Welcome to Quick Lit, where I share short and sweet reviews of what I’ve been reading lately on (or around) the 15th of the month, and invite you to do the same.
I’ve read some magnificent books lately. I’ve enjoyed spending my morning reading time in slow and careful reading of dense literary texts. I’ve visited or revisited back list titles I’ve been meaning to devote attention to for ages. And I’ve enjoyed listening to some plain good stories in my ears.
This month’s edition of Quick Lit is unusual in that it includes both a coffee table book (Art for Everyone) and a script (John Proctor Is the Villain), alongside more typical (for me) selections like excellent audiobooks (The Calamity Club and Searching for Terry Punchout) and literary backlist (The Singer’s Gun). The publication date range on these titles runs from 2010 to May 5 of this year.
I hope you enjoy this month’s selections, and that you find something that looks intriguing for your TBR here. And, as always, I can’t wait to hear what you’ve been reading lately!
Thanks in advance for sharing your short and sweet book reviews with us!
Welcome to August Quick Lit
Searching for Terry Punchout
John Proctor is the Villain
The Singer’s Gun
Art for Everyone: How to Collect Art & Personalize Your Space on Any Budget
The Calamity Club
What have YOU been reading lately? Tell us about your recent reads—or share the link to a blog or instagram post about them—in comments.
P.S. I snapped that picture of top at Louisville’s newest bookstore, Foxing Books, which I finally got to visit this summer.
41 comments
This month‘s reading roundup includes a 5 star fantasy read plus a bunch of fun romances and a housewife thriller! Check out my reviews below!
https://neverenoughnovels.com/2026/08/17/august-2026-book-reviews/
My own past reading month has also included a wide-ranging selection of books! Even when they aren’t all winners, it can still be fun to read widely.
https://cocoonofbooks.blogspot.com/2026/08/what-ive-been-reading-lately-quick-lit.html
Thanks for the tip on The Calamity Club. I’ll put a hold at my library for the audio version.
This was the I finally got to read Theo of Golden and The Correspondent. They both lived up to the hype. So good!
See all 8 books here that I recommend for August:
https://lisanotes.com/books-i-recommend-august-2026/
I’ve spent the last few months toggling between two epic westerns (2090 pages total): Lonesome Dove and Tom’s Crossing. So incredibly good.
https://carolinestarrrose.com/quick-lit-two-books-1350-pages/
You’re speaking my husband’s love language! I get to experience the cowboy scene in audio book form on long car trips. They do have a compelling storyline!
And these two are real winners.
Thanks for the tip about The Calamity Club.
My favorite read as of late is a much-hyped fall release. I truly loved it, which surprised me because I’m often disappointed by overly hyped books. I think it’s for readers looking for a contemporary romance that’s more than just a romance. It’s a fascinating look into the world of literary criticism and the critic/author relationship.
https://ourlittlebookcollection.substack.com/p/late-summer-family-life-and-my-july
I am so looking forward to Exit Party so might pick up The Singer’s Gun while I wait! I was lucky enough to see John Proctor is the Villain on Broadway and love going back to the script over and over to reread my favorite scenes!
Lovers of cozy fiction, clean romance, and sweet, small-town settings populated with quirky but memorable characters will be enchanted by the world they find in Chapter One Again by Keelia Clarkson. I don’t get to read much fiction, so this was a sweet treat that carried me through a long flight from Maine to Minnesota. https://michelemorin.net/2026/08/05/how-to-know-when-its-time-to-go-home/
I have The Calamity Club on hold at my local library.
Currently, I have just finished Barbara Freethy’s novel “Perilous Trust” in Hoopla, and will start “An Accidental Jewel” today, nonfiction about the Turtle-Flambeau Flowage in northern Wisconsin. I am about halfway through James Patterson’s “Tiger, Tiger” in hardcover.
I’m reading Little Wonder by Sophie Chen Keller. Liking it, but for whatever reason taking too long to finish. My niece just gifted me a belated book for my birthday. I should have known she was up to something when she asked me what my favorite genre was. She gave me the cutest blind book. All wrapped up with stickers and book marks and other fun things. The book is The Devil Behind The Badge by Rick Jervis. I had not heard of it and started it last night and it is very good! Also have a copy of Whistler I need to get to. I am on a wait list for Exit Party. Thanks for the info.
Little Wonder was 5 ⭐️ for me! So beautifully written, and the ending… 😘!
