Teal Butterfly Book Club: Favorite Reads

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 to rebuild her life, even as she questions her own sanity.

When magic and a supposed destiny enter the picture, the story leans into fun and unpredictability without losing its emotional core. Beneath the humor, it’s a relatable story about reinvention, resilience, and starting over later in life, one that will especially resonate with women over 40 looking for both escapism and a bit of truth.

Disclaimer: Links in this post are Amazon affiliate links. This means I may earn a few pennies from Amazon if you make a purchase (at no extra cost to you.) It’s a free way to support my writing.

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…

Life Changing Baklava

Blair Bryan — Sat, 22 Nov 2025 12:28:01 GMT

To celebrate my 50th this year, my favorite husband and I took a two-week journey out west. I’d never been to Utah before, and as a lover of nature and hiking, it was high on my US bucket list. It was an incredible two weeks. We began at a bookstore in Colorado Springs, then made our way to Bryce Canyon, Zion, Canyonlands, and Arches.

Utah has so much be…

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…

Heartwood by Amity Gauge

Blair Bryan — Sun, 09 Nov 2025 01:05:27 GMT

Heartwood might be my favorite read of 2025. I’ve read around 100 books this year, and this one was a true standout.

I adored the characters. They became almost real in my mind as the story unfolded. We see this world through the eyes of Lt. Bev, a Maine State Game Warden tasked with finding and rescuing a missing hiker. That hiker is forty-two-year-old …

Nightcrawling By Leila Mottley

Blair Bryan — Sun, 26 Oct 2025 12:51:45 GMT

This book reads like poetry, striking your heart in the most unexpected ways. Nightcrawling follows seventeen-year-old Kiara, living in Oakland with her brother who has dreams of following in his Uncle’s footsteps and getting a record deal. Life is already a struggle, but when their rent doubles, Kiara is pushed to the streets, trying to survive by any …