Welcome back to a new installment of Bookmarked, a series where our favorite authors, readers, and otherwise bookish people share their best book recommendations and reading rituals.

If you’ve browsed bookstagram, you’ve likely come across Michelle Martin’s posts. I can’t remember when I first stumbled upon her feed, but I was immediately hooked. The warmth of her gorgeous photography instantly captures your attention—Michelle is a full-time wedding photographer—and her book recommendations always seem to hit that perfect sweet spot between literary and pleasure reading.

“I read a mix of literary fiction and romance, so I love anything that is well-written with great characters. I’m a sucker for family dramas, a well-written historical fiction novel with a strong female protagonist, an Irish novel, a small-town setting, and British rom-coms,” she tells me. I mean! How perfect is this mix?

Michelle shares with us her best book recommendations and a slice of life with her husband and two fluffy cats in idyllic Portland, Maine. ⛵️ Meet me there next summer? Enjoy! –Alisha

Get to Know Michelle Martin

Hi, Michelle! You’ve lived in Boston and New York City, and now you live on the coast of Maine with your husband, which sounds idyllic. What does life look like there?

It's lovely here! My husband and I always wanted to live in Maine but joked that we wouldn’t be able to move here until we retired. Then, about two years ago, our life circumstances miraculously allowed for it. My husband was able to work remotely, and I decided to become self-employed, so we took the plunge and haven’t looked back!

We live in Portland, so even though it took time to get used to living in a smaller city, it's still walkable and bikeable. There are tons of great restaurants and shops—we have 4 independent bookstores just downtown. So, it feels a little like a neighborhood in a bigger city. I love that we have access to the ocean; I start most days with a walk around the cove and love seeing the seasons change throughout the year (even if winter lingers longer than we'd like sometimes).

Which can’t-miss spots in Portland would you recommend to a visitor?

I have a long list of recommendations, but my ideal summer Portland day, if not leaving the confines of the city, is to grab a bagel at Rose Foods, walk to Coveside Coffee for a delicious iced latte, pop into Back Cove Books for a bookstore browse, and then ride my bike to the Eastern Promenade and spend the afternoon overlooking Casco Bay sprawled on a blanket reading. End the day with a pre-dinner drink at Après and a tasty bowl of noodles at The Honey Paw. I'm vegetarian, so I can't vouch for all the fantastic seafood places people typically associate with Maine.

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As a wedding photographer, I assume you’ve seen it all. :) What’s something surprising that has worked in getting a really gorgeous shot?

I'm entering my third year of doing wedding photography full-time, and something that has consistently worked well for getting a good shot is slowing down, stepping back, and letting people be themselves. Once I stopped going into wedding days with preconceived notions about how I would capture the day and instead just allowed the day to unfold, witness it, and document it, I started noticing all the smaller moments that showcase genuine emotion and connection. The photos that, hopefully, transport people back to the feeling of the day. I love the moments after the ceremony when everyone greets the couple and just being a fly on the wall, photographing all that joy and celebration.

What does downtime look like in your household?

On a typical weekday, I log off work around 4:30 and then go for a walk or do a dance workout (I got very into these last year; they are so fun!) to unwind from the work day. After that, I read or crochet for a little bit. Once my husband finishes work, we make dinner and watch a few episodes of whatever show we have going at the moment (currently Seinfeld). While one of us cleans up, the other usually does playtime with our two cats. This is key to preventing them from waking us up at 3am! Then, I'll either read on the couch for an hour or two, or if it's getting late, get straight into bed and read before turning in for the night. A basic evening ritual, but it helps me unwind.

I’m curious, as an avid reader, what is your take on the state of book reviews online?

I know people have many opinions on this, but what I’ve learned works best for me in my reading life is finding a handful of other bookish people and trusted publications and leaning on them for book reviews. Otherwise, it’s far too noisy for me, and my enjoyment of my reading life suffers from it. So, I generally tune out a lot of online book reviews. But I really enjoyed this podcast episode from Sara Hildreth and Traci Thomas about the state of book criticism. Lots of bookish food for thought!

Michelle’s Reading Rituals

What does your reading routine or ritual look like?

I'm an evening reader. I generally read on the couch for a few hours in the evening or in bed before going to sleep. I like to read in bigger chunks of time because it helps to immerse me in the story. And I don't discriminate on format; I read physical books and e-books on my Kindle, and I love a good audiobook walk. 

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A post shared by @backcovebooks

What's your ideal/dream reading setup?

I'm in a comfy chair on our screened-in porch, so I can still enjoy a warm breeze, soft outside sounds, and fresh air, but I have plenty of shade. I have the whole afternoon free, with no obligations. I've got a great book that I’m excited about, an iced decaf hazelnut latte, some Trader Joe's dark chocolate peanut butter cups for a snack, and my two cats are sunbathing nearby. That sounds like pure bliss to me.

Michelle's two beloved cats. (Photos by Michelle Martin)

What’s your favorite indie bookstore?

Ah, it's tough to pick just one! I have to go with Papercuts Bookshop in Boston. It used to be my neighborhood bookstore when we lived there, and I discovered so many under-the-radar gems from the booksellers there. I still make a point to visit every time we take a day trip to Boston.

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A post shared by @papercutsjp

How and where do you discover new books to read?

As an online bookish person, I’ve amassed a few places I discover new books. I love to see what the booksellers are recommending at my local indies, and I subscribe to a handful of bookish Substacks written by readers whose recommendations haven't steered me wrong yet (shared here and here). Abra McAndrew is putting together a BookStack directory currently, so if you have some time and want to poke around, it’s a great resource.

I also trust Kirkus starred reviews and the Indie Next List. As a book influencer, I use Netgalley and spend time browsing my favorite publishers every few months to see what new releases they have coming up.

Can you show us where you read?

Here is my little reading nook in my office, with my shelves where I keep some of my favorites.

Michelle’s Book Recommendations

A book you’d recommend to all your friends:

Piglet by Lottie Hazell. I cannot stop thinking about it since I read it a few months ago.

A book that impacted you during your childhood:

Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine. I remember having my first book hangover after finishing this one.

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A book that helped you turn your brain off recently, in a good way:

Funny Story by Emily Henry. A fizzy delight!

A book that would make a great book club pick:

The Arsonists’ City by Hala Alyan. An unputdownable family saga rife for discussion.

A book that made you think recently, or has really stuck with you:

Open Throat by Henry Hoke. One of the most concise, creative novels I’ve read in a long time.

A book that gave you all the feelings:

The End of the World is a Cul de Sac by Louise Kennedy. A collection that exposes the dark interior of women’s lives.

A go-to comfort read:

I love British romantic comedies, so anything from Sophie Cousens, Lizzy Dent, or Beth O’Leary.

Thank you so much, Michelle! What do you think about her book recommendations? Any fellow Portlanders? Leave a comment below.

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