First Quarter Reading Favorites
Second Quarter Reading Favorites
Hello, Friends! Happy Victober Eve! 🖤🍂 Can you believe we are headed into the 4th quarter of 2026!? 😳😱♥️ Here are my favorite reads of July-August-September in short snippet reviews ~
Classics ~🍂
Captain Blood by Rafael Sabatini – so, so good! A kind-of ‘gentleman’ pirate with a moral compass, and a Robin Hood-ish loyalty to his men and the less fortunate.
Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh – fading English aristocratic family, questions of their Catholic faith, and deeply, poignant thoughts on change. I was pleasantly surprised by this book! Reading it with my two local friends made it even better!
The Summer Book by Tove Jansson, translated by Thomas Teal- (reread) a heart-wrenching book I was craving about changing familial relationships, growing older, seeing with the eyes of a child, and living close with the land. Beautiful, beautiful book! The little granddaughter’s sassy attitude towards her grandmother bothered me a lot more this time through, just fyi!
The Virginian by Owen Wister – I finished another 50×50 read! I so enjoyed chatting with my buddy reader about this book. Unique POV’s, beautifully written, deeply intriguing characters. I ended up loving this! Brutal western cowboy violence, just FYI and conversations around the birthing of the American West.
The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde – I’ll tack this in here, because this was a last minute listen as an early start to Victober! I absolutely loved this hilarious play about two British gentleman and the craziness that ensues from perpetual stretching of the truth.
(random)/misc) Victorian-ish Epislotary Romance~ 🍂
Glass Roses by Britain Kalai Soderquist – If anyone wants a slight Victorian adjacent light romance, I recommend this one! It’s written in letters between two cousins. One cousin’s story is Cinderella-ish and the others Beauty & the Beast. I really enjoyed it!🥰😅♥️
Fantasy/Sci-Fi ~
The Silver Chair by C.S. Lewis -(reread) Great characters! Puddleglum, Eustace, and Jill are off on a Narnian adventure. A lion 🦁 included! ♥️ My four younger kids and I are going through the whole series together.
Firebird by Kathy Tyers – sci-fi Star Wars-ish story with unique world and great characters! Deeper conversations about what we believe truly affecting how we live. I read this as part of Sci-Fi September. The first is included free on Audible currently. I’m now reading Fusion Fire, the second in the five? book series.
Mystery ~🍂
A Lesson in Secrets by Jacqueline Winspear – despite the clunky, morally gray additions to this series, I still find Maisie Dobbs, a very compelling character and enjoyed the new chapter in her private investigator life.
The Bangalore Detective Club by Harini Nagendra – A young newlywed couple begins their life together and solve a mystery in 1920’s Bangalore, India. I really enjoyed this first and the second was good, too, definitely will be completing the series.
The Electric Detective by Peter Ward – A droid wakes up realizing she has been created to assist the police in solving a murder. Things aren’t what they seem! AI, technology, and moral questions arise. Fascinating and a little creepy. A touch of innuendo, just fyi.
Resort to Murder by Annie McEwen – Set in Wisconsin, I really enjoyed the family dynamics of running a small resort together! Great characters and the mystery was good too. The second was good, as well. I’m waiting to read on since they follow the seasons and the next have a snowy setting.
Gladwynn Grant Cozy Mystery Series by Lisa R. Howeler – Small town characters and intrigue! I loved Gladwynn and her grandmother! These were so sweet and gentle.
Nonfiction ~🍂
The Opt-Out Family by Erin Loechner – very interesting look at a former social media influencer’s decision to pull out completely from it all! I liked how she presented her information. Personal stories and ideas for alternatives, but not a guilty formula.
Jane Austen’s Bookshelf by Rebecca Romney -I really ended up enjoying this classic book lover’s ode to reading and book collecting. I loved learning about different women authors that may have inspired Jane Austen. A little of the author’s whining, but overall, I loved this!
Do Something Beautiful for God by Mother Teresa – daily quotes pulled from Teresa of Calcutta’s words. Highly recommend!
The Spirit-Controlled Woman by Beverly LaHaye – A bit dated, but powerfully convicting look at how Spirit controlled living can help us with our personal weaknesses and strengthen us to love like Christ.
Magical Realism ~🍂
Crosstalk by Connie Willis – (reread) I loved revisiting this book around a company with a secret project in development to connect romantic couples by mind emotional sensing. The MFC’s family is VERY annoying and the stress of a company environment can be a bit much, but this hilarious book brings up questions on autonomy and telepathic abilities. Innuendo and light language. What we think we want isn’t always right at all. Very cute and ridiculous fun. I reread this for Sci-Fi September.
Dream of Kings by Sharon Hinck – a fantasy retelling of sorts of the Biblical story of Joseph. Light dream telling feels slightly magical. I loved the slow discoveries of our MFC as she deals with grief, finding her place in a new land, and new, complicated friendships. Very slow, sweet romantic subplot.
A Snicker of Magic by Natalie Lloyd – a town with a snicker of magic. This is a heart wrenching story of a young girl who dreams of belonging. The writing was lovely and the longing so palpable. The townsfolk and family dynamics, so great and realistic.
I think those were my favorites from a summer of reading! I read so many great books, what a blessing. How about you? What were some of your favorite summer reads? 😍♥️ What things are you looking forward to picking up this autumn? 🍂 🎃 Goodbye, September ~ welcome, October! 🧡🤎🖤🍂🍁🌾
