What's Dawn Devouring Lately?
September 2026
September always feels like a month of transition with summer slowly giving way to cooler days, cozy evenings, and all things fall. This month brought plenty to devour, from new book releases and celebrity book club picks to a mix of suspense, historical fiction, literary fiction, and even a little magical realism. I also found a few things worth watching and listening to, along with some seasonal favorites that made me excited for what’s ahead. So grab your favorite fall beverage, get cozy, and let’s take a look at what I’ve been devouring lately!
Until Next Month!
Happy Reading! 😎📚🌻
Someone Else's Husband By: Kimberly McCreight
I thought the audiobook narration was incredible! The full cast really brought this story to life, especially with all the details and the way the narration shifts between different points of view.
This character-driven mystery follows Gretchen and her husband, Richard, who is arrested in the opening chapter for the murder of another woman. Richard and several of his longtime friends had recently returned from a trip to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, where they met Frankie, a solo traveler who joined their group. Now, Frankie is dead, and Richard is being accused of her murder.
Determined to uncover the truth and prove her husband's innocence, Gretchen begins digging into Richard's relationship with Frankie and the events surrounding their trip. The story alternates between Gretchen's and Frankie's points of view, moving between the time before and after the murder. I really enjoyed how this structure slowly revealed pieces of the story while keeping me guessing about what had actually happened.
This was definitely a slow-burn, character-driven mystery, with plenty of twists and turns along the way. Just when I thought I had figured out the web of secrets and lies surrounding the murder investigation, one final twist changed everything.
If you enjoy mysteries with alternating points of view, complex characters, and plenty of twists and turns, then this is a book for you, especially if you’re an audiobook fan! I gave it 🤩🤩🤩💫I on the devour scale.
Sunlight Finds You By: Laura Moriarty
I can definitely see why Sunlight Finds You was Read with Jenna’s pick for August. Set in the 1950s, the story follows seventeen-year-old Nora, who feels like St. Pete is a little slice of paradise, especially after she meets Leonard, the shy, brilliant son of a transplanted New York family. The two quickly fall for each other, spending all their days and evenings together. With Nora’s encouragement. Leonard becomes more confident while still remaining the tender, caring person she first fell for.
Leonard’s sophisticated mother welcomes Nora into their lives, but his father is suspicious of her motives. When class differences and parental interference eventually force Nora to break off contact with Leonard, a series of lies follows, isolating Nora from the people she loves and haunting her well into adulthood.
The story is told from Nora’s perspective as she looks back on her life, and I thought this structure worked especially well. While I found some of the storyline to be a bit predictable, I still wanted to keep reading to find out what would become of Nora and Leonard and whether their paths would cross again later in life.
If you enjoy stories about first love, family secrets, forgiveness, and second chances, then this is a book for you. I gave it 🤩🤩🤩🤩 on the devour scale.
Ain't Nobody's Fool: The Life and Times of Dolly Parton By: Martha Ackmann
This was the September pick for my in-person book club, and although it was chosen earlier in the year, it felt even more relevant after Dolly’s death last month. I enjoyed learning more about Dolly’s life, from her childhood and early career to her rise to fame and the business empire she built. I was especially interested in the sections about her husband, Carl Dean, who was famously private, as well as the many ways her family members contributed to her success and helped run her business.
While I found the subject matter interesting, the book itself wasn’t a favorite for me. At times, it read more like a report or textbook than an engaging biography. The numerous footnotes at the end of the pages were also distracting and interrupted the flow of the story. I’m glad I read it, though, and I came away with an even greater appreciation for Dolly’s talent, determination, and beautiful spirit. I gave it 🤩🤩🤩 on the devour scale.
Big Little Truths By: Liane Moriarty
Did you read or watch Big Little Lies? Well, the women and children are back, only older and wittier than ever! The last time we saw these women, their children were five years old. Now, ten years have passed, and the kids are teenagers, bringing plenty of drama of their own. Add a severed finger sent to the new principal, a mysterious new history teacher who quickly becomes the talk of the town, and a stranger lurking around the school asking students some very strange questions, and you have all the ingredients for another page-turner.