My reading was a little all over the place this month. In addition to two parenting books and two historical middle-grade novels that I read with my kids, I had a string of mediocre reads including a cozy fantasy, a multicultural romance, a historical ghost story, and a profound novel that was beautiful but a tad too literary for me. Bookending these so-so reads were two that I LOVED, including a creatively constructed thriller and a family saga that is vying for #1 as my favorite read of the year.
https://kendranicole.substack.com/p/quick-lit-august-2026
Thank you so much for the review of The Calamity Club! Someone I usually trust recommended it, but I was hesitant because I found The Help… off the mark. Audio is my default mode anyway, especially for a book that long, so I’m going to dive in.
The Help off the mark!? Do tell. One of the best stories of our time.
I didn’t write that and only saw the movie, but there has been a lot of controversy over the years about the book and the movie that is easily found by searching up “The Help book controversy.”
I’ve had a good past month of reading! I’ve been on a fantasy kick recently, and finally read the first two books in the popular A Court of Thorns and Roses series. I also discovered a graphic novel adaptation of a classic novel that I think is one of my favorite reads of the year!
https://booksandpickles.substack.com/p/recent-reads-jul-aug-26
The standout book for me this month was “Land” by Maggie O’Farrell, which I read while traveling in Ireland. I wanted to immediately re-read it, with a pen for highlighting ideas and quotes the second time around. Continuing with the Irish theme I also read “Three Bags Full: A Sheep Detectives Mystery” by Leonie Swann and “The Keeper” by Tana French, which was as terrific as the first two books in her Cal Hooper trilogy.
Is this Sheep Detectives book at all related to the movie with Hugh Jackman? I haven’t seen it, but a lot of people are talking about it.
YEs, it absolutely is, and they did a good job of it.
Yes – the movie is delightful, and you can watch it before reading the book because although the victim and many of the characters are the same, the solution to the crime is completely different in the book and in the movie.
Yes. The movie did a good job! I found the book a little weirder though, in a “what did I just read?” sort of way. It got into the heads of the sheep more and how they think and what sheep philosophy might look like. I loved that.
I haven’t been as productive with my reading this summer as I thought I would be. With the World Cup hype and some books that didn’t quite live up to expectations (including 2 popular ones!), my reading progress was slower than I would have liked. See what I’ve been reading lately here:
https://avikinginla.com/2026/08/what-ive-been-reading-lately-june-july-2026/
A few of my current reads ~ Land by Maggie O’Farrell, The Things We Never Say by Elizabeth Strout, Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson, The Meaning of Your Life by Arthur Brooks and Strangers by Belle Burden.
I loved The Calamity Club. I listened to the audiobook and it was wonderfully narrated.
“Land” was phenomenal.
I have been working my way through a Book Bingo card my friend made for summer. It has helped me read a more diverse selection of books and stay on track with reading. I recently read Sirens by Emilia Hart. I loved it. She has a talent for creating atmospheric settings and blending stories over many time periods.
Country People by Daniel Mason was a completely satisfying read. Thought-provoking, insightful, moments of comedy too. Plus a New England setting. I want to reread it! I’ve been debating The Calamity Club—will have to give it a try.
I also recently finished listening to The Calamity Club and I’m so glad I chose audio. I debated but saw lots of recommendations for the audio version. The narrators do a fabulous job! Loved this book so much, it just checked all my boxes!
It’s been a while since I’ve read a chonky book (over 500 pages)—I might have to give The Calamity Club a try!
Here’s what I’ve been reading: https://readeatrepeat.net/2026/08/books-in-progress-august-2026/
I read some oldies and new ones!
A Lesson Before Dying, by Ernest Gaines. Beautiful effective writing, but the end didn’t pack the punch I expected.
The Stone Diaries by Carol Shields. My goodness, I underlined like mad! Such great writing and an interesting lifetime saga.
The Gulf of Lions by Caitlin Shetterly. I was reading mostly for the trip through France with her daughters, but that fell short for me. It was very emotional, which was well done. I’m going to see her at an author event soon and look forward to it!
Marriage at Sea by Sophie Elmhurst. I felt duped by the hype on this one. It’s very journalistic, about a true event, taken from their journals and newspaper accounts and very little else.
