Read: October 2026

Wait for Me by Amy Jo Burns

On my TBR for some time, I was pleased when my neighbor Kathy suggested this as our September book club selection. Read in Anaheim, CA, while traveling for work, we meet Marijohn, an 18 year old young woman who lives in the shadow of missing folk musician Elle Harlow. I found the text poetic – apropos of the characters who are songwriters – but felt there were some loose ends in the plot I would have liked to have seen resolved. I couldn’t help but compare this to Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid, and would recommend Daisy over this similar style of book, quite honestly.

Read via: public library

The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion, Vol. 4 by Beth Brower

A re-read from last September, which was a sweet companion while in Anaheim; still ever so cozy and inviting. This remains my favorite installment of the good Emma M. Lion, but I’m looking forward to Volume 9 in the new year!

Read via: Hoopla audio

Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid

It’s official – I am now a TJR completionist! Set in the 1980s and 1990s, Carrie Soto, the daughter of tennis coach Javier Soto, is a childhood tennis marvel and goes on to play professionally, achieving great success. This is her comeback story, and not just in the world of professional tennis, but in life and love also. A great companion to this would be Andre Agassi’s memoir Open.

Read via: Libby audio

Grape Juice by Eliza Dumais

Bought at Strand Books in NYC in May and read during our Fall Break in Columbus, Ohio, Alice is an American (specifically, a New Yorker) who works in the wine industry, but is sent to France by her boss to experience and help with a local grape harvest. Upon meeting Frenchman Henri, her senses are awakened in experiencing wine and love in new ways.

Read via: home library

Apple Pies and Poisoned Lies at the Cider Falls Festival by Traci Hall

Macki Smith, named for the Mackintosh apple, and her siblings (also named for other apple varieties) have gathered on their family orchard in Washington for the annual Cider Falls Festival. After several years away in Seattle, Macki has returned home with a bruised heart and ego, but is determined to reclaim her baking title with an award-winning apple pie. However, when a fellow baker is found murdered Macki is the prime suspect and must prove her innocence.

Read via: Hoopla audio

The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead

Winner of the Pulitzer Prize in 2020, this grim novel introduces readers to Elwood Curtis, a young black man with a bright future until an unfair event transpires. This circumstance sends him to the Nickel Academy in Florida, where some young men are more violent than others, but his newfound friendship with Turner forever changes the trajectory of both their lives.

Read via: Libby audio

Trust Fall by Lynn Painter

It’s almost like having a fairy godfather grant a magical wish when Julia and her family, who live in Nebraska, discover their elderly friend Lou has bequeathed them an unbelievable gift: living in his New York City brownstone and inheriting his wealth. The catch is that they must live there for 6 months, which means Julia’s math grades must improve in her fancy new private academy to stay in school there. The way this will happen is by being tutored by Damion; popular, athletic, handsome, and elusive . What Julia doesn’t know, however, is that Lou was Damion’s great-uncle Remy and not only is Damion dealing with Remy’s death, but suspicious of Julia’s family and the circumstances behind their inheritance. This enemies-to-lovers YA story was sweet, but had a bit more language than I would have preferred.

My thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing for access to the digital ARC.

The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom

Next week our neighborhood book club will meet to discuss this true story of Corrie Ten Boom and her family, Christians, who harbored Jews during WWII in Holland. Her imprisonment in jails and internment camps were harrowing accounts, but her unwavering faith in the hope of Jesus was inspirational as she sought to have His love propel her to forgiven the Nazis who persecuted so many innocent people of all faiths.

Read via: Hoopla audio

Licorice by Kara LaReau

This middle grade retelling of the 1938 Gothic novel Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier, reframes the characters as children and cats, but the suspense and intrigue remain. This was a short but great listen leading up to Halloween!

Read via: Hoopla audio

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And that’s a wrap for October! A getaway weekend awaits where I’ll have time to read in the new Barbara Kingsolver release Partita, as well as begin A Season for Falling by Kate O’Shaughnessy. On my November TBR are several books written by Native American authors for Native American Heritage Month including The Storyteller by Brandon Hobson, The Sentence by Louise Erdrich, and To the Moon and Back by Eliana Ramage. How about you? What are you reading these days?

Read: September 2026

Wreck by Catherine Newman

Following up from Sandwich, we continue to witness the everyday lives of middle-aged Rocky, her grown children, husband, and now-widowed father. Told with tongue-in-cheek humor and a dry wit, Rocky is dealing with a mysterious rash and is also a bystander to her community’s grief when a young man, and high school friend of her son’s, was killed when his car was hit by a train. Complicating matters are the fact her diagnosis remains elusive and the company where her son works is the one who consulted with the railroad corporation before the wreck about efficiency and downsizing. This novella was a great kick-off to the Fall season!

Read via Hoopla audio and my thanks to NetGalley and Harper for access to the digital ARC.

