a photo of me kathleen haagenson holding the books featured in my september 2024 reading wrap up
Book Lists

September 2024 Reading Wrap Up

September 2024 Reading Wrap Up

My September 2024 reading wrap up consists of nine books hailing from a variety of genres which include romance, young adult sci-fi, thriller/mystery, historical fiction, and women’s fiction. Of these nine books, I had six five-star reads! That’s pretty impressive but I’ll be honest I’m not very critical of what I read so I can be a little loosey-goosey giving out five stars like it’s candy. Let’s dive into the books I read this past September and what I felt about them. Who knows if you have similar taste to me maybe you’ll find your next five-star read.

 

a graphic of the book cover for a novel love story by ashley poston as part of my september 2024 reading wrap upA Novel Love Story by Ashley Poston

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I started my month with this quirky romance which I adored. This story follows Eileen Merriweather as she is traveling to her annual book retreat solo after everyone cancels unexpectedly. Determined to have a good time drinking wine and reading her favorite romance book series despite feeling a little abandoned and hurt. Unexpectedly, she experiences car trouble and finds herself stranded in a small town that happens to be Eloraton the town from her favorite romance series. Everything is as written the burgers are slightly burnt and the taffy is made to idyllic perfection.

However, it seems the characters are stagnant and stuck in the final pages the author created before she passed away. So, Eileen becomes obsessed with finishing what the author started and giving the town it’s happily ever after. But, the grumpy bookstore owner doesn’t want her to finish this story and wants her to leave immediately.

Through charming twists and turns these two transition from enemies to lovers and discover that it’s not too late to pursue and create a happy ending for their lives.

So, from what I’ve seen you either love or hate this romance there’s no in-between. I fell in the first camp and loved this endearing romance story.

I enjoyed that it felt different than traditional contemporary romances with more heartfelt and complex characters. There wasn’t a ton of spice since the priority was focused on building the emotional chemistry and connection as opposed to the physical and sexual chemistry. I appreciated this take and enjoyed the magical realism aspect.

And, I found the ending to be well-crafted and perfectly done. It didn’t involve your typical third-act breakup but added a fresh fresh and reasonable take on this trope.

To read my full review click here.

 

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My Rating: 5 🌟

 


a graphic of the book cover for the last girl on earth by alexandra blogierThe Last Girl On Earth by Alexandra Blogier

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Next, I started a young adult sci-fi that I had a silly goofy time with despite its obvious shortcomings. We follow Li a young girl who lives with her father and sister and enjoys spending her free time with her best friend Mirabae. On the surface, she seems normal but she’s hiding a dangerous secret she’s human.

Sixteen years ago the Abdoloreans took over planet Earth and erased human life. Li’s father a human sympathizer took Li in when she was a baby and trained her on how to pass as Abdolorean. Li’s existence has been defined by following the strict set of rules set by her father. And she’s dutifully obeyed them until she meets Ryn.

Ryn causes her to think and feel things she never expected leading her to risk her future to pursue her affection for him and to live free and unencumbered by the burden of her deadly secret. But will Li take things too far and forsake all she’s worked hard to accomplish sacrificing her future and her family’s safety?

When I read YA I don’t go in with high expectations. I know that I’m reading a book that I’m not the target audience for and I’ll likely have to suspend my disbelief a bit more and accept that the critical thinking and actions of the characters will be a bit questionable since they are teenagers.

Hence why I was able to enjoy this story for what it was and gave it a high rating purely for the experience and feelings I felt. But, just because I had a good time doesn’t mean I could overlook some shortcomings that this story had.

For starters, it was a shell of a story there were a lot of more complex themes that weren’t explored and Li’s characterization fell a bit short making her less dynamic. Also, the ending is a bit of a cliffhanger and doesn’t satisfy the final conflict we encounter in the last twenty percent of the book.

Additionally, a minor plot twist is introduced near the end that in some ways brings into question Li’s existence among the Abdoloreans. However, I enjoyed the first flushes of first love experienced between Li and Ryn. Also, Li’s connection with her family and her friendship with Mirabae were beautiful. Although I do wish that these relationships were explored more deeply.

