What I Devoured in July

(TV, Film, Books, & Etc.)

So, this July was fruitful. I read a good amount of books and watched a greater amount of TV. Here is everything I read & watched in July.

First up, BOOKS!

Talking at Night by Claire Daverly:

This was the first book I picked up in July. I was truly very excited about it, and I wanted desperately to love it, but I just couldn’t. The book follows the lives and relationship of Will & Rosie, who get trauma-bonded when they’re in high school. Unfortunately, I found this book too slow, and I felt like there was really no valid reason for the characters to not be together. The book was desperately trying to make it seem like there was, so they were dragging and dragging the plot. I don't know, does that make sense? That’s how I felt.

My Husband’s Wife by Alice Feeney:

Loved this book. 10/10. It hooked me, and I couldn’t let go of it until it ended. The book is about Eden, who one day comes back from her daily run and finds another woman in her home—whom her husband insists is his wife.

Famesick by Lena Dunham:

So, before I get to my opinions, I must state that I am a Lena Dunham fan; I am a Girls fan. That's why I was very excited for this memoir of hers. This book started very good. I enjoyed it a lot. The way Lena Dunham writes just flows. It’s like reading myself write. But, but, but... towards the end, it got too repetitive about her sickness. It was too long for what it was. We had gotten the message, we understood that she was very, very sick, but maybe a couple of chapters should’ve been chopped by an editor? I don’t know. But overall, it was great hearing from Lena again.

Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult:

I liked this book a lot, too. Of course, being about a school shooting that upends a town's life, it was a sad and heartbreaking read. But I was hooked and couldn't leave the book for one second. I was always asking questions; I was always on the edge of my seat.

& of course, I'm still reading...

The Artist’s Way:

I will be writing a whole article on this as soon as I finish it!

That sums up my July reads. To recap:

Talking at Night: Skip.

My Husband's Wife: Read.

Famesick: Depends.

Nineteen Minutes: Read.

And on to TV we go.

Alice & Steve: Guys!!

This was so, so, so funny. Hats off to BBC. I loved it. It’s about these two middle-aged best friends, Alice & Steve. But their friendship devolves into a feud because Steve starts dating Alice’s daughter. The chemistry between Nicola Walker and Jemaine Clement was perfect. Seriously, I was laughing out loud. Perfect watch! 100% recommend!

Not Suitable For Work:

This was a cozy, fun watch. Don’t expect Emmy-worthy TV, but more like a new-age HIMYM, maybe? It follows a group of newly graduated young adults trying to make it in NYC. The characters are cute and fun, and they complement each other well. Definitely watch it if you’re looking for a new, cozy, funny TV series.

I Will Find You:

I mean, it did keep me on my toes curiosity-wise, but other than that, it wasn’t the best thing I’ve watched this month. But it’s on Netflix and it’s entertaining, so I will recommend it. It follows David Burroughs, who is wrongly imprisoned for the murder of his son. But five years later, he receives information that his son might still be alive. So, he sets out to find the truth.

The Five-Star Weekend:

I liked this one. It was fun and, frankly, give me a bad TV show in a beautiful coastal town and I’ll still watch it. But this was good. It had a little mystery going on, it had character, it had good actresses, and—I'll say it again—it had a beautiful seaside town going for it. It’s about Hollis Shaw, a famous cook & influencer who loses her husband and tries to heal in her Nantucket home with five of her close friends from different parts of her life.

The Rivals (Season 2):

Of course, first and foremost, if you haven’t watched the first season, go do that first. The Rivals Season 2 did not disappoint. It was good to reunite with all the characters. I would’ve loved to see more of Rupert and Agatha... I don’t know why they gave us another season of Agatha in pain, but so be it. I enjoyed it. For those who don't know, it's about the intense rivalry between ex-Olympian Rupert Campbell-Black and media mogul Tony Baddingham.

Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed:

L-O-V-E-D this one! Finished it in one sitting (got lucky with an early bedtime for my kids). It's about newly divorced Paula, who falls down a rabbit hole of blackmail and murder after she witnesses a crime with her cam-boy. And even though she’s in the middle of a custody battle with her ex, Paula decides to begin her own investigation into the situation.

That’s it for TV. Now onto MOVIES, ETC.

Voicemails for Isabelle:

This was a cute, might-make-you-laugh-and-cry kinda movie on Netflix. It was cute, go watch it! It’s about Jill, who still leaves her deceased little sister voicemails through her grief journey.

The Sheep Detective:

This was surprisingly fun. Surprising because, at the ripe age of 35, I didn’t think a movie about talking sheep would do much for me, but au contraire, I liked it. It’s about sheep who try to find the person who murdered their shepherd (who is Hugh Jackman, btw).

Maternal Instinct (Documentary):

Ugh, this was a tough watch. It was disgusting to see that a person—nay, a woman, nay, a mother—was capable of such evil. It’s a true-crime documentary about the chilling case of Taylor Parker, a woman who faked a pregnancy to hold onto her partner.

Ölüdeniz by Deniz Göktaş (Stand-up Comedy):

Okay, for this you need to be able to understand Turkish. But if you do, please watch. It was so nice to see such a talented Turkish artist. It is heartbreaking that he was arrested after this piece of art went viral. Feels like every good little thing is squashed in my beautiful country...

A Toxic Love Story (Documentary):

This was again a Netflix true-crime documentary. This time, about a revenge plot involving a newly married US Marshal. It was a plot twist, for sure. If you are into these kinds of true-crime docs, go watch it. If not, keep your energy clean. I feel you.

And to finish everything off, the cherry on top was...

LOVE ISLAND (UK) 2026:

No matter how enlightened I get, I will always be a sucker for good reality TV, and my friends, Love Island is goooood reality TV. The UK version, of course. I never saw the US version. Give me all the confusing UK accents, baby. I love it.

That's all of it, folks! I guess I’ll see you at the end of August.