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!

What I Read: January 2025

What I Read: January 2025

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I don’t know why, but January always seems to drag on forever. Is it the return to routine after the disruption of the holidays? Is it the cold and gloomy weather? Whatever the reason, I found books to be a big comfort this month.

January’s reads included:
-The September House by Carissa Orlando
-Social Justice for the Sensitive Soul by Dorcas Cheng-Tozun
-Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
-All In by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
-The Lake of Lost Girls by Katherine Greene
-Something Lost, Something Gained by Hillary Clinton

Let’s get into the reviews!

A Year Without Clothing Shopping: My No-Buy Year

A Year Without Clothing Shopping: My No-Buy Year

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Given the state of the world lately (*gestures vaguely toward everything*), I’ve been giving thought to how I can make a personal difference without feeling completely overwhelmed.

It’s with this mindset that I recently watched Buy Now: The Shopping Conspiracy on Netflix. While I knew consumerism (especially surrounding the fashion industry) was a big problem, this documentary brought attention to some horrible truths.

YEAR IN REVIEW: A Breakdown of My 2024 Reads

YEAR IN REVIEW: A Breakdown of My 2024 Reads

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I always get so excited about this post!

I love getting the chance to reflect on my favorite reads for the year and the chance to dive into all of the data. Now that I’ve been tracking my reading for a couple of years, there’s even more to look at and compare.

In 2024, I read a total of 86 books!!! I really had no idea I was reading so much. Usually, I’m in the mid to upper 60s range. (For comparison, I read 79 books in 2023, 68 books in 2022, 72 books in 2021, and 65 books in 2020.)

Let’s get into the specifics!

What I Read: December 2024

What I Read: December 2024

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Somehow, 2024 has already come to an end.

I don’t know if it’s getting older or what, but I swear each year passes faster and faster. And each year feels slightly crazier…

But the end of the year chaos didn’t slow down my reading. December’s reads included mostly fantasy:
-Caraval by Stephanie Garber
-A Court This Cruel and Lovely by Stacia Stark
-Throne of the Fallen by Kerri Maniscalco
-The Chain by Adrian McKinty
-Fate Breaker by Victoria Aveyard
-We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer

Let’s get into the reviews!

Review: Garmin Coach 5K Training Plan

Review: Garmin Coach 5K Training Plan

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Don’t have money for a personal running coach? Me either.

But as a Garmin user (I have the Forerunner 245), I realized I already have access to a number of free training plans in the Garmin Connect app. While I was initially skeptical of how well the plans would work for my goals, I was happy I stuck it out for a 17 week plan!