What I Read July 2020

July was another big month of reading for me. I made a small dent in my 30 Books I Want to Read, plus found a new non-fantasy series that is giving me a serious book hangover (weeks after I finished the last book!). Genres this go 'round are a little more varied as I force myself to branch out of fantasy and be a more rounded reader. Not that there's anything wrong with sticking to just one genre! I just felt like I was burning out on fantasy and starting to find more duds than stunners. Anyway, we've got Greek gods and goddesses, a secret society murder mystery, undercover agents, an atypical hero's tale, and historical fiction. Let's dive in!

Goddess Academy series

Author: Clara Hartley

After breaking up with her cheating boyfriend, Cara is whisked away to the Goddess Academy where she learns she is the daughter of Aphrodite and Ares, public enemies number one, thought to be dead but really trapped in another world. Cara's conniving parents may be stuck in this other world, but that doesn't stop them from plotting to continue the fight they fled, using Cara to wreak destruction on the the realm of the goddesses, but they don't anticipate the return of the old gods. This series had a really complicated plot line and some real doozies of characters. If you're a fan of mythology, I would say to give this series a chance.

Court High series

Author: Eden O'Neill

December "Em" Lingquist moves across the country to live with her father after her sister, Paige, goes missing, convinced her mere presence will bring Paige home. But Paige isn't exactly who Em thought she was and she isn't coming home. Together with Paige's closest friends, the leaders of the Court, Em sets out to find out what happened to her sister, uncovering the truth behind the Court in the process. 

Checkmate series

Author: Emilia Finn

This eight book series focuses on the men who make up the Checkmate Security team and the women who stand beside them: Kane and Jess, Angelo and Lane, Riley and Andi, Jay and Sophia, Eric and Katrina, Spencer and Abigail, and Gunner and Libby. This series is unique in that you can read certain ones as stand-alones or duets (book 1-2, book 3-4, book 5), but I'm telling you that you NEED to read them all. They're told from different perspectives, and books 3-4 technically happen in the same time as book 1-2, but you won't get the full picture unless you read all eight. You'll laugh and you'll cry (books 1, 2, and 6 especially got me) and fall in love with these men and women. Kane may be my new fictional boyfriend...

Here Be Dragons

Author: David P. MacPherson

Orus is not your typical hero. Sure, he went to hero school, but his very first quest to save a virgin who'd been kidnapped by a sorcerer ended with said virgin pregnant. Now, Orus is just the palace gardener, but when a retired (really old) hero gets a request for help he cannot fulfill, he sends Orus in his stead. Heroes are supposed to kill dragons, right? Not in this story. Orus is tasked with delivering the last dragon egg to the hatching grounds whilst protecting it from all the other modern knights set on destroying it, thus restoring magic to the land. But Orus isn't your typical hero, remember? This adventure is full of bumps and lots of bumbling, and let's not forget the talking donkey. This book was funny and unexpected, and I really did enjoy it.

The Secret Life of Mrs. London

Author: Rebecca Rosenberg

Charmian London is the second wife of author Jack London (Call of the Wild) but their marriage isn't exactly happy. This is an imagined glimpse into their life after the couple has been married for nine years. Some other famous faces make appearances, but the third star of this tale is magician Harry Houdini. While this book focuses heavily on Jack and Charmian's relationship and their association with Houdini, the underlying theme is about Charmian's quest to become a published author and self-reliant woman. I found her to be flighty and pretty typical of the women of that time period, but I definitely was rooting for her throughout the book. The ending was pretty bittersweet and didn't offer much closure, to be honest. I ended up doing my own research to learn more about Charmian's life so I could have a clearer sense of her life after the book ends.

Books/Series I started but didn't finish

I wanted to mention these because I talked about both in previous posts.

The Rejected Writers Book Club - The blurb about this book had me intrigued. A small-town librarian is invited to a local book club made up of wannabe writers who celebrate their rejections. These rejects want Janet to help them plan a celebration of their rejections. I really wanted to like this book, but I just couldn't get into the writing style, and honestly wasn't drawn to Janet. I read about five chapters before calling it.

Empath Found series - I actually read the first book of this series, The Terrible Gift, in its entirety and read a few chapters of the second book. It's about a fae girl who's lived her entire life thinking she was human, but when Fi magically rejects the advances of would-be rapist, she's whisked into the land of the Fae where she learns her ability to feel emotions is thought to be extinct and extremely dangerous. The premise of the series was interesting, but I thought there was too much focus on the "mate" aspect instead of the "why is Fi in danger" aspect. I may come back to this series in the future, but for now it's a no-go.

