End of July | 2024
A roundup of mundane magic, links I loved, and books I finished this month
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Today's post has a quick reflection, followed by the end-of-the-month roundup of mundane magic moments and books I finished. The sections are clearly marked, so feel free to jump ahead.
July was a weird month for me. It felt busy and not at the same time. I’ve slowed down on certain projects for the time being because I’ve mostly been interested in reading and whatever I can easily do while listening to audiobooks.
My Omen Days prediction for July was patience/persistence/unbothered-ness and I think those were all things I was particularly wishing for more of this month.
Once again, my reading energy has been mostly on books (and not here on Substack) so although there are always plenty of reads here worth sharing, I haven’t had the bandwidth to read and collect them. I'll try to remember to share to notes more often when I am reading here.
I also haven’t written as much again this month, either. I’m actually thrilled to be spending less time on my phone, so I’m riding this wave as long as it lasts. I don’t want to clutter anyone’s inbox with half-hearted writing, so I’m committed to showing up only when I feel I have something to say, and I hope that extra space in your inbox is as refreshing for you as the step back has been for me.
I’ve got a variety of books to share again this month, and you’ll notice I’ve included a quick description of each book and its genre before the review. I’m hoping this will make the recommendations a bit more useful for anyone wanting to explore them.
✨️ Mundane Magics ✨️
Oren's birthday party. Our youngest turned 3 this year, and we had a small celebration with family and lots of dinosaurs. It was casual and almost entirely stress-free, and we had a great time.
Watercolour/sketching. It’s been a bit more difficult to pick up my drawing or painting as the month has gone on, but I did a lot of playing early in the month and I’m looking forward to getting back to it soon.
Various projects. I'm trying to let the chaotic energy be what it is and just create whatever feels fun, even if that's a project I “should" have finished a long time ago or a thing I've made (literally) like 12 times.
Movies with the kids. We brought the kids to the theater for their first and second time ever recently, and it was really fun to get out of the house and do something together that wasn’t too stressful. Oren claps after every preview, and they both love the snacks and the fun seats. I’ve been bringing my noise-cancelling headphones with me because the sound level is a bit much for me.
Getting a canopy on the deck. I’ve been asking Jon about putting up some kind of cover for the back deck so I can sit outside more often without the heat getting to me as much, and he ordered us a retractable canopy which we put up together. I need to work on the seating situation still (I’m hoping for a hammock by next year) but it’s been nice having a space the kids can play under and where we can sit more comfortably.
Reading. I know, it almost feels silly to mention it here, given that I’ve already alluded to it above and will be sharing at length about the books I’ve finished below, but I’ve been getting so much enjoyment out of my reading. It just makes me feel more like myself.
The Fable app. (This is not sponsored and the app is free - I just happened to find it this month and wanted to share.) If you enjoy reading and either A) want to do it in community or B) want to keep track of your reads — or C) both of those things — then I definitely recommend this app. I joined a bunch of book clubs through the app and am looking forward to having more people to discuss some of my current reads with. I also really love their stats — they’re a bit cuter than storygraph. I love how the little reader summary changes after every book you read, and they always feel so accurate.
A party with friends. My friend had her birthday party this month, and one of our other friends drove me to it and sat with me in the quiet for a bit to let my anxiety calm down, then we spent a few hours sitting in hammocks and talking, and it was the best. I love my friends for understanding what I need and including me as much as possible.
Taking the kids fishing with my dad for the first time. I’m not sure who enjoyed this more, honestly. I haven’t gone fishing for years and didn’t realize how much I missed it. Sybi caught her first fish, and Oren was too impatient to wait long enough to catch one, but they both loved playing in the water with my husband and going out in the paddle boat with their Papa. I’m considering getting a fishing license for next year so I can go out with my dad more often.
Flowers blooming. Most of the flowers we planted in our hastily-prepared beds didn't come up this year, but we recently got some cosmos up, and the hanging plants are doing well.