The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett. I LOVED the first half on audio; January LaVoy sounded like Kathy Bates in “Fried Green Tomatoes” and that’s how I pictured Birdie. And Jenna Lamia was the voice of Lily in The Secret Life of Bees, so she made a great Meg! (How can a woman do a child’s voice so well??). But when we got to the actual “calamity club” goings-on, I thought it was Over the Top, and outrageously unlikely. Too many details, too long!! I liked some of the “girls” (Flossie!), but hey, when I thought about it, it was pretty unsavory…. And then the end wrapped up too quickly!
And finally, Kakigori Summer by Emily Itami who wrote Fault Lines, which I loved. Unfortunately, by the 33% mark, I DNF’d this one. Maybe another time, and maybe on audio.
I’m reading WHISTLER right now (big grins!!!!) Loving it.
Your take on Calamity Club is spot on. I so enjoyed it on audio, but felt like it took a tad too long to build up to the Club, then it got a little uneven (but still fully enjoyable!) and then it ended too abruptly.
I saw a production of John Proctor is the Villain in Boston and loved it SO much. How fun to read the script!
I’m reading Stephanie Gayle’s mystery series. I’ve read the first two – Idyll Threats and Idyll Fears. Police procedurals. I enjoyed them and will read more in the series.
The Calamity Club is next up in my listening. Several friends have told me that they loved this on audio. Can’t wait to check it out.
This month, I have 7 recent reads, including one that wasn’t for me. I have some romance, historical fiction, and nonfiction on my list. You can click the link to read my thoughts on:
Summer Staycation
Summer Thaw
Little Pieces of Hope
Demon Copperhead
Something Wilder
The Seed Keeper
Hidden Creatures
I read lots of plays many years ago and loved the experience. I haven’t thought of reading one in a long while, let alone picked one up but I think it’s time to remedy that.
July Reading Wrap up 📚 https://readingladies.com/2026/07/31/july-2026-reading-wrap-up-amreading-blogger-bookblogger-bookx-booksky-julyreading-readinglife/
Books 69-81 of the year: https://thereisnosuchthingasagodforsakentown.blogspot.com/2026/08/reading-update.html
Yay, Anne! 🎉🎉 I’m so glad you tried The Calamity Club again and that it worked for you on audio! I loved this book (though I admit I held my breath around the 50% mark because I wasn’t sure I liked where it was going) but Kathryn Stockett pulled it off beautifully—funny, irreverent, poignant and a tribute to strong women everywhere. Still Number 1 on my 2026 list 😍
I am loving the Calamity Club on audio! I waited so long for the audiobook from my library and am afraid the loan will expire before I finish. If need be, I will buy it on my Audible account. It is SO good.❤️ Also, finished volumes 1-4 of the Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion, also so well done on audio. I am finding Jane Eyre is mentioned is some of my recent reads, so went down the rabbit hole and am reading that now, as well. Somehow, I never read it! Thanks, as always for your suggestions! 😊
Anne-
I’m so pleased to see a play included in your list. I work in the theatre and I usually only hear theatre people talking about reading plays. John Proctor is the Villian is extraordinary. I’ve worked on 2 productions of The Crucible in my life with 40 years in between them. My experience of the same story was very different. The first time I saw John Proctor as romantic and the moral backbone of the story – I was very young. The second time I found his relationships with both his wife (Elizabeth) and his hired girl (Abigail) absolutely infuriating. Rather than finding the hysterical young women to be villians, I found them to be interesting, complicated, and often sympathetic. I’ve personally only seen The Crucible directed by men – I suspect it might look very different directed by a woman! Fast forward to seeing John Proctor is the Villian, by Kimberly Belflower. Here was a modern exploration of The Crucible that I didn’t know I needed! (Side note, I also feel VERY differently about Jane Eyre’s Mr. Rochester now than I did as a teenager!)
This summer has been one fantastic read after another, thanks to you and your team. Whistler, Land, Dolly All the Time, Hail Mary, The Great Wherever, and the unexpected series that brings me absolute JOY: The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion. Thank you for all you do!
My library book club was meeting to discuss a totally different book. One of the members started talking about The Calamity Club and I got put off by the over 600 pages. Next meeting someone else was raving about it. 29 hours of listening later I have to say, it was fantastic. I listened to it in the car and found myself just sitting in a parking lot waiting for the next shoe to drop. Well worth the 10 years wait for another Kathryn Stockett. And well worth the time spent on this audio masterpiece.