Teal Butterfly Book Club: Favorite Reads

We All Live Here by Jojo Moyes

Blair Bryan — Sat, 18 Jul 2026 15:54:07 GMT

Jojo Moyes has done it again with a heartfelt, funny, and emotionally rich story that kept me invested from beginning to end. Lila's life feels chaotic as she juggles family, career struggles, and unexpected reunions, making her an easy character to root for. I especially loved the cast of characters, and the banter between her biological father and her stepdad had me laughing out loud more than once. It was one of my favorite parts of the book. Beneath the humor is a touching reminder that family isn't always simple, but it can still be full of love, forgiveness, and second chances. This was an absolute delight to read, and it only confirmed that Jojo Moyes remains a one click author for me.

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The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center

Blair Bryan — Sat, 04 Jul 2026 10:26:11 GMT

This book was a total balm for the soul. I loved the warmth of the characters and how easy it was to get lost in their world. Emma’s story is funny, tender, and full of heart, and the romance unfolds in a way that feels both surprising and inevitable. It’s about love, family, and finding your voice—one of those books that leaves you feeling lighter and quietly hopeful when you finish.

Culpability by Bruce Holsinger

Blair Bryan — Sat, 20 Jun 2026 20:03:30 GMT

Culpability is the kind of novel that will stir up a hornet’s nest, especially for anyone uneasy about artificial intelligence, ethics, wealth, and the carefully curated future we’re being sold. The book opens with an autonomous minivan crash that kills an elderly couple, but the tragedy is only the beginning. As the privileged Cassidy-Shaw family retreats to recover, secrets unravel and questions of responsibility become increasingly tangled. Who is truly at fault when technology fails, or when the people behind it are too powerful to face the consequences?

This book is filled with twists and morally complicated characters that are reflections of some of the worst aspects of society today: entitlement, ambition, self-interest, and the belief that innovation requires ethical compromises. The result is a deeply unsettling, thought-provoking read that feels less like science fiction and more like a terrifying glimpse into a not-so-distant future.

The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult

Blair Bryan — Sat, 06 Jun 2026 17:43:53 GMT

The Storyteller pulled me in right away with its mix of grief, secrets, and unlikely friendship. Sage, a baker struggling with loneliness and loss, forms a connection with an elderly man who eventually reveals a shocking secret and asks something almost impossible of her. The way Jodi Picoult weaves together the characters, timelines, and stories is beautifully done.

Reading this book in today’s political climate hit differently than it might have years ago. As a child, reading The Diary of Anne Frank, I was horrified by the Holocaust, but with the events in Gaza and stories of people being detained by ICE, this book felt especially timely and unsettling. The way an ordinary German boy is groomed and slowly shaped into a Nazi killer is chilling, and honestly, one of the most disturbing parts of the book.

Susan, You're the Chosen One by Lauretta Hignett

Blair Bryan — Sun, 26 Apr 2026 10:24:14 GMT

Susan, You’re the Chosen One is a fast-paced, entertaining read that quickly pulls you into the chaotic life of Susan Moore, a middle manager forced to start over after a shameful past event destroys everything she’s built. Set against a familiar, everyday backdrop, the story shines through its quirky, engaging characters and Susan’s determined attempt …

Backtop Wasteland by S.A. Cosby

Blair Bryan — Sun, 29 Mar 2026 11:26:56 GMT

S. A. Cosby delivers another gripping thriller with Blacktop Wasteland, pairing a high-stakes heist story with a sharp look at race, poverty, and the struggle for stability. Beauregard “Bug” Montage is a devoted husband and mechanic trying to leave his past as the East Coast’s best getaway driver behind, but when financial pressures mount, he’s pulled b…

Wreck by Catherine Newman

Blair Bryan — Sun, 15 Mar 2026 10:36:46 GMT

No one captures the tiny details of everyday life quite like Catherine Newman. She has a remarkable gift for noticing the small, ordinary moments that make up the fabric of family and turning them into something deeply poignant.

In this return to Rocky’s world, we find her back home in Western Massachusetts with her husband Nick, their daughter Willa, h…

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

Blair Bryan — Sun, 08 Mar 2026 10:47:47 GMT

I don’t usually reach for young adult fiction, but The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas is an unforgettable exception. It draws you in with its powerful character voices and emotional honesty. The story follows sixteen-year-old Starr Carter as she navigates two very different worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the affluent prep school she atte…

The Dream Hotel by Laila Lalami

Blair Bryan — Sat, 21 Feb 2026 10:44:46 GMT

In The Dream Hotel by Laila Lalami, Sara lands at LAX only to be detained by a federal agency that claims its algorithm has predicted she will harm her husband based on data pulled from her dreams. After buying a sleep-monitoring device following the birth of her twins, she unknowingly surrendered the privacy of her subconscious. Now she’s confined to a…