Spotted Tie Strap Maxi Dress

I've spent a lot more time outside this summer than ever before. I don't know if it's because we have a nice covered back porch now or because we've been pretty much staying home since March. Probably both? Anyway, my husband recently bought one of those four-wheel side-by-side UTVs, so we've been taking "drives" around the neighborhood, and I recently bought myself a new really nice camera so it seemed a shame not to use it when we stopped at the water.

I ordered this dress back in June after seeing it on another blog (I can't remember which one at this point). Honestly, it took so long to get here I kind of forgot that I had ordered it, so it was a nice surprise when it showed up last Friday. And you know me, I had to wear it the next day.

I'm 5'2 and usually a size 6/8 or medium in dresses. The sizes on this break down into 4/6 (small) and 8/10 (medium), so I went with the medium. The smocked top was surprisingly loose in my opinion, so even though the medium fits, I think I would have been okay with the small. The tie straps make it pretty easy to control the length, not to mention being super cute. In addition to the smocked top and tie straps, there is a small ruffle around the top and a larger one at the bottom. The dress is not lined but isn't see-through, even in direct sunlight. The only thing that would make this dress better would be pockets.

Outfit Details

Dress

Slide Sandals (similar)

Heeled Sandals

Keep scrolling to see all the pretty details. Also, I changed shoes once we were back home and added jewelry.

Chicken Stir Fry Bake

We love Chinese food. Unfortunately, the best Chinese restaurant in the area is a 20 minute drive, and we're still not eating inside restaurants right now. The closest thing I've ever made to Chinese is beef and broccoli over white rice or those bags of stir fry vegetables you find in the frozen section, also over plain white rice. So when I came across this Terriyaki Chicken Casserole on Pinterest, I knew I had to try it.

This recipe made enough for six adults and one child, with no side dishes, and we still had leftovers. Other than my ridiculously picky uncle, it was a big hit. Everyone, except my uncle, had seconds, and we ended up reheating it for lunch a couple of days later.

Some notes: The recipe I followed called for two small chicken breasts, but I personally didn't think there was enough chicken in relation to the rice and veggies. It also called for one 12-ounce bag of stir fry veggies. We used two. I also replaced the minced garlic with minced onion because I read the recipe wrong, but it was still delicious.

Ingredients

• 3-4 chicken breasts
• 3 cups white rice
• 2 12 ounce bags stir fry (we used the Birdseye steam-in-bag Asian Medley)
• 3/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon minced onion
• 2 tablespoons corn starch mixed with 2 tablespoons water

Directions

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and coat bottom of 9x13 pan with non-stick cooking spray. The deeper the pan, the better.
2. Combine soy sauce, water, brown sugar, ginger, and onion in saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil for one minute.
3. While sauce is cooking, mix together corn starch and water until smooth. Add to sauce while bowling, stirring constantly.
4. Remove sauce from heat when it starts to thicken.
5. Arrange chicken in pan and cover with one cup of the sauce. Bake for 35 minutes.
6. Boil rice and steam veggies while chicken bakes.
7. Once the chicken is done, shred it using two forks.
8. Add rice and veggies to the pan with the chicken. Stir in the remaining sauce until blended well. Bake for 15 minutes.

I feel like this recipe could be simplified by using 3 cans of shredded chicken, eliminating the need for two rounds of baking. Also, I really hate shredding my own chicken, so there's that.

Monday Motivation + What's in my Makeup Bag

Living during a pandemic is weird. There are so many ups and downs, but so far, thankfully, my family has stayed healthy. That said, we're currently self-quarantining because my mother-in-law tested positive last week. She has no symptoms and was only tested because of her job. We learned about her positive test result the morning after my husband and daughter had been at their house to return something. We're cautiously hopeful that we'll dodge the bullet this go 'round, but we're watching Alexis extra close due to her asthma. I wrote a pretty candid discussion about parenting during a pandemic for the magazine last week. You can read it here: https://bit.ly/3374YU3

In other news, I've started doing some light stretching exercises in an attempt to start rebuilding the flexibility I've lost over the last two months. I plan to start walking this week. My goal is to do one mile a day, but that will depend on how low my stamina has gotten since my surgery. I have lost about 10 pounds since the surgery and have not had to deal with bloating like I was before, so already my clothes are fitting better.

