yes, I am aware that it’s the second week of August, which is practically the middle of August, which means August is practically over — and I’m just now sharing my monthly edition of little sparkles.
but let me tell you why I don’t care (and neither should you).
my sweet friend sofia falck shared this note this week, and I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it:
I rely on social media for my job in order to be seen & booked — which often feeds into the toxic notion I have in my head that if I’m not showing up on social media, I’m invisible. so when I joined Substack this year, I solemnly swore to myself that I would not treat this platform the same way I treat Instagram for my work. no — here, we’ll show up however and whenever we want to, without worrying about how others percieve us.
admittedly, it’s not always easy to uphold that promise to myself. when I don’t post a note for a few days, or I lose a subscriber, or I don’t feel like writing for a short stint, it’s hard to push down that sinking feeling that I don’t hold value in this online space.
but that note by sofia has flipped that notion upside down for me.
we have to live to write! we need to have experiences to have connection! we must rest if we want to pursue our purpose!
(and no one’s watching me that closely or judging me more harshly than myself, anyway. so why not take some — or all — of the pressure off?)
it’s my Substack and I can refuse to feel shame that my July recap is 2 weeks late if I want to!
but what I won’t do is keep you waiting a minute longer. this is gonna be a juicy one full of so many sparkly things I consumed this month (because I consumed a lot of things this month). so let’s yap about them!
this was a pretty mediocre month for reading in my household. I’ll start with the worst book I read this month: The House Across the Lake by Riley Sager. I pretty much detested Sager’s The Only One Left, which was incredibly messy, full of red herrings, and had about twelve different twists that made no sense and had no impact. I really only have myself to blame for reaching for another one of his books. without spoiling it (which shouldn’t matter, because I implore you to not read this book), the synopsis does not accurately cover what topics this plot really holds, and the twists were moronic as a result. had I known what was actually going to occur by the 50% point, I would have DNFed it and saved myself the trouble. all of that to say, please remind me never to read another one of his books again. thanks in advance!
something important you should know about me: I love to re-read books. seeing how Verity is getting the big-screen treatment soon, I wanted to revisit the book to remember the details and relive the twist all over again. I previously gave Verity 5 whole stars when I read back in 2022 (which I stand by, because it was major in its time). this time around, as I have much more experience reading actually good books, I dare to give it barely 2 stars. what a big fat mess this book is. there’s too much to even explore in this short paragraph, so I’ll spare you the rant and just tell you that I will not be reading or re-reading any more of Hoover’s books anytime soon. side note: I was strongly on Team Manuscript the first time I read, and now I’ve changed my alliance to Team Letter. I think Verity is severely misunderstood in this book and I imagine Anne Hathaway will do a fantastic job bringing her to life!
I’m not one for fantastical elements in my fiction, especially when realism surrounds it. however, I quite liked The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston when I read it last year, so I tried out The Dead Romantics whilst on vacation. I’m conflicted on how I actually felt about this book — I actively wanted to continue reading it and found a lot about it sweet, but I also found it kind of average and watered down? I will leave you with my Fable review for it: “this is a book where ghosts are real, and also a dog is the mayor. if that sounds interesting to you, then you should read it. if you’re like me and don’t particularly enjoy either of those details, you can skip this one.”
as I’ve recently discovered (and enjoyed) Katherine Center’s rom-com novels that feature more of a dialogue buildup and less smut, I tried out The Love Haters last month. the basic plot of this one is that a girl lies that she can swim in order to save her career, moves to the Florida Keys, and falls in love with a Coast Guard rescue swimmer. there are a lot of shenanigans in this one, and a lot of side plots that really took away from the romance for me. I spent wayyy more time learning nautical terms than I did yearning. would I recommend it? probably not, but everyone has their thing!
I spent a hefty majority of my free time this month watching movies, so I’ll start with my highlight of the month: Obsession. to say I, myself, am obsessed with this movie is an understatement. I’m not really one for horror films, but I am one for keeping up with the zeitgeist, so I decided to give Curry Barker’s film a try (the night before I went on a date, no less. perhaps not my best decision?). I have way too much to say about this movie, but I’ll kindly spare you from the spoilers & the headache. all you need to know is that, after watching, I stayed up until 3am watching cast interviews, BTS videos, and fan theories. it’s that serious. I would probably place it in my top 5 favorite movies of all time now. also, I am now deeply in love with Michael Johnston, so if any of you see him, just let him know that. thank you!
