Okay well damn I really be reading in September huh?! I may or may not have really embedded myself into a specific world, that if you follow me on Instagram you’ve surely seen me talk about. But honestly, it was a solid month! I had some real bangers! I did also actually have a DNF – which I rarely do. So that’s listed at the bottom with a quick why.
Anyway, below is my breakdown as always, which includes my rating, what I liked, and where to read. I also will earn commissions if you make any purchases from links below, and I thank you earnestly for doing so. It allows me to keep putting together these recaps for you!
Let’s get into this September reading breakdown:
The Girl Behind the Iron Gate
📖 Book 1 in the Conspiracy of Shadows trilogy
❤️🔥 Medium spice
☑️ On Kindle Unlimited
My Rating: 4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (full review here)
My Thoughts: This was very fun and the ending was CRIMINAL. I think this book definitely found its footing about halfway through and it genuinely had me giggling and REALLY IN LOVE WITH ONE OF THE MEN OKAY?! Also the FMC being like… bad at battle but clever so good at other types of challenges was refreshing.
This trilogy has: games/trials, prison setting, trainer/trainee trope, sassy animal sidekick, love triangle
Where to Read:
The Knave and the Moon
📚 Book 2 in complete Stonewater Kingdom romantic fantasy duology
❤️🔥 Low spice
🎧 Dual-narrated audiobook
My Rating: 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (full review here)
My Thoughts: This is a perfect duology for me. I just felt all the feelings, and I actually really like the direction this book took after book 1. It had a sense of hope amid hopelessness, and how important your village is, that I find beautiful and important. This was the perfect cutie/patootie/slootie patootie book and I loved every second.
This duology has: the best side character ever, themes of religious weaponization and colonialism, beautiful writing, found family, hope
Where to Read:
The Washwoman at the River’s End
📖 Book 1 of the incomplete The Curse of the Fates trilogy
❤️🔥 Low/med spice
☑️ On Kindle Unlimited
My Rating: 4.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (full review here)
My Thoughts: I really loved this, I gobbled it up and it was actually the perfect book to read after Knave. The folklore is super cool, and there was a story turn it took at one point that literally had me shoot up out of bed with INTEREST AND EXCITEMENT. This book was oddly tender, and I also just loved it.
This book has: gothic vibes, Scottish and Gaelic folklore, hate-to-love, slow burn, character journey vs. action-packed, memory loss (but good, it makes sense)
Where to Read:
The Once and Future Witches
📕 Standalone low fantasy
☑️ On Kindle Unlimited
🎧 Solo-narrated audiobook (AND EXCEPTIONAL)
My Rating: 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (full review here)
My Thoughts: I cried. This was really beautiful and within 3 minutes of reading I thought to myself, “goddamnit Alix E. Harrow is such an insanely good writer I missed her” and yep, I was right. This is basically the Salem Witch Trials x Suffragette Movement in the veins of the Maiden, the Mother, and the Crone type lore. It was fabulous. I loved every single second.
This book has: sisterly love and female camaraderie, witches, SUPER minor romantic subplots, beautiful writing, tear jerking stuff
Where to Read:
The Court of Venus
📖 Book 1 in incomplete romantasy duology
❤️🔥 Has spice
☑️ On Kindle Unlimited
🎧 Solo-narrated audiobook (and so GOOD)
My Rating: 4.25 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (full review here)
My Thoughts: This was just a good damn time. It was so short and so fun and fast-paced, I had a blast. The yearning/longing was off the charts and the banter between them was SO fun. I also really enjoyed the astrology-based magic system and how it played into court politics. Had a GREAT time.
This book has: cunning/clever FMC and MMCs, super unique magic system, rivals/childhood friends to lovers
Where to Read:
Blood of Truth and Traitors
📖 Book 3 in incomplete Hirathean Path romantic fantasy series
❤️🔥 Medium spice
☑️ On Kindle Unlimited
🎧 Duet-narrated audiobook
My Rating: 4.25 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (full review here)
My Thoughts: Another banger in this series I fear, but this one – to me – has the most emotional devastation to date in my opinion. I really enjoy how this world is expanding a lot, and while I think the beginning was a little slower, the back half of this book realllllly flew for me.
