No matter how busy you may think you are, your must find time for reading, or surrender yourself to self-chosen ignorance.”                                                                                                              –Confucius                                                                                          

“A great book should leave you with many experiences, and slightly exhausted at the end. You live several lives while reading.”

–William Styron

“Read 500 pages every day. That’s how knowledge works. It builds up, like compound interest. 

-Warren Buffet

“More than at any other time, when I hold a beloved book in my hand my limitations fall from me, my spirit is free.”     

-Helen Keller                                                                                                                                            “No two persons ever read the same book.”

–Edmund Wilson

“You cannot open a book without learning something.”

–Confucius

“That is what literature offers – a language powerful enough to say how it is. It isn’t a hiding place. It is a finding place.”

-Jeanette Winterson

“A room without books is like a body without a soul.”

-Cicero

Each month the club suggests a new book that will grow you!    The main monthly choice will be a book that is recently published – it will be new to most of us.  We’ll also have a bonus book that is either a classic, a not well known read,  something to learn from,  one we may have missed from the last year or so, another great newly published book, a great re-read for you to consider, or a selection from a favorite author.  These I have read already and I’ve included them here as they created growth, emotion, depth, learning, contemplation, surprise, or just great reading for me.

Please share your thoughts, reviews, comments below (at the bottom of the page) on each book.   Add books you’d like to see included as well.  

What are you reading??

*2025 – 2026 monthly posts will be shown on this page.  Archives for previous years of Sapphire Girl’s book club picks, 2014 – 2022, can be found by clicking on the tab above for Sapphire Girls, then drop down to Book Club, then slide to side tab for Book Club Archives.

Sapphire Girls Book Club Reads

2025

January

Monthly Choice: Water Moon, Samantha Sotto Yambao

The premise of this new novel was so intriguing to me – a ramen shop that contains a portal to “another realm.” Customers can exchange a “regret” in order to change their lives. But what must they exchange? One review promises, “a breathtaking, magical story that feels like a dream.” What could be better for the first book choice of the year? Just published this month, January, 2025.

Bonus Book: You Are Here, David Nicholls

I can’t remember how this recommendation came to me… hum… Nicholls is not an author I’m familiar with and I wasn’t looking for a romance…at any rate here it is and I’m looking forward to it. Unlike many of the bonus book choices, I have not read this one yet. Published in 2024.

February

Monthly Choice: Atlas Obscura – Wild Life

What an incredible treasure trove of wonder! A true gift that  teaches, informs, delights, strikes cords of wonder…and Love! This earth’s endless diversity and unique expressions hold my heart, and this book is a beautiful comprehensive tapestry of some of the rarest of these wonders. I absolutely love this book and appreciate it. It was a Christmas gift from my brother Greg and sis in law Laura – a book I had coveted. A book I will enjoy for all of my days. The jacket promises, “All around us on planet Earth is a world we humans rarely get to visit….encounters with these wild creatures are transformative and stepping into their realm is one of travel’s greatest gifts.” Published 2024.

Bonus Book: Our America, A Photographic History, Ken Burns

Ken Burns, of course, is a master of story telling, and in particular historical story telling. In this remarkable collection of historic black and white photos from 1839 – 2016, he has curated photographs that tell the story of our country. The photos stand alone and speak volumes – speak for themselves.  Only locations and dates are given on the photo page but if more info is desired, it is available at the back of the book, and these descriptions lend even more texture to the images deepening understanding. My book was a gift from Gloria & Smitty for Christmas and it is signed making it extra special on both accounts. Gloria and I share lots of book recommendations and I always so appreciate her gifts and suggestions. I love the juxtaposition of these books as monthly picks – both collections so different, so beautifully curated. Published  2022.

March

Monthly Choice: Elphie, Gregory McGuire

How can you not be entranced by McGuire’s reworking of fairy tales? Before Wicked became such a huge cultural phenomenon, I loved his creative take on the wicked witch from Oz from 1995’s Wicked, and also his Mirror, Mirror, After Alice and A Lion Among Men. All are entertaining, enchanting, creative and poignanat – great writing. And now, in this new novel, he is offering us the story of Elphaba’s childhood and I can’t wait. Out this month, published March, 2025.

