Author: Michelle

Monthly Wrap-Ups

September Reading Wrap-Up

Michelle

Here are my wrap-up collages for September 2026. I read a ton and leaned into audio a bit also! I am all over the map but read a lot of queer romance, easy nonfiction/history type books (because I’m in my go-back-to-school era), novels in verse, autumnal books and kids’ graphic novels mixed in. I had so much fun reading all of this stuff this past month!

What I Read In September:

📖 Next Time Will Be Our Turn by Jesse Q. Sutanto
📖 The Missing Half by Ashley Flowers
📱 The Straight Girl’s Guide To Sleeping With Chicks by Jen Sincero
📖 Fishbone Cinderella by Elizabeth Lim
📖 Uncharted by Adriana Anders
📖 Salt: A World History by Mark Kurlansky
📖 Many Stones by Carolyn Coman
📖 How They Croaked by Georgia Bragg
📖 Linguaphile: A Life Of Language Love by Julie Sedivy
📱 What We Talk About When We Talk About Dumplings by John Lorinc
📖 Run Away With Me by Brian Selznick
🎧 Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke
🎧 The Love Haters by Katherine Center
📖 Bad Guys & Gals of the Wild West by Dona Herweck Rice
📖 How They Choked by Georgia Bragg
📖 A First Time For Everything by Dan Santat
📖 Tales From Beyond the Rainbow: Ten LGBTQ+ Fairytales Proudly Reclaimed by Pete Jordi Wood
🎧 When We Were Monsters by Jennifer Niven
📖 Chasing Brooklyn by Lisa Schroeder
📖 Entirely Emmie by Terri Libenson
📖 Forbidden Words: Taboo& the Censoring of Language by Keith Allan
🎧 Get Over It, April Evans by Ashley Herring Blake
📖 Moving Words About A Flower by K.C. Hayes
📖 Falling Like Leaves by Misty Wilson
📖 Black Potatoes: The Story of the Great Irish Famine, 1845-1850 by Susan Campbell Bartoletti
📖 The Day Before by Lisa Schroeder
📖 Road Home by Rex Ogle
📖 Absent by Rex Ogle
🎧 Something To Talk About by Meryl Wilsner
📖 Pumpkin Spice & Everything Nice by Katie Cicatelli-Kuc



Monthly Wrap-Ups

June, July & August Reading Wrap-Ups

Michelle

I’m a bit late to the party, but better late than never, right? Here are my wrap-up collages for June, July and August 2026. I can’t believe we’re more than half-way through September! I’ve been having a great reading month. But…here’s the summer!

Adult Fiction, Events, LGBTQ+, Middle Grade Fiction, Mystery, Nonfiction, Romance, Thriller, YA Fiction

I’m Baaaaack!!!

Michelle

Hello all of you lovely people! I am SO sorry I haven’t been able to post and took a huge hiatus. It was something that couldn’t be avoided and I was dealing with a lot of personal stuff over the last 7-ish months but I’m back now, and wanted to pop in and give you an update on my reading life!

Of course I’ve been religiously listening to the Currently Reading Podcast and Sarah’s Bookshelves Live, as I have been for years.

And, as you can see, my last blog post before this was when I went to Hayley Kiyoko’s book signing at the Strand. I saw her movie Girls Like Girls last weekend and LOVED it! I highly recommend!

I would be remiss to not include my book collages from the last few months, although you can see that my reading has been somewhat sporadic. It’s coming back now, though, and in full force!

Another thing that happened while I was away is that my bookstagram turned 10! I cannot believe I’ve had a bookstagram account for 10 years. I am so glad it’s still up and running, though.

Events, LGBTQ+, YA Fiction

Hayley Kiyoko Book Signing

Michelle

Last night I went to the first stop on Hayley Kiyoko’s book tour for her new book Where There’s Room For Us at none other than the Strand in NYC. I love their events because they’re so up close and personal. I laughed with Hayley, I cried, and I met her while she signed my two books. She said she thought my glasses were cute, and I thanked her for letting me feel seen. She said it right back, too. She was so sweet!! We got a posed photo together and the entire night was pure queer magic. “Pink Pony Club” by Chappell Roan even came on while she was signing. I cannot wait to read her new book! 

We also found out that she directed the feature film based on her previous novel, Girls Like Girls, coming in 2026. She said it took 10 years! I’ll definitely be seeing that in theaters!

Adult Fiction, LGBTQ+, Monthly Wrap-Ups, Mystery, Poetry, Romance, Series, Short Stories

Monthly Wrap-Up: October 2025

Michelle

I read 14 books in October. I’m looking forward to another great reading month in November!

My favorite books read in October were Cackle by Rachel Harrison, Inheritance by Nora Roberts and Every Step She Takes by Alison Cochrun.

Books Read In October:
📖 Cackle by Rachel Harrison
📖 Black Sheep by Rachel Harrison
📖 George’s Marvelous Medicine by Roald Dahl
📖 The Witches by Roald Dahl
🎧 Bad Dolls by Rachel Harrison
📖/🎧 Inheritance by Nora Roberts
📖 Such Sharp Teeth by Rachel Harrison
📖 How To Survive A Horror Story by Mallory Arnold
📖 Re-Coupling by Harriet Shenkman
📖 Every Step She Takes by Alison Cochrun
📖 Play Nice by Rachel Harrison
📖 Forget Me Not by Stacy Willingham
📖 Say A Little Prayer by Jenna Voris
📖 This Foreign Affair by Harper Bliss

What did you read in October? Which was your favorite?

