Hello fellow Steemians!
Since fall is now officially here and we have well and truly entered the month of October, it is time for an overview of all the books I read in September. Altogether I got through nine works of literature in those 30 days, and here are my thoughts on all of them in chronological order.
Here's the video version, if you prefer more detail:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfkUS2E0WS8
#1 & #2 *Six of Crows* and *Crooked Kingdom* by Leigh Bardugo
https://instagram.fvie2-1.fna.fbcdn.net/t51.2885-15/e35/21371934_1876619989323329_5556296420857741312_n.jpg
I have already made a separate post (*cough* rant *cough*) on this YA duology, and you can check it out [here](https://steemit.com/books/@ivymuse/an-unpopular-opinion-six-of-crows-crooked-kingdom-by-leigh-bardugo-review).
-->> 4 and 2/5 stars from me :)
#3 *The Island of Dr. Moreau* by H.G. Wells
https://instagram.fvie2-1.fna.fbcdn.net/t51.2885-15/e35/21433395_114960809171881_6531736364826755072_n.jpg
This was a nice, short classic and I quite enjoyed it! I didn't think it was as scandalous as the people who read it when it first came out, but it was still pretty neat to read about Dr. Moreau's scientific ways of turning animals into humans.
-->> 3/5 stars from me!
#4 *Black-Eyed Susans* by Julia Heaberlin
This was a pretty good thriller about a woman who, as a child, was found in a grave with several murdered girls and surrounded by black-eyed susans. The killer was convicted, but now that she's an adult, someone is planting black-eyed susans under her window again...
I was very pleasantly surprised by this thriller as I had previously heard some mixed reviews of it. It was suspenseful and I didn't see the ending coming!
-->> 4/5 stars!
#5 *IT* by Stephen King
https://instagram.fvie2-1.fna.fbcdn.net/t51.2885-15/e35/21819577_249880068867661_5396821338809696256_n.jpg
Similar to #1 & #2, I already made a Steemit post on this book! Click [here](https://steemit.com/books/@ivymuse/should-you-read-it-by-stephen-king-spoiler-free-review-and-discussion) to view it!
-->> 3/5 stars!
#6 & #7 *Monstress Vol. 1+2* by Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda
https://instagram.fvie2-1.fna.fbcdn.net/t51.2885-15/e35/21980741_1961962207414970_4714420635420327936_n.jpg
This has quickly become my new favourite graphic novel series ever! It's a high fantasy story about a war between two races, that of humans and that of the arcanics, which are half human and half immortal ancient. The artwork in these is absolutely stunning and the story is very gripping! Both volumes leave off on a cliffhanger, so I really can't wait for the next instalment to be released!
-->> 5/5 stars for both of these!!
#8 *The Handmaid's Tale* by Margaret Atwood
https://i.imgsafe.org/51/515cd13bd5.jpeg
Daaayyuuum. What a **fantastic** novel. I have read a lot of dystopian fiction in the past, and this was definitely one of the best. It doesn't have a whole lot of action it it but I really enjoyed learning about this world where women are essentially used as breeding mares. I also really loved Atwood's writing, I definitely need to read more by her!
-->> 5/5 stars!! (of course)
#9 *The Essex Serpent* by Sarah Perry
https://i.imgsafe.org/51/515caefd6d.jpeg
This book received a lot of praise in 2016 and so I wanted to check it out for myself. And it did not disappoint! For the most part. It's set in the late 1800s in England and follows a widowed woman who moves to Essex with her son. There she hears about the mysterious Essex serpent, a monster that is supposedly stalking the countryside. Cora is a very unusual woman for her time, she's interested in sciences and a very rational person. She meets Reverend William Ransome, who is her complete opposite, but the two strike up an intense friendship. I enjoyed this book for the most part, even though some aspects of it didn't seem very realistic and the ending also didn't offer a proper conclusion. However, this was still a great read and I definitely recommend it!
-->> 4/5 stars overall!!
And that concludes all the books I read in September! I didn't start university again until this week, so I had a lot of time to read and was very pleased with everything I picked up!
What was your favourite recent read? Let me know!
Happy Reading!
xx
ivymuse