Books I Finished
Rest is Resistance: A Manifesto by Tricia Hersey: A powerful nonfiction read about the necessity of rest for resisting racist, capitalist systems. Parts of this were a bit repetitive, which I imagine is normal for a manifesto. I think anyone interested in social justice should read this.
Just Friends by Ana Oncina Tortosa: A graphic novel about two teens who met at summer camp, with flashes back to their experience and forward to their present as adults. I found this to be really sweet, though it wasn’t the most satisfying of story endings for me.
A Magic Steeped in Poison by Judy I. Lin: A YA fantasy about a girl who leaves home to participate in a magical tea-making competition in order to save her sister’s life. This world and the magic in it were so intriguing, I really loved it. Unfortunately, I could not finish the second book in the duology (A Venom Dark and Sweet) because the change in narrators on audio, and the shift in focus from the first book to the next was too jarring for me. It may have been different if I were reading physical copies, but the audio was so helpful for the pronunciation of certain names and words, it wouldn’t have been as immersive without it. I may try again another time, but either way, I’m glad I read the first book.
Honeybee by Trista Mateer: A poetry book about the author’s past relationship. The poetry was beautiful, although I couldn’t really relate to most of it personally.
Becoming Kin: An Indigenous Call to Unforgetting the Past and Reimagining Our Future by Patty Krawek: A nonfiction book in the same vein as Braiding Sweetgrass, and equally beautiful and powerful. I’d highly recommend it if you read or want to read Robin Wall Kimmerer’s Braiding Sweetgrass or
’s Living Resistance.Fat Witch Summer by Lizzy Ives: A YA fantasy about a group of young witches who go on a road trip to steal magical “gifts” rather than letting their parents choose for them. I thought this was going to be super light-hearted, and in some ways it was, but it was also full of politics and danger, and those added layers were interesting. I deeply enjoyed the book, although I don’t feel like it’s advertised well for what it is.
Other Ever Afters: New Queer Fairy Tales by Melanie Gillman: A graphic novel with queer faerie tales. I’ve been really enjoying anything that upends traditional tropes in fun ways, so I loved these.
The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman: A mystery novel about a group of people living in a retirement village who meet on Thursdays to solve murders. This was cute and funny, and had some interesting twists, although I found it hard to differentiate between certain characters. I’ve gotten the impression that people like the second book in the series more, so I’m looking forward to continuing it.
Tidesong by Wendy Xu: A middle grade fantasy graphic novel. I really loved this story. There’s a lot of character growth for such a quick little book.
Dead in the Pond (second Grasmere Cottage Mystery) by Dahlia Donovan: A cozy queer, autistic mystery. Much like the first, (which I read last month) this book ends on a major cliffhanger — if you’re planning to read the first, I’d make sure you have access to the second and third as well. I’m so looking forward to finding out how it ends. I love the main characters and their relationships with each other and their community.
Jayber Crow by Wendell Berry: A historical fiction following the life of Jayber Crow, a barber, orphan, and seminarian. This story surprised me. It’s largely about humanity itself, and the main character is both deeply entrenched in, and on the fringes of, his community. His theology is shockingly progressive, and I found myself nodding along with his various questions and ideas. The romantic interest was extremely uncomfortable — she’s far younger than him — but given how it’s written (I won’t give any spoilers) I was able to get past it enough to enjoy the rest of the book.
The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan: The first in the Wheel of Time fantasy series. Friends, this book is LONG and it is the first of FOURTEEN and somehow I managed to finish the 30 hour audiobook in a few days without feeling like it dragged on. I really enjoy the storytelling. The premise is similar to the Lord of the Rings, but it branches from there, and the world is quite unique. I have no idea if I’ll make it through the entire series, but I will say that I’ve already started the second and am still enjoying it, so it seems promising.
Motherhood Minus the Medals by : A poetry book about motherhood that is deeply relatable. It’s written from the perspective of a parent who works outside of the home, but it creates space for a variety of experiences. I loved it, and I’m glad I bought a physical copy so I can revisit it.
