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October reading roundup #2

October 23, 2026 by Katie Noah Gibson

Mid-October has included the Boston Book Festival (above), tons of Gala prep at work, pumpkin crafting, some kayaking, and gorgeous long walks. Amid all that, here’s what I have been reading:

Otter Music, Karen Joy Fowler
Fowler’s latest novel follows marine biologist Lainey Miller, who lives near Monterey Bay with her dog, Ozzy, and is constantly wrestling (like so many of us) with the large chaos of the world and her own small efforts to make a difference. To potentially review for Shelf Awareness (out Feb. 23).

Teach the Torches to Burn, Christina Dodd
I’ve been loving Dodd’s series narrated by Rosaline Montague, eldest daughter of (that) Romeo and Juliet. This third book finds Rosie juggling wedding plans, cranky relatives, a creepy great-uncle and a rash of murders. Fun, though not my favorite in the series.

A Diplomat’s Guide to Book Smuggling, Layla McCay
McCay’s debut novel follows a lavender marriage between bookseller Jane and diplomat Robert, who meet in a London bookshop and hatch a plan to marry so they can both live the lives they want. But Jane finds the life of a diplomat’s wife in 1970s D.C. rather stifling, so she begins sending queer books to other diplomats and spouses via the diplomatic bag. This is (of course) enormously risky for all kinds of reasons. I enjoyed the story, though Jane was hopelessly naive. To review for Shelf Awareness (out Feb. 23).

Paper Ghosts, Sarah Addison Allen
I usually like SAA’s gentle, Southern novels with a swirl of magical realism. But this one didn’t do it for me. The central family, the Westers, all struck me as incredibly selfish, and there were a number of unsatisfying plot threads.

The Lost Sunday, Ileana Surducan
I loved this sweet, beautifully illustrated Romanian graphic novel about girl who lives in a town with no Sunday (but haunted by the six other wolves of the week). Nina goes on a journey to get Sunday back – I loved her pluck, hard work and compassion. Found at the Million Year Picnic in Cambridge.

Most links (not affiliate links) are to my local fave Brookline Booksmith. Shop indie!

What are you reading?

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October reading roundup #1

October 14, 2026 by Katie Noah Gibson

October has, so far, included crazy weather; a kayak paddle or two; a weekend with my sweet college roommate (above); and a handful of good books. Here’s what I have been reading:

The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion, vol. 5, Beth Brower
I love this whimsical, thoughtful series about Emma’s adventures in St. Crispian’s, London, in the 1880s. This fifth volume finds Emma preparing for the holidays, as well as deepening her friendships with Agnes the cook and several local young men. Witty and warm; a delight.

When You Loved Me, Beatriz Williams
Williams’ latest novel takes us back to Winthrop Island, where young widow Lucy and her daughter have decamped in the wake of her father’s death. Sifting through his research on pirates and treasure, Lucy begins writing a novel inspired by true events; at the same time, her first love, ex-NFL player Ben, reappears and so do old memories. Compelling, moody and so well done.

California or Dust, Mindy Nichols Wendell
I loved this warm, engaging middle-grade novel about Lark and her family, who are forced to leave Oklahoma during the Dust Bowl crisis. They settle in a migrant camp in California, and things are hard: her mother is depressed, money is tight, and the local kids at school bully the “Okies.” I loved watching Lark and her siblings and friends seek joy in creative ways, and when the whole community bands together to build a school, it’s pure delight. I also loved Wendell’s debut, Light and Air.

The Forgotten Midwife, Laura Anthony
I loved Anthony’s debut, The Women on Platform Two. This novel follows two storylines: a young woman forced to become a nun in 1950s Ireland after her sister’s death, and a present-day woman searching for answers when her grandmother (who has dementia) hands her a faded birth certificate from the same time and place. I was fascinated by the story of Margaret, the first woman, and her efforts to help the young pregnant women under her care. So good.

