Happy October! I hope you're able to enjoy some nice, cool Fall weather where you are. Temperatures here in the Phoenix area have dropped from three digits to only two, so that's something, even if we're still in the upper 90s. Ugh. 

Enough unpleasantness, let's talk about bookish books. I read three of them in September:

The Librarians by Sherry Thomas—As indicated by the title, this murder mystery revolves around several employees of a quiet library in Austin, Texas. Although the co-workers know each other, it's not until they're faced with solving two murders related to their workplace, that they really begin to trust and rely on each other. As they reveal their secrets to each other, they create a bond that helps them find out what really happened to the murder victims.

As much as I liked the premise of this novel, it didn't end up working very well for me. The story is mostly about the characters and their interpersonal relationships, not about the plot, which made the book a bit of a slog. It took me awhile to read it because it was just so putdownable. Bummer.

Radiant by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson—This middle-grade verse novel is set in 1963 in a mostly white neighborhood in Philadelphia. It stars Cooper Dale, a Black bookworm who's just starting fifth grade. Over the course of the school year, she experiences anxiety, fear, racism, sadness, and worry as well as triumph, joy, acceptance, and love. Through it all, she relies on wise words from her father, the Bible, Martin Luther King, Jr., and her favorite poet, Langston Hughes. Although the book deals with some tough subjects, it's ultimately a hopeful, uplifting read.

Murder By Memory by Olivia Waite—I'm not sure if this novella really counts as bookish, but since it has books on the cover and it references "the library" a lot, I'm going with it. The story is set on a spaceship where people can live forever by changing up their physical bodies whenever they feel like it. If you need a break between lifetimes, you can store your mind in the ship's vast library, where it will be kept safe until you need it again. When ship detective Dorothy Gentleman is yanked out of her rest involuntarily, she's confused. Especially when she spies a dead body nearby. As she investigates the murder, she's shocked to discover that someone is purposely erasing minds from the library. Who would do such a dastardly thing? And why? It's up to her to find out.

I'm not a big fan of short fiction because I like to sink into stories, especially when they involve complicated world-building. Murder By Memory has an interesting premise and world, but I didn't feel like 100 pages was enough to really do any of it justice. Because of that, this was just an okay read for me. I think I would have enjoyed it a lot more if it were a full-length novel.

For the last three months of the year, I'm going to try to read all the books on my "Read Before the End of the Year" list. None of them are overtly bookish, so we'll see what happens. I did start this one yesterday:

The Garden Just Beyond by Lindsey Leavitt—It's a middle-grade book about a family who's known for the life-changing dinners they serve to paying guests. Diners think the magic is in the garden-fresh produce the family uses, but what they don't know is that the garden actually is magic, and the food it produces is able to manipulate people's emotions. When a suspicious person buys up all the property neighboring their secluded farm, the family worries that someone is trying to steal their secrets and run their thriving business into the ground. 

Our narrator is Maggie Gartner, a 14-year-old girl who's socially awkward and counts her books as her only real friends. Her attic bedroom is filled with a library of family history records, journals, account books, and so on. It's her happy place, the one spot where she feels truly at home.

I'm late to post again this month. September is already getting away from me and it's barely even started. Yikes! This is going to be a quick post, too, because I only read two bookish books in August. They were:

The Truth According to Us by Annie Barrows—This historical novel, which I listened to on audio, takes place in a small West Virigina town in 1938. When a wealthy socialite from Washington, D.C. is cut off by her father, who insists she needs to learn how to live independently, she is forced to take a job with the Federal Writers' Project. She is tasked with writing a town history of a berg in the middle of nowhere, exactly where she does not want to be. As she gets to know the quirky Romeyn family, however, she finds her attitude toward many things changing. 

Writers and Liars by Carol Goodman—Goodman's newest mystery/thriller stars an antiquities museum director who is invited back to the privately-owned Greek island where she once lived for a summer during a writers' retreat. Unable to write after suffering a heartbreaking betrayal, she has done her best to put the whole terrible experience behind her. Now, fifteen years later, she vows to go back and confront those who did her wrong. She counted on drama, but not a dead body...

Those are the only bookish books I read last month. How about you? What bookish reads did you enjoy in August?

