lifestyle

The Butcher – Good but not great. Also, there is a warning in the beginning of the book for VERY bigoted language by the main character. Thankfully it wasn’t too egregious but it’s worth noting. Edward Shank is the retired chief of police with his most notable achievement being his identifying and ultimate killing of the area’s infamous serial killer “The Butcher”. Decades later, it seems like there is a copycat killer emerging and young women begin to go missing again. Could it be that they go the wrong guy? Edward’s grandson stumbles upon the answer unknowingly and must decide if he should keep this information to himself or risk destroying the only family he has left. The reader discovers who the killer is very early on in the book so most of the story is the race for everyone to finally put the clues together.

Many people like to abstain from drinking throughout the month of January after a long few months of festive occasions and tons of parties. If you are someone who is doing a Dry January and would like some options as an alternative to drinking, I have a ton in today’s post. I don’t personally drink and haven’t for the past 10+ years. I never enjoyed alcohol and HATE feeling drunk. I’ve also never smoked marijuana or tried any recreational drug in my entire life. That tells you a little bit about how much I hate the feeling of being in an altered state.

I didn’t count how many books I finished this year but it was a ton so here are the best books I read in 2025! Have you read any of these? And what were your favorite books of the year? Please let me know so I can add them to my list! 

I used to get the worst seasonal depression during the cold winter months. I was miserable and felt unmotivated and sad until Spring. But over the past few years, I have completely reframed how I think about winter and the things I do during these months. And as a result, winter has now become my (second) favorite season of the entire year. I really leaned into slowing down and immersing myself in things that make me happy. November and December are the months of giving but I call January the “month of me”. I don’t focus on resolutions or a “fresh start” but rather allow myself to slow down and indulge in anything that brings me joy. I thought I would share the things I do that have really helped me enjoy this season in case you  may need some inspiration for yourself.

Intermezzo – This had been on my TBR (to be read) list for more than a year so I finally decided to give it a go. Sadly, I could barely get through a quarter of it and had to decide not to finish. It is painfully slow and I could not get into it which was such a disappointment because it was given such great reviews. I usually love a book about family dynamics and the nuances that come with that but unfortunately this was one of the few exceptions. Rating: DNF

Atmosphere – I love nearly all of Taylor Jenkins Reid’ novels and this one was no exception. She writes emotion and love so well that you can connect so much to the characters’ feelings in a meaningful way.

Decorating for Halloween is one of my favorite things to do so I’m always on the hunt for chic Halloween decor. Years ago the options were few and far between but now there are so many fabulous options for Halloween decor to fit everyone’s style.

I’ve read a ton of books this past year and there were some hits and some major misses. I thought I would round up my favorite books that I read in the first half of 2025.

Meh. I wanted this book to be a bit more exciting than it was. Sadly it fell a bit flat for me.

Sharing all the books I read in July!