Wait a minute. How did September come (and now go) so quickly? Thankfully, I can mark the passage of time with more great books!
Also, I only finished one book of non-fiction in September? What is happening to me??????????
January. February. March. April. May. June. July. August.
BOOKS I READ IN SEPTEMBER — THE SHORT VERSION
- The Stationery Shop — Marjan Kamali ★★★★☆
- Frozen River — Ariel Lawhon ★★★★☆
- The Man Made of Smoke — Alex North ★★★☆☆
- The Women — Kristin Hannah ★★★★☆
- The Enchanted April — Elizabeth von Arnim ★★★★★
- The Secret Book Society — Madeline Martin ★★★★☆
- The Anomaly — Hervé Le Tellier ★★★★☆
- The Ghostwriter — Julie Clark ★★★☆☆
- Careless People: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed, and Lost Idealism — Sarah Wynn-Williams *not rated
BOOKS I READ IN SEPTEMBER — THE LONG VERSION
The Stationery Shop — Marjan Kamali (historical fiction) ★★★★☆
I really enjoyed this one! It flips between past and present, but I found the story engaging enough to follow along. It did drag in a few spots and the ending felt a bit rushed/forced to me. But, overall, I was rooting for the characters and their happiness.
- Summary. Roya is a dreamy, idealistic teen in 1953 Tehran who finds solace in Mr. Fakhri’s stationery shop. When Mr. Fakhri introduces her to Bahman, a poetry-loving, justice-seeking boy, Roya is smitten. Their romance grows, but on the eve of their wedding, political violence erupts during the coup d’état — and Bahman doesn’t show up at the town square where they were to meet. Weeks of searching bring no answers. Fast-forward sixty years, and a twist of fate brings Roya face-to-face with Bahman, giving her the chance to finally ask the questions that haunted her for decades.
- Trigger warnings. Infant loss, mentions of suicide.
Frozen River — Ariel Lawhon (historical fiction) ★★★★☆
I have mixed feelings about this one. The pacing felt slow (and a very repetitive at times), but the story itself kept me turning the pages, even if I did skim toward the end. I have a soft spot for historical fiction when it’s based on a real person, and I can see why this book has been so popular. That said, trigger warnings are important to note (see below) as a disturbing sexual assault (based in fact) is a central plot point.
- Summary. When a man is found frozen in the Kennebec River, midwife Martha Ballard is called to determine cause of death. Martha knows the secrets of everyone in town — she documents every birth, death, and scandal in her diary. Months earlier, she recorded a shocking rape case involving two prominent men, and now one of them is dead. When a local physician calls the death an accident, Martha can’t let it go. Over the winter, as the trial looms and gossip spreads, she hunts for the truth, even when it threatens to implicate the people she loves most.
- Trigger warnings. Infant loss, sexual assault and rape, murder.
The Man Made of Smoke — Alex North (fiction; thriller) ★★★☆☆
This one left me frustrated! The premise is good but there was so. much. filler. The repetition got tiresome, and the resolution didn’t quite land for me. Still, I couldn’t put it down (even if I skimmed more than I wanted to).
I will try more of North’s books, though, because the plot was original.
- Summary. Dan Garvie has spent his life haunted by the fact he survived an encounter with a serial killer. Not only did he survive but he failed to help an abducted boy who begged for help. Now a criminal profiler, he returns to his island hometown after his father dies under suspicious circumstances. Could the monster from his childhood be back?
- Trigger warnings. Violence, murder, and strong language.
The Women — Kristin Hannah (historical fiction) ★★★★☆
4.5 stars rounded down to 4.
This was a sweeping, emotional read. I waited over a year for my library hold to come in — this has been a popular book! I loved Frankie’s story but by the end, the writing felt a bloated and I wasn’t invested in yet another subplot. The ending was satisfying, but I wanted a bit more time with Frankie in the present.
- Summary. Frances “Frankie” McGrath grows up sheltered in sunny Southern California. When her brother is sent to Vietnam, Frankie shocks her conservative parents by joining the Army Nurse Corps. And coming home to a divided America turns out to be its own kind of battle.
- Trigger warnings. Some profanity (not excessive), miscarriage, graphic war descriptions, (closed door) infidelity, PTSD, substance abuse.
