My September Reads

Here are all my September reviews:

1. Zodiac Academy 3 & 4 by Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti
2. Tall Tails Secret Book Club by CeeCee James
3. Godsgrave by Jay Kristoff
4. The Education of an Idealist by Samantha Power
5. Violet Made of Thorns by Gina Chen

Zodiac Academy 3 & 4 by Caroline Peckham & Susanne Valenti

Themes: NA, fantasy romance

My rating: 4 & 4.5/5

Quick review: There’s a clear improvement in the series as the books go on. Even though the story is quite simple and the writing, not the greatest, this series is a rollercoaster of emotions and just keeps you reading!

Tall Tales Secret Book Club by CeeCee James

Themes: Cosy Mystery

My rating: 4/5

Synopsis:

A mysterious mansion, a suspicious death, and a cat too smart for its own good…

When Laura Lee took the summer job as a housekeeper at the old Thornberry Estate, she knew it was a creepy place, but she had no idea how creepy. Mrs. Fitzwater warned her to keep her mind on her work and her nose in her own business, but one thing after another leads her astray, between the mansion giving up its puzzles as she goes about her work, fun secrets to share with the clever ladies in her book club who are always up for a mystery, and a cat that seems to know more than she does.

The death of a chauffeur just outside the estate gates changes everything and suddenly creepy turns to deadly as Laura Lee finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation. When the police seem unable to solve the crime, can Laura Lee and her intrepid club find the killer before the killer finds Laura Lee?

Quick review: This was the cosy mystery I was looking for! An old mansion, a cat and secret rooms… Perfect for autumn!

Godsgrave by Jay Kristoff

Themes: fantasy, adult

My rating: 4/5

Synopsis:

Mia Corvere has found her place among the Blades of Our Lady of Blessed Murder, but many in the Red Church hierarchy think she’s far from earned it. Plying her bloody trade in a backwater of the Republic, she’s no closer to ending the men who destroyed her familia; in fact, she’s told directly that Consul Scaeva is off limits. But after a deadly confrontation with an old enemy, Mia’s suspicions about the Red Church’s true motives begin to grow

Quick review: For once, I preferred the second book to the first one! Still enjoy Mia’s character and the plot is getting even more interesting!

The Education of an Idealist by Samantha Power

Themes: nonfiction, memoir, politics

My rating: 5/5

Synopsis:

In her memoir, Power offers an urgent response to the question “What can one person do?”—and a call for a clearer eye, a kinder heart, and a more open and civil hand in our politics and daily lives. The Education of an Idealist traces Power’s distinctly American journey from immigrant to war correspondent to presidential Cabinet official. In 2005, her critiques of US foreign policy caught the eye of newly elected senator Barack Obama, who invited her to work with him on Capitol Hill and then on his presidential campaign. After Obama was elected president, Power went from being an activist outsider to a government insider, navigating the halls of power while trying to put her ideals into practice. She served for four years as Obama’s human rights adviser, and in 2013, he named her US Ambassador to the United Nations, the youngest American to assume the role.

A Pulitzer Prize–winning writer, Power transports us from her childhood in Dublin to the streets of war-torn Bosnia to the White House Situation Room and the world of high-stakes diplomacy. The Education of anIdealist lays bare the battles and defining moments of her life and shows how she juggled the demands of a 24/7 national security job with the challenge of raising two young children. Along the way, she illuminates the intricacies of politics and geopolitics, reminding us how the United States can lead in the world, and why we each have the opportunity to advance the cause of human dignity.

Quick review: This book was extremely well-written and interesting. Don’t hesitate to pick it up if you’re interested in politics and geopolitics!

Violet Made of Thorns by Gina Chen

Themes: YA fantasy, romance, fairytale retelling

My rating: 3/5

Synopsis

Violet is a prophet and a liar, influencing the royal court with her cleverly phrased—and not always true—divinations. Honesty is for suckers, like the oh-so-not charming Prince Cyrus, who plans to strip Violet of her official role once he’s crowned at the end of the summer—unless Violet does something about it.

But when the king asks her to falsely prophesy Cyrus’s love story for an upcoming ball, Violet awakens a dreaded curse, one that will end in either damnation or salvation for the kingdom—all depending on the prince’s choice of future bride. Violet faces her own choice: Seize an opportunity to gain control of her own destiny, no matter the cost, or give in to the ill-fated attraction that’s growing between her and Cyrus.

Violet’s wits may protect her in the cutthroat court, but they can’t change her fate. And as the boundary between hatred and love grows ever thinner with the prince, Violet must untangle a wicked web of deceit in order to save herself and the kingdom—or doom them all.

In brief: An undeveloped plot, world, and cast of characters despite interesting ideas…

And you, what did read this September?

Note: Most synopses are taken from Goodreads.

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