We’ve come to the last week of the Bookish AF Summer of Reading! I hope the mini-challenges this summer have inspired you to enjoy your reading habit in a new or different way! (Comment with your thoughts about it. I’d love to hear what you enjoyed most!)

Today, in our Bookish AF Summer of Reading finale, I’m sharing the winner of the Bookshop.org gift card giveaway and one last mini-challenge that’s a fun way to celebrate reading by enjoying a silent reading session with fellow book lovers!

This time of year is always bittersweet. It’s so sad to say goodbye to the summer days, especially reading outside on my patio (and on a few trips to the beach!).

But I do love the Fall! So, I’ll close out this post by looking forward to the crisp, new books coming out soon and sharing my predictions on which new books everyone will be reading, discussing, and recommending!

Happy Reading!

Your friend,

Audry

P.S. The 25% Summer Discount offer on all paid memberships ends at midnight on August 31, 2026. But if you take advantage of it now, you’ll lock in this low rate forever!

Bookish AF Summer Reading BINGO

This summer, I hope these weekly mini-challenges added whimsy to your reading habit! To see the Bingo card and a round-up of all the weeks, head on over the Bookish AF Summer of Reading 2026 page here!

Congratulations to Our Bookish AF Summer of Reading Giveaway Winner!

Thank you again to all my paid subscribers for your generous support! Founding and annual subscribers gained entry into an automated random drawing to pick the winner of a $50 Bookshop.org gift card!

Robin R., check your email for a notice from Bookshop.org that your gift card was delivered, and then get book shopping! (See the official drawing results here!)

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Mini-Challenge #16 🤫Participate in or Host a Silent Reading Party

For the final mini-challenge, we’re getting inspo from the ! You know the one where groups of readers get together for one magnificent cause: sitting in silence and reading a book. Glorious!

The Silent Book Club was recently featured in the New York Times opinion page as the “future of reading.” See their latest Substack post about it! I especially loved this quote that describes the experience of gathering together and reading books:

“The act of reading becomes an immersive experience rather than a solitary pursuit. For those seeking connection and community, it is a welcome relief from isolation and loneliness.”

What better way to celebrate the end of our Summer of Reading than by doing what brought us here in the first place? Reading!

Tips for Completing This Mini-Challenge

📍 Find a Silent Book Club (SBC) Meeting

The SBC has thought of everything, including how to find a meeting near you wherever you are in the world. Head over to their “Find Your Local Chapter” map, and find a nearby event. Then gather your friends or book club group and join in! I’ve always wanted to participate in an official event. When I do, I’ll report back!

👯 Consider Hosting Your Own Silent Reading Party

Invite a few bookish friends over. Everyone brings their own book. Read silently together for an hour, then spend the last 15–20 minutes chatting about what you’re reading. You could go a step further and set up a book swap, so everyone goes home with a new read!

💻 Opt for a Virtual Silent Reading Party

Not able to get together in person? Set up a Zoom/FaceTime/whatever-you-use session, say hello, mute yourselves, and read together.

The Bookish AF Summer of Reading Finale: Did I just hear BINGO?

Before we officially close the book (see what I did there?) on the Summer of Reading 2026, I want to know: How many squares did you complete? What was your favorite mini-challenge? What was your favorite book you read this summer? Or anything else you’d like to share!

Leave a comment

Bookish AF News Updates

10 New Books I Predict You’ll Be Hearing A Lot More About this Coming Fall

There are so many fantastic new books coming this Fall. But these books stood out as ones to watch either because of the authors I know and love, or because they’ve gotten so much hype already!

Under Story by Chloe Benjamin (September 1)

This part literary fiction, part science fiction, time-bending mystery about an isolated Antarctic research station that houses a mysterious phenomenon to change the past has readers counting the days until its publication! (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

The Witches of Cambridge by Alice Hoffman (September 8)

Calling all Practical Magic fans! Alice Hoffman kicks off a brand-new witchy series with two young women at 1950s Radcliffe College who discover a secret society of witches. I will be reading this! (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

Hollow Bones by Jodi Picoult (September 15)

I’ve been a Jodi Picoult fan since … forever! Can you believe this is her 30th book? In yet another big, emotional story, Molly, whose mother died at the World Trade Center on 9/11, grows up determined to prepare for every possible disaster, until life reminds her that some things simply can’t be controlled. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

Murder at the Grand Alpine Hotel by Lucy Foley (September 22)

This book earned a solid spot on my TBR with the words “an Agatha Christie mystery.” But can Lucy Foley, who’s quite talented in her own right, pull off Miss Marple in a snowbound Swiss Alpine hotel, a guest who turns up dead, and a blizzard traps everyone inside? Early readers report back that she killed it! (Ya know, in a good way!) (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

Sophie, Standing There by Meg Mason (September 29)

In one month, you’ll get to meet Sophie, a book-loving woman whose life is unraveling just as she becomes increasingly obsessed with a favorite author. I’m sure readers won’t be able to stop talking about this funny, tender story about heartbreak, books, and loneliness. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

The Witch by Freida McFadden (October 6)

Freida McFadden is going gothic in time for October, and I’m here for it! After losing her job and apartment, Julia retreats to her family’s 17th-century Massachusetts estate where she encounters a stopped clock, a mysterious voice, and a centuries-old witchcraft accusation. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

Partita by Barbara Kingsolver (October 6)

It’s hard to imagine Pulitzer Prize winner Barbara Kingsolver topping her past novels, but the buzz about this book suggests I may have a new favorite! In this story, a shocking phone call sends Livia back into the memories of her younger self as a gifted pianist and the fallout from a devastating romance. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

Life Out of Order by Audrey Niffinger (October 6)

It’s the sequel to The Time Traveler’s Wife we’ve been waiting 22 years for! Henry and Clare’s daughter Alba has inherited her father’s ability to travel through time. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

Peck & Peck by Bonnie Garmus (October 13)

The author of another one of my favorite books, Lessons in Chemistry, is back! This upcoming novel, set in 1983 New York, follows Batter Gray, a young man who lands a job at an elite poetry magazine and finds himself caught between feuding editors and eccentric colleagues. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

Music Against the Night by Yiyun Li (Oct 13)

And finally, since Ann Patchett has called it her favorite book of 2026, I must include this story about two extraordinary musicians whose lives begin on opposite sides of the globe before eventually intersecting. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

View this book list on my Bookshop!

More New Books Coming Out This Fall!

I’ve only scratched the surface of the amazing books coming out this Fall! But if you’re looking for a longer rundown, these two Substacks did an amazing job of covering just about every noteworthy book coming soon. Warning: your TBR may overflow!

• has a handy chronological list of 35 Biggest New Books Coming in Fall 2026 That You’ll Want on Your Radar

• at the helpfully organized her top picks by genre in her TBR-inflating post: 31 Books Coming Out In Fall 2026 You Need to Know About

Bookish Quote of the Week

As we’re all saddened to learn about the passing of Dolly Parton, I wanted to share a link if you’d like to donate to her Imagination Library in her honor!

Shop for the books I recommend on Bookish AF at my Bookshop on Bookshop.org!

This content may contain affiliate links that earn me a small commission (just enough to grab a coffee) at no additional cost to you!

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Like, comment, or restack! THANK YOU!

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New Paid Subscriber and Founding Member Gifts

Your paid support makes it possible for me to spend more time on all this Bookish AF fun! It also allows me to focus on writing my next novel.

As an additional thank you for your generosity of a paid subscription, I’ve recently added:

• New Bookish AF Printables!

• Your name in the acknowledgments of my next book (in progress) when it publishes (with your permission)!

• Founding Members: The gift of my previously published Kindle e-books sent to your email.

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True confession: the only books I’ve ever read in one day were children’s picture books! They obviously don’t count for this week’s Mini-Challenge #15 📕 Read a Novella (or a Book) in One Sitting.

Unlike the other mini-challenges on the Bookish AF Summer of Reading Bingo Card, this one isn’t an automatic check-off for me. But I included it because it’s something I’d like to attempt.

I’ve made no secret of the fact that I’m a slow reader who prefers to take my time with a book. And I enjoy reading this way, even if it has its drawbacks of reading fewer books in a year and having to be more intentional with my book choices. (Because we’re now in a long-term relationship!)

But reading a book in one sitting? Could I even do it? I witnessed a friend accomplish this feat on a girlfriend getaway weekend at the beach. But late afternoon, she had read all 352 pages of Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth, somehow focusing as we slept in, loudly woke up, ate, drank, and chatted the day away.

It made me wonder: how do readers like her who regularly read a book in a day do it? Today, I’m sharing five tips for achieving this feat (plus book recs!) based on what I’ve found from the research and from your amazing responses to this Note! (Thank you, lovely bookish friends, for all your help!)

Happy Reading!

Your friend,

Audry

P.S. This post is packed, so “Bookish News Updates” will have to wait until next week. But, but, but don’t miss this movie trailer that dropped for Colleen Hoover’s Verity starring Anne Hathaway!

P.P.S. Hurry! New or current Annual or Founding Members qualify to win a $50 Bookshop.org gift card I’m giving away! The winner will be announced next week (!!!) on August 26th!

Bookish AF Summer Reading BINGO

We’re in the second-to-last mini-challenge of the Bookish AF Summer of Reading 2026! Can you believe it?

Mini-Challenge #15 📕 Read a Novella (or any Book) in One Sitting

This mini-challenge may be one you do on the regular, so no big deal! But if it’s not, then you’ll probably need the following tips to help you cover this Bingo square!

Quick Note: We all have a unique reading personality. What seems nearly impossible for one reader is just a normal occurrence to another. So whether you read slow or fast, a couple of books or a hundred in a year, it really doesn’t matter. All that counts is that your reading habit brings you joy. Period. Thank you for attending my TED Talk. Now let’s get into the tips!

5+ Tips for Reading a Book in One Sitting

If you don’t normally read at this pace, you may be curious, like me, about how some readers can get through books so quickly! So, I gathered the best advice from readers who are pros at reading a book in a day (or a single weekend).

1. Pick the right book.

It’s obvious, but of course an absolutely addictive page-turner that keeps you saying “just one more chapter” over and over again is what you should be going for here. As shared with me, genres such as thrillers and romances work well because they often feature fast pacing and easy-to-read writing. Also, consider reaching for a novella, a book under 250 pages, to binge.

(Below, I share six award-finalist novellas and a sampler of fifteen books readers swear they read at record pace!)

2. Choose your marathon reading time wisely.

It’s entirely possible to read a short or average-length book in about four or five uninterrupted hours. But distraction is the enemy! Sometimes you just have to take advantage of when life offers up a golden reading opportunity!

As shared with me, “the stars have to align!” For example, does everyone else in your household have plans except for you? Or as prefers, traveling on a long flight? It’s on!

Another reader shared with me that when the electricity went out for several hours, it set up the perfect reading atmosphere! I found this book list on Libby Life for this exact occasion!

3. Put away your phone!

The pull of checking your email or social media can be far too tempting. So, silence your phone or banish it to another room until you’re done reading!

If you need motivation to stay strong against “just checking real quick,” I recently saw somewhere (maybe it was on Instagram – how ironic!) that we addictively scroll because, partly, we’re interested in stories. On social media, these stories come up randomly and last a few minutes or seconds. Books contain stories, too, but we intentionally choose them. They last longer. And, best of all, they have a far more beneficial impact, as shared with me in her reply to my Note. Books for the win!

3. Build your cozy reading nest.

Set yourself up for success before opening to page one! The fewer reasons you have to get up, the better. (Again, distractions are enemy #1!) So, get cozy, and have your tea, coffee, beverage of choice, and snacks all within arm’s reach!

And consider investing in a few accessories designed to reduce neck, wrist, and eye strain and maximize your comfort, which can also keep you reading longer.

• A thumb page holder, like this cute cat one, allows you to hold your book open with a single hand. Perfect for sipping drinks and snacking!

• Or read completely hands-free with a bean bag book stand that holds books or tablets.

• And I love my rechargeable, bendable neck reading light for reading in bed!

4. Get into the book and keep the momentum going.

The first 30–40 pages can feel like warming up. But once you’re invested in the story, the pages will start flying by and propel you to find out what happens next, and next after that, all the way to discovering how it ends!

Also, if sitting for long periods of time is an issue (I’m guilty of this), consider just listening to an audiobook as suggested. Or try swapping between sitting with an ebook and moving about with an audiobook. Several platforms offer this service.

Bonus Tips!

Here are a few more of my favorite tips from readers:

• Reread a favorite book. Since you know what to expect, you’ll naturally read faster. (Thanks for this tip!)

• Read a book after you’ve seen the movie or TV adaptation, so you can more easily imagine the characters and the setting.

• Start a book on Friday night and finish it on Saturday night. You can stay up later on weekends, but still have time during the day to get your chores done. Long reading sessions at night can be your reward!

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Bookish Recs: 6 Novellas You Can Read in a Day

Novellas give you all the delicious parts of a novel in a tidy page count! Today, I’m sharing six recent novellas that are all 2026 Hugo Finalists, a literary award that honors the best speculative, fantasy, and sci-fi short fiction

The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar tells the story of two sisters whose bond is threatened when one is tempted to leave the human world behind for the land of the Fae. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

The Summer War by Naomi Novik has a young witch who discovers her powers when, in a fit of anger, she places a curse on her brother to never find love in their war-torn world. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

What Stalks the Deep by T. Kingfisher is the third book in the Gothic horror mystery series about retired soldier Alex Easton who enters an abandoned West Virginia coal mine that’s haunted. Coal mines always give me the creeps! (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

Cinder House by Freya Marske retells Cinderella with a queer Gothic makeover, including a murdered heroine, a haunted house, a Fae bargain, and one very important ball. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

Automatic Noodle by Annalee Newitz is an unexpected pick on this list! Deactivated robots reopen a noodle shop in post-civil-war San Francisco. What could go wrong? (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

Murder by Memory by Olivia Waite combines a locked-room murder mystery with a futuristic generation ship that enables people to transfer their memories into new bodies. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

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More Bookish Recs: 15 Books You Can’t Put Down!

As I mentioned in the tips above, your success in reading a book in a day or over a single weekend heavily depends on the book you select for this mission … uh, task. So, I collected a few book recs that are perfect if you’re giving it a try for the first time like me. They’re also perfect if you enjoy devouring a book in a day and are looking for your next binge!

Page-Turning Thrillers That, Oops, Turn Into All-Night Reads

As shared, “You tell yourself ‘just one more chapter to see who the killer is,’ and suddenly the birds are chirping outside, morning’s arrived, and you’re staring at the back cover in disbelief.”

Verity by Colleen Hoover is so hard to put down. And, as I mentioned in the P.S., it’s soon to be a movie (watch the official trailer here) with an all-star cast!

The Boyfriend by Freida McFadden has been called fast, twisty, and dangerously bingeable in several reader reviews. Although this book seems to be her current most popular pick, actually, just about any Freida McFadden book will keep you turning pages!

Keep It in the Family by John Marrs is set up so that every chapter ends with another shocking revelation. You just can’t put it down!

Addictive Romance You’ll Want to Read All at Once

Love You More by Emily Giffin, her newest book, just released, is a perfect one-day read by an author who knows how to keep you turning pages to find out what happens! (Thanks for the rec!)

Funny Story by Emily Henry is, well, funny! Best of all, this heartfelt story will pull you in and won’t let go once the fake-dating antics begin!

A Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks is a short novel that packs an emotional punch. Grab tissues before you start, so you don’t have to get up! (Thanks for the rec!)

The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood, about two scientists in a fake relationship that becomes so much more, is impossible to put down! (Thanks for the rec!)

Modern Favorites Everyone Seems to Finish in Record Time

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins reigns as one of the best “just one more chapter” books ever written.

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart is short, emotional, and packed with a finale you’ll never see coming. And it’s a hit TV series on Prime Video!

Heartstopper by Alice Oseman adds another genre choice that’s perfect for reading quickly: graphic novels!

The Woman in Me by Britney Spears and other can’t-look-away memoirs work great for binge reading sessions, too! (Thanks for the rec!)

Quick Classics You Can Polish Off in a Weekend

And, finally, a reading marathon in a day may be the perfect opportunity to cross off a classic from your TBR list that you always wanted to read! Here are a few excellent choices for the occasion:

We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson is a deliciously creepy Gothic mystery about two sisters living in an isolated house after a family tragedy.

Animal Farm by George Orwell tells the simple fable about farm animals who overthrow their human owner and discover that power can be just as corrupting in their own hands.

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald shares the glittering, tragic story of wealth, obsession, and the elusive American Dream set among the parties of 1920s Long Island.

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck is a quick yet compelling read set in the Great Depression. (Thanks for the rec!)

View these books and more at my Bookshop!(Local independent bookstores benefit from your purchases!)

Bookish Quote of the Week

“Sleep is good, he said, and books are better.”

― George R. R. Martin

Shop for the books I recommend on Bookish AF at my Bookshop on Bookshop.org!

This content may contain affiliate links that earn me a small commission (just enough to grab a coffee) at no additional cost to you!

Thank you for reading! 🤓If you enjoyed this article, please show your support:

Like, comment, or restack! THANK YOU!

Leave a comment

Did you know Bookish AF accepts newsletter sponsorships?

See The Bookish Shop to learn how I can help you connect with my over 1,200 readers!

New Paid Subscriber and Founding Member Gifts

Your paid support makes it possible for me to spend more time on all this Bookish AF fun! It also allows me to focus on writing my next novel.

As an additional thank you for your generosity of a paid subscription, I’ve recently added:

• New Bookish AF Printables!

• Your name in the acknowledgments of my next book (in progress) when it publishes (with your permission)!

• Founding Members: The gift of my previously published Kindle e-books sent to your email.

• Annual and Founding Members: Chance to win a $50 Bookshop.org gift card at the end of the Summer of Reading event! Upgrade before August 26, 2026!

  Subscribe now

For the longest time, I would scrunch up my nose at books labeled as literary fiction. For some reason, I had it in my head that this genre included extra-long, overly descriptive paragraphs and characters who spent most of the story staring out windows deep in thought. Yawn.

I had it so wrong! Ever since I discovered what literary fiction, or “lit fic” as it’s recently affectionately called, is really like, it’s become one of my favorite genres.

Over the past year or two, I read Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall, Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver, and James by Percival Everett, and consider them among the best books I’ve ever read! These books will stay with me for the rest of my life, no exaggeration!

So, today …

• I’m sharing five fantastic new literary fiction books that landed on former President Obama’s 2026 reading list. And I’m also consulting Ann Patchett for ten more book recommendations in this underappreciated genre!

