The Book Review Backlog (2): 2025

Here’s the second batch of books I read in the first half of 2025, during the stretch when I wasn't yet posting on the blog but still reading constantly. Most of these reviews lived on Goodreads first, so I’m bringing them over here, cleaned up and collected in one place. This round includes thrillers, medical fiction, and an admittedly aggressive amount of Freida McFadden.

Do You Remember? by Freida McFadden
Thriller ◦ 2024 ◦ ★★★★☆

This was another great Freida book about a woman with severe memory loss. She wakes up each day to a man who claims to be her husband, though she doesn’t remember him, and has essentially become a prisoner in her own home. Freida's books tend to be a little formulaic, but I can't deny that they suck me right in. This book moved at a fast pace and was extremely intriguing. The twist was a little odd and left me with a few questions, but all in all, I really enjoyed this book.

The Devil Wears Scrubs by Freida McFadden
Medical Fiction ◦ 2011 ◦ ★★★☆☆

I'm a big Freida fan, and this was the first of her non-thriller books that I've read, following a young medical intern as she navigates hospital life, impossible workloads, and difficult personalities. All in all, I enjoyed it. It was humorous and gave a glimpse into the world of medical interns and doctors, which I always find interesting. However, I will say that she seems to focus a bit TOO much on being funny and witty, and it detracted from the story somewhat. Every other sentence seemed sarcastic or comical, to the point where it hampered the plot a bit. All in all though, I did like it and definitely plan on reading the sequel soon.

The Housemaid’s Wedding by Freida McFadden
Thriller ◦ 2024 ◦ ★★★☆☆

A fast and fun short story addition to The Housemaid series. I'm not a big fan of short stories, but I like how this added a little background to the overall storyline of the series. It was an enjoyable read.

Want to Know a Secret? by Freida McFadden
Thriller ◦ 2021 ◦ ★★★★☆

Another great Freida thriller about a woman’s carefully curated suburban life that begins to unravel as buried secrets come to light. This one started a little on the slower side, but definitely picked up pace and became hard to put down. I didn't love the very last twist and epilogue, but all in all, I found the story to be fun and intriguing.

The Surrogate Mother by Freida McFadden
Thriller ◦ 2020 ◦ ★★★★☆

One of my top Freida books! This one is about a couple who have been dealing with infertility for years. After a recent failed adoption, the woman's coworker offers to be a surrogate for them. Despite initial apprehension, they decide to go for it. And while the storyline may seem obvious and predictable, it's a Freida book, so of course you have to expect the unexpected. The story and the characters become pretty much unhinged and go off in some crazy directions. A fun and fast read!

The Ex by Freida McFadden
Thriller ◦ 2019 ◦ ★★★☆☆

Freida is one of my favorites, and this one had all the usual twists, turns, and excitement. It follows a woman who thinks she has found the perfect man... until his ex-girlfriend reappears and refuses to stay in the past. It was a fast read and kept me pretty well engaged. However, while I enjoyed it, it was not one of my favorites. The twist itself was shocking, but ultimately confusing. I had to kind of think back to previous chapters to try and piece things together, and it was challenging. All in all, another good Freida book that was fun to read, but not one of her best.

Baby City by Freida McFadden & Kelley Stoddard
Medical Fiction ◦ 2015 ◦ ★★★☆☆

This was an overall light and fun book about an OB/GYN resident working in labor and delivery at a hospital. I really enjoy medical fiction and kind of getting that peek behind the curtain. This book does a good job of doing that while also being humorous and easy to read. A couple of minor issues: the book was a bit long and meandering with not too much plot or action, and had too many characters to keep track of, particularly all the patients. There were also so many typos that it became a bit distracting. Overall though, I enjoyed my time with this book and am glad I read it.

Tell Me What You Did by Carter Wilson
Thriller ◦ 2024 ◦ ★★★★☆

Really gripping thriller about a true crime podcast host facing down the man who claims to be her mother's murderer from many years ago. Though the book was a bit lengthy, short chapters and an engaging mystery kept it moving at a fast pace. I thoroughly enjoyed this one and look forward to reading more of this author's books soon.

