What I Read: August & September 2025

What I Read: August & September 2025

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The end of summer/the start of fall has been absolutely chaotic. Normally, this is a time of year that I particularly enjoy as it becomes socially acceptable to pull out my Halloween decorations and there’s an occasional cool morning (this is a rare treat for Florida). But there’s just too much going on in life, in work, outside of work, in the world…. anyone else relate?

Regardless, that hasn’t stopped me from diving into reading, especially fiction. Sometimes, you just need an escape!

My August and September reads include:
-Tale of the Heart Queen by Nisha J. Tuli
-The Writing Retreat by Julia Bartz
-Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas
-The Book of Alchemy by Suleika Jaouad
-Anita de Monte Laughs Last by Xochitl Gonzalez
-The Safari by Jaclyn Goldis
-Old Country by Matt Query and Harrison Query
-The Staircase in the Woods by Chuck Wendig
-The Poppy War by R.F Kuang
-Peak Performance by Brad Stulberg and Steve Magness
-How to Survive a Horror Story by Mallory Arnold
-The Wedding People by Alison Espach

We have a lot to talk about, so let’s get into the reviews!

Review: My Experience Getting a DEXA Scan

Review: My Experience Getting a DEXA Scan

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Between watching Netflix’s You Are What You Eat: A Twin Experiment and reading about Cassey Ho’s 90 Day Journey to Muscle, I’ve been curious about DEXA scans for years. After adding in more weight training with Caroline Girvan’s IRON Series, I’ve been especially curious whether that has translated to more muscle mass.

But, unfortunately, the nearest location offering scans that weren’t for medical reasons/doctor ordered was hours away. However, a new DexaFit location recently popped up near me and I decided to end my curiosity and take the plunge!

What I Read: July 2025

What I Read: July 2025

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Is it too early to say that I’m thinking about getting my fall decorations out of the garage?

Maybe so.

But I’m ready for some cooler temperatures and fun Halloween vibes. I got an early start this weekend with a few scary movies. Maybe, next weekend I’ll officially break out the decorations and candles.

As summer continues to hang on for now, I leaned back into fiction. This month’s reads included:
-Don’t Believe Everything You Think by Joseph Nguyen
-I’m Thinking of Ending Things by Iain Reid
-Fate of the Sun King by Nisha J. Tuli
-You by Caroline Kepnes
-Nice Girls Don’t Win by Parvati Shallow
-That’s Not My Name by Megan Lally

Let’s get into the reviews!

What I Read: June 2025

What I Read: June 2025

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I read a slightly alarming fact this week.

Apparently, July 2, 2025, marked the point where we are closer to 2050 than we are to the year 2000. I find that so hard to comprehend. Even now, when someone says 20 years ago, my mind thinks the 1980’s. Time is weird and continues to get weirder as I get older.

Existential crisis aside, I did read 7 books in June. I was shocked that the list was primarily non-fiction:
-The Gift of Fear by Gavin de Becker
-Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas
-Roar by Stacy Sims
-The Comfort Crisis by Michael Easter
-Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman
-Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel
-Relentless Forward Progress by Bryon Powell

Let’s get into the reviews!

What I Read: May 2025

What I Read: May 2025

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I have no idea how it’s already June.

This year has moved so incredibly fast, it’s honestly kind of scary. It’s made me reflect on that one quote from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off: “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” I know I need to set aside some time this summer to slow down and enjoy it.

But even with time moving at warp speed, I did have a solid month of reading in May. As you can see from the list, it was an interesting mix of genres:
-Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas
-The Peculiar Garden of Harriet Hunt by Chelsea Iversen
-The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy
-Razorblade Tears by S.A. Cosby
-The Blue Plate by Mark Easter
-Bad Blood by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Let’s get into the reviews!

REVIEW: Caroline Girvan’s FUEL Series

REVIEW: Caroline Girvan’s FUEL Series

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I feel like the internet lied to me.

After completing Caroline Girvan’s IRON Series multiple times, I was ready to shake things up. I combed through multiple discussion boards where nearly everyone recommended the FUEL Series as a great follow-up to the IRON Series.

So, I decided to give it a shot.

What I Read: March & April 2025

What I Read: March & April 2025

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I don’t know about anyone else, but life has been… chaotic? I’m not even sure that’s the right word to describe it. Unrelenting? It didn’t help that I spent most of March either sick with a cold or sick with food poisoning.

But regardless, I’ve still been finding time to read. I read 10 books in March and April with the list including quite a bit of fantasy:

-Quicksilver by Callie Heart
-Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk
-A Kingdom This Cursed and Empty by Stacia Stark
-The Passion Test by Chris Attwood and Janet Bray Attwood
-The Woman Destroyed by Simone De Beauvoir
-Trial of the Sun Queen by Nisha J. Tuli
-Rule of the Aurora King by Nisha J. Tuli
-Move Your DNA by Katy Bowman
-Blood Over Bright Haven by M.L. Wang
-FantasticLand by Mike Bockoven

Let’s get into the reviews!

What I Read: February 2025

What I Read: February 2025

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After complaining about how January was dragging on, February flew by! It’s somehow already almost mid-March. I’m genuinely not sure how or when that happened.

This was a slower month of reading for me. I tend to listen to audiobooks when I run, but as I’m dealing with a running injury, I haven’t been reading/listening to as many books. That said I did still read 5 books and it was a rather eclectic mix:
-I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman
-Night by Elie Wiesel
-The Assassin’s Blade by Sarah J. Maas
-The Gap and The Gain by Dan Sullivan with Dr. Benjamin Hardy
-Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros

Let’s get into the reviews!

What I’m Into: February 2025

What I’m Into: February 2025

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I’m stuck in the February doldrums right now.

I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed by what’s going on in the world as well as some personal stuff. Add in a complete lack of motivation and a lingering running injury, and the blah feeling is real.

So, I find myself leaning into self care and relaxation practices and wanted to share some of my recent favorites!