Dear Readers,

Our September pick is one of our favorite kinds of reads! The Invisible Hour is not only a book about books (which we love), but it’s also sprinkled with a bit of magic, that only New York Times bestselling author, Alice Hoffman, can weave throughout her novels.

Readers will fall in love with Mia, a teenage girl whose only solace is found in the pages of books, which are banned by the oppressive cult she’s being raised in. When one brilliant June day, Mia can no longer see a way to go on, she stumbles upon a special copy of Nathaniel Hawthorne's A Scarlett Letter, featuring a dedication that seems written just for her. Inspired to escape the confines of her life in the cult, Mia attempts to convince her mother to leave with her. But when tragedy strikes, Mia is left with no one to turn to, but the kind local librarian.

Years later Mia has found a new family and a place she truly belongs, working as a librarian at the New York Public Library. She can’t outrun her past though, and when it finally comes back to haunt her, what follows is a stunning story that blends history with a little bit of magic.

In The Invisible Hour, Alice Hoffman has crafted a story that is full of emotion, adventure, and resilient women. It highlights the power and magic of books and serves as a tribute to stories and the people they’re shared with. Readers will love to discuss the ability of novels to transport you to another time and place, expand your understanding of the world, and most importantly, to make you feel understood and not so alone.