My September Reads

Here’s a wrap-up of the books I read in September. Some of these books were discovery while others were a real disappointment. The first part of this post is the list of all the books with the links to the complete reviews and it’s followed by quick reviews of them. Hope you’ll enjoy!

Please find below all my readings for September:

1. Caraval by Stephanie Gerber
2. The Bone Witch by Ivy Asher
3. The Queen of Nothing by Holly Black
4. Cast in Firelight by Dana Swift
5. The Cheerleaders by Kara Thomas
6. Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mathurin
7. Truly Devious: A Mystery by Maureen Johnson

Caraval by Stephanie Gerber

Themes: fantasy, romance, game, magic

My rating: 4/5

Synopsis:

To escape their abusive father, Scarlett and her sister Tella flee to Caraval, a game happening once a year, with the help of a mysterious sailor. But once they arrive, Tella is kidnapped by Caraval’s master Legend. The game of this year: finding Tella before the others. Scarlett is now drown into a game which feels very real…

Quick review: I was quite let down by this book despite all the wonderful comments I heard about it. I loved the worldbuilding and the game aspect but my pleasure was spoiled by the very silly heroine and the uninteresting romance.

The Bone Witch – The Osseus Chronicles Book 1 by Ivy Asher

Themes: fantasy, romance, urban fantasy, witches

My rating: 4,5/5

Synopsis (taken from Goodreads):

I never thought in a million years that the bones would choose me.

The power, the magic, was supposed to go to someone else in the family. I was counting on it.

But now my Grammy Ruby is gone, and here the bones sit on my kitchen table.

I thought bitter relatives would be my biggest problem. But I’ve barely had time to find a familiar before trouble comes a-knocking. The kind that possesses smoldering green eyes and a smile that can turn any woman dumb.

His name is Rogan Kendrick, and he’s certain that someone is hunting down and taking my kind.

According to him, I’m next.

This is a world that I never wanted to be a part of, but magic gives no fucks and takes no prisoners… At least we have that much in common.

I don’t know what my ancestors were thinking when they chose me, but I’m going to give them a run for their money. My name is Lennox Osseous, but you can call me the Bone Witch.

Quick review: I wish this book was more known. It’s so much fun to read it! You have a sassy heroine, humour, mystery, magic… I can’t wait to read the sequel!

The Queen of Nothing by Holly Black

Themes: fantasy, romance, betrayal, politics, royalty, fae

My rating: 5/5

Quick review: A wonderful end to a wonderful series. I loved the world, the plots and the characters Holly Black succeeded to create. And I was holding my breath until the very last moment, waiting to see what Jude and Cardan will decide to do.

Cast in Fireligh by Dana Swift

Themes: fantasy, mystery, romance, witches, enemies to lovers

My rating: 4/5

Synopsis:

Adraa is the royal heir of Belwar, a talented witch on the cusp of taking her royal ceremony test, and a girl who just wants to prove her worth to her people.

Jatin is the royal heir to Naupure, a competitive wizard who’s mastered all nine colors of magic, and a boy anxious to return home for the first time since he was a child.

Together, their arranged marriage will unite two of Wickery’s most powerful kingdoms. But after years of rivalry from afar, Adraa and Jatin only agree on one thing: their reunion will be anything but sweet.

Only, destiny has other plans and with the criminal underbelly of Belwar suddenly making a move for control, their paths cross…and neither realizes who the other is, adopting separate secret identities instead.

Between dodging deathly spells and keeping their true selves hidden, the pair must learn to put their trust in the other if either is to uncover the real threat. Now Wickery’s fate is in the hands of rivals..? Fiancées..? Partners..? Whatever they are, it’s complicated and bound for greatness or destruction.

Quick review: A good, quick read with an Indian inspired world. Nice characters and plot with little mystery but still enough to keep you reading.

The Cheerleaders by Kara Thomas

Themes: YA muder mystery, thriller, contemporary fiction

My rating: 4/5

Synopsis:

There are no more cheerleaders in the town of Sunnybrook.

First there was the car accident—two girls gone after hitting a tree on a rainy night. Not long after, the murders happened. Those two girls were killed by the man next door. The police shot him, so no one will ever know why he did it. Monica’s sister was the last cheerleader to die. After her suicide, Sunnybrook High disbanded the cheer squad. No one wanted to be reminded of the girls they lost.

That was five years ago. Now the faculty and students at Sunnybrook High want to remember the lost cheerleaders. But for Monica, it’s not that easy. She just wants to forget. Only, Monica’s world is starting to unravel. There are the letters in her stepdad’s desk, an unearthed, years-old cell phone, a strange new friend at school. . . . Whatever happened five years ago isn’t over. Some people in town know more than they’re saying. And somehow Monica is at the center of it all.

There are no more cheerleaders in Sunnybrook, but that doesn’t mean anyone else is safe. 

Quick review: A very good YA thriller which kept me on the edge. It’s the type of mystery I like since the clues are presented to the reader at the same time as to the characters. I had a lot of fun trying to solve the mysteries and I guessed pretty much one of them (yeah!). But I was still surprised by the end.

Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mathurin

Themes: YA fantasy, romance, witches/witchcraft, revenge/betrayal

My rating: 5/5

Synopsis:

Two years ago, Louise le Blanc fled her coven and took shelter in the city of Cesarine, forsaking all magic and living off whatever she could steal. There, witches like Lou are hunted. They are feared. And they are burned.

Sworn to the Church as a Chasseur, Reid Diggory has lived his life by one principle: thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. His path was never meant to cross with Lou’s, but a wicked stunt forces them into an impossible union—holy matrimony.

The war between witches and Church is an ancient one, and Lou’s most dangerous enemies bring a fate worse than fire. Unable to ignore her growing feelings, yet powerless to change what she is, a choice must be made.

And love makes fools of us all.

Quick review: I’m so glad I changed my TBR to include this book. Lou is now one of my favourite heroines so much I love her. This book made me laughed and tensed and I’m just waiting to dive into the sequel!

Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mathurin

Themes: murder mystery, romance, private school, academia

My Rating: 4,5/5

Synopsis:

Ellingham Academy is a famous private school in Vermont for the brightest thinkers, inventors, and artists. It was founded by Albert Ellingham, an early twentieth century tycoon, who wanted to make a wonderful place full of riddles, twisting pathways, and gardens. “A place,” he said, “where learning is a game.”

Shortly after the school opened, his wife and daughter were kidnapped. The only real clue was a mocking riddle listing methods of murder, signed with the frightening pseudonym “Truly, Devious.” It became one of the great unsolved crimes of American history.

True-crime aficionado Stevie Bell is set to begin her first year at Ellingham Academy, and she has an ambitious plan: She will solve this cold case. That is, she will solve the case when she gets a grip on her demanding new school life and her housemates: the inventor, the novelist, the actor, the artist, and the jokester. But something strange is happening. Truly Devious makes a surprise return, and death revisits Ellingham Academy. The past has crawled out of its grave. Someone has gotten away with murder. 

Quick review: A very strong start for this trilogy even if I regret the main mystery is not the main plot of this volume. I’m just so intrigued by the Ellingham case that I have to restrain myself from spending the next few days reading the next two volumes!

Note: Most synopsis are taken from Goodreads.