This is a Door by Daniel Nayeri

Much acclaim is surrounding this imaginative middle grade story of adventure and found family for good reason, which releases on October 27. Described by Nayeri as “an illustrated story with no pictures,” we meet a boy named Nothing, who long believes his name indicates his worth and his future. However, when he and his friends Pöppy (a dog), and mOmO (a mouse), go on an adventure together, he learns how his name does not define his value or purpose. Told with gentleness and hopefulness, I so enjoyed the creativity of this unique format in story telling.

My thanks to NetGalley and Stonefruit Studio for access to the digital ARC.

Whereabouts by Jhumpa Lahiri

The literary talents of Pulitzer Prize winning author Lahiri know no bounds as she self-translates her short novel written in Italian into English. Told in a series of connected vignettes, an unnamed English professor in an unnamed European city makes observances about her daily life and relationships through an internal monologue.

Read via: home library

Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan

Recommended by Annie B. Jones from The Bookshelf, the story opens as divorcee Nora has written an autobiographical screenplay of the dissolution of her marriage, “The Tea House,” which is to be filmed in her actual backyard. Playing the part of her ex-husband is Sexiest Man Alive, Leo Vance, who turns out to be an unexpected love interest – good to Nora and kind to her kids Arthur and Bernadette. With a strong sense of place and characters for whom you’re rooting, especially when a miscommunication threatens their new relationship, I inhaled this happily ever after romance, and is a favorite read of 2026! (Open door.)

Read via: public library

Sophie Standing There by Meg Mason

Highly regarded by Ann Patchett, I personally found this story sad and depressing about Sophie, a divorced woman who works as a literary event A/V tech. To help her cope with so much loss, she inadvertently becomes obsessed with a female author – her writings, her podcast interviews – whom she later meets at a local literary festival. Despite this not being a book I would recommend, there were hopeful moments for Sophie: her close relationship with her brother, a supportive best friend, and newfound love interest.

My thanks to NetGalley and Harper/Harper Audio Adult for access to the digital and audio ARCs.

So Far Gone by Jess Walter

Featured in the Modern Mrs. Darcy 2025 Summer Reading Guide, after many years of being a newspaper journalist specializing in ecological stories, Rhys Kinnick has had enough of far right-wing politics and modern technology, and has gone off the grid in rural Washington on a rural and spartan plot of family land. Unexpectedly, he is visited by his young grandchildren, whose mother Bethany has gone missing and, despite his estranged relationship with this daughter, he must be the one who steps up to not only find her, but protect them, with the help of a group of his ragtag friends.

My thanks to NetGalley and Harper for access to the digital ARC.

Carl’s Doomsday Scenario by Matt Dinniman

Carl and Princess Donut continue to fight for their survival and have entered Level 3, the Over City, where they encounter an undead circus and have to solve the mystery of murdered women falling from the sky, with the help of Mongo, the growing baby velociraptor, and their guildmaster Mordecai. My husband and I continue to get a charge out of this LitRPG series!

Read via: Libby e-book

It’s Not What You Think by Clare Mackintosh

Told from four characters’ viewpoints, a murder has to be unraveled and a terrorist plot thwarted: Nadeeka suspects her partner is cheating on her, the unfortunate paranoia of how her former marriage ended; Lauren is the lead police detective, trying to unravel the truth of the murder; Fraser is Lauren’s fiancé and a fellow police officer, with access to a lot of sensitive information; and Jamie is a kind-hearted man determined to take down New Dawn, a white supremacist organization.

My thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Audio for access to the audio ARC.

Second Generation Blues by Julio Anta & Red Dryer

Published yesterday, Luis is a Cuban American teenager who lives in New York City and, although it’s his summer break, and his sole aspiration is to spend time reviewing local bands as a burgeoning music journalist, his obligation to his immigrant family’s restaurant restricts him from having much free time. His strict father misunderstands Luis’ good intentions, but finally does come to see his son cares for the family business and desires for it to be successful.

My thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children’s Books for access to the digital ARC.

The Luckies: Rumor Has It #1 by Sarah Mlynowski and Christina Soontornvat

Soon to be step-sisters, Annie and Leela, their parents and siblings, are all starting over as their families combine and move to a new, small, southern town. They’re all getting used to everyone knowing their business, attending Friday night football games, navigating cute boys, figuring out family secrets, and hosting a schoolwide party at their house…which may or may not turn out to be a disaster. Releasing on October 6, this is a new literary partnership by two beloved award-winning authors, with a legion of fans who will likely be very interested in the first book of this series!

My thanks to NetGalley and Scholastic for access to the digital ARC.

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I’m wrapping up the month in sunny California, working my way through Wait for Me by Amy Jo Burns, next week’s book club selection, and Trust Fall by Lynne Painter, The Academy by Elin Hilderbrand & Shelby Cunningham, and A Season for Falling by Kate O’Shaughnessy are on my October TBR. What about you, reader friend?

