Hey guys! September was a month full of highs and lows, that is for sure. I want to thank all of you for the comments you left on my post about my cat’s death. I read each one and thank you for sharing your own experiences with your pets ❤ I couldn’t quite bring myself to answer them, but please know they comforted me immensely and I’m very grateful to have such good friends here!
While that was a very tragic start to my month, the end was glorious. I went to the Boston Teen Author Festival and met Leigh Bardugo, Adam Silvera, and a few other authors and had a FANTASTIC time. Also unrelated to books but I saw Harry Styles in concert last night and September truly ended wonderfully.
Anyway, BOOKS. It was a pretty good reading month! One book I read, The Heart’s Invisible Furies, is definitely going on my “best books of 2017” list, though another, Daughter of the Burning City I sadly had to DNF…and I try so hard not to DNF. But I was working on it for nearly the whole month and finally…it had to go. A lot of good books happened in between, though!
What I read
DNF
The Daughter of the Burning City by Amanda Foody
I just….could not connect to this book. I made it about halfway through over the course of about 4 weeks and finally had to throw in the towel. I felt like the author just assumed I cared about all the characters, instead of really making me care about them, so I didn’t really care about the whole murder mystery surrounding them because I didn’t care when they died. There was also a lot of political stuff going on that kept being explained and I just didn’t care to keep it all straight, as it just…wasn’t connecting to the plot for me. It probably does, but I didn’t care to find out. Also, the main character has no eyes, BUT the only effect this has on her is that she gets strange looks sometimes and has to wear masks, but she sees and cries and basically lives as if she does have eyes because magic??? I didn’t see the point of adding that detail if it didn’t really matter to the story or how she interacts with the world.
THE GOOD
Zenn Diagram by Wendy Brant ★★★ 1/2
This book was cute and sweet, and I very much enjoyed the romance, but I felt that the resolution of this book left something to be desired. The plot was introduced too late and then kind of left me hanging. But overall it’s a cute, light read. Full review.
THE GREAT
You Bring the Distant Near by Mitali Perkins ★★★★☆
A lovely multi-generational story about Indian-Americans, this book was pleasant and sweet and it even made me tear up at one point. It’s a quick, wonderful read with a lot of heart. Full review.
A Fugitive in Grass Valley in Grass Valley by I.M. Flippy ★★★★☆
This book was so cute and funny and sweet, and it’s perfect if you’re in the mood for a light, easy romance with lovable characters. I had a genuinely good time reading this book. Full review.
THE REALLY GREAT
Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng ★★★★☆
This was such an intricate, fascinating book about motherhood, community, and family, and I very much enjoyed it. I thought that sometimes the narrative was a little controlling in what it was trying to make me believe, but otherwise it was an amazing book. Full review.
The Heart’s Invisible Furies by John Boyne ★★★★★ Fave of the month
THIS BOOK!!! This is undoubtably one of the best books I’ve read this year, I enjoyed every second of it. It was HILARIOUS and incredibly written, and it made me cry so much. I don’t know what else to say other than I LOVE THIS BOOK. Full review.
*I feel the need to say that the “okay” “good” and “great” rankings I put my books into each month are according to no logic but how I feel about them in my gut. I’m basically ranking them from least favorite down to favorite and it just feels satisfying in my heart to do it this way.
Other Posts
My Boston Teen Author Festival Experience!
I met Leigh Bardugo and I’m shamelessly showing off this picture everywhere.
Top 5 Tuesday
Characters I’d Team Up With to Rule the World
Tags
The Liebster Award
Guilty Reader Book Tag
The Raven Cycle Book Tag
I Dare You Book Tag
October!
I’m going to be buddy reading The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater at some point with Rachel, and may also be doing a buddy read with Birdie of This Savage Song by Victoria Schwab near Halloween. Other than that, I’m very excited for the release of the new Magnus Chase book by Rick Riordan, Ship of the Dead, this Tuesday. I love those books so much lol. And I prefer the Magnus books over Percy….is that legal?
I’m also going to be meeting some of my favorite bloggers and best friends I’ve made here, Rachel and Chelsea (and Rachel’s friend), next weekend when we all go see a performance of Les Mis together! VERY EXCITED.
Also, I joined Twitter! It’s…vaguely bookish so far. If you’re interested in joining me on a Twitter journey, follow me at @cciopurplequill and I’ll follow you back 🙂
I think that’s all I have for this month. What did you read in September?? Any spooky reads lined up for October?
That’s too bad about Daughter of the Burning City. I’m hearing a lot of people being disappointed with it. Still can’t get over the beautiful cover though, haha.
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Lol I know right!! It’s a gorgeous book, I just wish I’d enjoyed the story more.
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I looooooved Daughter of the Burning City, but I can see why others don’t. It’s so cool that you got to meet Leigh Bardugo! Hoping she comes to the UK next year 🙂
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I can totally understand why people love it, because it’s not a bad book, I just failed to get excited by it. I think I also am not a huge fan of circus atmospheres and it I was more into that I may have liked it more. But I’m glad you enjoyed it!! And I so hope you get to see Leigh Bardugo one day!! She’s so lovely!
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The photo with Leigh Bardugo is so cute, I’m a little jealous right now. Awesome wrap-up, I’m very pumped about Little Fires Everywhere since I absolutely adored her other book, Everything I Never Told You.
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Thank you!! I hope you like Little Fires. I’ve got to go read Everything I Never Told you!
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Go read it right now!! It’s amazing! ❤
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Again, I’m so sorry about the loss of your cat. He’s in Cat Heaven enjoying all his favorite things though.
I’ve never read anything by John Boyne other than The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, which CRUSHED ME, but if you say The Heart’s Invisible Fury is great then I trust you lol!
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Aww thank you!! It’s nice to know that he’s no longer in any pain ❤
I never read Boy in the Striped Pajamas, but I saw the movie and WOW. The Heart's Invisible Furies definitely is more humorous and wacky, but still heartbreaking. Highly recommend!!
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Less than a week now, I’m so excited!
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you had a great september! 🙂 hope, october will be good as well!
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Thank you!! You too!
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Have you started This Savage Song yet? I’m going to be reading it this month as well. Trying to finish up an Arc eBook that I have. I’m not really digging it, but want to get it done and over with before moving onto anything else.
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I haven’t started This Savage Song yet, unfortunately. This month has been tooo busy and I’ve only completed one book so far 😥 Hopefully I get some time to read and can get to a few more. I have such bad luck with ARCs…I don’t think I’ve read one I’ve ever really loved. I hope yours gets better!
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Truth be told, it’s not bad. The last one I read… was kind of bad. This one I like, it’s just really long and really slow. So far, that’s my main feedback for the publisher. “Long and slow, but with good characters” Lol.
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Lol, good characters are always what keep me hanging on.
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