Welcome to September!

Reading and life-wise, August was another crazy month for me. My 18-year-old daughter was moving last weekend to attend University – first child to leave the “nest”.

It was tough, but thankfully, she is doing well there and living her dream. She even got a volunteer job working at a bookstore, so she is pretty stoked about that.

It was sad seeing her off. Do you know what was sadder? Her move-in weekend occurred at the same time that Margaret Atwood was in town and doing a talk, and I was even invited to the private reception after it! Unfortunately, I was too busy carting up box after box to the fourth floor of my daughter’s dorm. Absolutely gutted to have missed that amazing experience.

The realization that my daughter would be leaving hit us in early August, so that made for a three-week period where we were trying to do everything we could together, which cut into our reading time. Then an adjustment period after that.

Our reader mailbag also didn’t help with that! It was all about book recommendations for children, and many of you shared your childhood memories. That, and feeling a tad emotional over my daughter leaving, caused me to jump around various Enid Blyton novels.

Enid Blyton was the author who got me into reading when I was a kid, and I have many fond memories related to her books and scouring libraries, car boot sales, and other sources for her books. I just sort of jumped around random ones and didn’t stick with any particular series.

I did finish First Strike by Stephen Leather. The 21st novel in the Spider Shepherd series, and easily the weakest. Felt like a chore to finish, to be honest, but he has thoroughly entertained me in 20 prior novels, so all is forgiven!

That was it, reading-wise. The rest was listening to audiobooks.

Before I discuss the audiobooks I listened to this past month, does anyone else feel like they are more critical of audiobooks? I find I am more likely to DNF them, and I am a bit more “judgey”. I don’t mean to be, but if I dedicate 11 hours to listening to a book that I can read in three, I’m always going in expecting a bit more.

I listened to The Personal Assistant, a thriller by Kimberly Belle. An Amazon Editor’s Pick in “Best Mystery, Thriller and Suspense”, it’s about a successful influencer whose assistant goes missing – just as everything starts going wrong for her. Tweets are posted from her account that she claims she didn’t make, and she goes viral for all the wrong reasons. Suddenly, her family is under attack.

It’s an interesting concept, and it’s certainly many people’s worst nightmare. Unfortunately, I found the book quite lacking and superficial. There were no likable characters, so you didn’t really feel for the protagonists and what they were going through. The story started to jump all over the place, and it ultimately led to a quite disappointing conclusion.

I started The Last Bloody Straw, the fifth novel in the DCI Logan series by JD Kirk. It’s always great to listen to, but it’s never a story I like to binge; I generally listen to it for an hour a week when I am in the mood.

I then struggled and struggled and struggled to get another audiobook going. I think I spent about two hours on the Libby app, downloading various books, trying them out for a few minutes, then giving up.

One of them that really stood out was The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz. I think I lasted 30 seconds. I’m not sure if it was an intentional choice or what the deal was, but it sounded like an actual robot speaking, and there was no way I could do that. I’d prefer an AI narrator over that! Seriously, check out the sample on Audible.

I finally settled on And Then She Vanished, also known as The Unexpected Gift of Joseph Bridgeman by Nick Jones. This is the first book in a four-book series.

20 years ago, Joseph’s 7-year-old sister vanished while they were at the fair together. It has haunted him ever since. Now, with the help of a hypnotherapist treating him for his insomnia, Joseph realizes he can actually time-travel.

The first time he travels, it’s only a few minutes, but this gives him the hope that he could travel back in time to when his sister disappeared and discover what happened to her – and possibly save her.

I enjoyed this one. I am glad I listened to it rather than reading it, as the narrator, Ray Porter, turned a decent book into a great one, pushing it up a couple of stars on the rating scale.

One thing that really stood out for me was the ending – and don’t worry, I’m not going to spoil it. However, the author actually used the epilogue effectively. It reminded me a lot of the movie Back to the Future. The story wrapped up in a conclusion that would leave you feeling satisfied, but then it had a little epilogue that teased you and left you wanting more.

Nightwatching by Tracy Sierra came up on my hold list at the library, and I’ve had that one on my list to read since it was released, so I gave that a try. Unfortunately, it just isn’t one of those books that I feel works well for audiobooks. In the first 45 minutes of listening, a woman woke up to discover an intruder in the house. He was upstairs, and went in a different room than the one she was in. So she grabbed her daughter, and start going down the stairs. That entire sequence took 45 minutes.

I’ve settled on The 22 Murders of Madison May by Max Barry. I haven’t read too much about it but the general concept has me interested and I’m an hour in so far.

It was an incredible month for our sister site Book Notification. We launched the Book Clubs section, which lists all the books selected by a book club. It’s really neat looking through the lists, and it shows me what books I’ve read in each book club.

What was interesting was seeing the misinformation circulating about book clubs. Many listings had incorrect entries or dates, missing books, etc. And this isn’t just unofficial listings; the actual book club websites had wrong information too!