In keeping with my recent Monday posts, I wanted to share a list of some sort. The last two Monday posts have been about books because they're my favorite hobby, but today I wanted to talk about makeup. I have super sensitive skin and rarely branch out to try new products. I also don't wear a lot of makeup and don't like spending a fortune on products. I buy all of my makeup from either Walgreens or Target. So without further ado, let's dive into my makeup bag!

1. Neutrogena Redness Correcting Primer - My skin color may be super pale but my complexion tends to be ruddy. This primer helps hide that, as well as any other irritations I may have. It's light and goes on smooth.

2. Neutrogena Skin Clearing Blemish Concealer - I use this to treat and cover any pesky pimples that pop up uninvited, usually after I indulge in something cheesy. I wear the lightest shade.

3. Neutrogena Hydro Boost Concealer Stick - I use this when my foundation just doesn't quite cover something up. It's not cakey and blends really nicely. I use the lightest color.

4. Neutrogena Healthy Skin Brightening Eye Perfector - I always, always have dark circles under my eyes. This product helps cover them up and makes me look more awake. I use the lightest color.

5. Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrating Tint - This is my go-to foundation. It doesn't dry out my skin, has a nice buildable coverage, and stays put all day long. My shade is Natural Ivory.

6. Neutrogena Sheer Highlighting Blush Pure 20- This is the perfect blend to give my cheeks some color without looking like I tried too hard.

7. CoverGirl Sweet Escape Eye Shadow Trio - I have really small eyes so I keep my eyeshadow simple. This is my favorite mini-palette. 

8. CoverGirl Eyebrow Powder - I'm one of those people that has to color in their eyebrows every morning. I've been using this powder forever. I like that it doesn't take a lot to do the job. I use the soft brown.

9. CoverGirl Perfect Point Eyeliner - I'm the girl who's never gotten the hang of liquid eyeliner, and the eyeliner marker I used to love is no longer around, so this is the next best thing. I use either the black onyx or midnight blue.

10. Not Pictured: CoverGirl Super Sizer Mascara - Like my eyebrows, my eyelashes are practically non-existent. This mascara adds color, length, and volume, and doesn't smudge above or under my eye throughout the day.

10. EOS Lip Balm in Sweet Mint - This is my favorite lip balm. It keeps my lips smooth and hydrated.

11. Mellow Lipstick in Nude - I got this in one of my last ipsy bags a few years ago. It's seriously the perfect nude and my go-to lipstick for the moment.

Real Outfit Roundup: Post-Op Edition

It seems really crazy that I haven't done one of these posts since May, but we are in the middle of a pandemic and I did have major surgery in June, so I guess it makes sense. To be quite honest, after my surgery it was a few weeks before I actually started wearing real clothes. You know, an outfit I would actually wear if I left the house, which didn't happen for six weeks. You'll notice that all of these photos were either taken on my back porch or in my office. If I'm wearing shoes, I can almost guarantee you that it's only for the sake of the picture. Anyway, let's get to it!

Sizing info: I'm 5'2" and normally wear size 6/8 or medium in tops and dresses, size 6 in bottoms, and size 7 in shoes.

Tshirt / Shorts / similar Sandals

This was pretty much my outfit of choice for two weeks...on the days I changed out of pajamas, that is. It's hard to tell in this photo, but this tshirt is dip-dyed, pale pink fading into white, and it's back in stock finally! I have these shorts in four colors. They're my solution to wearing sweatpants in the summer. They all fit similarly except for the red, which for whatever reason are smaller.

Tshirt / Shorts

After a few weeks recovering from surgery, I graduated from stretchy shorts to ones with actual buttons. This pair by Universal Thread are amazing. They're soft and stretchy, not stiff and super restrictive. You can't see from the angle, but they have a cute little cuff and mild distressing. This tshirt is super soft, too. It's a relaxed fit and can be easily tucked or half-tucked.

Tshirt / similar Skirt / Sandals

I talked about this graphic tee in a post a couple of weeks ago (see it here). It's soft and semi-fitted, hitting me right at my hips.

Tshirt / similar Shorts

Anybody who knows me will know that I couldn't resist this shirt. It's soft, semi-fitted, and hits right at my hip bones. It comes in a few colors and fits true to size. I've had these shorts for several years so they're no longer available, but I did find a really similar pair that I linked to.

Tshirt / similar Skirt / similar Shoes

I talked about this pretty little daisy tshirt in another post already (read it here). This one fits a little boxier than my other graphic tees, so if you want a more fitted shirt order down a size.