Read: August 2026

Pigs in Heaven by Barbara Kingsolver

Picking up where The Bean Trees left off, an Indian Child Welfare lawyer in the Cherokee Nation, has discovered Turtle’s identity and knows Taylor’s adoption was not a legal one. I loved this story of Taylor’s devotion to her daughter, as well as the importance of adopted children knowing their history and heritage. Furthermore, it was so exciting to attend the Knitrino Literary Society at the end of July and meet Barbara Kingsolver in person and hear her talk about this work!

Read via: home library

By the Fire We Carry by Rebecca Nagle

Journalist and member of the Cherokee Nation, Nagle was in conversation with Barbara Kingsolver during the Knitrino Literary Retreat, which inspired me to pick up her book, as well. Even though I live in the Cherokee Nation, Nagle’s insights were concise and inspiring as she delves into U.S. history as it pertains to the forced removal of Native peoples and the recent history of the McGirt decision, which found that Native reservations were never disestablished by Congress. A local, timely, and well written book, written by an expert on this subject matter.

Read via: Libby audio

Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth

Selected by my neighbor Karla for our August book club, I heartily enjoyed this mystery that unfolds throughout the story of brave and persevering Elsie (Mabel), who faces truly atrocious situations in the past, mainly at the whim of her father. The way her neighbors come to look out for one another, especially young and precocious Persephone, made for a great book club discussion.

Read via: Kindle

The Someday Garden by Ashley Poston

Amid her grief, horticulturist Sophie takes a temporary position at Lilymore House in Maine, where she discovers a hidden garden behind a blue door that only appears to her during golden hour. Inside the garden is the the owner’s handsome grandson, who has already arrived for Lilymore’s bicentennial – two months in the future. Poston’s A Novel Love Story was one of my favorites read in 2024, so if you are new to her writing, I would recommend starting there.

Read via: Libby audio

Don’t Let That Hold You Back by Annie F. Downs

Anchored by New Testament scriptures John 10:10, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (NIV 1984), and Matthew 7:7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you” (NIV 1984), Annie takes readers with her on a journey to analyze why we are held back from living a full and joyful life and how to overcome these obstacles with Jesus’ help. As always, her writing is filled with a sense of friendship, encouragement, and hope. Look for this on September 15!

My thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Christian Publishing/WaterBrook for access to the digital ARC.

Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman

Late one evening, Carl’s ex-girlfriend’s pedigree show cat Princess Donut hops out of the bedroom window, which results in his salvation after his apartment complex, and all other structures around the world, collapse in an apocalyptic event. An underground portal opens, giving them the opportunity to literally fight for their lives in a video-game style competition, as galaxies of alien creatures watch, vote, and support this unlikely duo. Wild, silly, irreverent, and violent, this was the latest read-aloud for my gamer husband and me.

Read via: Libby e-book

The Library of Unruly Treasures by Jeanne Birdsall

All Gwen MacKinnon knows is that neither of her divorced parents care about her all that much. So, when her great uncle Matthew offers to host her in Boston during the summer, she jumps at the chance for kindness and stability. Little does Gwen know that she comes from a long line of MacKinnon females who have been a human overseer for the Lahdukan, an ancient fairy-like species. This sweet and magical story was a good one to discuss during the recent quarterly Middle Grade March book club.

Read via: public library

Absent by Rex Ogle

Written with his trademark vulnerability and strength, Ogle cleverly intertwines three stories into one: Manny, a skateboarder and lyric writer; Calvin, a burgeoning cartoonist, and Liam, an aspiring physician. Told from each of their viewpoints, this creative story of friendship gives readers a better look at the internal and external struggles some students face that lead to chronic absenteeism. This middle grade mixed media story releases on September 1.

My thanks to NetGalley and W.W. Norton & Company – Norton Young Readers for access to the digital ARC.

Mrs. Quinn’s Rise to Fame by Olivia Ford

Jennifer Quinn is a British septuagenarian, who loves to bake for her family and friends and enjoys watching Britain Bakes, as does her husband Bernard, albeit surreptitiously. As one season concludes and an announcement is made for bakers to apply for the upcoming season, something stirs in Jennifer’s spirit and she applies, without telling Bernard, to whom she has been married for almost 60 years. I loved this story of finding purpose later in life, allowing past regrets and secrets to come to light, as well as the countless descriptions of yummy desserts. What will make it all the more fun will be discussing this with my neighborhood book club next week!

My thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for access to the digital ARC.

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What an eclectic reading month August has been! As we turn the page of the calendar to September tomorrow, I’m excited about Fall reads, including finishing Wreck by Catherine Newman, A Season for Falling by Kate O’Shaughnessy, and The Academy by Elin Hilderbrand & Shelby Cunningham. How about you? What’s on your September/Fall TBR?

