Monthly Book Review: September 2026

Summer went by way too fast. My gardens are half dead - which is maybe ok as they didn't perform as well as expected - pumpkin everything is everywhere and the temperatures took a massive plunge. Not sure I'm ready for what's next - Winter is coming - but it will be here whether I like it or not so might as well enjoy everything this season has to offer. One advantage of the cooler temps is that it makes for cozy reading / listening weather.

My book club selected Whistler by Ann Patchett and I loved it. Daphne runs into her former stepfather at a museum, and the reunion takes them down a detailed memory lane of the brief time they spent together 40 years ago that left a profound impression on each. They are bonded by a shared trauma and a sense of wonder and delight in the every day. Patchett does a phenomenal job of recording the nuances of relationships and quiet emotions. 

I followed this up with Eleanore Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman. Eleanor has had a difficult life and that as well as being on the spectrum has made for a lonely, awkward and predictable life. A chance encounter and a sudden fantasy shake things up and awaken a deep awareness and memories she had buried deep inside. Her transformation from surviving to thriving is captivating. I especially enjoyed Eleanor's inner dialogue - hysterical one moment and cringey the next. This was in my to-be-read queue for a really long time and I'm glad I finely picked it up.

I also read Wormwood Abbey by Christina Baeher. This was a recommendation for the Emma M. Lion drought and I enjoyed its quirkiness. Edith Worms befriends a strange creature while visiting her cousins in rural Yorkshire. Could it be a dragon? There are four additional books in the series - on the fence if I'll read more.

With the movie version coming out this weekend, Verity by Colleen Hoover is my book club's pick for October and I'm almost halfway through. I read it early in 2022 so some of the details are fuzzy, but I definitely recall how different it is from Hoover's other books. This is dark, sexy and creepy. Looking forward to the movie with Anne Hathaway and Dakota Johnson.

Monthly Book Review: August 2026

3 books again this month — very proud of myself!

The first was my book club pick - The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers. A character‑driven sci‑fi story that leans hard into themes of prejudice, injustice, and chosen family. I loved the Wayfarer crew — they’re diverse, warm, and genuinely interesting, with a lot of consideration of how different species and cultures learn to understand one other. That said, it fell a bit short for me. While the characters have depth, the overall story didn’t pull me in as much as I expected, and I found myself wanting a bit more drive behind the big ideas it raises.

Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid is another "space" book but extremely different than Angry Planet. This is my eighth Reid book and definitely in the top 4 of those (the others are Seven Husbands, Carrie Soto and Daisy Jones). This has a dual timeline, following Joan Goodwin and her quest to be one of the few humans to fly into space aboard the space shuttle and a present-day crisis. I loved the strong “girl power” vibe and the relationships — friendships, mentorships, and complicated bonds that shape Joan’s life. I don't want to give too much away, but one of those relationships is with a fellow astronaut and how they navigate their work and society's expectations.

Theo of Golden by Allen Levi is such a beautiful story, it will most definitely be in my top 5 for the year. What I loved most was the sense that something larger was always at work. Again, the relationships are a standout. They’re tender, complicated, and full of quiet truths. And Theo’s instinct to see the best in people — even when it’s risky or naïve — makes him incredibly endearing. Overall, a rich, heartfelt novel that blends charm, purpose, and a touch of the mystical — a story about second chances and the courage to rewrite your own legacy. The narration is delightful - warm, immersive and a little magical. 

Emma M. Lion

Guess I’m not the only one who is obsessed. 

https://romancingthephone.substack.com/p/who-is-emma-m-lion

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/29/books/review/beth-brower-unselected-journals-of-emma-m-lion.html?unlocked_article_code=1.3lA.0J6N.LVQ9R0QMRE4y&smid=url-share&login=email&auth=login-email

Monthly Book Review: July 2026

Three books this month ... let's deep dive. 

A fun beach read, The Hotel Nantucket by Elin Hilderbrand follows Lizbet Keaton as she steps into her new role as manager of a freshly restored luxury hotel. The cast is exactly what you’d hope for in a summer novel: a mom of two whose husband ran off with the nanny and needs a place to land, staff members hiding secrets, a hot chef, and a ghost lingering in the halls.This was my first Hilderbrand, and while I enjoyed the breezy pacing and the island atmosphere, I get the sense that her other twenty‑plus books follow a similar formula — I’m not sure I need to read the whole catalog. I did love the Minnesota references sprinkled throughout, and Nantucket itself sounds like a gorgeous (if wildly expensive) place to visit. Overall, a light, enjoyable summer read that delivers exactly what it promises.

I loved Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth. It’s a true slow burn—quietly intense and layered—in the same vein as Broken Country and Atonement. The story moves between two timelines: present‑day 81‑year‑old Elsie, and her gilded, complicated childhood as Mabel. I’ll admit, I judged Mabel quickly. She’s the neighborhood curmudgeon, and she’s the one who discovers her neighbor’s dead body after repeatedly threatening him. It’s easy to assume the worst. But as the story unfolds, it becomes clear there’s far more to her life than the prickly exterior. Is Mabel a murderer or a victim? One of the “big surprises” was pretty easy to spot, but several others genuinely caught me off guard. I especially loved Persephone, the precocious young neighbor who decides Mabel is her new best friend, and Mabel’s Aunt Cess and Cess’s partner Ness whose characters bring warmth, humor, and heart.  