Dress

I looked at this dress over and over again before I finally bit the bullet and ordered it. The halter straps are braided, which is a nice detail. It closes with a little button loop on the back of the neck. It's fitted at the waist but it's pretty stretchy. I can wear it with flats without the hem dragging the ground, so it's petite-friendly.

Shirt / similar Shorts

I absolutely love this cami. It's so interesting, from the chambray to the tie at the top. I predict I'll be wearing this a lot. My white shorts are no longer available unfortunately, but I linked to a comparable brand.

Headband / Dress

I've talked about this tshirt dress several times on the blog already. The reason I really shared this picture was for the knotted headband. My hair has been unruly lately (probably due to lack of product consistency and another overdue haircut), but it's too short for a ponytail and I get tired of the half-back style everyday. These cute headbands come in a pack of 10 and I've been wearing them multiple times a week.

Shirt / similar Shorts

There's just something so crisp about blue and white stripes. This top is tiered, adding to the visual interest. It has adjustable straps, but there is literally no stretch to this material at all. While my normal size medium fits me just fine, the top is a little snug and if it shrinks any, it'll be too small. So take that into consideration.

Tshirt / Skirt / similar Boots

I shared this outfit in a post last week (see it here). Note: the shirt is a little lighter in person.

similar Dress / similar Sandals

I've had this dress for so long, I can't remember where I got it. It's a great silhouette and gives me serious 90s vibes. I linked to a similar dress above.

Tshirt / similar Shorts / Sandals

Are you old enough to remember when MTV actually played music? I actually couldn't tell you the last time I watched MTV. It's been years, and I'm pretty sure the last thing I watched was I Love the 90s. Anyway, this t-shirt is snug so you might want to size up. I wish I had. Otherwise, it's really soft and pretty opaque. My exact shorts are no longer available, but I linked to a similar pair.

10 Easy Dinner Ideas for Busy Nights

It's hard to believe that school will be starting back soon. Whether you'll be home schooling, doing virtual or distance learning, or sending your kids back to the classroom, our days are about to get even busier than they are right now. Parenting is always challenging, but it seems like the last several months have been even more so. The entire family is home at the same time more often, and it feels like parents are taking on more stress and responsibilities. If you're anything like me, some days dinner is the furthest thing from your mind. But even on those days when I really don't feel like cooking, I'd prefer a home-cooked meal over take-out.

I've rounded up some easy recipes that have been hits in my house to hopefully make meal-time a little less stressful for you. We've made all of these recipes, even though I don't have photographic proof of each one. My five-year-old daughter will eat each of these without many complaints. I tried to do a variety of types of recipes, from InstantPot to slow cooker and traditional stove/oven.

What are some of your family's easy, go-recipes for busy nights?

French Onion Chicken Bake - This is probably the most flavorful baked chicken recipe I've ever made. I added in potatoes with the french onion mix sprinkled on top of them for a well-rounded, one-pan meal. We had no leftovers.

Baked Tortellini - This is seriously the easiest pasta bake, and guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser.

Instant Pot Tuna Noodle Casserole - I couldn't not include this one. It's only been the most popular post on this blog for going on two years now. We absolutely LOVE this tuna noodle casserole. And it takes less than twenty minutes to make.

Instant Pot Vegetable Beef Soup - This is another house favorite, and makes enough for multiple meals throughout the week.

Taco Roll Ups - Our family has a lot of taco nights. This is just a fun way to change things up, and it's an easy meal to let your kids help out with.

Instant Pot Chili Mac - We affectionately call this dish 'chili noodles' in our house. It's definitely a kid favorite.

Crock Pot Fritos Taco Bowls - This is another twist on traditional tacos, but instead of making everything right at dinner time, you let it simmer in the slow cooker all day.

Mini Chicken Pot Pies - Mini foods are so much fun, right? I promise you'll love this bite-sized version of this comfort food, and it's another one your kids can help with.

Italian Chicken & Veggies - This has been one of our favorite dinners for years, and the best part is that you can change up the vegetables each time you make it!

Smothered Beef Burritos - It's been awhile since we've made these, but man are they so good.

Monday Motivation + What I'm Currently Reading

Last week was ... well, weird. I had a pretty big bomb dropped on my middle of the week before that consumed pretty much all of my thoughts for the remainder of that week. Then there was my brother's wedding over the weekend, at which I had agreed to take photos. Once that was over with, it was right back to thinking about the bomb and how I should handle it. It's actually still not been handled, but I put forth my thoughts (and subtle demands), and the ball is no longer in my court so to speak.

