It’s time for my first half of September book review post! I am sharing what I read in September so far, although I am skipping my 5 star reads to share later in the month. The Amazon links to the books I’ve read are affiliate links and if you use them and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. If you’ve read any of these books or are interested in them, I’d love to hear about it in the comments!
Title: Marry Me By Midnight
Author: Felicia Grossman
Genre: Historical Romance
Publisher: Forever, 8/8/23
Source: Publisher
Why I Read It: Sent to me for my review
My Rating: 4 Stars
I rarely read this genre of historical romance but was called to this one for its Jewish content. While I started out reading this in print, I switched to audio and that went better for me. This reverse Cinderella story is set in London’s Jewish community. It has a bit of a Purim vibe too as Isabelle throws three parties in order to find an appropriate match in order to help her save her family business. She meets Aaron, the synagogue custodian, and asks him to help her look into the backgrounds of her potential suitors. Isabelle and Aaron quickly fall for one another instead.
“London, 1832: Isabelle Lira may be in distress, but she’s no damsel. Since her father’s death, his former partners have sought to oust her from their joint equity business. Her only choice is to marry—and fast—to a powerful ally outside the respected Berab family’s sphere of influence. Only finding the right spouse will require casting a wide net. So she’ll host a series of festivals, to which every eligible Jewish man is invited. Once, Aaron Ellenberg longed to have a family of his own. But as the synagogue custodian, he is too poor for wishes and not foolish enough for dreams. Until the bold, beautiful Isabelle Lira presents him with an irresistible offer . . . if he ensures her favored suitors have no hidden loyalties to the Berabs, she will provide him with money for a new life. Yet the transaction provides surprising temptation, as Aaron and Isabelle find caring and passion in the last person they each expected. Only a future for them is impossible—for heiresses don’t marry orphans, and love only conquers in children’s tales. But if Isabelle can find the courage to trust her heart, she’ll discover anything is possible, if only she says yes.”
While I enjoyed this listen, I am not sure non Jewish readers would catch all of the Jewish terms and references. Fans of historical romance should enjoy this one.
Title: The Adventure Is Now
Author: Jess Redman
Genre: Middle Grade Contemporary / Magical
Publisher: Farrar, Straus, & Giroux Books For Young Readers, 5/4/21
Source: Once Upon a Book Club Box
Why I Read It: Sent to me for my review
My Rating: 4 Stars
OUABC sent me the Brave Explorer middle grade box. I was excited for Simon to have this fun reading experience where you get to open a gift at various points throughout the story. He read the first 20 pages of the book, opened the first gift, and then set it aside. Oh well, more fun for me. The featured book in this box was The Adventure Is Now by Jess Redman, which was a fun book about Milton, who is struggling with a lack of friends, bullying, and his parents’ considering divorce. They send him to visit his uncle on a remote island and it’s like his favorite video game came to life – with all kinds of new species to discover and even new friends to hang out with. Milton becomes his alter ego, Sea Hawk, and sets out to find his own adventure with the help of a field guide with clues to the island’s mysteries (some of which is included in the book!) An adventurous, puzzle filled quest ensues.
“Sometimes it’s hard to be Milton P. Greene. He says all the wrong things, his family is falling apart, and everyone at school avoids him because of the very embarrassing Bird Brain Incident. But when Milton plays his video game Isle of Wild, he becomes someone else―Sea Hawk, the brave and brilliant naturalist explorer who conquers danger at every turn. Then Milton’s parents ship him off to the remote Lone Island for the summer, where his uncle Evan is an environmentalist researcher. The island is chock-full of spectaculous species, and Milton realizes this is his chance to become the brave and brilliant naturalist he’s always wanted to be―and even meet some fellow explorers! But as it turns out, the future of the Lone Island is in some pretty serious peril, and the only thing that can save it is a field guide full of cryptic clues. If Milton and his unexpected new friends are going to protect the island, they’ll have to trust each other, discover new truths, and embark on a wild and wondrous adventure all their own.”
Young readers who long for adventure will enjoy this book! For me, it was sweet and funny and I hope to share it with a young reader who will appreciate it more than Simon did! If you want your own Once Upon a Book Club Box, you can use my code NOTINJERSEY for 10% off. Of course, there are boxes for adults available too.
Title: Someone Somewhere Maybe
Author: Sophie Diener
Genre: Poetry
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin, 9/26/23
Source: Publisher
Why I Read It: Sent to me for my review
My Rating: 4 Stars
This small book of poetry was a quick read that I enjoyed for the most part. It focuses on feelings about a break up and on finding oneself.
