September TBR: To Be Re(a)d

I noticed this month that several of the books I wanted to read had red covers, so I thought I’d lean into it and pick some more for a satisfyingly red September TBR!

Look at that beautiful stack! Books I was given for review will be marked with a star.

Blood Sisters by Sarah Gristwood

This is a non-fiction book about the women of the Wars of the Roses. I saw a recommendation for it on Twitter, though I can’t remember from whom, and decided to buy a copy since it’s an area of history I’d like to know more about. I like to have a chunky non-fiction book on the go between novels; my last few have been folklore-themed, so I thought it was time for some history.

Venom by Bex Hogan*

I mentioned in my August Wrap Up that I was looking forward to tackling some sequels this month, and I’m so looking forward to rereading Viper (which I adored) and then finishing up the series! This is one of those books I’ve been putting off until the perfect time, but it got a little lost in the TBR pile, so I’ve decided now is the time.

As the Shadow Rises by Katy Rose Pool*

The second sequel on this list that will require a reread of the first! I had great fun with There Will Come a Darkness (review here), but I’ve forgotten a lot of the details – time to refresh my memory and then read this before book three comes out this month!

All the Tides of Fate by Adalyn Grace*

One more for the sequel stack – All the Stars and Teeth was a favourite read of mine last year (review here), and I’m ready to finish the duology. I have a NetGalley e-ARC of this, but Justine gave me the pretty paperback for my birthday.

An Illusion of Thieves by Cate Glass*

I’m about halfway through this fantasy heist caper as I write this, and I’m having a whale of a time. An ex-courtesan, a Renaissance Italy inspired world, forbidden magic, art theft… it’s brilliant!

Muse of Nightmares by Laini Taylor

You might notice this has carried over from my August TBR, as it was one of the two books I didn’t get to. I’m hoping that my smaller reading goals this month will mean I have the time to reread Strange the Dreamer and then read this – it’s a big commitment both in terms of the page count and the emotional weight! I’m looking forward to it though – Strange the Dreamer was stunning and Laini Taylor is always a good bet for me.

So that’s my little red stack of books for this month. What should I read first?

Review: Women’s Weird 2

Remember how much I enjoyed Handheld Press’s anthology of Weird fiction by female writers (review here if you missed it)? Well, there’s a second volume, and it’s just as fascinatingly eerie!

Review: Women’s Weird

Happy Halloween! I’ve got a review of an appropriately spooky book for you today – a collection of Weird short stories by female writers that, in my opinion, is a must for anyone who likes a good supernatural scare…

Review: Collision

Victor Dixen’s phenomenal Phobos trilogy comes to an explosive and astonishing end in the finale, Collision!

Review: Brightfall

When I first heard that there was going to be a magical Robin Hood story that picked up years after the heyday of the Merry Men, and focused on Maid Marian as a hedgewitch, I was pretty much in shock, because you could not find a more perfect concept for me. I’m pleased to say that Brightfall was actually even better than I imagined, and has become a firm favourite I think I’ll return to many times over the years.

Blog Tour: The Optickal Illusion

Though it may seem as though I tend more heavily to the fantastic or romantic in my reading tastes, I also very much enjoy a well-drawn historical novel that focuses on the history itself, so I’m excited to be helping to open the blog tour for Rachel Halliburton’s The Optickal Illusion!

Review: FloodWorld

An action-packed glimpse into our future, where sea levels have risen and only the wealthiest manage to live on dry land, inside the Wall…

Blog Tour: Reclaimed by her Rebel Knight

You know I jump at the chance to review Mills and Boon/Harlequin’s historical romance, so I was intrigued by Reclaimed by her Rebel Knight, as I don’t think I’ve read one set in the 13th century before! It turned out to be a lovely character-driven read that showcases a far more gentle and caring relationship than the title might suggest…

Review: A Boy and His Dog at the End of the World

Seeing this post-apocalyptic tale compared to Station Eleven (which I really didn’t like!), I had some trepidation going in. I shouldn’t have worried, though, as A Boy and his Dog at the End of the World is a wholly different beast, and I loved it!

Review: The Earl’s Countess of Convenience

Ah, Mills and Boon are back with another extremely literal title! This is a really great example of a Regency romance with a marriage of convenience – it really impressed me with its depth of character and sweetness.