What I Read in September 2023

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Hello! It's that time of the month once again, which means it's time for my monthly reading wrap-up. I read 13 books in September, which isn't a whole lot, but I was in a bit of a slump for the first half of this month.

I'm going to structure this post slightly different than my post from August. Instead of having the synopsis first, I'm going to do my review first with the synopsis afterward. I decided to reverse them after getting feedback that it would be easier to read my posts that way. So, with that said, here we go! Below is everything I read during the month of September.

- Under Her Care by Lucinda Berry: I rated this book 4/5 stars and finished it on September 7th. I thought this book was...a lot. It hit home for me personally being on the spectrum, but I thought the twist was kind of insane. Would I recommend this book? Sure; I thought autism was portrayed well-ish, and I liked the dual POV between two of the main FMC's in this book. It was just..it didn't need to be so gruesome I think.

"On a humid summer day in Alabama, a mayor’s wife turns up brutally murdered under a railroad bridge. Standing next to her body is fourteen-year-old Mason Hill, the autistic son of former Miss USA Genevieve Hill. The locals are quick to level their verdict on young Mason: he did it. The town detective calls in local autism expert Casey Walker to consult on the case. At first, Casey tries to keep an open mind. But the more time she spends with Genevieve, the more her unease grows, and she suspects that Genevieve is doing more than just protecting her son. Casey’s misgivings surrounding Genevieve’s story only intensify when she meets Savannah, Genevieve’s nineteen-year-old daughter. Savannah, as it turns out, has some disturbing secrets of her own. But as Casey dives ever deeper into the Hill family dynamic, her search for the truth leads to another shocking murder—one that shatters her understanding of the human condition in ways she never imagined."

- The Last Word by Taylor Adams: I rated this book 2/5 stars and finished it on September 13th. This book was definitely a letdown for me. I saw it in Large Print at my library and picked it up immediately because the premise seemed cool. Unfortunately, I didn't know it at the time, but that would be the only cool thing about this book. I don't want to bash it hard-core, because it wasn't necessarily a bad book. The main reason why my rating isn't higher is because it felt slow and long. This book is 400 pages long (it's longer with large print, which could be my mistake) but it felt so much longer. It dragged on for the first half of this book, so much so that I had to refrain from DNFing it altogether. I don't believe in DNFing books unless you absolutely have to, and in this case, I definitely wish I had. I loved the twists, though they all came at the very end, so they didn't feel as impactful to me. I'd definitely recommend No Exit by him though, because that was fantastic. This? Not so much.

"After posting a negative review of a horror novel, a woman staying at an isolated beach house begins to wonder if the author is a little touchy—or very, very dangerous—in this pulse-pounding novel of psychological suspense and terror from the critically acclaimed author of No Exit and Hairpin Bridge. Emma Carpenter lives in isolation with her golden retriever Laika, house-sitting an old beachfront home on the rainy Washington coast. Her only human contact is her enigmatic old neighbor, Deek, and (via text) the house’s owner, Jules. One day, she reads a poorly written—but gruesome—horror novel by the author H. G. Kane, and posts a one-star review that drags her into an online argument with none other than the author himself. Soon after, disturbing incidents start to occur at night. To Emma, this can’t just be a coincidence. It was strange enough for this author to bicker with her online about a lousy review; could he be stalking her, too? As Emma digs into Kane’s life and work, she learns he has published sixteen other novels, all similarly sadistic tales of stalking and murder. But who is he? How did he find her? And what else is he capable of?"

- The It Girl by Ruth Ware: I rated this book 5/5 stars and finished it on September 14th. Sometime this year, I believe in either June or July, I read The Woman in Cabin 10 by her. She hasn't missed yet. I know I've only read a couple of her books, but I do plan on reading more. I think her style of writing is easy to follow, the characters are easy to follow, and I haven't seen the twists coming. I think this book was pretty unique in the thriller genre, and I'd recommend it to anyone.

"April Coutts-Cliveden was the first person Hannah Jones met at Oxford. Vivacious, bright, occasionally vicious, and the ultimate It girl, she quickly pulled Hannah into her dazzling orbit. Together, they developed a group of devoted and inseparable friends—Will, Hugh, Ryan, and Emily—during their first term. By the end of the second, April was dead. Now, a decade later, Hannah and Will are expecting their first child, and the man convicted of killing April, former Oxford porter John Neville, has died in prison. Relieved to have finally put the past behind her, Hannah’s world is rocked when a young journalist comes knocking and presents new evidence that Neville may have been innocent. As Hannah reconnects with old friends and delves deeper into the mystery of April’s death, she realizes that the friends she thought she knew all have something to hide… including a murder."