Bonus Book: Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia of Faeries, Heather, Fawcett 

The present political climate has me wanting an immersive transportation within book pages to other worlds, other times, other perspective – to be transplanted and enthralled – so that has become our theme this month. This novel was on the “staff picks’ shelf of my local bookseller, Bookworks, in Whitefish. I’ve picked many books from this shelf with happy results. What fun this novel is! But don’t expect sweet fairies skipping through the forest singing lovely songs in beautiful voices and dancing in the wildflowers – these faeries that Fawcett has dreamed up are powerful multifaceted creatures. Veiled, vengeful, hiding in plain sight living lives of tangled intrigue. What a creative mind the author has! I was indeed transported completely. I was thrilled to learn this novel is the first in a trilogy and have just ordered her follow ups Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands (published 2024) and Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales (just published Feb., 2025!). This first novel, our monthly bonus book, was published 2023. Take a journey to the north woods and be prepared to be transported.

April

Monthly Choice: Sirens, Emilia Hart

Hart’s Weyward was a favorite of mine from 2024, and I was elated to see she had a new novel out this month. I was engrossed in Weyward, its bit of witchery, and its central theme of women through time finding their authentic selves – and their power.  Her new novel promises “magic, sisterhood, dreams and resilience” all themes that prevail in a powerful authentic life – themes we women will need more and more of in our own lives as this year unfolds. Published this month, April, 2025.

Bonus Book: The Life Impossible, Matt Haig

So many of the books that I read are from trusted friends that are readers and this one is from my l o n g term friend Betsy.  A plus is that I loved Haig’s The Midnight Library, the concept of trying on all of lives we could have lived, one by one… intriguing! I loved too this review, “A wry and tender love-letter to the best of being human.” (Benedict Cumberbatch) – there’s a recommendation that touches my heart and intrigues me too. Published 2024, I haven’t read this one yet, so we can enjoy it together along with the monthly choices that are all new to me!

May

Monthly Choice: The Emperor of Gladness, Ocean Vyong

“There are books you read, and books you experience.” The review had me intrigued immediately. Then I learned that the author is a poet, photographer and bestselling author… a compelling combination for story telling in my book. Looking forward to this new author to me. Published this month, May, 2025.

Bonus Book: My Name is Emilia del Valle, Isabel Allende

Instead of a favorite from the past, a classic, a must read or a just uncovered and missed previously book choice, this month I chose another brand new publication, this novel by well loved author Isabel Allende. This novel too will be published this month, May 2025 and is highly anticipated because of Allende’s previously well received excellent novels including a favorite of mine, House of the Spirits. Can’t wait for the “love, coming of age and war” themes entertwined in this story.

June

Monthly Choice: Fox, Joyce Carol Oates

Because, Joyce Carol Oates!! The author alone is enough to direct this month’s choice. Carol Oates is a writer that I was introduced to decades ago in a literature class at The College of William and Mary. I wish I could remember which of her books was assigned – but no matter, I’ve been a fan of hers ever since.  The reviews are high praise as is expected, “dreamlike, hypnotic, spellbinding, mesmerizing, provoking, and beautifully written.” Truly looking forward to being swept away by this one. Published this month, June, 2025.

Bonus Book: Red, Louise Erdrich

This month book choices features favorite authors with new offerings and I’m all about it. Louise Erdrich is a favorite author and I will welcome this new novel into my library of her rich stories. I have not read this one yet – just ordered it, but I have no reservation that her work is always in all ways sure to move us, entrall us, and even transform us. Published late 2024. 

July

Monthly Choice: Life on Svalbard, Cecilia Blomdahl

This lovely book was recommended by my niece Ashley because she had read and savored it in anticipation of her family’s travels to this small island above the arctic circle in May. Oh my goodness. First, it’s a beautiful book to hold, touch and read – larger format, nice to touch paper, and gorgeous soft photographs by the author. And the photos reflect the magnificent landscapes and the remarkable potent powerful seasons of the island: Polar Winter (almost 4 months of absolute darkness), Pastel Winter (including Blue Hour, maybe my favorite in images), Sunny Winter, Polar Day (no darkness!) and Golden Autumn. I loved going through the seasons with the author and thoroughly enjoyed her passion for these seasons, all of the beauty on her island, the love of her dog Grim, and her passion for photography and her cozy home. These are all resonant themes in my life. There are several explanations about interesting arctic circle topics too: the Aurora Borealis, abandoned mines, foraging and fishing so it’s a learning reading and visual journey as well. The wild ones too are central to the author’s artic life, reindeer, walrus, whales, polar bears, and arctic fox. And too, that great big sky full of stars and the moon thru all of her phases. Amazing book for armchair traveling. Published 2024.

