Nothing makes me want to hibernate inside of my apartment with a pile of good books like Autumn weather. Something about lighting a candle, cozying up under a blanket and laying on the couch all day just feels better in the fall months.
As I’m writing this, I’m crashing at a friend’s place in Brooklyn. I needed a change of scenery and was able to get tickets to a book signing at The Strand with one of my favorite authors, VE (Victoria’s) Schwab. I’m so excited to meet her, get my book signed and (knowing me) buy a few books to bring back home.
Knowing that I would be going to this signing, I wanted to make sure I read Schwab’s latest book in September, which was one of my favorites of the month. I’ve really loved her adult books, but this book –a NYT bestselling middle grade, assured me I’ll love her YA books just as much. So I plan to pick those up soon.
In total, I read six books in September, which is a really great reading month. I still get asked how I manage to read so much during each month –if I’m a super speed reader or something along those lines. I’m definitely not! I actually think I read pretty slowly. But I am always reading, and usually pick up a new book shortly after finishing the one before it.
I’ve written about tips for reading more, but I think it’s time for an updated post on that!
City of Ghosts by Victoria Schwab
Rating: 5/5 stars
What I liked/disliked: Middle grade books are always paced fast, so this was a great quick read to welcome in the fall/spooky season. The plot was super interesting and the characters were lovable, something Schwab always nails in her books. I’d definitely keep reading this cute little series. It also made me super interested in learning more about Edinburgh.
The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang
Rating: 4/5 stars
What I liked/disliked: This book was wonderful, and was definitely needed for readers. Our main character, Stella has Aspergers and has a hard time establishing relationships –so she hires an escort, Michael, to help her out. I thought their romance was well done and they were each very well developed characters. I love reading unique perspectives and I’ve never read a book with an main character with autism. The sex scenes are very grown up, and could be a little cringey, but overall, I highly recommend this book.
Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
What I liked/disliked: I started this book last year, and then never picked it back up until now. This is the 2nd book in a fantasy series and I really love the world building. Not to mention, Leigh Bardugo’s writing is so charming. This book did suffer from a bit of middle book syndrome, where most of the events seem to be a set up for the next book. I still enjoyed it, and will absolutely finish the series and read other books in this world.
Influencer by Brittany Hennessy
Rating: Unrated (I tend to skip rating nonfiction)
What I liked/disliked: I thought the information in this book was incredibly useful for anyone who is or works with content creators. I took so many annotations and highlighted passages. I’ve already started implementing some of her tips. If you’re a blogger or content creator of any type, I recommend picking this up!
Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake
Rating: 5/5 stars
What I liked/disliked: This was a re-read for me. I wanted to go back to book one so I could grab the next two books in this series. It’s so good. One of the most interesting plot lines and wonderfully build worlds. There is a love triangle I could’ve done without, but overall, I love everything about this series. There are a lot of characters, which can get confusing at times but I highly recommend this series!
#FashionVictim by Amina Akhtar
Rating: 2.5/5 stars
What I liked/disliked: Okay, so I didn’t love this book, but I also didn’t hate it? Something kept me reading until the end. The plot reminded me of a bad LifeTime movie. All of the characters were pretty unlikeable and I didn’t really connect with any of them. And to be such a short book, it moved pretty slowly. I don’t know if I would recommend it, I feel like some people would find it really fun.
What are you currently reading?
Autumn is the BEST season for reading!! I’m looking forward to several evenings with books + candles + blankets + hot chocolate/hot apple cider/honey lemon tea <3 // Hope you had a great time at The Strand! I visited for the first time a few weeks ago and I didn't get very far into the store because I was hooked by the books at the front already. I read a whole book right there at the store, and then bought one to take home :3 I'll definitely have to make another trip back to The Strand to explore it properly! // Ooh I'm definitely in the mood for a book like City of Ghosts — thanks for sharing! I'm currently reading Creative Selection: Inside Apple's Design Process During the Golden Age of Steve Jobs by Ken Kocienda 🙂 I'm always slower with non-fiction, so I'm considering picking up some quick reads whilst I make my way through this one. -Audrey | Brunch at Audrey’s