Learn: Summer 2026

What I will remember about this Summer:

• Celebrating our 14th anniversary in Branson, followed by a work trip to Big Cedar Lodge. This is the second year I coordinated this event (the first time from start to finish) and it went much more smoothly!
• Traveling to King of Prussia, PA, for a work trip, and having Whistler by Ann Patchett be my bookish travel companion.
• Joining extended family for our 100th anniversary family reunion in the Ozarks!
• Traveling to Washington to visit retired friends: Olympic National Park & Crater Lake, day trip to Port Townsend, day trip to the Butchart Gardens in Victoria, B.C., local exploration of the Dungeness Spit, and a fragrant lavender farm.
• Watching Severance on Apple TV.
• Celebrating my husband’s grandmother – a life well lived.
• July: hosting two continuing education events at home, traveling to Tulsa to oversee an event there, and supporting our traveling team on three out-of-state CE events.
• Attending the Knitrino Literary Retreat and meeting Pulitzer Prize winning author Barbara Kingsolver!
• Celebrating my husband’s birthday in Indianapolis for a work trip, where we saw Spider-Man: Brand New Day, spent a few hours at Newfields, and enjoyed the famous shrimp cocktail at St. Elmo’s.
• Joining neighbor ladies for book club discussions of Whistler, The Outsiders, and Mad Mabel.
• Getting two more stamps in my National Parks Passport: Valley Forge and Olympic National Park
• Visiting Newfields (the Indianapolis museum of art) where I saw another VanGogh painting, Landscape at Saint-Rémy. See above!

What I have learned this Summer:

Honoring my Out of Office email setting

I’m not saying it was easy for me, because it wasn’t, but I was so proud to activate my out of office email setting in June for our trip to Washington and not check my work email until the day we came home! Only one email needed my prompt attention that day and the rest were addressed the following day when I returned back to campus. Even though it was at the end of the month and our fiscal year, I wasn’t overly stressed and resumed work as normal, knowing I honored my time and attention to be away and enjoy our summer vacation.

Maintaining my capsule travel toiletry kit

Thinking of traveling, I’m flying a lot these days (two trips coming up in September), and it’s worked really well for me to keep my TSA liquid bag and toiletry bag stocked with extras I use all the time. I only need to remember to pack my everyday essentials, which makes repacking quick and easy.

The fun in shopping at a flagship store

I’m honestly not that big of a shopper, but when the opportunity comes to visit a store that began in a particular city, I find this extra special. Traveling with my friend Holly to New Jersey and New York City in May allowed me to visit Tiffany & Co. for the first time. One of Holly’s daughters works there and, since it was close to my birthday, and I had saved up my schillings, I treated myself to a necklace designed for Tiffany by Paloma Picasso. An iconic location helped me make an unforgettable memory!

Gustav Eiffel + the Statue of Liberty

On July 4th, I loved reading The New York Times article, “The Most Iconic American Artwork is the Hardest to See,” where I learned how Gustave Eiffel (yes, that Eiffel) is the one who designed the internal iron and steel framework for the Statue of Liberty. So, the copper (oxidized to green) that covers Lady Liberty is but set dressing to the underpinnings that keep her strong and grounded, mirroring that of the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

Airplanes rarely go in reverse while on the ground

Ask me how I know? When taking (what was supposed to be) a short flight from Chicago to Indianapolis earlier this month, we sat in a very hot airplane for almost an hour, awaiting the powerback device that pushes the plane away from the gate and onto the tarmac. Hopefully I won’t have to be reminded of this again anytime soon!

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How about you? What are some things you’ve learned over the Summer?

Read: July 2026

Say You’ll Remember Me by Abby Jimenez

When social media manager Samantha adopts a special needs cat, she isn’t expecting to form a crush on her veterinarian Xavier. Nor is she expecting a long-distance relationship to be sustainable when she moves from Minnesota to California to help care for her mother, who has dementia. I appreciate how Jimenez threads love stories into real-world heaviness, and still crafts a believable happily ever after. (Open door.)

Read via: home library

The Odyssey: A Graphic Novel by Gareth Hinds & Homer

I’ve never read The Odyssey before, but this graphic novel provided a great overview, which is a perfect preparation for soon seeing the new Christopher Nolan movie. This, along with the Percy Jackson books and Circe by Madeline Miller, has helped me, a novice at Greek mythology, better understand these classic characters and their interconnected stories.

Read via: academic library interlibrary loan

The Night Wet Met by Abby Jimenez

Featuring friends of Xavier’s from Say You’ll Remember Me, we return to Minnesota where Larissa has begun dating Mike, but became friends with Mike and Xavier’s mutual friend Chris on the same night. While Mike has good intentions, his struggles with mental health and alcohol create a series of problems, and it’s up to Chris to help Larissa pick up the pieces. This story dealt with heavier issues, in my opinion, but still ended with a happily ever after.

Read via: Libby audio

The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver

In Kingsolver’s debut, she introduces us to Taylor Greer and her adopted daughter Turtle, a Cherokee girl, whom she was not expecting to adopt, on her cross-country move from Kentucky to Arizona. The supporting cast of characters in their lives is warm, supportive, and hopeful.

