September Review

Ugh It's October already?

I mean, not that September went by slowly, I'm disappointed I only read four books, to be fair though I think it was a lot more pages than four books sounds. But I'm also excited it October...well I will be after this week. The first week of October is always a little hectic at the office, our fiscal year has restarted and it's time for reports and renewals, and this year we also get a lovely meeting on a Sunday... So this probably wont be up til the 8th. While I try to type this out on the 4th and feeling like this should have been done on the 28th... Oh well. I also wasn't very active in general in September....I'd blame it on Booktube-a-thon if I could (I am) but I should hopefully be getting more content out this month with Inktober.

Here's the video version of this HERE

So like I said I read four books. Here is the break down:

Format

0- Audio
0- Graphic Novel
4- Hard Cover
0- Soft Cover
0- E-books

Genre:

2- Romance
     1- Contemporary
     1- Magic Realsim
1- Paranormal Middle Grade
1- Young Adult Fantasy

Star Ratings:

0- 1 Star
0- 2 Stars
2- 3 Stars
1- 4 Stars
1- 5 Stars

Leaving September with an average of 3.75

Pages:

I read a total of 1631 pages in September, averaging in 54.37 pages per day

Around the Year in 52 Books Challenge:

Alright a while back I had put Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie down for Challenge 14 but I switched it to Challenge 13 which is a book with a plot centered around a secret and Brisingr by Christopher Paolini took it's place.

14) 4 books linked by the 4 elements: Book #2 Fire
44) A ghost Story

Brisingr by Christopher Paolini

Published September 2008

Holy bejesus, this took forever. Rather, it took me forever. Because this is the third book in the Inheritance Cycle I'm not going to get too into explaining what happens in this book. But this series is about Eragon, a farm hand on his uncle property who finds a dragon egg and out hatches the dragon Saphira. Thus begins their journey on becoming the first new Dragon Riders since the fall of Dragon Riders and the siege of Galbotrix and his tyranny.

I have to say right off, that for a Young Adult this has a lot of politics. Which isn't bad but because every race has their own set of customs and politics and because it is a big part of the story and alliances in this series, it become tedious and a little boring. I particularly have a hard time getting through the portions with Dwarf politics, as they reside in a mountain, and that for some reason is hard for me to imagine, so with no imagery for me to picture plus politics, it doesn't give me much motivation to continue the book. But I pushed through after deciding I couldn't pick up any more books until I finished this one. Aside from the politics, it was an interesting enough book. The powers that Eragon gets due to being a Dragon Rider is interesting, I actually really enjoy the magic system. We get a bit of Saphira's perspective which was interesting but some of her vocabulary bugs me. "Bone-Breaking Ground" "No-eating-horses of the Varden" I get that they could have a whole different language barrier but for some reason this drew me out of the story.

I have yet to rate this book yet, I'm thinking a 3.5. Edit: Going with a 3 since Goodsreads doesn't do halfs.

This book completed challenge 14) 4 books linked by the 4 elements: Book #2 Fire


City of Ghosts by Victoria Schwab

Published August 2018

Cassidy Blake's parents are The Inspecters, a ghost hunting team, but Cass is the one that can really see ghosts, her best friend Jacob can attest to that, because he is a ghost. When a tv show starts to make head way, Cassidy and her parents are at the head of it, that's because it's a tv show about The Inspecters, and their first stop is the haunted city of Edinburgh, Scotland. There Cassidy meets Lara, she can also see ghosts, and says that as a In-betweener it's her and Casssidy's job to send the ghosts on. Cassidy isn't sure about this new mission, but she does know that the Red Raven haunting the city doesn't belong in her world.

So I was excited about this one's concept, as it really reminded me of Danny Phantom. So it wasn't entirely Danny Phantomy, which I'm not dissappointed about, it was ultimately pretty cute and interesting. Cassidy is a Harry Potter fan, and they end up visiting the pub where JK Rowling wrote Harry Potter, so in terms of fandom, this book connected with me. I also enjoyed Cassidy's enjoyment of film photography. I just wanted a little more. We got teasings of everyone character but that was it, I wanted them to be more developed. As it was, it didn't feel too intense or much of a threat or loss rather if anything happened to the characters, because I didn't have much attachment. Also, and this is just knit picky, the cat on the cover made me think that the cat was Jacob, or that the cat would be more important to the story, it's not. So I feel a little let down because the cat wasn't a bigger part of the book.

I'm feeling 3.5 for this too but I'm not a big fan of halfs so I'll round up to 4 Edit: nope 3, the more I thought about it the more I didn't think it deserve a 4.

This book completed challenge 44) A ghost Story

The Dinner List by Rebecca Serle

Published September 2018

We have all probably been asked this at one point or another: Pick five people, living or dead, that you'd want to have dinner with. Why do we choose the people we do? When Sabrina arrives to dinner for ther Thirtieth birthday, she find's more than just her best friend at the table. Three significant people from her past are also seated, and well, Aubrey Hepburn. As the appetizers are passed, wine glasses filled, the dinner conversation begins, and it becomes quite clear there's a reason why these six people are gathered here.