This book has: magical rite, trainer/trainee, forbidden love and messy romance (still), great found family
Where to Read:
Midnight Gate
📚 Book 1 in a complete duet in the Cursed of the Veligrad world
❤️🔥 Has spice
☑️ On Kindle Unlimited
My Rating: 4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (full review here)
My Thoughts: This was just super addictive and fun. Like, I really liked the FMC, I thought the MMC was a hot little shit (compliment), and the world itself was very cool. I loved the folklore, I loved the monsters, I loved the spooky vibes. And I will say, the spice was real hot and the MMC “hates” her (but clearly doesn’t, but she thinks he does) but keeps doing nice things for her and THIS IS MY FAVORITE DYNAMIC.
This book has: spooky forest, enemies/hate to reluctant allies, Slavic folklore with so many magical creatures, gothic-ish vibes (perfect for spooky season), mates
Preorder Here:
Paladin’s Strength
📖 Book 2 in incomplete The Saint of Steel romantic fantasy series duology
❤️🔥 Lower spice
🎧 Solo-narrated audiobook
My Rating: 4.75 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🌟 (full review here)
My Thoughts: I LOVE THIS WORLD SO MUCH. I genuinely love it with my whole heart my whole ass my whole head my whole everything. This book features a big ol’ giant man Paladin and his big ol’ warrior nun-with-a-secret love interest and oh this was SO FUN. I’m obsessed with this world and I read 3 of them in a row so I am sorry for the repetition but it’s coming.
This book has: characters in their 30s/40s, love interests giving Brienne of Tarth and The Hound, so funny, set in the White Rat world
Preorder Here:
Paladin’s Hope
📖 Book 3 in incomplete The Saint of Steel romantic fantasy series duology
❤️🔥 Lower spice
🏳️🌈 MM romance
🎧 Solo-narrated audiobook
My Rating: 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (full review here)
My Thoughts: THIS IS MY FAVORITE SAINT OF STEEL BOOK OMG I LOVED IT SO MUCH. The dymanic of the MCs was so fun, the adventure in this particular book was a delight, and one of the main characters is a gnole (who are one of my favorite side characters ever). I couldn’t love this more, I want to reread it already.
This book has: 1 love interest is a sassy Paladin and the other is a clever doctor, both are whip smart and charming, funny banter, a maze
Read Here:
Paladin’s Faith
📖 Book 4 in incomplete The Saint of Steel romantic fantasy series duology
❤️🔥 Lower spice
🎧 Solo-narrated audiobook
My Rating: 4.75 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🌟 (full review here)
My Thoughts: What can I say, I just love this world. This one had maybe the most sweet-baby-angel MMCs I just wanted to hug with a smart/snarky/sensual FMC and I loved their dynamic. I think this book is also opening up the world a little bit to get back to the catalyst of the whole series, which was the Saint of Steel mysteriously dying. I would read 100 books in this series, I love it so much.
This book has: bodyguard trope, funny always
Read Here:
Scorpion Deep
📘 YA standalone romantic fantasy horror
🎧 Solo-narrated audiobook
🗓️ Out Oct 27
My Rating: 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (full review here)
My Thoughts: CG Drews is one of my favorite authors and they knocked it out of the park with this. It’s spooky, it’s heartbreaking, it makes me want to hug our lead Jonathan, and I loved it. CG Drews writing is so specific and they took their botanical horror over to nautical horror so, so well. I just adored this.
This book has: nautical horror, family trauma and abuse, anxiety and ace rep, haunting prose, sea legends/monsters, secret societies
Preorder Here:
Threshing Day
📖 Book 3.5 in incomplete Empyrean romantasy series
🎧 Group cast audiobook (and Graphic Audio to come)
My Rating: 4.75 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🌟 (full review here)
My Thoughts: Okay I love the series but I was surprised at how much I loved this! It’s just a quick little thing but it packed a punch. I was shocked at how much I loved a few of these POVs – especially Aaric’s, Sawyer’s, and Sloan’s. Xaden’s was also great, but like.. I don’t know there wasn’t a single dud? If you like the Empyrean series, this is just great and if you’re a crazy fast audiobook reader/listener like I am you’ll knock this out in a couple hours.
This book has: many POVs from the Empyrean series we haven’t gotten yet, dragon conversations, secrets
Read Here:
I also had 1 DNF – I rarely DNF but I just wasn’t vibing with the characters at all. The book was Uprooted. The writing itself and the world was pretty cool, but yeah I just wasn’t into the characters at all (and the FMC was too young for the old MMC, I was a bit icked out). But I actually have a few other books by the author I want to read so definitely not the end of my journey with her.
That’s all friends! See you on the socials!
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