Read via: home library

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling

Hands down, Prisoner of Azkaban is my favorite Harry Potter book and it was a delight to listen to this with my husband. We began it on vacation in our rental car driving north from Seattle and loved Stephen Fry’s delightful narration. As always, the themes of friendship, bravery, and found family bring my readerly heart great joy!

Read via: Hoopla audio

The Misfits: A Royal Conundrum by Lisa Yee

On this year’s Mark Twain reading list, this was a long-distance buddy read I shared with my dear friend Megan. Olive is smart and soft spoken and her grandmother is her favorite person, especially since her parents are often traveling for work. But after her grandmother goes away, Olive is enrolled in RASCH, a school for gifted & talented kids. After being tested, she is placed in a group of eclectic kids who are also misfits, like her, and who, together, solve the mystery of a famous jewel thief. This was a silly caper, filled with heart, smarts, and cats!

Read via: public library

Heroes by Alan Gratz

Also on this year’s Mark Twain reading list, Gratz sets the stage of this middle grade historical fiction thriller from the perspective of two boys who are best friends and whose dads are stationed at Pearl Harbor. Frank and Stanley’s free time is spent co-creating a graphic novel until the Japanese attack when their worlds forever change. Gratz is an empathetic story-teller and I enjoyed the themes of friendship, bravery, and anti-prejudice.

Read via: Hoopla audio

The Bright Side of Disaster by Katherine Center

Engaged and pregnant, Jenny Harris believes she has a bright future ahead of her: giving birth to her firstborn child, marrying her fiancée Dean, and finding ways to creatively restore furniture and antiques. But life doesn’t go according to plan and it’s up to Jenny to reimagine a new future for herself with her daughter and someone other than Dean. Center has come a long way since this 2007 debut, and How to Walk Away, What You Wish For, and Hello Stranger remain favorites. Now all I lack is Everyone is Beautiful and I will be a Katherine Center completist!

Read via: public library

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That’s a wrap for July! As the calendar turns a page into August I’m excited about reading Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth for my neighborhood bookclub and Abby Offsides by Anna McCallie, as well as finishing Brawler by Lauren Groff, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling, and Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman (the current read-aloud with my husband). What’s on your August TBR?

Read: June 2026

The Calamity Club by Katherine Stockett

Told in dual perspectives during the Great Depression in Mississippi, we meet 20-something Birdie Calhoun, whose family is struggling financially, and 11 year old Meg Lafleur, a whip-smart orphan who hasn’t given up hope in reuniting with her mother. Birdie thinks her sister’s well-to-do husband might be able to help their family, but he’s in the midst of a personal & financial crisis. Meanwhile, Birdie connects with Meg’s mother Charlie, and together they concoct a scandalous money making venture, which will pull the Calhouns out of financial ruin, and give Charlie a fresh start with Meg.

My thanks to NetGalley and Spiegel & Grau for access to the digital ARC, and Spotify Audiobooks for the audiobook ARC.

Whistler by Ann Patchett

When Daphne was a young girl, her mother was briefly married to a man named Eddie Triplett, whom young Daphne loved dearly. One winter’s evening Daphne and Eddie are in a non-fatal car accident together and, shortly thereafter, her mother divorces Eddie, with 40+ years going by before Daphne runs into Eddie again, this time at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Second chances, the complexities of family, untold secrets, and an unconventional but heartfelt love between a father & daughter are gently woven into this beautiful novel.

Pre-ordered from Parnassus Books in Nashville, this was my bookish companion during a work trip in the Ozarks, a family reunion in Missouri, the audiobook guided me to the airport at 4:00 a.m., accompanied me on a flight & work trip to the suburbs of Philadelphia, and I finished it in a quiet hotel room early one morning.

You’re seeing this book everywhere for good reason. It’s featured in the Modern Mrs. Darcy Summer Reading Guide, is a New York Times best seller, and is my book club’s selection for July. I loved it and it will definitely be on my end of year favorites list!

Read via: home library and my thanks to NetGalley and Harper for access to the digital ARC.

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

Last read in July 2022 for my LSU Young Adult Literature course, this was my selection for our neighborhood book club this month (and a quick read-aloud with my husband). Surprisingly, none of my Oklahoma neighbors had ever read it before! We had a good conversation about how the themes of poverty, education, ignorance, and a desire for a better life, still resonate today. Still to come: watching the movie, visiting The Outsiders house in Tulsa, and seeing the Broadway musical on tour this fall!

Read via: home library

The Fine Art of Lying by Alexandra Andrews

Featured in the Modern Mrs. Darcy Summer Reading Guide, Clare is an art historian with an ABD, abandoned after the birth of her daughter, but she continues to be a student of “Longfin,” a famous work by (ficticious) painter Webley. Attending a swanky NYC mixer with her lawyer husband, Clare is introduced to art dealer Gabriel, who knows of her research, and invites her to a private viewing of “Longfin.” Gabriel’s attention awakens lost passions, but the worst possible thing happens when tragedy strikes and “Longfin” is stolen. Who is behind this theft and who can Clare trust?

