Links & Lit

The return of Emily In Paris, great books to read in one sitting, a mediocre new release mystery & a just for fun addition

Hello! We’re making our way through August and despite not having kids in school anymore, I still feel like the start of school is the unofficial end of summer. This past week was a good one, I was able to get in some long walks and a bike ride despite the heat and humidity.

As for reading, I finished Love Forms by Claire Adam (here’s my review) which I enjoyed quite a bit. For some reason, other than that book which was great on audio, I hadn’t been able to land on another audiobook (until yesterday that is- see current read:) . I don’t know about you, but I start to feel cranky if I don’t have an audiobook to look forward to for walks, errands, chores etc. If you’ve listened to any engaging audiobooks lately, please share them in the comments!

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Just For Fun

I came across this fun article about the books Carrie Bradshaw and Sarah Jessica Parker were reading on And Just Like That. I immediately added Honey by Victor Lodato to my tbr

* Books pictured

Honey by Victor Lodato - Parker was spotted diving into this story of female rage from the PEN USA Award-winning author, which follows the glamorous daughter of an infamous New Jersey mobster who returns home to reckon with her violent past.

Intermezzo by Sally Rooney - The latest from the famed Irish author behind Normal People traces two brothers as they navigate romantic relationships and the loss of their father.

The Demon of Unrest by Erik Larson - A narrative non-fiction that traces the slow-burning crisis in between the election of Abraham Lincoln and the start of the Civil War.

We Burn Daylight by Bret Anthony Johnston - Based on true events that occurred in Texas in the ‘90s, this epic tells the story of star-crossed lovers in a doomsday cult, exploring the true meaning of love and sacrifice.

Patriot by Alexei Navalny - A powerful posthumous memoir from the Russian opposition leader and political prisoner, who decided to tell his story shortly after his near-fatal poisoning in 2020.

Monkey Grip by Helen Garner - A 1977 story of a single mother navigating addiction in Melbourne’s underground.

The Coin by Yasmin Zaher - The Dylan Thomas Prize winner’s debut novel is a bold story about a young Palestinian woman’s unraveling as she gets caught up in a scheme selling Birkin bags (Carrie knows a thing or two about those!) in New York City.

The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters - The mystery about a 4-year-old girl who goes missing from the blueberry fields of Maine had Parker enraptured on set — even during a funeral scene

Entitlement by Rumaan Alam - A provocative novel investigating wealth, need, worth, race, privilege, passion and philanthropy may have hit close to home while on the set of AJLT, which explores many of the same themes, albeit comedically.

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Recently Read

Isabella’s Not Dead by Beth Morrey - out August 26

After a weekend reunion of five high school friend, 53 year old Gwen sets off to find her friend Isabella, her best friend who ghosted all of them 15 years ago. Gwen doesn’t think Isabella died, but if she didn’t, why did she vanish from their lives and why can’t they find her?

I listened to this one a couple weeks ago and the British narration was very good. Gwen narrates and while I initially enjoyed her commentary, humor, and observations, by the halfway point I was hoping for an alternate voice or perspective. In my opinion, this premise is hard to pull off with only one perspective because we are only seeing and hearing what Gwen does.

I did enjoy that Gwen was knee deep in midlife and dealing with things like friendships, middle marriage, parenting, aging parents etc, but her voice did reach a point of coming across as whiney. I think the story is way too long and there was one glaring issue I couldn’t get over—the character motivations of all the characters felt lacking. They didn’t gel for me. By the last quarter I found myself speeding up the audio just to finish and see what the heck happened to Isabella. I’m giving this a 3.5 star rating

Current Read

So Far Gone by Jess Walter

A hilarious, empathetic, and brilliantly provocative adventure through life in modern America, about a reclusive journalist forced back into the world to rescue his kidnapped grandchildren.

I started this audiobook yesterday and was immediately pulled in by the voice of main character, grandpa Rhys. I’m not very far, but I’ve already laughed and I also really like the kids which you won’t hear me say too often. The audio narration is by one of my favorite narrators, Edoardo Ballerini and he’s so good with voices

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Book Added To My TBR This Week

More Than Enough by Anna Quindlen - coming February 24, 2026

A woman confronts the surprising results of an ancestry test and begins to question the meaning of family and friendship in this wise, tender novel teeming with life. An exploration of how we find ourselves again and again through the relationships that define us.

I loved After Annie (great on audio) so I’m looking forward to this

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Links I Found Interesting

5 Dark Academia Classics Every Fan Needs To Read- I’m not a huge lover of dark academia but this book caught my eye Bustle

Here’s Your First Look at Emily in Paris Season 5—Plus the Release Date - I’m so excited about this breaking news, I love this show! Vogue

20 Readers Share Their Most Heart Wrenching Books BookBub

The 9 best movies and tv shows to watch this weekend - Vulture 25

Extraordinary Books You Can Read in One Sitting - I loved Infinite Country and Giovanni’s Room - Esquire

The Center for Fiction 2025 First Novel Prize Longlist - Center for Fiction

7 Love Triangle Novels That Are About More Than Romance - I love this article from

Lidija Hilje

and not surprisingly I’ve read and loved every single book—including my current top book of the year Slanting Towards the Sea by Lidija— except Small Pleasures by Claire Chambers (it’s high on my tbr) Electric Literature

Happy Sunday 📚

Renee