Brain Damage by Freida McFadden
Medical Mystery ◦ 2016 ◦ ★★★☆☆

This is not your typical Freida thriller. Instead, it's a story about a woman recovering from a gunshot to the head and her ensuing brain injury, memory loss, and slow recovery in the hospital. Though it's not a thriller, it does have an intriguing mystery aspect, as Charly must figure out who shot her and why, but her memory of that evening is very fuzzy. I enjoyed this book overall, and found it pretty fascinating. I enjoyed seeing Charly's progression and struggles along with all the other patients on the unit. Not my favorite Freida novel, but definitely an engaging and interesting read, nevertheless.

That wraps up another chunk of my 2025 reading backlog. Apparently I spent part of the year bouncing between thrillers, hospital drama, and Freida McFadden’s entire catalog. More catch-up reviews still to come.

Read More

One More Life (New Chapters, Ch. 3)

New Chapters ◦ Chapter Three: The Return ◦ Entry 4

This essay is part of my New Chapters series — a collection of personal essays organized into themed chapters that trace different seasons of rebuilding and becoming.

← Previous: On My Own Two Feet

On home, hope, and beginning again. 🌿

For two days in July, I was consumed by paperwork.

Pay stubs. Bank statements. Tax documents. Forms. Anything they might possibly need.

I was applying for a USDA home loan, and once I decided to do it, I was determined. I gathered everything, sent it all in, and then started obsessively checking my email.

I didn’t tell anyone I was applying.

Not because I didn’t have people who would support me. I did. But I didn't know how they'd feel. I didn’t know what would happen. I didn’t know if I’d qualify, or whether some forgotten piece of my financial life would come back with a giant red circle around it to haunt me.

So for a little while, it was just mine.

I kept expecting an email asking for something I’d missed. Another document. Another form. Some financial loose end I hadn’t thought of.

Instead, they told me I’d done a great job submitting everything they needed.

A couple of days later, the approval landed in my inbox.

I stared at it.

I smiled. I read it again. I felt a little shocked.

And then I teared up.

I’d done it.

After years of my life looking nothing like I’d once imagined it would, I had qualified to buy a house on my own.

And then, in the same hour, I cried for another reason.

I’d done this huge thing quietly, and suddenly I wished I’d had someone beside me who had been waiting for the answer too. Someone to text immediately and say, I did it.

It was a strange thing, being so proud of myself and a little lonely at the same time.

But the loneliness didn’t erase the pride.

Eventually, I told my family.

And once the news was out, the approval started to feel less like a PDF in my inbox and more like the beginning of something.

I started imagining our life inside a house of our own.

I pictured granite counters in a kitchen where the boys would leave crumbs everywhere five minutes after I cleaned them. A porch where I could sit with a book. A yard big enough for them to roam, argue, invent things, and disappear just far enough that I’d eventually have to yell their names from the back door.

I imagined them racing to claim bedrooms and inevitably arguing over who got the better one.

I imagined us in a smaller town, maybe with a little bit of land. Somewhere quieter. Somewhere with room around us.

A place to breathe after three years that had contained very little breathing room.

Of course, the dreaming quickly collided with the practical part.

I've started obsessively refreshing Zillow. I’m already on my second realtor, and we text almost daily, sending listings back and forth and sharing thoughts about houses I might love, houses I definitely don’t, and houses that look promising until one inconvenient detail ruins everything.

I’ve also learned not to look at the pretty photos first.

I check the taxes.

Always the taxes.

Because there is no point falling in love with the granite countertops, the porch, or the giant backyard if the tax bill makes the house impossible.

Still, I keep looking.

And every once in a while, I let myself picture it again.

The boys in the yard. Their things scattered through the bedrooms. Groceries in our refrigerator. Books on my shelves. Shoes piled by the door. Ordinary Tuesday nights happening inside a place that belongs to us.

I still don’t know which house will be ours. I don’t know how many listings I’ll refresh, how many tax bills will eliminate houses before I ever step inside them, or how many front doors I’ll walk through before one finally becomes ours.

There is still plenty left to figure out.

There have been houses I loved that I couldn’t afford. Houses that looked perfect online but disappointed in person. Houses that have disappeared before I ever got the chance to see them. And there will be more. Always more.

But for the first time, the uncertainty doesn’t feel like a dead end.

It feels like possibility.

Somewhere out there is a home for us.