The Enchanted April — Elizabeth von Arnim ★★★★★
This was exactly what I needed: gentle, quiet, and full of charm. Nothing earth-shattering happens, and that’s the beauty of it. Each character slowly unfolds and by the end you’re completely wrapped up in their little world. It gave me I Capture the Castle and The Fortnight in September vibes.
- Summary. Four women, all dissatisfied with their lives, escape dreary London for a month at a castle in Italy. Wisteria, sunshine, and solitude work their quiet magic, and each woman begins to rediscover joy and connection with themselves and with each other.
- Trigger warnings. None!
The Secret Book Society — Madeline Martin ★★★☆☆
Talk about mixed emotions. This book!!!! Where do I start? After much deliberation, I’m giving it 3.5 stars, rounded down to 3.
The writing is pretty terrible. Some of the dialogue is so unbelievable and overwritten I had to stop and make note. Here are just a few examples:
- “Lavina’s heart slammed in her chest, pounding as though it might crack her ribs.”
- “…her thoughts scattered in her brain like a sack of upended marbles.”
- “My chest draws tight, muscles tense, like a vessel preparing for the ensuing storm,” she said, focusing on the darkness behind her lids and the memory of the last time anger had consumed her. “The burning starts in my breast, embers that catch like kindling, flaring to life and swelling with flames that whip into a a wicked conflagration.”
- “My throat aches as a rage scorches up before emerging from my mouth in a scream that leaves me raw and yet, to the rest of the world, the sound falls completely silent.”
For the writing alone, I would have stopped. BUT the story pulled me in and I did care what happened to the characters.
- Summary. London, 1895. Three women — Eleanor, Rose, and Lavinia — are all trapped by the men and expectations that define their lives. When they’re invited to the mysterious Lady Duxbury’s tea, they discover a secret book club that becomes a refuge and a catalyst for rebellion.
- Trigger warnings. Infant loss, child death, domestic abuse.
The Anomaly — Hervé Le Tellier (science fiction) ★★★★☆
3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
This book was clever, strange, and occasionally way over my head — but what a concept! Imagine walking off a plane and coming face-to-face with…yourself. I liked it but didn’t love it.
- Summary. When a flight from Paris to New York somehow duplicates itself, hundreds of passengers must confront the impossible reality of their doubles. Among them: a contract killer, a pop star, a lawyer, and a writer whose work suddenly becomes a phenomenon. Their lives intertwine as governments, scientists, and philosophers scramble to make sense of what happened.
- Trigger warnings. Implied sexual assault, murder-for-hire, strong language, suicide.
The Ghostwriter — Julie Clark (fiction; thriller) ★★★☆☆
3.5 stars rounded down to 3.
I saw a review that said something like, “If I’d skipped the middle 100 pages, I wouldn’t have missed anything.” Honestly? That’s pretty spot-on.
This book did pull me in, but it felt repetitive in places, and parts of it really dragged. That said, there were enough twists and turns to keep me reading, and I did enjoy it overall. I just wish the writing had been tighter; it could have packed more punch with less padding.
- Summary. The Taylor family is shattered in a single night when two teenage siblings are found dead. The only survivor, Vincent, lives under a cloud of suspicion. Decades later, Vincent has become a famous horror author and his daughter Olivia (who has kept her identity a secret) is asked to ghostwrite his final book. But it’s not just another horror novel…it’s time for Vincent to finally tell the truth about what happened as his loses his memory due to dementia.
- Trigger warnings. Abortion, murder, sexual abuse, substance use, strong language.
Careless People: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed, and Lost Idealism — Sarah Wynn-Williams (non-fiction; whistleblower memoir) *not rated
As usual, I’m not rating this memoir-style account, but it’s a gripping, infuriating, and deeply personal read. Sarah Wynn-Williams, a longtime senior figure at Facebook, pulls back the curtain on some truly harrowing experiences inside the company. Her critiques of Mark Zuckerberg and Sheryl Sandberg are particularly pointed.
This book made me very glad I stopped using Facebook nearly twenty years ago. The picture she paints is bleak: an institution that seems more sinister than salvageable.
I do agree with other reviewers who question her decision to stay in her role for so long. It’s a valid critique, though clearly a complicated one.
- Trigger warnings. Sexual harassment, strong language, medical trauma.
And that’s a wrap.
Your turn.
- What was the best (or worst!) book you read in September?
- And if you had to recommend one gentle read (like The Enchanted April), what would it be?
