I read 6 books this month.  I didn't read all 5 NetGalley books in my July prerelease library because all of my library holds came in at the same time. I had to let a few of them go. One more to read to kick off August, and then I'm going to get back to those NetGalley books. I promise!!

It's a good problem to have! I enjoyed all the books I read this month and there's something for everyone here.

Fun with Friends

It was another hot, steamy week, but for me, a good one, both on and off the road.  My knee, while not completely silent, has been at least cooperative with all my activities. I enjoyed some friend time, running with my Trail Sisters, and spending an extended weekend in Alabama with Holly and Teresa! It's been so much fun, and I'm sharing a brief recap of it all.

Attack of the Deer Flies

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. 

Oh, summer, how I await your arrival! After enduring months of cold weather, with the arrival of warmer temperatures, we Midwesterners are able to strip off all our layers and bask in the sunshine. It's like being at a party you wish would never end.

But every party has a pooper, and summer in the woods comes with a few uninvited guests: stinging insects. The worst offenders? Deer flies. You'd think after dealing with them every year, I'd be prepared for their arrival. But no, the nice weather of spring and early summer gives me amnesia about my past encounters with them. As a child growing up in a rural area of Illinois, my sisters and I would spend our days swimming in the family pool, only to be stung in the head by one or more eagerly awaiting deer flies when we came up for air. I could just imagine them hovering above the water, rubbing their little arms together in anticipation of a tasty meal. I looked back on old blog posts and found that every year at this time, I write about these awful little pests.  

I 'did my own research', aka a Google search on deer flies. Know your enemy and all that. Apparently, there's nothing to deter them, but besides the super spray I use, there are some things I can try. Wearing light colored clothing can help, according to some sources. Multiple trail runners and hikers suggested applying sticky tape to a hat so when they land on your head, they stick to it. Another suggestion is to wear 2 hats--one forward and one backwards, so the brim covers your neck. I have a head net that I bought a few years ago, but I haven't used it. Don't ask me why. The last suggestion was attaching a fake dragonfly to your hat. Apparently, deer flies are afraid of dragonflies. Remember, this was all on Google, so I know it's true. 

I ordered the items from Amazon, so stay tuned for the results! I also learned that they are mostly evil for about 5-6 weeks in late June/July, when they are biting to find blood to feed their eggs. Ewww. I also found a hilarious essay about deer flies HERE. 

Soon they'll be gone and I'll be able to run in the woods without fear of being bitten. Next up...yellow jacket season...

Deer flies enlarged for dramatic effect

So Much Water!

Not only did we have a lot of rain this week, but I also spent a lot of time on the water. I love being on the water, whether I'm in the boat, on a ski, or in my kayak. I was able to do all those things this week!

I also worked on easing my knee back into running--as you might expect, it didn't go as smoothly as I'd hoped. But I got some good mileage in. The rain didn't keep me inside, although the humidity was off the charts. There was no escaping the water this week!

Back At It!

'One day I won't be able to do this, but today is not that day. Today I fight! ~ origin unclear, but perhaps paraphrased from J.R.R. Tolkien, in The Lord of the Rings. 

I do love a good quote.

Yep, I'm back to running again--slowly and using walk intervals. But it's worth celebrating, am I right? I'm grateful that my injury wasn't worse and that I can get back to doing my favorite thing while I continue to rehab my knee. 

Mini Book Reviews: June 2025

Disclaimer: I received ARCs of The River's Daughter, The Other Side of Now, The Compound, and Sunny Side Up from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest reviews. This post contains affiliate links.

I don't know if it was because of my prolific reading month in May, but I struggled to get through my books this month. With the exception of one book, I loved everything I read this month. I think I had too many distractions, and it was hard for me to focus on the pages.

It's hard to pick a favorite, but how can you beat Taylor Jenkins Reid? Her new one, Atmosphere, grabbed me and didn't let me go until I read the last page. I'm still thinking about it! On the other hand, Sunny Side Up was not my cup of tea. It was too shallow and fluffy for this reader. But it was very readable. It would be a great beach read. Just not for me.

Overall, I read 6 books this month, which made me happy. I stuck to my goal of finishing all my NetGalley reads plus I was able to read 2 library holds. It's all about balance! 

But that's the best thing about books-there's something for everyone!

Answers? I Got Answers!

Yes, I got my answers this week to what was going on with my knee, as well as my treatment plan. Meanwhile, with my activity modifications, the pain calmed down to almost no pain--except when I did too much. I mean, 'too much' according to my knee. When my knee starts to bother me, I pull on my compression sleeve, which helps quite a bit. Hopefully, I'll be back to running soon. 

I runfess: It's too hot to run anyway. 

For the past couple of weeks, the temperatures have been in the 90F/30Cs with high humidity. The real feel has been over 100F/40C. It's just gross. It feels as if we are living in the tropics instead of the Midwest. We're not used to this!