September Book Club: Museum Stories
What I read, what I wore, what I created + announcing October's Book Club theme
This post serves as our official September book club “meeting,” where we’ll share the books we read and the creative ways we immersed ourselves in our stories.
September’s Theme: Museum Stories
Below, I’ll pose a series of questions below along with my responses. You’re welcome to answer as many as you like or simply share your reflections, link to Instagram posts, TikToks, blogs, Substacks or any other places where you’ve shared! Even if you’re reading this later in the year, feel free to join the conversation whenever you like.
I’m excited to hear about your reading adventures!
I also wanted to thank everyone who commented and hearted our Summer Book Club posts, especially paid subscribers who received extra entries, and who make this Substack possible. I drew a name from everyone who engaged and happy to announce our winner,
who has a $25 gift card to Bookshop.org coming your way. 🎉What Did You Read?
This month, I set out to read two themed books, but in true overzealous fashion, I only finished one in time for this post*.
The first is a mystery called, Veridian Sterling Fakes It, by Jennifer Gooch Hummer. The other is a biography called Chasing Beauty, by Natalie Dykstra.
*Fun fact: Back when I lived in Connecticut, I was part of a group called The Procrastinator’s Book Club, and our thing was always finishing the book in the final hours before our meetings began.
What made you choose this book?
The great team from Wunderkind PR sent me a copy of Veridian Sterling Fakes It earlier this year, and I was immediately intrigued by its premise: a recent art school grad takes a thankless job at an art gallery and ends up entangled in a search for a missing Van Gogh.
Though I didn’t get to read it over the summer as I’d planned, when I realized I had an upcoming trip to New York, I saw the perfect opportunity to dive into the story and let it inspire September’s Book Club theme.
The second book that I’m still reading (listening to) is Chasing Beauty, a biography about Isabella Stewart Gardner. You might recognize her name from her famous art museum in Boston, or perhaps the Netflix documentary This Is a Robbery: The World's Biggest Art Heist.
What were your thoughts?
Veridian Sterling Fakes It was a fun read, and what I loved most was how it crossed genres—it had a bit of everything: mystery, romance, and some coming-of-age elements.
In my last post, I shared how riding Metro North into the city with my husband brought back nostalgia for our commuting days. This book also evoked happy memories of the early days of our relationship, when my husband was living in Hoboken, NJ—where much of the story takes place. There’s a lot of commuting from Veridian’s Hoboken apartment to various parts of NYC, including museums like the Met, which was fun to follow.
I loved the portrayal of Veridian’s first painful job with a diva boss, along with other colorful characters you’d expect to meet in the art world. I also really enjoyed the scenes where Veridian was drawing, painting, and buying art supplies—it made me want to set up an artist’s studio in my garage.
The mystery part of the story was engaging and had a surprising twist, though I must admit, there was a section in the middle that I didn’t fully grasp because it involved cryptocurrency. No matter how much author Jennifer Gooch Hummer simplified it, my eyes still glazed over—but that’s definitely on me, not her!
If you’re an art school grad, love museums, or enjoy a light mystery, you’ll definitely like this book!
I can’t say too much about my second book, Chasing Beauty, until I finish it, but so far, I’m enjoying it—and the audiobook narrator is terrific.
Bringing the Story to Life
👗 Costume
This book didn’t inspire much of a dress-up situation, as Veridian was pretty chill and dressed for comfort. However, I loved an outfit she wears at the end of the story: black wide-leg pants, a fitted velvet suit jacket, and a tee (from a pie shop) that reads “So Good It’s a Crime.”
I asked AI to help me put together that outfit, and here’s what it came up with:
🍪 Snack
I have a feeling Veridian author Jennifer Gooch Hummer and I would get along, as two meals keep popping up in her story, and they happen to be my favorites: Chipotle and Thai food.
The first thing I did after finishing the book was grab my phone, open UberEats, and order chicken pad thai.
🎨 Project
While I still want to get into painting or sketching, this month’s “project” was a field trip to the Met, which you can read all about here:
How I spent a solo day in NYC
Imagine it: a late-summer day, 75 degrees, the sky a gentle blue, the sun like a light cardigan on your shoulders. The kids are at school. The world is busy at work. You’re dropped off in the middle of the greatest city in the world. You have an entire Monday to yourself.
Next Time on Book Club
Though I didn’t succeed in finishing two books for September, I’m going to try again for October’s book club. One is a new release I pre-ordered and am so excited for. The other is an older book that a friend gave me for Christmas last year, which I’ve been saving specifically for this fall.
👻🦇🧙 Our theme for October is: Spooky Stories
Pick your poison! Whether your vibe is witchy, cozy, or something in between, I hope you’ll find something that makes you want to curl up in front of a fire with a warm drink.
It can be a book you’ve already read or something new. Whatever brings you joy! I look forward to seeing what you read and create next month.
Save the date! Our October Book Club “Meeting” post goes live on Sunday, October 20th.
✍️ Creative Exercises/Journal Prompts
Match-make a pair of books from two genres that share something in common. Read them in tandem, or gift them to a friend!
Which literary character’s life would you enjoy stepping into — just for a day?
What were you like just after graduating college? In what ways have you changed and what parts of you have remained the same?
☀️ Five good things
When we can recognize the things that bring us the most joy, we invite more of them into our lives. Here are five things that made me happy this week. Share yours below!
Five good things that happened this week:
I binged The Perfect Couple on Netflix, based on Elin Hilderbrand’s book of the same name. Five stars from me! Even though they slightly changed the ending, I loved where they landed.
I got to present a chapter of my book to my writing group! Every time I get an opportunity to chat about my story, the characters and the world, I feel it all coming to life, and it got me so excited to get back into my draft.
New iPhone season! I’m part of Apple’s iPhone Upgrade program, which essentially means I pay monthly to automatically get the newest version of their phones when they are released each fall. It’s really all about the camera for me!
It was a very Elin Hilderbrand week because I also binged Season 2 of her podcast, Books, Beach and Beyond and was so inspired by each writer’s story. I especially take comfort in hearing that most authors started with a book they couldn’t get published, which has been my journey so far.
Even though I said it was likely that I wouldn’t do a full bedroom makeover, I thought I could at least take a baby step in ordering a new quilt as our old one is starting to look pretty shabby.
💬 Share your intention
Whether it’s a giant leap, a tiny to-do list item, a habit change, or something else, there is power in accountability, and this is a safe space to share your aim. Some weeks, we’ll fail, others we’ll soar, but with support, we’ll always keep going together.
Until next week, get out there and make something beautiful.
Michelle
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New York is at the top of my travel bucket list so I really enjoyed seeing your day in NYC pictures!
I wasn't sure if I would have a book for September, but I have recently gotten into reading some romantic suspense and early in the month, I read One Wrong Move by Dani Pettrey. It is set around a string of art museum heists and the main characters are a security expert and an insurance investigator who are part of the investigation into the break-ins. I love a good cheesy rom-com story, but I have also really enjoyed the added action and mystery in a romantic suspense.
And I am excited about the gift card! Thanks!
Thanks for the reminder to read Veridian! I've had it on my Kindle for a while now.