September Book Round Up!

What I read in this month’s Round Up!

After a pretty slow July and August, September really picked up. Wow—what a month! I think this might have been one of my favourite reading months of the year. Between a trip down memory lane and making real progress on my TBR, I also came across several five-star reads, which made the month even more special.

I made the active choice to focus almost exclusively on my TBR, and I managed to get through about ten titles (I’ll share more on that in my updated TBR post).

All in all, I read 15 books in September, three of which were five-star reads.

Completed Books (in chronological order, Notable in italics)

Finished

1. Razorblade Tears by S.A. Cosby
2. The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han 
3. Come and Fall in Love by Kay Shanae
4. The House of Eve by Sadeqa Johnson
5. The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston
6. Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
7. Hold My Girl by Charlene Carr
8. Before We Were Strangers by Renee Carlino
9. If You Stayed by Brittainy Cherry
10. Private Agenda by Christina C Jones
11. Do Not Disturb by Sherise Blackman 
12. The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang
13. Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid 
14. Definitely Not A Thing by Christina C Jones 

Currently Reading 

1. The Knight and the Moth by Rachelle Gillig 

I had so many good books this month, but I’ll start this round up with my top pick: Carrie Soto Is Back. Whew…what a ride. This is now the third Taylor Jenkins Reid book I’ve read, and I have to say, she is a phenomenal storyteller.

Carrie Soto is fast-paced and thrilling from beginning to end. I listened to it on audiobook, which amplified the intensity. I binged it in one sitting, and I’m sure if I had read the physical book, it would’ve been the same. Carrie herself was insufferable at times (oh my god!), but that’s what made her so compelling. Jenkins Reid has such a gift for writing strong-willed, headstrong, and deeply complex female protagonists, Evelyn Hugo, of course, but Carrie felt especially multifaceted. She was difficult, unapologetic, and fiercely driven to be the best. Honestly, it’s hard to believe she isn’t a real person.

I loved every second of this book. The side characters were excellent, and I especially appreciated how many powerful and determined women were woven into the story. I’m definitely planning to add more of Jenkins Reid’s work to my TBR. I’ve been loving the ride so far.

I also finally picked up Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi, and what a devastating yet beautiful read. I just added it to my Giftable Books recommendations (check out that post for a deeper dive into why I think it’s a perfect book to give someone).

I chose the audiobook format knowing it would be painful, and I often find heavy or unfamiliar reads easier to process that way. What struck me most was how Homegoing kept the Black story at its centre. Too often, narratives set in this period get overshadowed by white perspectives. Here, even though white characters play crucial roles in many storylines, never once did it feel like the Black voice was being sidelined.

Gyasi tackled slavery and colonisation with such care, showing just how deeply they fractured history, culture, and familial lines. The ending was beautiful, haunting, but full of resonance. It truly touched my heart.

Up next is The Poppy War… R.F. Kuang, is everything alright?? What began as a heavy but still somewhat light coming-of-age story very quickly descended into territory I was wholly unprepared for. By the time Rin joins the psychs, the narrative takes an incredibly dark turn. I definitely enjoyed the book, and I do plan to finish the series, but for some reason, I wasn’t as connected or enthralled as I expected to be. Because of that, I’m not in a huge rush to pick up Book 2.

I’ve heard it only gets darker and more depraved (which is hard to believe after this first instalment), so it may take me a while to continue—but the series will definitely remain on my radar.

Next up was my one thriller/mystery of the month: Razorblade Tears. This novel is often hailed as one of S.A. Cosby’s best works. It’s only my second book from him — the first being All the Sinners Bleed, which I really enjoyed. Cosby specialises in Southern noir, often confronting the deep-seated racism, homophobia, and prejudice that exist within that culture. While I understand and respect the message he’s trying to deliver here, Razorblade Tears struck a nerve that didn’t sit right with me.

There’s something about a non-queer writer depicting homophobia in such a stark, jarring way that feels uneasy. You all know how strongly I feel about representation needing to be handled with care, especially when the author isn’t writing from within the community they’re representing. At times, the portrayal felt too on-the-nose, too shocking for shock’s sake, rather than necessary for the story. I understand that the setting is the deep South and that these prejudices are a lived reality, but the execution just didn’t land for me.

On top of that, the stakes seemed far higher than what the climax ultimately delivered. The reveal involving a transgender woman as a sort of narrative “gotcha” (apologies for the spoiler) felt underhanded, and it left a sour taste in my mouth. That said, the action sequences were very strong; the book was tense, thrilling, and often had me stressed in the best way. Still, the issues with representation and the handling of marginalised identities overshadowed my enjoyment, leaving me conflicted about the experience overall.

I’ve read quite a few books lately, and if I touched on each one, this round-up would be impossibly long. So here’s a quick-fire run of the worthy mentions:

The House of Eve
This was great, though not quite as impactful as I expected. I just can’t stand characters who behave overly utopian in a very non-utopian setting. That white teenage boy drove me mad. Brudda, you’ve gotten a Black girl pregnant in the ’60s, can you please be serious right now?

Do Not Disturb (Audible Original)
I kept seeing this advertised on the train, and when I realised Judi Love voices one of the characters (who I adore), I had to give it a go. It was such a fun listen—more like a movie than a book. Set in South London, it felt authentic, resonant, and very much like the Black British experience I know. I thoroughly enjoyed it. It does end on a bit of a cliffhanger, so I’d love a continuation.

I haven’t finished the Knight and the Moth yet, I will do today, so dont judge me for having it on here. I’m enjoying it so far, so I will give a better overview next month.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this round up! A very fun reading month for sure!

See you on Friday for my updated TBR! Follow me on GoodReads and Fable!