Generations, Lucille Clifton
Clifton’s spare memoir recounts the stories of her father, her great-grandmother, and various other relatives: their hardships, their fierce pride, and their connection to one another. Elegantly told, but so brief – I wanted more.

Charlie Thorne and the Lost City, Stuart Gibbs
This sequel to Charlie Thorne and the Last Equation finds Charlie in South America, trying to hide from the bad guys – but both the CIA and the bad guys quickly find her. Some fun stuff about Charles Darwin and his discoveries, though the plot went way off the rails at the end.

Most links (not affiliate links) are to my local fave Brookline Booksmith. Shop indie!

What are you reading?

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September reading roundup #2

September 30, 2026 by Katie Noah Gibson

The second half of September has included a brief trip to NYC, a wild (early) nor’easter, a lovely book event in Jamaica Plain (above), and a handful of books. Here’s what I have been reading:

The River Drowns the Able Swimmer, Xujun Eberlein
Eberlein’s memoir traces three generations of her family’s history and experiences in Communist China: her peasant grandmother, her ardently Communist mother, and herself – growing up in a world shaped by the Cultural Revolution and trying to make sense of her culture. A powerful evocation of the personal impact of politics, as well as family dynamics and the complications of personal expression under a repressive regime. To review for Shelf Awareness (out Jan. 12).

If You Were Here, Abigail Johnson
I picked up Johnson’s sweet summer YA romance at Seven and One in Abilene. Lili has returned to Nantucket after her father’s death, determined to finish the research he started on an ancestor of theirs. Wren, who helps his dad run the local mermaid museum, is tired of peddling tourist trash and agrees to help Lili with her research. They both catch feelings, of course. I enjoyed the premise and the setting (and Lili’s spunky little sister, Goldie), but the research plot was dull, and the secondary characters were way underwritten.

This Is a Book of Sentence Diagrams: A Journey Through the Sharpest, Strangest, and Most Stirring Lines Ever Constructed, Man Martin
Martin’s clever book renders dozens of famous sentences in diagram form, exposing the cheeky, chaotic and intricate relationships between words and clauses. His witty captions, often responding to the sentences in question, are almost the best part. Catnip for grammar nerds, like me. To review for Shelf Awareness.

All These Deep Arroyos, Matt Baca
Baca’s lyrical debut tells the story of twin brothers Robin and Cruz, who lead parallel-but-different lives: Robin with their quiet, steady grandparents in rural New Mexico, Cruz with their alcoholic, unstable parents in southern Colorado. As young men, they’re on their way to different futures when Robin goes to prison for one of Cruz’s schemes – and an unlikely helper tries to get him out. Baca’s language is gorgeous, and I loved his quiet, sharp rendering of these rural Latin/Hispano/Indigenous communities and the desperation, faith and struggles they face. To review for Shelf Awareness (out Jan. 26).

A False and Fatal Claim, Iona Whishaw
Lane Winslow’s latest adventure begins with her finding a hat – which leads to a runaway boy, several men of questionable character, and (eventually) murder. Her husband, Inspector Darling, and his police force get in on the action, all while preparing for Sergeant Ames’ wedding. I adore this series and loved this 13th entry – smart and engaging.

We Chase Shadows, Richard Osman
The We Solve Murders crew are back on the case when a bodyguard is shot at an Italian villa. They quickly uncover a nest of secrets, and jet around the world (on a private plane) to track down a notorious Swedish (or is he English?) gangster. I love Osman’s Thursday Murder Club series, but this one was just OK.

Most links (not affiliate links) are to my local fave Brookline Booksmith. Shop indie!

What are you reading?

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September reading roundup #1

September 14, 2026 by Katie Noah Gibson

three lives co bookstore nyc front

September, like all the months lately, is flying by. Here are the reading highlights from the first half:

The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion, vol. 4, Beth Brower
Emma’s adventures in St. Crispian’s continue; this volume sees her friendships deepening with her neighbor-tenant, brooding photographer Niall Pierce; the Duke of Islington; and Young Hawkes, the bookish, inscrutable vicar. Some truly madcap scenes and some poignant ones, too. So fun.