My thanks to NetGalley and HarperAudio Adult for the audiobook ARC.

Forever, Interrupted by Taylor Jenkins Reid

From the get-go, this debut novel from Jenkins Reid allows the reader to know her plot style: a love story that is filled with heartbreak, but hopefulness that healing with come and life will continue. On New Year’s Day, Elise Porter meets Ben Ross at a local pizza joint, where they find instant chemistry. A whirlwind romance and marriage later, tragedy strikes and Elsie must not only meet Ben’s mom Susan for the first time, but figure out how they can support each other in their shared grief and unexpected loss.

I now only lack reading Carrie Soto is Back and I will be a Taylor Jenkins Reid completionist! Huzzah!

Read via: public library

The Reservation by Rebecca Kauffman

Recommended by my friend Meg from Meg’s Reading Room podcast, this story unfolds throughout one evening at a fine dining restaurant in a small midwestern town. The team, from owner to dishwasher, anticipate the arrival of author John Grisham eating in their establishment, but, hours before his arrival, several ribeye steaks go missing. Part mystery, part character study, Kauffman explores the lives of hardworking, everyday restaurant employees; their worries, insecurities, and loyalties to each other.

Read via: home library

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June has been filled with travel, but July should afford me much more time at home to read in the air conditioning, thanks be to God. A bookish highlight of July will be reading Pigs in Heaven by Barbara Kingsolver and getting to meet her at a knitting literary retreat at the end of the month! What are you enjoying reading or looking forward to reading this summer?

Read: May 2026

Stepping Up by Kiara Valdez & Diana Tsai Santos

Told as a memoir, this YA graphic novel, has readers join Kiara Valdez as she becomes a student at Andover prep school. At first it’s difficult for her to fit in, but she finds her place with a supportive group of friends and by joining SLAM, the rhythmic step team. This was an easy read and accompanied me to New Jersey & NYC at the start of the month.

My thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins Children’s Books for access to the digital ARC, which releases on August 4.

Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke

Natalie Heller Mills seems to have it all: an idlyllic life on an Idaho farm, a passel of children, and an Ivy League husband turned farmer – all of which are publicly shared on her social media channels. However, when she awakens in 1855 and discovers the harsh reality of being a homesteader, rather than a 21st century tradwife, this is the hook that kept me wondering how the story would unfold. While Natalie is not a likeable character, I found this satirical story about the pitfalls of a performative life, as well as toxic Christianity and gender roles, so compelling. This will definitely be on my list of best books read in 2026!

My thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Knopf for access to the digital ARC.

Finlay Donovan Crosses the Line by Elle Cosimano

7th in the series, hijinx continue as Finlay is on a mission to cross state lines and help prove Vero’s innocence. With the unpredictable help of whiz kid Cam, they hack into Vero’s ankle monitor to extend her travel range, allowing them to get to the bottom of her alleged theft. Big changes await Vero and Javi in the book that is to come!

Read via: Libby audio & my thanks to NetGalley for access to the audio ARC preview.

Her Hidden Genius by Marie Benedict

The feminist in me chafes at stories like these: intelligent, mistreated, and underrepresented women. However, when my neighbor Kathy selected this for our May book club, I knew I needed to read it and am glad I did. In this post-WWII historical fiction novel, an overdue light is shone on the scientific contributions of Rosalind Franklin, x-ray crystallographer and DNA pioneer.

Read via: public library

Big Fan by Alexandra Romanoff

Bought in Tulsa, this was my bookish companion in Minnesota; begun along the banks of the Mississippi River in St. Paul, accompanying me to the Minneapolis Institute of Art while enjoying a yummy lavender latte at Agra Culture, and finished from the comfort of my own home. D.C. hotshot Maya is recovering from a very messy, public divorce, and is looking for a new campaign where she can reestablish herself with a fresh start. However, when she is approached by former boy band musician Charlie (her teenage crush) to help promote his new solo album, she begins to examine her future and happiness, both professionally and personally. (Open door.)

Read via: home library

Anatomy of an Alibi by Ashley Elston

Told in intersecting timelines, two women – Camille and Aubrey – have skeletons in their closet, axes to grind, and secrets to hide. But when Camille’s husband Ben is murdered, it will take both of them, plus a close circle of friends, to unearth the truth that has been buried for over a decade, and find his killer.

Read via: Libby audio & my thanks to NetGalley for access to the digital ARC.

The Lord God Made Them All by James Herriot

The penultimate book in the All Creatures series, James Herriot returns to Yorkshire following his service in WWII, and more stories abound in his recollections about being a country vet, his small children getting older, plus memorable voyages to Russia and Instanbul. What a cozy and predictable series this is for my husband and I to read aloud together!

Read via: home library

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Summer reading is here! On my TBR for June are Whistler by Ann Patchett, The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton, finishing The May House by Jillian Cantor and The Calamity Club by Katherine Stockett, and House Rules by Erica Bauermeister. What have you enjoyed reading this month and/or looking forward to reading in June?