- The Brothers Hawthorne by Jennifer Lynn Barnes: I rated this book 6/5 stars and finished it on September 15th. This is the fourth out of five in her Inheritance Games series. This was my first of a few six-star reads this month, and for good reason. I loved the original trilogy of course, but this one having a dual alternating POV of just Jameson and Grayson was great. I thought each of their respective storylines were well-written, the characters were all very likable, and I liked how the ending left us on the perfect cliffhanger for the fifth book when it comes out sometime next year. Oh! I'd absolutely recommend this book, the whole series really. It's a great YA mystery series that's easy to follow with short chapters and extremely likable characters.

"Grayson Hawthorne was raised as the heir apparent to his billionaire grandfather, taught from the cradle to put family first. Now the great Tobias Hawthorne is dead and his family disinherited, but some lessons linger. When Grayson’s half-sisters find themselves in trouble, he swoops in to do what he does best: take care of the problem—efficiently, effectively, mercilessly. And without getting bogged down in emotional entanglements. Jameson Hawthorne is a risk-taker, a sensation-seeker, a player of games. When his mysterious father appears and asks for a favor, Jameson can’t resist the challenge. Now he must infiltrate London’s most exclusive underground gambling club, which caters to the rich, the powerful, and the aristocratic, and win an impossible game of greatest stakes. Luckily, Jameson Hawthorne lives for impossible. Drawn into twisted games on opposite sides of the globe, Grayson and Jameson—with the help of their brothers and the girl who inherited their grandfather’s fortune—must dig deep to decide who they want to be and what each of them will sacrifice to win."

- Beyond the Wand, The Magic and Mayhem of Growing Up a Wizard by Tom Felton: I rated this book 5/5 stars and finished it on September 15th. This is the second autobiography I've read this year, with the first one being Jennette McCurdy's. I liked this one a lot because I feel like I learned a lot about Tom and his childhood while also learning about how the Harry Potter movies shaped his acting career. I didn't know he was older than the main three when they started filming, and that he had done projects prior to being cast in HP. It was very interesting and informative for sure. I'd recommend this to anyone who's a Harry Potter lover or anyone who loves autobiographies about people from their childhood.

"Tom Felton’s adolescence was anything but ordinary. His early rise to fame in beloved films like The Borrowers catapulted him into the limelight, but nothing could prepare him for what was to come after he landed the iconic role of the Draco Malfoy, the bleached blonde villain of the Harry Potter movies. For the next ten years, he was at the center of a huge pop culture phenomenon and yet, in between filming, he would go back to being a normal teenager trying to fit into a normal school. Speaking with great candor and his signature humor, Tom shares his experience growing up as part of the wizarding world while also trying to navigate the muggle world. He tells stories from his early days in the business like his first acting gig where he was mistaken for fellow blonde child actor Macaulay Culkin and his Harry Potter audition where, in a very Draco-like move, he fudged how well he knew the books the series was based on (not at all). He reflects on his experiences working with cinematic greats such as Alan Rickman, Sir Michael Gambon, Dame Maggie Smith, and Ralph Fiennes (including that awkward Voldemort hug). And, perhaps most poignantly, he discusses the lasting relationships he made over that decade of filming, including with Emma Watson, who started out as a pesky nine-year-old whom he mocked for not knowing what a boom mic was but who soon grew into one of his dearest friends. Then, of course, there are the highs and lows of fame and navigating life after such a momentous and life-changing experience."

- Sad Monsters: Growling on the Outside, Crying on the Inside by Frank Lesser: I rated this book 4/5 stars and finished it on September 15th. I thought this book was adorable! I loved all the little creatures scattered throughout, and even though it seemed kind of childish at first, it did have a deeper meaning. I'd recommend this to anyone and everyone who's had a hard time in their life, or someone who enjoyed the book Where The Wild Things Are in their youth.

"Monsters have it tough. Besides being deeply misunderstood, they suffer from very real Mummies have body image issues, Godzilla is going through an existential crisis, and creatures from the black lagoon face discrimination from creatures from the white lagoon. At heart, these monsters are human; after all, you are what you eat. Quirkily illustrated, Sad Monsters hilariously documents the trials and tribulations of all the undead creatures monster-mad readers have grown to love, from vampires and werewolves, to chupacabras and sphinxes, and even claw-footed bathtubs."

- Believarexic by Jennifer Johnson: I rated this book 6/5 stars and finished it on September 16th. This was another six-star read for me this month. I didn't realize it was an autobiography until a little bit later, but I think knowing that made it better. As someone who's gone through many periods of disordered eating in her life, to the point of almost having an eating disorder, I thought this was fantastic. The author did a great job portraying what it's like living with that, and also how it feels getting treatment in a hospital. Overall, I think she did a fantastic job and I'd recommend this to anyone who's going/has gone through something similar in their life.

