Ugh! I’m so late on posting this! I even started typing this in September but life got busy and I forgot to finish! Boo. Anyway, here is my September reading wrap up!
September was my best reading month so far this year! I managed to complete ten books which is double most of my previous months. It’s helped me get back on track for my yearly reading goal of 75 books and I’m definitely in the reading spirit. I was able to read so much for a couple of reasons. First, I’m injured so I’ve been doing a lot of hanging on the couch lately with plenty of time to do some reading. Second, I LOVE reading scary books in October so I wanted to get some of the non-horror books on my TBR list completed before the month of the spooky books! I read a couple of duds this month but overall, I was happy with my September reading experience.
The Bookstore by Deborah Meyler
This book was great! It was sweet and the main character bonded with some really unique and memorable characters. When I went to enter my review in Goodbooks, I noticed it had received a really low rating from other readers. Others had issue with her passive nature and that fact that she was bullied and torn down by her boyfriend/fiancé throughout the novel. I suppose I understand what their rationale but having been a girl in college in my early twenties, I can say that I had my share of crappy, mistreating boyfriends so I feel the author was just hitting real life on the head. Despite their bad reviews, I still really enjoyed this book.
Then She was Gone by Lisa Jewell
This was my first audiobook for the month. I think it was a great book to listen to. It’s engaging and suspenseful but not so much so that I risked running off the road while driving to work! I loved the character development and I started guessing their relationships early on, even though I was only right about a few. The twists in this book are heart wrenching and surprising which kept me wanting to listen. I even ran a few extra errands this month so I could keep listening to find out what happened next. I would definitely recommend this to a reader who enjoys a suspenseful novel.
The Rooster Bar by John Grisham
I started this book three times before I really got into it. I think the first few chapters are a bit dull and seem to lag. I’m so glad I stuck with it though. This is a book unlike anything else I’ve read. The story line is incredibly creative. I’ve read so many books recently that seem to be written with the same prompt but this was so different. When I started the book I had no idea it was going in the direction that it did. I was interested throughout the entire novel (well, after the first couple of chapters) and the ending is totally satisfying!
Three Wishes by Liane Moriarity
I switch back and forth between Liane Moriarity and Kristin Hannah as my favorite author. After reading this I realize they have such differences that they are both my favorite. I’m allowed to do that! I love how real Liane Moriarity’s characters are. They are always dealing with real life problems that so many people can relate to. I loved all three women in this book and their interactions make me miss seeing my own sister everyday. There are twists in this book, as there typically are in her novels, but overall it’s just an easy, fly through it, read. I always blow through her books, no matter how long they are.
To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han
I am SO behind on reading this! I even read this after the Netflix movie came out. I’ve seen the hype and needed to hop on the YA bandwagon again. This was an audiobook for me and it was a PERFECT audiobook choice! Like similar books, it’s easy to read and a fun, mindless novel to knock out quickly. I knew this came with two sequels, one of which I ordered halfway through my reading of this one. Basically, this book is cute. The characters are well developed and relatable and their interactions take me back to my own high school days. I did watch the Netflix version and I was a little disappointed with the differences in the book and the movie. I liked the book quite a bit better but I’m chalking up the differences to needing to keep the movie relatively short. Although, the end of the movie ruined the cliff hanger at the end of book so that’s frustrating.
Where She Went by Gayle Forman
Ok… I wanted to like this. I liked If I Stay a lot but this was nothing like it. This book felt like it was forced. A sequel didn’t need to happen and I don’t know if the publishers pushed Forman to write this or if she was trying to stretch her popularity after If I Stay. It took me a good twenty pages to figure out which character was telling the story! I think this was a big miss and I don’t recommend reading it because it ruined If I Stay for me.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone AND Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K Rowling
I’m lumping these two together because, lets be honest, I don’t have much to add to the million plus reviews that are out there for the Harry Potter books! The Harry Potter books are all they are cracked up to be. They are fun, imaginative and such a pleasure to read. I read both of these in two days. This series will be one I finish quickly and I will love every minute of it!
The Dead Path by Stephen M. Irwin
SO FREAKING WEIRD! SO SO WEIRD. I have little else to say. I think I liked this book but I’m not sure! Parts were incredibly interesting and engaging and others were really confusing. And OMG so many spiders in this book. I won’t ruin it by telling more but if even the thought of the eight legged creatures gets you squirming, you will be VERY uncomfortable reading The Dead Path. I’m thinking of writing a full review on this book, once I can figure out what the hell happened in it.
The Wife by Alafair Burke
This was an audio book for me. It’s good enough that I had this going in my office while I worked, before I went to sleep, in the car, and basically anywhere I could because I was so interested in what would happen. I wanted to punch the husband throughout most of the book so there’s that, but other than my pent up aggression towards cheating bastards I really loved listening to this. The lead character is powerful and pretty realistic. She stands by her man in tough times but she sure doesn’t get walked all over. The problem with this book is it doesn’t stand out for me because similar books were published around the same time. I think if that wasn’t the case this really would be a book I’d think about often and recommend freely.
Ok I’m so excited it’s October! I have so many spooky reads and a lot of time to read them! Check out my October TBR, coming soon!