I'm not sure yet what exactly I'll be reading this month. Here are three possibilities:

The Lamplighter's Bookshop by Sophie Austin—I like the sound of this historical novel. It's about a woman who is left penniless after her father wracks up enormous debts with his gambling, leaving her and her mother destitute. In order to keep them from the poorhouse, the daughter applies for a position at a bookstore. Much to her chagrin, she's not the only one who wants the job. Can she and her handsome, enigmatic competitor find a way to work together so they both win? 

The Librarians by Sherry Thomas (available September 30, 2025)—I was fortunate to receive an e-ARC of this novel from NetGalley. When a murder at their workplace shatters the peace and refuge they've found at the library, a ragtag group of librarians must band together to save the library they love.

The Sisters of Book Row by Shelley Noble (available March 3, 2026)—Okay, so I don't actually have a copy of this book, which doesn't come out until next year, but I'm praying to the gods of NetGalley and Edelweiss that I can snag an e-ARC. It sounds like a great bookish read.

Based on real circumstances, this historical novel is set in 1915 Manhattan where a vicious censor named Anthony Comstock is eagerly outlawing the publication of any works he deems inappropriate or dangerous. The three Applebaum sisters, owners of a Book Row bookstore, are determined to stop him at any cost.

Even though it's 105 degrees here in Arizona today, I'm sure it's starting to feel like Fall somewhere, so I'm breaking out an Autumn-themed TTT banner. It will still feel like summer in the Phoenix area for awhile, unfortunately, but at least I can pretend, right?

In honor of Labor Day, which we celebrated yesterday here in the U.S., today's TTT theme is: Top Ten Books With Occupations in the Title. I'm going to scour my TBR list to see what I can find. Shouldn't be too tough. (Actually, it was a bit hard. I only found eleven, which surprised me since it seems like occupation titles are all the rage these days. Interesting...)

As always, Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely Jana over at That Artsy Reader Girl.

1. The Widow Spy by Megan Campisi—This historical novel is based on the true story of Kate Warne, the first female detective in the U.S. In the summer of 1863, she's tasked with gaining the trust of a Confederate socialist and spy. What is already a seemingly impossible task is made even more risky by the secrets Kate herself is hiding.

2. The Mystery Writer by Sulari Gentill—When attorney Theodosia "Theo" Benton abandons her career in order to concentrate on finishing the novel she's been writing, she knows it's going to cause a stir. Then, her writing mentor is murdered, the police target her brother for the killing, and Theo finds herself following clues left by the dead man in order to solve the crime. 

3. And the Band Played On: The Titanic Violinist and the Glovemaker: A True Story of Love, Loss, and Betrayal by Christopher Ward—In this "outstanding piece of literary detective work," Ward presents the research he did on his grandfather, a violinist who continued to play music with his Titanic bandmates as the great ship sank. The author examines the effects of Jock Hume's death on his pregnant fiancée and other family members.

I'm not sure where the glovemaker comes in, but hey, bonus points for me for finding two occupations in one title! This cover photo actually doesn't show the subtitles. Hmm...

4. The Bangalore Detectives Club by Harini Nagendra—This is the first book in a cozy mystery series set in 1920s India. It stars a new bride who spots a suspicious shadowy figure at a party. When a guest turns up dead and a frightened young woman is accused of the crime, the newlywed can't help herself—she has to investigate. Little does she know just how dangerous sleuthing can be...

5. The Maid's Secret by Nita Prose—I love this fun mystery series! The third installment finds our plucky heroine organizing a shoot at the hotel for a popular antiques appraisal television show. On a whim, she brings in some of her gram's treasures, one of which is, shockingly, of enormous value. When the item is stolen, Molly and her friends launch their own investigation to catch a thief.

6. The Artist of Blackberry Grange by Paulette Kennedy—It's 1925 and a devastated Sallie Halloran is in desperate need of a change. When she learns that her great-aunt, who is suffering from dementia, needs a live-in caretaker, she heads to the woman's crumbling mansion in the Ozarks to take the job. When her great-aunt starts painting strange, haunting pieces hinting at secrets from the past, a curious Sally starts digging into the artist's life for answers.

7. The Lamplighter's Bookshop by Sophie Austin—Left penniless by her father's gambling debts, Evelyn is desperate to find a way to support herself and her mother. When she learns about a position at a bookstore, she eagerly applies. She's not the only applicant. Can Evelyn and William, an enigmatic writer with his own secrets, find a way to work together to their mutual benefit?

