September 2019 Wrap Up!

A lot has happened since my last wrap up post (in June…oops). I took a step back from blogging in July and half of August, then decided I missed it too much in late August. So I’m back! I was just a little too overwhelmed, with too many ARCs and a major reading slump. But I pushed through it, and I’m excited to be blogging regularly again.

I read ten books this month! That’s so crazy good for me! And I read SOOOO many good books this month, too. Plus, six of those were five star reads! Why was September so good to me???

September Reads

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Rating: 5 out of 5.

I bought Illuminae at B&N during their 50% off sale, and I’m SO glad I did. What a ride. The hype is so real around this series, so I was a bit nervous. But the alternate format really appealed to me, so I was like, “why not?” So so so so so good. I decided not to write a review for it on here, because honestly, what can I say that hasn’t been said? If you like sci-fi and an interesting writing style, you will fall in love with this fast-paced, thrilling book. Can’t wait for the next one.  

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Rating: 5 out of 5.

In the month of August, and half of September, I began reading a ton of books from authors who live in Utah (where I’m from.) My local book club was hosting 20 of these local authors, and I wanted to read their books and support them! I was lucky to get an ARC from NetGalley for Scars Like Wings, and wow. Just wow. This book is heart breaking and beautiful in so many ways. My full review can be found here.

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Rating: 4 out of 5.

Another local author read, though Shannon Hale did not go to the event I mentioned earlier (someday I’ll meet her though!) Real Friends is a MG graphic novel that explores the different friendships Shannon had when she was in elementary school. It’s honest, not sugar coated at all, and I related to young Shannon so much. Friendship is such an important thing when you’re young, but it’s SO hard. Really enjoyed this book, and I cannot wait to read Shannon’s middle school adventures in Best Friends coming out next month!

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Rating: 5 out of 5.

Aaaaand another local author’s book! And I did get to meet Crystal Smith and she’s the sweetest!!! Plus, Bloodleaf is amazing. It’s a Goose Girl dark fantasy retelling, and it is SO intense. I cannot wait to read the next book. You can find my full review here.

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Rating: 4 out of 5.

Unwind was a free read on Riveted by Simon Teen in celebration of Banned Books Week. Plus, it’s been on my TBR forever. Boy is it chilling. Three teenagers on the run from being unwound, aka their body parts being divided up and donated so that they’re technically alive while being useful. It’s a suspenseful, thrilling read and I would definitely recommend it. I can’t decide if I should read the sequels, or just go on to read Shusterman’s newer books, which are also on my TBR for this year.

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Rating: 5 out of 5.

Oh this book. So this was a re-read for me! I beta read Wall of Crosses last year, before it came out, and it was really fun to re-read it and finally see what changes she made to the final book. This psychological drama is fascinating. So much family drama. So many secrets. The second time around was even better because I could see all the set up the author did to reveal her plot twists. My full review is coming soon!

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Rating: 5 out of 5.

After I read books like Anya and the Dragon, I always say I need to read more MG fantasy. I truly do. Also, this is another local author book! I briefly met the author at my book club event and she was so wonderful! This book is so much fun. It’s a historical fantasy set in Russia amidst war, though the book is set in a small village. Anya has to deal with prejudice against her religion (she’s Jewish) and figure out how to save her family from being kicked out of their house. The dragon she meets is definitely my favorite dragon ever now. You can read my full review here.

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Rating: 5 out of 5.

I also met the author of Blind Dates, Bridesmaids, and Other Disasters at the book club event, and she told me that all of the dates in this book are based on true stories. I knew I instantly needed to read this book. And WOW, what a ride. I could not stop laughing and cringing, and then with the actual romance I could not stop swooning. This book was one of the best books I’ve read in a long time, and if I could give it six stars on Goodreads, I would. Highly, highly recommend. Full review is coming soon.

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Rating: 4 out of 5.

Wonder Woman: The Just War was the first ARC that I got approved on Edelweiss! You bet I was excited! And I was not disappointed! Wonder Woman dealing with Ares being back from imprisonment…and he’s a good guy? The moral dilemmas that Diana has to face is interesting, and her relationship with Steve is so sweet. Full review coming soon.

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Rating: 4 out of 5.

This was such a fun, quirky MG fantasy! I enjoyed going along with Clementine’s adventure and various responsibilities. I also loved the themes of good vs. evil (and if there even is a versus). 

Writing

It’s amazing, I’m actually writing! I have done a ton of world building this month, and it has gotten me excited to get back into the actual story. But I’m still holding off. There’s a lot about my world I don’t understand yet that is important to my story. Hopefully I can finish the brain storming process by November, but I’m not pushing myself too much. 

IRL

Quite a bit happened this month! It also went by super fast—this whole year has gone by way faster that I ever expected.   As I keep mentioning, the book club I’m in, YA and Wine, hosted 20 local authors! It was a crazy fun night. To prepare, I read a ton of local authors books in August and September including: 

• Into the Hourglass by Emily R. King
• Burning Glass by Kathryn Purdie
• Simply Starstruck by Aspen Hadley
• Last Star Burning by Caitlin Sangster
• Defy by Sara B. Larson
• Scars Like Wings by Erin Stewart
• Bloodleaf by Crystal Smith

I also bought a TON of books by these authors. So worth it. And all of them except three in the pic below were signed that night.

I regret not taking more pictures! But I was carrying around two giant tote bags filled with books, and it was dark…so it was probably for the best. But I really had a blast. My highlights were meeting Crystal Smith (author of Bloodleaf) and Tiana Smith (author of Match Me if You Can). They were so much fun. I had interacted with both of them on Instagram before, but meeting them in person was wonderful. They are so funny and down-to-earth. I also loved seeing Caitlin Sangster again. We’ve also interacted a lot online, and we finally met in person at a book event a few months ago. She asked me how my writing was doing and really listened. It totally made my whole night.   I also made a huge change on my blog! I made the jump from Blogger to WordPress, and I’ve been LOVING it. I kind of wish I’d made the change sooner. I’ll probably write a blog post soon about why I made the switch.   My writing group met for the first time in a long time. It felt wonderful to chat with them about our books—and for the first time in even more months, I had something to share with them (just the world building notes I mentioned above, but still!)   With the fall and rainy season upon me, I’ve been doing a lot of reading as well. It’s been a wonderful month.  

On the Blog

Most Popular Blog Post

5 Backlist YA Books to Read this Fall  

I did not write very many blog posts this month…but I’m getting back into it! Here are some other blog posts I wrote this month:  

• Heartbreaking and Hopeful || ARC Review: Scars Like Wings
• Fun Friendships and Shenanigans in Exciting Dragon Fantasy || ARC Review: Anya and the Dragon
• Fierce and Frightening Feminist Dystopian || ARC Review: The Grace Year
• Dark, Thrilling Goose Girl || Review: Bloodleaf

Thanks for stopping by my September wrap-up! It’s always fun looking back on a month. Let me know how your month went! I’d love to hear!