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September's Pick

Arsenic and Adobo

Mia P. Manansala

Buy from Bookshop.org

About Us

Leaf & Wander is a book club for those who know a great book deserves a great conversation. For those who crave a story that stick with you long after the last page has been turned. We believe that the best way to wander the world is one page at a time - and the further you leaf, the further you wander. Read for the adventure, but maybe go on it with us, too.

MEET YOUR HOSTS

Elizabeth Byrnes

Elizabeth is the creative mind behind Leaf & Wander. She has a talent for bringing together people who love the same things she does, and she wants to share it with you, too. Elizabeth is based in Connecticut and is working on her first novel.

Maddie Luchsinger

Maddie is an avid traveler with a reading problem — or maybe she's an avid reader with a traveling problem. Maddie is based in the DC-area and author of the travel blog LuxxAdventures.

HOW DO I JOIN?

Participate Online

Join

Join our Patreon for exclusive discussion boards, podcast episodes, member content, and early access to events.

BECOME A MEMBER

Listen

Listen to our monthly podcast to hear about our monthly reads, event recaps, author interviews, and more.

COMING SOON

Travel

Join us on a group trip inspired by one of our reads, or meet us in your city for a meetup.

COMING SOON

Love all of you 🤍 #bookstagram #bookclub #leafandwander #inspirational

Maddie and I picked Arsenic and Adobo for September to start fully embracing the changing of the seasons. What better way to do that than with a cozy mystery?? This book will have you craving all your comfort foods while you curl up with a giant blanket in your fuzzy slippers.

📚Book of the Month Meet Up
📅Sunday 9.27.26
🇵🇭Zul Cafe and Grill
📍268 Main Ave Norwalk CT
⏰ 3:00pm - 8:00pm

Feel free to join even if you haven’t read the book! There is absolutely no pressure and definitely no homework assignments. We’re all here just to have a good time (: Have another book you want to talk about? Great, I’ll probably add it to my TBR. Want to just hang out with some cool people? Also great, we want to hang out with you too.

Maddie and I want to thank you for continuing to support us as we grow our community. Feel free to reach out to us and let us know about anything you’re loving or looking for more of. And don’t forget to look out for the leaflet later this month if you’re a Wanderer! (If you’re not, head over to the link in our bio to join our Patreon!)

Happy reading!

xxElizabeth

Here’s a glimpse of the 17 million things Maddie and Elizabeth have going on in their day to day lives ✨

Obviously we have it all under control. Everything is fine. Don’t worry about us.

(send help)

ARC review: Taipei Story by R.F. Kuang — out September 8 ✨

I (Elizabeth) got my hands on an ARC of this one, and it’s stayed with me. ⭐ 4.5/5

From the author of Yellowface and Katabasis, this is a coming-of-age story that follows college freshman Lily Chen through one summer at an intensive language program in Taipei, immersing herself in a culture she inherited but never fully connected with while also navigating the complexities of college relationships.

It captures the emotional rollercoaster of an extended trip somewhere you don’t speak the language fluently, that specific disorientation, so accurately. It also handles grief in a unique way: not just losing a loved one, but losing the chance to ever really know them. That gutted me.

A quick read, and a beautiful one if you want to step outside your own life for a little while.

Thank you to @kuangrf and William Morrow for the ARC.

Reading Taipei this summer through Lily has us dreaming... would a book-inspired Taiwan trip be something you’d want to see from us someday? Tell us in the comments. 🇹🇼

💬 Already have this on your TBR? Finished it? Somewhere in between? We want to hear.

📌 books, book club, ARC review, new releases 2026, literary fiction, must read, books to read, September new releases, TBR, coming of age, RF Kuang, Taipei Story, book recommendations, reading community, bookstagram

North Bear Shores was just as much a character as anyone else in Beach Read by. @emilyhenrywrites . So much so that it only felt appropriate to hop in my car and drive to my favorite beach town in order to get the full experience while reading.

Everyone at book club fell in love this month with Gus & January - even if we got frustrated a few times with some of their choices.
While not everyone has had the exact same experiences as our heroes, grief and healing are universal.
We were all able to connect with this story in such a beautiful and personal way, because we’ve all felt these things before.

Then we turned up the yacht rock to make ourselves feel better again.

What was your favorite part of Beach Read? Let us know in the comments!

Earlier this week, Maddie made a list of things she would pay to do more than once; I decided to take that list and make list of books to accompany those activities and locations.