The Heart Goes Last by Margaret Atwood

Blair Bryan — Sat, 31 Jan 2026 11:05:41 GMT

No one writes dystopian fiction quite as well as Margaret Atwood. She said in an interview her novels are rooted in real historical and social events rather than fantasy, and that grounding makes her imagined futures feel alarmingly plausible. The Heart Goes Last, written in 2015, is no exception. Its world feels less like a far-off nightmare and more l…

The Mostly True Story of Tanner and Louise by Colleen Oakley

Blair Bryan — Sat, 24 Jan 2026 12:09:54 GMT

This book instantly gave me a chaotic road-trip energy, the kind where two wildly different women are thrown together and somehow become exactly what the other needs. (Scotland with a Stranger, anyone? ;) The dynamic between Tanner and Louise is the real hook. They are messy, funny, and completely unpredictable. Watching their relationship evolve from m…

A Short Walk Through a Wide World by Douglas Westerbeke

Blair Bryan — Thu, 08 Jan 2026 18:03:09 GMT

A Short Walk Through a Wide World follows Aubry, a young girl with a mysterious condition that leaves her unable to remain in one place for more than a few days without unbearable pain. Travel to new places is the only thing keeping her alive. At first, her mother accompanies her across countries and continents, sacrificing stability to protect her daug…

Razorblade Tears by S.A. Cosby

Blair Bryan — Sat, 03 Jan 2026 19:49:18 GMT

Razorblade Tears is a wild, relentless ride with deeply flawed characters you cannot help but root for, even when they are making terrible choices. From the opening pages, S. A. Cosby pulls no punches. The story is violent, emotional, and driven by grief and rage, yet it never loses its humanity. The pacing stays sharp from start to finish, keeping the …

We All Want Impossible Things by Catherine Newman

Blair Bryan — Sat, 27 Dec 2025 11:38:42 GMT

We All Want Impossible Things.

If you grew up loving Beaches as much as I did, this novel will hit you square in the heart. Catherine Newman’s writing is poetic, poignant, and unexpectedly funny, capturing the messy complexity of female friendship and grief without ever feeling too sentimental. It’s the kind of book filled with lines so beautiful and tr…

The Other Side of Disappearing by Kate Clayborn

Blair Bryan — Sun, 21 Dec 2025 09:45:48 GMT

Kate Clayborn is quickly becoming one of my favorite romance authors. There’s a depth to her stories that most romance skips over in favor of formula and tropes. Her characters feel like people you might actually know (or be.)

That said, I still hate the stupid third-act breakup. As an author, I get why it exists. As a reader, I find it exhausting, predi…

All the Sinners Bleed by S. A. Cosby

Blair Bryan — Sat, 13 Dec 2025 16:46:20 GMT

This novel is a fast-moving, gripping crime drama that delivers tension with purpose rather than shock. The story balances a sharp mystery with powerful racial and social themes, giving the small-town setting real depth and nuance. Every reveal feels intentional, creating a thriller that is both exciting and thoughtfully constructed.

Sheriff Titus Crown …

Vera Wong's Guide to Snooping on a Dead Man by Jesse Q. Sutanto

Blair Bryan — Sat, 06 Dec 2025 12:59:50 GMT

Vera Wong’s Guide to Snooping on a Dead Man is a wildly entertaining return to the world of everyone’s favorite meddling teahouse owner. After devouring the first book, I couldn’t resist another journey through the eyes of Vera, and she does not disappoint. She’s still a total pistol (both domineering and irresistibly lovable) barreling through life wit…

Young Jane Young by Gabrielle Zevin

Blair Bryan — Fri, 28 Nov 2025 13:15:02 GMT

Young Jane Young is a sharp, funny, and empathetic look at how young women are punished for mistakes that powerful men escape. Aviva (a young congressional intern) is publicly destroyed after an affair with a congressman while he walks away virtually untouched. Forced to reinvent herself in Maine, she builds a new life and raises her daughter, only to f…

Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers

Blair Bryan — Wed, 19 Nov 2025 05:01:18 GMT

Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers is a delightful cozy mystery with many chuckle-worthy moments. After reading it, you’ll find yourself wishing to be adopted by a blunt (but loving) Chinese mother. (I am now accepting applications. :) )

The story begins when Vera, a tea shop owner, tiger mother, and concerned citizen finds a dead man on her f…

Cackle by Rachel Harrison

Blair Bryan — Sun, 16 Nov 2025 10:09:56 GMT

When Annie’s decade-long relationship falls apart, she escapes to a postcard-perfect village in upstate New York, hoping a new teaching job will help her rebuild her life. What she doesn’t expect is Sophie, a mysterious, magnetic woman living alone in a mansion tucked deep in the woods. Part witch, part siren, Sophie is an incredible character with a lo…