What I did in September

Hi all!

I’ve decided my monthly wrap-ups need a little bit of a change, as you’ll soon notice! I was just feeling they were getting a little too long and it took me a good couple of hours to write one up, and I just didn’t have the time. So I decided to change things up a little bit, and hopefully you enjoy the new look! Let me know if you do please!

Books read

Wolfsong // TJ Klune // Audiobook // Reread // ★★★★★

Started my second reread of the year of TJ Klune’s books with Wolfsong, as I read Heartsong last month, the third book in his Greek Creek series that should be coming out in September. I love this book so much because Ox and Joe are adorable (and this is the origin story of Werewolf Jesus, Ox).

Under the Udala Trees // Chinelo Okparanta // Book // ★★★★

This was such a surprisingly lovely book. I don’t really know what I was expecting going into it, but it wasn’t what I got — and that’s a good thing. Loved how we follow the main character from childhood to adulthood and how she accepts, pushes back against, and then accepts her sexuality again.

Jade City // Fonda Lee // Audiobook // ★★★★

This was a buddy read with the amazing Steffy @ Little Booky Nook! We’d both been meaning to read it for ages and finally decided to read it together and it was amazing! A bit slow at the beginning, and I didn’t really like the how the author represented the female characters, but the plot was really awesome and I love Hilo!

Ravensong // TJ Klune // Audiobook // Reread // ★★★★★

Ravensong is my favourite book in the Green Creek series because I adore Gordo and Mark so much. Like, the angst is just so incredible. Makes me want to cry and smile at the same time, and I can’t think of many books that do that to me.

How to be a Movie Star // TJ Klune // Audiobook // Reread // ★★★★★

I adore this book so damn much! Josy is one of the sweetest characters I’ve ever come across and I just want to give him a hug. Also love seeing my faves Gus and Casey again. Will be rereading over and over.

I’ll Be Gone in the Dark // Michelle McNamara // Audiobook // ★★★★★

This was fantastic! And so creepy and so well-written and researched. I loved everything about this, though it was heartbreaking when I came to the part where the author had passed away. After that, her research assistants tried their hardest to continue the story although you can tell those parts aren’t written by her.

The Argonauts // Maggie Nelson // Book // ★★★★★

Very surprising how much I enjoyed this book. I read it for my bookclub and was prepared to be put into a slump, but I found myself being unable to put it down. About a young woman and her trans partner as they marry and have a child, mixed in with critical analysis of feminism, sexuality, gender and motherhood.

The Bedlam Stacks // Natasha Pulley // Audiobook // ★★★★★

I loved this book so much! It’s so atmospheric and wonderfully written, I got chills. I loved the descriptions of Peru and felt like I was there. Would have loved for the book to be more explicitly queer, but I think you can tell the main character and his love interest care for each other.

A Destiny of Dragons // TJ Klune // Audiobook // ★★★★★

I’m deep in my TJ Klune reread this month, as you can see. This is the second book in my favourite Tales from Verania series. Adore it even more the fourth time round!

Ninth House // Leigh Bardugo // ARC // ★★★★★

HOLY HELL I LOVED THIS! I’ll have a proper review up sometime soon, but pretty much it was amazing. The first 120 pages were hard to get through as it was all worldbuilding and kind of info-dumping, but after that, it was amazing and flowed so well.

Seven Brief Lessons on Physics // Carlo Rovelli // Book // ★★★★★

Great introduction to all the of the key discoveries and understandings of modern physics. I’m really drawn to quantum theory (as unlikely as it is): the idea that our universe began from a preceding universe that had contracted under its own weight, like a black hole, until it was squeezed into a very small space and then exploded and re-expanded.

Reasons to Stay Alive // Matt Haig // Book // ★★★★★

This was heartbreaking but inspiring. I wrote down some notes from the advice he provides from this book and hopefully they’ll be able to help me. Highly recommend this is you have depression and/or anxiety.

Free Hand // E.M. Lindsey // eBook // ★★★

I quite liked this, but felt like it dragged. I appreciated the PTSD rep and the Deaf rep a lot, and loved how diverse every character is, especially in terms of disability. Will be containing the series.

How to Be a Normal Person // TJ Klune // Audiobook // Reread // ★★★★★

Again, I love all of TJ’s books, but I especially love this one because the main character, Gus, is one of my favourite characters ever. He’s just so sweet and awkward, you want to hug him, but you better not. A sweet romance with an ace love interest.

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Book of the Month

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Arcs/Books I Received 

The very lovely Ash @ Wild Heart Reads was so incredible and sent me two books! I’m so very excited to read these novellas because Ash has been hyping them up for months!!

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Books/audiobooks I bought

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What I Watched in September

Thought this would be a terrifying horror film, but it was actually targeted for children lol. Still enjoyed the movie, although it wasn’t as scary as I hoped it would be! But if you, like me, enjoy movies aimed at children, I think you’ll like it!

Season two of Disenchantment wasn’t that great, but it’s a good show to have on in the background while you do other things.

This documentary was fucked up but so intriguing! Four different men from the same town, wrongfully accused of two different murders by a lazy, corrupt police. One man came within five days of being executed before DNA evidence exonerated him. Definitely watch it!

This documentary was so sad. I remember this case being the first criminal case I was ever aware of as a child. I know for a lot of people something like that would have been 9/11, but for me it was Madeline McCann’s disappearance. I always thought the parents were involved somehow, but now I don’t!

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What I listened to

I started listening to Welcome to Night Vale again and love it so much! Sometimes the episodes are a bit repetitive, but for the most part, it’s super fun!

How was your September? Read any good books or watch any good movies? Let me know!