I had my final post-op appointment last week. Everything is moving along as expected. My stitches look good, but the edges still need a couple weeks to finish closing up all the way. I was given the all clear to drive (yay!) and to start back exercising moderately. I still have to be careful twisting and bending and won't be picking up anything heavy for awhile longer. I did get to take a bath but probably won't be venturing into any lakes, rivers, or oceans for awhile. It apparently will take my body about six months total to fully bounce back from this surgery.

So the last week and a half have been busy, both literally and figuratively. I did manage to get one blog post written for last week, but it was definitely a spur of the moment thing and not what I had originally planned. I'm working on those for later this week and maybe next. In the meantime, I thought I would share the books I'm currently reading. Of course, by the time you read this, I may have finished one or two of them, although I am trying to pace myself.

The Secret Life of Mrs. London - You'll remember this book from my 30 Books I Want to Read post earlier this summer. It's a period drama about the wife of author Jack London (White Fang) and the love triangle she finds herself involved in with magician Harry Houdini.

The Unwanted Challenge - This is the second book in the Empath Found series. Fi has spent her life avoiding crowds and the onslaught of emotions that aren't hers. When she throws a man out of a window without laying hands on him, Fi learns she's not human. Not only is she fae, but as an empath, Fi has a power thought to be extinct, a power that could get her killed.

Harley Merlin and the Cult of Eris - I've been making my way through this series for the better part of a year. This is book six. I kept getting ads literally everywhere about the next Harry Potter, so I finally downloaded book one. Harry Potter it is not, but to be honest the story doesn't even try to be so I'm not sure why the publisher even put that out there. That said, I'm enjoying the series. Harley is one of the most powerful magicals of the time, but she has to overcome the sins of her family past and present.

Finding Home - In my last Monday Motivation post, I talked about the first two books in Emilia Finn's Checkmate series. I've finished that series only to discover there are three other series based on the secondary characters in those books. Finding Home is the first book in the first series of this world. This book focuses on UFC fighter Bobby Kincaid and the woman who will become his wife, Kit.

A Court of Thorn and Roses - My best friend has been nagging me to read this book for awhile now. I needed a break from fairy tale retellings, but I'm finally cracking the cover of this Beauty and the Beast recounting.

3 Outfits with a Polka Dot Skirt

I used to have a blue and white polka dot pencil skirt that I loved. I wore it all the time, mostly for work, but an unfortunate zipper incident ended its time in the limelight of my closet. That was several years ago, and I still haven't found a similar skirt to replace it with. However, earlier this summer I did come across this cute little black and white polka dot skater skirt.

It's super thin and has a half-stretchy waistband (elastic in the back but not the front). I wear it at my natural waist so the hem hits just above the knees on me. It's not lined and doesn't have pockets. This skirt has sold out, in all the different prints it comes in, a couple times since I ordered it, but it's currently in stock in a few sizes. I'm wearing my usual size medium.

Sizing info: I'm 5'2" and usually wear size 6/8 or medium in tops and dresses, size 6 or medium in jeans/shorts/skirts, and size 7 in shoes.

Shirt / Skirt / Boots (similar)

Graphic/Band Tee + Combat Boots

There's just something so satisfying about pairing a feminine piece of clothing with edgier pieces, like combat boots. I'm also a fan of pairing graphic tees with printed bottoms, so this outfit is like the perfect combination of two of my favorite things.

Let's talk about the Nirvana tee. I picked this up from Target a few days ago after eyeing it practically all summer. It is so so so soft and slightly fitted. I'm wearing the size medium, which is my usual size in t-shirts. It's a little too fitted to do a proper knot so instead I gathered a small tail on the left side, secured it with a hair tie, and then tucked it under.

I finished this look with my tried-and-true combat boots because every other shoe I had that matched didn't go with Nirvana.

Shirt / Skirt / Shoes (similar)

Dots on Dots

Okay, so this was a spur of the moment idea. I love the idea of doubled-up polka dots, but every other time I've tried to do it before this has been a disaster. So why does it work here? The patterns are mirror opposites of each other in color but spatially they're almost identical, making the differences between the top and bottom seem more intentional.

This shirt is one of my favorite purchases from Spring. It feels like a t-shirt but buttons up like a blouse, making it the perfect in between for dressing up or down depending on the occasion. I finished this outfit with a pair of simple black espadrille wedges that I got last year.

