For the first time in 2024, I didn’t break into the double digits for my book count. Oops! It wasn’t the best month of reading (not much to see here), but I’m optimistic for October. I’m going to get back in the groove and pick some winners!? Here’s hoping!
Total Books:
Physical: 3
Audio: 4
Mix: 1
DNF: 1
Format: Audio
Genre: Thriller (slower psychological suspense)
Rating: 3/5
I read it because: time to switch up the genre & it was available
Warnings: general creepiness, teen pregnancy, death
I would recommend this to: readers wanting a thriller without being scared
This was an interesting book to break up the groove of my cheesy romance novels. A writer learns a story from a student and writes the novel after he learns of the student’s death – but then creepy messages start accusing him of plagiarism. (I just learned how to spell plagiarism!) The narrator created suspense and a relatable character, but it was pretty slow overall and I saw the twist from a mile away. It was interesting but mostly uncomfortable.
Format: Physical
Genre: YA Fiction
Rating: 2.75/5
I read it because: I loved the original Inheritance Games book
Warnings: death/suicide, puzzles, unfinished plot points.
I would recommend this to: fans of the series and puzzles
This series baffles me, as my star ratings went from 5 to 4 to 5 to DNF to 2.75?!? By quitting the 4th book, I obviously missed out on some set up to the fifth – but I used my context clues to pick up the story where it left off. Unfortunately, this book also disappointed me and couldn’t live up to the original trilogy. I committed to over 360 pages of puzzles and escape rooms for a cliffhanger and nothing but frustration. I might have to call it quits on this series.
Format: Audio
Genre: Humor/Fantasy
Rating: 3/5
I read it because: I was intrigued by a card in a Barnes & Noble.
Warnings: Evil Villain Violence
I would recommend this to: fans of the Apprentice to the Villain books
For the third book in a row, I give the rating of, “Eh, it was fine.” The premise of this book was SO MUCH FUN. A guy wakes up without memories in a castle and figures out that he’s actually an evil villain. The main cast of characters is very entertaining but it gets really bogged down in the second half and is overly complicated. However, there are some good chuckles woven throughout the story and it was a fun narrator.
Format: Audio
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 2.25/5
I read it because: I enjoyed Thank You for Listening by the same author/narrator
Warnings: Cancer, Grief/Loss, the only tolerable characters fall out of the book never to be seen again
I would recommend this to: people that want to remember that feeling of being in college and ignoring relationship red flags. See: “I Want Crazy” by Hunter Hayes
Book blurbs should not give away major plot points, but they should also not bait-and-switch the reader. What I thought was going to be a fun romance turned into annoying characters trauma dumping for hours. I was actively rooting for these characters to break up. Oops.
Format: Physical
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 3.25/5
I read it because: I loved the characters and world of the first book.
Warnings: Adoption, Child Abuse, Beyond blatant woke-splaining of Racism, LGBTQ+ rights, Illegal Immigration, Fascist Government, Stealing Indigenous Land, Book Banning and so much more!
I would recommend this to: fans of the Delores Umbridge storyline of Harry Potter (which is hysterical, because the author uses the acknowledgement section to rip apart JK Rowling)
I know I shouldn’t get my hopes up for sequels. I know it. But sometimes I can’t help it – I loved the characters of the first book SO much. The world and the characters stayed charming and the writing is excellent Klune – brilliant imagery and easy to read. However, the book does not trust the reader, and it reads like a liberal lecture. It’s like, “Hey, I know I was pretty clear in my fantasy metaphors, but DO YOU GET IT!? HERE IS WHAT I MEAN BY IT.” Yes, we got it. But Chauncey is still my favorite.
Format: Physical
Genre: Nonfiction
Rating: 4/5
I read it because: I enjoy the Holderness family, genre switch up, friend recommendation
Warnings: All things ADHD (obviously)
I would recommend this to: Anyone who has, suspects they have, or loves someone who has ADHD
With plenty of disclaimers that this is not a medical book, the Holderness Family shares their experiences with ADHD. Challenges are presented in an optimistic way and provides overviews of the diagnosis. It makes a great introduction to the topic and approaches mental health with humor and compassion.
Format: Mix of Audio/Physical
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 4/5
I read it because: My husband has been talked about Terry Pratchett for yeeeeeears.
Warnings: N/A
I would recommend this to: fans of British humor and words
My husband is a big fan of the Discworld series, so I finally took a recommendation from it. I don’t know what I was expecting, but it wasn’t this – ha! Set in a fantasy world that mirrors ours but it also very much not ours, a conman must chose between death or running the post office. I mean, that’s pretty funny. A ridiculous cast of characters and a sometimes overcomplicated plot can make this confusing at times. However, if you just enjoy the ride, it’s an entertaining book with some lol moments.
Format: Audio
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Rating: 3.5/5
I read it because: Needed a quick read and light genre. I wanted to give Christina Lauren a second chance after DNFing another book.
Warnings: Toxic Family Relationships, Raunchy Relations
I would recommend this to: fans of Crazy Rich Asians and Ali Hazelwood romance reads
It takes a LOT for me to overlook certain tropes in romance novels, but for some reason this audio book caught me in the right mood and fulfilled the need to shut off my brain and enjoy a rom-com. It’s a grumpy/sunshine, fake marriage, one bed, forced proximity love fest with some graphic doin’ it and a few swears. The humor and ridiculousness kept me engaged, and I enjoy a “hot mess” main lead that has enough confidence to power through a book where it could have easily gone the route of “I’m such a commoner – why would he even *like* like me?” The main characters were likable enough to root for them, even though it dragged a little in the back 40%.
Septembers Quit List:
In my quest to break the pretty-cover-sprayed-edge curse, I really gave this one a chance. It was a dystopian mix of Hunger Games and Avatar – cool, right? But at 37%, I just couldn’t take it any more. It was so boring and overly complicated. The main character had to fight in seven competitions, but I made it through the first one and completely lost interest. It was marketed along the romantasy genre, but it was sci-fi in the most draining way. Plus, she was a suicidal fighter with a traumatic past and didn’t want anyone to touch her. So that was confusing.
That’s it for September – a month that went shockingly fast. Happy Fall Reading!