G’day friends.
How are you? What are you reading?
I thought today I will quickly talk about the books that I am hoping to read in the month of september. I was also planning on taking part in a few readathons, but honestly, I don’t think I am in the mood for it.
The major focus for the month of september is to read some books that are on my physical tbr. Would having a post talking about or listing the books on my physical tbr be something people would be interested in seeing? I don’t know. Let me know. I might do it in a video format or something to make it interesting.
So this month, I want to read (hopefully) 11 books. Not alot in comparison to the amount of books I have been reading in previous months (check out part one, two, three and four of my four-month wrap up!), but I am planning on getting my shit together to figure out my thesis situation. So I think 11 is a good number.
I’ll talk about the books I need to read. These are my netgalley books. Surprisingly, I only have two netgalley books I need to read and review (shocking!) because I went on a rampage in july clearing my netgalley shelf.
The first book is actually one that I am also reviewing as part of a blog tour for The Write Reads. It’s called The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes and when I read the premise, I was immediately hooked. Here’s the goodreads synopsis:
A Cinderella story with deadly stakes and thrilling twists, perfect for fans of One of Us is Lying and Knives Out.
Avery Grambs has a plan for a better future: survive high school, win a scholarship, and get out. But her fortunes change in an instant when billionaire Tobias Hawthorne dies and leaves Avery virtually his entire fortune. The catch? Avery has no idea why–or even who Tobias Hawthorne is. To receive her inheritance, Avery must move into sprawling, secret passage-filled Hawthorne House, where every room bears the old man’s touch–and his love of puzzles, riddles, and codes.
Unfortunately for Avery, Hawthorne House is also occupied by the family that Tobias Hawthorne just dispossessed. This includes the four Hawthorne grandsons: dangerous, magnetic, brilliant boys who grew up with every expectation that one day, they would inherit billions. Heir apparent Grayson Hawthorne is convinced that Avery must be a con-woman, and he’s determined to take her down. His brother, Jameson, views her as their grandfather’s last hurrah: a twisted riddle, a puzzle to be solved. Caught in a world of wealth and privilege, with danger around every turn, Avery will have to play the game herself just to survive.
How freaking interesting! My review for that will be posted on the 11th of September. You can check it out here.
The other book I need to read for netgalley is a poetry collection called Sorry I Haven’t Texted You Back by Alicia Cook. Now, I read Alicia Cook’s other poetry collection called Stuff I’ve Been Feeling Lately and I really enjoyed it.
I thought the formatting and the structure of her poetry was refreshing in terms of what is currently being published. And the title of this new poetry collection is literally me. As you all know, when my mental health gets bad, I hide. Here’s the goodreads synopsis:
Sorry I havenโt texted you back,Iโve been so anxious and depressed I havenโt had time to catch my breath, you know how life gets!
Returning to the form of Stuff Iโve Been Feeling Lately, Sorry I Havenโt Texted You Back is a poetic mixtape dedicated to those who struggle or have struggled with their mental health. Divided into two parts, โSide Aโ holds 92 poems, titled as โtracks,โ and โSide Bโ holds the โremixes,โ or blackout-poetry versions, of those 92 poems. The book includes the evergreen themes of love, grief, and hope. Named after Cookโs viral Instagram poem, Sorry I Havenโt Texted You Back lands in the crossroads of self-help and poetry
You can check out my review here.
The next book I want to read is a recommendation from my friend, Bess (go check out her instagram! she’s awesome) and it finally came through at the library! It’s A Lonely Girl is a Dangerous Thing by Jessie Tu. I honestly don’t know much about this book which I like, to be honest, so that I can be surprised when I do read it! Here is the goodreads synopsis for those that are interested:
Growing up is always hard, but especially when so many think you’re a washed-up has-been at twenty-two.
Jena Chung plays the violin. She was once a child prodigy and is now addicted to sex. She’s struggling a little. Her professional life comprises rehearsals, concerts, auditions and relentless practice; her personal life is spent managing family demands, those of her creative friends, and lots of sex. Jena is selfish, impulsive and often behaves badly, though mostly only to her own detriment. And then she meets Mark – much older and worldly-wise – who bewitches her. Could this be love?
