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Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo

I read Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo as one of my buddy reads for this month. I enjoy Bardugo’s writing; I’ve only read the Grishaverse trilogy so far, but I loved it. When I heard she had an adult book coming out, I had to read it. Then the content warnings and trigger warnings came out (list is courtesy of Roe from Goodreads) and it was all over Twitter. And I became wary…but also a little intrigued. Because as I mentioned in my Banned Books post, when people talk about a book, I need to read it. So, I read it.

Ninth House: Thoughts

Honestly, I’m not really sure how I feel about this book. It was predictable, so for that I didn’t find enjoyment. I also found things too convenient at times. The book was written in multiple aspects, implementing flashbacks as a way to get to know the different characters. I didn’t mind this style and actually at different parts of the story I found myself wishing to read more from different characters point of view because that character’s story was intriguing.

I didn’t really care for Alex, which is a shame since she was the main character. Strong female protagonists are favorites of mine to read about, but I could not get behind her. She was just bland. It may be a bit of an unpopular opinion but I wanted to know more about Darlington, or even Dawes. They seemed interesting. I also wanted some clarity surrounding the societies. They seemed to jumble together for me. Perhaps that’s just for me personally, but I didn’t get a clear sense of them and their differences. They just felt too similar.

Bottomline

Overall, I am not sure Ninth House really was as great as I thought it would be. Will I pick up book two? Yes. After that ending, I have to know what happens. And again, I do love Bardugo’s work. The potentially triggering content that everyone mentioned is there. It’s a lot of gore and sexual violence, and it is throughout the entire book, so you can’t really just skip a certain chapter. Just stay true to yourself and your own limits.

The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein by Kiersten White

I read The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein by Kiersten White as one of my buddy reads this month. Since it was a retelling of a classic with a female protagonist, I was really excited to read it.

We follow Elizabeth, a girl who was taken in by the Frankensteins as a child. Given food, shelter, and everything she could want or need, she’s to befriend Victor and be his companion. Together since childhood, they forge a tight knit bond. But appearances are often only surface deep and what’s lurking beneath the depths are hideous secrets better left unspoken. We follow her journey to finding Victor, the truth, and ultimately, herself.

I was really excited going into this book. A twist on a classic with a strong female protagonist? Sign me up! For some reason, I had also had notions that it was Elizabeth going mad that we were going to be reading about. And, I love a good story with an unreliable narrator, so that was another check in this books column. While the book wasn’t bad, my own expectations had caused me to be disappointed with it.

The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein: The Nitty-Gritty

First of all, let me reiterate, this was a good book. The reason I was disappointed with it is because I had my own expectations that weren’t met. I really enjoyed the characterization of Elizabeth. The way that we are privy to Elizabeth’s thoughts as she questions her motives and her courses of actions, I thought this was excellent. It made her character more authentic and showed her desperation. The employment of flashbacks was done well. I’m not sure if I would have preferred it done in a different way or not; that’s something I wondered about as well while reading.

One thing that bothered me was that, despite the fact that this was a retelling with a female protagonist, I still felt like it was mainly about Victor. Even though we are reading through Elizabeth’s point of view, the whole story is centered around Victor and his madness and his brilliance. I understand their relationship and why this was, but it just felt like it was still mostly Victor’s story. I wanted more of Elizabeth.

Overall, this book was good. It wasn’t what I had been expecting but it wasn’t a bad read. I enjoyed reading it but I can’t say it gave me too many spooky vibes, which is what I was hoping for. I do think it’s a good read and you should check it out, especially if you’re looking for a twist on the classic.

The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein by Kiersten White

September Wrap Up

My September wrap up is going to be pretty difficult I think. I read some great books last month. As for ratings, I haven’t really given any of them ratings as of yet. I do, however, have a general idea what I would have given them, so I can include that. Here we go! Because I’ve already read and reviewed them, I’ll link the reviews as well.

I’m wary to say I had a least favorite, since I enjoyed everything I read last month, which is rare. Since I don’t have a least favorite, I’m just going to talk about which were most intriguing or were easiest to get into/through.

My favorite book was Legendborn by Tracy Deonn. It was such a fun read, I was immediately hooked from the beginning. I loved getting into a book series again that I just had to keep reading. And I already am dying for the sequel! If you like retellings, magic, strong Black Girl Magic, this is totally for you! I gave it 4.5/5 ⭐️.

Another book I immediately was absorbed in and wanted to keep reading was Hush by Dylan Farrow. From the beginning I was hooked and had to know more and find out about this cursed society where words are forbidden. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series and recommend that you check it out! I’d give this a 4/5 ⭐️.

September Wrap Up “Honorable Mentions”

Next is The Left-Handed Booksellers of London by Garth Nix. This book was pretty good and was interesting to read. While I enjoyed reading it and getting to know the characters and magic system, I didn’t enjoy it quite as much as some other books I read in September. I’d still give this a 3.75-4/5 ⭐️.