Chambray Shirt / T-shirt / Skirt / Shoes

Plain Tee + Chambray Shirt + Sneakers

If you don't have a chambray shirt in your closet, you need to invest in one ASAP. I've had this one for years, and I wear it All. The. Time. It's the perfect finishing layer for casual outfits. I decided to tie the tails into a knot to give myself more of a waist, but you could definitely wear it fully open. (Pro tip: help your knot lie prettier by fastening the button directly above it)

With this outfit, I kept things simple with my plain white t-shirt but you can always work in a solid colored one for a little more interest. To keep with the casual vibe of this ensemble, I threw on my trusty white sneakers. This outfit is great for doing errands or watching the kids play ball.

My Favorite Way to Wear a Graphic Tee

When I worked in news, I rarely wore graphic tees, and therefore didn't buy them, despite practically living in them as a young adult in college. Now that I've been out of the news business for a couple of years, my style has definitely tipped more toward the casual side of the scale. Even so, graphic tees really weren't on my radar until recently. I have plenty of stripes and floral print shirts that can be dressed up and down, but my graphic tee selection was pretty limited. I've been working to remedy that this summer and wanted to share my favorite way to wear a graphic tee.

Please forgive the lack of creative photography. I am still recovering from having major surgery, after all.

Sizing info: I'm 5'2" and wear size 6/8 or medium in tops and dresses, size 6 in bottoms, and size 7 in shoes. This post contains affiliate links.

Shirt / Skirt (similar, similar) / Shoes (similar)

I love graphic tees because you can literally wear them with anything, although it is tempting to keep things simple by pairing them with just jeans or denim shorts. I tend to stay away from band tees, mostly because it's hard to find ones for bands that I really like. Instead, I look for designs that match my personality, like this pretty flower one. We all know I love a good flower print.

I really like unusual pairings, especially the juxtaposition of a t-shirt with a more feminine bottom, and when I saw this flower tee online I knew it would be a perfect match for this gold-yellow checked skirt. I tried it a couple different ways - front tuck, full tuck - before settling on a trendy knot. I finished the look with my fave bright yellow wedges (I literally put them on just to take this picture) to pull the yellow from the flowers. I think this shirt will also pair well with my white shorts, white jeans, and white skirts (short and long), as well as black and maybe even camo print.

This tee is really soft and a nice thickness. The fit is slightly boxy, which works for my wider hips. I'm wearing my usual size medium. The neck and sleeves aren't tight and the length is just past my hip bones (I'm 5'2" with a really short torso). It's 100% cotton, and although I haven't done laundry since wearing it, I'll most likely keep it out of the dryer.

Shirt / Skirt (similar) / Shoes

I thought this Just Peachy shirt was a fun nod to my home state of Georgia, aka the Peach State. It comes in a few other colors and design variations. This one is the pink.

I didn't have any particular outfits in mind when I ordered this one, but when I was doing a closet clean-out I remembered this fun little boho printed skirt that I've been hanging onto. Usually I just wear it with some version of a white or off-white top because the print is so busy, but I thought the colors were a nice match with the peach shirt. I was hoping the green in the shirt would help pull the greens from the skirt, but it's hard to tell in this picture. I'm still on the fence with whether or not this outfit is too busy.

This shirt is a cotton blend. I haven't washed it yet so I can't speak to shrinkage. I thought it was a nice thickness and pretty soft. It's slightly fitted on me and reaches to just past my hip bones. I got my usual size medium.

Monday Motivation + The Best Books I've Read So Far This Year

It's hard to be patient when you're limited in what you can do, but I am trying to will myself to do better. Some of you may already know, but last week I had a minor setback in my recovery. It was scary when it happened and freaked me out pretty bad. I ended up spending most of a day at my doctor's office because they worked me in so I wouldn't have to go to the ER. She made sure that nothing had been undone and dealt with the problem. Now I'm using a special cream to speed up cell recovery and have taken a couple of steps back in my daily activity level. I've still got another two weeks at least until I'm considered fully recovered.

I am feeling a little more motivated in terms of work this month. With the school year approaching and pretty much everything back open in some form or fashion, so I have my fingers crossed that things will be closer to normal.

It's been no secret that I've been reading a lot, especially in the last few months. It's one of the things helping keep things feeling semi-normal for me. And because I really haven't had a lot of content to share since having my surgery, I thought I would share the books that have left a lasting impression on me so far this year.

