Everything I Read in July 2026 – Part 2

The Keeper

I finished this book but barely. It was not enjoyable and dragged on endlessly. It’s been on my TBR (to be read) list for more than a year so I had high hopes that were extinguished only a few chapters in. Cal is a retired Chicago detective living in a small Irish town with his fiance, who was born and raised in this town. The community is tight because they have all grown up together but those bonds begin to fall apart when a young woman is found murdered. The authorities seem to have no leads so Cal uses his decades of experience to investigate it on his own. There is SO much detail in the book that I don’t feel adds much to the story thus making it difficult to get through. Overall, this was not a favorite. Rating: 6

Vera Wong’s Guide to Snooping (on a Dead Man)

I fell in love with the first Vera Wong novel so I had to read the second one in the series. It is just as endearing with so many enjoyable characters. After solving the murder of the man found dead in her tea shop, Vera’s life took a turn for the better. She is surrounded by people who care about her, her tea shop is thriving and her son is hopefully getting married soon. But when a random phone call threatens to scam Vera out of thousands of dollars, she has to report it to the authorities. While leaving the police station, Vera meets a young girl who was there to report the disappearance of her close friend. After the success of solving one crime, Vera is confident she can help solve another. This is an easy and fun read that will keep you laughing the entire time. Rating: 9

The Calamity Club

One of the best books I’ve ever read! I never wanted it to end and it was a LONG book. The story is told from two different viewpoints – Meg, an 11-year old orphan and Birdie, a woman in her 20’s. Birdie has come to visit her sister and ask for money to help with the family. Birdie’s sister married into money so she feels this will be an easy ask and then she can go home. While visiting, Birdie accompanies her sister to a local orphanage where her sister volunteers regularly. There Birdie meets Meg and forms an immediate attachment. When Birdie’s sister’s husband runs off with all their money, questions surround how they will survive and pay off all the debt he has left them with.

During the chaos of deciding how to deal with this betrayal, Meg’s birth mother, Charlie, arrives in town in hopes of getting her daughter back. Birdie agrees to help Charlie with the agreement that Charlie will also help Birdie make money to save her sister’s home from going into foreclosure. What transpires will shock everyone but desperate times call for desperate measures. The cast of characters in this book are truly captivating and I felt so invested in their lives. A must read for everyone!! Rating: 10

Dolly All the Time

An easy summer beach read that will keep you entertained from start to finish. Dolly returns home to her small town in Rhode Island to help her father with his fish market. Dolly’s been helping at the market for her entire life and now has her son helping out as well. After a small fire in the home, the fire chief tells Dolly that her father’s roof needs to be replaced but it will cost nearly $50k to fix. Dolly is desperate to find the money to save her family home. When the town’s wealthy eligible bachelor, Stewart Whitfield proposes she be his girlfriend for the summer to help repair his image from a recent broken engagement, Dolly jumps at this chance. What she thinks will be an easy agreement that will help her family turns into a connection that could break her heart. Rating: 8.5

You Deserve to Know

I was hooked from start to finish with this book! A really good mystery that kept me guessing the entire time. Gwen, Lisa and Aimee are neighbors who have become close friends over the years. Their husbands and kids all hang out together and they spend time as a group nearly every weekend. So when Gwen’s husband is murdered one night after one of their weekly Friday night dinners, the group tries to rally around Gwen to support her. That is until secrets are revealed that could threaten to destroy the entire group dynamic. The very last chapter of the book really threw me for a loop and I finished the book in complete shock. Rating: 9

Strangers

This book has been all over my social media with tons of rave reviews and major buzz. Sadly, I found this memoir to be simple and unremarkable. The story details the breakdown and sudden heartbreak of Belle Burden’s marriage, which is devastating but didn’t feel significant enough to be made into a best seller. Belle comes from immense wealth and her family has been known throughout the NYC social scene for decades. She marries her husband despite some early red flags and they build a life together for more than 20 years.

At the start of the pandemic, Belle gets a call from someone who tells her that her husband is having an affair. Stunned and reeling from the news, she confronts her husband who confirms the affair and says he wants to leave the marriage immediately. The memoir details her feelings of betrayal and never getting the closure that she hoped as to why her husband left. This book did receive tons of rave reviews so I definitely think my feedback on it is in the minority. If it has been on your list to read, I would still recommend reading it because everyone’s preferences are different when it comes to books. Rating: 7

I don’t have particularly sensitive skin but it can get irritated from time to time. I have a handful of products that I reach for to help calm or soothe my skin so I thought I would round them up all in one post. Many of them are products I’ve been enjoying for the past year, but some are newer discoveries or things I’ve been using recently.

Skincare Products I Use To Soothe My Irritated Skin

Dieux Deliverance 3-in-1 Repair Serum

Dieux Deliverance serum is a 3-in-1 repair serum designed to target fine lines, irritation and hyperpigmentation. It’s a multi-tasking formula that works for nearly all skin types (especially sensitive skin types) and easily works in any skincare routine. It’s one of those serums that I already know I am going to go back to time and time again because of how effective yet gentle it is to use. I shared my full review here.

Dieux Skin Mercy Recovery Cream

All of Dieux moisturizers have some nourishing and calming properties, but this recovery cream is made with 1% collodial oatmeal for intense soothing. In addition to helping calm irritated or red skin, it has ingredients to help reduce itching. It’s a thick cream but still manages to feel lightweight on the skin while absorbing instantly. I now have and use all three Dieux moisturizers because they continuously perform so well for my skin!

Bloomeffects Royal Tulip Hydrating Bi-Phase Toner (discount code: Maree)

I use a milky toner in my skincare routine every single day – both morning and  night. I love using them because they tend to add additional moisture with some soothing properties that my dry, mature skin needs. But this toner from Bloomeffects stands out to me as one of the most intensely soothing and calming toners I have ever used. It’s a bi-phase formula so be sure to shake it up before pouring it into the hands and pressing it onto the skin. There are ingredients like green tea which help to clarify the skin while collodial oatmeal and various dutch florals (chamomile, calendula and centella) help to calm any irritation.

Cocokind Calming Magnesium Facial Mist

I use facial mists every single day in both my morning and evening skincare routine as well as throughout the day to keep my skin well hydrated. While so many mists help with hydration only, the Calming Magnesium Facial Mist helps to calm stressed skin. The formula was designed for those with sensitive, reactive and acne-prone skin to help support the skin barrier while also refreshing the skin. I don’t have sensitive skin but my skin does get drier than ever before and this mist is absolutely amazing!

Sweet Chemistry Skin Barrier Repairing Hydra-Serum

This is a newer brand that I was introduced to but their entire ethos is around helping repair the skin. I immediately fell in love with this serum from the first night I tried it. It’s a rich texture that feels instantly soothing without being too heavy. In addition to helping improve skin barrier function, this serum helps increase density, hydration and reduce the look of fine lines and wrinkles. But for me, I have been loving it’s ability to really calm and heal my skin when it’s feeling sensitive and/or irritated.

U Beauty The Barrier Bioactive Treatment (discount: MAREE20)

The texture of this overnight treatment may not be for everyone but I personally love it. It feels similar liquid balm with a slight ointment/salve texture that really speaks to it’s restorative properties. For those with dry, sensitive or mature skin, this is a phenomenal overnight treatment to use as your final step to really help rejuvenate, repair and intensely hydrate. Because it’s so rich, I only tend to use this when my skin is severely dehydrated or feeling irritated. It’s a great product to use in the dead of winter when your skin is painfully dry from the cold weather – it’s a miracle worker for that!