September is drawing to a close, and we are officially into autumn now! This was a good reading month for me, and I enjoyed much of what I read. The month isn't over yet, and I've already slipped into some of the books I had earmarked for October reads. I also met my GoodReads goal of 80 books in 2021 this month! The Last Graduate by Naomi Novik was my 80th book of 2021, and it did not disappoint!
September brought books of all the star ratings for me, from two stars to five stars. I read some arcs, some (fairly) new releases, and some books from my backlist. I finished two audio books this month, which is a personal best for me in a while! I don't drive as much as I used to, so I don't make near the headway on audio books that I have in the past.
My favorite book of September was Next Year in Havana by Chanel Cleeton. This as my first Chanel Cleeton book, and I cannot wait to make my way through her backlist. I fell in love with Cuba and the Perez family in this story, and she has such a way of weaving her words into an unforgettable story that I am so excited to read the rest of her books. Next Year in Havana was published in 2018, and it was hands down a five star read for me this month. It might even be my favorite historical fiction book of 2021. There were so many quotes, character, and experiences that made this book meaningful to me, but I think my favorite quote was when Pablo looked at Elisa and said, "You're going to be difficult to walk away from, aren't you?" The romantic in me just fell for this line completely.
Another favorite from September was The Last Graduate by Naomi Novik. The second book in the Lessons from the Scholomance series, this one picks up pretty much where A Deadly Education left off. This book had a lot more depth of character growth and emotion than the first book did, and we really learned more about El in this story. I liked that the story focused mostly on El's development, not just the romance between her and Orion. El friendships grew with those around her, and we started to learn more about what her higher calling might be and what she was capable of doing. I thought this story was both poignant and exciting, a true fantasy story for the ages. I think any fantasy lover will enjoy this series! And, it even had some steam in it this go around!
I listened to the Bob Iger book, A Ride of a Lifetime, on Audible this month. I just love this book so much. It's so honest, and I love that Bob Iger's truth comes from a place of such obviously sincerity. He's not playing any games with his story; he's telling you the truth about his life and his career, and he doesn't gloss over his failures. I love that he is so relatable, and I just find him so inspiring. If I could meet any business leader of today, it would certainly be Bob Iger. I think I could learn so much from him, and I also think he is a leader I could trust. He has a true desire to help those around him succeed, and it comes through in his story time and time again. He is a great example of someone who builds up his team members through positive reinforcement, creative freedom, and productive feedback. The only thing that could have made this book better was if it was narrated by the author himself.
September was a good month for me! I also finished My Favorite Half Night Stand by Christina Lauren, and fell in love with another set of characters they created. Overall, I'm really happy with how my reading turned out this month. I can't wait to see what October has in store for me!
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