Showing posts with label monthly wrap-up. Show all posts
Showing posts with label monthly wrap-up. Show all posts

Saturday, October 3, 2026

Month in Review: September 2026

 

Happy October to those who celebrate! I've certainly grown into a huge October fan over the years because I am a big fan of the spooky season, of course, and I know many of my fellow readers/bloggers are as well. But this post is about September, so let's backtrack a little and first note that September truly, truly flew by for me, and I'm not sure I like that, haha. Did it fly by for anyone else?

In personal news, September really had a lot going on! I've still been preparing for an upcoming performance in a local student showcase which has been quite up and down for me, haha, but it's been a fun process nonetheless. Work has been pretty busy, but not too bad just yet (October/November should be busier), and I've started another community college course for some reason--I guess I just can't stay away! This time it's a character rigging course in Maya, which I'm not sure is going to be my favorite, but it's great knowledge to have nonetheless. Not too much else going on to share, so let's move on to the books (and really, the reason we're all here). 

In reading news, I've been really getting back on track still with my reading! September derailed slightly, but I still read some fantastic books and I am so ready for October reads (and I already have some TBR ideas going, so maybe I'll share a highly, highly tentative TBR post for October, but we'll see how it goes, haha). I didn't get quite as many reviews up as I meant to, but I also realized a lot of my ARCs are for October books, so as long as I can stay on top of those, October should have considerably more reviews! For September, What Feeds Below and The Sixth Nik were probably my top two reads of the month.

How was your September and what books have you been reading? Any reading-related goals?  Let me know how your month was below and what you've been reading!
   

# books read: 12


What Feeds Below by Tatiana Schlote-Bonne
Source: NetGalley | Format: eARC
Thoughts: I really loved this body horror-heavy tale and cannot recommend it enough for anyone who enjoys exploring dark places full of horrifying creatures--safely within a book, of course!

Out of Body: Stories by Chris Vanjonack
Source: NetGalley/Publisher | Format: eARC
Thoughts: These stories were hit or miss, but many more hits than misses and overall I quite enjoyed this collection! My review is also up for this one already. 

The Sixth Nik by Daniel Kraus
Source: Publisher | Format: Hardcover
Thoughts: I really enjoyed this one! It was delightfully unique and I really enjoyed the different ideas Kraus explored throughout. My review is already up, and the link can be found below!

If We Cannot Go at the Speed of Light by Kim Cho-yeop
Source: Library | Format: Audiobook
Thoughts: This was a really intriguing collection of stories that has surprisingly not stuck in my head as much as I'd have expected it to, but I'd still very much recommend it to any sci-fi fans who prefer a slightly more literary style. 


Whalefall by Daniel Kraus
Source: Library | Format: Ebook
Thoughts: I truly thought I was going to love this, but I am so disappointed to say that I really did not. I really wanted more whale time and whale focus, but instead I got a lot of family trauma that just wasn't really working for me. 

The Franchise by Thomas Elrod
Source: Library | Format: Hardcover
Thoughts: This is one of those where I really liked the concept and ideas explored, but the story itself and the characters were a bit lacking and didn't really grab me. 

The Professor and the Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary by Simon Winchester
Source: Library | Format: Audiobook
Thoughts: I've read a few Simon Winchester books in the past, but I somehow managed to never pick this one up until recently, and I'm glad I did because it was just as interesting as everyone always seems to say! 

The Chinese Lady by Bo Wang
Source: NetGalley | Format: eARC
Thoughts: My review is already up for this one as well! I was a little mixed on my feelings on this one, but overall I enjoyed the story and appreciated the author's attempts at doing something different with the narrative style. 


Ember and the Ice Dragons by Heather Fawcett
Source: Library | Format: Ebook
Thoughts: This was my first middle grade read from Heather Fawcett and I really enjoyed it! It was a really cute concept and I of course loved the Antarctica setting. I would love to read a sequel for this one!

The Islands of Elsewhere by Heather Fawcett
Source: Library | Format: Audiobook
Thoughts: And after my first middle grade form Heather Fawcett, I moved on to another because it popped up on Libby and I thought, why not! This was also really fun, and although I think the pacing and plotting was a little off, I'd still recommend it. 

Accidental Demons by Clare Edge
Source: Library | Format: Ebook
Thoughts: This was such a cute and clever middle grade story about a girl who belongs to a family line of witches that can easily summon demons, something that becomes considerably more of an issue when she is diagnosed with diabetes and finds that checking her blood essentially acts as a blood summoning... and she's accidentally summoning a lot of demons. I thought this was one of the most clever ways to incorporate an exploration of chronic illness in a way that really drives the plot and also tells some incredible lessons. Highly recommended for young readers!