When Jena wins an internship with the New York Philharmonic, she thinks the life she has dreamed of is about to begin. But when Trump is elected, New York changes irrevocably and Jena along with it. Is the dream over? With echoes of Frances Ha, Jena’s favourite film, truths are gradually revealed to her. Jena comes to learn that there are many different ways to live and love and that no one has the how-to guide for any of it – not even her indomitable mother.
A Lonely Girl is a Dangerous Thing unflinchingly explores the confusion of having expectations upturned, and the awkwardness and pain of being human in our increasingly dislocated world – and how, in spite of all this, we still try to become the person we want to be. It is a dazzling, original and astounding debut from a young writer with a fierce, intelligent and fearless new voice.
The next book on my tbr is one that is technically the oldest book on my goodreads tbr. I just so happened to have been able to borrow it from my sister from another mister, hannah! The book is Laurus by Eugene Vodolazkin and all I know is that it is a russian literary book that has been compared to Umberto Eco’s The Name of the Rose. Pretty interested but I do feel as though it’s going to be an incredibly dense book. Here’s hoping I can work through it. The goodreads synopsis is as follows:
It is the late fifteenth century and a village healer in Russia is powerless to help his beloved as she dies in childbirth, unwed and without having received communion. Devastated and desperate, he sets out on a journey in search of redemption. But this is no ordinary journey: it is one that spans ages and countries, and which brings him face-to-face with a host of unforgettable, eccentric characters and legendary creatures from the strangest medieval bestiaries. Laurusโs travels take him from the Middle Ages to the Plague of 1771, where as a holy fool he displays miraculous healing powers, to the political upheavals of the late-twentieth century. At each transformative stage of his journey he becomes more revered by the church and the people, until he decides, one day, to return to his home village to lead the life of a monastic hermit โ not realizing that it is here that he will face his most difficult trial yet.
Laurus is a remarkably rich novel about the eternal themes of love, loss, self-sacrifice and faith, from one of Russiaโs most exciting and critically acclaimed novelists
Will continue on with the more ‘literary’ books that are on my september tbr. I really really want to finally be able to read Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel. I say finally because it is a thicc fucking bitch and I haven’t had the patience. But the time has come. I have been wanting to read this for ages. Literally ages. I remember a friend of mine from highschool named Emma who read this book in year 11 i think? And she considered it to be her favourite book at the time. Which was pretty high praise coming from Emma! Fast forward around nine years, I’m finally taking the plunge. Emma, if you’re reading this (which I highly doubt haha, but i hope you’re proud!) What’s the book about? Don’t know. Pretty sure it’s an historical fiction novel about Thomas Cromwell. But I’ve been extra careful about spoilers. Here’s the goodreads synopsis:
England in the 1520s is a heartbeat from disaster. If the king dies without a male heir, the country could be destroyed by civil war. Henry VIII wants to annul his marriage of twenty years and marry Anne Boleyn. The pope and most of Europe opposes him. Into this impasse steps Thomas Cromwell: a wholly original man, a charmer and a bully, both idealist and opportunist, astute in reading people, and implacable in his ambition. But Henry is volatile: one day tender, one day murderous. Cromwell helps him break the opposition, but what will be the price of his triumph?
Another literary novel that I would like to read is A Long Petal of the Sea by Isabel Allende. Isabel Allende is an author that I’ve kept my eye on and I’ve been wanting to read her novels for ages.
Before lockdown, in the period that we were actually allowed to leave and venture 5km from our house, I picked up this book at my local QBD bookstore. I’m so excited to read this book. It’s historical fiction with a side dish of magical realism and I am ready. Here is the goodreads blurb:
In the late 1930s, civil war gripped Spain. When General Franco and his Fascists succeed in overthrowing the government, hundreds of thousands are forced to flee in a treacherous journey over the mountains to the French border. Among them is Roser, a pregnant young widow, who finds her life irreversibly intertwined with that of Victor Dalmau, an army doctor and the brother of her deceased love.
In order to survive, the two must unite in a marriage neither of them wants, and together are sponsored by poet Pablo Neruda to embark on the SS Winnipeg along with 2,200 other refugees in search of a new life. As unlikely partners, they embrace exile and emigrate to Chile as the rest of Europe erupts in World War.
Starting over on a new continent, their trials are just beginning. Over the course of their lives, they will face test after test. But they will also find joy as they wait patiently for a day when they are exiles no more, and will find friends in the most unlikely of places. Through it all, it is that hope of being reunited with their home that keeps them going. And in the end, they will find that home might have been closer than they thought all along.
