July Recap: Music, Books, and Summer Magic!

July was a busy month, but WOW so amazing.

July was full and honestly, it was so good.

The biggest highlight was Benson Boone. Up close. Personal. Me standing there in full fangirl mode while he just… sang my life. I have loved him since he first showed up in the music scene because his songs feel like they were pulled straight out of my own story. His voice is like a comfort blanket for my ears. Seeing him that close was a dream.

July went all in on music because I also spent three days at the Minnesota Yacht Club Festival in St. Paul. The lineup was my teenage playlist come to life. 311. Alabama Shakes. Fall Out Boy. Weezer. Green Day. Beach Bunny.

The weather was perfect, and for three days I felt completely free in my own body. I got to just be present and away from the noise of life. Singing along to the bands that raised me felt like reconnecting with an old version of myself, the one who just wanted to be loud, messy, and alive.

After all that, the rest of the month slowed down. Ice cream runs. A stack of books. Hanging out with the kids. That mix of high energy concerts and slow home moments felt like exactly what I needed.

July reminded me that freedom can be loud and sweaty and full of music. It can also be quiet, soft, and just you living your life.

And that is the work I love most. Helping people get to those moments where they feel fully themselves.

Books I Read in July:

The Spell Shop by Sarah Beth Durst

A whimsical, cozy fantasy about a quiet librarian living on a floating island whose peaceful life gets upended when she opens a magical spell shop to save her home. It is a soft, heartwarming, curl up with a cup of tea and a blanket kind of book.

The Grimoire of the School PTA by Sara E. Mueller

A suburban mom joins the PTA… except the school is magical and she has a newly turned werewolf for a kindergartener. This one is light, funny, and full of chaotic, heartwarming energy as the moms team up to solve magical problems.

Half a Soul by Olivia Atwater (favorite of the month)

Historical romance with a touch of magic. Dora has only half a soul after a faerie encounter, which makes her delightfully improper for high society. When she meets a grumpy magician, everything changes. Cozy and whimsical and it left me in a perfect post book haze. I did not want it to end and I am still sad it ended.

Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan

A gripping contemporary novel about family, identity, and the weight of secrets in a small town. It unfolds through a mother and son’s perspectives and includes a tender and layered queer relationship that is handled beautifully.

The Poppy Fields by Karen Campbell

A raw, moving story about grief and navigating life after loss. It is reflective and emotional in a way that lingers with you long after you finish.

Finding Your Way Back to Yourself in the Stillness

July gave me what I needed. Loud music that let me feel free in my own body. Quiet moments at home with the kids. Ice cream, books, and a chance to just breathe. It felt like me coming back to myself a little bit.

If you are in that place of wanting to feel like you again or maybe figure out who you are now, I have space for you.

My small group Leaving Was Just the Start begins August 26th 6pm CST. Three live sessions for the people in that messy middle. The ones who have left the relationship, come out, or are piecing together who they are now. It is a place to let it all out, sort through the grief and guilt, and start to feel solid again with people who get it.

I also have a couple of 1:1 coaching spots open if you want more personal support. This is where we work through it together so you can feel grounded and clear in who you are becoming.

If this feels like the kind of support you need, send me a message. I would love to talk with you about what could feel possible for you.

Here’s to ice cream, loud music, and the moments that bring you back to yourself,

Christina