If we’re going strictly off vibes and enjoyment this story did well at creating a fun reading experience. But, it’s not a book I’d recommend since I know not many would fully enjoy such a skeletal story. So while my rating is high my recommendation is you can pass on this book.

 

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My Rating: 5 🌟

 

a graphic of the book cover for the last flight by julie clarkThe Last Flight by Julie Clark

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For my third read of the month, I dived into a suspense-laden psychological thriller. In The Last Flight, we meet Claire Cook who’s struggling in an emotionally and physically abusive marriage to a powerful politician. Seeking to break free and reclaim her life she crafts a daring plan to escape but due to unforeseen events, this plan goes awry leaving her scrambling to find her next steps.

In steps Eva, after a chance meeting at an airport bar, Eva offers to switch tickets with Claire and fly to Puerto Rico in Claire’s place leaving Claire to fly to Oakland in Eva’s place. However, when the flight to Puerto Rico crashes leaving Claire with a new beginning under a new identity. After assuming Eva’s identity she quickly realizes that Eva is harboring dark, dangerous secrets. Secrets that threaten the security of her new life and new identity.

This was a well-written and compelling thriller. Clark did an excellent job exploring the trauma, fear, and desperation experienced by Claire as a domestic violence survivor seeking safety from her abuser. Additionally, Eva’s duplicitous nature and hidden secrets elevated the suspense and danger factor experienced by Claire as she navigated living under Eva’s identity and the tremendous risk this placed her in.

The dual viewpoints show Claire’s present conundrum while Eva’s viewpoint reveals the decisions and circumstances leading up to her propositioning Claire at the airport. The slow unraveling of Eva’s precarious situation and how it impacted Claire created the perfect amount of tension.

And the ending was superb. I appreciated how events played out for Claire and Eva. Both characters received adequate resolution for the conflicts they were facing. Highly recommend this thriller and looking forward to reading more books by Julie Clark in the future. I’ve already added a couple to my want-to-read list on Goodreads.

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My Rating: 5 🌟

 

a graphic of the book cover for don't you cry by Mary KubicaDon’t You Cry by Mary Kubica

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I had the pleasure of reading The Good Girl by Kubica a few years back and was excited to read another thriller by her. And she did not disappoint. This is a slow-burn thriller that makes you work to connect the dots as the story unfolds. We follow two viewpoints, Quinn and Alex. In Quinn’s viewpoint, we witness her wake to find her roommate Esther, or as she nicknames her “Saint Esther” has gone missing leaving her window open in her room with a mysterious letter addressed to “My Dearest”. These events bring Quinn to the realization that she doesn’t know her roommate as well as she believes.

Meanwhile, from Alex’s viewpoint, we follow him through a seemingly typical day as he works at the local cafe washing dishes and observing the regulars. Until he sees a newcomer a beautiful and mysterious woman dining at the cafe alone. He develops a crush on her and nicknames her “Pearl” because she likes to play with the pearl bracelet on her arm. As time passes they develop a fragile friendship in which Alex learns Pearl isn’t the innocent beauty she seems.

I found I enjoyed the slow buildup of intrigue and suspense this story delivered. Kubica took care to create a consistent pace while prioritizing complex character development that created a rich tapestry of intrigue and suspense. All while you tried to connect the dots as to how these two viewpoints intersected. And it isn’t until the shocking finale that you discover how these two stories converge.

Kubica did a terrific job of muddying the waters making it difficult to discern what was transpiring. Simultaneously, she foreshadowed the surprising finale in such a subtle way you didn’t realize the significance of ongoing events until it’s too late.

Worth the read if you’re into slow-burn thrillers that prioritize a slower pace to provide a rich story full of intrigue and suspense.

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My Rating: 4

 

a graphic of the book cover for forever interrupted by taylor jenkins reid

Forever Interrupted by Taylor Jenkins Reid

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Listen I am a Taylor Jenkins Reid stan and adore her books. I’ve been steadily making my way through her backlist and found this gem and knew I had to read it. We’re told the story of Elsie Porter a happy-go-lucky single librarian who meets the love of her life one night at a pizza parlor. After a six-month whirlwind romance, they elope and become married. Unfortunately, tragedy strikes and Ben loses his life in a freak accident.