My Sister is Going to Kill Me, Nina Simon
I really enjoyed Simon’s debut, Mother-Daughter Murder Night. This one, her second, follows a pair of chalk-and-cheese sisters on a rafting trip that quickly turns deadly. It was…fine? Reminded me of Big & Lily, though I liked that one better; most of these characters seemed too stereotypical to me.

The Mysterious Affair of Judith Potts, Robert Thorogood
It’s no secret I love the Marlow Murder Club, and this fifth adventure finds them trying to solve two murders while dealing with some issues from Judith’s past. Witty and fun; great vacation reading.

Murder Most Delicious, Danielle Postel-Vinay
I snagged this Parisian mystery at Three Lives a few months back. American sommelier Olivia Beech has lost her sense of taste due to COVID; she flies to Paris for a second-chance job interview, only to become a murder suspect when her interviewer, chef Jacques de Bizet, is poisoned. The informal Neighborhood Watch group – a quirky crew of neighbors – helps her solve the murder. Delightfully cozy and so French.

Most links (not affiliate links) are to my local fave Brookline Booksmith. Shop indie!

What are you reading?

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August reading roundup #3

September 5, 2026 by Katie Noah Gibson

strand books nyc exterior

August ended with sunflowers, a friend’s wedding, a few (more) outdoor concerts, and a trip to Texas to see my loved ones. Amid all that, here’s what I have been reading:

The Four Queens of Crime, Rosanne Limoncelli
Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, Margery Allingham and Ngaio Marsh are all invited to co-host a fundraiser at a stately English home. When their host (rich and unlikable) is found murdered, the four writers end up assisting the police to find the killer. I liked this, though I didn’t love it; the pacing felt a bit slow.

The Trusted, Marisa de los Santos
I will read anything de los Santos writes; several of her novels are among my favorites of all time. This one, her first mystery, follows two detectives in an affluent Pennsylvania town trying to solve a murder that may have connections to several other cases. I loved the characters, including detectives Lina Cordova and Aaron Cash; straight-talking bakery owner Goldie; Lina’s sweet neurodivergent son, Johnny; and her gruff but generous dad, Alberto. Well plotted, moving and wonderful. To review for Shelf Awareness (out Nov. 17).

Take My Word for It, LeVar Burton
Burton needs no introduction from me; his face and voice (and literacy activism) are justly famous. His memoir centers on the three pivotal roles of his career: Kunta Kinte in Roots, the host of Reading Rainbow, and Geordi LaForge on Star Trek: The Next Generation. I loved learning about his family, his acting journey, and the behind-the-scenes glimpses of two of my favorite shows. (I was a Reading Rainbow kid, and I am always and forever a TNG girl.) Engaging and fun. To review for Shelf Awareness (out Nov. 10).

The Heart Note, Vanessa McCausland
Scent is one of the most powerful senses, and McCausland’s novel explores the potency of perfume and the way it links the lives of three women: Lily and Eva, a modern-day mother and daughter, and Heli, a young woman living in medieval Grasse, France. I loved learning more about Grasse’s history and the perfume-making process, and the mother-daughter relationships were interesting. To review for Shelf Awareness (out Dec. 1).

Most links (not affiliate links) are to my local fave Brookline Booksmith. Shop indie!

What are you reading?

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saving my life: deep August edition.