8. The Grimoire Grammar School Parent Teacher Association by Caitlin Rozakis—This cozy fantasy features a panicked mother whose daughter has just been bitten by a werewolf. Whisked away to a secret magical school community, she is grappling to understand its many oddities—from frightening prophecies to terrifying PTA politics. Will she and her family ever find their way in a strange new club they never asked to join?

9. The Librarians by Sherry Thomas—In a quiet Texas suburb, four quirky librarians have found peace and acceptance working at the local library. When a murder occurs during a library event, their neat world is completely upended. Suddenly, their refuge is at risk and the only way to save it is to trust one another and work together to save their beloved library.

10. The Lost Baker of Vienna by Sharon Kurtzman—Inspired by the author's family history, this novel tells the story of a war refugee who has found freedom in Vienna. Struggling to survive on very little, Chana risks everything each night as she sneaks back into the hotel kitchen where she works during the day to bake her father's beloved recipes. When she finds herself at the center of a dangerous love triangle, things become even dicier. How can Chana figure out what her heart really wants when she must concentrate her every effort on ekeing out enough of a living to keep herself and her family alive?

There you go, ten books on my TBR list that feature occupations in their titles. Have you read any of these? Which occupation titles did you choose to highlight today? I'd love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog.

Happy TTT!  

As much as I love talking about books, I often blank when someone in my real life asks for reading recommendations. I usually just refer them to my blog, which is much better organized and oodles more reliable than my aging brain! I'm having the same reaction to today's TTT prompt—Top Ten Books I Would Hand to Someone Who Claims to Not Like Reading. Nothing's coming readily to mind, so I'm going to go rogue once again. 

Since 99.9% of my reading attention will be focused on Cybils Awards nominees until the end of the year, I've been thinking ahead to which books I want to enjoy next year. While updating the spreadsheet I keep of book series I'm reading, my mind turned to which series I want to start in 2022. It goes without saying that I really should not be beginning any new ones when I'm already in the middle of so many, but I've never been much for limiting myself when it comes to books...hence, the following list.

Want to join in the TTT fun? Of course you do! Head on over to That Artsy Reader Girl for all the info.

1. Lady Sherlock series by Sherry Thomas—This popular series stars Charlotte, an inquisitive Victorian woman, who solves crimes under the assumed name of Sherlock Holmes.

2. Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson—I've actually read the first book in this YA mystery series, but it's been so long that I can't remember who's who or what's what. I'm planning to re-read the series opener, then move on from there.

3. Donut Shop Mystery series by Jessica Beck—Cozy mysteries can be super fun, especially when they star my favorite pastry! This series features a coffee/donut shop owner turned amateur sleuth.

4. Cuba Saga by Chanel Cleeton—This dual-timeline novel features a woman who travels to Havana, her grandmother's birthplace, to spread the dead woman's ashes. As she learns more about her grandmother's past, she learns more about herself and her own history.

5. Gilded Age Mystery series by Rosemary Simpson—It's 1888 when this series opens and a New York City society woman is faced with finding the truth behind her fiancé's suspicious death during a treacherous snowstorm.  

6. Highland Bookshop Mystery series by Molly MacRae—Another cozy series, this one revolves around four joint owners of a bookshop in the Scottish Highlands who play detective in their spare time.

7. Loyal League by Alyssa Cole—This historical series set during the American Civil War sounds intriguing.

8. Sweeney St. George series by Sarah Stewart Taylor—I'm enjoying Taylor's Maggy D'Arcy mysteries, so I'm interested in this series about a Boston art historian who investigates curious deaths.

9. Connie Childs series by Sarah Ward—This police procedural series set in England looks promising.

10. Charlotte Holmes by Brittany Cavallaro—Another Sherlock Holmes-inspired series, this one features two modern-day descendants of Holmes and Watson who solve mysteries at their boarding school in Connecticut. 

There you have it, ten series I'm hoping to start in 2022. Have you read any of them? What series are you reading? Which are your favorite? Do you have any series recs for me in the cozy mystery, historical mystery, crime (not too graphic/gory), family saga, or history genres? I'd love to hear them. Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog.