September was an especially busy month for the Book Hero team as we did the big move to our brand new HQ in Hobsonville! Despite being so busy we all managed to fit in some reading time with Lizzy reading the most books so she's up first with her September reads.....
Lizzy's September Reads
September was a busy month with our move but I still managed to enjoy some absolutely incredible books. In romance I enjoyed the dark dystopian Daggermouth which absolutely lived up to the hype, and is perfect if you were a hunger games/divergent reader but like your books with a little more spice these days. I also read Big Bad Wolf, Laurie Gilmore’s first trad-published paranormal romance (a re-written manuscript from a book she had shared well before her Dream Harbor days) and it was exactly what you’d expect - delightfully cozy and romantic but with a Red Riding Hood retelling side.
In non-fiction this month I loved my first Jon Ronson, The Castle: Adventures in a World of Unravelling Men. It was one of those books I picked up based on the cover and title alone and I demolished it in 2 days and found it mind bogglingly funny and depressing in its portrait of one man and his castle in America. I then took a MUCH more depressing and dark turn by reading the incredibly powerful memoir by Gisele Pelicot, A Hymn to Life, which again did nothing to reassure me about the state of the patriarchy. What happened to Pelicot was absolutely horrific, and the power she reclaimed throughout the trial and through telling her story is incredible, but don’t go in without checking content warnings. Another non-fiction for the month was, of course, Dirty Work by Nicky Hager. There’s a bit of a theme it turns out. This also was about terrible men doing terrible things, this time behind the scenes of our politics here in Aotearoa. I feel much smarter after reading it but also kind of miss the ignorance I had about how bad things were. DON’T PANIC. I then read a non-fiction memoir/essay collection by a wonderful man who has done many wonderful things - Kua Tau by Tainui Stephens. This was incredible, easy to read, and beautifully reflective about Stephens’ life growing up in Aotearoa, his journey with his reo, and his connections and influences by many other incredible humans.
My general fiction for September really didn’t miss, I read so many amazing stories that I know will be competing at the end of the year for best books. I finally read Taipei Story by R.F. Kuang and it had me pausing every few pages to look up images of Taiwan because I was so entranced by the setting and the experience of our main character. I have a new favourite Emily St.John Mandel novel with her latest, Exit Party, being an absolute feat of speculative storytelling that shows Mandel doing what she does best - bringing together fascinating characters, mind-bending plots, and life-altering world building. Another feat of storytelling was Jodi Picoult’s new novel, Hollow Bones, which for me was a return to my favourite style of hers and is a story about maternal mental health and grief and trauma that was so powerful (but again, check content warnings and take care if reading). My last book of the month was Starving Bride by Catherine Chidgey and I cannot wait for it to be out so that I can talk to EVERYONE about it. What an incredible novelist we are lucky enough to claim as one of our own.
Shirl's September Reads
September was a whirlwind for me especially with our big move however I managed to find time to read a lot more books than I intended! I started the month with the most beautifully written book Ordinary People Like Us by Kelly Ana Morey. I had a feeling this one would take my breath away and it didn't disappoint. Sadly the author had passed away during the editing process and Catherine Chidgey and editor Harriet Allan were given permission by Kelly Ana Morey's kaitiaki to continue editing on her behalf. You can read my full review here. I highly recommend you to add this to your TBR, it's one not to miss this year!
Next up was, of course, Jon Toogood's memoir Home Again which I feel like everyone knows how much I enjoyed this book lol. We had the pleasure of having Jon visit Book Hero in our brand new HQ and got to have great chats while he signed our stock. I'm still buzzing a week later from getting the chance to meet and chat to him! You can read all about Jon's visit here and check out my review of Home Again over on the blog. Grab your signed copy now while stocks last!
