Happy fall y’all!! The temperatures are dropping into that ideal thrown open the windows and enjoy the fresh air range! It’s time to dig out my autumn decorations and get ready for the season. Today, I’m sharing my mini reviews of what I’m reading in September 2019. So let’s get to what to read and what to skip in September! I’m linking up with Jana Says and Modern Mrs Darcy as usual to share what we read this month!

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Work Book (for lunchtime reading):

Evvie Drake Starts Over by Linda Holmes – When a widow decides to rent part of her home to a struggling baseball player, neither of them expect a friendship to develop. They’re each wrapped up in their own issues, but slowly realize the company is far better than being alone. I adored the writing and characters in this book! I even passed it on to a coworker and she loved it too.

 

House Books:

The Institute by Stephen King – I received an Advanced Reader Copy (thank Scribner Publishing!!) and I started reading immediately. Full review coming this week (Jay and I are both contributing), but to summarize I absolutely loved it. On a quiet night in suburban Minneapolis, Luke Ellis’ parents are murdered and he is carted off to The Institute. When he wakes up, he discovers himself in the secret facility where children are brutally tested and punished. Each of them possess some amount of telepathic or telekinetic ability. The testing is awful enough, but Luke soon realizes he must escape before being sent to The Back Half of the building, where kids are never seen again. King is a master at writing children and this is no exception. Thankfully, this book is also suspenseful, but not scary. So, it’s a great introduction to King if you’re too nervous to read some of his other books.

City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert – I can understand why this coming of age novel set in the NYC theater world during the 1940’s is such a hit this summer. It just didn’t quite hit 5 stars for me. My biggest complaint was a big chunk of the first half of the novel is devoted to glorifying a lifestyle that I don’t agree with. Ultimately, there are very serious and realistic consequences, but it was mostly chalked up to the girl being young, naïve, and irresponsible. Not exactly a good excuse. Thankfully, overall I did love the setting and adored how the story wrapped up. The end was satisfying with just a touch of bittersweet to keep it from becoming to saccharine. Plus, you’ll find a fascinating cast of supporting characters throughout.

 

eBooks (reading on Netgalley / Scribd):

Twice in a Blue Moon by Christina Lauren – Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced reader copy of this one! I adore Christina Lauren’s books, so I’m excited to read this one next. It doesn’t come out until October but you can preorder now. Sam and Tate fell hard for each other during a two week vacation. But a betrayal meant the end of their relationship and Tate never expected to see him again. When she steps onto a movie set years later, Tate suddenly appears. Now, she must decide if there’s any hope for a future between them.

 

Audio Books (listening on Scribd):

The Islanders by  Meg Mitchell Moore – This summer novel is billed as the perfect beach read, but I can’t say I’d recommend it. The story focuses on Anthony, a disgraced writer with a famous author father, Lou, a mom with a secret, and Joy, a small business owner. Their lives on Block Island intertwine over the course of the summer as they each learn to redefine themselves. My biggest struggle was the writing style, particularly Anthony’s point of view. Since he’s a writer, his inner dialogue often included attempts at telling his story as if he were writing a novel, which grated on me. The whole plot was a bit scattered as well and ultimately wrapped up with a few unbelievable events. I’ve seen good reviews from other readers though, so perhaps this just wasn’t my cup of tea.

Never Have I Ever by Joshilyn Jackson – The best part of this so far is Jackson’s narration! I love that she reads her own novels since she has a terrific voice and the perfect inflections and nuances for her characters. When a new book club member drags up unwanted attention to Amy’s past, she must figure out how to resolve the situation. The antagonist, Roux, is eerily sinister, especially on audio. I’m close to halfway through and looking forward to how this all wraps up. Jackson is an excellent writer and I have a feeling this will be another hit.

 

Around the Web:

My Top Ten Halloween Books – Get ready for Halloween with my book list featuring novels about witches, magic, and more!

A List of Vampire Books – If you’re specifically into vampires, The Uncorked Librarian put together an excellent list of books about vampires!

 

For more mini book reviews, check out What I Read in August 2019!