August 29, 2026 by Katie Noah Gibson

Hello, friends. We’ve made it (mostly) through a bonkers August: concerts, kayaking, a lot of dog-sitting, a friend’s outdoor wedding in the park, and multiple days at ZUMIX filled with joyful teenage summer chaos (and high humidity). Amid the wildness and the golden light, here’s what’s saving my life right now:

  • Kayaking at Piers Park after work: greeting the kids who work the dock, then a paddle through the harbor in that wonderful early-evening light.
  • Ice cream, and sometimes iced chai, from the Blue Caboose – my favorite new addition to the neighborhood.
  • Summer concerts on Sunday evenings in Piers Park (and a bonus one near Kendall Square in Cambridge, above): friends spread out on picnic blankets, live music by local musicians and our young people, and the best views in the city.
  • A friend offering to do my laundry for me after our washing machine broke.
  • Cherries, farmers’ market raspberries, and drippy peaches eaten over the sink: summer fruit is my favorite.
  • Tamales y salsa from Tex Mex Eats, and chitchat with Amanda on farmers’ market Saturdays.
  • Trading book recs with a colleague, Star Wars theories with a student, and the details of our lives with the beautiful humans I work with.
  • Texts and Marco Polos from my ride-or-die long-distance friends.
  • Summer uniform: dresses + sneakers + denim work shirt, with our new rubber ZUMIX bracelets and my grandmother’s turquoise ring.
  • My neighbor’s gorgeous sunflowers, which took a while to get going but are suddenly twelve feet tall.
  • Piles of mysteries (it is summer, after all).
  • Making plans to host a friend or two this fall, and buying concert tickets for September.

What’s saving your life in these hot August days?

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August reading roundup #2

August 22, 2026 by Katie Noah Gibson

August has been flying by – concerts, events, so much dog-sitting, our neighborhood block party and some (more) kayaking and ice cream. Amid all that, here’s what I have been reading:

Finding Lost, Holly Goldberg Sloan
I loved this sweet middle-grade novel about a girl who finds a small dog (whom she names Lost) as her family is struggling to move forward after her father’s death. Sensitive, sweet and quirky; I also loved Sloan’s To Night Owl from Dogfish.

How to Lose a Lord in Ten Days, Sophie Irwin
Irwin’s third novel mixes the Regency marriage mart with that Kate Hudson rom-com. Lord Ashford needs to marry, but his chosen, Lydia Hanworth, is none too keen on the idea. So she embarks on a campaign to convince him to jilt her, with the aid of her eccentric brother, Pip. Needless to say, all does not go as planned. I love Irwin’s witty rom-coms and this one was a lot of fun.

My Wild City: Finding Nature, Meaning, and Hope in India’s Capital, Neha Sinha
I received an ARC of this unusual urban-nature memoir; it’s a bit dense at times, but fascinating. Sinha takes us through the forests, parks, preserves and forgotten places of Delhi, India; she muses on the interactions between land and people, her own memories of certain trees and animals, and shares ideas for caring for our cities’ natural resources. Out Sept. 1.

Land, Maggie O’Farrell
Everyone is buzzing about O’Farrell’s latest; it took me a while to get into, but I loved the writing and was fascinated by the story of mapmaker Tomas and his family. So much here about memory, history, family and colonization; I was curious about some of the story’s loose ends, but every word felt purposeful. Beautiful.

Charlie Thorne and the Last Equation, Stuart Gibbs
I love a fast-paced middle-grade novel in the summer, and this one was a ride: 12-year-old genius Charlie Thorne gets pulled in to help the CIA find and solve Einstein’s final equation, and protect it from some bad actors. Charlie and the plot are both really smart; first in a series and I’m looking forward to the others.

Most links (not affiliate links) are to my local fave Brookline Booksmith. Shop indie!

What are you reading?

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August reading roundup #1

August 13, 2026 by Katie Noah Gibson

August is flying by, as it tends to do – with a quick jaunt to NYC, a fabulous night of Shakespeare on the Common, and lots of iced chai (above). Amid all that, here’s what I have been reading:

The Fatal Unpleasantness at Netherfield, Claudia Gray
I love Gray’s series featuring Jonathan Darcy and Juliet Tilney (son and daughter of well-known Austen characters), who have fallen in love while solving mysteries. This book takes us back to Netherfield, full of Bingleys and Bennets, and a death by poisoning. A super fun, witty entry in this series.

