A Parisian September with New Releases
Hello September! I’ve been waiting for you…
I’m not even going to pretend I’m sad that summer is over, since I’m more than ready for the cosy season to begin: days are getting noticeably shorter, my pyjamas are growing longer sleeves by the day, and the kettle is definitely back in business. I’m still carrying with me an aftertaste of the summer sluggishness, but as the temperatures start to drop, my mind gets clearer and focused as if by miracle. Setting an intention to enjoy the hot season has definitely helped, and I can honestly say this has been one of my most comfortable summers yet, but I cannot deny my natural rhythm: deep down, I don’t think I belong in the South, I’m up there by the Polar Circle with my cosy knitted shawls and fluffy socks, marvelling at the Northern Lights. So as my summer brain fog starts to drift away, I’m setting the mood for a relaxing and inspiring Autumn season.
After years of wandering through distant cultures—some virtual, others blissfully real—this autumn finds me falling back under Paris’s spell. It seems almost contradictory when the entire world adores the City of Light, yet even the most enchanting places can fade into routine, their magic obscured by the mundane rhythm of daily life. So here’s my gentle rebellion: three months of deliberate Parisian escapism, watching leaves transform along the Seine’s banks, turning pages of both timeless classics and fresh contemporary voices while cradling warm cups in the city’s intimate cafés. Let’s start with my literary mood board for September.
And this is most certainly the month of readers ! September in Paris pulses with literary energy—the Rentrée Littéraire arrives like a cultural awakening. Bookshops overflow with new releases, newspaper reviews multiply like autumn leaves, and book covers bloom across metro stations and bus stops. Even the most casual readers seem drawn to discover at least one title from this season’s harvest. It’s undeniably chic, fashionably Parisian, and admittedly not entirely aligned with my usual reading philosophy. Yet here I am, fully committed to this Parisian autumn, ready to experience the Rentrée in my own quiet way.
You know the classic, slightly humiliating moment when you admit not knowing something or someone, and the reply is: How can you not know who that is??? Well, I’m fully embracing it as my mantra for this new reading season, no shame, no intimidating remarks, I’m simply going for the titles I’ve never heard of, new(ish) releases here in France, famous or not – it doesn’t matter. My only goal is to discover something new to me. That way I can still participate in the excitement of the season that’s taking over every bookshop around the city, without feeling out of place because I’m not all that passionate about the latest titles.
My first selection that’s setting the tone for September is a series of new French translations – and that’s quite unusual for me, since two of the titles are originally written in English, so normally I would read them in the original. Look at me being adventurous and unpredictable!
My first pick was auspicious to say the least: if all of my autumnal reading follows its lead, then I’m in for a treat! The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods, translated as La librairie disparue, has been the perfect introduction to September reading. A story of old bookshops and secret lives, of feminine strength and resilience, this is a story you’ll not put down until the end. The plot unfolds in two different timeframes: the early XXth century between England, France and Ireland, and present day Dublin, with the stories of two women that weave together a canvas for hope and imagination. I loved the pace of the writing, it made me fly through the pages, almost with the curiosity of a young reader who’s about to discover the magic of books. Without being a fantasy novel, this has just enough magic to start you off in the cosy season with some great storytelling.
I continued in the line of “books about books” with The Lions of Fifth Avenue by Fiona Davis, translated as Les livres disparus de la 5e avenue. Another novel set between two eras, this one follows the intrigue of stolen rare novels from the New York Public Library, and has at its heart two female characters in search of their authentic voices in a world that seems determined to attribute fixed roles to each of them. The theme of female empowerment seems to resemble Evie Woods’ novel, yet their styles are very different, so reading them one after the other is quite interesting to observe. This might sound strange but I can somehow sense the European vs North American differences in writing: this is very personal and maybe hard to explain, it’s as if one was more dominated by the atmosphere, and the other by the plot itself. I’m not choosing favourites since I haven’t finished The Lions of Fifth Avenue quite yet, but what I can say is that I recommend both of them for a September read: they have mystery, they have books and strong female heroines, the perfect autumnal atmosphere.