• Plus, any one of these lit fic book recs would be perfect to pair with the Bookish AF Summer of Reading mini-challenge #14 🌅 Sunrise Reading Session!

• And, finally, as promised, I’ve rounded up the August 2026 Book Club Picks! Yay, more can’t-wait-to-read lit fic titles!

Happy Reading!

Your friend,

Audry

P.S. Hurry! New or current Annual or Founding Members qualify to win a $50 Bookshop.org gift card! The winner will be announced on August 26th!

Five Literary Fiction Books on Obama’s Reading List

If you want to give literary fiction a try, or already love it and are looking for a new read, you can’t go wrong with any of the books on Barack Obama’s 2026 Summer Favorites Reading List! (He also includes a summer playlist, too!)

Kin by Tayari Jones

This book, about two motherless women who were friends since birth, growing up together in 1950s Louisiana, just may become the readers’ favorite book of the year. Everyone from Oprah (watch her book club interview with Tayari Jones here) to your favorite bookish friends (including this well-done Substack article by that covers it all) can’t stop praising this book! Now add Obama to the fan list! I’m going to have to read it soon! (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

Whistler by Ann Patchett

This story of a middle-aged woman who recently reconnects with one of her stepfathers will touch your heart. Yes, there’s a horse on the cover, but the horse is only in it a little! And, yes, Whistler is known for skiing, but again, it’s not about skiing! I saw in an interview that Ann Patchett wrote this book inspired by the love she still felt for a close friend who recently passed. I will be listening to the audiobook (narrated by Ann Patchett herself!) as soon as my hold becomes available on Libby! (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

Vigil by George Saunders

This unique, at times, chaotic story is told from the point of view of the guardian angel tasked with comforting a wealthy oil tycoon in his final hours. Despite living a vile life of greed and contributing gravely to climate change, the old man lies waiting for death with no regrets. However, the spirits who visit him work to convince him otherwise. Readers love it for its dark humor, thought-provoking topics, and imaginative descriptions. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

The Things We Never Say by Elizabeth Strout

You may know Elizabeth Strout from her 2009 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel Olive Kitteridge. So, it’s no surprise that her novel released in May of this year caught the former president’s eye. In this story, we follow a late 50s high school history teacher living in Massachusetts as he comes to terms with his life and a recent revelation about his marriage, all while the tense 2024 presidential election unfolds. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

Cool Machine by Colson Whitehead

Perhaps because it’s the third book in the popular Harlem Trilogy, this crime novel set in the 1980s has captured readers’ curiosity and rave reviews. It’s the kind of book that pulls you into its gritty New York City storyline and keeps you turning pages as the main character pulls off one last heist. The stakes are high as family redemption hangs in the balance. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

Discover this booklist on Bookshop.org! (And support local independent bookstores!)

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10 More Lit Fic Novels Recommended by Ann Patchett

Besides Whistler appearing on Obama’s book list, Ann Patchett is one of the best, if not the best, literary fiction authors out there! So far, I’ve enjoyed The Dutch House and Tom Lake, narrated by Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep, respectively, on audiobooks.

In an Elle Magazine interview, Ann Patchett shared, “2026 is the best year for fiction I’ve seen since I opened a bookstore 15 years ago. Amazing, amazing books this year.”

While also highly recommending Kin and Cool Machine, here are the rest of her recommendations:

• John of John by Douglas Stuart

• The Left and the Lucky by Willy Vlautin

• Exit Party by Emily St. John Mandel

• This Time Tomorrow by Emma Straub

• Good People by Patmeena Sabit

• Sorrow and Bliss (and the soon-to-be-released, *Sophie, Standing There) by Meg Mason

• Mothers and Sons by Adam Haslett

• Absolution by Alice McDermott

And, in the same interview, Ann also added, “The best book is coming out in October. Yiyun Li’s *Music Against the Night.” You heard it here! Now go pre-order it! (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

*Learn more about Sophie, Standing There and Music Against the Night in my curated list of 10 New Books I Predict You’ll Be Hearing A Lot More About this Coming Fall!

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Bookish AF Summer Reading BINGO

This summer, add whimsy to your reading habit! Follow along with the Bookish AF Summer of Reading 2026 here!

Mini-Challenge # 14 🌅 Sunrise Reading Session

I was just discussing with a friend how sunrise and sunset look so similar but have distinctly different vibes. The morning sun feels hopeful and fills you with possibility for the new day.

How you spend this time tends to set up your day, so make it count with this mini-challenge! We’re getting up early to watch the sunrise and pairing it with a quiet reading session. (If you’re not a morning person, reading first thing when you wake up still counts!)

To create a sunrise reading ritual:

• 📚 Keep a “morning basket” with two or three books ready to read.

• ☀️ Find a cozy spot with natural morning light or sit outside if the weather allows.

• 📖 Read at least 5–10 pages before reaching for your phone.

• ☕ Pair your book with a cozy beverage (like you’d forget this step - LOL!)

The beautiful language and gentle pace of literary fiction make it the perfect pairing for a sunrise reading session. However, to quote one of last week’s cookbook recs: you do you! A thriller can be the book version of a double shot of espresso!

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Bookish AF News Updates

Except for the first book club pick, these novels all match this week's literary fiction theme!

August 2026 Book Club Selections

READ WITH JENNA and SARAH SELECTS: Sunlight Finds You by Laura Moriarty

In St. Petersburg, Florida, in 1949, 17-year-old Nora falls head over heels in love with Leonard, who was originally from New York. However, Leonard’s father’s suspicions about Nora break them apart and eventually lead Nora to leave the family she loves. Jenna calls it “the perfect summer read.” (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

REESE’S BOOK CLUB: The Wild Beneath by Kelly Anderson

Annie MacLeod grew up on a sailboat that her family navigated by the stars in the Pacific Northwest. As a young girl, Annie swam with sea creatures alongside her parents and Evan, her best friend. But when a tsunami strands her on land, she must confront how different she is. Her relationship with Evan then becomes strained by a strange new connection with a mysterious man. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

KATIE COURIC BOOK CLUB: Night Objects by Eli Raphael

Set at an elite boarding school, 15-year-old Lenny Winter moves into a houseboat in Washington State with her parents. Soon she’s enrolled in a boarding school where she joins an elite secret society and finds herself at the center of a murder investigation. According to Katie, “It’s got grief, privilege, and intrigue — all the makings of hypnotizing fiction.” (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

*Watch for to interview author Eli Raphael on Substack on Thursday, August 27th!

Melissa Gilbert’s PRAIRIE PAGES BOOK CLUB: Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri

This Pulitzer-winning collection of nine stories follows Indian immigrants and their children, who are caught between two worlds. They suffer quiet yet heart-wrenching maladies, including homesickness, distant marriages, and hurtful secrets. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

*Make sure you RSVP to the virtual book club meeting, which will feature Chef Cheryl Perry’s tutorial for potato samosas!

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Bookish Quote of the Week

“Did you ever want to be a writer?” “No,” she said, and she would have told him. “I only wanted to be a reader.”

― Ann Patchett, Commonwealth

This content may contain affiliate links that earn me a small commission (just enough to grab a coffee) at no additional cost to you!

Thank you for reading! 🤓If you enjoyed this article, please show your support:

Like, comment, or restack! THANK YOU!

Leave a comment

Did you know Bookish AF accepts newsletter sponsorships?

See The Bookish Shop to learn how I can help you connect with my over 1,200 readers!

New Paid Subscriber and Founding Member Gifts

Your paid support makes it possible for me to spend more time on all this Bookish AF fun! It also allows me to focus on writing my next novel.

As an additional thank you for your generosity of a paid subscription, I’ve recently added:

• New Bookish AF Printables!

• Your name in the acknowledgments of my next book (in progress) when it publishes (with your permission)!

• Founding Members: The gift of my previously published Kindle e-books sent to your email.

• Annual and Founding Members: Chance to win a $50 Bookshop.org gift card at the end of the Summer of Reading event! Upgrade before August 26, 2026!

It’s “5 on Five” time again! (Miraculously, the stars have aligned so that it’s landed on a Wednesday, my publishing day! Woot!) Over at The Cozy Library, is hosting this month’s “5 on Five,” and she’s chosen a tasty theme: “Books That Make You Hungry: Fiction, Memoir, and Cookbooks.”

I’ve spent wayyyy too much time doing what I’ll call “research” (a.k.a. drooling over savory pasta dishes, melty-cheesy side dishes, and cakes dreams are made of) for this post!

But it was all worth it, so today I can serve up:

• 5 Brand new, hot-off -the-(panini)-press Cookbooks + a bonus delicious novel to pre-order!

• Several foodie Substacks you’ll definitely want to follow or subscribe to!

• Why Cookbooks are still worth buying!

• Handy (or rather hands-free) bookish buys for your new cookbooks

• The “3-Course Meal Reading Method” (No books are actually eaten!)

And, bookish friends, we’re down to our final month of mini-challenges for the Bookish AF Summer of Reading: #12 🔍 Read a New Genre and #13 🏠 Find a Little Free Library!

Happy Reading!

Your friend,

Audry

P.S. I’m thanking new or current Annual or Founding Members by giving away a $50 Bookshop.org gift card on August 26th to celebrate the Bookish AF Summer of Reading!

5 New Cookbooks That’ll Make You Hungry!

On the bookish menu today, you’ll find five brand-new cookbooks: two are memoir/cookbook combos, plus a bonus historical fiction (out soon) that I think Julia Child would endorse. You’ll also make the delicious discovery of several foodie Substack publications that you’ll definitely want to follow or hit subscribe!

More, Please!: Feel-Good Meals for Busy Families and Their Picky Eaters by Rachel Mansfield

When you’re “hangry” and don’t know what to make for dinner, these sheet-pan meals and one-pot recipes with flexible ingredients are the perfect solution. How do you know for sure that these recipes are so good? When your family says “more, please!” And, honestly, is there any better compliment? (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

writes the much-loved Substack publication More, Please, where she shares approachable recipes, meal-planning tips, grocery-saving ideas, and practical kitchen advice.

Great Bakes by Martin Sorge

You may know as the recent winner of The Great American Baking Show! In his new cookbook, Martin spills the tea about what it was like to be on the show. And then, for the rest of the book, he’s just showing off! See why he won with his over 100 sweet and savory baking recipes inspired by the Midwest. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

Martin has his own Substack: Great Bakes, where he shares “recipes, tips and tricks, stories and more.” Plus, learn more about the Great Bakes cookbook in an interview with Martin over at the Cookbookery Collective: Cookbooks Are for Reading - by Jenna Helwig

*BONUS! The Cookbookery Collective creator, , who’s also the current food editor at Real Simple, plus the author of two cookbooks, has penned her first novel: The Foreign Correspondent’s Wife. This historical fiction mystery set in post-war Paris features delectable food scenes. Preorder or look for it in October 2026! (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

Will This Make You Happy by Tanya Bush

More like “will this make you hungry?” And the answer is yes! Meet Tanya Bush. In her early twenties, Tanya decided baking an almond cake would make her feel less hopeless and lost.

Spoiler alert: the cake turned out awful! But something amazing came out of Tanya’s repeated attempts to perfect her baking skills … a new outlook on life, many rewarding experiences, and eventually a career!

And now, in this hybrid memoir/cookbook that shares her stories along with her four-season recipes. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

recently featured Tanya! See their conversation about writing narrative cookbooks and why this book couldn’t exist as a standalone cookbook or memoir. Check out Everything Cookbooks and their podcast hosted by , , Kristin Donnelly, and Andrea Nguyen!

What to Cook When You Don’t Feel Like Cooking: Make It Fast by Caroline Chambers

If I’m being honest, I don’t feel like cooking most nights. Shocker, I know! So this cookbook (coming out on August 11th) may be exactly what I need! In this sequel to her first cookbook with the same name, you’ll find 100 recipes for complete meals that take only 30 minutes - for real! And that includes all the prep! I’m sure it’ll take me longer, but I love this concept! (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

Find on her top Substack publication called (you guessed it) What to Cook When You Don’t Feel Like Cooking. It has hundreds of thousands of subscribers because I’m obviously not the only one who doesn’t feel like cooking! Caroline makes it easy to cook good food you and your family will enjoy. Everything is about ease and please, even for picky eaters!

You Do You by Serena Wolf

You know when you read a recipe, and there’s that one ingredient you’re not really a fan of? (Like seeing cilantro and knowing you’re on team “tastes like soap.”) Well, don’t even worry if something doesn't hit right with the recipes in this new cookbook. They’re all perfectly adaptable so that you really can “you do you” with confidence and have it turn out delicious! (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

Serena Wolf recently joined The Dinner Plan podcast to discuss her new cookbook! The Dinner Plan podcast, hosted by cookbook author , is full of practical dinner inspo and cookbook recommendations. And when you need something to sip on as you enjoy your meal creations, check out Maggie Hoffman’s fab and fun books on Batch Cocktails: Make-Ahead Pitcher Drinks for Every Occasion and The One-Bottle Cocktail.

5 on Five: August 2026

Remember to visit today’s host, Laura K Bray, at The Cozy Library!

See all my past 5 on Five book lists here! And if you want to participate in future 5 on Five book lists, learn more about it and how to get in on it here!

Mark your calendars for September 5th: Our host will be Elle Reads Library Books. Elle lives in Brazil, and she chose one of the most famous Portuguese words, saudades, for the optional theme. Saudades is a combination of missing something or someone, nostalgia, and yearning.

Bookish Thoughts: Is Buying a Cookbook Worth It?

Of all the different genres of books, including nonfiction, cookbooks live in a class all their own. They’re part keepers of knowledge, part survival guides, part sources of indulgence, and occasionally, a family heirloom. (I still have the Fannie Farmer Cookbook that belonged to my grandmother!)

But when everything you ever wanted to know is a click away, are physical cookbooks even worth buying and collecting anymore?

Umm, yeah! Following a recipe from a beautifully designed physical cookbook beats scrolling through reels that move too fast to follow and recipe websites you can’t read thanks to a thousand pop-up ads.

Rachel Mansfield from More, Please answers this question in her post, i didn’t want to write another cookbook, “i don’t think people need more recipes. i think they need fewer decisions … we’ve somehow convinced ourselves that having unlimited recipes should make feeding our families easier. i actually think it’s made it harder because there is too much noise”

Jenna Helwig from the Cookbookery Collective shares on her About Page: “The best cookbooks, the ones worth a spot on our shelves, are more than just a collection of recipes. They also have a story to tell.” And she adds, “A cookbook is tangible in a way that I’m missing in other parts of my life.”

Bookish Buys: Cookbook Accessories

Make prepping the recipes in your cookbook collection so much easier with:

• This stylish yet functional cookbook stand. I love the look of it!

• These colorful and clever magnetic bookmarks to save your fav recipes

• And a kitchen counter cookbook organizer to keep them within reach

Bookish AF Summer Reading BINGO

This summer, add whimsy to your reading habit! Follow along with the Bookish AF Summer of Reading 2026 here!

#12 🔍 Read a New Genre: Try the “3-Course Meal Reading Method”

Trying out a new genre pushes you out of your comfort zone and can add fresh energy to your reading habit!

In keeping with the food theme, I recently discovered a clever way to motivate yourself to try new genres by creating a “3-course meal reading method” each month. I wish I could take credit for this idea, but here’s the Instagram reel that found me.

Basically, you read an entree book, a vegetable book, and a dessert book. The entree book is in a genre you love to read and has great reviews and acclaim. Next, your vegetable book is where you branch out into a new genre (and complete this mini-challenge!). And, finally, a dessert book is exactly what it sounds like: a guilty pleasure!

#13 🏠 Find a Little Free Library

Building on the last mini-challenge of expanding your reading repertoire to new genres, a Little Free Library is a great way to read something unexpected. You only have so many choices, and their contents are left to random synchronicities!

I love the magic of Little Free Libraries! They can be anywhere! And it’s such a fun surprise when you come upon one. I once found a Little Free Library while walking a local trail near my home. (I’ll have to venture back to it and take pictures to share with you!)

Learn more about Little Free Libraries and where to find one near you! They also have an app!

Bookish AF News Updates

Note: Next week I’ll have the full report on the August Book Club Selections and all the latest bookish news I found!

Bookish Quote of the Week

“Now that I had started writing, I found cookbookery such fulfilling work that I intended to keep at it for years and years.” - Julia Child, My Life in France

Shop for the books I recommend on Bookish AF at my Bookshop on Bookshop.org!

This content may contain affiliate links that earn me a small commission (just enough to grab a coffee) at no additional cost to you!

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Like, comment, or restack! THANK YOU!

Leave a comment

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New Paid Subscriber and Founding Member Gifts

Your paid support makes it possible for me to spend more time on all this Bookish AF fun! It also allows me to focus on writing my next novel.

As an additional thank you for your generosity of a paid subscription, I’ve recently added:

• New Printables! (Get the Bookish AF Summer Reading Pack!)

• Your name in the acknowledgments of my next book (in progress) when it publishes (with your permission)!

• Founding Members: The gift of my previously published Kindle e-books sent to your email.

• Annual and Founding Members: Chance to win a $50 Bookshop.org gift card at the end of the Summer of Reading event! Upgrade before August 26, 2026!

Subscribe now

I spent last week with family down at the Delaware Seashore. And besides making beach reading time a daily priority, I also made sure to stop into my favorite indie bookstores.

While I was fawning over the curated shelves of beach reads and staff picks, I noticed a common challenge: making a decision!

Everyone who knows me is well aware that I’m guilty of overthinking basically everything. But I wasn’t alone in this! In the bookstores, I was constantly surrounded by readers who asked each other and themselves, “This one or that one?”

I mean, don’t get me wrong … being spoiled for book choices is a great problem! But when you only have so much time and so much money, leaving with only one or two books feels like choosing between which child is my favorite!

So, if this is you too, especially when picking your next book, I have a solution: start a book series! Imagine the relief of having a predetermined line-up of reads! Now, all you have to do is decide on which addictive book series to start! Will the decision fatigue ever end?!

It helps to have a bookish friend to discuss this angst and to swap recommendations! (I hope I can be that friend for you!) So, this week’s two Summer Reading Mini-Challenges lean into the social side of reading.

Books provide so many opportunities for meaningful connection. I hope you and your bookish bestie enjoy completing this week’s challenges!

Happy Summer Reading!

Your friend,

Audry

P.S. I’m thanking new or current Annual or Founding Members by giving away a $50 Bookshop.org gift card on August 26th to celebrate the Bookish AF Summer of Reading!

Bookish Recs: 7 Addictive Book Series to Get Into!

On my original blog on my website, the post about 15 different book series quickly became one of my most popular! Since I wrote that in 2023, even more book series have become bestsellers and reader favorites!

So, for this list, I dug a little deeper past the well-known choices. (Fourth Wing/A Court of Thorns and Roses/Harry Potter series) While you may still have heard of the book series I’m featuring today, they all have a timely 2026 component: their final book was published this year, or a TV series or film adaptation is out now or coming soon!

The Dublin Murder Squad by Tana French

This literary mystery series follows a different detective in each book. While every mystery stands on its own, the overlapping cast and evolving relationships make the series incredibly rewarding to read in order. Readers share that they love how atmospheric and brilliantly written it is!

If you love character-driven crime fiction, you’re in for a good time! The final book in the connected Cal Hooper trilogy, The Keeper, was just released this year.

Start with In the Woods. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

The Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells

Part sci-fi adventure, part hilarious character study, these fast-paced novellas about a sarcastic, antisocial security android are incredibly bingeable. Murderbot keeps getting dragged into dangerous corporate conspiracies and life-or-death missions, only to save the humans it’s insisting it doesn’t care about.

This award-winning series has been earning a ton of hype recently! Likely, all the fuss has come from readers wanting to get their hands on Platform Decay, which was released this year. Plus, the series is now on Apple TV+. And I’m seeing that they’re fantastic as audiobooks!

Start with All Systems Red. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman

I never thought my interest would be piqued by a book about surviving a reality TV show with a talking cat after aliens have destroyed Earth. But the growing hype about this series has me curious! If I do read them, I plan to listen to the audiobooks. From what I’ve heard, narrator Jeff Hays provides a phenomenal theatrical performance.

A Parade of Horribles released in May 2026. And the television adaptation has been greenlit by Peacock. This cult favorite may not stay under the radar for long!

Start with Dungeon Crawler Carl. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher

In this very long-running urban fantasy series, Harry Dresden works out of a basement office and advertises his services in the Yellow Pages under “Wizards.” He also regularly consults with the Chicago PD when a murder is too strange for the regular police to explain.

What begins as entertaining mysteries grows into a massive, sprawling fantasy epic involving wizards, vampires, faerie courts, demons, and fallen angels. You’ve got 18 books of this magical mayhem to binge! The latest installment, Twelve Months, arrived in January 2026. The audiobooks, narrated by James Marsters (a.k.a. Spike from Buffy the Vampire Slayer), are also worth checking out!

Start with Storm Front. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

The Hilary Tamar Mysteries by Sarah Caudwell

When a group of young London lawyers finds themselves tangled up in murder investigations and complicated legal schemes, they turn to their friend Hilary Tamar, a medieval law professor at Oxford, for help.

The books are deliciously clever and dryly funny in that British humor kind of way. Interestingly, throughout this four-book mystery series, you never know Hilary’s gender or age. Sarah Caudwell wrote the character without gendered pronouns or physical descriptions, leaving readers to make their own assumptions.

Start with Thus Was Adonis Murdered. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

Department Q by Jussi Adler-Olsen

I’m calling this 11-book series Nordic Noir! It follows Carl Mørck, a deeply flawed Copenhagen detective assigned to solving cold cases. Carl is joined by his enigmatic assistant Assad and, later, the brilliant and eccentric Rose. This fascinating team of characters brings dark humor and personality to the chilling investigations.

The latest installment, No Song for the Dead, is set to publish on September 8, 2026, and the series has already been adapted into both Danish films and a Netflix television series.

Start with The Keeper of Lost Causes. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

The “Abbyverse” by Abby Jimenez

You could read any Abby Jimenez book on its own and enjoy it without feeling as if you’re missing something. However, if you read her books in order or within each trilogy, you’ll discover easter eggs through shared characters and locations.

Readers love Abby Jimenez’s heartfelt romances. They have just the right balance of humor, emotional payoff, and unforgettable characters. Her book series includes The Friend Zone, Part of Your World, and her most recent release, Say You’ll Remember Me.

Start with The Friend Zone. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

View the booklist on Bookshop.org! (Local independent bookstores benefit from your purchases!)

Bookish AF Summer Reading BINGO

For this week’s Summer Reading Bingo mini-challenges, don’t keep your next great read to yourself! A series can give you and a friend something to obsess over together for months. A recommendation can say, “I thought of you.” And, reading a chapter to someone can say, “I want to spend this time with you.”

#10 🙋 Recommend a Book to a Friend

July 30th is International Day of Friendship. So, what better way to celebrate than by recommending a book?

I enjoy recommending books to friends when we’re discussing books. But I’m also a little hesitant about it. Everyone has their own tastes and perspectives. So, it helps not to get too personally attached if they like your rec or not!

Trying to match their favorite genres, characters, hobbies, or the mood they’re in ups the success rate. So share away! Tell them, “I think you would LOVE this book because...”

#11 💬 Read a Chapter to Someone

I first wrote about reading aloud to others in this post back in April. I spotlighted a New York Times article about a reading retreat where participants take turns reading chapters to the group. Research has found that reading to another person creates an invaluable bonding experience. As a former teacher, I know this finding to be true firsthand!

Reading is usually something you do on your own. But it doesn’t always have to be! Choose a chapter from a favorite book and read it to someone you love. Even if it’s someone who doesn’t consider themselves “a reader.”

Yeah, it may feel a little weird at first. But remember the benefits! Reading to another person or to a group gives you:

• A chance to slow down together.

• A screen-free way to spend time.

• Something to talk about afterward.

• A shared memory you wouldn’t otherwise have.

• A chance to appreciate a book in a whole new way.

So, read a hilarious chapter to a friend who needs a laugh. Or share a romantic chapter with your partner. Or find a kid who’d love you to read to them. Or all of the above and then some!

This summer, add whimsy to your reading habit! Follow along with the Bookish AF Summer of Reading 2026 here!

Bookish AF News Updates

The Booker Prize Longlist 2026

See which books made the cut for the 2026 Booker Prize here!

The Odyssey

Have you seen the movie? Share in the comments! My son told me the movie’s volume is deafening. This Reddit thread backs up his claims. Save your ears and pick up this version to read instead! And for fun, Libby has a quiz to help you discover which Odyssey character you’re most like!

Books with Benefits

Spicing up your book diet? (See these spicy recs!) It’s so fun, but … you may be feeling some shame over reading a book with less intellectual merit and more, ya know, “action.” If so, check out this article on Summer of Smut: Why Everyone Is Reading Lustful Novels Right Now!

Couch to 5K, But Make It Reading Books

This week, I came across a Substack article that shared the concept of strengthening your reading habit like you would train for a 5K. Fun fact: I once trained and ran/walked a half marathon. But I’d much prefer this reading routine! Check out: let’s do a ‘couch to 5k’ for reading - by Naomi Alderman

Move Over Bridgerton, There’s a New Netflix Series

The latest binge-worthy Netflix series is based on the classic novel, My Brilliant Career, written in 1901. You can watch it starting August 13th! In the meantime, learn all about it from Substack’s and in this post!

Bookish Quote of the Week

“There is no surer foundation for a beautiful friendship than a mutual taste in literature.”

― P.G. Wodehouse

Shop for the books I recommend on Bookish AF at my Bookshop on Bookshop.org!

This content may contain affiliate links that earn me a small commission (just enough to grab a coffee) at no additional cost to you!

Thank you for reading! 🤓If you enjoyed this article, please show your support:

Like, comment, or restack! THANK YOU!

Leave a comment

Did you know Bookish AF accepts newsletter sponsorships?

See The Bookish Shop to learn how I can help you connect with my over 1,100 readers!

New Paid Subscriber and Founding Member Gifts

Your paid support makes it possible for me to spend more time on all this Bookish AF fun! It also allows me to focus on writing my next novel.

As an additional thank you for your generosity of a paid subscription, I’ve recently added:

• A new printable PDF of Book Club Discussion Questions for Any Book.

• Your name in the acknowledgments of my next book (in progress) when it publishes (with your permission)!

• Founding Members: The gift of my previously published Kindle e-books sent to your email.

• Annual and Founding Members: Chance to win a $50 Bookshop.org gift card at the end of the Summer of Reading event. Upgrade before August 26, 2026!

Subscribe now

As I may have mentioned before (many, many times), I love using the Libby app, especially for loaning audiobooks. But for all the cost-saving, library supporting benefits, there unfortunately exist a few snafus in the book borrowing bliss.

Some, like the two-week lending time, which I turn into a personal challenge, are workable. But waiting on hold for what seems like years for the latest, hottest book everyone is reading usually means I’m out of luck unless I buy it (which I’ve been known to do!).

But, wait, all is not lost! Instead of turning into a skeleton with the obligatory cobwebs, you can select an available “read-alike” book to pass your time. Read-alikes tend to share the same themes, genre, writing styles … basically the general mood of a book! And often these lesser-known books wind up being hidden gems!

And read-alikes aren’t just for readers waiting on library holds. They also help with book hangovers. So, if you’re recovering from a five-star read and wishing for something with similar vibes to fill the gap, your solution just may be a read-alike.

Today, I’m pairing read-alikes with a few of the most popular books of this summer!

These book recs are perfect for completing Summer Reading mini-challenges #8 and #9. After a month of fun literary travel posts, it’s time to come back home, unpack, and veg out with a book on your couch with the AC cranked or at your local cafe with an iced coffee!

Happy Reading!

Your friend,

Audry

P.S. I’m thanking new or current Annual or Founding Members by giving away a $50 Bookshop.org gift card to celebrate the Bookish AF Summer of Reading!

Bookish Recs: Read-Alikes for (a few of) This Summer’s Most Popular Books!

My book suggestions for read-alikes for these latest hottest titles are a great place to start. And hopefully you find your next read, but you don’t have to just take my word for it:

• Librarians and bookshop staff are always excellent sources for pointing you toward a book you’ll love.

• And, if you prefer online, visit the read-alikes pages on Goodreads or BookBrowse for recs related to your book preferences.

Literary Fiction: If You Loved Whistler, Read...

📚 All the Beauty in the World by Patrick Bringley, a memoir about a guard at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art mourning the loss of his brother.

📚 My Name Is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout, another great literary fiction choice, uncovers years of family history through conversations between a mother and daughter.

📚 John of John by Douglas Stuart, personally recommended by Ann Patchett, this atmospheric novel is set in a close-knit Scottish island where everyone carries hidden burdens.

Speculative, Time-slip: If You Loved Yesteryear, Read …

📚 Kindred by Octavia Butler, another “time-slip” novel that throws a modern Black woman back to the antebellum South!

📚The Stepford Wives by Ira Levin is the classic that perfected the unsettling idea of picture-perfect domesticity hiding something much darker.

📚 Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates, Caro Claire Burke’s own recommendation, peels back the illusion of the perfect American marriage.

Epistolary: If You Loved The Correspondent, Read …

📚 Love & Saffron by Kim Fay tells the story of two women who build a lasting friendship through letters, recipes, and shared life experiences.

📚 Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout follows a sharp-witted, complicated woman whose tough exterior hides surprising depths. Fans of Sybil will feel right at home!

📚 Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson begins with a mother’s final message to her children and unfolds into a moving story.

📚 Bonus! I’ll also add my historical romance novel, Until Next Sunday based on a true story and over 100 love letters! Learn more about it here!

Historical Fiction: If You Loved Land, Read …

📚 This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger follows four orphaned children on an unforgettable journey down the Mississippi River during the Great Depression.

📚 Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell (surely you’ve heard of it!) is another breathtaking novel from the author, imagining the life and loss that shaped Shakespeare’s family. It’s also a movie!

📚 A Council of Dolls by Mona Susan Power is a multigenerational novel following three Yanktonai Dakota women as they preserve their family, culture, and identity across generations.

Heartwarming: If You Loved Remarkably Bright Creatures, Read…

📚 The Music of Bees by Eileen Garvin follows three lonely strangers who find healing, friendship, and a fresh start while caring for a struggling bee farm. (This one reminds me of The Secret Life of Bees. Wondering if the stories are similar? 🤔)

📚 A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman is for fans of Tova. If you enjoyed her quiet strength and dry humor, you’ll get a kick out of Ove! I did when I read it several years ago!

📚 The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune is a cozy fantasy filled with lovable characters, gentle humor, and a reminder that family is often the one we choose.

Book Clubs: If You Loved The Calamity Club, Read …

📚 The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes keeps the female friendship theme going as it follows a group of courageous women delivering books through Depression-era Kentucky on horseback.

📚 Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver (one of the best books I’ve ever read, despite the heaviness of the story) is also packed with memorable characters, and it’s got so much to discuss in it that your book club meeting won’t be a yawn-fest!

📚 The Help by Kathryn Stockett is the original hit novel by the author. So, consider revisiting it. Or if your book club somehow missed it, here’s your chance! Then, follow it up with the movie.

Thrillers: If You Loved It Could Have Been Her, Read …

📚 The It Girl by Ruth Ware offers a similar set-up of dual timelines and page-turner suspense when the murder of a college student years after the case was supposedly solved forces old friends to question everything they thought they knew.

📚 Local Woman Missing by Mary Kubica is also a story of a disappearance and a character’s unsettling return. But in this story, two women and a young girl vanish from a quiet neighborhood until one of them returns eleven years later! (Oops! Pictured above is It’s Not Her, also by Mary Kubica, and also a great choice for a read-alike!)

📚The Couple at No 9 by Claire Douglas is another suspenseful British thriller about a young couple renovating their new cottage and the grisly discovery of two bodies buried in the garden.

View the books I recommend in my shop on Bookshop.org! (Local independent bookstores benefit from your purchases!)

Bookish AF Summer Reading BINGO

This summer, add whimsy to your reading habit! Follow along with the Bookish AF Summer of Reading 2026 here!

#8 📖 One-Day Reading Retreat

You don’t have to book a cabin or spend a fortune to enjoy a reading retreat. Pick one day (or even just one afternoon!) and make reading the only thing on your schedule.

Try this simple reading retreat:

• Morning: Pick up coffee and breakfast from your favorite *café. (See mini-challenge #9!) Read at the café or get cozy back home!

• After lunch: Take a short walk and enjoy an audiobook.

• Late afternoon: Treat yourself to a sweet treat. Finish your book or journal about what you read.

Bonus Challenge: Put your phone on “Do Not Disturb” for one hour and see how many pages you can read. You might be surprised how immersive reading feels without constant notifications.

#9 ☕ Read at a Café

Sometimes all it takes to escape is a change of scenery. Grab your current read, order your favorite drink, and spend 30–60 minutes reading at a local café. You may discover your new favorite reading spot, and you’ll be supporting a local business while you’re at it.

Bookish AF Challenge: Snap a photo of your book and drink. Share it in the Bookish AF Chat!

Bookish AF News Updates

Bookish Entertainment News

The Odyssey sails into theaters on July 17th, with Christopher Nolan directing an all-star cast including Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, and Tom Holland. It’s one of this year’s biggest, most-discussed literary adaptations! See the trailer here!

Little House on the Prairie gets a new life on Netflix. Read more about the true history behind the story on my bookish friend and librarian Kelly Mayfield’s post here!

Heartstopper Forever also premieres July 17th, bringing Alice Oseman’s beloved Nick and Charlie story to its heartfelt conclusion. Watch the trailer!

Sense and Sensibility, starring Daisy Edgar-Jones and Esmé Creed-Miles as the Dashwood sisters, will have the screenplay written by bestselling novelist Diana Reid.

Verity is moving forward with Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson, and Josh Hartnett

And, finally, Netflix has dropped the first teaser for its limited series adaptation of East of Eden starring Florence Pugh.

Bookish Quote of the Week

Reading gives us someplace to go when we have to stay where we are.

Mason Cooley

Shop for the books I recommend on Bookish AF at my Bookshop on Bookshop.org!

This content may contain affiliate links that earn me a small commission (just enough to grab a coffee) at no additional cost to you!

Thank you for reading! 🤓If you enjoyed this article, please show your support:

Like, comment, or restack! THANK YOU!

Leave a comment

Did you know Bookish AF accepts newsletter sponsorships?

See The Bookish Shop to learn how I can help you connect with my 1,199+ readers!

New Paid Subscriber and Founding Member Gifts

Your paid support makes it possible for me to spend more time on all this Bookish AF fun! It also allows me to focus on writing my next novel.

As an additional thank you for your generosity of a paid subscription, I’ve recently added:

• A new printable PDF of Book Club Discussion Questions for Any Book.

• Your name in the acknowledgments of my next book (in progress) when it publishes (with your permission)!

• Founding Members: The gift of my previously published Kindle e-books sent to your email.

• Annual and Founding Members: Chance to win a $50 Bookshop.org gift card at the end of the Summer of Reading event!

  You’re invited to join the fun at Bookish AF! 🤓

When I was writing about how Emma Straub named her bookstores Books Are Magic, I thought, “She’s so right. Books are magical!” There are a million reasons why, but one of the best is how a book setting can, with a flick of a mystical bookmark, transport you to faraway places and distant times!

I’ve come down with many cases of wanderlust after reading books set somewhere I’d love to vacation. For example, as a fan of Elin Hilderbrand (see more about her in this week’s Bookish News Updates), I’ve often daydreamed of visiting Nantucket!

So, today, we’re keeping with July’s literary travel theme. But this week, it’s all about how a book’s setting can take us away. I’m sharing 5 new novels that provide the perfect summer escape. They may even inspire you to make travel plans or to bring the book along as a companion!

Then, in Bookish Updates: Libby users, you’ll love what I just discovered! And I’ve got more fascinating bookish news that I stumbled upon in my random virtual wanderings!

Happy Reading!

Your friend,

Audry

P.S. I’m thanking new or current Annual or Founding Members by giving away a $50 Bookshop.org gift card to celebrate the Bookish AF Summer of Reading!

Bookish Recs: Your Summer Literary Travel Itinerary

Visit Paris, Verona, Athens, and beyond, all without leaving your home!

On the Flight: The Missed Connection by Tia Williams

Casting agent, Sasha Cruz, is good at finding people for roles. But she hasn’t found anyone to play the part of her love interest. She says she’s not interested in looking … butttt there’s a handsome stranger on a flight to Paris that gets away. The real fun begins when Sasha accidentally emails her entire company searching for him! Fortunately, a man from her past is willing to help … and complicate things! (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

This romance has taken off with readers! It’s cute and entertaining, especially if you need something to read on an actual flight!

Landing in Paris and Jetting to Amsterdam: The Paris Heist by Jo Piazza

In a dual time that switches between the present: Emma, a struggling artist in Paris, and Jo Van Gogh in the 1800s: who’s related to another Van Gogh that you may know! This art-world mystery sweeps through Paris and Amsterdam as stolen masterpieces, hidden clues, and centuries-old secrets collide. It’s glamorous, it’s fast-paced, and I pre-ordered it! I can’t wait to get my hands on it and read it! (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

Follow ’s Substack for great content related to the book’s release, including a Parisian-themed book list and a scavenger hunt you can complete for mystery prizes!

Wandering to Italy: Teach the Torches to Burn by Christina Dodd

In this third book in the Daughter of Montague historical romantic mystery series, Romeo and Juliet survive and have a daughter. Set in Northern Italy’s captivating, medieval city of Verona, Italy, the story may veer from its Shakespearean roots, but it keeps the familiar themes and the page-turning drama going strong! (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

Get to know on Substack! See this cute post about how she signed her books for flight attendants on a recent trip!

Running Away to Athens: Arrivals and Departures by Amanda Eyre Ward

Lee, a beautiful reality star, flies to Athens to search for her missing sister, who’s fallen for a scammer. But Lee’s whole family is in crisis. Can they reconnect? And how can Lee find her sister with the paparazzi following her every move? (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

This book looks like an easy, breezy summer read, especially if Greece is on your travel bucket list!

Journeying Through Mexico: The Intrigue by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Set in 1940s Mexico, this atmospheric mystery and unsettling thriller follows a charming con artist whose latest scheme pulls him into a dangerous web of greed, deception, and unexpected consequences. It’s rich in historical details. And Mexico feels like another character in the story! (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

This past winter, I decided to stretch my literary horizons and listened to Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s acclaimed horror novel, Mexican Gothic. While I rarely read the horror genre, I loved her writing style and how the story pulled me forward even as I was wincing at the details!

View the booklist on Bookshop.org! (Local independent bookstores benefit from your purchases!)

Bookish AF Summer Reading BINGO

This summer, add whimsy to your reading habit! Follow along with the Bookish AF Summer of Reading 2026 here!

Summer Reading Mini-Challenge #7: ✈️ Read a Book Set Somewhere You Want to Travel

One of my favorite things about reading is discovering a new place because of a novel. But you could also intentionally read a book whose setting matches your next vacation. It’s also fun to pair the book you’re reading with the place you’re actually touring. Then you can picture the events in the book as you’re wandering the streets, cafés, or landscapes.

Question for You: What Book’s Setting Is Somewhere You Want to Travel?

Have you read a book set in a real place and then dreamed of or actually taken a vacation there? What did you read and where did you go? Or where did you just wish you could visit?

Leave a comment

Bookish AF News Updates

Here are a few news stories that caught my eye this week...

Libby’s Global Summer Book Club

If you didn’t see my Note, I’m also sharing it here: I See You’ve Called in Dead by John Kenney is this summer’s Libby Reads pick. Library users can borrow the ebook or audiobook with no holds or waitlists! Yay! I’m listening to the audiobook now, and it’s a funny story. I’m enjoying it!

Pick Up a Novel with a Dual Timeline

Lately, I’ve noticed an uptick in historical fiction novels that jump between two timelines, like The Parisian Heist. I like this trend because these books are often fun to read. Sometimes they uncover family secrets or work as a device to solve a decades-old mystery. Other times, they connect generations and make the past and present seem to coexist. Have you noticed this trend too?

Check out this excellent book list (that also includes author interviews) of “Dual Timelines to Get Lost In” from author .

Elin Hilderbrand’s Nantucket in Real-Life and on the Screen

I hope this link to the New York Times article opens and doesn’t require a subscription because it’s a wonderful peek inside Elin Hilderbrand’s actual home that she actually lives in on Nantucket! Plus, the photo essay includes a few thoughtful insights into Elin’s writing career and what motivates her. (See this week’s Bookish Quote!) (Also, see in the Bookish AF Chat about the time my mom and I met Elin Hilderbrand!)

And then, watch the Five-Star Weekend, based on **Elin Hilderbrand’s bestselling novel, on Peacock. Set against dreamy Nantucket beaches, it’s filled with friendship, family drama, wine, and gorgeous coastal scenery. Who has Peacock? And can I come over to binge-watch it with you?

*For more books you can watch, see this report on Every Book Adaptation Nominated for an Emmy in 2026!

**See this fun book list from “two Hilderbabes” that ranks the best Elin Hilderbrand’s books!

Happy 75th Birthday to The Catcher in the Rye

J.D. Salinger’s iconic novel turns 75 this week! First published on July 16, 1951, it remains one of the most influential and frequently challenged American novels ever written. Now is the perfect time to read it!

Inside Dua Lipa’s Gorgeous Library of Banned Books

Thanks to Substack writer, , you can take a peek inside Dua Lipa’s The Manifesto Library. Or travel to Porto, Portugal, to visit this amazing and inspiring space! Can’t get away? See this Instagram post for a virtual tour!

Bookish Quote of the Week

“To be able to write books that allow people to escape and gives them a chance to read something that is taking them away from whatever circumstances they find themselves, that is the thing that has been my purpose.” — Elin Hilderbrand in a New York Times interview

Shop for the books I recommend on Bookish AF at my Bookshop on Bookshop.org!

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Did you know the Bookish AF accepts newsletter sponsorships?

See The Bookish Shop to learn how I can help you connect with my over 1,100 readers!

NEW Paid Subscriber and Founding Member Gifts

Your paid support makes it possible for me to spend more time on all this Bookish AF fun! It also allows me to focus on writing my next novel. As an additional thank you for your generosity of a paid subscription, I’ve recently added:

• A new printable PDF of Book Club Discussion Questions for Any Book.

• Your name in the acknowledgments of my next book (in progress) when it publishes (with your permission)!

• Founding Members: The gift of my previously published Kindle e-books sent to your email.

• Annual and Founding Members: Chance to win a $50 Bookshop.org gift card at the end of the Summer of Reading event!

As a reader, it’s surreal to physically stand where a well-loved book was first inspired, written, or set! It’s as if you’re walking in the author’s footsteps and looking upon the same scenery or four walls they once did. (How cool is that?!)

So, today, I’m sharing places you can actually visit that inspired some of the most iconic classic novels!

Hopefully you enjoyed my bonus post on Sunday for July’s 5 on Five book list:

That was Part 1, and, as promised, here’s Part 2, where we make the hometown visits!

And then, as much fun as it is to dream of literary travels, this week’s Summer Reading Mini-Challenge #6 encourages us to take advantage of an author or library event that’s closer to home. (Of course, don’t let me stop you from planning a trip out of it!)

And, finally, today’s Bookish AF News Updates is spilling the tea (especially thanks to today’s sponsor, Plum Deluxe) on the latest book club picks for June! Plus, summer tips for getting the most out of Libby!

Happy Summer Reading!

Your friend,

Audry

P.S. I’m thanking new or current Annual or Founding Members by giving away a $50 Bookshop.org gift card to celebrate the Bookish AF Summer of Reading!

Literary Travel to the Places that Inspired 7 Classic Novelists

Classic novels only exist on the page and in our imaginations, right? Wellll, actually, if you’re willing and able, you can literally step right into the settings. You really can! It’s possible to explore the actual spaces where iconic novels were imagined, written, and brought to life.

So, based on the five classic women authors I shared in Part 1, plus two bonus female writers I couldn’t leave out, here are seven classic literary destinations to add to your bucket list! We’ll start in North America, and then we’ll hop the pond to tour the English countryside!

(Side Note: I haven’t visited any of these, but a girl can dream! If you’re planning a trip, use my special affiliate links to Expedia to save on hotels and vacation rentals!)

Orchard House | Concord, Massachusetts

Step inside the very home where Louisa May Alcott wrote and set Little Women in 1868, and try not to faint thinking that this is the closest you can get to achieving your wish of having tea with Jo March! Many of the rooms, furnishings, and family belongings remain just as they were when the Alcott family lived there.

Bookish AF Travel Tip: Spend the afternoon exploring Concord, where you can also visit the homes of Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau. Late summer through early fall is the perfect time to go for max New England-bookish vibes! (Search Bed & Breakfast stays here!)

Green Gables Heritage Place | Cavendish, Prince Edward Island, Canada

Walk and hop up and down with joy on the same mossy trails that inspired L.M. Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables, including the famous Lover’s Lane and the Haunted Woods. Take your time wandering between the charming farmhouse and Prince Edward Island’s beautiful coastline.

Bookish AF Travel Tip: Pack a picnic, grab your current read, and head to Prince Edward Island’s famous red-sand beaches after your tour. (Plan your visit plus where to stay here!)

Brontë Parsonage Museum | Haworth, West Yorkshire, England

If Gothic novels are your thing, then you’ve gotta tour where Charlotte Brontë spent much of her life! It was in this Yorkshire parsonage that she wrote Jane Eyre alongside her equally talented sisters, Emily and Anne. After touring the home, head out across the dramatic Yorkshire moors and repeatedly squeal with delight over walking through the same haunting atmosphere the Brontës’ novels famously depict!

Bookish AF Travel Tip: Before you leave Haworth, wander the cobblestone Main Street, browse the independent bookshops, and stop for afternoon tea. (Find deals on accommodations here!)

Jane Austen’s House | Chawton, Hampshire, England

From 1809 until she died in 1817, Jane Austen lived in this charming house, where she revised and completed many of her most beloved novels, including Pride and Prejudice, Emma, and Sense and Sensibility. Today, you can sprout real tears of appreciation at the sight of her writing table and other personal belongings in her beautifully preserved home. (Note: The British Library in London exhibits Jane Austen’s personal traveling writing slope.)

Bookish AF Travel Tip: Pair your visit with the nearby Jane Austen Trails. And then end the day with afternoon tea in one of Chawton’s cozy cafés. (Plan where you’ll stay here!)

Mary Shelley’s House of Frankenstein | Bath, England

Mary Shelley wrote much of Frankenstein while living in Bath. In her honor, the city celebrates her legacy with one of the most unique literary museums you’ll ever visit! Equal parts historical exhibit and spooky attraction, including escape rooms, this stop is perfect if Halloween is your vibe all year long! While there, take a zillion selfies with the eight-foot-tall recreation of Frankenstein’s monster! (Learn more here! Plus, discover deals on charming B&Bs!)

Bookish AF Travel Tip: Bath is an amazing destination! Spend the rest of the day, bathing in literary history by walking over to the Jane Austen Centre, admiring the beautiful Georgian architecture, and exploring the ancient Roman Baths.

Great Maytham Hall | Kent, England

Psst! Want to know a secret about The Secret Garden? Over a hundred years ago, while living at Great Maytham Hall, Frances Hodgson Burnett discovered a neglected walled garden hidden behind ivy-covered doors, which inspired one of the most beloved children’s classics ever written! And now you can tour or spin in circles with your arms extended in the same secret garden!

Bookish AF Tip: Plan your visit in late April to mid-May for the best floral displays, including the wisteria-covered black iron gate. And, since you’re in the High Weald National Landscape, extend your day trip by visiting Great Dixter House and Gardens and the historic town of Tenterden. (Find a delightful place to spend the night here!)

Monk’s House | Rodmell, East Sussex, England

Virginia Woolf and her husband, Leonard, transformed this 17th-century cottage into a peaceful retreat. It was here in her tiny writing lodge tucked away in the garden that she wrote many of her most celebrated works, including Mrs. Dalloway, To the Lighthouse, and A Room of One’s Own. Spend as long as you like, slowly saying “Whoa,” at this simple space that inspired literary genius!

Bookish AF Travel Tip: Make a day of it and plan a stop in nearby Lewes, England (not the one in Delaware, but that’s nice, too!) to explore this charming town. (See deals on places to stay!)

Have you visited one of these iconic literary locations? I’d love to hear all about your adventures. Or simply share what’s on your literary travel wishlist!

Leave a comment

Bookish AF Summer Reading BINGO

This summer, add whimsy to your reading habit! Follow along with the Bookish AF Summer of Reading 2026 here!

Mini-Challenge #6 🎤 Attend an Author or Library Event (No passport required!)

A few years ago, I went with my mom to hear one of our favorite authors, Elin Hilderbrand, speak and sign her books. Fortunately, we lived not far from Elin Hilderbrand’s hometown before she famously relocated to Nantucket. It was such an amazing experience after reading sooo many of her books! What a great memory!

This summer (and through the fall), make some literary memories and attend an event as part of your reading adventure. Author signings, library programs, and book festivals are great for discovering new books, hearing the stories behind them, and meeting fellow readers!

Check the websites and social media of your local library or favorite indie bookstore for their calendars of author visits, book festivals, and special events.

Bookish AF News Updates

July 2026 Book Club Selections

READ WITH JENNA selected The Shampoo Effect by Jenny Jackson. I’m not surprised since this book is getting so much hype! The cover alone screams beach read! This story of friends in their mid-30s is set in coastal Massachusetts in a town loosely based on the author Jenny Jackson’s hometown. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

REESE’S BOOK CLUB picked A Founding Mother by and Laura Kamoie in honor of America’s 250th anniversary. This historical fiction novel follows the extraordinary life of Abigail Adams, wife and mother of two U.S. presidents. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

KATIE COURIC BOOK CLUB is reading Someone Else’s Husband by Kimberly McCreight. If your idea of a beach read is a psychological thriller you can’t put down (except to reapply more sun block), you’re in for a treat! It has betrayal, an affair, a climbing adventure on Mount Kilimanjaro, a murder, and secrets! (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

SARAH SELECTS chose The Five-Star Weekend by Elin Hilderbrand. I mean, this story of friendship, foodie delights, and a Nantucket getaway fraught with drama is basically summer in book form! If you haven’t read what is arguably one of Elin Hilderbrand’s best books, this book club pick is your sign! Plus, it’s trending now that Jenifer Garner is starring in the Peacock series! (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

PRAIRIE PAGES BOOK CLUB opted for Remarkably Bright Creatures by This book is one of my all-time favorites, and it has everything to do with the octopus, Marcellus! Yes, it’s a slower read, but stay with it! And then watch the Netflix movie starring Sally Field! I love how at Prairie Pages created a whole theme of activities around the book with a beautiful printable to help you keep track! (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

Bookish Reading Tips for Libby

I love the Libby app for listening to audiobooks. But during the summer, when the demand seems to spike, I'd better have my Libby strategy tight if I’m going to loan one of the more popular books. Fortunately, Libby has a few stealthy tips! Check them out here!

Bookish Quote of the Week

“That’s the thing about books. They let you travel without moving your feet.” – Jhumpa Lahiri, The Namesake

Shop for the books I recommend on Bookish AF at my Bookshop on Bookshop.org!

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Did you know the Bookish AF accepts newsletter sponsorships? If you offer a product or service that my readers would find valuable and enjoy (bookish items, services, or even your own book), I’d love to feature it in an upcoming issue!

I’m limiting it to one sponsor per issue to keep this an exclusive opportunity. See The Bookish Shop to learn how I can help you connect with my over 1,000 readers!

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Surprise! I’m popping into your inbox today because it’s July’s 5 on Five!

Deborah Linn McNemee at Keeping Classics is this month’s host, and she’s chosen the theme “Classics Connected Books.” So today I’m sharing 5 book recs of new or recently released books that have a connection to a classic novel written by a female author.

Consider this post “Part 1” and Wednesday’s post “Part 2” where I share how you can extend your love for these classic female novelists through literary travel to their homes and the very places their greatest works were actually written!

It’s been sweltering hot in my quiet country corner of Pennsylvania, so I’m glad I’m not living in the time period of these classic novels and that I live in the age of A/C! I hope you’re enjoying your summer reading somewhere cool and comfy!

Happy Summer Reading!

Your friend,

Audry

P.S. I’m giving away a $50 Bookshop.org gift card to one new or current Annual or Founding Member to celebrate the Bookish AF Summer of Reading!

The Bookish Shop: 🍵Literary Tea Time!

Most people who know me know that I’m a tea lover, especially my evening ritual of a mug of herbal tea. I also often prep a cup of tea whenever I’m relaxing and reading to make it even cozier.

So I was delighted when Plum Deluxe sent me a sampler of their reader-inspired teas! Their Reading Nook, Bookshop Blend, and Literary Tea Tin feel like they were just made for afternoons spent with a good book!

If you’re looking to make your next reading session a little cozier (or need a thoughtful gift for the book lover in your life), take a peek at Plum Deluxe’s bookish collection!

Classics Connected Books: 5 Retellings of Classic Novels by Female Authors

As a reader, pretty much all the classic novels I’ve ever read were when I was a student in high school and college. And I hadn’t returned to this genre until very recently! Last year, I listened to Pride and Prejudice as an audiobook and enjoyed it once I adjusted to the long, flowing sentences.

It’s a much different experience reading a classic now that I’m older. I definitely have a greater appreciation for these books and how they’ve withstood the test of time. I’m looking forward to listening to or reading another classic soon!

Plus, pairing a classic with reading a new book based on it also doubles the reading fun! It’s a great motivator to pick up a classic if you’re like me and a bit reluctant to do so!

Beth Is Dead by Katie Bernet

Classic Inspiration: Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

This YA thriller reimagines one of the most heartbreaking moments in Little Women by asking, “What if Beth’s death wasn’t an illness … but a murder?”

After the sudden death of her beloved sister Beth, a modern-day Jo refuses to believe it was an accident and begins investigating what really happened. As long-buried family secrets come to light, the story transforms Louisa May Alcott’s beloved classic into a gripping mystery full of twists and emotional stakes. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

Like Little Women, this novel also includes themes of sisterhood, family bonds, and grief. But before you pick it up, read 5 on Five host Deborah Linn McNemee’s mixed thoughts about Beth is Dead here!

Anne of Manhattan by Brina Starler

Classic Inspiration: Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

This charming contemporary romance imagines what Anne Shirley’s life might look like if she grew up in modern-day New York City.

Anne has traded the rolling hills of Prince Edward Island for college life in Manhattan. Now, she’s chasing big dreams, navigating adulthood, and trying to ignore the familiar sparks flying between her and longtime rival Gilbert Blythe. Readers enjoy that it’s full of humor, heart, and plenty of banter. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

While the setting is so different from Anne of Green Gables, Anne’s imagination, optimism, and unforgettable romance with Gilbert still remain wonderfully intact.

The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins

Classic Inspiration: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

Rachel Hawkins transforms Charlotte Brontë’s Gothic romance into a modern psychological thriller packed with secrets and suspense.

Jane is a dog walker trying to build a better life when she falls for the wealthy and mysterious Eddie Rochester. But strange disappearances, whispered rumors, and the lingering presence of Eddie’s missing wife suggest there’s far more to the story than Jane first realizes. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

Fans of Jane Eyre will enjoy the familiar characters, themes, and, of course, the eerie atmosphere. Readers say they like how the story is cleverly reimagined into a page-turning thriller!

