Friday Finds | August 28, 2026

"The best reading weeks don't always introduce us to our next favorite book-they remind us why we fell in love with reading in the first place."
- Gina Rae Mitchell

Welcome to Friday Finds | August 28, 2026

Some reading weeks are packed with books, while others leave a little more room for everything happening around them. This was definitely one of those weeks for me, but the books I did spend time with couldn't have been more different-and that's part of the fun.

This week's Friday Finds wanders from a cozy mystery to a celebration of grandparents, with a detour into near-future cyberpunk. There's also an audiobook sale worth browsing, a refreshing late-summer Sip & Savor, and a Featured Find that just happens to fit today's peachy mood perfectly.

So grab your favorite drink, settle into your reading chair, and let's see what we found this week.

🪑 From My Reading Chair

Every book has a story beyond its plot. These are the ones that stayed with me this week.

🌿 On the Blog This Week

The Carrot Marmalade Murder by Meg Benjamin

A wedding is approaching, the food sounds delicious, and the suspects keep multiplying. The Carrot Marmalade Murder by Meg Benjamin is a character-driven Colorado cozy with clever red herrings, plenty of small-town charm, and a final reveal that caught me completely by surprise.

Read the Review →

Also This Week

My Grandma and Grandpa Rock by Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo

Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo celebrate grandparents in all their wonderful variety in My Grandma and Grandpa Rock!, a colorful, toe-tapping picture book that's especially fun to read aloud with the littles.

Read the Review →

🌿 Community Corner

Audiobook listeners, this one's for you! Chirp is holding a huge End-of-Summer Blowout Sale, with hundreds of bestselling audiobooks priced under $6. Chirp doesn't require a subscription or membership, so you can simply grab the titles that catch your eye. If you've been looking to stock up on listens for fall-or perhaps an upcoming road trip-this might be a good time to browse.

🌟 Featured Author Spotlight

💭 My Reflections

I first discovered Seth W. James through Ethos of Cain, the opening novel in The Cain Series. Its blend of near-future technology, moral questions, political intrigue, and fast-moving science fiction gave me plenty to think about while keeping me invested in Cain's story.

I've also come to appreciate Seth as a wonderfully supportive member of the book community. He never seems to miss an opportunity to share one of my reviews, particularly on Bluesky, and I'm always happy to see authors supporting reviewers and fellow book lovers that way. If near-future science fiction with a cyberpunk edge appeals to you, Ethos of Cain is a natural place to start exploring his work.

And apparently Ethos of Cain did its job-I just downloaded Book 2 of The Cain Series through Kindle Unlimited, so I'll be spending a little more time in Seth's cyberpunk world soon.

📚 Start Here: My Featured Review

• Ethos of Cain → Review
  A fast, action-driven science fiction thriller with a relatable mercenary lead, moral tension, and just enough cyberpunk flavor.

✨ Featured Author Spotlight introduces readers to authors whose work has been featured on the blog, along with my personal reflections and a few recommended places to begin.

🍹 Sip & Savor: Sparkling Peach Iced Tea

Late August calls for something cold, fruity, and easy. This sparkling peach iced tea combines classic sweet tea flavor with juicy peaches and a splash of bubbles for a refreshing end-of-summer drink.

🍑 Sparkling Peach Iced Tea

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 4 black tea bags
• 4 cups water
• 2 ripe peaches, sliced
• 2-3 tablespoons honey or sugar, to taste
• 2 cups chilled sparkling water
• Ice
• Fresh peach slices and mint, for garnish

Directions

1. Bring 2 cups of the water to a boil. Remove from the heat, add the tea bags, and steep for about 5 minutes.
2. Remove the tea bags and stir in the honey or sugar while the tea is still warm.
3. Add the remaining 2 cups of cold water and the sliced peaches. Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.
4. When ready to serve, fill glasses with ice and pour in the peach iced tea.
5. Top each glass with chilled sparkling water and gently stir.
6. Garnish with fresh peach slices and mint, if desired.

Tip: For an even stronger peach flavor, lightly muddle a few peach slices in the bottom of the pitcher before adding the chilled tea.

Perfect for a warm afternoon, a good book, and one last taste of summer. 🍑📘

🍑 Featured Find

This section may contain affiliate links, which help support the blog at no extra cost to you.

📚 This Week's Reader Question

When you love the first book in a series, do you jump straight into Book 2, or do you like to take a break before continuing?

Judging by the new Kindle Unlimited download sitting on my Kindle, you can probably guess my answer this week. 😄

📜 More Friday Finds

Missed a week? Browse previous editions of Friday Finds for more book reviews, author spotlights, reader favorites, recipes, and discoveries.

Browse the Friday Finds Archive →

Thank you for spending part of your week with me. I hope you have a peaceful, joy-filled weekend filled with good books and little moments to savor.

Until next week's Friday Finds,
Gina