It felt really cool to create the most accurate and valuable resource for that topic, similar to our author listings, and knowing that if anyone is ever looking for book club picks, I can confidently recommend Book Notification as the best resource for that.

We also added a few key features, such as the ability to follow a series instead of an author, which will be great news for people who love the Alex Cross novels, but don’t want to be notified of every other book James “writes”. Along with new book notifications, we’re also keeping people up to date on book adaptations.

Just some of the great features. Others include:

– You get a weekly email notifying you of new books by your favourite authors
– You can import your existing reading list from Goodreads, Libby & More
– We have a top-notch, customizable printing option for all author lists
– Your own personalized book release calendar
– Track your reading, TBR, and see “What’s next” in the series you are reading
– Over 85,000 authors listed and audited by humans. (compared to 5000 at OOB)

And so much more – sign up today at BookNotification.com. And of course, it’s free!

I stumbled upon a neat book site, A Well-Read Wanderer. Thanks, Barb! They have this section on Bookstores to Visit. Worth checking out if you are planning any travel – I’ve bookmarked it for future reference.

Each month we give away 5 $25 Amazon gift certificates to random subscribers. 

To win all you have to do is be a subscriber. Nothing more! When we go to hit “Publish” we take a list of all of our subscribers, throw them into a random draw and those are the winners.

Our winners this month are:

– Peggy G. from Buffalo, NY
– Gaye L. from Costa Mesa, CA
– Alisa from Kenner, LA
– James McP. from Glasgow, Scotland (e-mail has p194 in it)
– James Br. from Huddersfield, England

All of you have been e-mailed. If you don’t see anything, check your junk folder or contact me.

Graeme
OrderOfBooks.com

Jokes of the Month

Why do so many bakers write cookbooks?
Because they knead the dough.

Can you run through a scout campsite?
No you can only ‘ran’ because it’s past tents.

The publishers have been forced to withdraw their new book about the history of the Black Death. The author is suspected of plaguerism.

I wrote my autobiography and sent it off to dozens of publishers. They all turned it down. Story of my life.

I’ve finally got to that juicy thriller at the bottom of my TBR Pile. ISBN waiting for you…

It took me ages to get started on this book about the history of scotch tape. I just couldn’t find the beginning.

(Jokes from The Book of Book Jokes by Alex Johnson)

Book Recommendations

In this section, I give 3-5 random book recommendations from readers of the newsletter. They can be old books, they can be new. Feel free to e-mail suggestions to me. Just hit reply. If you wish to add a description for the book around the same size as the ones below that’d be great too! 

Dr. Thomas Silkstone Series by Tessa Harris: Ruth wrote in to recommend this series, which she is listening to. Here is what she wrote:

“Am on my fourth. Great reader. I never read her books before and am so happy with the reader why would I? 1780’s England. The author puts in real events and politics of the time as a theme and setting for murder and mayhem. The Lazarus Curse centres on slavery, The Devil’s Breath has the killing fog from Icelandic volcanoes marching its way across the countryside, the Dead Shall Not Rest has an Irish giant, castrato, and a doctor that wants them dead so he add the bones to his collection of body parts.”

The Anatomist’s Apprentice by Tessa Harris is the first book in the Dr. Thomas Silkstone series. Sir Edward Crick’s death has opened the floodgates of gossip throughout Oxfordshire. No one is mourning the poor young man, except for his sister, Lady Lydia Farrell. After people start pointing their finger at her husband as the killer, she goes to Dr. Thomas Silkstone, a young anatomist who is originally from Philadelphia. Dr. Silkstone came to England in order to be an apprentice of the country’s top surgeon. He cautiously decides to examine the body of Sir Edward Crick, but the more he learns, the more he puts himself in danger.

DS George Cross Series by Tim Sullivan: This is an ongoing series that Linda wrote in to recommend. It currently has seven books in it, with the 8th scheduled for January of next year. Here’s what Linda wrote:

“Author Tim Sullivan broke the mold when he created DS George Cross. No formula writing from this acclaimed screen writer, the eclectic, often irascible DS Cross is an original whose superpower, autism, self-inflates his peerless crime solving stats—his one great vanity.”

“Unlike many fictional British detectives, DS Cross doesn’t drive a restored classic car, he rides a bicycle wearing protective yellow reflective gear replete with bike clips. His tipple of choice isn’t a rare, peaty single malt, but the finest loose-leaf tea, brewed in a China pot and strained into a porcelain cup and saucer—no tea bags or mugs. Music? Not vintage vinyl pressings of jazz, blues, opera, or the classics. DS Cross, a self-taught organist, plays an ancient parish church pipe organ he personally restored using a book and a satchel of old tools.”

“There are eight books in the DS Cross series, and they should be read in sequence, not for continuity, but for the pleasure of participating in the warm and rich development of the series and characters. There is never a sense of sameness in the world of DS Cross and his cohorts, or in the crimes they are tasked with solving.”

“Don’t mistake the books in this series as simply clever, and often dark and broody, police procedurals! They also tell tales of evolution, genius, friendship, inclusion, personal growth, forgiveness, atonement, and kindness. What’s not to love?”

