Friday Five on September 12

 

Posting a collection of things to purchase seems wrong on the anniversary of 9/11, so I'm copying Melanie Shankle, who posted her weekly roundup on Thursday, and I'm posting mine a day after this day of remembrance.

I spent Thursday at one of my middle schools sharing books and resources with them about September 11. Obviously this was before they were born, and many of them have just heard snippets about it.  I encouraged them to ask their parents where they were when they found out that the airplanes had flown into the World Trade Center.  The classroom teachers and I shared our personal memories and the impact the tragedy has had on our country.  It is something we will truly never forget.

This Friday is a beautiful fall day here, and we are at the beginning of XC season for Little Sister.  She had a femoral stress fracture after the XC season during her senior year of high school. And then last year, suffered another femoral stress fracture mid-season in her other leg that she has been rehabbing for nearly ten months.  I am hoping that this season she can remain healthy.  

I did collect a variety of things to share with you all.  Enjoy this week's finds as you relax this weekend.

1.  Short Sleeve Sweater in Stripes

2.  Emilia Striped Sweater in Brown

3.  100% Classic Mockneck Sweater

4.  Biscotti Faux Suede Vest

5.  Women's Lug Sole Penny Loafer

6.  A-Line Denim Skirt

7.  Smocked Button Front Top

8.  Wool-Blend Barn Jacket

9.  High Roller Leopard Fleece Jacket

10.  Chad Powers - I'm late to the party on this one (which is no surprise because I rarely watch television). Season 2 just came out, and it sounds interesting enough that I'm thinking of going back and starting with season 1.

That's it for me this week.  What's caught your eye?

Waiting on Wednesday: I Never Knew You At All

 

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature where I highlight a soon to be released novel I can't wait to read.

This week's pick: I Never Knew You At All by Christine Pride and Jo Piazza

Due out: October 13, 2026

Synopsis taken from Amazon:

Simone Hartwell has made trade-offs to build a life she loves, including giving up her once promising career as a journalist. But as her husband, Alex, stands to finally take the reins of the family business—a chain of high-end grocery stores his grandfather started—Simone vows to settle contently into her role supporting him and raising their son Langston.

But when her college ex and first love, Kwame, resurfaces in her life, her carefully constructed domestic bliss threatens to crumble under the weight of old feelings and new dramas. Kwame, who built the journalism career Simone once dreamed of, is investigating a decade’s old mystery of a young Black man who disappeared from The Tate School—the same elite prep school that Alex’s family has attended for generations. When he discovers a startling connection to the Hartwells, it sets everyone on a collision course that will unearth long-held secrets, test loyalties, and force a major reckoning between the past and the future.

Thorny, urgent, and nuanced, I Never Knew You at All is a story of love, forgiveness, and redemption that asks provocative questions: Who deserves forgiveness? Can people really change? And ultimately—what does it take to hold a marriage together…or break it apart?

Monday Mini-Review: Labor Day Reading

 Even though I've been back at school for nearly a month, Labor Day seems to be the official end of summer - and the end of summer reading.

August reading was a little bit of a struggle, and I needed books that I could read while still having school in the back of my mind.  I picked up a few different mysteries/novels of suspense that I was able to fly through.

Shari Lapena's novel is a fast read.  A couple with money problems plot to kill the husband's wealthy brother in order to inherit his fortune. After his death they face scrutiny as investigators look into the boating accident that killed the wealthy man.  This is probably a novel that won't be memorable, but it did hold my attention.

I was expecting a litte more from The House Wife, but it felt very Freida McFadden-ish.  Jodie seems to have married the perfect guy, but he's got some secrets- and so does she.  While Roy may be worse than anyone could imagine, Jodie is the only one who seems to see that side of him.  This one does have twists and turns and is a quick read, but I was a little let down by this one.

I loved Derva McTiernan's previous novel What Happend to Nina and couldn't wait to read this newest one. This one hooked me right away and I couldn't put it down.  Alexis Turner reports an assault to the police, and then disappears.  Then three different people receive packages that will destroy each of their lives. The contents of these packages have been carefully chosen, and as the investigators race to solve this crime, they realize they are a part of the game that has been crafted by the killer.

Next of Kin is also un-put-down-able.  Leila is on her way to work when her brother-in-law phones to ask if she can drop off her nephew, Max, at daycare.  Leila stops by, Max is loaded in his carseat into her car, and Leila speeds off, only to be interrupted with a call from work.  An emergency at her office sends Leila's thoughts spiralling about the busy day she has ahead. She doesn't think about anything but solving the work problem, until her brother-in-law phones her to see what is going on after receiving a call from the daycare that Max has never arrived.  Max's death is tragic, but Leila is under a microscope for killing her nephew, and there are more twists and turns to this story than you can imagine.