The last literary book is actually a classic and it’s Emma by Jane Austen. There is a purpose for me to read this, other than just wanting to finally read all of Jane Austen’s works. The plan is: to read Emma, watch the Jonny Lee Miller adaption of the book and then watch the most recent adaption of the book.
THEN when lockdown is over and I can leave my house, I will run to my sister from another mister’s house, Hannah so that I can discuss everything Emma with her awesome mum, Julie. Does that make sense? I hope it does. But that is my plan and I am committed to it. The goodreads synopsis is here:
Emma Woodhouse is one of Austen’s most captivating and vivid characters. Beautiful, spoilt, vain and irrepressibly witty, Emma organizes the lives of the inhabitants of her sleepy little village and plays matchmaker with devastating effect.
The two young adult books I want to read are Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko and Cinderella is Dead by Kaylnn Bayron. I am so freaking excited for both, holy shit.
Raybearer narrates the story of:
The epic debut YA fantasy from an incredible new talentโperfect for fans of Tomi Adeyemi and Sabaa Tahir
Nothing is more important than loyalty.
But what if youโve sworn to protect the one you were born to destroy?
Tarisai has always longed for the warmth of a family. She was raised in isolation by a mysterious, often absent mother known only as The Lady. The Lady sends her to the capital of the global empire of Aritsar to compete with other children to be chosen as one of the Crown Princeโs Council of 11. If sheโs picked, sheโll be joined with the other Council members through the Ray, a bond deeper than blood. That closeness is irresistible to Tarisai, who has always wanted to belong somewhere. But The Lady has other ideas, including a magical wish that Tarisai is compelled to obey: Kill the Crown Prince once she gains his trust. Tarisai wonโt stand by and become someoneโs pawnโbut is she strong enough to choose a different path for herself? With extraordinary world-building and breathtaking prose, Raybearer is the story of loyalty, fate, and the lengths weโre willing to go for the ones we love.
Cinderella is Dead is one of my most anticipated books of the year, so when I saw that my library had a copy (this is all on Libby), I RAN to put it on hold. I can’t wait.
Itโs 200 years after Cinderella found her prince, but the fairy tale is over. Teen girls are now required to appear at the Annual Ball, where the men of the kingdom select wives based on a girlโs display of finery. If a suitable match is not found, the girls not chosen are never heard from again.
Sixteen-year-old Sophia would much rather marry Erin, her childhood best friend, than parade in front of suitors. At the ball, Sophia makes the desperate decision to flee, and finds herself hiding in Cinderellaโs mausoleum. There, she meets Constance, the last known descendant of Cinderella and her step sisters. Together they vow to bring down the king once and for allโand in the process, they learn that thereโs more to Cinderellaโs story than they ever knew . . .
This fresh take on a classic story will make readers question the tales theyโve been told, and root for girls to break down the constructs of the world around them.
The last book I want to read for the month of september is another most anticipated release! This came out a few months ago, but I was working through reading his Greek Creek series. And that is The Extraordinaries by TJ Klune. This book is technically TJ Klune’s YA debut (i think?) and I am so incredibly happy and excited to finally get my teeth into this book. I am ready to be emotional.
Some people are extraordinary. Some are just extra. TJ Klune’s YA debut, The Extraordinaries, is a queer coming-of-age story about a fanboy with ADHD and the heroes he loves.
Nick Bell? Not extraordinary. But being the most popular fanfiction writer in the Extraordinaries fandom is a superpower, right?
After a chance encounter with Shadow Star, Nova Cityโs mightiest hero (and Nickโs biggest crush), Nick sets out to make himself extraordinary. And heโll do it with or without the reluctant help of Seth Gray, Nick’s best friend (and maybe the love of his life).
Rainbow Rowell’s Fangirl meets Marissa Meyer’s Renegades in TJ Klune’s YA debut.
Though I really hate when publishes use Rainbow Rowell’s name to entice people to read. We don’t like her so stop using her name to try and sell books that will far outshine any writing that Rowell has ever done.
Anyway, this is my tbr and I hope you liked reading it! What are you planning to read this september? Please let me know!
Until next time, happy reading!
All the love,
allie
xx
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