A Dog in Georgia by Lauren Grodstein
Source: Library | Format: Audiobook
Thoughts: For this being a book about a woman traveling to the country of Georgia to look for a stray dog, there was a considerable lack of searching for the stray dog. This isn't something I'd typically read, but it showed up on Libby and I thought I'd give it a read--and I'm not sure it entirely worked out for me, haha.
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Saturday, September 5, 2026

Month in Review: August 2026

I have no idea where August went. It was a very up and down month, but I, like many of you, am looking forward to the fall season, so hopefully we all get to enjoy these upcoming months. :) 

In personal news, August has been pretty busy and it absolutely flew by! This past weekend was especially a blur because from Friday evening through Tuesday afternoon our AC decided to call it quits (during a heatwave, when everyone else's AC has gone out, of course!) and my life was pretty much taken over by trying to figure out how to keep our house cool, haha--it got to be 95 degrees(!) in my house on Saturday but Sunday we were able to get our hands on a portable AC. Although Sunday still got quite warm as the last day in the heatwave, everything became much more manageable after that. It's not an experience I recommend! Outside of that delightful end to the month, I think August mainly consisted of work, continuing to work on crafting a performance routine for aerial (it's been quite a challenge with lots of ups and downs), and some reading (though never as much as I'd like!). I also went to a really fun charity circus show that some of my friends performed in, which was a blast, and I got to go see one of my favorite bands, Driveways, for the first time, which was also an incredible night. All in all, I think August was pretty okay, all things considered.

In reading news, I read some really great books in August! I really enjoyed The Dungeon Book and The Infinite State in particular, and I was really excited to finally finish up The Cure for Living. Although I had mild disappointment that I didn't like Blacktail more, I don't think I really disliked any of the books I read in August, so I always take that as a win.

How was your August and what books have you been reading? Any reading-related goals?  Let me know how your month was below and what you've been reading!
   

# books read: 10

Blacktail by Scott Hawkins
Source: NetGalley | Format: eARC
Thoughts: I was a bit bummed to not enjoy this quite as much as I'd hoped to, but I still very much appreciate the story Hawkins told and his creative mind. My review for this is already up, so feel free to take a look if you're curious about my thoughts in more detail. I also want to make a quick note here that there is quite a bit of animal violence (as one might expect, given the premise), so just keep that in mind you're sensitive to that like I am before diving in.

The Dungeon Book by Gareth Hanrahan
Source: Publisher | Format: Physical ARC
Thoughts: I loved this! Hanrahan continues to impress me with his imaginative stories and world-building and I really enjoyed getting to know Bait and Cornelius in this one. Highly recommend for all fantasy lovers! 

The Infinite State (The Decurion Saga #1) by Richard Swan
Source: Publisher | Format: Physical ARC
Thoughts: This was a fantastic start to a new sci-fi series from Richard Swan, and I'm so curious to see where he takes this story and how he'll continue to expand the world.

Reliquary by Hannah Whitten
Source: Publisher | Format: Physical ARC
Thoughts: This was a pretty fun horror that incorporated some monstrous deities, isolated islands, claustrophobic places (like submarines!), and families that seem to be hiding things...

Automatic Noodle by Annalee Newitz
Source: Library | Format: Ebook
Thoughts: This is a short sci-fi that I'd had my eye on for a while, and I've seen it described as cozy sci-fi, which I'd generally agree with. I didn't connect with it quite as much as I'd hoped, but I still enjoyed the story Newitz told and the world-building elements included.

Cicero's Tongue: The Life of Rome's Greatest Orator and the End of the Republic by Catharine Edwards
Source: NetGalley | Format: eARC
Thoughts: A new book about Cicero? Sure, why not! I think this was a very accessible and well-researched look at Cicero. I really appreciated how much detail and time Edwards gave to contextual history/background as well that helped ground and situate the reader to better understand everything. This one will be out 9/15!

The Cure for Living - Part One & Part Two by Nicola Lietzau
Source: Author | Format: Hardcover
Thoughts: I was so excited to finally read a sequel to Dreams of the Dying, which I read so many years ago, and this did not disappoint!

Creativity, Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces that Stand in the Way of True Inspiration by Ed Catmull
Source: Library | Format: Audiobook
Thoughts: This was so familiar that I'm not entirely sure I haven't already read this one at some point, but regardless I really appreciated this book and thought Catmull provided some really great reflection and thoughtful ideas to consider. (I will say that my first thought at seeing "Catmull" was "ah yes... the bane of my existence when trying to subdivide my poorly made beginner meshes on Maya..."

