What I Read: My August and September 2023 Reading List
August and September were a little bit slower reading months for me because half of the time I was sick and the other half of the time I was out enjoying life! That said, I had some fabulous reads during that time that I am excited to share with you during this little round up of August and September reads and reviews.
If you missed my July review, click here to get caught up!
Month Reads by the Numbers
In August and September, I read a total of 7 books.
Book formats:
- Paperback: 3
- Hardback: 2
- Kindle: 2
Types of books:
- Romcom: 2
- Thriller: 2
- Unclassified Fiction: 2
- Young Adult: 1
Yearly Reads: Goal Tracking
According to my Goodreads I am one book behind on my goal of 52 books for 2023. As of the end of September, I am at 38 books.
To see other book roundups and reading reports from this year, click here!
My August and September 2023 Reads and Reviews
Unfortunately Yours by Tessa Bailey
3 Stars | Romcom
If you know me and were to read the description of this book, you’d think it would have blown me completely away. The concept? Awesome. The execution? Not so much. I’m sad because I loved the Bellinger sisters and other books by Tessa so much!! This one had dirty talk that just didn’t work for me, and the nickname the main character had for his wife (“princess”) is just about my worst nightmare. Fast read, but also feels like it’s just a little too long … you know what I mean?
The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han
4 Stars | Young Adult
While I typically am not a fan of young adult reads, this was heavily an exception. This book was the definition of nostalgia for me. I loved the author’s way of writing and describing situations. The slew of emotions it put me through was absolutely beautiful. I highly recommend this if you are looking for a light read to end the season!
*Free on KindleUnlimited
The Guncle by Steven Rowley
4.5 Stars | Fiction
TW: loss, drug abuse, alcoholism
While this story is greatly about grief, it is also a laugh-out-loud tale of a gay uncle learning how to parent his niece and nephew after their mom passes away. His unconventional ways of parenting are beyond fabulous, and the characters are so well written that you can practically see the mayhem as a movie in your head. I’ve heard rumors that Dan Levy is producing this as a major motion picture, and I hope they are true. Please, take the time to pick up this one!!
The Housemaid’s Secret by Freida McFadden
3.5 Stars | Thriller
TW: Domestic Violence
I want to start out by saying I love the way McFadden writes. It’s so addictive and always leaves you wanting more. This was a fun, quick read, though not my favorite of hers. It gets a little cheesy at parts but was always entertaining. That said, this is the second in a duo of reads. The first one (read my review here) was juicy and shocking. Highly recommend giving it a go!
*Free on Kindle Unlimited
Under the Influence by Noelle Crooks
3 Stars | Fiction
This one took me a minute to get through … typically a book of this length on Kindle takes me 3ish days with the amount of time I had to dedicate. This one took me 10 just due to the writing.
While some of her descriptions about influencers and influencer culture were completely accurate, others kind of didn’t quite add up for me? I recommend, but would say take everything with a grain of salt. Most influencers that are this large scale aren’t this neurotic … and if they are, they’re in part “big” because of that piece of their personality.
Meet the Benedettos by Katie Cotugno
5 Stars | Romcom
Advanced read: publication date Dec. 5, 2023
This book was a delicious surprise. I found it to be fabulously, and shockingly, relatable. Family helps family always! The satirical prose Cotugno played with just absolutely thrilled me. There were some loose ends I would have loved to see tied up (no spoilers), but I greatly enjoyed this one and can’t wait for it to be published!
The Intern by Michele Campbell
4.5 Stars | Legal Thriller
This one lost half a point because of the writing (it wasn’t the best), but the story line was 10/10 amazing. I dove into this book, knocking it out in a day and a half. It is a legal thriller focusing around two viewpoints: the view of the intern (who’s brother is currently in prison for a crime he claims he didn’t commit) and from the judge. If you’re a fan of Ozark you will eat this one up.
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