September 2013 Wrap-up [spoiler free!]

September was a month filled with average reads and beautiful covers. As well as one very spectacular novel.

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1. The Nightmare Affair by Mindee Arnett. Deciding to start off September with some paranormal romance, I picked up The Nightmare Affair after seeing it sitting on a shelf during one of my (many) excursions to Barnes & Noble. It was cover-love at first sight! The worst kind of Insta! Love, amiright? The book was actually not too bad, however, and I found myself eating up the magical-girl-inherits-creepy-power premise. Also, there was some Arthurian legend talk, which I am never not in the mood for, so, bonus! I would have definitely liked to learn more about Dusty's world and experience a bit more of her school and the places around it, but I definitely plan on reading the second book, The Nightmare Dilemma (which is out next year). Hopefully the ending will not be as easy to figure out.

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2. Monument 14 by Emmy Laybourne. This book was probably my least favorite of the month, simply because there was so much potential with a follow-through that left much to be desired. The book was not bad or anything, don't get me wrong, but I was hoping for a little bit more. This, THIS was what I wanted The Kill Order (written by James Dashner) to cover; the apocalypse as it was happening. However, Emmy Laybourne's writing was not able to fully convey the horror and devastation that is sure to come along with the end of the world. Instead we get some rather unlikable (sorrynotsorry) characters and a male lead who is so awkward, he actually makes me embarrassed for him. And not in a good way (IS there a good way to be embarrassed for someone? I have no idea). The story did have some good qualities, but I was so consumed by thoughts of how if THIS plot were paired with DASHNER'S writing, it would have been an absolute hit, so I was not able to enjoy it to the full extent. I do plan on continuing the series, as I am quite curious to see where the story goes, but I am not expecting much.

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3. Masque of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin. Oh, goodness, that cover... *drools* Apart from the complete lack of world-building, the characters in this story were very likable (a certain blonde in particular ;), and I really enjoyed how realistic and believable it was. Araby was relatable and I enjoyed watching her go from someone that will stand on a roof and contemplate death to a young woman who wants to live and is willing to fight for herself and the people she loves. Elliott was delicious, and even Will managed to remain a favorite of mine (until the end, that is). I look forward to reading the next book in this duo, Dance of the Red Death. Definitely expect a full review of these books when I am finished.

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4. Miss Fortune Cookie by Lauren Bjorkman. The lone contemporary in my stack of post-apocalyptic, paranormal romance. This particular book has been on my TBR list for quite some time, so you can imagine the excitement I experienced at finally purchasing the novel and receiving it in the mail. I really enjoyed the whole anonymous blogger angle, but the follow-through was, well, not very good. I will admit that Weyland was kind of adorable, but Erin's whole "wanting to be Chinese" obsession was a tad strange and weighed down the story. Overall, I liked the book, but probably not enough to pick it up again anytime soon.

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5. 100 Ghosts: A Gallery of Harmless Haunts by Doogie Horner. This cute little gem is full of one hundred different kinds of ghosts; from an expecting mother, a llama, and a... nudist? Just read it. You'll laugh, I promise.




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6. The Ask and the Answer (Chaos Walking #2) by Patrick Ness. THIS BOOK. THE FEELS. I JUST. ASKFLASKSDLF.

This was definitely my favorite read of the month, even though it took me the longest to get through. I have become so emotionally attached to these characters, Todd in particular, that I am dreading having to finish the series and be without anymore of this amazing world and its inhabitants. I have Monsters of Men at the ready (maybe I will read it before October comes to an end?), and I am sure that an entire series review will be posted once I have completed the trilogy and all of the novellas that come between.

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7. Love in the Time of Global Warming by Francesca Lia Block. In a word, this book was... confusing. I had absolutely no idea what was going on 90% of the time, the plot/mish-mash of genres did not help the situation, and I definitely did not enjoy this as much as I was hoping. Especially considering how in love I was with the cover...




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8. The Wide, Wide Sea (Chaos Walking #2.5) by Patrick Ness. I read this novella shortly after completing book two and, I have to say, it was pretty interesting. I was so used to seeing things from Todd's point-of-view—hearing the way he speaks and thinks—so reading from the POV of someone else was pretty weird but quite eye-opening. I especially liked how we were able to see some human/Spackle interaction and get some information on what each side thought of the other before the war ravaged New World. Again, I will probably be doing an in-depth review once I have completed the entire series.

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September Stats:

▫ Read 7 books (and one novella)
▫ Read 2,250 pages

Upcoming Releases:

▫ House of Hades (The Heroes of Olympus #4) by Rick Riordan -- October 8, 2013
▫ Never Fade (The Darkest Minds #2) by Alexandra Bracken -- October 15, 2013
▫ When Did You See Her Last? (All the Wrong Questions #2) by Lemony Snicket -- October 15, 2013
▫ Allegiant (Divergent #3) by Veronica Roth -- October 22, 2013



So many good books coming out this month! Which ones are you looking forward to?