Flyweight, Courtney Ellis
Lucy Cotter is proud to be married to former boxer Robin, even though an injury sustained during the Great War means he can’t box any more. When they and their daughter find themselves facing eviction, Lucy reluctantly takes a job at Robin’s old boxing club, whose female owner, Siobhan, wants Lucy to train with her. A fascinating historical novel about women in sports and overcoming both outer and inner prejudices. To review for Shelf Awareness (out Oct. 20).

The Parisian Chapter, Janet Skeslien Charles
I enjoyed Charles’ novel The Paris Library, about the American Library in Paris and its connection to a WWII war bride named Odile. This related novella picks up the story of Lily, Odile’s young neighbor, trying to make her own way in Paris (and at the Library) in 1995. I liked the premise, but found Lily very whiny and most of the characters quite dissatisfied with their lives. (Also, hard to follow if you hadn’t read the previous book.)

The Nightingales of Boston, Gemma Tizzard
Tizzard’s second novel recounts in horrifying detail the 1942 fire at Boston’s Cocoanut Grove nightclub, which killed almost 500 people and injured dozens more. Tizzard tells her story through the eyes of a nurse at Boston City Hospital; a young woman caught up in the fire; and an aspiring journalist for the Boston Globe. Take care if you don’t like reading medical detail, but I liked the characters and loved all the Boston references. I loved Tizzard’s debut, too. To review for Shelf Awareness (out Nov. 10).

The Italian Job: A Memoir of an American Reporter in Rome, Jason Horowitz
I really enjoyed Horowitz’s wry, keenly observed memoir about his decades-long love affair with Italy: first as an aimless twentysomething, then a cub reporter, then (eventually) the New York Times’ Rome bureau chief, married to an Italian and raising Italian-American children. Lots of papal intrigue and politics here; so much of Italy’s recent political life (Berlusconi!) seems to presage the current American era. But I also loved Horowitz’s reflections on why he fell in love with Italy, and why the country still matters. To review for Shelf Awareness (out Oct. 6).

The Fatal Flying Affair, T. E. Kinsey
Lady Hardcastle and her intrepid maid, Flo, are tapped to investigate a suspicious death at a nearby aviation facility. Shenanigans ensue, of course, including several aerial jaunts and a midnight break-in. I like this witty series and enjoyed this entry; a fun mental escape during a bonkers season.

Most links (not affiliate links) are to my local fave Brookline Booksmith. Shop indie!

What are you reading?

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July reading roundup #2

July 31, 2026 by Katie Noah Gibson

The second half of July has flown past in a whirlwind of music and kayaking, yoga and meetings, local festivals and zinnias and occasional downpours. Amid all that, here’s what I have been reading:

The Someday Garden, Ashley Poston
When Sophie Drear takes a temporary job as head of gardens at Lilymoor, a maybe-magical Maine estate, she’s astonished to discover a hidden garden – with a handsome, grumpy man trapped inside. Sophie is nursing a broken heart after her best friend’s death, and Cyrus (the man, nephew of Lilymoor’s owner) carries griefs of his own. I like Poston’s lovely rom-coms with a touch of magical realism; this one wasn’t my favorite, but I enjoyed it.

Keeper of Lost Children, Sadeqa Johnson
I loved this powerful novel about an American military wife in post-WWII Germany who encounters an orphanage full of children born to German mothers and Black American soldiers. Johnson braids together the stories of Ethel, a journalist who becomes an advocate for the children; Ozzie, a Black serviceman in Germany in 1948; and Sophia, a young Black woman in Maryland who stumbles on the children’s story. Fascinating, and based on true events.

The Grassland Queen: An Avian Love Story in the American Plains, Priyanka Kumar
Kumar (a naturalist) chronicles her love for the long-billed curlew, sharing field notes and ecological information about their habitats, migration patterns, and other info. She draws parallels between her own parenthood and that of the curlews, and her hand-drawn illustrations are lovely. To review for Shelf Awareness (out Nov. 3).