Behind Five Willows by June Hur

Classic Inspiration: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Inspired by Jane Austen’s beloved romance, this historical mystery blends slow-burn chemistry with insightful observations about family and society.

Set in Joseon-era Korea, the novel follows a determined young woman searching for answers. The more she digs, the more she becomes drawn into a dangerous mystery and a complicated relationship with a man she never expected to trust. It’s got that page-turning mix of suspense and heartfelt romance. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

This book is different from the many, many … many, many recent retellings of Pride and Prejudice. It scored high ratings from readers for its ability to capture Austen’s wit, emotional tension, and enemies-to-lovers trope.

Adam, Mine by K. Ancrum

Classic Inspiration: Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

This upcoming novel (Publication date is September 8, 2026) reimagines Mary Shelley’s groundbreaking story. This book offers up a fresh, emotionally charged take on identity, belonging, and what it means to be human. It’s alive! (Sorry, I couldn’t help myself!)

When Adam’s carefully controlled life begins unraveling, he’s forced to confront difficult truths about love, creation, and the person he’s becoming. Part psychological horror and part character-driven drama, this novel explores the line between obsession and connection. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

Like Frankenstein, this modern retelling asks timeless questions about humanity, loneliness, and the consequences of trying to control what we create.

5 on Five: July 2026

Remember to visit today’s host, , at Keeping Classics! Also, see all my past 5 on Five book lists here! And if you want to participate in future 5 on Five book lists, learn more about it and how to get in on it here!

This content may contain affiliate links that earn me a small commission (just enough to grab a coffee) at no additional cost to you!

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Like, comment, or restack! THANK YOU!

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Ever since I recently learned Ann Patchett owned a bookstore in Nashville, I’ve wanted to take a road trip there. My family, who’s probably thinking more about the music and restaurant/bar scene, is all for a trip to Nashville! But I’m sure they’d enjoy browsing a bookstore and watching me load up on signed copies!

As it turns out, quite a few authors have opened bookstores across the United States. I never knew Judy Blume owned a bookstore in Key West. How cool is that! Right there with Ernest Hemingway and other literary icons! Yeah, add that to my literary travel bucket list!

So, today, to inspire your wanderings as you check off the Summer Reading Mini-Challenge #5: 📚 Visit an Indie Bookstore, I’m featuring 11 well-known, accomplished authors, perhaps a few of your favorites, and where to find their bookstores. (Seriously, if you’re an author and a bookstore owner, you might as well yell, “Yahtzee!” to the literary world!)

Happy Reading! (And Happy Indie Bookstore Shopping!)

Your friend,

Audry

P.S. If you’re not able to visit an indie bookstore, Bookshop.org is the next best thing!

P.P.S. I’m giving away a $50 Bookshop.org gift card to one new or current Annual or Founding Member to celebrate the Bookish AF Summer of Reading!

7 Author-Owned Bookstores in the US!

One of the many reasons to visit an author-owned bookstore is the possibility that you’ll run into the author while there! How awesome would that be! (Pro tip: You increase your chances if the bookstore is holding an event.)

But either way, it’s fun to say you’ve visited a place owned by one of your favorite authors! And bonus, authors often provide multiple signed copies of their own books at their bookstores!

Ann Patchett’s Bookstore:

Parnassus Books in Nashville, Tennessee

Ann Patchett didn’t set out to be a bookstore owner alongside her wildly successful career as an author of fiction, nonfiction, and, yes, children’s books. However, her passion for books (see her TED Talk here) and the closing of two bookstores in her local community motivated her to become the co-owner of Parnassus in 2011. Fun fact: the bookstore is named after Mount Parnassus, home of the Muses in Greek mythology!

While there, load up on signed copies of Ann Patchett’s latest novel, Whistler! Side note: I’ve been on an Ann Patchett kick ever since I listened to Tom Hanks narrate The Dutch House, and I just finished Meryl Streep narrating Tom Lake. I highly recommend both on audio, especially if you enjoy literary fiction!

Judy Blume’s Bookstore:

Books & Books at The Studios of Key West in Key West, Florida

The beloved author of my youth and Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret, cofounded her bookstore in 2016 with her husband, George Cooper. And she put it in Key West! It’s located one block off the well-known, very happening Duval Street! Just another reason for me to plan a trip there! Pick up a signed copy of Summer Sisters along with your other childhood favorites when you visit!

Emma Straub’s Bookstore:

Books Are Magic in Brooklyn, New York

Bestselling novelist Emma Straub co-owns this bookstore with her husband, designer Michael Fusco-Straub. Much like Ann Patchett (watch Ann and Emma talk bookstore ownership and books here), their favorite bookstore closed, so they opened their own in 2017 with not one but two locations!

This bright, colorful bookshop is a must-stop if you’re in the area. Pick up Emma Straub’s latest novel, American Fantasy, while you browse the shelves. And you have to get a picture in front of the Instagram-worthy mural and storefront! Plus, check out the many author events they host!

Jenny Lawson’s Bookstore:

Nowhere Bookshop in San Antonio, Texas

Jenny Lawson, the humor writer also known as The Bloggess and author of many books, including Let’s Pretend This Never Happened and her newest release, that’s getting a ton of buzz, How to Be Okay When Nothing Is Okay, owns this cozy bookshop! It’s a great place to browse the shelves and spend time in the gift section or at the cafe, which serves coffee, wine, and beer. Why don’t I live closer to San Antonio? I’d be here all the time!

Jeff Kinney’s Bookstore:

An Unlikely Story in Plainville, Massachusetts

The Diary of a Wimpy Kid author is also the co-owner with his wife of this charming bookstore and cafe located inside a restored historic building. Jeff Kinney started his bookstore to revitalize his hometown. And from the looks of it and the many family-friendly literary events held upstairs in the “Second Story,” I’m pretty sure his hometown appreciates it!

Louise Erdrich’s Bookstore:

Birchbark Books in Minneapolis, Minnesota

Loise Erdrich, who’s best known for The Night Watchman, founded her bookstore in 1999. Visit to browse through one of the most unique bookstore collections in the country and discover books you might not find elsewhere! The bookshop also specializes in Indigenous literature and Native arts.

George R.R. Martin’s Bookstore:

Beastly Books in Santa Fe, New Mexico

Imagine what a bookstore would be like from the famed A Game of Thrones author. Are you picturing dragons, creatures, and a place that’s all in on the fantasy vibe? Then you won’t be disappointed when you walk in! Also, enjoy the Beastly Coffee Bar and the gift shop with themed merch!

More Author-Owned Bookstores to Visit

If you’re planning a literary road trip, here are a few more author-owned bookstores to add to your list!

• Uncle Bobbie’s Coffee & Books in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, owned by Marc Lamont Hill, author of Nobody, is a community bookstore with a café.

• The Lynx Books in Gainesville, Florida, owned by Lauren Groff, author of Fates and Furies and The Vaster Wilds, is a favorite gathering place with beautifully curated shelves and staff recommendations.

• Book Moon in Easthampton, Massachusetts, owned by Kelly Link, author of Get in Trouble and The Book of Love, is a charming indie bookstore with thoughtfully selected collections and hidden gems.

• Skylark Bookshop in Columbia, Missouri, owned by Alex George, author of A Good American, is part neighborhood bookstore and part literary community hub.

📍I’d love to hear which one is at the top of your literary travel wish list! Have you been to any of these author-owned bookstores?

Leave a comment

Bookish AF Summer Reading BINGO

This summer, add whimsy to your reading habit! Follow along with the Bookish AF Summer of Reading 2026 here!

Mini-Challenge #5: 📚 Visit an Indie Bookstore

More and more independent bookstores are opening and thriving across the United States. And it’s not just here in the States, but a global movement!

Bookstores provide a place to gather and discuss the one subject that brings people together more easily than just about any other topic: books! Even if you don’t agree on whether you liked a book or not, you’re still in agreement over your enjoyment of reading. And discussions about bookish subjects tend to lead to you learning more about a person than you ever would have otherwise!

So, stop by your local indie bookshop or take a road trip! Small towns and city boroughs with bookstores often have plenty of charm … and cafes!

Spilling the tea: Plum Deluxe, a small-batch tea company in Portland, is sponsoring next week’s post! But considering this week’s theme, I couldn’t wait to share their Bookshop Blend White Tea with you!

Bookish AF News Updates

Next week, I’ll have the roundup of new July book club picks! But while you wait…

One More Book List for Pride Month

Even though June and Pride Month are officially over, it’s always the perfect time to pick one of the many fantastic new books that celebrate the LGBTQ+ community. Check out this book list from !

I Was on a Podcast!

The wonderful, lovely of What to Read Next invited me onto her cozy bookish podcast, The Reading Receipt! I had such fun talking about books and what my reading habit means to me.

See the post about the interview here:

The Reading Receipt — by Laura of What to Read Next

What's On Your Nightstand? A Conversation About Books, Audiobooks & Building a Reading Life You Love

What I love about talking to fellow book people who also happen to write about books is that the conversation always goes somewhere unexpected. We start with a book rec and end up somewhere deeper — …

Listen now

2 months ago · 8 likes · 6 comments · Laura Yamin and Audry Fryer

Bookish Quote of the Week

“As every reader knows, the social contract between you and a book you love is not complete until you can hand that book to someone else and say, ‘Here, you’re going to love this.’ ”

― Ann Patchett, These Precious Days: Essays

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Did you know the Bookish AF accepts newsletter sponsorships? If you offer a product or service that my readers would find valuable and enjoy (bookish items, services, or even your own book), I’d love to feature it in an upcoming issue!

I’m limiting it to one sponsor per issue to keep this an exclusive opportunity. See The Bookish Shop to learn how I can help you connect with my over 1,000 readers!

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My group of friends all work in education in one form or another. So as soon as the school year ends (and I mean the very weekend after the last day of school), we make our annual pilgrimage to the Jersey Shore, typically Ocean City.

The weather in June can be unpredictable. One year, we shivered, wrapped in towels, one of us in a polar fleece jacket. Another time, we nearly passed out from heat exhaustion, our BOGO Polish Water Ice melting into sugary juice by the second spoonful.

This year was warm with a land breeze. The ocean that crept toward our encampment of beach chairs, umbrellas, beach bags, and cooler totes felt refreshingly cool. Other than emptying an entire can of bug spray on our ankles (because there always must be something), the day was nearly perfect for relaxation, catching up, and, of course, beach reading!

So, I snapped a quick picture of the books we brought for our beach day trip in hopes of sharing them with you. Hopefully, you’ll find a hidden gem from our picks!

Also in today’s post: Summer Reading Mini-Challenge #4, my tips for creating a Beach Bag TBR, and a skimmable book list of new beach reads! Plus, Bookish AF News Updates includes Oprah’s Book Club Pick #124!

Happy Summer Reading!

Your friend,

Audry

P.S. See last week’s poll results here for “How many books do you pack for a trip?”

The Books My Friends and I Read on the Beach

So, what did my friends and I toss into our beach bags to read during our day trip to the beach? Here ya go!

Let’s Not Go Overboard Here by Erica Hendry

I brought this book! And I proudly announced that Grand Central Publishing had sent it to me, most likely because Bookish AF has recently surpassed a thousand free subscribers! Even better, I enjoyed the story’s entertainment value. See my glowing Goodreads review of it here!

Let’s Not Go Overboard Here is about a woman obsessed with reality TV culture but also heartbroken after losing her best friend. She gets invited as a plus one on a mega-yacht in Greece, where one of the socialites goes missing. Was she murdered? (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson

It’s kind of funny that my friend, who is known for random streaks of hot red sunburn after a day at the beach, would choose a book with a child on the cover spontaneously combusting into fire!

Nothing to See Here is on my TBR, too! I nearly loaned the audiobook off Libby right before this trip! In this humorous, unique story, a young woman offers to help care for her friend’s new twin stepkids. However, these twins can’t get worked up … or they literally combust! (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

A Far-Flung Life by M. L. Stedman

The friend I can always rely on for a fascinating book rec didn’t disappoint on this beach trip! Many years ago, I had read and never forgotten The Light Between Oceans, also by M. L. Stedman. (What a story that was!)

A Far-Flung Life, M. L. Stedman’s newest release, just out this past March, is set in late 1950s Western Australia on a remote Sheep Station. It tells the story of a family and a tragic car wreck that forever changes the trajectory of their lives. The reviews are stellar! (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

Story of My Life by Lucy Score

From the friend who is also a reading specialist and thus often toting middle-grade or young adult fiction, this time brought a lighthearted rom-com! The edition with printed edges looked as delightful as the story within it!

Story of My Life sounds like a fun escape because it is! Set in a small town in Pennsylvania (I can relate!), a woman moves into a house in need of repairs. So she hires none other than the town’s attractive yet grumpy handyman. Reader reviews say even though you know where this story is heading, you won’t want to put it down! (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

The Stolen Heir by Holly Black

My friend, who reads the fastest among us and has the spiciest taste in books by far, brought two books to the beach: The Stolen Heir and Hidden!

The Stolen Heir is the first book in a two-book series about a runaway child queen in the fantasy world of Elfhame. She is saved by a prince and the heir to Elfhame, but can she really trust him? (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

Hidden by Kendra Elliot

The second book she toted along is about the sole survivor of a mass murder that took the lives of nine Oregon State University students, including her best friend. Now she works as a forensic odontologist. When her best friend’s remains are found, and new murders begin, she works extra closely (emphasis on “extra”) with an ex-cop to investigate, while danger is always lurking. Readers put its “spiciness” at 3 out of 5 chili peppers. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

Bookish AF Summer Reading BINGO

This summer, add whimsy to your reading habit! Follow along with the Bookish AF Summer of Reading 2026 here!

Summer Reading Mini-Challenge #4 🏖️ Beach Bag TBR

Even if you aren’t heading to a beach anytime soon, you can still use this twist on your TBR to add whimsy to your summer reading selections!

Physical book readers: Simply, grab a sturdy beach bag. Then select books from your library that you most want to read this summer. Stash them in the bag for easy reference to match your mood or to act as a portable TBR! Add other bookish items (maybe sunglasses, bookmarks, or a journal) to the bag as well so you’re always prepped!

Ebook readers and audiobook listeners: Use this mini-challenge to create a “beachy” TBR jar. Cut out strips of paper and write the “beach read” titles you most want to read this summer. Fold up the paper slips and drop them into a jar or perhaps a large flipped-over shell. When you’re deciding on your next read, pull a paper to discover your next book!

Now is the perfect time to join the Bookish AF Summer of Reading! It’s giving bookish fun in the sun. It’s giving yelling Bingo at strangers. It’s giving ask-your-father-I’m-reading vibes! (Find out how to win a $50 Bookshop.org gift card!)

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NEW Beach Reads to Add to Your Beach Bag TBR

Burnout Summer by Jenna Ramirez – A struggling Gen Z, the friend who bails her out of jail, and the burning friends-to-lovers romance in a Rhode Island beach town. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

The Shippers by Katherine Center – Her sister’s cruise ship wedding, fake flirting (this always leads to unintentional romance!), and romantic mishaps! (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

The Someday Garden by Ashley Poston – Coastal Maine, a charming aging estate with a mysterious garden, and a love triangle with two totally opposite men. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

The Summer Share by Jenn McKinlay – An old beach house in need of repair, two owners with two different plans, and the home’s romantic history that may bring these two together.­ (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

Down with the Shipmans by Meg Mitchell Moore - Three sisters, one last summer at their family’s beach house, and the complicated bonds that may tear them apart. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

Beach Thriller by Jamie Day – An author down on her luck, a beach house that’s seen better days, and the AC cranked to chilling when dark secrets emerge. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

Meet Me at the Seaside Cottages by Jenny Colgan – The Scottish Isles, a fraught mother-daughter relationship, and the cozy seaside cottage they’re renovating, plus a dash of romance. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

When You Loved Me by Beatriz Williams – A family estate, a pirate treasure supposedly buried beneath, and the daughter who questions what really happened to her deceased father (looking at you, former love interest!). (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

View the booklist on Bookshop.org! (Local independent bookstores benefit from your purchases!)

More Beach Bag-Worthy Beach Reads!

I featured author Annabel Monaghan on last year’s beach read list. She’s back this summer with Dolly all the Time! Learn all about it along with another great beach read for the summer of 2026, June Baby by Shannon Garvey, on my Best New Books of Summer list!

Bookish AF News Update

June Book Club Selections

OPRAH’S BOOK CLUB Pick #124, Little Wonder by Sophie Chen Keller, tells the story of a mother, River, and her music prodigy son, Song. At age eleven, Song becomes separated from River on the busiest day of the year at the Beijing Railway Station. Days and years pass as they work their way back to each other. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

Pride Month Book Recs: New for June 2026!

Girl’s Girl by Sonia Feldman

A trio of friends can get complicated quickly, especially when you’re fifteen, and double especially when, one pivotal summer, an unexpected kiss occurs between two of the friends. Perfect for literary fiction fans! (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

We Are Gathered Here Today by Bobby Finger

Finlay, a newly engaged gay man, attends his best friend/cousin’s over-the-top Texas wedding. While there, he meets several wedding guests who give Finlay cold feet for his own future commitment despite the hot Texas sun. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

Bookish Quote of the Week

“Stop accepting less than what you’re worth, less than you want.”

― Lucy Score, Story of My Life

This content may contain affiliate links that earn me a small commission (just enough to grab a coffee) at no additional cost to you!

Did you know the Bookish AF accepts newsletter sponsorships? If you offer a product or service that my readers would find valuable and enjoy (bookish items, services, or even your own book), I’d love to feature it in an upcoming issue! I’m limiting it to one sponsor per issue to keep this an exclusive opportunity. See The Bookish Shop to learn how I can help you connect with my over 1,000 readers!

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Like, comment, or restack! THANK YOU!

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I’m the world’s worst packer. (Or, at least, it feels like I am!) I tend to overthink literally everything I’m packing for a trip (including which books to bring). My brain spirals. I suffer from decision paralysis. And then I make a mad dash to jam everything I may possibly need into my suitcase.

If you’re relating, my condolences! But even if you’re a whiz at packing, deciding how many books, which titles, and hardback vs. paperback vs. ebook is vitally important for the enjoyment of your trip! (Imagine not having anything to read on your travels! The horrors!)

So, today I created a poll: How do you decide how many books to bring on a trip? Let’s keep this discussion going in the comments. I can’t wait to see what you have to say!

Then, I’ve got more summer bookish fun for you, including …

• 7 of the best NEW books to bring on your next trip

• 2 Bookish AF Summer of Reading Mini-Challenges

• Last-minute book gift ideas for Father’s Day

• & More Bookish News Updates!

Happy Summer Reading!