Ghosts of Gotham - I think I said it best when I reviewed this book for May: Holy freaking wow. There were so many jaw-dropping moments throughout this book. I don't want to spoil anything for you so I'm just going to 'copy and paste' from my original review: An investigative reporter is hired to find and authenticate a lost manuscript written by Edgar Allan Poe. For Lionel Page, who's built his career on debunking mysteries and the supernatural, it should be an easy task, but when the first body shows up, Lionel realizes he's gotten involved in something much bigger than a mysterious manuscript.

Regretting You - I said it before, and I'll say it again: this book deserves all the hype it's gotten. A mother and daughter's world is shattered when their father and sister/aunt are killed in a car accident. Grief, guilt, and anger find the mother and daughter in vastly different places, unable to find common ground, until they each find new love in unexpected places. The ending scene was quite literally the best I have ever read.

Whisper of the Moon Moth - Historical fiction based on real-life actress, Merle Oberon (best known for her role of Cathy in Wuthering Heights), and how she hid her Indian heritage.

The Mermaid's Sister - Three teenagers who were raised together must travel to the coast to save one of their own as she turns into a mermaid.

All Souls trilogy: A Discovery of Witches, Shadow of Night, The Book of Life - The story of a witch and vampire who fall in love and then have to fight for their right to be together. The author does a beautiful job of blending past and present. The second book is the best.

The Designer - This is the story of an American woman striving to be a journalist in war-torn France and how she helped Christian Dior launch his fashion empire.

Pawns in the Bishop's Game & Till the Sun Dies - So technically, these are the first two books of an ongoing series, Checkmate by Emilia Finn, but different characters get their own books, and I couldn't not include this duo after reading them this weekend. I'll include my full review in my July book roundup, so I'll keep this short-ish. This duo revolves around twins Jessica and Laine and the men who love them, Kane and Angelo. The first book is told from the dual POVs of Jessica and Kane, while the second is Laine and Angelo. These books made me laugh and cry.

What I Read June 2020

I read a lot in June. Like, a lot a lot, if you can't tell by the graphic. To be fair, a good bit of it was done in the first week while I was mostly bed-bound after my surgery. I'd rather read than watch TV or movies, so it was pretty non-stop. There were several books/series that I started but decided not to finish (one because the editing was so atrocious I just couldn't get past it), and I chose not to include two series I read because they each have companion series that I either haven't read or aren't out yet. I feel like my book count will probably be lower for July as I start doing more and trying to get my body back in shape post-surgery, so enjoy this booksplosion while you can!

The Ballers of Rockport High

Author: E.M. Moore

Tess is the daughter of a former NBA player. When her parents get divorced, her father pulls his funding from her school, causing the school to dissolve the girls' basketball team. Tess has dreams of one day playing for the WNBA and convinces her mother to let her transfer to the local public school where she tries out and makes the boys team, which is the best in the state. I usually don't include books like these in my monthly reviews because they're quick and dirty reads to fill in the gaps between my more in-depth reading, but I liked the story of a girl proving she can make it in a boys' world. Warning, this is a contemporary romance where the main female character doesn't choose between love interests.

Twyst Academy

Author: D.D. Chance

You know I love strong female characters, and Maddigan Pierce definitely fits the bill. While working as a janitor at a prestigious university for mages, Maddigan solves puzzles left on the professors' white boards for kicks, never thinking she'll get caught, but one night it happens. Turns out Maddigan is a war mage, and she soon finds herself enrolled in the university and on a team competing in the dangerous Mage Trials where the stakes are much higher than just passing or failing. 

Dark Angel Academy

Author: G. Bailey

Kaitlyn Lightson has lived with ghosts her entire life, literally. When she and her best friend die in a car accident, they both learn they've been destined to become angels and must attend Angel Academy. Soon, Kaitlyn discovers her ghost-seeing ability didn't die with her and befriends a dead vampire who, unbeknownst to her, has a vendetta against angels. Soon, Kaitlyn learns her own heritage isn't as black-and-white as she believes and finds herself in the middle of a war between vampires and angels. This series has direct ties to the Lost Time Academy and Demon Academy series, which are part of the world I first lost myself in with Her Guardians.