Peach Street to Lobster Lane: Coast to Coast in Search of Real American Cuisine, Felicity Cloake
I relished Cloake’s highly entertaining adventures as she bikes across the continental U.S., intent on trying many different variations on pies and hamburgers, and every other quirky/classic/unusual American dish she can get her hands on. Witty, informative and fun. Found at the lovely Copper Dog Books in Beverly, MA.

Whistler, Ann Patchett
Daphne Fuller is stunned to run into her former stepfather, Eddie Triplett, one afternoon at the Met in NYC. They were only part of each other’s lives briefly, when Daphne was nine, but the indelible memory of their bond – and an infamous car accident – has endured all these years. This was a beautiful book; quiet and lovely, about memory and loss and family, and the way sometimes we find the people who belong to us, forever.

Cat on a Hot Tin Woof, Spencer Quinn
I have (as longtime readers know) a love for this quirky mystery series, narrated by Chet the dog, who has his own ways of sizing up a situation. This case – a search for a missing cat – is not Chet’s favorite, obviously, but it was a lot of fun.

It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Murder, Ally Carter
Ella Chambers has spent her life working hard, doing thankless jobs for everyone in town. When rich boy Liam – her longtime frenemy – comes home for Christmas, and it turns out someone is trying to kill him, Ella and Liam embark on a wild, snow-covered quest to find the killer, survive the holiday, and (maybe) figure out their relationship. I like Carter’s entertaining writing and this was a lot of fun, though with too much emphasis on “Ella always saves the day.” To review for Shelf Awareness (out Oct. 13).

Villa Coco, Andrew Sean Greer
Greer’s latest novel takes us to Italy in the company of a callow young American, hired as an archivist to catalog the varied treasures of a 92-year-old baronessa with a gift for whimsy, sleight of hand and high drama. Absurd and funny and a bit bittersweet at the end, but so lovely. A perfect summer escape.

Most links (not affiliate links) are to my local fave Brookline Booksmith. Shop indie!

What are you reading?

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We really needed that rain.

July 22, 2026 by Katie Noah Gibson

water clouds light

I saw a t-shirt with this slogan in a shop in downtown Decatur, Georgia, several years ago. My friend Shanna (whom I was visiting) and I had a good laugh over it at the time; we are both West Texas girls, descendants of farming families, and we have parents (particularly dads) who can be counted on to say this exact thing almost every time it rains.

We have both left the arid plains of our childhood for (literal) greener pastures; one thing we love about our chosen adult homes is the presence of multiple distinct seasons. Shanna and Grace took me to the Atlanta Botanical Garden once, and I was amazed at the lushness; we also spent a pleasant afternoon curled up on their big blue sectional couch with the dogs, watching episodes of Somebody Feed Phil as the rain sluiced down outside. Here in Boston, of course, we have snow, including two massive blizzards this past winter, and (usually) reliable rain in every season. I treasure the resulting shifts in the local vegetation, most notably stained-glass autumn leaves and every kind of flower I can find.

For several years now, we have been in drought conditions here in New England; despite a hard winter this year and a few spring rains, it has been nearly bone-dry for several months. The grass in some spots is bleached dry, resembling the straw-colored ground of my Texas childhood, and the trees are showing a few yellow leaves long before their time. I live right next to the harbor, but of course it’s salt; the rivers and reservoirs have been, and remain, low. It worries me, because I know what drought looks like; I have become the person, at work or at social events, who finds ways to bring the conversation back around to rain, or the lack of it. (The farther I get into my 40s, the more I think I’m becoming my parents in some ways.)

Yesterday, we had what I grew up calling a gully-washer: an inch and a half of rain in less than 12 hours, with proper downpours, massive puddles and rivulets running in the streets. It was glorious, and not only because we could use a break from the heat. Amid cancellation texts and emails for two different events last night, I kept glancing out the windows at work (and later at home), amazed and so grateful the skies had opened, rather than just pretending they might.

And this morning, waking to a rain-washed (if ridiculously humid) world, I could hear my dad and my granddad in my head: yes, we really needed that rain.

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