Your friend,

Audry

P.S. Now is the perfect time to join the Bookish AF Summer of Reading! It’s giving bookish fun in the sun. It’s giving yelling Bingo at strangers. It’s giving ask-your-father-I’m-reading vibes! (Find out how to win a $50 Bookshop.org gift card!)

Bookish Poll: How many books should you bring on a vacation?

There really isn’t an ideal answer! Your book choices and the amount you bring are incredibly personal, based on your reading pace, genre preferences, and preferred format. Plus, your choice of destination, how long you’ll be gone, and method of travel all factor in!

So, for this poll, let’s say you’re traveling by car on a one-week vacation with an even mix of downtime and activity. How many books do you bring?

Share your thoughts on how many books to bring on vacay!

Leave a comment

6 NEW Books to Pack on a Trip …

Consider this book list as Part 2 of Page-Turners to Pack on a Trip! Last year, I recommended new release books that seemed perfect for different vacation destinations. Plus, I shared several helpful tips for traveling with books. Check it out:

This year, I’ve kept most of the destinations but swapped out the book recs for 2026's new releases. Enjoy!

To the Beach

The Shampoo Effect by Jenny Jackson

If you find yourself at the beach (or just wishing you were there), look for or pre-order this book, which releases June 30th! When it publishes, you’ll likely see many, many people reading it on the beach (and everywhere else!). Rich people drama, a small New England town, and a love triangle that keeps getting so page-turningly complicated! (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

On an Island

The Island Club by Nicola Harrison

This book had me at the charming setting of Balboa Island, along the California coast! While we dream of a getaway, why not read this “skillfully crafted story” (as one reader described it) about three women in the 1950s dealing with life issues on the island. It has tennis, friendship, and plenty of drama! (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

By a Lake

The Lake Club by Lina Patton

Let’s join an elite club by the lake and watch rich people behave badly! Or let’s save the high price tag and spend our money on something far more entertaining: a book about two well-off women pursuing the same male nanny and the country club that loves to gossip about it! (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

In a Big City

It Could Have Been Her by Lisa Jewell

I’d be up for a trip to London! However, I may feel a little unnerved about my ventures there after reading thriller author Lisa Jewell’s newest book. Set initially in the British countryside, a girl goes missing. Then the action swiftly relocates to a mysterious home in London. Jewell’s None of This Is True was such a fabulous “unhinged woman” read, that I’m sure this book will be equally as addictive! (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

On a Cruise

American Fantasy by Emma Straub

When I think about a cruise ship, I think about having a good time! And, fortunately, it seems that when Emma Straub imagines a cruise ship, she also envisions a good time … and a 90s boy band, and a romance! All aboard for this feel-good read of the summer! (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

Abroad

Villa Coco by Andrew Sean Greer

Twist my arm. Yes, I’ll go to Tuscany with you. Threaten me with a good time! While I’m booking our flights, travel to Tuscany in this book with a recent grad who takes a job as an assistant to the aging Baronessa, Coco. He’s hired to archive her art and antiques in her equally aging Tuscan villa, but really, he’s enjoying the characters and life at the villa! (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

View the booklist on Bookshop.org! (Local independent bookstores benefit from your purchases!)

Bookish AF Summer Reading BINGO

This summer, add whimsy to your reading habit! Follow along with the Bookish AF Summer of Reading 2026 here!

Mini-Challenge #2 Reading Outside

Reading, as we all know, is good for your brain, your mood, and basically your life. Spending time outdoors is also good for your brain, your mood, and basically your life. Hmm, I’m seeing a lot of similarities! So, imagine if we combine the two? Woah!

expressed it more poetically in her recent post: “reading— under a shady tree, on a towel by the water, in your favorite backyard hammock, reading in the summer is joyful comfort!”

So, here’s the mini-challenge (You’re going to thank me!):

1. Choose a pleasant weather day

2. Set up the essentials (chair or blanket, book, drink, snacks, sun block…)

3. Open a book and read for at least 20 minutes!

Enjoy less eye strain, lower stress, and potentially better sleep that night! (You’re welcome!)

Mini-Challenge #3 Summer Reading Photo

Now that reading outside has provided you with a natural glow-up (book reading automatically makes you more attractive!), snap a selfie or an “ussie” if you’re with friends! Lookin’ good! If you want, share your reading pics over on the Bookish AF Chat! And don’t stop there. Consider sharing on your social media, too, because you never know who you’ll inspire to start a reading habit!

Bookish AF News Updates

Father’s Day Book Recs

I wanted to put together a Father’s Day Book List, but I’ve run out of time and space this week! But never fear … I haven’t forgotten about all you wonderful Dads who love to read! Fortunately, I found an excellent book list perfect for Dads searching for their next read or for anyone looking for a thoughtful gift for them. Check out Zibby’s Bookshop for book recs that match a few of Dad’s favorite interests!

Pride Month: Read These Books If You Loved Heated Rivalry

Queer Romance hit an all-time high in popularity over the past year thanks to the bestselling series and hit show, Heated Rivalry. Now that the ice has melted (probably from all those hot scenes, oh, and it’s pretty much summer), you may be looking for your next queer romance fix. This book list from Penguin Random House is here for you! Best of all, it includes swooning characters playing summer sports. See Two Left Feet, The Prospects, and The Open Era.

Read It & Watch It

READ: Every Summer After by Carley Fortune for the heartbreakingly, heart-warming full circle romance with all the nostalgic summers by the lake vibes!

WATCH: Every Year After series, which is now streaming on Amazon Prime!

Bookish Quote of the Week

“Here’s to books, the cheapest vacation you can buy.”

― Charlaine Harris

Shop for the books I recommend on Bookish AF at my Bookshop on Bookshop.org!

This content may contain affiliate links that earn me a small commission (just enough to grab a coffee) at no additional cost to you!

Did you know the Bookish AF accepts newsletter sponsorships? If you offer a product or service that my readers would find valuable and enjoy (bookish items, services, or even your own book), I’d love to feature it in an upcoming issue! I’m limiting it to one sponsor per issue to keep this an exclusive opportunity. See The Bookish Shop to learn how I can help you connect with my over 1,000 readers!

Thank you for reading! 🤓If you enjoyed this article, please show your support:

Like, comment, or restack! THANK YOU!

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There’s something special about reading in the summer. As a kid, summer meant freedom for many things … most especially freedom to choose where, when, and what I wanted to read!

Books by Judy Blume, Beverly Cleary, and Madeleine L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time just naturally fit into those leisurely days that also included riding my bike around my neighborhood and occasional trips to a pool. (Oh, the nostalgia of life before phones!)

Here at Bookish AF, I wanted a way to inspire this same whimsical sense of freedom and easy enjoyment of summer reading. So, this week I’m kicking off the “Bookish AF Summer of Reading 2026!”

Each week, I’ll feature a new idea to bring more joy and whimsy to your reading habit this summer. I’ll also provide a Bingo card so you can keep track of these mini-challenges and revel in the satisfaction of marking them off as you accomplish them.

So, today’s newsletter includes lots of new and exciting reading inspo:

• All about the Bookish AF Summer of Reading 2026

• The first mini-challenge: Go on an Audiobook Walk!

• Bookish Updates:

  • 3 New books to celebrate Pride Month!

  • Katie Couric Book Club’s Pick for June!

Happy Summer Reading!

Your friend,

Audry

P.S. My mom and a very good friend both read, enjoyed, and recommend Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth. I featured this book in my Mother’s Day post, as perfect for moms (or anyone!) who are obsessed with mysteries and thrillers. I’m definitely reading it this summer!

Bookish AF Summer of Reading 2026!

A recent New York Times Opinion article spotlighted Brian Bannon, the chief librarian of the New York Public Library (see the Instagram summary of it here). Bannon warned that reading for fun, especially among young people, has plummeted in America. It’s a concerning trend because reading books is not only good for your individual wellness, but it also uplifts your community and beyond.

Bookish AF readers are already enthusiastic book lovers! But it’s always helpful to find ways to keep the bookish fun going and perhaps inspire others through your example to start their own reading habit!

So, from starting now in June through August, join all the Bookish AF Summer of Reading fun! Each week, I’ll feature one or two of the mini-challenges of reading inspiration ideas to help you make the most of your summer reading life!

You don’t have to complete every square. The goal is simple: have fun, discover great books, and create a summer full of memorable reading experiences.

Bookish AF Summer Reading Bonus!

Become an paid member during the challenge and save 25% on your first year! All annual and founding members will also be entered to win a $50 Bookshop.org card when we celebrate the end of Summer Reading Bingo on August 26.

BONUS: All PAID subscribers can download a PDF of the Bookish AF Summer Reading Bingo Card, plus more helpful resources!

Subscribe now

Bookish AF Summer Reading Challenge #1: 🎧 Take an Audiobook Walk

I chose to start with this Summer Reading Mini-Challenge first because of two events happening now:

• Saturday, June 13th, is National Get Outdoors Day, which celebrates spending time outside and enjoying nature. I’m hoping to attend an audiobook walk event at a local library this Saturday! Find an audiobook walk near you here!

• It’s also Audiobook Appreciation Month! I’ve recently become an audiobook fan for many reasons, most especially that listening while I’m doing other mundane tasks has doubled how many books I’ve read!

What’s an Audiobook Walk?

An audiobook walk is exactly what it sounds like. Put on an audiobook, lace up your shoes, and head outside!

If you’re new to audiobook walks, here are a few quick tips:

• Choose a simple route so you can focus safely on your audiobook.

• Wear comfy headphones or earbuds that stay in securely

• Double the fun and bring a friend to walk with you!

For more audiobook tips and recs, check out these Bookish AF posts:

Share what book kept you company on your audiobook walk!

Leave a comment

Bookish AF News Updates

Top 3 Books to Celebrate Pride Month

I love the power of books, especially fiction, to provide representation and opportunity for empathy. As a reader, you live the life of the characters in your mind. Sometimes that means you resonate with their experiences, and sometimes that means you understand others a little better. During Pride Month, this benefit of reading takes on even greater meaning!

For the ultimate Pride Month book list, Bookshop.org asked “booksellers at local, LGBTQIA+-owned bookstores to share the books they’re recommending this Pride Month.”

Here are the top three books on their list:

John of John by Douglas Stuart

Maybe because Oprah selected it as her June book club pick, or because early reader reviews rate it sooo highly, but this novel tops every Pride book list this year!

In this deeply emotional story, both father and son hold on tightly to the secret that they are both gay. They keep this secret from the world, and more importantly, from each other. Listen to Douglas Stuart discuss (in his lovely lilting accent) his novel in this fascinating NPR interview! (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

We Burned So Bright by TJ Klune

You may well recognize the author, TJ Klune, from The House in the Cerulean Sea (I haven’t read it yet, but it’s high on TBR!).

In this novel, we follow Don and Rodney, who have shared a life for forty years. Sadly, time is running out as Earth is about to be gobbled up by a black hole! With unfinished business motivating them, Don and Rodney hop into a mobile home for a road trip from Maine to Washington State. The reviews are stellar, and it may be the end of the world if I don’t read it soon! (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Let’s keep our eyes cast upward to the rainbow-filled heavens above, for another novel that is beautifully written and worthy of praise during Pride Month and all year long! Taylor Jenkins Reid rarely disappoints (why oh why haven’t I read one of her books yet?!), and Atmosphere is among her most beloved.

The story follows Joan Goodwin, who ventures into the 1980s Space Shuttle mission. While training for the mission, Joan befriends her fellow astronauts and finds an unlikely love. Then, on a mission, things go wrong. You'd better block out time to read this last section because you won’t want to put it down! (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

View the booklist on Bookshop.org! (Save 15% off the books on this list until June 30th with code: Pride26 and know that local independent bookstores, LGBTQIA+-owned, benefit from your purchases!)

June Book Club Selections

Katie Couric Book Club (KCBC) June 2026 Book Pick: Whistler by Ann Patchett

I’m so excited Katie selected this book (read more about it here) because now I can look forward to watching her interview Ann Patchett on her Substack. Save the date: June 29 at 8:30 p.m. While you wait, check out this fascinating interview with Elle Magazine where Ann Patchett discusses Whistler and more!

Bookish Quote of the Week

“One benefit of Summer was that each day we had more light to read by.”

― Jeannette Walls, The Glass Castle

This content may contain affiliate links that earn me a small commission (just enough to grab a coffee) at no additional cost to you!

More Bookish Fun:

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Shop for the books I recommend on Bookish AF at my Bookshop on Bookshop.org!

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Divorce has been a go-to topic for writers for a long time. But lately, new books about fractured families have taken it to another level!

These novels and memoirs aren’t afraid to share the shocking betrayals, the messy breakups, and the quiet heartbreak that happens when a family is torn apart. They’re impossible to put down. And you’ll definitely want to discuss them with someone!

So, today, I’m sharing:

• 5 Divorce Reads worth adding to your TBR (Also, June’s 5 on Five theme!)

• June is Pride Month and Audiobook Appreciation Month!

• New June book club picks from Sarah, Jenna, Reese, and more!

• Prime Day book discounts you can get today!

• Bookish Reading Tip: Appreciating Your Reading Habit!

Happy Reading!

Your friend,

Audry

P.S. Today’s book list is two days early for the monthly 5 on Five Link Sharing Party! Simi Sidhu Writes is hosting June’s 5 on Five with the optional theme of “fractured families.” So, this Friday, visit the 5 on Five post at Simi Sidhu Writes: Between Worlds for links to more great books!

P.P.S. I can’t get enough of public libraries with a sense of humor on Instagram! If you want a laugh, watch “Hot Girl Summer” Parts One and Two!

5 Bold, Emotional Books About Fractured Families

These novels and memoirs about both fictional and real-life divorces put it alllll out there! The women in these stories go through complicated, at times unhinged emotions and tough healing journeys. Bring on the page-turning, must-read drama!

Strangers: A Memoir of Marriage by Belle Burden | Memoir

Belle Burden had a steady, financially secure life until her husband of 20 years suddenly announced he was walking away from her and their children. Stunned and questioning everything she thought she knew, Belle looks back at her marriage and family history. There, she finds the courage to face betrayal, speak up, and become a braver version of herself. Watch Jennifer Weiner recommend this book here. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

The Perfect Divorce by Jeneva Rose | Thriller

In this follow-up novel to The Perfect Marriage, it’s now eleven years after Sarah Morgan got her husband Adam acquitted of murdering his mistress. She’s built a new life with a new husband, a new career, and a future she thought was finally steady. But when her marriage to Bob falls apart, and fresh DNA evidence reopens Adam’s old case, Sarah is pulled back into a twisted mystery. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

Splinters: Another Kind of Love Story by Leslie Jamison | Memoir

Leslie Jamison opens up about the most personal parts of her life, including single motherhood after her fractured marriage, and the complicated love story of her parents. With sharp, beautiful writing, she explores how joy and grief can coexist, and how she managed to move forward. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

Cherry Baby by Rainbow Rowell | Contemporary Fiction

Cherry is stuck in Omaha, while her soon-to-be ex-husband gets famous in Hollywood for a webcomic based on her plus-sized life! Finally, she meets someone who doesn’t recognize her from the comic, someone from her past who sees her for who she really is, and suddenly Cherry has a chance to figure out who she wants to become. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

Three Days in June by Anne Tyler | Contemporary Fiction

For Gail Baines, everything seems to be going wrong, and it’s only getting messier as her daughter’s wedding gets closer. When her ex-husband appears back on her doorstep, a family secret comes to light, and old wounds reopen. It’s a quick read at 166 pages, but it makes an impact with its sharp, emotional story. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

View the booklist on Bookshop.org! (Local independent bookstores benefit from your purchases!)

Bookish AF News Updates

June is Pride Month!

Next week, I’ll share a book list highlighting several new and noteworthy fiction and nonfiction books featuring LGBTQ+ authors and themes. If you don’t want to wait, here are the book lists I’m searching through: Goodreads, Bookriot, Penguin Random House, and Bookshop.org. Share with me what book you’re looking forward to reading!

Leave a comment

June is also Audiobook Appreciation Month!

It’s time to celebrate how audiobooks make reading easier, more fun, and more accessible for everyone! All month, libraries, publishers, and reading platforms join in by sharing recommendations and events that show why listening to stories is such a great part of bookish life.

• Learn more about this event on the American Library Association’s page!

• Join an audiobook walk-a-thon near you on June 13th! Find your local Silent Book Club here to participate!

June Book Club Selections

SARAH SELECTS: Dolly All the Time by Annabel Monaghan - Also last month’s GMA Book Club Pick!

The reader ratings are sky-high for this story about a single mom who returns to her hometown in Rhode Island. While there, she gets involved with a fake-dating scheme that turns into a real romance. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

READ WITH JENNA: The Children by Melissa Albert

Guinevere Sharpe grew up in two worlds: the magical stories her famous mother wrote and the difficult real life she lived in a remote Vermont farmhouse. As an adult, she’s pulled back into the spotlight and must face the dark truth behind the fantasy. See what Jenna has to say about it here! (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

REESE’S BOOK CLUB: A Pair of Aces by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray

I featured this book last week! When Manhattan’s first Black female prosecutor, Eunice Carter, goes after mob boss Lucky Luciano, she’ll need help from Polly Adler, a powerful madam determined to protect her girls. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

PRAIRIE PAGES BOOK CLUB: Stash: My Life In Hiding by Laura Cathcart Robbins

Laura Cathcart Robbins’ memoir tells the story of a privileged but fractured childhood, addiction, recovery, divorce, and starting over while also facing what it means to be a Black woman in spaces that weren’t built for her. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

Bookish Buys

Prime Day is June 23rd through the 26th! But you can shop “Today’s Deals” right now for amazing discounts on books and more!

Bookish Reading Tip: Appreciating Your Reading Habit!

When you pick up a book or an audiobook, know that you’re doing something good for both your mind and your mood! Reading strengthens your ability to focus, helps you think more clearly, and makes you more empathetic. Best of all, it’s such a simple, low-cost way to slow down, relax, and ease stress!

Bookish Quote of the Week

“We aren’t loved in the ways we choose. We are loved in the ways we are loved.”

― Leslie Jamison, Splinters

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More Bookish Fun:

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Leave a comment

Did you know the Bookish AF accepts newsletter sponsorships? If you offer a product or service that my readers would find valuable and enjoy (bookish items, services, or even your own book), I’d love to feature it in an upcoming issue! I’m limiting it to one sponsor per issue to keep this an exclusive opportunity. See The Bookish Shop to learn how I can help you connect with my over 1,000 readers!

New Paid Subscriber and Founding Member Gifts

Your paid support makes it possible for me to spend more time on all this Bookish AF fun! It also allows me to focus on writing my next novel. As an additional thank you for your generosity of a paid subscription, I’ve recently added:

• A new printable PDF of Book Club Discussion Questions for Any Book.

