This & That 7/17: What to Watch, Read, & Buy

Jul 17, 2025

Last week, we mentioned the new show Too Much that debuted the day our newsletter was sent out. After watching it, however, we were disappointed and don’t recommend it. The show’s humor just didn’t do it for us.
There are three home shows we’ve been watching and liking:
- Celebrity IOU (Series, Hulu) with the Property Brothers is still going strong. In Celebrity IOU, Hollywood A-listers express their deep gratitude for the individuals who've had a major impact on their lives by surprising them with big, heartwarming home renovations. The latest episode with Rachel Brosnahan (Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) is fun to watch.
- Magnolia Home’s Mini Reni (Series, Max) is a great, quick fix hit! Jo’s (of Chip and Jo fame) new series of mini home renovations showcases how intentional, creative additions can make a big impact in a small space. Jo just did Hoda Kotb’s new office (she just left the TODAY show) in NYC.
- Castle Impossible is a fun watch on HGTV or Max. Daphne and Ian's lives change forever when she unexpectedly inherits a 500-year-old castle in France from her grandfather; they tackle a seemingly endless list of projects as they attempt to breathe new life into the historic estate.

See our FabList of all 2025 TV Shows/Movies we’ve recommended and our 2024 recs! Plus, here is the shortlist of our favorite 2024 shows/movies.

The First Gentleman: A Thriller, by James Patterson & Bill Clinton. I (Chrissie) rarely read books like this, meaning the best-selling 'thriller' novels that you find on airport bookshop shelves. It wasn't overly tricky or insightful, but it was a fine summer read. I was hoping to get more insights into the workings of the White House, given that Bill Clinton wrote it (note: I haven't read his other books), but that was not the case with this one. Also, I wouldn't really call it a 'thriller'...but maybe that's just me, given I don't read a lot of that genre?
Everyone Is Lying to You: A Thriller, by Joe Piazza. We haven’t yet read it, as it was just released on Tuesday, but all the ‘must-read’ lists are including it, so we wanted to let you know about it. From the bestselling author of The Sicilian Inheritance and the creator of the Under the Influence podcast comes an explosive thriller about two estranged friends, a grizzly murder, a sudden disappearance, and the truly shocking revelation that everyone is lying to you about something.
The Phoenix Pencil Company: A Novel by Allison King. Chrissie read this Reese Book Club rec but didn’t love it. It’s about a young Chinese American woman raised by her immigrant grandparents, with the story alternating between her life in the US as a young tech worker/student and her grandmother’s life growing up in Shanghai during the war. The ‘power’ that they have, in which they can ‘reforge’ a pencil to see what it has written and how the author felt while writing with it, came across as a very odd vehicle to carry the storyline.

See our FabList of books we’ve recommended this year and our complete 2024 book recs list. Plus, here is our shortlist of favorite books of 2024. Share with your book club!

Jo read that Gap has a dupe of the popular and more expensive Still Here Cool Jean and ran down to the store, bought a pair, and they are her new summer favorite. The Gap Mid-Rise Easy 90’s Loose Jeans are a full-length loose jean that's fitted on the waist & relaxed all the way down. They have a zip fly, five-pocket styling, and an elasticized waist with drawcords. The waistband is super thin and very comfy! The light denim wash is perfect for summer. The Still Here Cool Jean is also fab and available in 8 colors, so don’t hesitate to look at those as well!
Jo’s 29-year-old son has discovered Quince! He did a cashmere sweater test in the winter and chose the Quince Men’s Cashmere Crewneck ($60) over other leading brands because of its superior quality. And for summer, he’s been loving the 100% European Linen Relaxed Long Sleeve Shirt ($40) and the 100% Organic Cotton Oxford Shirt ($40) because of the fit, quality, and $40 price points. The 100% European Linen Drawstring Beach Shorts - 7” are also a feature of his summer wardrobe.
Looking for plumper, softer lips? Fiera’s Fulluptuous™ Lip Plumper + Hydrator instantly adds definition to thinning lips, plumps and adds overall lip volume, fills in vertical lines, and hydrates, conditions, and protects. It also carries a 30-day guarantee!
After reading our Favorite Summer Kitchen Tools post on Tuesday, FabLister Kelly B. shared her favorite garlic crusher with us, which she said is “so easy to use and so easy to clean.” It’s in our cart!

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This & That 7/17: What to Watch, Read, & Buy

Please use our links to over 50 brands and retailers in Retailers We Love for your everyday and holiday shopping needs. We receive credit for any purchases made via the links and greatly appreciate it!

Other FabLists to Explore….

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