Learn: Spring 2026

What I will remember about this spring:

• Traveling to the Ozarks one last time to help my momma prepare for her estate sale and permanent move to Oklahoma
• Participating in Middle Grade March
• Traveling to Orlando for a sponsored work trip: a fancy suite at the Hilton Conrad Evermore, palm trees outside my room, gorgeous weather, and a barely-made flight home
• An amazing Spring Break trip to the Southwest: Albuquerque to visit family, Sandia Peak, Petroglyph National Monument, cups of tea from Old Barrel Tea Company in Old Town, birria tacos, and evening walks — Road trip to the Grand Canyon: “standing on the corner of Winslow, Arizona,” Meteor Crater, Railway Hotel in Williams, Arizona, gorgeous weather at the Grand Canyon, and the Petrified Forest National Park
• Joining neighbor ladies for book club discussions of The Echo of Old Books, Theo of Golden, and Her Hidden Genius
• Helping my momma transition to her new home across town and sharing meals with her in her new retirement apartment
• Completing 300,000+ steps in the month of April during our university-wide walking challenge
• Watching Ted Lasso with my husband (favorite quote: “This thing didn’t happen to me; it happened for me.”)
• Having my uncle & aunt, plus dear friend Megan & her family visit us from MO
• Being wowed (as always) by the musical genius of Chris Thile, in solo concert at the Walton Performing Arts Center
• Being voted Outstanding Staff Member of the Year by our 2nd year students
• Picking strawberries from our garden patch
• Traveling to New Jersey/New York City with fellow musician friend Holly to see Anna Lapwood in concert playing the world’s largest organ at Boardwalk Hall, where she premiered her Lord of the Rings Organ Symphony. We also enjoyed a lovely meal at Chef Vola near the Boardwalk, shopped at the Strand Bookstore in NYC, ate dinner at the Blue Box Cafe at Tiffany & Co. (& I did a little bit of shopping afterwards), saw Schmigadoon on Broadway, and more!
• Celebrating a dear friend’s 50th birthday where we all wore fake beards in his honor
• Cheering on our nephew & niece perform in their school production of The Little Mermaid and shopping at All Too Novel bookstore in Gentry, AR
• Attending a sweet mother’s day tea with my dear momma
• Turning 45 in Minneapolis with my husband for a work conference and attending a Twins baseball game, shopping at the Mall of America and Galleria, visiting the Mississippi River Visitor Center in St. Paul, eating at Murray’s and Ciao Bella, shopping at Birchbark Books, and sitting contentedly in front of a Van Gogh at the Minneapolis Institute of Art
• Celebrating my belated birthday over tacos & lemon cupcakes with friends, my husband, and momma
• Having my first colonoscopy (not as scary as I anticipated!)
• Getting four more stamps in my National Parks Passport: Petroglyph National Monument, Grand Canyon, Petrified Forest National Park, and Mississippi National River and Recreation Area
• Visiting several art museums and seeing three more VanGogh paintings! The MoMA in NYC (Olive Trees with the Alpilles in the Background and The Starry Night), Crystal Bridges in Bentonville (America 250 exhibit + Rosie the Riveter), and the Minneapolis Institute of Art (Olive Trees with Yellow Sky and Sun). See below!

What I have learned this spring:

Rain sounds on my iPhone while traveling

As mentioned above, I have been doing an exceptional amount of traveling this spring, with more to come this summer (favorite spots in the Ozarks, Philadelphia, Washington/B.C.)! Several years ago, I learned how to activate the background noise feature on my iPhone, which has come in handy as a makeshift sound machine when I’m away from home. It’s been so comforting!

• Settings
• Accessibility > Audio & Visual
• Background Sounds and toggle the switch on
• Sound > Rain

Sgt. Pepper & Apple start-up sound

It had been a while since I listened to The Beatle’s album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, but this was my selected kitchen companion during a rare relaxed weekend at home. At the end of “A Day in the Life,” I was startled to make the connection that the giant chord, climaxing after the atonal run, is closely mimicked by Apple as the start-up sound for Macs & iPhones.

Appreciating & investing in reciprocated friendships

Now in my mid-40s, the older I become, the more I have come to appreciate long-lasting, reciprocated friendships. Time spent in person this spring with dear friends Megan and Holly has been such a gift. I am also so grateful to have reconnected with my childhood friend Lindsey, and am chuffed to bits when receiving online messages or pen pal letters from my sweet friends Hayley, Lauren, Meg, and Erin. Make new friends but keep the old. One is silver and the other gold.

Bring me all the lemons!

Until recently, I had never made the connection of just how much I love a lemon dessert or special drink. But, when I think back on it, of course this is the case! I loved lemon cookies at Christmas as a child and our wedding cake included a lemon filling, for goodness sake. To this, I can now add to the list: Chick-Fil-A’s frozen lemonade, homemade lemon cupcakes (made by my husband for my birthday), Crystal Light lemonade packets, an amaretto sour, or a lemon drop martini. YUM to all of the above!