Elsie is left torn. Not only has she lost her life partner and best friend but she has to process and handle her grief while confronting her mother-in-law who is clueless about her existence. So begins the emotional journey of grief and finding a way to make peace with these unforeseen circumstances and find healing.

This story made me so emotional. Just the thought of losing my spouse causes my heart to constrict because the pain would be so tremendous. And I feel Reid did an excellent job capturing the depth of Elsie’s grief. It felt palpable and utterly realistic. I can envision myself having similar reactions, thoughts, and feelings as Elsie had.

Additionally, the exploration of how grief alters and impacts your personality and relationships was so heartfelt. You see how Elsie’s friendship with her best friend Anna changes as she feels pressured to accommodate her life to encompass her friend’s grief. While I didn’t always agree with Anna’s actions I did understand the strain Elsie’s grief had on their friendship. Also the relationship between Elsie and her mother-in-law provided so much insight on shared grief and loss and how it can unite even the most unlikely of people.

This is yet another emotionally packed novel in which Reid captures your heart with her raw, honest approach to crafting unique and relatable stories.

 

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My Rating: 5 🌟

 

a graphic of the book cover for the tattooist of auschwitz by heather morrisThe Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris

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I confess that as genre-fluid as I am I haven’t reached for historical fiction novels. I fear that they’ll be too stilted, and difficult to become immersed in. So, when this option was shared as the September pick for my book club I knew that I would have to step out of my comfort zone and try something new. And I’m glad that I did because I enjoyed this story so much.

Based on true events this tale recounts the journey of Ludwig (Lale) Sokolov as he is taken prisoner by the Germans and sent to the concentration camp of Auschwitz-Birkenau where he is quickly promoted to the role of Tatowierer where he’s forced to desecrate fellow captives tattooing a number on their arm.

Due to his position, Lale risks his life to share extra rations and through exchanging jewels and money from slaughtered Jews he receives sausage, chocolates, medicine, and other items that he dispenses to his fellow captives.

Additionally, one fateful day Lale meets Gita as she first arrives at camp, and while he tattoos her offers comfort and solace. Through this small meeting, Lale falls hopelessly in love with Gita and begins a forbidden romance where he promises her that once they’re free he will marry her and provide her with the best life.

This gut-wrenching story details the barbaric and inhumane treatment Jews endured at the hands of the Nazis. And while this story discusses in detail the horrors and trauma of life in a concentration camp we also see the resilience of the human spirit. How even in the most desolate and disparaging places love and compassion still abound.

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My Rating: 5 🌟

a graphic of the front cover of the book the it girl by ruth wareThe It Girl by Ruth Ware

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I had heard of Ruth Ware and that she was a brilliant writer of intriguing thrillers and decided to give her a try. In The It Girl we’re introduced to Hannah Jones as she embarks on her first year at Oxford. As she’s moving in she meets her roommate April Clarke Clivedon and they form a fast friendship and build a tight-knit friend group consisting of Will, Hugh, Emily, and Ryan.

As their semester moves forward they experience the highs and lows of attending a prestigious university and share in these struggles together. That is until the night Hannah comes home to discover April has been murdered. Overcome with grief and sorrow Hannah leaves Oxford and eventually relocates to Edinburgh following the incessant drive of the paparazzi pursuing her.

Now a decade later Hannah has somewhat recovered and is married to Will and they’re expecting their first child together. All seems to be past them until they receive the news that John Neville the porter who worked at the university and was convicted of April’s murder has died in prison. What’s worse is there’s a reporter who reaches out to Hannah requesting an interview because he believes the possibility that John Neville may have been innocent and the real killer is free.

This sends Hannah into a tailspin of guilt and confusion pushing her to reconnect with her former friends to uncover the truth. But the truth isn’t always what it seems. Hannah learns secrets involving  April and her friends creating the possibility of a motive for murder.

Okay this story in and of itself was good. Ware was a master at spreading suspicion to everyone making it difficult for you to ascertain who the real culprit is and keep you on your toes. I appreciated this tactic very much. Furthermore, her writing style draws you in and quickly connects you with the story and characters.