Big Apple Rollercoaster in Las Vegas, Nevada
All Downhill With You - @julieoliviaauthor
The Syndicate - Guy Bolton

The Little Museum of Dublin in Dublin, Ireland
It Happened One Heist - @heyshenee
Again, Rachel - marian_keyes

Sunrise paddle boarding in Barcelona, Spain
Our Perfect Storm - @carleyfortune
The Shadow of the Wind - @zafonoficial

Van Camping in Ibiza, Spain
The Return of Ruby Darling - @leannesladeauthor
The Life Impossible - @mattzhaig

The Moulin Rouge in Paris, France
Jane Avril the Muse of the Moulin Rouge - ML Malcolm
The Little Paris Bookshop - Nina George

Our book club is about experiences, but it’s also an online community. That’s why we’re always looking for ways to bring the experience to you!

We can’t go to every place, but The Leaflet is our way of bringing the place to wherever you might be. What else should we include??

Head over to Patre0n to find The Leaflet, plus other exclusive content (like a monthly playlist 👀), or join us online on Discord. We can’t wait to see you there 💚🧡💛

#bookckub #onlinebookclub #travelingbookclub

ONE WEEK UNTIL BOOK CLUB 🚨

Whether you finished Beach Read, read parts of it, or didn’t read at all - you are welcome to join us ✨

If you still need to grab a copy, go to the link in our bio or check out our story every day this week

Excited to see you all!

📍 Riley’s by the Seawall | 14 Beach Dr Stratford CT 🗓 Sun, August 30th 🕓 3–8 PM

Beach reads, take two
The last list was all vibes - these are all actually set at the beach.

Must reads to add to your TBR for when you want to pretend you’re still on vacation 🏖️

📖 The Vacationers • @emmastraub
📖 The Unhoneymooners • @christinalauren
📖 The Wedding People • @alison.espach
📖 Not Safe For Work • @nishajtwrites
📖 Dolly All The Time • @annabelmonaghan
📖 The Guncle • @mrstevenrowley
📖 The Best Wrong Move • @lilyparker_author

This is the list if you’re looking for a perfect beach read. Add these seven books that feel like summer to your TBR ✨

📖 One Italian Summer • @rebecca_serle
📖 People We Meet On Vacation • @emilyhenrywrites
📖 Malibu Rising • @tjenkinsreid
📖The Shippers • @katherinecenter
📖 Problematic Summer Romance • @alihazelwood
📖 The Seven Year Slip • @heyashposton
📖 This Summer Will Be Different • @carleyfortune

Did we miss any? Let us know your favorite beach reads in the comments 👇

Go check out @possiblefuturesbooks in New Haven as soon as you can.

They are always having some fun community event going on (I personally just missed the local author meet and greet with @padya307 for their debut novel Appetite. I bought the book since I couldn’t make the event!)

The vibes were everything, the people were excellent. You can’t go wrong whether you’re trying to be more active in your local community or you just want to add to your TBR.

Kinda chic to just go for it ✨

It’s a little surreal to be unabashedly pursuing something that brings me so much joy. I can’t wait to bring some of the books I’m reading to life with you all!

If you’re clinging to summer like we are, here are seven books our book club is packing for our next trip to the lake:

📖 A Wedding in Lake Como • @authorjenniferprobst
📖 One Golden Summer • @carleyfortune
📖 Just for the Summer • Abby Jimenez
📖 Good for You • @camillepagan
📖 Say You Still Love Me • @katucker_
📖 Mistakes Were Made • @scorelucy
📖 The Suite Spot • @trishdoller

Enjoy some sun, sand, and a good book. Save for later!

📚 Our August Book of the Month is here!!!

We’re diving into Beach Read by @emilyhenrywrites !!! While this book is the quintessential beach read, don’t let that fool you into thinking there isn’t any emotional weight. This book will make you cry just as hard as it has you rooting for Gus and January.

So get out your beach chairs, dig your toes in the sand, and start reading!

Want to talk about it with us IRL? Join us for our in-person book club meetup:

📍 Riley’s by the Seawall | 14 Beach Dr Stratford CT 🗓 Sun, August 30th 🕓 3–8 PM

Come for the book talk, stay for the community. Whether you’ve finished the book, you’re halfway through, or you just want to hang out with fellow readers, there’s a seat for you.

Can’t make it in person? Our Discord and Patreon have discussion threads, this month’s reading guide, and all the bookish extras - both linked in our bio

Tell us in the comments: Whats your favorite EmHen book? Or is this your first? Let us know!

🏷️ summer reads book of the month can’t put down romance novel traveling book club recommendations spicy tbr reading list must read books to read books you’ll love grumpy sunshine trope enemies to lovers rivals to lovers small town forced proximity

Hands free? Never met her. Our tote summits with you because your current read doesn’t belong on the ground.