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What new things have you learned about yourself or the world around you this spring? Please feel free to share in the comments below!

Book Review: The Shippers by Katherine Center

The Shippers by Katherine Center

After a series of failed relationships, Jojo thinks her love life is cursed, and the only solution is to reconnect with her childhood crush, Finn, the supposed bestower of her first kiss, during her sister’s Caribbean wedding cruise. However, it’s her childhood best friend and neighbor, Cooper, who arrives unannounced from London, who Jojo coerces into helping her woo newly divorced Finn. However, the more she gets to know Finn, the more she realizes how much she has missed Cooper, remembers how he has always been quick to come to her rescue, realizes why he fled to Europe after college, and the truth behind her first kiss all those years ago.

This friends-to-lovers story is filled with loving family members, changed hearts, and hopeful futures; the true essence of happily ever after.

My thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for access to the audio ARC.

Read: April 2026

Dog Trouble by Kristin Varner

Winner of this year’s Sequoyah Award, I enjoyed this story of Ash, a young boy who gets into minor trouble and his summer in the PNW is spent offering community service at an animal shelter to atone for his wrongdoing. As he gets to know and walks the dogs available for adoption, he gains confidence in himself, learns how to love and grieve, and open himself up to new relationships.

Read via: public library

Poems & Prayers by Matthew McConaughey

For National Poetry Month, this collection of poems and prayers from actor Matthew McConaughey was a fascinating way to catch a glimpse of his inner workings and musings.

Read via: public library

Today, may I be available to see myself as God sees me and faithful enough to believe it. (p. 151)

Death of a Mad Hatter by Jenn McKinlay

Second in the Hat Shop Mystery series, when Scarlett and Viv are tasked with designing hats for an Alice in Wonderland themed tea, things don’t go according to plan when one family member winds up dead. Family secrets come to light as the truth of his killer is revealed.

Read via: Hoopla audio

Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid

I’m close to being a Taylor Jenkins Reid completionist (just lacking Carrie Soto and Forever, Interrupted)! With all of the recent “moon joy” of the Artemis II mission, the time was right to read this love story of two female astronaut pioneers during the Space Shuttle era in the 1980s.

My thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for access to the digital ARC.

Theo of Golden by Allen Levi

Selected by my neighbor Holly for our monthly book club selection, I loved this gentle story of a privately mysterious man named Theo who opens himself up to friendships, conversation, connection, and art in the deep southern town of Golden. The community of Golden had a strong sense of place in my readerly imagination and I felt Levi created a memorable story with a satisfying resolution.

Read via: home library

The Ending Writes Itself by Evelyn Clarke

Six lesser-known authors are invited to the private Scottish island of murder mystery king Arthur Fletch. NDAs are signed, technological devices are stored away under lock & key, and then the truth is revealed: Arthur Fletch recently died and a competition has just begun to see which author can complete the unfinished, final book in Fletch’s beloved mystery series. The premise of this was compelling, but there wasn’t a satisfying twist or conclusion, which left me feeling disappointed.

My thanks to NetGalley and Harper Audio Adult for access to the audio ARC.

American Fantasy by Emma Straub

Boy Talk, an aging boy band, and their decades-long fan base are setting sail on the American Fantasy cruise ship for four days in the Caribbean. Sarah is a talent wrangler, appeasing (and cleaning up the messes) of the band members. Annie is a 50 year old divorcee, who wishes her younger sister could be a part of the experience. Keith is one of the members of Boy Talk, but is struggling with creative fulfillment. As a childhood fan of New Kids on the Block, I enjoyed this boy-band inspired story of nostalgia, middle-aged longing, purpose, and identity.

My thanks to NetGalley and Riverhead for access to the digital ARC.

Mascot by Antony John

As the summer began, Noah was the starting catcher on his little league baseball team. But, as the school year begins, he is now confined to a wheelchair, struggling with not only paraplegia, but the death of his father. This heartwarming middle grade story, set in St. Louis (go, Cardinals!), creates a carefully genuine look at grief, determination, newfound friendship, and the love of the game.

Read via: home library

The Shippers by Katherine Center

Jojo is convinced her love life is cursed, ever since imprinting on Finn, the bestower of her first kiss. Her plot to reconnect with grow-up Finn hatches during her sister’s wedding cruise, and it’s going to take the help of her childhood best friend and neighbor Cooper to make it happen. This friends-to-lovers story is a feel-good happily ever after to begin summer reading. Please look for my full review on May 19.

My thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for access to the audio ARC.

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It’s been a really good reading month and I’m glad I’ve tackled several ARCs (sometimes they languish…). Looking ahead to May, I’m excited to dive into Big Fan by Alexandra Romanoff, plus ARCs of The Calamity Club by Katherine Stockett and The May House by Jillian Cantor. What about you? What’s on your May TBR?