Mini Book Reviews: September 2026

Disclaimer: I received an ARC of Fallow from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review. This post contains affiliate links.

September was another month of mostly books that I wanted to read! I had 2 NetGalley books in my queue, Fallow and The Vanishing Family- this one I'm saving for Nonfiction November. I think it will fit nicely in the lineup of books I'm gathering for the month. 

Where the Wildflowers Grow and When She Was Ours were both Kindle Daily Deals that I picked up over the summer. It's a great way to check out books that you may have missed when they were published. The Birthing Tree, Someone I Used to Know, and Body Language were all new releases from my library. 

My favorite this month was Fallow. It was bizarre in the best way, and in this day and age, I could totally imagine something like this happening. What a fun read! I also loved Body Language, which was totally relatable and beautifully written.

Leigh saves herself after the prison bus she was being transported in crashes and begins to sink in the river. As she finds herself on dry land, she realizes she's the only survivor. She doesn't want to be sent back to prison, so she digs deep and figures out how to live under the radar. Eventually, she ends up at a flower farm with several other misfits and an owner with a heart of gold. Leigh still has a fear of being discovered as well as an inability to trust anyone. As the story unfolds, Leigh slowly heals and begins to allow others into her heart. Where the Wildflowers Grow was such a rewarding read!

From the author of The Berry Pickers comes another lovely story based on Mi'kmaq history. Aliet is being raised by her grandmother, Kiju, a midwife who delivered many babies beneath the birthing tree. With Kiju banned from midwifery, this ancient oak has recently become the target of vandals. Kiju is determined to pass down the ancient traditions to her granddaughter, and as Aliet grows up, this sweet tale unfolds just as I hoped it would. Beautiful prose and a great story made The Birthing Tree easy to recommend!

Natalie needs a job. She lands one, seemingly perfect for her: high pay, plenty of time off while she works as a surrogate for a company providing this as a benefit for employees. She lives in a high end condo with meals, a trainer, and pretty much everything she needs while she provides her body as a vessel to grow a baby. She's allowed 6 months between deliveries, a period of time she calls 'fallow,' where she goes wild. Right before her final surrogacy, things get interesting, and I had lots of questions when I finished Fallow. I found the premise as well as the execution fascinating. This would be a great book club book!

Someone Else's Husband is a thriller based on a love triangle--2 women in love with the same man. One of the women, Gretchen, is the man's wife. The other woman, Frankie, is an artist who accompanies Richard and his 2 friends on a climb to the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro. Fast forward, and Richard is arrested for Frankie's murder. But did he do it? This twisty tale spans the past and the present; it kept me guessing, with an ending that I didn't see coming! My only complaint was a slow start; once I got about halfway through, the pace really picked up.

This quiet but engaging coming of age book tells the story of a young woman, Arista, whose mother is a surgeon. Her mother is also dying of cancer. Arista is left to navigate life and grief on her own, with the naivete and stumbles you'd expect. I enjoyed the beautiful prose and the easy pacing of the story, which kept me turning the pages. I love a character driven novel, and When She Was Ours was a perfect palate cleanser after reading some very intense books.

Body Language is the story of three sisters who come home to decide what to do with their mother, who has Alzheimer's. Oooh, this one was personal for me. Three very different sisters, with very different lives and careers--what could go wrong? The author deftly takes a difficult topic, making it both poignant and funny--snark warning, lol. She also addresses aging, menopause, and raising teenagers. I really enjoyed this one, and the timing was perfect for me. My only complaint is the 'coda' at the end. I would have preferred a cliffhanger ending so I could ponder what might have happened. 

What did you read in September? Did you read any of these? How do you feel about the current trend of a 'coda' or an 'epilogue' at the end of a book that wraps up the story? Do you like an uncertain ending, or do you want the author to sum it all up for you? Me, I like to be left hanging so I can think about it for a while.

I'm linking up with My First 5k and More, Running with Attitude, and Run with Pugs for Fit Five Friday!  I'm also excited to join Farrah for My Month is Booked! Also: Share Your Shelf with Slices of Life and The Other Side of the Road.