Joy is found in friends.
Friend + Bookstore + Walk + Food = Joy (June 30-July 6, 2025)
I sat down to write about last week and my first thought was “nothing happened” and then I opened my photos app and my notebook and it all came back.
It was an amazing week, full of joy, and that is why I do these posts. Sorry, but it’s not about you…it’s to remind me to look for the joy in each day, each moment.
But you know what is about you? Your joy! Please share in a chat or a comment something that brought you joy.
And now onto the joys of the week!
Joys of June 30-July 6, 2025
Reading Joys
I picked up so many good books! You can click the links to go to Bookshop to read more or buy your own copy.
Books I finished
Bury our Bones in the Midnight Soil by VE Schwab: She has my heart and my wallet. Schwab is just…chefs kiss. I was really sad to finish the book-do you ever find yourself not reading simply because you don’t want it to end? That was me. It was stunning, violent, romantic. All of the above.
On Again, Awkward Again by Kwame Mbalia and Erin Entrada Kelly: A perfect romance for those middle grade students who are ready for romance. It was awkward. It was romantic. It had me laughing and rooting for them and was such a fun read.
First-Time Caller by B. K. Borison: Another great rom-com (but for adults). I ate this book up! It was such a good time.
Books I picked up
The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black: I love The Cruel Prince series and am excited to read another book by Holly Black-and a vampire book at that! I heard about this book through a podcast on Vampire books and a “vampire summer” and I am here for the vampire summer.
My Friends by Fredrik Backman: I am having an impromptu book club/swimming day with some teacher friends and we decided to try and read this book before we met up. I love Backman-another auto-buy auto-read author.
Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books by Kirsten Miller: I am listening to this book and it is both making me laugh out loud and groan and roll my eyes. It is such a “great” book about book banning (even though I wish there wasn’t a need for it).
Friend Joy
A friend of mine, probably my best friend, who I NEVER get to see in person came to my area and we got to hang out! Tiffany is my co-creator of Legit KidLit, but she is more than just a co-creator to me. I love talking books and life with her-we both have kids the same age and other similarities.
We went on a 3 mile walk, saw a turtle and other wildlife, went bookstore “crawling”, and ate some great food. We also talked about what is next for us in the creative-bookish realm…so stay tuned.
Crochet Joy
So much crocheting happened last week! My daughter made a Night Fury dragon, we each made a loaf cat, I finished the ribbing on my cardigan, and I started planning a tapestry project. We watched a lot of Crochet by Genna on YouTube for inspiration.
Substack Joy
I have really enjoyed Grant Snider’s Haiku July prompts-he posts in his notes and they are so cute! They are also inspiring me to write a haiku each day…maybe…
More Joy
Read to Write Podcast episode was published!
Kayaking with the fam.
Movie night watching Hidden Figures.
Fourth of July parade.
Lots of cat snuggles.
Bagged up groceries for students and their families that need food this summer.
Thanks for stopping by and reading about my joys of the week. Again, this is really for me-because I need to focus on what brings me joy. But, I also think this is for you-to remind YOU to look for your joy. To look back on joys, to look ahead to what will bring you joy, and to just enjoy each little thing.
I hope you have a wonderful week. I want to leave you with a quote from My Friends by Backman. Even though we aren’t in our teenage years, it is a reminder of why we have darkness.
Our teenage years have to simultaneously be the brightest light and the darkest depths, because that’s how we can learn to figure out our horizons.