I haven’t found it yet, but now I know I’m allowed to look for it. I know I can picture a different life without immediately talking myself out of it.

After so much of the last few years being about surviving what was in front of me, it feels strange and wonderful to finally be looking ahead.

Realizing that this life I'd been imagining might actually be possible gave me something I hadn't felt in a long time: 

hope that I could build one more life from scratch.

Next: Coming Soon →

  

Visit the New Chapters landing page to explore each chapter and read the story in order.

Read More

The Fastest Fact Alive (One Minute Memoir)

A Memoir of Kid Logic, Cheetah Speed, and YouTube Lies

Setting: August 2025 — Fact-checking the dinner table

“Baby cheetahs can run 27 miles per hour,” Holden announced between bites of dinner, as if he’d just returned from the savannah himself. “Kid cheetahs run about 100. Adult cheetahs, 305. And old adults, 313.”

He rattled off the numbers with absolute authority, fork in one hand, wild facts in the other. We nodded along, letting him build his animal kingdom of speed, mile by impossible mile.

About fifteen minutes later, I circled back. “Hey Holden—what were those cheetah speeds again?”

This time the confidence cracked. He hesitated, stumbled, then shrugged. “I don’t remember. Just look it up.”

So I did. Actual cheetahs top out around 50 to 80 mph.

“Where’d you hear yours?” I asked.

“YouTube,” he said, dead serious. Then he leaned back in his chair like a man who had solved the world already: “YouTube always lies.”

This post is part of my One-Minute Memoir series — short reflections on small moments that still manage to say something big.

Read More

Dear Future Me: A Letter to Myself Five Years From Now

Dear Future Me,

You’re 42 now.

I wonder where you’re sitting when you read this.

Maybe at a kitchen table in a quieter house. Maybe somewhere rural, where the windows are open and the night sounds different. Maybe the boys are bigger than I can currently imagine. Maybe one of them towers over you now, stealing food from your fridge and disappearing into his own life in little pieces at a time.

I hope you finally bought furniture you actually liked instead of just accepting what worked.

I hope the air around you feels lighter.

Right now, at 37, life feels like standing in a doorway with boxes in both arms. Not fully in the old life anymore. Not fully inside the next one either. Just… suspended there. Trying. Exhausted. Hopeful. Scared.

I need to know something.

Did we make it somewhere better?

Not perfect. I’m old enough to know life was never going to become perfectly neat and easy. But better. Did the constant pressure ease? Did we stop feeling like survival was a group project balanced entirely on our spine?

I hope you learned to rest without guilt.

I hope you stopped apologizing for needing reassurance.

I hope you stopped measuring your worth by productivity, clean rooms, completed lists, and how useful you are to other people.

I hope you kept writing.

Even if the blog changed. Even if the numbers stayed small. Even if nobody fully understood why documenting ordinary life mattered so much to you. I hope you kept doing it anyway. Those stories were never just stories. They were proof you were here.

I hope the boys still let you into their worlds sometimes.

I hope Caleb still surprises you with his quiet depth.

I hope Holden still makes you laugh at inappropriate moments like a tiny chaos goblin with excellent comedic timing.

I hope you kept movie nights. Even after they acted too cool for them.

And what about love?

Did you finally stop trying to earn it by overextending yourself? Did love finally feel like somewhere you could rest instead of something you had to constantly protect?

I think, deep down, what I want most for you is not success.

Not money.

Not a smaller body.

Not even the dream house in the country.

I want you to feel settled inside your own life.

I want you to wake up one ordinary Tuesday and realize the panic quieted. That your body no longer feels like it’s bracing for impact every second of the day.

And if things didn’t unfold the way we hoped?

I hope you survived that too.

Because that’s the thing about us. We always do.

Love,

Me, age 37

Read More

The Debt Diaries (11): July 2026

💸 The Debt Diaries (11): July 2026

This month in money, mess, and progress... the numbers are moving again.

The Debt Diaries is officially back, and this is my first regular monthly update since 2018.

Last month, I shared A New Chapter, where I caught everyone up on nearly nine years of financial changes and explained how I went from tracking a mortgage, student loans, personal loans, credit cards, and two auto loans to having just two loans remaining today.

