It’s almost September!
Today I’m sharing some sharing some sort-of goals I want to achieve each month, as a way to be organized and intentional with my reading.
Here’s my September Prospectus, a collection of books I’d like to read over the next 4(ish) weeks and also some new books releasing soon which I will maybe-probably-eventually tackle…at some point.
5 Books I’d Like To Read This Month
I like goals that small and achievable, so here’s a small collection of books I’d like to prioritize during the upcoming month.
An Heiress’s Guide to Deception and Desire by Manda Collins
Caro has quite the scandalous reputation. It cost her a fiancé, but she would much rather bring attention to crimes against those ignored by society. But after Caro’s friend is kidnapped, she has no choice but to work with Valentine, the man who broke her heart. And when her actions put her father’s business at risk, a marriage of convenience may be her only solution…
The Mountains Sing by Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai
An enveloping, multigenerational tale of the Tran family, set against the backdrop of the Viet Nam War. Tran Dieu Lan, who was born in 1920, was forced to flee her family farm with her six children as the Communist government rose in the North. Years later in Hà Noi, her young granddaughter comes of age as her parents and uncles head down the Ho Chí Minh Trail.
The Accidental Pinup by Danielle Jackson
Photographer Cassie Harris loves her job, and Cassie’s best friend, Dana, is about to launch her own dangerously dreamy lingerie line and wants Cassie to shoot and direct the career-changing national campaign. But company politics and Dana’s complicated pregnancy interfere, and Cassie finds herself—a proud plus size Black woman—not behind the camera but in front of it.
Rules for Vanishing by Kate Alice Marshall
It’s been a year since Sara’s sister, Becca, disappeared, and life has far from settled back to normal. With her sister gone, Sara doesn’t know whether her former friends no longer like her…or are scared of her. When a text invites Sara and her estranged friends to “play the game” and find local ghost legend Lucy Gallows, Sara is sure this is the only way to find Becca before she’s lost forever.
The Saints of Swallow Hill by Donna Everhart
In the dense pine forests of North Carolina, turpentiners labor, hacking into tree trunks to draw out the sticky sap and hauling the resin to stills to be refined. When her husband falls victim to his own negligence, Rae Lynn undertakes a desperate act. To keep herself from jail, she disguises herself as a man named “Ray” and heads to the only place she can think of that might offer anonymity—a turpentine camp in Georgia named Swallow Hill.
New September Books I’m Curious About
These aren’t books I necessarily plan on reading this month, but it’s always fun to look at the new and shiny releases and see which ones you want to stalk the library for. So here’s a collection of new books releasing in September 2022 that I’m potentially interested in reading:
The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O’Farrell
Historical Fiction
September 6, 2022
Florence, the 1550s. Lucrezia, third daughter of the grand duke, is comfortable with her obscure place in the palazzo: free to wonder at its treasures, observe its clandestine workings, and to devote herself to her own artistic pursuits. But when her older sister dies, Lucrezia is thrust into the limelight. Having barely left girlhood behind, Lucrezia must now make her way in a troubled court whose customs are opaque and where her arrival is not universally welcomed. Perhaps most mystifying of all is her new husband himself, Alfonso.
Nona the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir
Science Fiction
September 13, 2022
In many ways, Nona is like other people. She lives with her family, has a job, and loves walks on the beach and meeting new dogs. But Nona’s not like other people. Six months ago she woke up in a stranger’s body, and she’s afraid she might have to give it back. The city is falling to pieces. A monstrous blue sphere hangs on the horizon, ready to tear the planet apart. Forces have surrounded them and wait for the emperor to come calling. They want Nona to be the weapon that will save them. Nona would prefer to live an ordinary life with the people she loves, but she also knows that nothing lasts forever.
In the Shadow Garden by Liz Parker
Magical Realism
September 13, 2022
There’s something magical about Yarrow, Kentucky. The witches of the Haywood family are known for their shadow garden—from strawberries that taste like chocolate to cherry tomatoes with hints of basil and oregano. Their magic can cure any heartache, and the fruits of their garden bring a special quality to the local bourbon distillery. On one day every year, a shot of Bonner bourbon will make your worst memory disappear. But twenty years ago, the town gave up more than one memory for the year; they forgot an entire summer. One person died. One person disappeared. And no one has any idea why.
Something in the Heir by Suzanne Enoch
Historical Romance
September 20, 2022
Emmeline and William Pershing have enjoyed a perfectly convenient marriage for eight years. Their relationship is a seamless blend of their talents and goals. Then when Emmeline’s grandfather summons them both for his birthday celebration and demands they bring their two little angelic children, William is stunned to discover that his very proper wife invented not one, but two heirs. But surely if Emmeline and William team up and borrow two cherubs to call their own, what could go wrong?
The Genesis of Misery by Neon Yang
Science Fiction
September 27, 2022
This is the story of Misery, a nobody from a nowhere planet who possesses the rare stone-working powers of a saint. Unfortunately, these abilities also manifest in those succumbing to madness. Knowing they aren’t a saint but praying they aren’t mad, Misery keeps quiet about their power for years, while dreaming and scheming up ways off their planet. But when the voice of an angel, or a very convincing delusion, leads Misery to the center of the Empire, they find themself trapped between two powerful and dangerous factions, each hoping to use Misery to win a terrible war.
House of Hunger by Alexis Henderson
Paranormal
September 27, 2022
Marion has been raised in the slums, where want and deprivation is all she knows. She has no real hope of escape until the day she spots a peculiar listing in the newspaper, seeking a bloodmaid. In a matter of days, she finds herself the newest bloodmaid at the notorious House of Hunger. Countess Lisavet, who presides over this hedonistic court, is loved and feared in equal measure. She takes a special interest in Marion. When her fellow bloodmaids begin to go missing in the night, Marion is thrust into a vicious game of cat and mouse. She’ll need to learn the rules of her new home, or its halls will soon become her grave.
So there you have it! 5 books I hopefully/maybe will try to tackle this month and 6 new releases to ~think about~ over the next 4 weeks.
Well, I am obviously very excited for everyone to read Nona the Ninth so we can all talk about it together and scream about how terrible [redacted] is. Apart from that, I’m thrilled you’re planning to read Rules for Vanishing, which I loved. I hope you love it too!
I really liked Rules for Vanishing! I hope House of Hunger is good, and I hope Accidental Pin-up works better for you than it did for me.