The Safekeep by Yael van der Wouden
Source: Library | Format: Audiobook
Thoughts: This has a really strong start and I thought it would go somewhere very interesting... but unfortunately, it didn't quite live up to that and ended up just feeling more like a romance that didn't captivate me at all. Well-written, but not a standout for me and I lost interest.

Broken Dolls by Ally Malinenko
Source: Library | Format: Ebook
Thoughts: This was a really good middle grade horror that I think tackled grief, anxiety, OCD, and more in some incredibly thoughtful and effective ways. I definitely recommend this one!

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Friday, July 3, 2026

Month in Review: June 2026

 

Happy Fourth of July (a day early) to those who celebrate!
July has arrived and we are officially halfway through the year (sorry to remind anyone who's feeling a bit weird about that like I am, I'm just trying to face it head-on, haha). It's been a very weird year for many of us, it seems, and a generally rough year for some, but I think there's also been some good things happening so hopefully we can all just keep holding onto that hope and look forward. :)

In personal news, I am finally free! I don't want to be too dramatic, but since January I've either been working multiple part-time contract jobs (mainly January through March) + taking classes or working my new full-time job + taking a full-time class load (I ended taking five classes at the same time as my full-time  job.. it was sort of an accident and then I'm stubborn and stuck it out and boy, I should not have, haha--don't ever do this!), and the classes are finally over and I finally feel like I can breathe again! I haven't felt such relief in a long time, haha. There's still plenty of stressful things going on in life, but at least there are no more assignments looming. I've gotten right back to work reorganizing my ARCs and blog plans/reviews and I'm so excited to have more time again. There are so many personal projects I want to get started on, too, so fingers crossed I finally can!

In reading news, it was slightly slower month for me, but it was also when all of my finals were due and everything was wrapping up, so it wasn't exactly unexpected, haha. That being said, I'm starting to get back into the groove and finding a new routine with my new schedule (and more time!), so I'm excited to get into more books. I was also glad to get started on some July ARCs, so more reviews are in the works as well! 

How was your June and what books have you been reading? How's the new year been? Any reading-related goals?  Let me know how your month was below and what you've been reading!
   

# books read: 10

The Sea Hides Its Dead by Megan Bontrager
Source: Publisher | Format: Physical ARC
Thoughts: I was really excited about this new horror book and it was a fairly solid read! I didn't love it as much as I'd hoped, but I would definitely recommend it to fans of the genre. 

The Zorg: A Tale of Greed and Murder That Inspired the Abolition of Slavery by Siddharth Kara
Source: Library | Format: Audiobook
Thoughts: This was a really interesting read that I learned so much from--highly recommend it!

The Door in Penrose Forest by Sean David Robinson
Source: Publisher | Format: eARC
Thoughts: I quite enjoyed this one and thought the entire concept was really intriguing--a great read for magical realism-type fans!

The Scythians: Nomad Warriors of the Steppe by Barry Cunliffe
Source: Library | Format: Audiobook
Thoughts: This was well-researched and intriguing, but I'll admit that it didn't hold my interest quite as much as I expected it to. 

Prince of Swords (Arcana Academy #2) by Elise Kova
Source: Publisher | Format: Physical ARC
Thoughts: I was surprised at how much I enjoyed Arcana Academy, and since then I've been really looking forward to this sequel. I had a really great time with it and think it was a very solid addition to the series. I'll have my review up closer to publication (which is soon!)

Archaeology from Space: How the Future Shapes Our Past by Sarah Parcak
Source: Library | Format: Audiobook
Thoughts: This was really interesting! I recently took a class on GIS applications and whatnot and this felt like a really great add-on from that class to learn more about everything. If you like archaeology, this is a great read!

Trinity, Trinity, Trinity by Erika Kobayashi
Source: Publisher | Format: Hardcover
Thoughts: This is a translated work of fiction that I'm struggling to know how to describe in just one sentence, so feel free to check out my review to know more about it, haha. It was weird, but I thought worth a read if it's up your alley!

Thistlemarsh by Moorea Corrigan
Source: Owned | Format: Hardcover
Thoughts: I thought this had a really great start that fizzled out a little for me throughout the middle, but still a fun read!

Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry
Source: Library | Format: Ebook
Thoughts: I've had my eye on this one for years, and the recent influx in its popularity around the book community finally got to me and convinced me to finally pick it up.

Obstetrix by Naomi Kritzer
Source: Publisher | Format: Physical ARC
Thoughts: This was a very quick thriller-type read that touches on some extremely relevant and important topics.

To-Be-Finished:
None! (that I can recall...)

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