Spindle's End by Robin McKinley: A YA fantasy retelling of Sleeping Beauty. This was a reread for me, and I remembered almost nothing about the story except that I’d enjoyed it as a teenager. I really love the way the magic is described and the plot, generally. This is the second book I read this month that had a weird, uncomfortable age difference in the romantic interest of the main character, and I wish that had been written differently, because I really loved everything else about this book.
Mooncakes by Suzanne Walker: A queer YA fantasy graphic novel about a witch who reunites with her friend/childhood crush, (who is a werewolf) and a demon in the woods they need to deal with. I expected to enjoy this story, but it was even more layered than I expected, and I really loved it. My only complaint is that I would have loved for it to be longer, and to have learned about some of the sweet magical creatures that make an appearance.
The Unmaking of June Farrow by Adrienne Young: A novel about a family of women who are cursed — but not in the way the main character originally believes. This book was one of my absolute favourites so far this year. I was so drawn into the story and couldn’t put it down. It’s so beautifully written and immersive, and it kept surprising me in both small and big ways. It’s definitely one I’ll return to.
Patience and Esther: An Edwardian Romance by S.W. Searle: A very NSFW queer historical romance graphic novel. I loved the way this balanced queer joy with the hardships of the time and also included a mix of cultures and characters of varying means.
Good Inside: A Guide to Becoming the Parent You Want to Be by Becky Kennedy: A parenting book that was written by someone who actually seems to understand both parents and kids. The central principles of the book alone are so helpful and important (and easy to forget) and there’s a lot of helpful examples for a variety of situations. I don’t love the exact wording of every single example, but of course, they are exactly that — examples — and it doesn’t feel overly prescriptive.
Nobody's Princess and Nobody's Prizeby Esther Freisner: A YA fantasy about young Helen of Troy before she was Helen of Troy. The first book is another reread, and I think I enjoyed it as much as the first time. Helen is a precocious and complex character who just wants to have control over her own future. She ends up getting the adventure she was hoping for and more. I hadn't gotten to the second book when I read the first years ago, and while the majority was slower for me, I was really invested again by the end. I loved seeing Helen's growth over the two books.
The Lazy Genius Kitchen by Kendra Adachi: A nonfiction book for anyone who struggles with anything kitchen-related — includes advice about what to have in your kitchen as well as how to use it, and how to make it all less overwhelming. I’ve mentioned Kendra’s Lazy Genius1 podcast here before because it’s been really helpful for me. It’s all about permission and doing what’s right for you, and this book is no different. Much like with the podcast, Kendra very occasionally mentions her faith, but not in a pushy way, and I love her overall writing style because it very much reflects how she comes off in the podcast. (Oh, and if you enjoy book recs, she has a monthly newsletter where she shares her own, and it’s great.)
Over My Dead Body by Sweeney Boo: A witchy YA graphic novel. This had a really great mix of dark, moody mystery, friendship, and beautiful illustration. There was character growth and a happy ending, and before that I was itching to find out how it ended. I do wish there had been more body diversity, because everything else was wonderful.
Thanks for wrapping up another month with me. I hope you found something you love. And as always, feel free to share if this resonated with you!
A quick note about the title - I don’t love the word lazy, because I think as a concept laziness doesn’t really exist, and even Kendra herself has explained that it’s a bit of a misnomer. In reality, the whole point of her work is to help you figure out what matters to you and your family and let go of the rest. It reminds me of KC Davis and her book, How to Keep House While Drowning.
Look at you with that reading list - wow!!! I've recently started easing back into work (PD for the school year coming up) but I really can't use that as an excuse. I just don't take time to read like I used to.
It looks like you had some great times in July. That dinosaur cake was too cute! And the "fishing with Papa" got me in the feels!
Your year in embroidery (and those aliens!!!) are both amazing. I really enjoy the round-up of what you're reading because of the descriptions and your reactions. It's the stuff I want to know before I try out any book.