"Fifteen-year-old Jennifer has to force her family to admit she needs help for her eating disorder. But when her parents sign her into the Samuel Tuke Center, she knows it’s a terrible mistake. The facility’s locked doors, cynical nurses, and punitive rules are a far cry from the peaceful, supportive environment she’d imagined. In order to be discharged, Jennifer must make her way through the strict treatment program—as well as harrowing accusations, confusing half-truths, and startling insights. She is forced to examine her relationships, both inside and outside the hospital. She must relearn who to trust, and decide for herself what “healthy” really means. Punctuated by dark humor, gritty realism, and profound moments of self-discovery, Believarexic is a stereotype-defying exploration of belief and human connection."

- Insomnia by Sarah Pinborough: I rated this book 5/5 stars and finished it on September 19th. I felt like I was in a fever dream when I read this book, and I feel like that's really the best way to describe it. I couldn't differentiate between what I was reading and reality, that's how immersive it felt. As someone who struggles with insomnia and has for years, I do feel like I'm going crazy sometimes; that's what a lack of sleep will do to you. I think this was well-written, and really took gaslighting to the next level (similar to The Invisible Man movie with Elizabeth Mott). I'd recommend this to any insomniacs out there, or anyone who's afraid of turning 40. *laughs*

"Emma Averell loves her life—her high-powered legal career, her two beautiful children, and her wonderful stay-at-home husband—but it wasn’t always so perfect. When she was just five years old, Emma and her older sister went into foster care because of a horrific incident with their mother. Her sister can remember a time when their mother was loving and “normal,” but Emma can only remember her as one thing—a monster. And that monster emerged right around their mother’s fortieth birthday, the same age Emma is approaching now. Emma desperately wants to keep her successful life separate from her past, so she has always hidden her childhood trauma. But then she’s unable to sleep, and now losing time during the day, also one of the first symptoms her mother showed. Is the madness in her blood, just as her mother predicted? Could she end up hurting her family in her foggy, frenetic state? Or is she truly beginning to lose her mind?"

- In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren: I rated this book 4/5 stars and finished it. on September 20th. I thought it was great! It was a cute cheeky little holiday romance and I thought it was adorable. I think the best way for me to describe this book is if Window Shopping by Tessa Bailey and The Do-Over by Lynn Painter had a baby. That's all you really need to know going in; and if you haven't read either of those, it combines Christmas romance with a time loop trope. Honestly, I'd recommend this to anyone who likes Christmas romances. There wasn't much to dislike about this book, and I thought it was a great way to start my holiday season.

"It’s the most wonderful time of the year…but not for Maelyn Jones. She’s living with her parents, hates her going-nowhere job, and has just made a romantic error of epic proportions. But perhaps worst of all, this is the last Christmas Mae will be at her favorite place in the world—the snowy Utah cabin where she and her family have spent every holiday since she was born, along with two other beloved families. Mentally melting down as she drives away from the cabin for the final time, Mae throws out what she thinks is a simple plea to the universe: Please. Show me what will make me happy. The next thing she knows, tires screech and metal collides, everything goes black. But when Mae gasps awake…she’s on an airplane bound for Utah, where she begins the same holiday all over again. With one hilarious disaster after another sending her back to the plane, Mae must figure out how to break free of the strange time loop—and finally get her true love under the mistletoe."

- Confess by Colleen Hoover: I rated this book 4/5 stars and finished it on September 20th. I still don't really know how I feel about this one if I'm being honest with you guys. It wasn't necessarily bad, but it wasn't great either. I've read a few of CoHo's books now and they're not terrible, but this one was probably my least favorite I've read from her. I thought the premise was cool, but the execution was not great. I rated it four stars instead of three because of my personal bias toward the cat in this book. Without said cat, it would've been three stars. I don't recommend this one to anyone though, it's not recommendation-worthy.

"Auburn Reed is determined to rebuild her shattered life and she has no room for mistakes. But when she walks into a Dallas art studio in search of a job, she doesn’t expect to become deeply attracted to the studio’s enigmatic artist, Owen Gentry. For once, Auburn takes a chance and puts her heart in control, only to discover that Owen is hiding a huge secret. The magnitude of his past threatens to destroy everything Auburn loves most, and the only way to get her life back on track is to cut Owen out of it—but can she do it?"

