My September Book Wrap-Up

What I read in September, and my ratings for them.

September was a busy month for me, and though I did not manage to read as much as I would have liked, the quality of the reads compensated for the quantity.

1. The Love Montage by Ciara Smyth (3.5/5)

Was this what being straight was like? A boy in your bedroom making a mess? Not for the first time, I thanked God I was a lesbian. – Saoirse, The Love Montage

This is the first-ever sapphic book I have ever read, and though I rated it 3.5/5, I still enjoyed it immensely.

It’s modern, funny, and strangely resonating. It starts with the point of view of Saoirse, our narrator, who doesn’t believe in love – she is afraid of commitment. She is faced with multiple struggles as the story progresses; her complicated family dynamics, her growing crush on this girl she was not meant to fall for, her broken relationships with her two best friends.

What I liked about this book is that though it’s the epitome of what you would expect of a typical rom-com – cheesy, endearing, and fluffy. Saoirse character is clear – she proudly calls herself a lesbian and her personality isn’t wrapped around a sapphic stick. She is herself – witty, snarky, and smart. The author takes great care in taking all these attributes and moulding them into a nicely done character development arc, which is always nice to read as an outsider.

2. Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo (4/5)

I want to survive this world that keeps trying to destroy me. – Alex, Ninth House

Leigh Bardugo, one of the it-authors of Young-Adult fiction. I picked this book up as it was a frenzy amongst bookworms in TikTok, as it was the author’s first adult novel. To say the least, I was not disappointed.

I am an absolute sucker for fantasy and the paranormal, so I was very delighted to pick up this book. We follow our main character, Galaxy ‘Alex’ Stern, as she is brought to Yale University as a moderator for the cults that hides behind said prestigious title. She has a noteworthy talent – or curse, depending on how you see it – that allows her to see and communicate with ghosts. She is taught the ways, rituals, and mechanisms of this maze of societies – from necrophiliac jocks to black magic enchantresses.

Much of the story is based on Leigh Bardugo’s own time in Yale – her experiences of the societies and inside jokes. She described her time there as her own ‘Hogwarts’, to which, I can say with confidence that she conveyed the magical elements into her book. This book is well-written and I felt compelled to keep on reading and reading, ‘magically’ messing up my sleep schedule.

3. The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt (4.5/5)

I had the epiphany that laughter was light, and that light was laughter, and that this was the secret of the universe. – Theo, The Goldfinch.

Isn’t that quote just beautiful? Well, if you like it, I can assure you that The Goldfinch is just full of such.

We follow our narrator, Theo Decker, as he navigates life trauma after trauma. As he carries his grief from adolescence to adulthood, we are thrown along with him the path of addiction, danger, and loss. Even with all the weight of piled sadness, he holds one thing close to him, a coping mechanism in the form of a painting he stole – The Goldfinch,

Philosophy, baccarat, drugs – Donna Tartt fits these elements, and much more, into this book perfectly while telling the story of a young boy bridled with sorrow; she is a seamstress, weaving her art. Many complain about her prose being too long, too monotone – but I disagree and here is why: it is meant to be that way. This is a heavy book, filled with uncomfortable themes, so the prose is relentless, claustrophobic – it’s meant to feel like we are feeling the same way as him, trapped.

4. and 5. The Cruel Prince and The Wicked King by Holly Blake (4/5) & (5/5)

If I cannot be better than them, I will become so much worse. – Jude, The Cruel Prince

This is the first and second installation of the trilogy The Folk of the Air.

This book has been in my to-be-read pile for as long as I could remember, even though it’s one of my favourite tropes in romance: enemies-to-lovers. With the first point-of-view of Jude Duarte, the narrator, we are introduced into this world of faeries: Elfhame.

It starts with Jude and her sisters witnessing a faerie murder their parents. Then, said mystical creature ‘adopts’ them. In Elfhame, promises are sacred, even the little ones; duties are meant to be done, even if there are extenuating circumstances; survival is not promised, even if you’re weak. As a mortal, Jude and her twin sister, Taryn, has to skim through their environment carefully, especially with the Elfhame’s youngest prince dead set-on on Jude’s mortification.

I liked the second book more than the first, and when I say I couldn’t put this series down after the first book, believe me. I cannot relay too much without spoiling any of you, but let’s just say that it got more interesting ten-fold. The amount of gasps I had to stifle as I read the second book on a bus ride home was embarrassing, but I truly was so confounded by all the betrayals and twists.

Holly Blake’s writing is easy to read and has a good flow, which is especially helpful while getting used to all the new jargon. She fills the story with plot twists, unexpected betrayals, and me with a searing hatred for one of the characters whom I will not name. The fantasy world building was nicely done, along with wonderfully done character development. When I finished the third book, I was craving for more.

Thank you for reading! If you enjoyed this article, I’m sure you’ll enjoy my August one. I plan to post monthly wrap-ups, so make sure to follow and subscribe to my newsletter to stay updated.

To support me more, join the Medium Membership via my link; it’s just $5, and you get unlimited access to all my stories, and other writers’.

If you like book-related content, make sure to check out my Instagram, where I often post about books! I also have analyses and reviews here, so click on the links to check out my recent ones.