I'm still in the crazy first few weeks of school where I just can't get everything done no matter how much time I spend on work (made worse by the fact that there are only four librarians in our district when two years ago there were seventeen), but I'm hoping I can keep enjoying some great reads in the down time I have.

Friday Five: Labor Day Weekend

It's the Friday before a three day weekend and I am feeling some relaxing and reading in my future.  What I don't need to do is look for anything to purchase online.  There are plenty of things in my closet already, and I've added some fall clothing that I'm looking forward to once the weather gets cooler.  

Here's what caught my eye this week:

 

1.  Ariadne Wool Blend Sweater

2.  Cotton Argyle Cardigan Sweater

3.  100% Organic Cotton Striped Crew Sweater

4. Aidan Crop Shirt

5.  Risen Paisley Patch High Rise Wide Leg Jeans

6.  By Together Striped Smiley Face Sweater

7.  High Rise Polka Dot Culotte Jeans

8.  Cable Knit Sweater Vest

9.  Tala Zip Track Pant

10. One Great Book  - a podcast with Barack Obama -  I always enjoy seeing what Obama puts on his reading list each summer, and I'm looking forward to listening to what he has to say about the books he's read and enjoyed.

That's it for me this week.  What's caught your eye?

Waiting on Wednesday: The Swiss Agent

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature where I highlight a soon to be released novel I can't wait to read.

This week's pick: The Swiss Agent by Anna Pitioniak

Due out: December 1, 2026

Synopsis taken from Amazon:

CIA officials Amanda Cole and Kath Frost must work together to untangle a global bribery scheme involving murder, wealthy oligarchs, and high-level Swiss bankers—unless Kath’s mysterious past tears them apart first—in the next novel from the author of The Helsinki Affair.

Amanda Cole’s posting as the CIA station chief in Rome is normally too quiet for her liking. But when a chef’s body washes ashore on Capri, and Amanda learns he worked for a Russian oligarch with deep Kremlin ties, her alarm bells start ringing. Even more suspicious is the fact that the oligarch had hosted a private dinner with NATO’s deputy secretary general the night the chef died.

To get answers, Amanda calls on her former partner Kath Frost, a semi-retired CIA legend who is as brilliant as she is unpredictable. As they dig deeper, they discover a web of corruption that stretches from Moscow to Geneva to Washington, eventually uncovering a Kremlin-backed scheme to bribe NATO officials and tip the global balance of power.

But when a suave Swiss banker named Julian Schmidt emerges at the center of the scheme, it becomes clear that Kath shares an intimate history with him and that she may know more than she’s letting on. It turns out that Kath’s past is full of shadows, and the choices she made decades ago, in the gray borderlands of the Soviet collapse, are resurfacing now with devastating consequences. Amanda must uncover the truth about Kath—and whether she can really be trusted at all—before it’s too late.

Non-Fiction Tuesday: Pan Am 103

 

I love nonfiction, and there are some specific topics I seem drawn to.  I remember the Pan Am 103 crash from my own childhood and although it is certainly a sad event, I am still curious to know more.  

Targeted: Pan Am 103: Lockerbie, Libya, and The Attack That Brought Terror Home by Jack Carr and James Scott

Due out: April 13, 2027

Synopsis taken from Amazon:

The second in the critically acclaimed “vivid, heart-stopping, and unforgettable” (Craig Whitlock, #1 New York Times bestselling author) Targeted nonfiction series examining the devastating terrorist attacks that changed the course of history from #1 New York Times bestselling author Jack Carr and Pulitzer Prize finalist and New York Times bestselling author James M. Scott.

1988: Four days before Christmas, a terrorist bomb rips apart a Boeing 747 six miles over Scotland, raining bodies, wreckage, and debris across the small market town of Lockerbie. The horrifying attack, which killed 270 men, women and children, would launch one of the world’s largest manhunts, spanning decades across dozens of countries.

Now, for the first time, the full story of Pan Am 103 is revealed. Drawing on hundreds of hours interviews with victims’ families, Scottish and American investigators and prosecutors—and tens of thousands of pages of court records, investigative reports and personal papers—Carr and Scott deliver the definitive and heartbreaking account of the bombing, the hunt for the killers, and the decades-long pursuit of justice.

Friday Five

Week one of the 2026-27 school year is in the books.  I have moved between both campuses this week, so there is still quite a bit of running around.  On Friday I met with the seventh graders at my new-to-me building and it was great!  I'm excited to be back there again on Tuesday, and excited that on Monday I get to meet the Carver sixth graders (many I had as fifth graders since I had three elementaries last year).  I've already had many of them stop to see me.