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I recently picked up the book Careless People from one of our nwighbourhood little libraries while out walking and am looking forward to reading it.
I felt the author of The Women just kept throwing every possible problem at the main character that it became ridiculous. I enjoyed her book The Nightingales, but found another of hers set during the dust bowl also over the top.
I have not read Frozen River, but I saw the wonderful documentary The Midwife’s Tale years ago.
My favourite read of September was Smoked Gets in Your Eyes and other lessons from the cremetorium by Caitlin Doughty. Sounds grim, and there is some very explicit detail about body decomposition; however, the author includes interesting historical information about death in society, highlights bad business practices among funeral homes, and why alternatives to embalming and cremation, “green burials” are important to explore. There are also some laugh out loud funny moments. Recommend cautiously and definitely not a gentle read!
Careless People was a sad, sobering read for sure.
I’ve read Smoke Gets in Your Eyes (several years ago). I don’t remember too many details but remember being fascinated by it and thinking it was very well written!
The Enchanted April should be available on prescription. “Life’s tough? Nothing is going to plan. It all feels helpless or overwhelming and you just need a heartwarming distraction? Here, read this.” The audio version on audible is particularly lovely too.
Totally agree. It was such a happy, relaxing book. And one I will keep my eye open for at thrift stores because I would love to own a copy for myself.
I can imagine it being WONDERFUL on audio book.
Wow, what a month of reading! I love how you balance heavier reads with something gentle like “The Enchanted April”, it seems like the kind of book you can lose yourself in without stress. Your review of “The Secret Book Society” made me laugh, that dialogue sounds utterly over the top, but I get why you kept reading!
I’m 91% through “Gone with the Wind” right now… I’m so into it that I’m postponing my sleep because of it (I only read in bed before I go to sleep). It’s so so captivating!
The dialogue was INSANE. I was reading it while Birchie was here and had to keep reading her little snippets out loud because I just couldn’t believe how awful it was.
Gone with the Wind is still on my mental TBR! I haven’t felt ready to commit to such a long book, but I’ve heard nothing but good things.
Ha – what does it say about my reading habits that when I tried to think of a “gentle read,” I came up with… The Thursday Murder Club.
I have read a few Alex North books in the past and should read this one! Someone gave me The Frozen River for a gift last… Christmas? birthday? and I have yet to read it.
The best book I read in September was probably Johnny Tremain. Wait – it looks like I finished The Correspondent in early September and that was fantastic, too.
I’m listening to The Correspondent right now. The wait list was soooo long, so I gave up and decided to listen to it via Spotify. I have such a hard time concentrating while listening to audiobooks, though. Sigh. What’s wrong with me???!!!
The Thursday Murder Club is kind of “gentle” – I totally agree with this description.
I giggled at the trigger warnings for Enchanted April. From what I remember, that’s accurate!
September was a slow reading month, since I was so busy partying it up with you. My worst read was O is for Outlaw, which wasn’t bad at all, but it wasn’t the best in the series. The Road to Tender Hearts was a wow.
It was so nice to have a book with, at least in my mind, ZERO trigger warnings!
I laughed out loud at the line of dialogue “the burning starts in my breast”. *Nobody* talks like that!! I think that would have been too much for me to handle so kudos to you for sticking it out.
Just added The Enchanted April to my Libby wishlist — the audio version is read by a British woman with the most comforting voice, so I think it will add even more to the story! Thanks for sharing that. I absolutely agree with Suzanne that the Thursday Murder Club series is (surprisingly) good comfort fiction too.
I just finished Life After Life, by Kate Atkinson, about a woman born in the early 1900s whose life takes slightly different tangents throughout WWI and WWII — the story will get to a certain point and then start again as if she is being reincarnated. I really enjoyed this literary device as well as the incredibly well-researched historical information (with each version of her character playing a different role especially during WWII). I found the ending unsatisfying but it was quite an adventurous ride.
It was unbelievable dialogue.
I think you will LOVE The Enchanted April and I feel like the British accent will push things over the edge in the best way.
That sounds like a really interesting premise, though it’s too bad the ending was unsatisfying! Sometimes I like ambiguous or unexpected endings and sometimes I makes me irate.
