Welcome to the September edition of Page & Pairing What We're Reading! Just like you, each member of our team brings their own unique reading tastes to the table. While Jane gravitates toward historical fiction, I often find myself drawn to timeless classics although I also love a good mystery or fun YA read to break things up.
Whatever your reading style might be, we've got you covered. Dive into this month's handpicked book recommendations from our team, complete with our signature food, drink, music and book pairings to elevate your reading experience.
Shannon's Pick
I finally tackled this Hugo Award finalist, and it easily became my favorite read of the year. In this space odyssey, Weir masterfully weaves together humor, twists, science and a surprising number of simply beautiful moments. Lovably flawed, Ryland Grace was a delight to root for. I highly recommend following this book with the 2026 film starring Ryan Gosling. The interpretation was immaculate!
Reminiscent of deep space, the dense, decadent chocolate of cosmic brownies will pair nicely with this sci-fi adventure. Also, I must insist on the audiobook. Not only did it win an Audie Award, but I found it to be one of the most unique and enjoyable audiobooks I’ve ever read.
Mollie's Pick
Unreliable, problematic female narrator? Count me in!
Caroline Palmer's debut novel is a dark satire set in the early 2000s fashion world, a la Devil Wear's Prada. The story follows Clodagh "Clo" Harmon, a middle-class editorial assistant trying to climb the ladder at a high-end fashion magazine.
From betrayal and theft to fraud, how far will she go to achieve success?
Liz's Pick
If you enjoy fast-paced political thrillers with short chapters, The Escape Artist is a solid choice. The plot hooks you right off the bat when Nola’s body is replaced with someone else’s. And Zig, a mortician at the Dover Air Force Base, is determined to find out why.
Meltzer has written books for children and adults, and he’s hosted a show on the History Channel, so all the details about magicians in the secret service made sense, especially since the declassified Official CIA Manual of Trickery & Deception was written by a real magician.
The best part? The Escape Artist is the first of three books in the Zig and Nola series. I’ve paired this thriller with Twix blondies (because vending machines!) and baked bluefish inspired by the dish that Nola cooks for her abusive father figure Royall.
Jane's Pick
Battles, secret marriages, shifting alliances, family feuds, a kingmaker, troublesome brothers and one of history’s greatest unsolved mysteries. Really, who needs fantasy?
I’ll admit this is a bit of an esoteric pick, but The Sunne in Splendour is my favorite book of all time.
As a British history major, I came to the novel familiar with the Wars of the Roses and the tangled York and Lancaster family tree. But Penman brings it vividly to life through Richard III, as brothers turn against one another, marriages become political weapons and cousins battle over a throne that seems capable of destroying everyone near it.
If that sounds a little like Game of Thrones, it should. George R.R. Martin famously drew inspiration from the Wars of the Roses.
I’ve read The Sunne in Splendour more than once, and every time it makes me reconsider Richard, the princes in the Tower and how much of what we accept as history depends on who survived to write it.