My third choice was a return to Iceland with The Greenhouse by Auður Ava Ólafsdóttir, translated into French as Rosa Candida. Scandinavian literature bears no comparison, and among the five nations (well, three for the purists but I’m not one of them), Icelandic authors have a very distinctive style to them, almost a strangeness that I find fascinating to observe. The Greenhouse is living up to my expectations for now, I’m a little over half way through and I feel like each time I open the book, the Earth slows down its spinning just a little. Told by a young man moving out of the family home, the story meanders through the great events of human life – birth, commitment, discovery, loss – as if they were all just dreams we happen to have collectively. There is a detachment in the writing, even if it’s written in the first person, that I recognize from my previous incursions into Icelandic literature. I almost feel like nothing actually happens in the novel, yet the author manages to cover almost the whole spectrum of the human experience, but she does it so effortlessly and almost so neutrally, that I felt almost unprepared at times, to seize all its subtleties. I feel this isn’t a book for everyone, you need a certain mood and open-mindedness to appreciate it. So maybe keep that in mind…
Readers will recognize the unique delight that September brings along with its chilly early evenings: the pleasure of curling up on the sofa with your book and a nice cup of tea. After almost two months of my cold brew green tea, I am thrilled to be returning to one of my dearest rituals, and even though my cupboards are screaming with tea boxes everywhere, I couldn’t help a little shopping adventure in the land of Danish delights: Søstrene Grene. Ever since the brand opened in France, a few years ago, this has become my happy place even if it’s just for browsing interior design objects, useful scandinavian utensils or beautiful paper napkins. Forest Breeze—a black tea with juniper berries, blackberry and redcurrant leaves—is a bridge between the brightness of summer and the depth of autumn. It reminds me of tiny wild blueberries found in the forests back in Romania, the ones that colour your tongue a dark purple and stain your fingertips with a delicious blue-ish juice. It’s the perfect companion for this gentle transition from sun-drenched afternoons to candlelit evenings.
And since we’re speaking of cosy evenings, for me September signs the return of needlework in my life. Some of my favourite moments are spent knitting or crocheting while listening to an audiobook – somehow the monotony of the manual task liberates my mind completely, and I’m able to be fully present with what I’m listening, it’s the perfect combination. I’ll tell you more about the audiobook I’m currently listening to in a later article. As for the knitting, after hours of browsing on Pinterest for inspiration, I’ve decided to make a long vest, almost a dress actually, to layer over pants and a white shirt. I love this yarn, a combination of merino wool and cashmere – it’s a more affordable way of adding quality to my wardrobe, I can’t wait to show you the final result.
Last but not least, I wanted to mention a little DIY project that fits the start of September like a glove, and is almost a compulsory element of my reading evenings. I’ve had this lovely scented candle for some years now, the amber perfume is absolutely exquisite, it’s been a gift I adored receiving. However, the three wick principle didn’t seem to work very well, since one by one, the three flames got drowned by the melted wax. So just the other day I decided to melt everything and pour it in an old candle container with a fresh new wick – it feels brand new and brings such warming aromas in the air, I’m obsessed with it all over again!
Reuse, recycle, make the best of what you have, this is the time for it. Once the summer barbeques are over, the late dinners with friends going long into the night or the lazy days by the sea carefully packed in your memories drawer, you have time to come back to basics. Making the best out of your precious alone time to get inspired, returning indoors for the cosy comfort of home, breathing deeply in the knowledge that Autumn brings quiet and rest, peaceful moments of grace.
Until next time, enjoy your newly regained space of books and ritual.
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Written by Alexandra Poppy
Writer, reader & curator of The Ritual of Reading
I’m Alexandra, the voice behind The Ritual of Reading. Somewhere between a stack of novels and a half-finished pot of tea, I keep finding traces of the life I want to live—slower, richer, filled with stories. The Ritual of Reading is where I gather what I love: books that linger, places with a past, and rituals that make ordinary days feel a little more meaningful. I write from Paris, where elegant bookshops and old-fashioned cafés offer endless inspiration—and I share it here, hoping it brings a spark to your own days, too.
