Fall Reads Worth Curling Up With
Aylisa Eldridge
I know it feels like the last drop of snow just melted, but here we are, already at the end of the summer season. And sadly that means shelving all those beach reads. But before you let that thought put you into a reading slump, let me recommend 10 books that will have you warm and ready for the falling leaves.
There is nothing I love more than sharing and talking about books. It is how The Chapter Cruiser came to be! Wendy and I wanted to share the stories we were reading and have a chance to discuss them with people who enjoyed them as much as we did. I hope your next 5-star read is on this list!
FEEL GOOD FOR FALL…
The Five Star Weekend
By Elin Hilderbrand
Hollis has experienced an unimaginable loss, and as she tries to navigate her grief, she decides to host a girls’ weekend at her Nantucket home. She invites the “5 stars” from her life, a dear friend from each era. As much as the setting of Nantucket is a sub-character throughout this book, the real story is the women, their journeys, their experiences, and their relationships with each other as well as their families. Old flames resurface, secrets are kept and revealed, and true friendship is made center stage.
A 5-star read for me! I have actually read it twice!
The Calamity Club
By Kathryn Stockett
You will never read another story about a group of women like this group of women. The story is told from two points of view: Meg, an 11-year-old orphan, and Birdie, an unmarried woman back in a time when a girl’s only goal is to become a married woman. Set in the South in the 1930s, this club comes together out of need and necessity and throughout the journey they find love and strength and family.
5/5 for me, and I truly did not want this book to end. It is in the top position for my favourite book of 2026.
The Women
By Kristin Hannah
I know, we have all read a TON of historical fiction, but how about a book about the Vietnam War told from the perspective of the female nurses? The story follows Frankie as she follows her brother into a military lifestyle by joining the Army Nurse Corps. We join Frankie and the other nurses through the battle, only to realize the true battle is coming home to a changed America, and finding how she fits into this new place. Kristin Hannah is an auto-buy author for me, and I am always prepared to have my heart ripped out.
This book did not disappoint. 5/5!
Remarkably Bright Creatures
By Shelby Van Pelt
If I told you this book’s main character was an octopus, you would call me crazy, right? But trust me, it works!! To cope with her husband’s death and the mysterious disappearance of her son, Tova begins working the night shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium. Here she meets Marcellus, a grumpy giant Pacific octopus. Marcellus knows more than anyone can guess, and it is truly endearing to watch the relationship between him and Tova grow to be exactly what they both needed. Marcellus will live in my heart forever.
5/5!
Anxious People
By Fredrik Backman
You know that quote about everyone fighting their own battle? This is the book to prove that quote is 100% correct. It starts off simply enough at an open house for an apartment for sale, and soon becomes a story about human compassion and kindness, making you want to ask complete strangers to share their stories with you.
Again…5/5!
Certified Beauties
By James Duthie
James Duthie is a sports broadcaster for TSN and enlightens us all with more hockey tales after his bestselling book Beauties. If you love hockey, you will love this book. It’s a collection of stories from all the greats who have played Canada’s favourite sport. How did an NBA star help Celebrini become an NHL star? What happened when Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl showed up to play with a bunch of beer league guys?
This book had me laughing out loud more than once, and I tell all my hockey-loving fans to read it. 5/5!
Project Hail Mary
By Andy Weir
Have we all fallen in love with space after watching the latest Artemis 2 journey, right? Ryland Grace finds himself in space, with dead crewmates and a very fuzzy memory. He comes to realize that it has become his responsibility to puzzle out an impossible scientific mystery and conquer a threat to our species. This is the only book on this list I haven’t read yet, but it is on my TBR, and I added it to my husband’s list too!
GET YOUR THRILL ON…
Rock Paper Scissors
By Alice Feeney
How well do you know the person you married? Or how well do you THINK you know them! When Adam and Amelia win a romantic weekend getaway in Scotland, it is exactly what their failing marriage needs. But the accommodations are less than ideal, and they’re both wondering if this was truly a prize to be won. The story is told in the present day as well as through old letters a wife writes to her husband on each of their anniversaries that she has never let him read, until now. I can honestly say I did NOT see this twist coming!
I love a good mystery, so 5/5!
It’s Not Her
By Mary Kubica
A shattering scream, and life as Courtney knows it has changed forever. Her brother and sister-in-law have been murdered, and her niece is missing. As an investigation takes place, truths are uncovered, and suddenly everyone has a secret to hide. This book had me feeling creeped out and scared right from the start. It was like a creepy horror movie!
The feeling stayed with me right till the end! 4/5
The Only One Left
By Riley Sager
The Hope family murders shocked the Maine coast one bloody night in 1929. With 17-year-old Lenora being the only survivor, everyone assumed she was guilty, but the police are unable to prove it. Years later, when Kit McDeere arrives as a home health care aid for the aging Lenora, she begins to understand that the elderly lady has her own story to tell. I thought I had this book figured out from page 1, and yet the twists kept coming till the very end!
I recommend this book to everyone who is looking for a very scary mystery! 5/5!
Aylisa Eldridge
Aylisa Eldridge is the co-owner of The Chapter Cruiser, a mobile used book boutique she operates with her best friend. What began with a 14-foot utility trailer has been transformed into a charming, book-lover’s dream, filled with pre-loved books in like-new condition.
Taking the joy of browsing a bookstore on the road, Aylisa and her best friend/business partner pop up at markets and events, bringing their carefully curated selection of books to readers wherever they go. For Aylisa, The Chapter Cruiser is about more than books—it’s about creating a fun, welcoming experience and helping great stories find new homes.
