“Ah, September! You are the doorway to the season that awakens my soul... but I must confess that I love you only because you are a prelude to my beloved October.” ― Peggy Toney Horton
READING:
Beth Is Dead by Katie Bernet — “Beth March’s sisters will stop at nothing to track down her killer—until they begin to suspect each other—in this debut thriller that’s also a bold, contemporary reimagining of the beloved classic Little Women” (Goodreads). Nope.
Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth — “Elsie Mabel Fitzpatrick is eighty-one years old. She's lived on her idyllic street, Kenny Lane, for sixty years--longer than anyone else. Aside from being a curmudgeon who minds everyone else's business, few would suspect that Elsie has a past that she has worked exceedingly hard at concealing. Because when it comes to murder, no one ever suspects little girls or old ladies. And Elsie Mabel Fitzpatrick, once a little girl and now an old lady, has a strange history of people in her life coming to a foul end. When a new little girl (talkative, curious, nosy) moves into the neighborhood and stops at nothing to befriend Elsie, her carefully-constructed life threatens to come crashing down as the secrets in Elsie's past start coming to light. Who was "Mad Mabel" fifty years ago? Who is Elsie Fitzpatrick today? And if the past has a habit of repeating itself, who has the most to lose?” (Goodreads). This is a fun read.
Theo of Golden by Allen Levi — “One spring morning, a stranger arrives in the small southern city of Golden. No one knows where he has come from…or why…His name is Theo. And he asks a lot more questions than he answers. Theo visits the local coffeehouse, where ninety-two pencil portraits hang on the walls, portraits of the people of Golden done by a local artist. He begins purchasing them, one at a time, and putting them back in the hands of their ‘rightful owners.’ With each exchange, a story is told, a friendship born, and a life altered. A story of giving and receiving, of seeing and being seen, Theo of Golden is a beautifully crafted novel about the power of creative generosity, the importance of wonder to a purposeful life, and the invisible threads of kindness that bind us to one another” (Goodreads). This book seems to be rather polarizing, but I liked it. I am certainly interested to see how Tom Hanks interprets this book in film.
Playing for Pizza by John Grisham — “Rick Dockery was the third-string quarterback for the Cleveland Browns. In the AFC Championship game against Denver, to the surprise and dismay of virtually everyone, Rick actually got into the game. With a 17-point lead and just minutes to go, Rick provided what was arguably the worst single performance in the history of the NFL. Overnight, he became a national laughingstock and, of course, was immediately cut by the Browns and shunned by all other teams. But all Rick knows is football, and he insists that his agent, Arnie, find a team that needs him. Against enormous odds Arnie finally locates just such a team and informs Rick that, miraculously, he can in fact now be a starting quarterback–for the mighty Panthers of Parma, Italy” (Goodreads).
WATCHING:
The Green Bay Packers — Yikes.
The Hardy Boys (Peacock + YouTube) — Fall is spooky season, and I prefer fun spooky to horror movies. The Hardy Boys mysteries are basically Scooby Doo cartoons with a teenaged Shaun Cassidy. You can’t go wrong.
TV and movies with cozy Fall vibes — You’ve Got Mail, Mona Lisa Smile, Dead Poet’s Society, and of course, the annual rewatching of Gilmore Girls.
LISTENING TO:
September Instapuzzle Mini Playlist: September Song (Django Reinhardt), La La La - Gilmore Girls (Sam Philips), Autumn Leaves (Oscar Peterson Trio), Brown Eyed Girl (Van Morrison), Practical Magic (Alan Silvestri), Dreams (The Cranberries), Sweet September (Serene Station), The You’ve Got Mail Suite (George Fenton), September (Earth, Wind, and Fire)
Some of my favorite playlists (Apple Music):
Fall — Cozy season calls for cool jazz and musical references to cooler weather, coffee, and books.
Halloween (just this past week) — This playlist couples classic Halloween songs with a lot of angsty 80’s alternative.
Paris is Always a Good Idea — I leave in three day!
PLANNING: Paris next week. I can’t wait to spend time in this beautiful Paris Perfect apartment. We have a fun itinerary planned and the weather looks amazing.
