September 2018 Reading Wrap-Up!

Hi all! 

Welcome to my September 2018 Reading Wrap-Up! I had a very good month, indulging in new and exciting books. I completed yet another Monthly Classic as well as the Sassy Book Club pick. For all the parents of newborns/infants out there, you can always make time for a novel when your child feeds or naps. I make it a daily ritual. It’s important to dedicate at least thirty minutes a day to your passion, no matter the life circumstances. Enough rambling however, let’s do this! 

1.) MUSE OF NIGHTMARES (BOOK #2 IN THE STRANGE THE DREAMER DUOLOGY) BY LAINI TAYLOR (NETGALLEY – EBOOK)

Pre-order a copy here! 

PLOT: In the wake of tragedy, neither Lazlo nor Sarai are who they were before. One a god, the other a ghost, they struggle to grasp the new boundaries of their selves as dark-minded Minya holds them hostage, intent on vengeance against Weep. Lazlo faces an unthinkable choice – save the woman he loves, or everyone else?
As humans and godspawn reel in the aftermath of the citadel’s near fall, a new foe shatters their fragile hopes, and the mysteries of the Mesarthim are resurrected. Where did the gods come from, and why? What was done with the thousands of children born in the citadel nursery? And most important of all, as forgotten doors are opened and new worlds revealed: must heroes always slay monsters, or is it possible to save them instead?

MINI REVIEW: I have written an entire spoiler-free review on this book (which does contain spoilers for Strange the Dreamer). Please click here to read all about it. 

RATING: I gave this 3.5/5 stars. 

2.) THE CATCHER IN THE RYE  BY J.D. SALINGER (PHYSICAL BOOK) – MONTHLY CLASSIC PICK FOR SEPTEMBER 2018

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PLOT: Holden Caulfield leaves his prep school in Pennsylvania to go underground in New York City for three days. Holden is not specific about his location whilst telling his story, but he makes it clear that he is undergoing treatment in a mental hospital or sanatorium. The events he narrates take place in the few days between the end of the fall school term and Christmas, when Holden is sixteen years old. That’s all I’m going to reveal…

MINI REVIEW: I didn’t know what to expect going into this controversial classic but I found myself thoroughly enjoying it. The humour and writing style had me laughing out loud several times. Holden is such a sarcastic and childish narrator with a penchant for lying and mischief. The plot itself was quite slow but the chapters were so entertaining and witty that it didn’t matter. My main issue with it was that it ended quite abruptly and strangely. It’s a very odd tale full of smutty language. 

RATING: I gave this 4/5 stars. 

3.) HERETICS ANONYMOUS BY KATIE HENRY (KINDLE BOOK) – SASSY BOOK CLUB PICK FOR SEPTEMBER 2018

Order a copy here! 

PLOT: This was our Sassy Book Club pick for September. The live show discussing the novel will be held October 13th at 5pm PST on MissSassyKassie’s YouTube Channel. 

When Michael walks through the doors of Catholic school, things can’t get much worse. His dad has just made the family move again, and Michael needs a friend. When a girl challenges their teacher in class, Michael thinks he might have found one, and a fellow atheist at that. Only this girl, Lucy, isn’t just Catholic . . . she wants to be a priest. Lucy introduces Michael to the other St. Clare’s outcasts and he officially joins Heretics Anonymous, where he can be an atheist, Lucy can be an outspoken feminist, Avi can be Jewish and gay, Max can wear whatever he wants and Eden can practice paganism. Michael encourages the Heretics to go from secret society, to rebels intent on exposing the school’s hypocrisies one stunt at a time. But when Michael takes one mission too far –  putting the other Heretics at risk – he must decide whether to fight for his own freedom or rely on faith.

MINI REVIEW: This is one of those novels I never would have picked up if it weren’t for my book club…but I am so glad I did. I LOVED it. I found Michael, the narrator, very similar to Holden Caulfield from The Catcher in the Rye (see above). He was sarcastic, immature and altogether very entertaining. I was initially hesitant about this story as I am not religious in the slightest but it ended up thoroughly surprising me with the direction it went in. Heretics Anonymous, as the plot details above, allows all of its members to believe and practice whatever they choose without judgement. The writing style is quick-witted and original. It was an easy read with positive morals to take away. I highly recommend it to any person of any faith. 

RATING: I gave this 4.5/5 stars. 

Thank you so much for reading. Please let me know down below your favourite read of September and what is on your TBR for October. See you next month! 

Peace & Love xoxo

Disclaimer: This post contains links to my Book Depository Affiliate which helps fund my blog, I am not being paid or sponsored for this post/products – all my thoughts/opinions are my own