• Your name in the acknowledgments of my next book (in progress) when it publishes (with your permission)!

• Founding Members: The gift of my previously published Kindle e-books sent to your email.

Finally, it feels like summer! I’m so excited to start spending more time outside reading! Whether it’s in my favorite Adirondack chair (see here in this note) or on the beach or poolside, it’s pure joy to slip on my sunglasses, kick off my sandals, and get lost in a story!

So, if you’re looking for new summer reads to enjoy now, I rounded up the best new fiction just released this May! I’m also featuring several new books coming out on June 2nd that I’m sure you’ll be seeing in front of a lot of faces this summer!

Happy Summer Reading!

Your friend,

Audry

P.S. Today’s Bookish News Updates include: A new book club pick that’s also super perfect for summer reading, a booklist for Mental Health Awareness Month, and what Jenna Bush Hager had to say about banning books!

12 New Books for the Summer!

I thought about creating another “most anticipated” post for all the great books coming out this summer.

However, I ran into two problems: First, that book list would be wayyyy too long. And, second, I’m always disappointed when I find out a book I’m excited for isn’t coming out for several weeks or months!

So, all this summer, I’m listing the sensational new reads you need to know about as they become available, or are released before my next post!

To Read Now!

Our Perfect Storm by Carley Fortune | Romance

Frankie and George have been best friends since childhood, but their bond has always been as messy as it is strong. When Frankie’s wedding falls apart, George decides he’ll take her on her honeymoon trip to the rugged coast of Tofino on Vancouver Island in Canada. What starts as one last chance to fix their friendship turns into a heart-tugging escape full of secrets, old feelings, and maybe (definitely) love. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

Land by Maggie O’Farrell | Historical Fiction

In 1865 Ireland, Tomás and his young son Liam are helping map the country for the Ordnance Survey when a strange encounter changes everything. As the weight of the Great Hunger, colonization, and family secrets closes in, Liam must figure out how to survive a father who is no longer the man he knew. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

June Baby by Shannon Garvey | Literary Fiction/Romance

After losing her mother to cancer at seventeen, Ruth’s father sends her to Block Island with only the name of a famous photographer, Diana Beckett. Ruth finds Diana, who gives her a summer refuge full of beauty, writing, and her first love with Diana’s nephew, Charlie. Now, ten summers later, another tragedy and a shocking discovery from Diana force Ruth to rethink everything she thought she knew about her past. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

Rules for the Summer by Meghan Quinn | Rom-com

Renley Gossage has one chance to save her favorite candy shop and prove to everyone in Cape Meril that they’re wrong about her and her family, even if that means doing the hard work alone. Then Theo Williams, a posh runaway dealing with a fake engagement mess and way too much confidence, ends up next door. Between the chaos, the gossip, and all their forced closeness, things get a lot sweeter than either of them planned. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

The Midnight Train by Matt Haig | Fantasy/Romance

When Wilbur boards the Midnight Train, he gets a chance to revisit the moments that shaped his life, including his honeymoon in Venice with Maggie, the love of his life. But as he begins to wish he had made different choices, he learns that changing the past could cost him everything. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

It Happened One Murder by Liz Lawson | Mystery/Romance

Harriet Baker thought she’d left Logan Island behind for good. But after losing her dream job, she’s reluctantly back home in her beach town. When her birthday party ends with a dead body, and her ex-fling’s sister is marked as the main suspect, Harriet teams up with Nic to uncover the truth. In the process, they dig up old secrets, messy feelings, and a hometown that’s not as picture-perfect as it seems. (Amazon | Bookshop.org) (Sent to me by Claire McLaughlin at Terrace Public Relations for review.)

Safari Murder Party by Rachel Moore | Mystery/Thriller

After three years of brutal hours as assistant to a terrifying media CEO, Fletcher Spence finally lands a spot on her company’s luxurious retreat, where she hopes to win the promotion of her dreams. But when her boss dies and leaves the whole company to whoever survives the week, Fletcher finds herself trapped on a private island full of coworkers who are suddenly willing to do anything to come out on top, even if it means hunting her down! (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

Available June 2, 2026!

You only have to wait until next Tuesday to grab up these most anticipated new books!

Whistler by Ann Patchett | Literary Fiction

When Daphne Fuller spots her old stepfather, Eddie Triplett, at the Met, she’s suddenly pulled back into a part of her life she thought was long gone. Their reunion opens up memories, regrets, and a powerful connection that shows how one brief relationship can shape a whole life. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

Let’s Not Go Overboard Here by Erica Hendry | Mystery Thriller

After the death of her best friend, Mel joins a yacht trip in Greece, hoping for a break from her grief. Only, she gets pulled into a glamorous mystery when she thinks a fellow passenger has been murdered. But as no one else seems to believe her, Mel has to untangle the truth fast before the danger on board sinks her too. Watch this funny video the author made about the book! (Amazon | Bookshop.org) (Sent to me by Jes Lyons at Grand Central Publishing for review.)

Road Trip by Mary Kay Andrews | Contemporary Fiction

Sisters, Maeve and Therese Dunigan, have spent years living very different lives. But their mother’s death throws them back together when they inherit a mysterious painting that could be worth a fortune. As they travel to Ireland to uncover the truth, the sisters face family secrets, old grudges, and a few charming surprises that might change everything they thought they knew. (Amazon | Bookshop.org) (See ’s book tour dates here!)

A Pair of Aces by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray | Historical Fiction

When Eunice Carter, Manhattan’s first Black female prosecutor, goes after mob boss Lucky Luciano, she realizes the usual crimes won’t be enough to bring him down. With help from Polly Adler, a powerful madam who’s ready to protect her girls, the two women build a daring case that could change New York City forever. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

The Jellyfish Problem by Tessa Yang | Science Fiction

Dr. Jo Ness would rather keep company with jellyfish than people. After losing her best friend, Aldo, she’s been hiding out at an aquarium and clinging to the notes they left behind. But when an old friend calls from a tiny island in Maine with a wild story about a giant jellyfish terrorizing the residents, Jo goes in search of answers. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

View the booklist on Bookshop.org!

GMA Book Club Pick

Dolly All the Time by Annabel Monaghan | Contemporary Romance

Dolly Brick is the kind of woman who can handle almost anything, from her mom disappearing when she was twelve to now, at thirty-nine, moving back home to save her family’s house. So when she helps Stewart Whitfield after a flat tire and a very public breakup, the last thing she expects is for their fake arrangement to turn into real chemistry and a whole lot of feelings she’s not sure she can trust. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

Note: Right now, I’m listening to Annabel Monaghan’s It’s a Love Story on audiobook, and it’s such a cute rom-com! I’ve actually laughed out loud … really! The narrator does a great job, but it would be equally enjoyable to read in print or as an ebook.

Books for Mental Health Awareness Month

May has been Mental Health Awareness Month! Back in October, I put this helpful book list for this serious topic: 6 Mental Health Books (To Help You Feel Seen!)

Banned Books: “I don’t think so, Honey!”

recently joined the Apple podcast, Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, for an amusing discussion and “an impassioned rant against book banning.” You gotta watch this Instagram Reel to hear what she had to say!

“A summer away from everything, where I could read my books without worrying about being called a freak and swim whenever I wanted to, felt like heaven.”

― Carley Fortune, Every Summer After

This content may contain affiliate links that earn me a small commission (just enough to grab a coffee) at no additional cost to you!

More Bookish Fun:

🤓If you enjoyed this article, please show your support:

Shop for the books I recommend on Bookish AF at my Bookshop on Bookshop.org!

Like, comment, or restack! THANK YOU!

Leave a comment

Did you know the Bookish AF accepts newsletter sponsorships?

If you offer a product or service that my readers would find valuable and enjoy (bookish items, services, or even your own book), I’d love to feature it in an upcoming issue! I’m limiting it to one sponsor per issue to keep this an exclusive opportunity. See The Bookish Shop to learn how I can help you connect with my over 1,000 readers!

New Paid Subscriber and Founding Member Gifts

Your paid support makes it possible for me to spend more time on all this Bookish AF fun! It also allows me to focus on writing my next novel. As an additional thank you for your generosity of a paid subscription, I’ve recently added:

• A new printable PDF of Book Club Discussion Questions for Any Book.

• Your name in the acknowledgments of my next book (in progress) when it publishes (with your permission)!

• Founding Members: The gift of my previously published Kindle e-books sent to your email.

What do Fredrik Backman’s well-known novels, Elena Ferrante’s beloved Neapolitan series, and Thomas Schlesser’s recent breakout hit Mona’s Eyes all have in common? They’re translated fiction!

Despite the above books landing on several bestseller lists, most translated fiction flies under the radar. However, yesterday, the International Booker Prize shone a spotlight on translated books by announcing its winner! (See here)

So, today, I’m helping you to expand your reading horizons with:

• 5 Approachable translated books to read now!

• The International Booker Prize Winner 2026

• The most-read translated fiction of all time!

• Tips for reading translated fiction

And, in Bookish News Updates, I share about the movies I watched this weekend and two more book club picks from Reese and Oprah!

Happy Reading!

Your friend,

Audry

Bookish Recs: 5 Approachable Translated Books to Read Now!

Through these translated stories, we step into cultures, histories, and perspectives far beyond our own lives. Recent releases include literary fiction, speculative fiction, family sagas, thrillers, surreal stories, cozy reads, and more.

The hardest part now is deciding where to start! So, I selected five books with the best reviews and highest star ratings:

Sweet Bean Paste by Durian Sukegawa

(Translated from Japanese by Alison Watts)

The Premise:
A lonely man working at a small shop selling dorayaki (a pancake filled with a sweet bean paste) reluctantly hires an elderly woman with a mysterious past. Her homemade sweet bean paste slowly changes both the business and his outlook on life. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

Why It’s Approachable:
This book is gentle, cozy, and emotionally accessible from the very first page. The short chapters and food-centered storytelling make it feel comforting.

Who Would Like This:
Fans of cozy Japanese fiction, Before the Coffee Gets Cold, and stories that feel warm, reflective, and quietly emotional.

I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman

(Translated from French by Ros Schwartz)

The Premise:
A young woman and a group of older women are imprisoned underground with no explanation, no memories of the outside world, and no understanding of why they’re being held captive. When an unexpected escape becomes possible, the narrator must confront what it truly means to be human in a world she barely understands. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

Why It’s Approachable:
While the novel explores philosophical questions about freedom, identity, and loneliness, the eerie dystopian mystery and suspenseful survival-story premise keep the pages turning.

Who Would Like This:
Readers who love speculative fiction and books that leave you thinking for days afterward.

More Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa

(Translated from Japanese by Eric Ozawa)

The Premise:
This comforting sequel returns readers to the beloved Morisaki Bookshop in Tokyo, where books continue helping people heal, reconnect, and rediscover themselves. As familiar characters navigate love, grief, friendship, and new beginnings, the shop remains a quiet refuge for anyone searching for meaning. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

Why It’s Approachable:
The cozy setting, short length, and heartfelt storytelling make this book perfect for readers craving low-stakes comfort reads.

Who Would Like This:
Bookstore fiction lovers, cozy readers, and anyone who wishes they could disappear into a tiny bookshop for an entire weekend.

Eating Ashes by Brenda Navarro

(Translated from Spanish by Sophie Hughes)

The Premise:
After the death of her brother, a woman wanders through Barcelona reflecting on family trauma, violence, grief, and the emotional scars left behind by both personal and societal expectations. The novel is told through fragmented memories and deeply intimate reflections. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

Why It’s Approachable:
Although the themes are heavy, the short, sharp passages and raw honesty make the story deeply engaging and surprisingly readable.

Who Would Like This:
Readers who enjoy emotionally intense family dramas, reflective literary fiction, or books that explore grief and identity with brutal honesty.

Hooked: A Novel of Obsession by Asako Yuzuki

(Translated from Japanese by Polly Barton)

The Premise:
Eriko appears to have the perfect life: a prestigious job, polished appearance, and carefully controlled routine. But beneath her flawless exterior is a deep loneliness and an obsessive fascination with Shoko, a carefree lifestyle blogger whose messy, imperfect life. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

Why It’s Approachable:
The psychological tension builds quickly. It reads like an addictive contemporary thriller.

Who Would Like This:
Fans of Yellowface, and books about obsession, female friendship, and messy modern womanhood.

View the booklist on Bookshop.org!

(Local independent bookstores benefit from your purchases!)

Leave a comment

Why Everyone Is Talking About the International Booker Prize 2026

The 2026 International Booker Prize shortlist includes authors and translators from eight countries and four continents. Even cooler: five of the six authors and four of the six translators are women. Watch Dua Lipa here deliver the opening speech for the awards!

Here’s the shortlist (and the winner):

• The Nights Are Quiet in Tehran — an Iranian family story about revolution, exile, and the never-ending hope for freedom

• She Who Remains — a sharp, beautifully written story about a young woman in Albania and her journey to self-discovery

• The Director — a darkly funny look at filmmaker G.W. Pabst and his choice to work with the Nazis

• On Earth As It Is Beneath — a haunting novella set in a Brazilian penal colony, where justice and cruelty blur together

• The Witch — a darkly comic novel where magic, reality, and motherhood collide

• 🏆 (The winner!) Taiwan Travelogue — a post-colonial novel about a Japanese writer touring 1930s Taiwan, with a romance-like feel.

View the booklist on Bookshop.org!

Fun Fact: The World’s Most Translated Books Are Surprisingly Familiar

Leaving out religious texts, the top five most translated books are all classics many of us discovered as kids:

• The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

• Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi

• Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

• Andersen’s Fairy Tales by Hans Christian Andersen

• Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes

These books have lasted for generations because of their universal themes of curiosity, adventure, loneliness, imagination, and hope. Even when a story comes from another country or language, you can still find yourself in it!

Bookish Reading Tip: Enjoying Translated Fiction

When you read translated fiction, think of it as a team effort. The translator matters just as much as the author. They essentially shape the reading experience.

However, “lost in translation” moments still may happen. For example, name pronunciations (audiobooks help with this!) or unfamiliar holidays or traditions can leave you stumped.

You could Google to learn more about your book’s background. Who doesn’t love a good trip down the rabbit hole? Or, keep reading, allowing some details and cultural references to remain a little mysterious.

Learn more tips for enjoying translated fiction, and discover book recs for South Korean literature in translation here in ’s fascinating post!

Bookish AF News Updates

Book Club Selections: Reese’s and Oprah’s Latest Selections

Reese’s Book Club’s May 2026 Pick

The Fine Art of Lying by Alexandra Andrews

After a chance reentry into Manhattan’s glamorous art world leads Clare Bast to a stolen masterpiece and a brutal murder, she finds herself caught in a dangerous web of secrets, scams, and suspicion where every clue seems to point back to her. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

Read more from author Alexandra Andrews here on Reese’s Substack: .

Oprah’s Book Club’s Book Club Pick #123

John of John by Douglas Stuart

When John-Calum Macleod returns home to the Isle of Harris after art school with little money and a lot of secrets, he finds his strict father, sharp-tongued grandmother, and their fragile community all on the edge of change in this moving novel about family, truth, and longing. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

Bookish Entertainment News: What I Watched

This weekend, I enjoyed two great films. The first, The Devil Wears Prada 2, I saw in the theater with my mom and my daughter. It did not disappoint! I will say it’s more enjoyable if you’re already a fan of the first film and love the all-star cast (which we did!).

The second one, Remarkably Bright Creatures, I watched on my own on Netflix, which is good because it’s a tear-jerker even if it ends well. The book is one of my all-time favorites, and the movie really paid it justice. It kept to the book’s original story as much as a screenplay could, and Sally Field was perfect as Tova, the main character. Love her in just about anything, so no stretch there!

For fun, watch Sally read an excerpt from the book here! And then watch this bookish discussion here with her co-star Lewis Pullman! Finally, check out this list of new book adaptations coming to Netflix!

Bookish Quote of the Week

“When I hear stars whispering at night I feel part of the eternal flow of time.”

― Durian Sukegawa, Sweet Bean Paste

This content may contain affiliate links that earn me a small commission (just enough to grab a coffee) at no additional cost to you!

More Bookish Fun:

🤓If you enjoyed this article, please show your support:

Shop for the books I recommend on Bookish AF at my Bookshop on Bookshop.org!

Like, comment, or restack! THANK YOU!

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New Paid Subscriber and Founding Member Gifts

Your paid support makes it possible for me to spend more time on all this Bookish AF fun! It also allows me to focus on writing my next novel.

As an additional thank you for your generosity of a paid subscription, I’ve recently added:

• A new printable PDF of Book Club Discussion Questions for Any Book.

• Your name in the acknowledgments of my next book (in progress) when it publishes (with your permission)!

• Founding Members: The gift of my previously published Kindle e-books sent to your email.

Last year, around this same time, I called an end to the debate of whether audiobooks count as reading. They do count! And they’ve helped me double the number of books I’ve read since adding them to my reading repertoire!

But now I’m jumping onto a new audiobook debate: Does the format you decide to experience a book impact your enjoyment of it? Are some books better as audiobooks?

Let’s find out! Today, I’m sharing …

• Your audiobook recs, plus how and why you enjoy listening to them!

• The most-streamed audiobooks on Spotify

• New poll: What’s your audiobook speed?

Finally, this week’s Bookish Updates include May 2026 book club selections, the Booker Prize shortlist, and a link to an honest review of the hottest book everyone is reading! (Can you guess what book it is?)

Happy Reading! (And Listening!)

Your friend,

Audry

Bookish Recs: Books Readers Swear Are Better on Audio

Audiobooks have recently experienced a glow-up. Many now feature talented narrators, multiple voices, and celebrity readers. Some include music!

So, is going with the audiobook better for certain titles?

There’s no right or wrong answer. It really comes down to personal preference! For example, a great narrator can make a story feel alive. But it can also work in reverse. If you don’t like the narrator’s voice or style, it can distract you from enjoying the book.

To find out which books are exceptional on audio, I went to the source: book lovers!

Best Audiobooks According to You

In a recent Note, I asked for your recommendations for audiobooks you thought were better than the print copy or the ebook. You understood the assignment!