Bonus Book: Holy Dirt, Molly Lord

Truly armchair traveling this month… my sister of the heart and through time, Mela, is walking the Camino in September – such a deeply held dream of mine and I am thrilled for her journey. So I am taking a walk with her this month armchair style… I’ve read several books on the Camino, and have become so enamoured of the walking, learning, beauty, and spiritual transformations that many of the travelers speak of. This is a new and personal take on the very unique walk that every person that undertakes this journey experiences – a dive into the inner life as well as the outer, daily, one foot in front of the other, traversing five hundred miles across the French Pyrenees and northern Spain. Cannot wait to walk along… Published March, 2025.

August

Monthly Choice: Bear, Julia Phillips

The Boston Globe’s review of Bear, “This mythical novel of obsession, moral reckoning, and aspiration glows with fairy tale magic,” was a compelling reason for this month’s book choice, but if you know me, anything about bears is reason enough! Add sisterhood to the fairy tale magic, and the novel’s setting on the San Juan Islands, Washington, where I made my home for a few very special years, and it becomes an imperative pick that I cannot wait to delve into. I remember the story of the bear who swam to the islands, visiting a few before moving on, and this true bear story informs the fictional nove a jumping off point. Bears, the San Juans, sisterhood and myth – gracious I couldn’t have dreamed a better combination of themes for a book choice. So looking forward to this one! Published 2024.

Bonus Book: The Wild Why, Laura Munson

I loved Laura’s intro to her new book: “This book is for anyone who has ever said, ‘I don’t have a voice.’ You do. I promise. You just lost it for a while. Come with me. Let’s find it again.” Munson is a local writer from Whitefish, and she offers periodic writing retreats at ranches and serene spots around our valley surrounded by mountains. She helps writers to find their voices during their intensives that open up heart and soul. I’d love to go sometime… She also says that wonder is awe and curiosity combined, and that resonated too. I use those three verbs and feelings often in my journals, awe, curiosity and wonder. How else to see the world?? So looking forward to this new offering from Laura, just published earlier in 2025 – I was on the pre-order list!

September

Monthly Choice: The Secret of Secrets, Dan Brown

Robert Langdon returns in Brown’s page turning series that began with the daVinci code. I look forward to reading his new novel on a weekend, with no other plans. The research and intrigue are always first rate in this series and it’s been years between installments – this is sure to be immensely popular. Brown says of his new novel, “The Secret of Secrets is by far the most intricately plotted and ambitious novel I’ve written to date… and also, I believe, the most fun.” Can’t wait to uncover the story line from this talented story teller. Published this month, September, 2025.

Bonus Book: Leonardo da Vinci, Walter Isaacson

This beautiful book was a gift from Gloria from Christmas 2024. She is the most generous giver of gifts and its especially lovely these gifts as she knows my many loves so well. The beautiful book is signed by the author and has lovely paper quality, incredible research, and a treasure trove of information that was all new to me. What a creative mind, what a brillant questioner, and how wonderful to live in such awe and wonder of life itself, how incredible to use your questioning/awe/wonder to create masterpieces of art, new technology, and to propel science and art forward as DaVinci did. Somehow this bonus book made sense to me here this month with a Dan Brown since his mega bestseller The daVince Code, has the strong Leonardo component. Published 2017.

October

Monthly Choice: A Moon in All Things, Jennifer Elwell Comeau

This book was a gift of presence for me, to nature’s abiding radiance, to learning the richness of Gaelic traditions, to the power beyond the veil from our ancestors and helpers of all kinds. This is Comeau’s debut novel and it is a pleasure to include her inaugural offering here as our October book club choice. It is a joy to find an author that offers so many of the themes that power my heart! I was immersed in Morrigan’s world with oak trees and wolf, as well as the power of the sea and the otherworldly contributors and teachers in her life. Published 2025, I am wildly anticipating the sequel!

Monthly Choice: The Black Wolf, Lousie Penny

Louise Penny is addicting and I confess. The characters and the location in Three Pines are present again and again in Penny’s series, in the bookshop, the bistro, the B&B, the grocery, the small chapel, and the poet, the bookstore owner, the bistro owners, and the artist in addition to their neighbor, friend and main character, Chief Inspector of Homicide and his wife I know will all be interwoven into Penny’s new story line. In Janaury I finished Penny’s 19th installment in the Three Pines series, The Grey Wolf and I always anticipate her new novels – it’s like Christmas! This is her 20th in the series and highly anticipated – she keeps it current, and always a page turner. Published October, 2025.