Black tie event? Our BookClubBabes tee and mug are the only accessories that matter. RSVP: yes, plus one (the mug)

Having a meltdown? You can write it out in our journal - or our pouch is perfect for stuffing feelings into.

Going to a Bad Bunny concert? You’ll be ready for when Benito finds you in the crowd and asks you to move to PR with our passport cover and luggage tag

Waterproof? No. Worth wearing anyway? Obviously.

Hey guys!

As you can clearly tell, we have merch for any and all occasions. So there’s really nothing stopping you from going to our website (link in bio) and buying all the cool stuff we have.

We promise you’ll be the belle of the ball when you walk in with our products - and everything pairs well with your ever growing TBR ✨

So go. What are you waiting for???

#smallbusiness #community #travelingbookclub #bookclubbabes

Not much beats a good Beach Read 🏖️ 📕

This is why @elizabethbyrnes.writes and @luxxadventures started Leaf & Wander — we wanted to build the kind of place that allows us to experience a read together. Not just a book club, but a place where romance, cozy fantasy, or whatever’s got you in a chokehold this month has the space to make you feel a part of the read.

More than a book club. We’re the traveling kind 🧳

#bookclub #travelingbookclub #beachreads #travelwithus

Book Club this month was everything ✨

Getting together at @29marklectbpt was the move. Excellent food, excellent vibes. Couldn’t be beat. (Seriously, go get their Brussel sprouts and the rosemary lemonade. You’re welcome.)

This month, we read Score by @kennedyryan1 — and it did not disappoint. As usual, Kennedy Ryan did a fabulous job of walking the line between real emotional depth and super spicy.
All of us had varying opinions, but the one thing we all agreed on: we highly recommend this must read

Stay tuned to see next month’s BOTM — or join our patreon to find out a little sooner!

While we’re waiting — what’s at the top of your TBR?

#bookclub #bookofthemonth #kennedyryan #booksyoulllove #romancebooks

ATTENTION TRAVELERS:

Hey Book Club Babes! Ready to take the book club on the road? 👀

In 2027, we’re planning our first group trip inspired by our reads 📚

Together, we’re trying to take book club travel beyond reading retreats to step inside the story. So head over to our Patreon for more info and early access to reservations when the time comes 🎉

✨ Get ready to be #BookedAndBoarded with us!

Where would you want to go first? 🧳

#bookishtravel #bookclub #readtheworld #travel

Recently I’ve: gotten stranded in the middle of the ocean, been stuck in a time loop (twice), survived a missile crisis, been forced to share a vacation rental with an ex/rival thanks to a dead parent’s dying wish (also twice??), moved into a cursed town, traveled through a few wormholes, read a bunch of books about people reading books, and created stories to share with the world (this one three times 🥹).

In other words: my recent reads. Swipe to see how my month went 📚

📖 Destination Funeral • @pharbaux
🎧 Reel • @kennedyryan1
🎧 All the Time in the World • @carabastone
📖 Love Felt Like This • @julieoliviaauthor
🎧 Swept Away • @betholearyauthor
🎧 Seek Immediate Shelter • @vinyu12
📖 Beach Read • @emilyhenrywrites
🎧 The Everlasting • @alix.e.harrow
🎧 Starling House • @alix.e.harrow
📖 Ask Me What I’m Reading • @eleanorgoymerwrites
📖 [ title to be announced ] • @elizabethbyrnes.writes

Let me know what you’ve been reading in the comments ✨

⏳ ONE WEEK

Next Sunday we’re gathering to talk all things Score by @kennedyryan1 — the tension, the second chances, the grand gestures. Come ready to discuss

📍 29 Markle Ct, Bridgeport, CT
🗓 Sun, July 26th
🕓 4–8 PM
✨ Dress theme: Jazz Club Glam

Think velvet, sequins, gold hoops, a red lip — whatever makes you feel like you belong on a stage in a smoky lounge. Come as glam or as low-key as you like, there’s no dress code police here.

Haven’t finished the book? Come anyway. Halfway through, still on chapter one, or just here for the vibes — there’s a seat for you.

Can’t make it? The discussion continues in our Discord and Patreon, with this month’s reading guide and all the bookish extras — both linked in our bio.