Adult Fiction, Events, Humor, LGBTQ+, Romance

Alexandria Bellefleur Author Event

Michelle

Last night I went to yet another awesome author signing event at the Strand in NYC. I love going to these events, because they’re relatively small and always great! I have yet to read a book by Alexandria Bellefleur, and after going to the event, I learned that I’m clearly missing out, because this author has a big fanbase. Everyone was talking about the astrology signs of her characters, and now I’m totally going to look up “pisces” on her website, so I can read a character like me.

I love when I can see myself and connect to the books I read. Alexandria and her books are queer, and I can’t wait to dive into her latest, The Devil She Knows, which came out today! I got my book signed & personalized and also had my photo taken with the author. I loved it so much!

I also bought Girls Like Girls by Hayley Kiyoko, her debut novel, ahead of her signing in a couple weeks. I spent way too much money on queer and bookish stickers, and bought a tote bag since the one I brought was way too small. I just love browsing the Strand!

Adult Fiction, Events, Historical Fiction, LGBTQ+, Memoirs, Nonfiction, Thriller

Author Day @ Harrison Public Library

Michelle

 I went to Author Day at Harrison Library and it was awesome! I got to reconnect with one of my favorite author friends, Lisa Montanaro after having been to her book signing in May for her debut novel Everything We Thought Was True, meet a fellow bookstagrammer, Jen (@electric_bookaloo) and catch up with an old friend. I even won a raffle! 

BOOKS & AUTHORS PICTURED
Jessica Anya Blau – Shopgirls
V.S. Kemanis
Lisa Montanaro – Everything We Thought Was True
Cleyvis Natera – The Grand Paloma Resort
Cherry Lou Sy – Love Can’t Feed You
Liv Constantine – Don’t Open Your Eyes 
Amity Gage – Heartwood
Anne-Sophie Jouhanneau – The French Honeymoon
Clémence Michallon – Our Last Resort
Mariah Fredericks 
Alyson Richman – The Missing Pages
Lauren Willig – The Girl From Greenwich Street 
John Beyer – Live A Little Better
Susan Shapiro Barash – Estranged (author not pictured)

Lisa Montanaro & Me
Adult Fiction, Events, Science Fiction

Author Talks

Michelle

I recently went to a local library in person as well as watched a Zoom session with authors David Hicks and Nikki Erlick, both natives of Harrison. I had a great time at both of these events, and am grateful that I was able to attend.

David’s book, The Gospel of Danny, is about a man named Danny  Gausepohl in today’s fractured world and deals with love and loss in his own life as well. The book grips you right from the beginning, and I can’t wait to keep reading!

Nikki’s book, The Poppy Fields, is a speculative fiction/light sci-fi book that was inspired by the Wizard of Oz that is perfect for bookclub discussions. It is a book about a new, experimental treatment center that helps people sleep through their grief so that when they wake up, they’re healed. I am super excited to read this book as well!

Monthly Wrap-Ups, Thriller

Monthly Wrap-Up: September 2025

Michelle

I read 7 books in September. I’m looking forward to a spooky reading month in October! 🧙🎃👻

My favorite books read in September were The Unraveling of Julia by Lisa Scottoline and What Kind of Paradise by Janelle Brown.

Books Read In September:
📖 Feel Better, No Matter What by Michael James
📖 We’ll Prescribe You A Cat by Syou Ishida
📖 Burn After Reading by Catherine Ryan Howard
📖 What Kind of Paradise by Janelle Brown
📖 She Didn’t See It Coming by Shari LaPena
📖 You Belong Here by Megan Miranda
📖 The Unraveling of Julia by Lisa Scottoline

What did you read in September? Which was your favorite?

Events, LGBTQ+, Memoirs, Nonfiction

Elizabeth Gilbert at The Strand

Michelle

I was lucky enough to see Elizabeth (Liz) Gilbert on her very first stop on her book tour for her new memoir, All the Way to the River. I was also lucky enough to have read the book on Netgalley before the talk as well. The book signing/talk took place at Cooper Union in New York City, which was a much bigger venue than the Strand’s Rare Book Room, where they usually hold their events.

I traveled down to the City alone, and met three other women who were also attending the talk who I sat near. The books were already signed by Liz and there were so many people there, so none of the books were personalized. She basically talked the whole time, and then took questions from the audience who lined up behind a microphone.

I am so happy that I was able to see Elizabeth Gilbert do her talk. The book is about her relationship with her best friend turned lover, Rayya Elias, and their codependent relationship with each other, their drug and love addictions, as well as Rayya’s ultimate death due to pancreatic and liver cancer. It wasn’t an easy read, but definitely worth it, I think, and a very important addition to Gilbert’s story.

I haven’t read all of her books (yet) but I plan on being an Elizabeth Gilbert completest (meaning will read all her works, eventually).

Cooper Union