I’ve heard of all of these, but the only one I’ve read is The Anomaly. Phew- I’m glad you didn’t hate it! I really liked it, but I can see how it wouldn’t be for everyone. I’m interested in Frozen River and The Man Made of Smoke (although- maybe a little less interested in that one after reading your review!) If I were going to recommend a “gentle” book it would be The Correspondent by Virginia Evans. There are definitely some deeper plot points in that one, but what can be more gentle than an elderly woman writing letters? I loved it.
Thanks for the book reviews! They’re always fun to read.
I’m listening to The Correspondent right now and it has been great (though I really struggle to listen to books on audio; my mind wanders!).
I liked the Anomaly and can see why some people LOVE it. It was a really interesting and unexpected premise.
The best books I read in September were each in a series, so not something to recommend without going back to the beginning. Worst would probably be one I read that I didn’t know was first in a series and that ended on a total cliffhanger! How rude. It actually wasn’t a bad book, but I was not in the mood to be left hanging.
If I read Enchanted April, it was decades ago, so I may need to pick it up. My favorite light/comfort read is an old one, Greenwillow by BJ Chute. Just lovely!
I tried to order in Greenwillow but my library doesn’t have a copy 🙁 I’ll have to keep my eyes open at thrift stores!
I hope the universe sends it your way! In doing a search on it, I learned that in 1960 there was a musical version (!) with Anthony Perkins as Gideon! I can’t even imagine.
Thanks for your reviews – very informative.
Best books I read during September:
I learned a lot from:
“The Life of Frederick Douglass: A Graphic Narrative of an Extraordinary Life”
By David F. Walker et al. 192 pages. 2019. Graphic non-fiction. Good overview of Douglass’ life, and the art was well done.
And I greatly enjoyed:
“Dropped Like a Bad Habit” (Nun the Wiser Mysteries Book 2)
By Melissa Westemeier. 327 pages. 2025.
Cozy murder mystery. (Seems like the words “cozy” and “murder” should not be next to each other, but there they are.)
I read “The Enchanted April” a long time ago and really enjoyed it. For cozy reads, I usually go to Alexander McCall Smith.
“The Women” is a book that most people really loved but I didn’t. I did learn from it, so reading it was valuable and bumped my rating up. On the other hand, I really enjoyed “The Frozen River” (a thriller taking place in the 18th Century!) even though I usually can’t read thrillers. It has some pretty shocking stuff, but I had already read the non-fiction history Pulitzer prize winner about the main character “A Midwife’s Tale” by Laurel Thatcher Ulrich. That history book is quite a slog, but I think Martha Ballard was truly a fascinating person.
I tried reading an Alexander McCall Smith book a few months ago and just could not get into it, but really should try again since they are so beloved!
Agreed that Martha Ballard was fascinating!! I can see it being an epic Hollywood movie.
Weirdly, I felt like September was strangely long. Maybe because I took Eve back to school in August, and then when I got home it felt strange that it wasn’t quite September. And we had family visiting and birthdays and stuff out of the routine, which always makes days feel longer.
I read The Man Made of Smoke and felt roughly the same as you – I laughed a little when you said you’d read more because the plot was original, only because I’ve read a lot of his books and they all sort of blend together in my mind – there’s always a small town, usually a man returning, alone or with a small child, and some sort of strange serial killer whose actions defy belief. Your Mileage May Vary.
I haven’t read The Enchanted April, but I’ve seen the movie and the play, and both were lovely.
I read The Ghostwriter just two or three books ago, and agree with you, and read The Anomaly last year and think I also agree with you. It was intellectually very satisfying and admirable, but didn’t take me over emotionally. I love this kind of premise, though.
It was my first book by him so it felt original…
I find that a lot with certain authors. The first book you read by them feels unusual…and then you read more in their back catalogue and it feels like copy, paste, change a few details. Sigh.
I loved The Enchanted April! It was just the book I needed at just the right time. I wish it was a series because I would love to follow that group of ladies around the world to different vacation destinations.
I didn’t read that many books in September due to our vacation. A gentle book recommendation? Pineapple Street by Jenny Jackson. Probably, most of my reads would be on the gentle side. I just can’t do WW2 books or anything sad anymore.
I’ve heard such good things about Pineapple Street (I feel like it came out a few years ago?)…I should look this up!
I love to read anything by Georgette Heyer for a comfort read. Also A Countess Below Stairs by Eva Ibbotson, which I think is called The Secret Countess in the US and Canada, A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett, Rosamunde Pilcher’s Winter Solstice or The Shell Seekers. Seems I have a lot of comfort reading, which must say something!