The Parisian Heist by Jo Piazza is the latest media darling, and while I enjoyed parts of it, I’d call it solidly OK rather than spectacular. The novel follows Emma, an American artist living in Paris with two girlfriends. She strikes up an unlikely friendship with Stella Swanson, an aging socialite and widow of a notorious art dealer. Stella’s husband comes from a family that has shaped—and sometimes manipulated—the art world for nearly a century, and Emma quickly finds herself pulled into their orbit. Running parallel to Emma’s storyline is Claire, a Parisian prostitute whose life becomes entangled with the widow of one of her clients after he dies. That widow happens to be Jo (pronounced “yo”) Van Gogh, the sister‑in‑law of Vincent Van Gogh. Claire is entirely fictional, but her chapters add grit and tension as the two narratives slowly converge around Stella, secrets, and the power structures of the art world. What surprised me most was how much I enjoyed the historical threads—the glimpses into Van Gogh’s life, the Netherlands, and the inner workings of the art world. Even though the plot itself didn’t fully sweep me away, the background details and art history were fascinating and kept me turning the pages.

Monthly Book Review: June 2026 AND Our European Vacation

June was a busy month. We went to Vegas to see my favorite modern band, No Doubt (The Beatles still rule as all time fave). The Sphere experience was epic. A week later we left for a two-week Europe trip: Amsterdam, Norwegian fjords cruise and Copenhagen. I ate, walked and gawked like a champ! Some thoughts:

• Europe knows how to do public transportation - efficient, safe, reliable and affordable
• Bread tastes so much better - likely due to fresh, simple ingredients and time-tested recipes
• Produce tastes infinitely better - best strawberries of my life
• We find a Thai massage place in every corner we've traveled. We even booked massages in Rome last year.
• Flowers grow in every nook and cranny - some small, single variety, some grand gardens
• Bikes!!!!
• Love cruising but land tour hits different - immersive, lingering
• Old architecture rocks my world
• Washcloths - why do Europeans eschew them? Bring your own as most places don't have them and they're hard to find.
• Sustainability is a way of life - TP is rough, tap water is delicious and refillable, they charge for plastic bags so bring your own, and public transport always cheaper and faster
• Universal issue - human spatial awareness. Why does a group walk at a glacial pace across an entire expanse?

Traveling with adult kids is a treat. They're old enough to enjoy rich experiences and fund their own way, but they also have their own opinions and agendas. You can tell them to go to their rooms or knock it off, but they won't listen.

You'd think with all that flying I would have ready more than two books, but alas I did not. A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna was my book club’s pick of the month and I was totally on board. This was already on my wish list after we read The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by the same author last year. Innkeeping is the story of 30-something witch Sera Swan. She is resigned to run an inn in rural Lancashire, England while mourning the loss of her powers due to casting a forbidden resurrection spell as young girl. She's surrounded by a quirky and charming cast of characters - eternally positive and optimistic aunt Jasmine, annoying witch trapped in a fox's body Clemmie, young cousin Theo, dashing knight Nicholas, witch guild historian Luke (and Scottish) and Luke's autistic sister Poppy. This is Sera's chosen family, the ones who support her no matter what her powers. A delightful story of resilience and selflessness.

The Midnight Train is a new book from Matt Haig, author of one of my favorite books, The Midnight Library. Train did not disappoint, It follows Wilbur Budd on the review of his life aboard a magical train. A reminder that we live so many versions of ourselves. Which would be uncomfortable to relive, and which would be magical? Would there be a point at which everything changes that you wish you could do differently?

Favorite quotes:

• … to realize that even your own past was new territory to explore; that memories were no more the real event than flags were their nations
• Love is a garden … you have to tend it
• Sometimes happiness has the least to teach us

Monthly Book Review: May 2026

The last day of May always feels like a turning point, the unofficial start of summer, but this year it hits different. I’ve been counting down to this stretch of time for what feels like forever. After months of long days, late nights, and both of us running on fumes, hubby and I are finally stepping out of the grind and into something brighter. Vacation is officially on the horizon—almost two weeks in Europe. But first, a little detour: 48 hours in Vegas to see No Doubt at the Sphere. It struck me recently that I haven’t taken a weekday off for a real vacation since October 1st. Not a single one. Never again will we skip a winter getaway. Lesson learned. Between my 10–12 hour workdays and my husband being out of town for months, we’ve been in survival mode far too long. Now it’s time to slow down. To breathe. To look up and remember there’s a whole world out there waiting to be experienced.

Here’s to beauty, rest, adventure—and the start of something good.

As I mentioned in last month’s far-too-short post, I’m completely hooked on The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion by Beth Brower. I devoured eight books in just two and a half months. I want to be Emma (my favorite name of all time, by the way) – she’s deep, empathetic, defiant, curious, beguiling, and mischievous. I won’t give too much away because I’m selfish and believe it’s best experienced without bias, but I will share three things: the “alchemy” of the core four – Emma, Young Hawkes, St. Crispian’s poet vicar, Niall Pierce, the brooding American photographer/tenant, and the Duke of Islington – is pure magic; “Emma, I despair of you” is my favorite Lady Eugenia Spencer quote; and the handling of the sweet pea arc is sheer genius. I already miss them all and am anxiously awaiting volume nine.

Monthly Book Review: April 2026

I am completely addicted to The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion. I breezed through volumes 2 - 6 this month. It's gotten a bit juicy with a budding romance - beyond Emma's unintended intended. I've even fallen down the Emma M. Lion Wiki | Fandom. What will I do when I finish the last volume? Only two more to go.