I enjoyed reading Twig and Turtle: Big Move to a Tiny House by Jennifer Richard Jacobson. It is a heartwarming story about two girls who move into a tiny house and scheme to keep their dog. It is an easy read, but it had many themes of importance. I’d probably give it a 3.5-4/5 ⭐️.

Another book I tackled is Oshibana Complex by Craig Hallam. This had a neat storyline and I enjoyed the use of gender-neutral pronouns for the entire book. There were a lot of great things about this book. I found myself reaching for other books over this one, however, despite how much I did enjoy this. I’d give it a 3.5/5⭐️.

The last book I’m going to give a rating to for September is Wicked Fox by Kat Cho. This was an interesting fantasy story and for the most part I enjoyed it. I can’t give it a higher rating because it took me over a month to finish it. It gets 3.5/5 ⭐️ from me.

It’s A “No Rating” From Me

I also read I Am These Truths by Sunny Hostin. As a rule, I don’t rate memoirs because I don’t feel that it’s my place to say whether they wrote about their life “well enough.” I used to try, but always felt awkward as it’s not my place to say how well they told their personal story. It was interesting learning about her life and the struggles she’s been through and I think this book is worth the read.

Have you read any of the books listed here in my September wrap up? If so, which were your favorites? Any recommendations for me based on my thoughts?

October Releases I Can’t Wait To Read

October is one of my favorite months; it’s partly because I look forward to reading all of the new October releases that put me in the mood for the holidays. There are several new books that I’m looking forward to reading. Not only do they sound so intriguing, but they’re perfect for the Fall season and upcoming holidays.

Already Published October Releases

I am SO excited to read The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab. This is one of my most anticipated books of the year. I’ve heard so many good things about it, I can’t wait to gobble it up! This published on October 6th, so this gem is out in the world, ready for consumption. I’m waiting (impatiently) for my OwlCrate box with mine to arrive. 🤯😅

Another book I can’t wait to read The Lives of Saints by Leigh Bardugo. I really enjoy her writing and fell in love with the Grishaverse. At this point, pretty much anything she puts out I will read. This was published October 6th!

I’d like to read Eventide by Sarah Goodman, which was published October 6th. It seems perfect for the spooky season and I’m a lover of historical fiction. This is right in my wheelhouse!

I also want to read We Were Restless Things by Cole Nagamatsu, which was published on October 6th. This sounds so good and I love a good mystery thriller. I hope it lives up to the expectations I’m setting up for it.

Upcoming Anticipated Releases

I’ve been wanting to read Come On In by Adib Alsaid. It’s an anthology about the immigrant experience written by immigrants. This is so timely and poignant, I’ll definitely be picking this one up. This is set for publication on October 13th.

I’m excited to read The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow. This is expected for publication on October 13th. This is another historical fiction but with a twist of fantasy and magic. It sounds good and I can’t wait to see how it is!

I’m super pumped for Kingdom of the Wicked by Kerri Maniscalco. I love her writing and enjoyed her Jack the Ripper series. I’m a huge historical fiction fan and I love her work. Also, a Demon Prince? Yes. I’m in. This is due for publication on October 27th.

So there you have it! What books are you looking forward to releasing this month?

Twig and Turtle 1: Big Move to a Tiny House by Jennifer Richard Jacobson

I won a free copy of Twig and Turtle 1: Big Move to a Tiny House during BookCon in exchange for an honest review. Special thanks to Holiday House for providing the ARC. All opinions expressed are solely my own. *Disclosure: This page may contain affiliate links. If you click on a link and make a purchase, I may earn a commission, at no additional cost to you. You can read more here.

This book is about Twig and Turtle, two young girls who move with their family into a tiny house. While Turtle doesn’t mind the move, Twig is sad to have to leave her Great Dane with her grandma. Not only that, but Twig is having problems fitting in at her new school. How can Twig get her dog to come live with them in their tiny house and make new friends?

I enjoyed this story. It followed the typical story arc, and it was a great early reader book. Of course, anything with a dog as one of the focal points of the story has my attention. I read this book to my son as I was reviewing it, and although he wasn’t too impressed (he’s 11 months so I’ll give him a pass 😄), I was curious to know what would happen next. I plan to read it again to him when he’s older; it’s a good story with important themes in it.

There were female main characters, determination, problem-solving, friendship building, the strength of love, and lessons all wrapped up in this book. Despite the short length of this book, there are many aspects of it that will appeal to young readers. After reading this book, I’m looking forward to reading more adventures with Twig and Turtle. I wonder what shenanigans they’ll get into next?!

Twig and Turtle 1: Big Move to a Tiny House by Jennifer Richard Jacobson Physical ARC

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