Drop a 🎷 in the comments if we’re seeing you Sunday! #bookstagram #bookclub #summerreads #blackexcellence #kennedyryan

Took my July book club read on a date around Cross River 📖✨

Score by @kennedyryan1 came along for the perfect cozy Saturday:

📍 First stop: @theborocafe
📍 Second stop: the cafe @yellowmonkeyvillage

We met up with @kaitlinbyrnes_ to swap book recs, dream up slow weekend plans, and compare ever-growing TBR piles

This is what Leaf & Wander is all about — good books, good company, and falling in love with the local spots that make a community feel like home.

Where would you take a book on a date? Drop your favorite go-tos in the comments 👇

#LeafAndWander #Bookstagram #BookDate #ShopLocal #BookClubReads

The vibe: slow morning
The necessities:
• that book from your TBR
• your favorite yummy breakfast
• the perfect reading playlist
• a cozy blanket
• a chai latte (or your drink of choice) in the Cherry Bow BookClubBabes mug from Leaf & Wander
The result: pure relaxation 🎀🍒

p.s. she has a matching journal, passport cover, and more so you can have your morning ritual at home or on the go.

p.p.s. she also comes in seven different styles. check them all out at leafandwander.com

Link in bio!!

#BookClubBabes #LeafAndWander #CozyReading #BookMerch #Bookstagram

📚 Our July Book of the Month is here!!!

We’re diving into Score by @kennedyryan1 - book two in the Hollywood Renaissance series. It has everything we love about her writing: emotional depth, slow-burn tension, and characters you’ll be thinking about long after the last page.

Want to talk about it with us IRL? Join us for our in-person book club meetup:

📍 29 Markle Ct, Bridgeport, CT 🗓 Sun, July 26th 🕓 4–8 PM

Come for the book talk, stay for the community. Whether you’ve finished the book, you’re halfway through, or it’s on your TBR and you just want to hang out with fellow readers - there’s a seat for you.

Can’t make it in person? Our Discord and Patreon have discussion threads, this month’s reading guide, and all the bookish extras - both linked in our bio

Tell us in the comments: have you read Kennedy Ryan before, or is this your first? #bookstagram #bookclub #summerreads #blackexcellence

📚 My TBR didn’t stand a chance these last two weeks. Summer reads just hit different.
I’ve been drowning in good books (send help (and more recs))

Week 1:
🎧 Seven Days in June • @tiawilliamswrites
📖 Score • @kennedyryan1
📖 The Open Era • @edwardschmit
🎧 How to End a Love Story • @yulin.kuang
📖 Stranger Things Have Happened • @kasiewest
📖 Destination Funeral • @pharbeaux

Week 2:
📖 (Finished) Destination Funeral
🎧 Reel • Kennedy Ryan
🎧 All the Time in the World • @carabastone
📖 Love Felt Like This • @julieoliviaauthor
🎧 Swept Away • @betholearyauthor
📖 Ask Me What I’m Reading • @eleanorgoymerwrites
🎧 Seek Immediate Shelter • @vinyu12

Which one’s making its way to your stack next? 👇

#summerreads #bookstagram #tbr #goodbooks #romance

We’re live ✨

Website, Patreon, and merch are all officially open!!!

Come read with us, travel with us, or just come hang. The community is free and the Patreon is waiting.

Check out the linktree in our bio for info on how to connect with us

#bookclub #travel #community #bookcommunity #bookstagram

Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke - A must read? A must listen? Our book club community couldn’t decide, but the best book club conversations aren’t the ones where everyone agrees.

This novel had us divided on format, divided on opinions, and united on one thing: it was absolutely fascinating.

The satire, the community discussion, the debate over audiobook vs ebook vs physical copy - Yesteryear has it all. Do yourself a favor and add it to your tbr.

Like, now.

#bookclub #bookstagram #tbr #mustread

Your sign to start your summer reading era 📖🌞

Leaf & Wander is here for every book that makes you forget what time it is.

New content, new picks, and new community energy — all summer long. Whether you’re a solo reader or looking for your bookish travel crew, this is the book club for you ✨

Stay close, because you won’t want to miss it.

What’s on your tbr? Drop it in the comments below ⬇️

#bookclub #summerreading #readingcommunity #tbr #booksofinstagram

A record, a candle, an iced coffee, and a good book. What else could you want?

📕 reading Starling House by @alix.e.harrow

#bookstagram #bookclub #cozyreads #hotgirlsread

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Join the Leaf & Wander Community

Merch is here!

September's Pick

About Us

MEET YOUR HOSTS

Elizabeth Byrnes

Maddie Luchsinger

HOW DO I JOIN?

Participate Online

Join

Listen

COMING SOON

Travel

COMING SOON

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FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM

Leaf & Wander