“Poignant and beautifully written, TikTok fan favorite Sophie Diener’s debut poetry collection takes readers on an introspective journey through first love, first heartbreak, first loss, identity, and self-worth. Filled with honesty and warmth, each poem reveals something new about the human condition, and brilliantly captures what growing up feels like, in a way that is both relatable and affirming. Someone Somewhere Maybe is the perfect companion for a rainy day, curling up in bed with a cup of tea, sitting on the porch with a glass of lemonade, or lying on the beach watching the waves. It offers readers hope, healing, understanding, and the certainty that they are not alone.”
I found the early poems in the collection to be nostalgic. Some of the poems were lyrical and I enjoyed the occasional rhyming lines that sounded like they could be in a song. This isn’t my favorite poetry collection but I did like most of the poems in it.
Title: A Brushstroke With Death
Author: Bethany Blake
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Publisher: Tantor Audio, 10/29/19
Source: Library Audio
Why I Read It: Had it waiting on my shelf
My Rating: 4 Stars
Continuing my goal of reading from my oldest acquired books, I listened to A Brushstroke With Death by Bethany Blake. This is a cozy mystery with magical vibes and would make a great fall read. This is about Willow, an artist and art teacher who is a suspect in the death of Evangeline Fletcher, who no one really likes, which leads to lots of suspects. A mysterious detective that Willow had previously painted arrives in town. Willow has some animal friends including Remy the owl and Mortimer the pig. Together with the detective, the animals, and some magic, Willow looks into the case.
“Near the creek that runs behind her Pennsylvania house, Willow Bellamy has converted an old barn into an art school–though the place does still have some animal inhabitants, including Rembrandt, the owl who lives up in the rafters. And while it’s important for any artist to have a vision, Willow can sometimes see things others can’t, just like her mother and grandmother before her. Not that she would exactly call herself a witch…When some local merchants gather in the studio for a painting party, they focus their attention on a still life with flowers and an assortment of garden tools, including antique pruning shears that disappear–at the same time despised restaurant owner Evangeline Fletcher is murdered. Willow must use all her gifts to find the killer, although it means teaming up with a handsome, mysterious detective whom Willow fears she may have accidentally conjured from a canvas. This investigation is sure to be a hoot…”
I felt that the reveal of the killer was somewhat random, but I probably missed some clues along the way. This was said to be the start of a series, but it doesn’t seem any others have come out since.
Title: I’m Not Done With You Yet
Author: Jesse Q Sutanto
Genre: Thriller
Publisher: Berkley, 8/22/23
Source: Publisher
Why I Read It: Sent to me for my review
My Rating: 4 Stars
Jesse Q Sutanto is so talented, writing in genres from light mystery to YA rom com to dark thriller. I have enjoyed all of her books that I’ve read so far. This one is darker and somewhat slow to progress although I was intrigued to see where the story was going. It is about Jane, a self-diagnosed sociopath, looking back at her time at Oxford and her friendship with Thalia as Thalia reappears in her life.
“Jane is unhappy. A struggling midlist writer whose novels barely command four figures, she feels trapped in an underwhelming marriage, just scraping by to pay a crippling Bay Area mortgage for a house—a life—she’s never really wanted. There’s only ever been one person she cared about, one person who truly understood her: Thalia. Jane’s best and only friend nearly a decade ago during their Creative Writing days at Oxford. It was the only good year of Jane’s life—cobblestones and books and damp English air, heady wine and sweet cider and Thalia, endless Thalia. But then one night ruined everything. The blood-soaked night that should have bound Thalia to Jane forever but instead made her lose her completely. Thalia disappeared without a trace, and Jane has been unable to find her since. Until now. Because there she is, her name at the top of the New York Times bestseller list: A Most Pleasant Death by Thalia Ashcroft. When she discovers a post from Thalia on her website about attending a book convention in New York City in a week—‘Can’t wait to see you there!’—Jane can’t wait either.”
I felt like things were figured out pretty easily and the book may have benefited from the viewpoint of the third friend in the trio, Ani, as it was hard to know who to trust and believe! I liked that the friends were writers and did enjoy this one, although I’m not sure it’s the writer’s best genre.
This post includes 5 of the books I read this month. Of these books, 3 were print and 2 were audio. 4 were adult books and 1 was middle grade. Genres included historical romance, contemporary with some magic, cozy mystery, poetry, and thriller.
Have you read any of these books or do you want to? What have you been reading lately?