The characters were well-written and while I wouldn’t say they lacked depth they weren’t entirely complex but still enjoyable to read. However, this is a slow-paced, slow-burn mystery thriller. There’s not a lot of action that moves the plot forward but the flashbacks to Hannah’s time at Oxford make up for that.

But, despite all of this I found this story to be average. Maybe it was that I felt it was a bit longer than necessary, or that it just didn’t have that defining factor je nai se quois that just makes a thriller work for me. This is disappointing because this story I felt had such potential to be a banger it just kinda fizzled for me.

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My Rating: 3.5

 

a graphic of the book cover for the book violeta by isabel allendeVioleta by Isabel Allende

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This was my second experience reading historical fiction and it was another banger. This epic story tells the tale of Violeta del Valle spanning over one hundred years. We meet Violeta the night she is born during the height of the Spanish influenza pandemic and follow her journey over the years as she shares her tumultuous childhood, dramatic coming of age, a safe first marriage, and a passionate love affair.

We also witness Violeta’s first-hand account of major historical events including two pandemics, WWI and WWII, political unrest resulting in the fall of democracy and rise of dictatorship, and the women’s rights movement. Between her personal life events and historical happenings, we are privy to how these moments alter and shape Violeta throughout her life.

I was enthralled with this novel and read each detail, each account of Violeta’s life with rapt attention. Furthermore, Violeta didn’t read to me as a fictional character she felt so human and real. She was written and developed in such a way that she literally leaps off the pages and conquers your heart.

Additionally, I found myself so inspired by this story as it made me reflect on my life and the legacy that I will leave for future generations to behold. This novel is nothing short of a masterpiece and I can’t recommend it enough. I’m looking forward to exploring more work by Isabel Allende in the future.

To see my full review click here.

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My Rating: 5 🌟

 

a graphic of the front book cover for all the dangerous things by stacy willinghamAll The Dangerous Things by Stacy Willingham

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My final book for the month was a bit of a letdown. I was so excited to read this because I had seen very positive reviews and it was highly rated on Goodreads so this was guaranteed to be a surefire hit. Alas, it was not.

In this mystery thriller, we follow Isabelle Drake following the mysterious disappearance of her toddler son from his crib one night as  Isabelle and her husband slept in the room next door. Due to a lack of evidence and zero leads the case has gone cold prompting Isabelle to seek out True Crime conventions where she shares her story in hopes that someone, somewhere has information that will bring her son safely home.

It is at one of these conventions she meets a true-crime podcaster who’s interested in interviewing her and getting her side of the story in hopes of helping to solve the case and reunite her with her son. Reluctantly, she agrees. Due to the combination of insomnia and having a stranger probe into her past, she finds herself triggered by remembering the mysterious events of her childhood. All of which causes her to question what really happened the night her son disappeared.

While I empathized with Isabelle I didn’t like her and couldn’t connect with her. Her issues with insomnia since her son’s tragic disappearance and a history of sleepwalking are supposed to create an air of unreliability making her the perfect unreliable narrator. However, I felt this tactic wasn’t executed well.

The majority of unreliable narrators I’ve read are delusional about the fact that they’re the problem. Their actions and behavior lead others around them to question them and point out their problematic behavior. But this wasn’t so in Isabelle’s case. She was the one declaring her unreliability. It’s her self-doubt and disbelief regarding her actions that lends credit to her being unbelievable and unreliable. And this tactic just didn’t work for me it just made me dislike her and find her annoying.

Plus Willingham is very exuberant with her use of analogies, overly detailed descriptions and Isabelles rambling thoughts and tangents that made the pacing feel slow and clunky. Thus taking me out of action sequences and reducing the level of intrigue and suspense.

I’m sorry but this just didn’t work for me. I’m still interested in reading A Flick In The Dark though.

To see my full review click here.

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My Rating: 3

 

So, these are all the books that I read this past September. I’m super happy that I had a pretty good reading month. There were a few that didn’t work out too well for me but you can’t win them all. I’m excited for the spooky reads I’m going to be diving into in October. To learn more about the books I’ll be picking up in October click here.

 

What was your reading this past September like? Are there books that I need to put on my radar ASAP? Let me know all the details.

 

Happy Reading!!

 

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