This next week is supposed to be a bit of a heat wave, but fall clothes are here.  Here is what caught my eye this week:

1.  Bella Stretch Studded Relaxed Straight Jeans

2.  Merino Wool Blend Henley Sweater

3.  Darby Plaid Trim Pullover

4.  Astrid Mule

5.  Embroidered Detail Tiered A-Line Dress

6.  Wide Leg High Rise Patch Pocket Jean

7.  Sofft Frazier li Sneakers

8.  Washable Silk Maxi Skirt

9.  Tiny Rollneck in Rugby Stripe

10.  9/11 United We Stand

 That's it for me this week.  What's caught your eye?

Waiting on Wednesday: A Married Little Christmas

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature where I highlight a soon to be released novel that I can't wait to read.

 This week's pick: A Married Little Christmas by Abby Jimenez

Due out: October 20, 2026

Synopsis taken from Amazon:

Bring on the holiday cheer in this delightful collection of three feel-good novellas from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Night We Met―with bonus recipes and full-page illustrations, perfect for gifting! The limited, one-time printing of the deluxe edition will have designed edges and color endpapers.

Tis the season to fall in love!

Anna thought only the food would be a disaster at her Christmas dinner―until her high school ex shows up and they quickly have to hatch a fake-dating scheme to save face with their families. For Matty, the idea of sitting in a diner all day dressed as a zombie Santa after losing a bet has zero appeal. But his cute and funny server might just make him change his mind. And finally, will Lauren be able to convince her best friend that getting married after a three-day relationship is absolutely ridiculous? Or will the town called Little Christmas pull her in with its happily-ever-after magic once she meets the best man?

Within these stories, you'll find:

• The worst Christmas dinner imaginable
• A granny determined to dismantle the patriarchy
• Matching Christmas sweaters (by accident!)
• A Mission Impossible-style cat rescue (with a saxophone)
• Mouthwatering recipes from Abby for dishes like Disco Pancakes
• Full-page illustrations throughout

Because this year, you deserve the perfect holiday gift.

Non-Fiction Tuesday: Feeling Conflicted

 Several months ago I pre-ordered Great and Unfortunate Things by Jason Arday, his memoir.  I didn't know much about the book, but it sounded interesting, and I love a good memoir.

The book was published on August 12 and arrived on my doorstep that day.  KellyHooker (@kellyhook.readsbooks) on Instagram reminded me of it with her Tuesday Pub Party post she makes each week.

On August 14, I read about Jason Arday, Cambridge's first black professor, who at just forty-one years old, had died. 

And on August 15, I picked up Great And Unfortunate Things and began reading. At the time I hadn't looked at the author's name or his picture on the back flap, but within a few pages I thought this book was sounding an awful lot like the Cambridge professor who had been in the news because he was under investigation for having plagiarised some of his research. Arday did not dispute this, citing his autism as the reason for this as well as the fact that he didn't have enough mentorship.

Upon further reading, it seems that Arday has told some rather fantastical tales about his personal life: he claims he ran thirty marathons in thirty-five days, took part in a program as a child that occurred two decades before he was even born, claims he was non-verbal until the age of eleven, along with various other incredible, hard to believe stories.

I haven't picked up the book once I realized what had happened to Arday.  I am saddened that the investigation into his work affected him so deeply, but don't know enough of the details to understand how such situations are dealt with.  But I also found that each page I read made me question the truth of what Arday wrote.  Not only did these accusations affect him professionally, but it draws questions to his character.  

Do I keep reading this book, wondering with each sentence if there is any truth to what he writes? Do I read this and enjoy it as a work of fiction? And what becomes of the charges leveled against Arday now that he is gone?

This isn't the first time I've read a book where plagiarism occurred, but in the past that hasn't been revealed until long after I turned the last page. 

What are your thoughts?

Frday Five: Summer 2026 Comes To An End

School starts on Monday and I have found plenty of fall clothes online now, so summer seems to be wrapping up rather quickly.  On Monday we moved Little Sister in to college for her sophomore year and once again we are empty-nesters.

I've had a lot of school stuff to do this week, so I haven't had a lot of time to notice how empy and quiet the house is yet.  But, I'm sure soon it will be very noticeable. 

Enjoy this week's finds!

 

1. Mammoth Fuzzy Jacquard Knit Turtleneck Sweater

2.   Garden Pintucked Puff Sleeve Blouse

3.  Shawl Collar Cardigan

4.  AE77 Shrunken Sweater Polo Shirt

5.  Blake Jacket

6.  Mid-Rise Wide Leg Crop

7.  Nike Chill Knit Sweater Vest

8.  Funnel Collar Jacket

9.  Mason Garden Floral Quilted Zip-up Jacket

10.  The Bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 - I remember this happening back in 1988 and have always been curious to know more.  

That's it for me this week.  What's caught your eye?