July was my first full month of tracking everything again, and it turned out to be a slightly strange one. My retirement loan finally started moving in the right direction, while my auto loan balance somehow didn't move at all between my two monthly checkpoints. I also had an unexpected expense that pulled money back out of savings, while my credit score quietly moved a few points higher.

It wasn't a dramatic month, but it was a realistic one: some progress, a setback, and a few numbers that required more investigating than I expected.

💳 Debt Overview

Each monthly Debt Diaries update will summarize the previous month's financial progress using balances from the first day of the following month. For July, that means comparing my balances from July 1, 2026 with the balances I recorded on August 1, 2026.

This gives me one consistent checkpoint every month, even when statement dates, payment dates, and account reporting don't line up neatly with the calendar.

The progress bars below represent the percentage of each loan that has been repaid based on the original amount borrowed.

NYS Retirement Loan

Original Amount Borrowed: $13,702.00
Previous Month's Balance: $13,389.80
Payments: −$290.00
Accrued Interest: +$55.66
Current Balance: $13,155.46

Debt Reduced: −$234.34

Loan Progress

4.0% Paid Off

Auto Loan

Original Amount Borrowed: $17,895.93
Previous Month's Balance: $16,037.36
Current Balance: $16,037.36

Balance Change: $0.00

Loan Progress

10.4% Paid Off

📊 Grand Total Snapshot

Overall Debt Reduced

−$234.34

Previous Total: $29,427.16
Current Total: $29,192.82

💸 Where the Money Went

All of the measurable debt reduction this month came from the retirement loan.

I paid a total of $290 toward it during July. At the same time, another $55.66 in interest accrued, leaving me with an actual balance reduction of $234.34.

Total Paid: $290.00
Accrued Interest: $55.66

Actual Debt Reduction: $234.34

That means about 80.8% of what I paid was enough to overcome the interest that accrued during July and lower the balance. After revisiting some of my old Debt Diaries posts, where interest sometimes swallowed a much larger portion of what we paid, I'll happily take that.

The auto loan is less satisfying to report this month. I made my regular monthly payment, but the balance I recorded on August 1 was still showing $16,037.36, exactly where it stood on July 1.

I'm assuming that's simply a quirk of when my payment posted compared with when the account balance updated. Rather than estimate how much should have gone toward principal and interest, I'm leaving the balance exactly as it appeared at my monthly checkpoint. Hopefully next month's numbers will sort themselves out.

💰 Savings

I'm also tracking my savings again, but I've decided not to publish the actual balance. Instead, I'll share how much went in, how much came back out, and the net change each month.

Savings Update

Deposits: +$400.00
Withdrawals: −$705.00

Net Change: −$305.00

I did continue adding to savings during July and deposited another $400. Unfortunately, I also withdrew $705, so I ended the month down $305 overall.

The biggest withdrawal was $450 for a new iPhone.

I don't love watching savings move backward, especially while I'm actively trying to save for a house. At the same time, this is exactly why I've worked so hard to rebuild the account. I was able to replace something I needed without putting the expense on a credit card and creating another balance to pay off.

So yes, savings went backward in July.

But I still saved $400 during the month, handled a larger expense, and stayed out of revolving debt. The next step is putting the money back.

📈 Credit Score

Credit Update

Previous Score: 757
Current Score: 760
Change: +3 points

My credit score increased from 757 to 760 this month.

Three points isn't exactly an earth-shattering jump, but at this stage, I'm not looking for dramatic increases. After watching my score fall into the 500s during my divorce, reaching this point has been the result of a lot of smaller financial decisions stacked on top of each other.

My goal now is mostly maintenance: keep every payment on time, keep the credit cards paid off, avoid unnecessary new debt, and protect the progress I've already made as I prepare to buy a home.

✅ Wins This Month

• My retirement loan balance finally moved meaningfully in the right direction.
• Automatic retirement-loan payroll deductions finally started.
• I reduced my total debt by $234.34.
• I added $400 to savings during the month.
• My credit score increased from 757 to 760.
• I replaced my phone without creating new credit card debt.
• I remained completely free of revolving credit card debt.

⚠️ What I Struggled With

• My savings ended the month $305 lower than where it started.
• My auto-loan balance didn't show any movement between my July 1 and August 1 checkpoints.
• More than $55 in new interest accrued on the retirement loan.
• I'm still balancing two major priorities: building savings for a house and getting rid of my remaining debt.