Jumping back into fiction, I picked up Stations by Louise Kennedy next. I had a feeling this one would wreck me emotionally but in a good way and yep it did. Even just thinking about it now I can feel it in my heart. I've mentioned before that I'm having an Irish author moment this year and this begins in the 80s which is one of my fave decades so not surprising I was hooked from the start. It's such a great novel around friendship and love over decades, it made me nostalgic for my youth. The Starving Bride by Catherine Chidgey was a must-read for me and I was lucky enough to receive an arc copy. I can't say too much about this yet but just like Lizzy I'm looking forward to this one releasing so I can talk about it with everyone. I finished the month with the new Bonnie Garmus novel Peck & Peck which I have been hanging out to read for so long! I absolutely loved Lessons in Chemistry even the TV series, it's one book that I always recommend anyone to read. Peck & Peck follows Batter who is trying to figure out his life but at the heart of it all he has a deep love of poetry. Like Lessons in Chemistry this book is filled with funny quirky characters that keep you turning the page. I think if you are a fan of poetry you will enjoy this book even more!
Dylan's September Reads
I’m not great at fitting much reading into a normal working week, but a 10-day holiday in September gave me the chance to get through a couple of novels, plus the latest Seth Godin. I really do need to make more time for reading at home. Leaving it until just before “lights out” usually means lights out for me too - often with the book hitting me in the face as I fall asleep :P
First up was Booker Prize 2026 short listed novel John of John by Douglas Stuart. It reminded me a lot of Brokeback Mountain! I really enjoyed how the story slowly reveals its characters. Nobody is quite as they first appear, and it takes time to understand what each of them is carrying beneath the surface - which is a lot. It’s a beautifully written book, but a sad and heavy one. It reminded me a lot of Brokeback Mountain - that same sense of love, repression of same-sex attraction, and lives shaped by the expectations of the world around them.
Next up for me was Agrippa by Robert Harris. I was drawn to this book for two reasons - my fascination with Italy and Ancient Rome, and how much I enjoyed Conclave. Agrippa is a historical fiction that presents itself as the fictional memoir of Agrippa, effectively the co-ruler and right hand man of Octavius, who eventually goes on to become Caesar and Emperor Augustus! Not exactly a thriller, the story however will be fascinating for anyone with even a passing interest in this period of European history. I enjoyed learning about Agrippa’s role in the building of the Roman aqueducts and the Pantheon, along with his many military victories in the creation of the Roman Empire. I loved this book and now dream of returning again to Italy and being surrounded by Mediterranean villas and the magnificence of ancient Roman architecture!
And finally, I enjoyed reading Seth Godin's latest book - The Knot. Seth Godin’s books have unquestionably changed the way I think about business - and, in many ways, the direction of my life. I started reading him when I was young, and there really is nobody quite like Seth. As expected, The Knot is more brain food. It’s packed with passages that stop you in your tracks, challenge the way you’ve been thinking and send your mind off in completely new directions. That’s what I’ve always loved about Seth’s books. They don’t necessarily give you a neat list of instructions to follow. Instead, they give you ideas, from someone who has spent decades building businesses, pioneering new approaches to marketing, teaching thousands of people, writing more than 20 bestselling books and, perhaps most importantly, putting his own ideas into practice. Read all of Seth's books - we have more than 10 of them and they're all great!
Alex's September Reads
Much improved over the first book, We Chase Shadows seems surer of itself and its characters - providing more insight into their inner lives and backgrounds. I read this by the pool on a little holiday getaway and it was the perfect book to relax with while working on a tan. Gripping, fun, touching - exactly what we’ve come to expect from Richard Osman.
Fruit Fly by Josh Silver was jaw dropping, heart wrenching and a little twisted, I was hooked from page one and read it nearly in a single sitting - I really couldn’t put it down. Impactful and sadly all too real, the book reveals itself slowly, reversing your opinions and biases over the chapters and opening up uncomfortable questions over how we see ourselves, how we see others and who gets to tell our stories. Highly recommend.
The Ending Writes Itself is a cosy, locked room mystery, written from the perspective of a group of murder muster writers trapped in a creepy old estate on an isolated Scottish island? This book couldn’t be better suited to my interests. Relatable characters, debating twists and a real game of who-dunit. Very enjoyable!
Let us know in the comments what you have been reading and enjoyed lately, we would love any recommendations!