In true Liane Moriarty style, I found myself rushing through the alternating POV chapters, eager to figure out what was really happening in this small town. I enjoyed this one so much that I both listened to the audiobook and read it in print; a trick I recommend when you have a chunkier book you simply can’t put down! If you enjoy stories about friendship, multiple perspectives, and a little mystery to keep you guessing, then this is a book for you. I gave it 🤩🤩🤩🤩 on the devour scale.
The Shampoo Effect By: Jenny Jackson
Jenny Jackson’s sophomore novel was entertaining, fun, and definitely hard to put down! At the heart of the story is a long-standing friend group whose dynamics get thrown off when Van begins dating someone new outside the circle. Caroline, a writer who moves to a small town in Maine after winning a fellowship, is the group’s outsider and her arrival adds another layer to the complicated relationships.
The “Shampoo Effect” refers to how old emotional ties and family histories can be nearly impossible to wash away completely, much like how old soap seems to lather right back up on the second wash. And throughout this novel, we see just how difficult it can be to rinse away old dynamics, grudges, and patterns. If you enjoy character-driven stories about friendship, complicated relationships, and the ties that bind us, then this is a book for you. I gave it 🤩🤩🤩🤩 on the devour scale.
Everything is Beautiful and Nothing Hurt By: Ben Reeves
This book is having its moment, and I can certainly see why. This book is unlike anything I’ve read before, and it left me thinking about it long after I turned the final page.Without giving too much away, I’ll just say that death is personified in this novel as a character named Travis. Through this unique premise, the author explores the briefness of life and reminds us to notice and appreciate the beauty that exists in the here and now.I found myself stopping several times throughout the book to reread passages because of their depth and the profound questions the author asks readers to grapple with. There is something both gentle and uplifting about the way this story approaches life, death, grief, and what it means to truly be present.And that last page! It literally stopped me in my tracks and was the chef’s kiss to end all novels. If you enjoy books that explore the meaning of life, encourage you to appreciate the present, and approach death and grief with gentleness, this is a book for you. I gave it
🤩🤩🤩🤩💫 on the devour scale.
Cover Story By: Susan Rigetti
This one was quite the ride. It's written completely in diary entries, FBI correspondences, Instagram posts and emails. After a rough year at NYU, aspiring writer Lora Ricci is thrilled when she lands a summer internship at ELLE magazine. There, she meets Cat Wolff, an enigmatic contributing editor and daughter of a clean-energy mogul. Cat takes Lora under her wing, encouraging her writing and enlisting her help with side projects.
When Lora confides that she’s lost her scholarship and can no longer afford NYU, Cat offers an unexpected solution: drop out and become her ghostwriter. Lora agrees, and soon she’s living in Cat’s luxurious suite at the Plaza Hotel, writing by day and attending extravagant parties by night. For Lora, her life has gone from a looming nightmare to a dream come true.
But as she becomes more immersed in Cat’s glamorous world, Lora begins to see cracks in Cat’s perfect façade and discovers that the life she’s stepped into is far more complicated, illicit, and dangerous than she ever imagined.If you like books about friendship, stolen identities, and fraud then this book is for you. I give it 🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩on the devour scale back in 2023 when I read it. Buckle up! It’s one wild ride you won’t see coming!
Nobody Wants This (Seasons 1&2)- Netflix
Nobody Wants This follows the love-at-first-sight relationship between a young American rabbi, Noah (Adam Brody), and an irascible agnostic woman, Joanne (Kristen Bell). Joanne co-hosts a podcast,with her sister, Morgan about relationships; Noah, who hopes to be promoted to chief rabbi of his synagogue, has just ended his long term relationship with a Jewish woman. Watch Trailer Here
The Last Sunrise- Movie on Amazon Prime
A young American woman with health challenges finds unexpected romance with a charismatic local during her summer in Majorca, forcing her to weigh her heart's desires against family obligations and her planned return home.Watch Trailer Here
Leanne (Season 2) Netflix
Season 2 of the Netflix comedy series Leanne, starring comedian Leanne Morgan, follows Leanne as she turns 60 and transitions from picking up the pieces of her post-divorce life to figuring out what comes next.AAlso, after a kitchen mishap involving a pot of beans, Leanne’s aging parents, Margaret and John, move into her home rather than a care facility. John struggles with his loss of independence, while Margaret navigates losing her ability to garden. Watch Trailer Here