“Daisy Jones and the Six is WAY better on audio and I have the physical book as well. Because there are so many characters it’s so nice to have different voices to help keep track of them all.” (via )

“I prefer listening to memoirs read by the author versus reading them! I also loved the audiobook for Where the Crawdads Sing, which remains one of my favorites.” (via )

“I’ve been enjoying listening to Breath by James Nestor on my walks. I sometimes find myself practicing what he’s preaching while I walk and listen. I also really loved listening to The Lion Women of Tehran. That was beautifully recorded.” (via )

“I really enjoyed listening to Matthew McConaughey‘s Green Light book. I think if I had read it, it would not have appealed to me as much.” (via )

“I like going for the audiobook whenever I pick up something by Paul Tremblay. He’s a horror writer but he tends spice up his novels with mixed media. The audiobook productions of his novels are always top-tier. I especially enjoyed “The Pallbearers Club”.” (via )

“I love Elin Hilderbrand’s books on audio because the narrator is fantastic!” (via )

And that’s just a few of the great recs and fascinating conversations about audiobooks you can find in the comment thread on this Note!

Most Popular Audiobooks on Spotify

Spotify recently released its most-streamed audiobooks of all time, and the list includes (surprise, surprise) mostly well-known bestsellers!

The list is also dominated by romantasy! Sarah J. Maas appears FOUR times with the A Court of Thorns and Roses series, while Rebecca Yarros’ Fourth Wing and Iron Flame also take top spots! (See the full list here!)

These audiobooks from the list stood out to me:

#9 The Housemaid by Freida McFadden - The movie was riveting, so the audiobook must be unstoppable! (Freida McFadden’s The Boyfriend also made the list at #18!)

#13 Icebreaker by Hannah Grace - Romance on skates has been having a moment, so I’m not surprised!

#15 The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid - I have the paperback waiting for a beach trip. But now I’m wondering: Should I listen to it?

#17 The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck - I listened to the audiobook in January to see if I could master this “art.” I’m still a work in progress, but the book was entertaining!

#20 Funny Story by Emily Henry - I recently listened to Emily Henry’s Great Big Beautiful Life and really enjoyed the narration and the story. So, no wonder another of her novels made this list!

Check out ’s post on Bookish Media (read it here), where she comments on her experience with listening to most of the audiobooks on this list!

Bookish Poll: What’s Your Audiobook Speed?

I had no idea you could adjust how quickly you can listen to an audiobook. I’m a slow reader who loves to savor words and the story. So 1.0x is my jam! What’s your perfect speed? (Also, see the fun conversation about play speeds in this note!)

More AudioBookish Fun

Ending the debate, plus the best audiobook sites and top audiobooks of 2025:

Bookish AF News Updates

Book Club Selections: May 2026

Prairie Pages Book Club

Life’s Short, Talk Fast: Fifteen Writers on Why We Can’t Stop Watching Gilmore Girls by Ann Hood

Through personal essays about moms, daughters, friendship, and Stars Hollow’s charm, this collection shows how the show became more than a TV series. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

Prairie Pages is a free virtual book club from Melissa Gilbert’s brand Modern Prairie. It features monthly reads, often with a nostalgic feel! And my bookish friend Laura K. Bray (find her at here on Substack) is the book club host!

Katie Couric Book Club

The Things We Never Say by Elizabeth Strout

Artie Dam seems to have a steady, ordinary life as a history teacher, husband, and neighbor, but inside, he feels deeply alone. When a shocking secret comes to light, he has to rethink his whole life, his closest relationships, and the mysteries that connect us all. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

Sarah Selects

Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth

Elsie Mabel Fitzpatrick is eighty-one, sharp-tongued, and perfectly happy keeping to herself … until a neighbor’s death brings old rumors roaring back. As the press closes in and a curious little girl moves in next door, Elsie must face the truth about her past as Mad Mabel Waller. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

The 2026 Booker Prize Short List Announced

The International Booker Prize celebrates fiction and short story collections translated into English. Discover which books made the esteemed short list here!

An Honest Review of Yesteryear

This book! Sometimes a book goes viral. And that’s so exciting! But the reviews have been all over the place for Caro Claire Burke’s Yesteryear. So, when I saw my friend, fellow bookish Substacker, and librarian extraordinaire, write a review on it, I knew I’d get the real deal! Read Kelly’s honest review of Yesteryear here!

Bookish Quote of the Week

“When you read a book, the story definitely happens inside your head. When you listen, it seems to happen in a little cloud all around it, like a fuzzy knit cap pulled down over your eyes.”

― Robin Sloan, Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore

This content may contain affiliate links that earn me a small commission (just enough to grab a coffee) at no additional cost to you!

The Bookish Shop

Did you know the Bookish AF accepts newsletter sponsorships? If you offer a product or service that my readers would find valuable and enjoy (bookish items, services, or even your own book), I’d love to feature it in an upcoming issue! I’m limiting it to one sponsor per issue to keep this an exclusive opportunity. See The Bookish Shop to learn how I can help you connect with my over 1,000 readers!

🤓If you enjoyed this article, please show your support:

Shop for the books I recommend on Bookish AF at my Bookshop on Bookshop.org!

Like, comment, or restack! THANK YOU!

Leave a comment

I’m a day late for this month’s “5 on Five,” since I publish on Wednesdays and today is the 6th. But it’s never too late to share exciting new book recs!

This month’s host, the fabulous Book Talk With Lauren, has chosen the “top five books of the first five months of 2026” as May’s theme. Visit her post here to check out her top 5 books. And remember to scroll to the comments for links to more book lists!

So, today, see which books made my list of the top 5 books I’ve read in 2026, so far!

I’ve already written so much about the books on my personal top 5 list. So, as a bonus, I’m also sharing the top five new books gaining the best reviews and the most attention so far this year!

Happy Reading!

Your friend,

Audry

P.S. Also scroll down to this week’s Bookish Updates, which include: May 2026 book club picks, this week’s most anticipated new books, and how “bookending” can improve your life!

New Paid Subscriber and Founding Member Gifts

Your paid support makes it possible for me to spend more time on all this Bookish AF fun! It also allows me to focus on writing my next novel. As an additional thank you for your generosity of a paid subscription, I’ve recently added:

• A new printable PDF of Book Club Discussion Questions for Any Book

• Your name (with your permission) in the acknowledgments of my next book (in progress)!

• Founding Members (only): The gift of my previously published Kindle e-books, sent to your email!

Bookish Recs: Top 5 Books of the First Five Months!

My Top 5 Books of the First Five Months of 2026

I’ve had the best year of reading … and we’re only five months into it! My better choices are definitely thanks to your comments, which directed me toward books I otherwise would never have picked up. Bookish AF readers are the best!

1. The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon - The perfect late fall/winter read! The strong main character, Martha Ballard (based on a real woman), will stay with me forever. And that ending!

2. My Friends by Fredrik Backman - My heart still melts and breaks over this story. It’s so well-written! No wonder it made my list of the best books of 2025!

3. Weyward by Emilia Hart - I recommend listening (as I did) to the atmospheric audiobook version. (I shared about it in this note!) Emilia Hart braids the stories of three generations of witchy women expertly in this novel, with plenty of suspense!

4. Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry - This romance had a little of everything I adore in a story: heartfelt moments, a few chili peppers of spice, and secrets revealed in the end! I’ve had this book on my TBR ever since I featured it as a Reese’s Book Club May 2025 pick!

5. Evie Drake Starts Over by Linda Holmes - I needed an uplifting, humorous read, and this one, which I featured on March’s 5 on Five book list, delivered! The witty banter, the heartfelt story, and the romance are so entertaining!

Top 5 New Books of the First Five Months of 2026

As someone who loves curating the latest, hottest books coming out, I had a terrible time narrowing it down to only five! So I consulted books recently selected by the New York Times Books Staff and Goodreads’ weekly-updated Most Popular Books Published in 2026, plus a few other noteworthy lists!

1. Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke

Description: Equal parts time-travel story and identity crisis, a social media influencer mysteriously wakes up decades in the past and is forced to confront who she is without the internet, her audience, or the carefully curated version of herself she built online. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

Why Top 5? This bestseller is a GMA Book Club pick and chosen as one of the New York Times Best Books of the Year (So Far). The reader ratings are high. It’s getting a movie adaptation… hello, Anne Hathaway! And it’s one of those books I predict everyone will still be discussing at the end of the year.

2. Kin by Tayari Jones

Description: Set in 1950s Louisiana, Kin follows two childhood friends, both motherless daughters, whose lives diverge onto different paths shaped by family expectations, buried secrets, and the social pressures of the American South. As the story unfolds, old tensions resurface, and loyalties are tested. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

Why Top 5? This bestseller and Oprah’s Book Club Pick also topped the New York Times Best Books of the Year (So Far) list. Readers can’t get enough of this literary, emotionally rich, character-driven story that’ll stay with you long after the last page!

3. Dear Debbie by Freida McFadden

Description: Debbie Mullen has spent years giving practical advice to the women who write into her newspaper column. But now her own life is falling apart, from a lost job to strange behavior from her daughters to a husband who seems to be hiding something. When she finally stops trying to be the bigger person, Debbie decides it’s time to take her own advice and get a little revenge. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

Why Top 5? Dear Debbie has topped Goodreads’ most popular books list for weeks and has been “shelved” on the platform over 800,000 times! According to rave reader reviews, the chapters fly by, the twists keep escalating, the humor adds a fun element, and the characters don’t disappoint!

4. The Night We Met by Abby Jimenez

Description: Larissa thought a simple ride home after a concert would change her night, but it ended up changing her whole life. Now she’s in a sweet, complicated mess with two men, one rescue Yorkie, and a growing question she can’t ignore: how do you choose between what feels right and what’s truly yours? (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

Why Top 5? Readers are absolutely obsessed with this book. They love how Abby Jimenez balances humor and vulnerability so well that the characters feel completely real. If you love romance novels that make you laugh and cry, this one likely deserves the hype.

5. The Keeper by Tana French

Description: A young woman’s death sends shockwaves through the tight-knit Irish village of Ardnakelty, where old grudges and hidden power struggles run deeper than anyone wants to admit. As retired detective Cal Hooper and his fiancée Lena get pulled into the mess, they uncover a dangerous scheme that could change everything for the village … and put them both in real danger! (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

Why Top 5? Named a New York Times Best Book of the Year (so far) and a People Best Book of March, this bestseller brings a ton of atmosphere and literary suspense. It’s moody, quietly intense, and immersed in the Irish countryside.

View these books and more on Bookshop.org! (Local independent bookstores benefit from your purchases!)

What are your top 5 books of 2026 so far?

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Bookish AF News Updates

May is AAPI Heritage Month

This month, celebrate the culture, history, and contributions of people with Asian and Pacific Islander backgrounds by visiting these three book lists packed with recent fiction and nonfiction by authors with this heritage from around the world.

• New Fiction and Nonfiction to Read This AAPI Heritage Month

• 15 books to celebrate Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month

• 35 Books to Read for Asian American and Pacific Islander Month

Book Club Selections

KCBC: Recently, Katie Couric interviewed James author, Percival Everett. Watch the fascinating book club discussion about his book’s themes and behind-the-scenes fun facts!

READ WITH JENNA: Caller Unknown by Gillian McAllister

The May 2026 book club pick “will keep you reading late into the evening,” according to Jenna. In this page-turner thriller, when Simone’s daughter, Lucy, goes missing during a vacation in Texas, Simone is forced into a terrifying choice: obey the kidnappers’ demands or risk losing Lucy forever. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

Most Anticipated New Releases: May 5, 2026

This week’s hottest new release books are:

• The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett
  From the author of The Help, this historical novel is set in 1933 Mississippi and follows three women facing hard times. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

• Our Perfect Storm by Carley Fortune
  A buzzy romance with a best friends-to-lovers story set during a dramatic week in Tofino. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

• The Things We Never Say by Elizabeth Strout
  Strout’s first standalone novel in over a decade follows a Massachusetts high school teacher dealing with a powerful realization. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

• Enormous Wings by Laurie Frankel
  Pepper Mills, 77, moves into a retirement community, makes a new friend, and ends up pregnant! (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

Bookish Reading Tip: “Bookending”

Bookends aren’t only for your shelf. They can be for your day, too! Bookending your day means starting your morning and ending your night with a book instead of your phone. Reading in the morning can help you ease into the day with more calm and focus, and reading at night can help your brain slow down before bed.

This small ritual can also lower stress and make your day feel more intentional. Instead of letting screen time take over, you’re choosing something peaceful and nourishing. Even 20 minutes of reading can help center your mind and give your day a gentler start and finish.

Bookish Quote of the Week

“Love is self-sustaining. It doesn’t get weak and die when you don’t feed it.”

― Abby Jimenez, The Night We Met

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Mother’s Day is coming up on May 10th, and choosing a gift beyond flowers and a card can be tricky. But if your mom, or the “motherly” person in your life, enjoys books or wants to get back into a reading habit, you’re in luck!

Because today, I’m giving you a head start on your Mother’s Day shopping and planning with 7 Mother’s Day bookish pairings for (almost) any mom! Each pairing creates a cozy moment with two book recs in different genres, links to thoughtful bookish gifts, and an idea for a priceless bookish experience!

Happy Reading! (And, soon, Happy Mother’s Day!)

Your friend,

Audry

P.S. Bookish AF just surpassed over 1,000 free subscribers! 🎉Thank you to all of you from the bottom of my heart for being a part of our beautiful bookish community! 💗

The Bookish Shop

Did you know that Bookish AF accepts newsletter sponsorships? If you offer a product or service that my readers would find valuable and enjoy (bookish items, services, or even your own book), I’d love to feature it right here in an upcoming issue! I’m limiting it to one sponsor per issue to keep this an exclusive opportunity. See The Bookish Shop to learn how I can help you connect with my hundreds of readers!

Bookish Recs: 7 Mother’s Day Reading Pairings for the…

“I Don’t Have Time to Read” Mom

Book Recs:

• The Midnight Train by Matt Haig (Release Date: May 6, 2026)
  A reflective, slightly magical story about second chances and the quiet moments that can change everything. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

• The Correspondent by Virginia Evans
  A beautifully thoughtful, character-driven novel told through letters that explores connection, grief, and the stories we carry. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

Gift:

Your time! (And maybe this tumbler! ) See the details below.

Sip & Snack Bookish Moment:

Take Mom on a “book crawl!” Map out a few bookshops, cafes, and scenic locations. Then set out for the day: purchase drinks (or bring drinks - that’s where this tumbler comes in! ), order decadent food choices, set a timer for 15 to 20 minutes, and enjoy peaceful reading at each location. Watch this cute Instagram reel to see a book crawl with Mom in action!

“I’m Obsessed with Mysteries and Thrillers” Mom

Book Recs:

• Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth
  A twisty, character-driven mystery with secrets, sharp humor, and a protagonist you won’t forget. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

• Dear Debbie by Freida McFadden
  A fast-paced psychological thriller packed with tension, secrets, and jaw-dropping reveals. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

Gift:

A reading light (I bought this one and love it!) for late-night reading binges.

Sip & Snack Bookish Moment:

Pour Mom a glass of wine, pop some popcorn, and watch one of the thriller adaptations from this list with her!

“I Love a Good Romance” Mom

Book Recs:

• Our Perfect Storm by Carley Fortune (Publication date: May 5, 2026)
  An emotional, summery love story filled with longing, nostalgia, and complicated second chances. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

• Into the Blue by Emma Brodie
  A sweeping, romantic story set against a dreamy coastal backdrop, full of secrets, love, and self-discovery. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

Gift:

The Republic of Tea Bridgerton Tea Assortment Gift and floral tea cups

Sip & Snack Bookish Moment:

Steep tea in a fancy tea pot, sip from dainty cups, and snack on tea sandwiches and sweet treats as you listen to a classic romance on audiobook while working on a puzzle (like this pretty one).

“I’m in a Book Club” Mom

Book Recs:

• Theo of Golden by Allen Levi

  A warm, thoughtful story about a quiet man who transforms a town, and the lives around him, through small, meaningful acts. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

• Go Gentle by Maria Semple

  A sharp, funny, and slightly chaotic story about motherhood, identity, and what happens when life refuses to stay predictable. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

Gift:

A book club reading journal to jot down discussion-worthy thoughts! Plus, this adorable “cocktails with a literary twist” book for the next time she hosts her book club.

Bonus! Gift mom a paid subscription to Bookish AF! *New for paid subscribers: 77 Book Club Questions (Printable PDF)!

Sip & Snack Bookish Moment:

Set your mom up with all the fixings for a charcuterie board, plus wine (see these bookish pairings), for her next book club meeting or to snack on as you discuss your latest reads with her.

“I Love Nature” Mom

Book Recs:

• Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer

  A beautifully written blend of science and storytelling that invites you to see the natural world as a source of connection, gratitude, and wisdom. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

• The Overstory by Richard Powers

  An immersive, sweeping novel that weaves together multiple lives through their deep and transformative relationships with trees. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

Gift:

A beautiful reading journal or pressed flower bookmarks

Sip & Snack Bookish Moment:

Grab an iced coffee and a pastry and go on an “audiobook walk” with your mom. Pop in your earbuds, press play, and wander through a park or garden together.

“I’m a Cozy Homebody” Mom

Book Recs:

• The Austen Affair by Madeline Bell

  A charming, feel-good story with literary nods, romance, and cozy, escapist vibes. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

• A Very Novel Murder by Ellie Alexander

  A cozy mystery set in a bookish world, full of charm, small-town intrigue, and just enough suspense. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

Gift:

A cozy blanket and a book-themed candle.

Sip & Snack Bookish Moment:

Go a step further with the cozy accessories to create a “reading nook” she’ll actually want to sit in. Then indulge in this new space with her! Prep hot cocoa and share a plate of cookies as you quietly read your current books. Or take turns reading aloud from one of your favorite books.

“I Read Better at the Beach” Mom

Book Recs:

• The House of Hidden Letters by Izzy Broom

  A heartfelt, atmospheric story about uncovering family secrets and the power of the past. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

• Summer State of Mind by Kristy Woodson Harvey (Publication date: May 5, 2026)

  A bright, feel-good summer read filled with friendship, fresh starts, and coastal charm. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)

Gift:

A cute beachy tote bag for books

Sip & Snack Bookish Moment:

Pack up cold drinks and fresh fruit. Plus, bring your books, portable chairs, and sunscreen. Then head to your nearest beach. Or a park will do, too! Enjoy an afternoon of lounging and reading in the sun!

Bookish AF News Updates

I’ll be back next week with the latest bookish updates! But in the meantime, mark your calendars for movie adaptations coming in May that I’m super excited about:

• The Devil Wears Prada 2 is out this Friday, May 1st, in theaters!

• Remarkably Bright Creatures is out May 8th on Netflix!

(See this post for more info and to watch the trailers!)

Bookish Quote of the Week

“I know you think of me as your mother only, but please remember, inside I am also just a girl.”

― Virginia Evans, The Correspondent

This content may contain affiliate links that earn me a small commission (just enough to grab a coffee) at no additional cost to you!

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