I am officially a cinephile and my evidence is that I saw The Odyssey within a week of it coming to theaters. my best friends are Christopher Nolan junkies, and I wanted to drink a large Dr Pepper in a recliner chair, so I tagged along for this three hour adventure. the only adequate review I can give this movie is that it feels like a real movie (if you know that reference — I am forever quoting this because there is sometimes no other way to describe this type of film). same as with Obsession, I was immediately sucked into a portal of the Internet which only consisted of jokes, explanations, and reviews of The Odyssey, which proves how deep of an impact this movie had on me — and that’s saying a lot, because I literally fell asleep during Nolan’s Inception. I’m itching to find my way back to the theater to watch it all over again.
in an attempt to romanticize my evenings in, I’ve begun a mission of watching old movies. I kicked off the endeavor with Rear Window by Alfred Hitchcock. I actually partly watched and studied in my college film class years ago, which gave me a decent appreciation for how groundbreaking this film in its time. it’s been 70 years now (isn’t that insane?) but I think it really holds up, as long as you can accept how much less stimulating and produced films were back then. the story had me gripped and I really loved how the cinematography kept us confined in the room with Jimmy Stewart, placing us in his shoes to share his doubts. I think I’m going to venture into watching Sabrina or Roman Holiday next — let me know if you have any suggestions!
regrettably, I finally made time to watch Every Year After, the show adaptation of Every Summer After by Carley Fortune, a book that once had this nation of young readers in a chokehold. I was so excited for this show to hit Prime, anticipating it to be my version of TSITP this summer. after the first episode, my hopes deflated. the acting was giving community theater, Matt Cornett’s portrayal of Sam was detestable, so much was changed from the book for no reason at all, and the love story was more of a friends-to-haters-back-to-friends story. I hate-watched the whole season — and kind of had a great time doing so? but let me assure you that I am incredibly sat for season two, which will follow the book’s sequel, One Golden Summer, and inevitably give us so much Charlie content that I could simply pass out.
after hearing the claims that “rom-coms are soooo back” (which I am all for, btw) I watched Voicemails for Isabelle — partly for the romance, partly for the heart-wrenching sister plot, mostly to revive my years-long crush on Nick Robinson. I literally had no idea he was even still acting, but his sudden resurgence is something I am incredibly here for. I’ve been seeing so many people fancast him as Miles for Emily Henry’s Funny Story, and I fear there’s no other option now. BTW, if you have a sister, stay away from this movie, as it made me sob for the first 20 minutes, and that was pretty unenjoyable. otherwise, a pretty delightful film. rom-coms are, indeed, so back.
one album has eclipsed anything else I’ve listened to this month, and that is petal by Ariana Grande. I’m sure that comes as no surprise to you, since I’ve talked about it every week since she announced it back in April, but allow me a moment to gush about this album that I think is the height of Ari’s pure artistry. the theme of petal, which Ariana wrote entirely on her own, is “unfiltered rage” (in her own words). other theme is immense growth — both within the lyrics themselves, and what Ari has proved by creating this piece of art. the sound pivots from the typical Ponytail Pop Girl persona that most people still associate her with, more closely resembling the Brighter Days Ahead deluxe tracks that have a bit of a sparkly, otherworldly feeling to them, with a touch of Imogen Heap. while it’s a new sound entirely for our girl that I’m sure she had so much fun playing with, it’s not a total departure from her previous discography. there are hints of every Ari era that has come before in each of the songs (you could tell me that “like I do" was a vault track from thank u next, and I would believe you wholeheartedly), keeping it grounded in the sonic world she’s created over the past 13 years. the most powerful thing, though, is how the album doesn’t consist of the watered down love songs that you might assume pop stars are only capable of. instead, they explore her relationship with fame, the Internet, public speculation, media, and even her fans. (the title of the song “freak” is in reference to her toxic fans who want Ari to be everything they require of her, AKA freaks). while I was hesitant on my first listen and didn’t immediately resonate with an album since it very little trace of lovergirl vibes, I have been completely won over in the end and can’t stop pressing play on petal. I secretly hope she gives us a deluxe album so we can get an even deeper look into her genius mind, but I’m not holding my breath. okay, I’m done now! onward!