💭 Real Talk

July feels like one of those months where the numbers don't tell the whole story.

On paper, my debt dropped by $234.34. That's nowhere near some of the larger monthly reductions I used to dream about when I wrote this series years ago.

But my finances also look completely different now.

I don't have six different debts competing for my attention anymore. I have two. I don't have credit card balances accumulating interest in the background. My credit score is 760. I've rebuilt a real savings cushion. And I'm simultaneously trying to prepare to buy a home again.

The retirement loan finally moving in the right direction is probably my favorite part of this month's update. For nearly two years, I wasn't paying on it at all, and I watched the interest slowly erase progress I'd already made. By the time I finally started paying again, the balance had climbed almost all the way back to the original amount I borrowed.

Now it's moving down again.

I'm less thrilled about savings.

I deposited $400 during July, but $705 came back out, leaving me down $305 overall. The biggest expense was replacing my phone. I could have put the purchase on a credit card and preserved the savings number, but that would have defeated the entire point of what I'm trying to build.

The goal isn't to have a savings account that never gets touched.

The goal is to have enough money sitting there that when life happens, I don't have to create new debt to deal with it.

Still, I want that $305 back.

That's probably one of the biggest differences between the old Debt Diaries and this version. I used to judge financial progress mostly by how quickly the debt number fell. Now I care about several numbers at once: debt, savings, credit, and whether I'm actually building a financial life that can absorb normal expenses without unraveling.

July moved me forward in some places and backward in another.

That's okay. August already has its assignment.

Goal for August

Recover the $305

Put back what came out of savings in July.

My main financial goal for August is simple: add at least $305 back into savings and recover what I lost this month. My regular debt payments will continue automatically in the background, but rebuilding that money is where I want my extra cash to go first.

← Previous: A New Chapter | Next: August 2026 →

This post is part of my Debt Diaries series, where I share the numbers, setbacks, wins, and lessons from my journey toward financial freedom.

Explore the full series on the Debt Diaries landing page.

Read More

Month in Review: July 2026

July 2026 in Review

July wasn't nearly as busy as June. My calendar finally slowed down, but life certainly didn't. It became one of the biggest turning points I've had in years. I started a new job, was approved for a USDA home loan, began house hunting, and closed one chapter while quietly stepping into another. It wasn't a loud month, but it was one I'll remember for a very long time.

Month by the Numbers

Weight: ↔ 0 lbs	|	Migraines: 2
Runs / Walks: 0	|	Books: 1
Blog Posts: 12	|	OMMs: 3
Savings: ↓ $305	|	Debt: ↓ $245.37

OMM = One Minute Memoir

The numbers were a mixed bag this month. Savings dipped after replacing my iPhone, but debt continued moving in the right direction while life took a few exciting new turns.

July, As It Happened

A month of interviews: Even before July began, I knew something might be changing. I went on three interviews this month for two different positions, including one second-round interview. As far as I know, neither ultimately worked out, but interviewing is always good practice, and every conversation helped clarify what I wanted in the next step of my career.

A new chapter at work: Then came the surprise. A position I had applied for back in April and interviewed for in June called with an offer. At the end of the month, I said goodbye to the job and coworkers I'd grown to love over the last (almost) two years and started a new position with another New York State agency the very next day. Leaving was far more emotional than I expected. I truly loved the people I worked with, but this opportunity is a promotion and an important step forward in my career. Some goodbyes are bittersweet because they're leading you exactly where you hoped to go, even when it breaks your heart a little.

Approved for a home loan: July also brought one of the proudest moments of my adult life. After completing what felt like endless paperwork, I was approved for a USDA Direct home loan, a program that helps eligible buyers purchase homes in rural communities. I remember opening the approval email at my desk and immediately getting teary-eyed. Two years ago, after my divorce, I never imagined I'd be in a position to buy a home on my own. Since then, I've quietly paid off debt, built savings, increased my credit score by more than 200 points into the "excellent" range, and kept moving forward one decision at a time. That approval wasn't just about buying a house. It felt like proof that all those little choices had been adding up to something.

The house hunt begins: With my Certificate of Eligibility in hand, the boys and I officially started looking at houses. Equal parts exciting and terrifying. Every listing feels like a possibility, every showing comes with a dozen questions, and every decision suddenly feels much bigger than it used to. It's exciting to finally be here, even if it's also a little overwhelming.