Hidden Creek High & Bay Falls High series

Author: Jaxson Kidman

I'm lumping these all together because they exist in the same 'world' and there's a lot of overlap. Also, I mentioned them in my post about 30 books I want to read, so I felt obligated to include them here. I unknowingly entered this world in the middle of the timeline, but rest assured, the different series within can exist without the others. If I had to recommend one complete series out of the ones involved, it would be Hidden Creek. I found it to be the most cohesively written and enjoyed its writing style the most. However, my favorite character can be found in the first of the Bay Falls High series.

The Hidden Creek series begins with the story of Wes and Aira (books 1-4). Aira moves in with her aunt in Hidden after her home is burned down, while she and her mother were inside. She soon reconnects with Wes, her childhood neighbor, and they along with their friends find themselves in one situation after another. Books 5-8 are about Nova and Elijah and all the issues they have to overcome to be together. There are two books in the HC world I have not read yet and probably won't.

To be fair, I read the first three books of the Bay Falls High series last year. It starts with the story of Tinsley, who's taken in by her drug addicted mother's old school friend after her mother nearly dies from an overdose. Tinsley finds herself attending a quote-unquote rich school where she becomes involved with the Rulz (stupid name, I know) - Pres, Kip, and Barr. They go from enemies to friends and finally Pres and Tinsley become a couple. There are a lot of non-relationship issues in this first trio, mostly revolving around drugs. After UNTouched, UNLoved, and UNTamed, you'll want to read the follow-ups from the boys' points of views: Pres, Kip, and Barr (my fave).

Then you can move on to NOT SO Innocent, the story of Belle. It's really similar to Tinsley's story, except instead of a druggie for a mother, Belle's mom has a string of really bad relationships. Like Tinsley, Belle is taken in by an old friend of her mother's, but instead of attending Bay Falls High West, she goes to East, where she soon falls in with Ash, Hil, and Uly, otherwise known as Them (another stupid name, I know). Because they're told from first person POV, these three were a little harder for me to get through thanks to the way Belle thinks. As with BFH-West, there are three follow-up books from the boys' POVs: Uly, Hill, and Ash.

There are three more books in this world that focus on the other school that's involved, Brooks Crest. I haven't read them, and at the moment have no plans to.

Dirty Deal

Author: Crystal Kaswell

Kat is a struggling waitress trying to take care of her teenage sister in the wake of their parents' deaths when a chance encounter with a tech CEO leads to the deal of a lifetime. Blake will get Kat out of debt and ensure her and her sister's futures if she agrees to marry him. The contract is for one year of wedded bliss, and love is off the table. Kat accepts and tries her best to guard her heart, but we all know how this story goes. The general plot line was predictable, but the story was enjoyable and there were a few tear-jerker moments.

Regretting You

Author: Colleen Hoover

Let me just start by saying that this book deserves the hype it's gotten. A mother and her teenage daughter find their world in pieces when their husband and father is killed in a car accident, along with their sister/aunt. Grief, guilt, and anger, finds the two of them in vastly different places, unable to find common ground. Each finds new love in unexpected places and start to work toward being a family again. I was hooked from the first chapter, and the final scene was one of the best I have ever read.

Raleigh Rebels trilogy

Author: Callie Hart

This series deals with a lot of tough topics - rape and school shootings being the biggest two. The author handled both skillfully and weaved together a story that had me reading into the early morning hours. Silver is the school's pariah, accused of falsely accusing three of the most popular guys of drugging and raping her at a party. When no one believes her, she loses everything and does her best to be invisible within school halls. Alex is transferred to Silver's school after he's caught desecrating the grave of his former abusive foster parent. He and Silver soon become a couple, and he sets out to right the wrongs against her. Their story has so many ups and downs, and like I said earlier touches on many sensitive subjects, but man was it worth the ride.

The Redemption Saga

Author: Kristen Banet

Sawyer Matthews is in hiding. After spending three years forced to be a madman's assassin, she died and has been keeping a low profile as a thief for hire ever since. When one of her jobs puts her back in her former boss's crosshairs, Sawyer decides it's time to retire for good and devote all her time to the gym she helps run for troubled kids in NYC, but her little run-in with Axel is caught on camera and a team of special agents brings her in to use in their endeavor to capture the world's foremost criminal mastermind, not knowing she is the assassin called Shadow. Of course, her secret doesn't stay secret for long, and Sawyer strikes a deal with the magical governing body to join the team and bring down Axel and work to atone for her past crimes.

Not only does this series have a strong, intelligent, fierce main female character, but the men she surrounds herself with are also wonderful. The author's character development is on point. Definitely read this if you're a fan of the Kit Davenport series.