Bonus Book: How to Stop Time, Matt Haig

Haig has become a favorite author. He takes a theme, an interesting concept, and just runs with it with such creativity, building and exploring. His The Life Impossible a book club choice earlier this year, and his earlier, The Midnight Library, prompted me to look for more from him. What would we do with centuries to live? How would we process all of the built up memories, both joyful and harrowing? How would we continue to find joy in living, in learning, in becoming? Such an interesting concept to delve into. Like The Midnight Library where we consider what it’s like to try on several different life directions, this novel lets us experience the nuances and complexities of extended life. I enjoyed it! Published 2017. No surprise I picked this bonus book, its theme telling, the month before my birthday…

December

Monthly Choice: James, Percival Everett

Many, many accolades for this novel including winner of the Pulizer Prize, The National Book Award and one of the 10 best books of 2024 from The New York Times, I left this book to savor on cozy, fireclad, long nights of December. Huck Finn but from Jim’s point of view, “darkly humorous and harrowing,” “brillant and action-packed” reflects one review. I love the thought of a reimagining of this well worn tale from an enslaved perspective. This is a novel of course, so this analogy won’t hold completely, but I honor every telling from a different point of view, especially from those that didn’t hold power at the time of writing – this is NOT a “rewriting” of history that holds the insinuattion that inherent is an untrue wokeness. No, rather these perspectives are a fresh first telling of history from a non white, without power world view. Relevant and necessary. So looking forward to this read! Published 2024.

Bonus Book: Circle of Days, Ken Follett

There is a deep satisfaction in reading and in finishing a classic, epic, well researched, Ken Follett novel. Seeped in history with the Follett imagination to fill in the mysterious blanks, his novels are always an absorbing time spent reading. This is the story of the building of Stonehenge, with very specific possible explanations of the how, and creative leading characters who get it done. Follett always writes strong women characters no matter the historical epoch and Ani, Pia, Joia, Jara,, Soo, fit and expand these roles beautifully. I was cheering for them.  Herders, miners, farmers, woodlanders and priestesses are intertwined in a life they’ve crafted in 2500 B.C.E. where the groups collaborate at time but, too, often engage in bitter and brutal conflict. I was transported to the time and into the villages and could feel the consistent humanity and themes of family, conflicts, misunderstandings and reconciliations that are present in all times. Published in 2025, this novel was purchased with a gift card Craig received for his birthday from Gloria and Smitty, and Craig has already read it. Gloria and I read it at the same time. Love sharing novels with both Craig and Gloria as we share our present day to day lives, and live for a time in the pages of a boo together.

2026

January

I loved this story of the Betty’s, four women friends whose book club was formed around the monumnetal work by Betty Friedan, The Feminine Mystique. The book lays the foundation for a lifetime of friendship and support. A sisterhood.  The four women are so very different, but all are resilient, talented in unique ways (from horsemanship, to art curation, to writing, to nursing), who balance motherhood (and infertility) and the desire to create something meaningful of their own beyond their children. Their friendship through time is foundational in the novel, as are the limitations that all four women break through living within the bounds of the early 1960’s in their planned community as young housewives. The roles of wife and mother are assigned by society and these are the only roles they’ve been taught are available to them. The dynamic and astounding changes they witness are remarkable to read about and in some instances to remember. The book is funny, poignant and engrossing. Highly recommended. Published 2025 and a gift from Glo (one of many incredible books) from this dear friend at Christmas. Thanks as always Glo!

February

I’m always learning. Understanding our first Nations philosophies, spiritualities, connections and history are a continual passion for me. The communion with the earth and her processes, and her inhabitants winged and four legged that are held deeply and that inform every aspect of their being here on this planet, on this earth, is impossible for me to comprehend fully or even partially. I am a white woman encased and enculturated in European constructs. Yet, I continue to try, to unearth and to endeavor to lay aside these limiting filters. The foreward states that the Salish people appreciate the author’s attempts to do the same – to understand. That possibly she gets as close as she can. And that she took the time to read and research for decades to pull this true story together is respected. I respect it too and look forward to the understanding it will imbibe. Published 2024 and purchased mid-February from my local bookseller, Bookworks in Whitefish. “I wish everyone in western Montana would read this book. It presents an honest and respectful view of Selis history,” this quote is found on the front cover and is from Johnny Arlee, Salish elder and spiritual leader. I will honor his request and hope you will too.