An unavoidable upgrade: My savings took a hit this month because I had to replace my iPhone due to overheating and battery issues. It was not the most exciting way to spend money, but it was a necessary purchase. After so many months of watching my savings climb, seeing the number move backward was frustrating, even when I knew exactly why it happened.

Debt Diaries returns: I also relaunched my Debt Diaries series after a long hiatus (8 years!). My finances have changed so much since I last wrote it regularly, and it felt like the right time to bring it back. Between paying off credit cards, rebuilding my savings, improving my credit, restarting retirement loan payments, and now preparing to buy a home, there is a lot more of the story to tell.

Trying Too Good To Go: We tried the Too Good To Go app twice this month, where restaurants and stores sell surprise bags of leftover food at a discount instead of letting it go to waste. Our best score was a $4.99 Pizza Hut surprise bag that turned out to be a fresh order of breadsticks and an entire medium pepperoni pizza. There’s something ridiculously fun about not knowing what you’re getting until they hand you the bag, and that one was definitely worth five bucks.

A quieter kind of month: Unlike June, July did not have many scheduled events or outings. There was more open space on the calendar, but not necessarily more calm in my head. Starting a new job and beginning the home-buying process both came with plenty of excitement, nerves, paperwork, and uncertainty. July was quieter on paper, but life-changing underneath.

What I Read

Another light reading month, with one dystopian survival story.

• The Fallout Kids by Jordan Weir ★★★☆☆
  Six strangers enter an underground bunker for a government study, only to become trapped when communication with the outside world suddenly disappears. I enjoyed it overall, but it was a somewhat slow read.

Favorite Read: The Fallout Kids
Yearly Progress: 17 / 100

What I Watched

July was a light viewing month, but one show completely took over.

TV Shows

The Pitt ★★★★★
HBO Max · 2026 · Season 2 · Episodes 1–9
What can I say? This show is addictive, and its format is so unique. The entire season follows a single day and shift inside a Pittsburgh emergency department, which makes every episode feel immediate and intense.

Documentaries & Docuseries

Fatal Distraction ★★★☆☆
Prime Video · 2020 · Documentary film
Examines the controversial cases of children who have died after being accidentally left in hot cars and the parents who are left to face the consequences. Interesting and incredibly sad, though it could be a little slow at times.

The Imposter ★★☆☆☆
Prime Video · 2012 · Documentary film
Tells the bizarre true story of a French man who convinced a Texas family that he was their teenage son who had disappeared years earlier. This one was disappointing. It felt odd, disjointed, and not particularly well done, and I didn't find any of the people involved especially likable.

The Elephant in the Living Room ★★★☆☆
Prime Video · 2010 · Documentary film
A fascinating look at people who keep exotic animals as pets and the risks that come with bringing wild animals into ordinary homes. The people and premise were compelling, but it moved a little slowly and felt somewhat dated.

Favorite Watch: The Pitt

What I Wrote

Even with a job change and the beginning of the home-buying process, I published twelve posts, including three One Minute Memoirs. I also relaunched my Debt Diaries series after a long hiatus, giving my financial progress a regular place on the blog again.

Favorite Essay: The Time Machine
This one began with my reluctance to chaperone Caleb’s band trip to an amusement park because I was worried about how my POTS would handle the heat and walking. I went anyway, and somewhere between the rides, laughter, and watching him be brave, the difficult parts faded into the background. Sometimes the memories outlast the discomfort.

Favorite One Minute Memoir: Dinner, and Then Yours Too
Holden has a long-standing habit of studying everyone else’s food as though they may have ordered something better than he did. This Taco Bell outing captured that familiar dinner ritual perfectly.

Coming Up in August

August still looks fairly light on the calendar, though the home search is likely to fill plenty of the open space.

• The boys are going on a short trip with their dad. The house will be quiet and peaceful without them, but probably a little too quiet.
• Our monthly Bingo night at the community center.
• More house searching, more open houses, more showings... and maybe finding the one.

I am trying not to rush the process, even though every new listing makes me wonder whether it could be ours. August may be the month we find a house, or it may simply be another step closer. Either way, the possibility feels very real now.

♥

See you next month.

Read More