- Things We Left Behind by Lucy Score: I rated this book 6/5 stars and finished it on September 25th. All I have to say is Lucian and Sloane. LUCIAN AND SLOANE!!! That is all. It was a great finale to a great trilogy. I'm sad the Knockmeout universe is over, but I can't think of a better way for it to end. I'd recommend this to anyone who's read the first two, but also anyone who likes an older romance. Lucian and Sloane are in their late 30s/early 40s I believe, so it was nice to have that perspective rather than Naomi/Knox and Nash/Lina who were all younger.

"There was only one woman who could set me free. But I would rather set myself on fire than ask Sloane Walton for anything. Lucian Rollins is a lean, mean vengeance-seeking mogul. On a quest to erase his father’s mark on the family name, he spends every waking minute pulling strings and building an indestructible empire. The more money and power he amasses, the safer he is from threats. Except when it comes to the feisty small-town librarian that keeps him up at night…Sloane Walton is a spitfire determined to carry on her father’s quest for justice. She’ll do that just as soon as she figures out exactly what the man she hates did to—or for—her family. Bonded by an old, dark secret from the past and the dislike they now share for each other, Sloane trusts Lucian about as far as she can throw his designer-suited body. When bickering accidentally turns to foreplay, these two find themselves not quite regretting their steamy one-night stand. Once those flames are fanned, it seems impossible to put them out again. But with Sloane ready to start a family and Lucian refusing to even consider the idea of marriage and kids, these enemies-to-lovers are stuck at an impasse. Broken men break women. It’s what Lucian believes, what he’s witnessed, and he’s not going to take that chance with Sloane. He’d rather live a life of solitude than put her in danger. But he learns the hard way that leaving her means leaving her unprotected from other threats. It’s the second time he’s ruthlessly cut her out of his life. There’s no way she’s going to give him a third chance. He’s just going to have to make one for himself."

- Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute by Talia Hibbert: I rated this book 5/5 stars and finished it on September 25th. I thought this was cute! It was a cheeky little YA romance and I kinda loved it. I read her Brown sisters trilogy earlier this year and liked them a lot, so I was very excited to get my hands on this. Also, she included a glossary! All her characters are British (because the author is British, duh) and she felt like she needed to include a glossary for her American readers. Overall, I wouldn't change anything about this book. I'd recommend it to anyone who likes YA romance or being outdoors. Oh, or anyone who has OCD and/or anxiety. Both were portrayed very well in this book.

"Bradley Graeme is pretty much perfect. He's a star football player, manages his OCD well (enough), and comes out on top in all his classes . . . except the ones he shares with his ex-best friend, Celine. Celine Bangura is conspiracy-theory-obsessed. Social media followers eat up her takes on everything from UFOs to holiday overconsumption--yet, she's still not cool enough for the popular kids' table. Which is why Brad abandoned her for the in-crowd years ago. (At least, that's how Celine sees it.) These days, there's nothing between them other than petty insults and academic rivalry. So when Celine signs up for a survival course in the woods, she's surprised to find Brad right beside her. Forced to work as a team for the chance to win a grand prize, these two teens must trudge through not just mud and dirt but their messy past. And as this adventure brings them closer together, they begin to remember the good bits of their history. But has too much time passed . . . or just enough to spark a whole new kind of relationship?"

- Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros: I rated this book 6/5 stars and finished it on September 28th. This marked the 155th book I've read this year. I have never read anything like this before. It has action. World building. Romance. Dragons! I loved everything about this book, and I absolutely cannot wait until Iron Flame comes out in November. I'd recommend this book to anyone who's into romance but wants to try getting into fantasy, and/or anyone who likes dragons.

"Twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail was supposed to enter the Scribe Quadrant, living a quiet life among books and history. Now, the commanding general—also known as her tough-as-talons mother—has ordered Violet to join the hundreds of candidates striving to become the elite of Navarre: dragon riders. But when you’re smaller than everyone else and your body is brittle, death is only a heartbeat away...because dragons don’t bond to “fragile” humans. They incinerate them. With fewer dragons willing to bond than cadets, most would kill Violet to better their own chances of success. The rest would kill her just for being her mother’s daughter—like Xaden Riorson, the most powerful and ruthless wingleader in the Riders Quadrant. She’ll need every edge her wits can give her just to see the next sunrise. Yet, with every day that passes, the war outside grows more deadly, the kingdom's protective wards are failing, and the death toll continues to rise. Even worse, Violet begins to suspect leadership is hiding a terrible secret. Friends, enemies, lovers. Everyone at Basgiath War College has an agenda—because once you enter, there are only two ways out: graduate or die."

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That's everything I read in September! I know it wasn't much, but I hope you're all able to get some recommendations from this. Lemme know some of your favorites from this month down below, and I'll be back for spooky season!