before petal took over my life, I decided to enhance my moments spent alone in my apartment by creating a chill playlist called “in my room”. I play this most evenings while I’m winding down for bed, or driving at night, or just want to feel a little bit mysterious. it heavily features the Cocteau Twins, whom are my newfound musical obsession.
to accompany this piece I wrote about having an Emily Henry Summer, I created a playlist titled, well, “an Emily Henry Summer”. I filled it with hopeful, energetic songs to help you romanticize your summer afternoons, with some slower yearning songs appropriately sprinkled in. it has dozens of saves at the time I’m writing this, which is truly the highest honor as a playlist curating hobbyist.
as I’ve shared before, I’ve recently gone down a rabbit hole of learning about Brooke Averick and adoring everything she does. as a result, I’ve become an avid listener of her podcast with Fibula, Brooke and Connor Make A Podcast. since I live alone, podcasts are on constant rotation to keep me company and prevent my favorite songs from fatiguing me. in just a month, I’ve listened through their episodes to November 2025 and I’ve belly laughed during every single one. dare I say BNCMAP has taken the top spot for my favorite pod.
the perfect-to-me season 8 of Love Island USA tragically came to an end a few weeks ago, and I am finally healing from the throes of my #Brinity addiction. watching them win felt like cheering for two of my close personal friends. I’ve really enjoyed that this season felt much less produced and influencer-y, and that the post-season has matched that energy as well. I know the reunion airs at the end of this month, but I am simply too sat and giddy to see all of my little Sims once again!
my biggest project this month was to finish decorating my new apartment so I could finally feel properly nested, and my final step was to put some stuff on the walls. you wouldn’t believe how much time I spent planning, envisioning, searching for, and ordering my wall art — but we finally made it. the difference that a little picture in a frame makes cannot be underestimated. it brings me so much joy to walk into my home and see different little pieces of my heart all over the place!
I have finally purchased something that’s been on my wishlist for a long, long time: a KitchenAid stand mixer. every year, I resolve that I’m going to bake more —something I really enjoy but don’t do often, and only have a few recipes up my sleeve. it’s pretty hard to bake when you don’t have the required equipment to do so. but now that I own this mixer, the world is my oyster! I’ve been baking my chocolate chip cookie recipe on repeat, but I’m ready to mix it up (get it?). if you have any recommendations for recipes to explore (especially fall-inspired ones), I’m allll ears!
if you fear having unmoisturized lips and are always on the lookout for new products to prevent that fear from coming true, might I introduce you to Rhode’s properly-hyped Lip Peptide Treatment? I got it in Rhode Vanilla (vanilla girlie ‘til I die), and not only does it smell, taste, and feel so good on my lips, but it lasts forever. I put it on every night before bed, and wake up with still-glossy lips each morning.
perhaps my favorite inspo board snippet this year, here are the vibes I’m bringing into August with me: an emphasis on girlhood (my best friend is moving out of the area soon and I want to soak up my remaining time with her like a sponge), all the energy that Ariana gave to petal and her eternal sunshine tour (kinda delicate but feral), words of encouragement as we enter the final month of sunny days and free schedules, and a gentle settling into the best season of the year: fall.
looking back, I think I loved July. it was full of discovery and exploration — as I suppose I could’ve expected from my first full month of living on my own. I read, watched, and did so much that really filled my cup, and that’s a great reason to have gone off the grid for a little bit of time.
the upside to spending a lot of time not writing is that you get a lot of ideas for what to write when you’re ready to… and that’s where I’m at right now! my Notes app is full of post titles, themes to explore, and mysterious quotes like “rom-communism”. what could it possibly mean? I guess you’ll have to wait and see!
hope you have the August you’re dreaming of! x
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