Bonus Book: Theo of Golden, Allen Levi

This is just the sweetest story – recommended by Shelly and I’m so glad she shared it. Art, individual stories, goodness, community, small town, lost love, folks taking care of each other…random violence. Itis all here with an 86 year old main character/hero that you can help but be enamored of. I can sure see this as a movie… I loved being immersed and imbedded in this tale with an embedded story within a story. Published 2023 and thoroughly enjoyed.

March

I’ve read all of Elizabeth Gilbert’s work and have continued to follow her evolution from Eat, Pray, Love. She has allowed us to witness this evolution, the mountains of joy and the deep valleys of grief in true raw and real ways. Her humanity and ability to express them are unmatched. This is a new work and we find her where she is now after profound loss. A deep dive into addiction it’s harrowing and unpleasant in places, always glaringly honest, and ultimately triumphant. A true journey of addiction and love, of addicted love, of addiction to love and to drugs and booze, of steadfast friendships, of recovery and relapse. Published 2025.

Bonus Book: What I Ate in a Year, Stanley Tucci

And that was actually the premise… what Stanley ate in a year – but I’m here to tell you it was so much more than that. Replete with all of the Italian food that brings family and friends together for sure, along with shopping lists, picnics, big soirées, family last minute kid friendly dinners, restaurants that were incredible and those that weren’t, airport food (you guessed right!), all of that, and man, will it make you hungry, and as it turns out ready to eat really really well, enjoy the preparations, the excellent ingredients, recipes sure, but also instinctive creative combinations. Tucci has many famous friends, and he’s famous too, and his inclusion of these celebrities in no way feels like name dropping. He knows and loves these folks, works with them, spends quality time with them. They sit for hours enjoying good food, and talking and being together. And along the way life happens, LIFE happens. Memories of friends lost no longer around the table, children growing up way too fast, tv and movies, producing and endorsements, charity work, a wife he adores who shares his love of cooking, an artist talent all her own, and remembrances of after his beloved Kate, mother of his three older children. I loved the book – took a minute to get into it, but I did indeed love it, and ended up loving Stanley too. Sure would enjoy having a meal with him, and going over to Guy Richie’s estate too – you’ll see!  Published 2024 and yet another lovely appreciated gift from Gloria for Christmas. I dare you not to make pasta once you’ve read the last pages.

April

Monthly Choice: Martyr! Kaveh Akbar

There are storytellers and there are good writers and sometimes there are both together in novels that change me. This is one of them. A New York Times ten best books of the year, and a National Book Award finalist, I learn over and over agin that novels gain these accolade for a reason. I wanted to underline passages many times and paused with the book laid aside to contemplate. Big questions are asked and sometimes answered. We are reminded of atrocities never acknowledged and impossible to make right. We walk with immigrants longing for home, never quite fitting in. We inhabit humans that are hungering for meaning even if it means dying for it. We encounter mothering in unexpected ways. There are explorations of friendships, of love, of secrets, and dreams. We enjoy conversations between disparate people… when I write all of this I wonder how the author wove these themes, these storylines, these pairings together. But he did. Expertly. I must find any of his other works, and also what find what novel could have “won” the National Book prize over it. Always a judgement call that in this case I wonder if I’ll agree with. Highly recommended. Tommy Orange said that Kaveh Akbar is one of his favorite authors Ever” and that to me is high praise. And for what my humble opinion is worth, I agree. I have a new favorite author. Published 2025.

Bonus Book: The Place of Tides, James Rebanks

For me, this was the perfect justapostion to the monthly choice, an urban, angst filled, powerful novel while the bonus book is soft and sensual. It is gentle where Martyr! is hard. This book eased and moved along, moving me along with it. I rode the tides. I felt the sunshine. I hoped for the duck’s arrival. The author experienced a lifestyle tending the ducks who produce the eiderdown on a tiny island off the coast of Norway. (Side note: Norway continues to call me, so many nudges).  A lifestyle almost completely lost. The author needs this respite from his current farmlife and family it seems but that’s not the main story line. The story is about the respect and honor he shows the hardy women who retain it, the duck tending, the love, and the unwavering commitment to the land.  The seasons, the ocean, the weather, the tides. The quiet days, the hard work.  I was there with the women on the island and the author sharing their journey. Published 2024.

May

Bonus Book: Wild, Kristin Hannah

June

August

September

October

November

December