Remember me? It’s almost been a year since I’ve updated, and practically watched the dust scatter as I clicked the Publish button. But I’ve had a lot of free time since I moved back to the US in August, and September was really when I was able to settle down and enjoy being back home. I picked up my hobbies and read a lot in the last month, enough to justify a Wrap-Up and highlight my favorites!
Everything has been hyperlinked to Goodreads, so make sure to check out whatever piques your interest!
The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden 4.5/5
{I thought The Bear and the Nightingale had a slow start but the world building was incredible, and the main character was strong-willed, clever, and kinda reminded me of Luna Lovegood in a way? That could just be because of her relationship with the supernatural, but I was really fond of her. I knocked a star off for the slow beginning, but the rest made up for it!}
Language of Thorns by Leigh Bardugo 5/5
{I was hooked from the first story and savored all six. The stories were all otherworldly and beautifully written, and I love how Language of Thorns deepens the Grishaverse world building.}
Troubled Waters by Sharon Shinn 4.5/5
{An oldie but a goodie, this was a wonderfully written fantasy novel with a strong heroine, positive friendships, and great world-building. There were some steampunk elements mixed in, the romance was subtle but really enjoyable, and though the magic system left me with a few questions, overall I just had fun with this! }
I haven’t gotten around to writing full reviews for any of these yet, but here’s how I rated some of the other books I read this month:
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Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik 3.5/5
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{A companion novel to Uprooted, I had a love/hate relationship with this one. There were moments I couldn’t put it down, and others where the multiple story lines annoyed me so much I didn’t want to pick it back up. Personally, I didn’t feel like the multiple POVs were necessary and wished we would just stick to one story, especially since the changes were never labeled (at least on my e-copy) so it was a lot of whiplash. I loved everything about Miryem her whole story which is why I didn’t give up on it, and I’m really glad I stuck with it til the end (which I loved.)}
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The Girl in the Tower by Katherine Arden 4/5
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{This is the sequel to The Bear and the Nightingale. Again, I thought this start was really slow but it picked up momentum and I ended up loving it. I can safely say this series has captured my heart and imagination.}
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The Death of Mrs. Westaway by Ruth Ware 3.5/5
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{This was a good ol’ thriller/ mystery. I got a little impatient at parts, but it was an entertaining read as a whole!}
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Hudson Valley series (Nuts 3.5/5, Cream of the Crop 2/5, Buns 4/5) by Alice Clayton
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{I don’t usually reach for chick lit but these were fun. Even though there were a few moments the dialogue felt a little dated/awkward, there were a few genuine laughs! The only one I did not like was Cream of the Crop, mainly because Oscar really rubbed me the wrong way.}
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The Immortals Jordanna Max Brodsky 3.5/5
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{I liked the portrayal of the gods and their more mortal attributes, their powers greatly weakened, all in a modern Manhattan setting.
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Kill the Farm Boy (DNF)
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{The writing and humor were just…not my taste.}
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Not If I Save You First by Ally Carter 2/5
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{This was a super quick story that was part wilderness survival, part political intrigue. I usually love Ally Carter’s work, but unfortunately I didn’t care for the dialogue, characters, or plot in this one, so this was a miss for me.}
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where the lost boys met 