King of Ashes by S.A. Cosby: Keith wrote in to recommend this one. I’ve had it on my list, but haven’t gotten around to it yet – hopefully soon. This was his book of the month.

“King of Ashes” is another winner from S. A. Cosby, again read by Adam Lazarre-White. This installment of “Southern Noir” gives us dialog that is straight razor sharp, artfully delivered by Lazarre-White. A wide swath of characters from all layers of society collide in an intricate plot that vividly depicts morally complex people caught in conflict, violence, pain and family obligation.”

“Eldest son Roman Carruthers is summoned home because his father is in a coma after a car accident. Roman soon finds that his sister Neveah is exhausted from holding the family together while continuing to run the family business, the Carruthers Crematorium.”

“Also, younger brother Dante is drug and alcohol addicted, and is deeply in debt to dangerous criminals who have been escalating attacks on the family and the family business in an effort extort money. Every word rings true! 9/10”

If you haven’t read any S.A. Cosby yet, you’re missing out. And the narration by Adam always adds to it. Check out his book list. I think my personal favourite is still Razorblade Tears.

When It All Burns by Jordan Thomas: This one is for fans of non-fiction. It’s a story written by wildland firefighter and anthropologist Jordan Thomas.

It’s his raw and intense account of a single fire season with the Los Padres Hotshots, an elite crew battling some of California’s most destructive blazes.

Blending personal experience with history and ecology, Thomas examines how wildfires have evolved from natural cycles of renewal to devastating megafires fueled by climate change, mismanagement, and industrial activities.

This was an Amazon Editor’s Pick for “Best Books of the Year So Far”.

The Dream Hotel by Laila Lalami: This is one of those books that actually seems to be quite polarizing in people’s opinions. I haven’t read it yet myself, but the concept sounds really cool, and I am hoping I fall on the positive side of things.

In this dystopian future novel, Sara comes home from a trip and is stopped at the airport by agents who say her dreams show she’s going to hurt her husband.

She’s taken to a strange center where other women are locked up for crimes they haven’t actually committed. The rules keep changing, and every mistake means more time inside. When a new woman arrives, everything shifts, and Sara is forced to face the powerful system that has taken away her freedom.

September Book Of The Month

The Secret of Secrets by Dan Brown: There are a lot of conflicting opinions on Dan Brown, but he’s coming out of hibernation to publish his first novel in eight years, so you better believe that’s going to make his latest, The Secret of Secrets, our book of the month.

It’s the sixth novel in the Robert Langdon series.

Robert Langdon heads to Prague to see a lecture by Katherine Solomon, a brilliant scientist he’s just started dating. Katherine is about to release a book that could shake up everything we know about human consciousness, but before she can, a violent murder throws everything into chaos, and she vanishes with her work.

Soon, Langdon is being hunted by a shadowy group and a terrifying figure from Prague’s dark myths. Racing through Prague, London, and New York, he scrambles to find Katherine and uncover the truth behind a secret project that could alter our understanding of the mind forever.

10 More Notable Books Releasing in September

Brought to you by BookNotification.com where you can get updated on all the upcoming books by your favourite authors with your own personalized calendar!

Check Out September’s Most Popular Book Releases

Pictures of the Month

Thanks to Care for the first one, Cathi for the second and Carla for the rest!

Send in your own to site@orderofbooks.com or by replying!

Images, jokes, etc. We’ll take it all!

Your Thoughts!

Last month I asked for your favourite book recommendations for younger readers. The answers are later in the newsletter.

This month’s question is not the sort of subject I generally like to broach, as it’s leaning on the negative side. However, I’ve had this discussion with a few other people recently, and the answers have been interesting – so let’s give it a go.

What was the last book you did not finish? And why?

I’ve DNF’d a few books recently. Whatever your reasoning, let’s try to stick to fact-based answers and avoid any toxicity.

#CrimeTime by Jeneva Rose: I was a big fan of Home Is Where The Bodies Are by Jeneva. This one, however, felt like it was intended for a much younger audience – the TikTok audience – and I gave up about 30% in.

Shadow Prey by John Sandford: I suppose I technically finished this, but I listened to the last half at a fast speed just to get it done. I thought it was dull and just all over the place storyline-wise, and wasn’t interested in it at all.

Look Both Ways by Linwood Barclay: I’m a big fan of Linwood, but I tapped out about 2 or 3 hours into this 13-hour audiobook. It just felt like it was still setting the story up; the pace was incredibly slow, and I wasn’t hooked by anything that was happening.

What about you? What was the last book you did not finish? And why?

E-mail us your feedback to site@OrderOfBooks.com or just reply to this e-mail, and we’ll pick the best comments and feature it in next month’s newsletter. Five people will also randomly win a $25 gift certificate to Amazon.

Reader Mailbag!

Click here to read.

Book Notification
Order of Books » Newsletter » OrderOfBooks September 2025 Newsletter

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