September was a great reading month! I liked almost everything I read. I didn't just read the five books pictured...I also read three other books through Hoopla. (It's a free service through my local library, so you can see if your library uses it or something similar.) One was an ebook (though I knew I would hate the format, and I did), and two were audiobooks.
I tried audiobooks a couple of years ago but it never clicked for me. I didn't have a cell phone at the time so I had to listen at my computer, which was not convenient, so it took me months to get through one audiobook. I decided to try them again, this time downloading them to my phone so I can listen while I cook, clean, etc. And I love it! I definitely still prefer real books, but I think this is going to be really useful for rereading books or just listening to ones that I can't get my hands on otherwise. It makes me feel so productive to be "reading" while I'm doing other things. So while I will never actually purchase an audiobook, I'm really glad that I gave them another shot through borrowing them from my library.
As always, click on the titles for my Goodreads reviews!
I'm a Stranger Here Myself, by Bill Bryson. I have to take Bill Bryson in small doses! This book thankfully had much less of his usual profanity and crass humor, so that was a good thing. (It's a collection of articles, so I guess he had to tone that down.) Some of the chapters were really funny, like the one about going to the beach, but a lot of them were mediocre.
A Study in Charlotte, by Brittany Cavallaro. I picked this one up because I'm a Sherlock fan. It held my interest but unfortunately it just wasn't that special or memorable! I also didn't like the bad language or drug use.
The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien. I'm finally rereading the Lord of the Rings again this year! I'm participating in a read along on Instagram and the slower pace is working well for me. I did just reread The Hobbit a couple of times within the last few years, with the movies coming out and all, so it felt like it was dragging a few times. Still love the humor and characters though!
My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows. I didn't love this book like a lot of people seemed to, but it was really fun! Ridiculous and maybe longer than it needed to be, but still fun and quirky and I liked the pop culture references.
Hunger, by Roxane Gay. (Audiobook, not pictured.) I've heard this author mentioned a lot lately, and this book was the one of hers that I was most likely to pick up. My main feeling about it was that it was really sad! She went through some horrible things and I really thought there was going to be a more conclusive, positive ending, but no...she's still hurting and still struggling. So yes, all very sad. I went into a lot more detail in my review.
Princess Academy, by Shannon Hale. (Audiobook, not pictured.) I've been meaning to reread the first two books in this series for a long time, so I can finally read the third book! I've always loved this book, and this time was no exception. I did have a few pet peeves about the audiobook itself though. (Miri's voice was so young and annoying, and the songs at the beginning of the chapters felt out of place.)
Forgive Me, I Meant to Do It; by Gail Carson Levine. (Ebook, not pictured.) Gail Carson Levine has been one of my favorite authors since I was a kid. This book was on my radar but I'd never had the chance to read it. Since it was very short, I decided to read it as an ebook on my phone. I hated the ebook format, but the book itself had its moments. It's a collection of false apology poems, so it's super short. Some of them were very funny and some were mediocre!
My Plain Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows. I liked this one even better than the first one! Probably because Jane Eyre is one of my favorite books. :) It sticks pretty close to the original story but with a supernatural subplot and the Brontes are intertwined, which was pretty clever. Again, I liked the humor and pop culture references (lots of Princess Bride ones!).