Read:
Devotions – Lucy Caldwell (Faber, 2026)
Joan of the Arcane – Alexandra Fleder (She Writes Press, 2026)
Goodbye Chinatown – Kit Fan (World Editions, 2026)
Isola – Allegra Goodman (Dial Press, 2025)
The Odyssey – Homer (translated by Emily Wilson) (W.W. Norton & Co, 2018)
Anne’s House of Dreams – L.M. Montgomery (Seal Books, 1996)
Borrowed Child – Marguerite Welch (She Writes Press, 2026)
Euripede’s Greek Tragedies – BBC Radio Drama
The Pirate Queen – Ariel Lawhon (Doubleday, 2026)
Under Story – Chloe Benjamin (Putnam, 2026)
The Problem of Pain – C.S. Lewis (Harper, 1996)
Almost Life – Kiran Millwood Hargrave (Summit Books, 2026)
No Friend to This House – Natalie Haynes (Harper, 2026)
Currently Reading:
The Wainscott Weasel – Tor Seidler
Habits of the Sea – Shea Ernshaw
Girls with Long Shadows – Tennessee Hill
Thoughts:
Typing out my list, I’m realizing how 2026 heavy it is. I have a few ARCs that I am trying to prioritize and that’s meant that a lot of my reading lately has been for books that have come out this year. After reading Pandora’s Jar last month, I’ve continued on my Ancient Greek kick. I finished reading The Odyssey then listened to an excellent collection of Euripedes’ plays from BBC Radio Drama. (The BBC radio dramas are quickly becoming a must-listen when I see them on Libro.fm now.) After that I listened to Natalie Haynes’ No Friend to This House. With the kids back to school I now have more audiobook time and am working to get through some of my backlog.
September was a good reading month! Devotions was an excellent short story collection and Goodbye Chinatown was full of delicious food and Hong Kong nostalgia. Under Story was the definite highlight and I have a review of that coming next week.
What’s Next:
Still lots of 2026 releases I want to get to, especially with so many excellent new releases this fall. I’m particularly excited about the new Emily St. John Mandel, the new Kate Atkinson, a new book from Louise Kennedy, and End Times Fascism from Naomi Klein.
2026 Reading Goals:
90/100 books (13 in September)
Theological: 1/12
Translated Works: 10/12 (The Odyssey and the Euripides plays in September)
Pre-2025 TBR: 12/25 (The Problem of Pain from 2015 in September)
Goliaths: 8/6 (none in September)
Owned: 23/25 (The Odyssey, The Pirate Queen, and The Problem of Pain in September)
Current TBR: 195 (previously 198)
What Pearl Read:
The Season of Flames – Anna James
Princess of the Midnight Ball – Jessica Day George
Neverfear – Katherine Rundell
Finally Seen – Kelly Yang
The Wainscott Weasel – Tor Seidler
The Rose Legacy – Jessica Day George
The Queen’s Secret – Jessica Day George
Anne’s House of Dreams – L.M. Montgomery
Anne of Windy Poplars – L.M. Montgomery
Anne of Avonlea – L.M. Montgomery
Anne of Green Gables – L.M. Montgomery
2026 Reading Goal: 82/100