I have a bunch of Georgette Heyer on my holds list so now I’m extra excited to read one. The Secret Countess was a DNF for me…can’t remember why. I think I just never got pulled into the story?
I’ve had The Shell Seekers on my list for a long time and haven’t gotten around to reading it yet. Maybe Winter Solstice this winter?
I really like Heartwood and I am really enjoying Joy Luck Club. Some of these sound really good. I do like a memoir.
I haven’t started Joy Luck Club yet. Am I behind?? I need to scoot over to Engie’s blog pronto and figure this out!
I am still on the wait list for Heartwood. I expect to be waiting for quite some time. Maybe I’ll listen to it on audio???
I read Careless People last month as well, and am also glad that I deactivated my Facebook account. Such awful people! I was frustrated with her staying in the role so long. I mean, there were so many red flags from almost as soon as she started, and the expectations on her when she was pregnant/should have been on maternity leave were ridiculous. Terrible, terrible corporate culture that sets back women’s (and men’s) rights in terms of family-friendly policies.
It was so frustrating how long she stayed. I understand the health insurance issue is a HUGE one in the US, but it felt like she was unsettled for wayyy too long to stay there and it was downright dangerous for her health. Argh.
It definitely sounds like an incredibly toxic environment and she does not portray Mark Z or Sheryl S in a good light. Sigh. It’s all so sad.
The Enchanted April sounds lovely! Off to put a hold on it (if the library has it). Of course all holds get transported by Canada Post in NB soooooo…
I’m rereading the Dales series by Gervase Phinn. The first is The Other Side of the Dales. It’s very gentle. Phinn was a school inspector in Yorkshire schools and he wrote books about it. They’ve been described as the James Herriot of schools books. However, unlike in Herriot’s books there tend to be far fewer slightly gnarly veterinary problems. 😉 Same level of plot I’d say – Phinn courts his wife, some characters at the school reappear, etc. Very soothing I find!
I hope you’re able to get a copy. It was LOVELY.
That sounds very soothing indeed. I will check that Dales series out.
Elisabeth, try McCall Smith’s The Winds from Further West. It is a stand alone, based on an island. His other stand alone that I thought was terrific was Trains and Lovers. These two books caused me to look for more of his work. I got tired of the Detective Ladies Agency a long time ago and Isabel Dalhousie didn’t hold my interest. But 44th Scotland Street series was a solid gentle read with lots of books about the same characters. He gets long-winded, but has some interesting philosophical dialogue, and his characters are so complete that the reader can really predict their behaviors, and yet he throws a twist or two into the plots. I also really liked My Italian Bulldozer, but the follow up The Second Worst Restaurant in France was a yawn.
Thanks for all these recommendations, Jana. I just put a bunch on hold at my library!
The Stationery Shop has been lingering on my TBR for awhile, the cover is so intriguing.
I’m going to remember Enchanted April for when I need a comforting read.
The Enchanted April was sooooo good (for me at least).
From your list, I’ve read The Stationary Shop and The Women. Both were excellent reads! The Women was my best book of last year – I learned so much about the Vietnam War that I knew nothing about!
I didn’t read anything outstanding in September – it was a lackluster reading month for me and I read a LOT less than normal. I guess the best would be Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker.
I liked The Stationary Shop too! Glad you enjoyed it.
I just finished The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and it wasn’t that great for me, even though it had rave reviews. I couldn’t connect with any of the characters; I didn’t really care for them.
I have had The Women on my TBR list for quite a while already. Why am I putting off reading it?
I heard about the Stationery Shop from you! Thanks for the recommendation.
The stationary shop sounds really interesting, I think I’m putting that on my wish list!
I spent September reading through the Percy Jackson series. My son absolutely loved them, and I promised him I would read them too, so mission accomplished now! I absolutely get why he loves them, they’re action packed and reference Greek and Roman mythology. Plus, very gentle teenage romance. Definitely another coming of age series.
For comforting reads, you could also go for Howl’s moving castle from Diane Wynne Jones 🙂 for non-fiction, I thought the Five, by Hallie Rubenhold is a really fascinating look at the victims of Jack the Ripper. I love the way she explores their lives, with a lot of commentary / explanation of what life was like at the time.
I’ve put The Five on hold!!!