This was a sweet enough magical realism to keep me invested and entertained while being just bitter enough to make me dislike characters and cry my heart out. I was also on my period and my boyfriend has been gone for a week, so take that as you will. I firstly want to say that I enjoy the typography and the color of this cover, but I highly dislike the clip art that looks like an after thought. The story itself was an interesting concept. I've heard the question before, have even pondered it, but never to the extent of this book. Sabrina was an over all a flushed out enough character, but looking back, I can't recall much about her aside from working for Random House. Her connections with other characters, however, were really dynamic and enjoyable. There was a really good flow of back and forth between all the characters around the dinner table, not everyone just gawking at Audrey. Sabrina's growth almost felt unfair, as it was kind of force. Not due to the writing of the author (I mean yeah, she's the one that wrote it) but it was more dynamic than Sabrina just having to solve things quickly because of lazy writing. No, she was forced just due to the situations she was in. Being in New York, having a low paying job, trying to support the dream of a photographer trying to make it on his own, but wanting to not have to take on so much responsibility for herself, all the while her best friend get's married, and gets a house, is able to get it renovated, is planning for a baby and kind of looking down at Sabrina as not able to grow up. One thing about this is that there was an underlying theme of bad communication. Between Sabrina and he boyfriend and between Sabrina and her friend Jessica. But the plot didn't hinge on that so much, and the way Serle did this was fairly relate-able, to the point of almost hitting too close to home but still being refreshing. That feeling of unknown when you don't want your partner to have any regrets being with you. The burdensome feelings about wanting to go back to a best friend but feeling like you've drifted apart because you're both adults now, and you're unsure if your problem is worth interrupting their life, or if it will just seem juvenile, you overthink it, so you don't say anything at all and just suffer in silence. Yes this is all in the book.

I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars, because despite how relate-able I found it, I feel like it still could have been done better, but I couldn't specify how. I just felt like it was missing something.

Attachments by Rainbow Rowell

Published April 2011

Beth Fermont and Jennifer Scribner-Snyder know that somebody is monitoring their work e-mail, everyone in the newsroom knows (it's company policy after all.) But they can't quite bring themselves to take it seriously and continue to send endless personal e-mails. Meanwhile, Lincoln O'Neill can't quite believe that reading people's e-mails is his job right now. When he applied to be "internet security officer" he pictured building firewalls and crushing hackers. Not writing up reports any time a sports reporter sends a dirty joke. But Beth and Jennifers e-mails are hilarious and keep his long nights entertaining, he knows he should report them, but can't bring himself to do so. He also finds himself falling for Beth but it's way too late for a normal introduction.

This book started out slow for me. I didn't have much hope for it. I kept thinking everyone had a New Jersey accent despite this being based in Nebraska. It also just had this "old" feeling to me, which is odd because I still feel like 2000 wasn't that long ago despite it being 18 years ago. I just wasn't sure about this in the beginning. But the more I read the more I felt dedicated to the book and the more I was thoroughly enjoying myself. I kept thinking a nerdy "You've Got Mail" vibes with all the Dungeons and Dragons and Lord of the Rings talk (not that their's much of it) and by the end I was cheering for Lincoln and tearing up while my heart melted for him. I wasn't able to predict the outcome which I always appreciate.

Over all a very cute book. Five out of five stars.

Alright and that was the end of my September Review. If you've read any of these, let's discuss them! Otherwise, until next time!

Litta

Spooky Scary Book Tag

It's getting closer to that fantastic time of year!

Not just for the "appropriate" time to watch Nightmare Before Christmas, but also when the weather is getting a little cooler, I can start wearing layers and not have to worry about it getting too warm mid-day (what's with that? I mean really! It's fricken icy cold in the morning and I dress for that then it gets so warm through out the day!) As well as Halloween!! and Pumpkin baking! I got two pumpkins out of my garden this year which is two more than the last three years combined so I'm pretty happy. I'm thinking pumpkin bread of chocolate chip pumpkin cookies, thoughts?

Alright today I'm doing a tag for you and it's the:

Spooky Scary Book Tag

Created by Shelby over at Shelby Masako

1. What goes bump in the night? Name a book that has legitimately sacred you while reading it.

Loneliest Girl in the Universe by Lauren James, creeped me out. There were multiple occasions where I was holding my breath and fearful but the main reason: Being trapped and alone in space. No thank you!

2. Jack-O-Lanterns and Classic Costumes: A book you always reach for during Halloween time.

I'm not a big re-reader, but I do feel the need to re-read Harry Potter between September and December. Otherwise during Halloween I tend to want thriller/horror or fun witchy fantasy.

3. Black Cats and Magic Mirrors: A book you love this is laced with superstition and/or magic.

Coraline by Neal Gaiman. When I first started to try to read the book I was really disappointed, because I had watched the Laika movie first, and it felt weird not to have Wybe, but after some time I gave it another try and found that the book was even creepier than the movie, but still as magical, whole heartedly loved it.

4. Witch's Brew: Favorite witch character in any book/series.

Circe by Madeline Miller. This book was so fun to listen to. I had never heard of Circe before this and I really enjoyed learning her story through Miller. 

5. Ghouls and Ghosts: A book that still haunts you to this day (good or bad).

American War by Omar El Akkad. This one was fairly haunting in that I felt like this very well could happen. Where another civil war comes about due to the oil power and it's eventual use becoming illegal. It was a very heart wrenching novel that my boyfriend and I still talk about.

6. Haunted Graveyard: You're all alone in a haunted gravyard, you get one book to give you comfort, which is it.

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman. I mean I'm not sure how much comfort it would give me, but I feel like if a read a rather friendly/endearing story about a boy who grew up in a graveyard it'd make me relax a little bit, thinking that for the most part the ghosts keep to themselves.

7. The undead: Favorite supernatural created to read about.

It just depends on book really. I enjoy reading about witches, vampires and ghosts, but I'm not opposed to reading about werewolves and other creatures.

8. In the end of the night:Pick a book with a black cover.

All the above could count for this but I'll pick another that I love and haven't read yet:

Alright and that's the Spooky Scary Book Tag

But books have you read scared/creeped you out?

Until next time!

Litta