September TBR (2024)

 Hey guys, this is Abi here, 

And I'm here with my monthly TBR today! 

I'll be talking about a fair few books than I would normally include on my TBR this month, mainly because I'll be doing my own personal 24-hour-readathon in a couple of weeks! 

I hope you enjoy it, and feel free to comment below what books you think you might like to read this month- I know many of you will be jumping into your spooky, autumnal reads this month :). 

So yeah, I hope you enjoy it. 

1. The Nobleman's Guide to Scandal and Shipwrecks (The Montague Siblings #3), by Mackenzie Lee

I can't believe I'm finally getting to this! I bought this as a pre-order back in 2021, and because I'd moved on to other series' by the time of it's release, I just wasn't in the mood to read it right away. But since the start of the month, I've been marathoning the other two books, to get reacqainted with the characters and the time period. The Nobleman's Guide to Scandal and Shipwreck takes place over a decade after the first two, following Adrian Montague, who was just an infant in the first book, as he pursues his missing siblings, who have been cut from the family tree entirely. I'm only a chapter into this currently, but I already love Adrian as a character, and can't wait to see where his story takes him. 

Now, I always assumed that I would only finish The Montague Siblings series before the 24-hour-readathon I've been planning, but if this book follows books 1 & 2, I should have time to finish another novel beforehand. I have a few options I might consider picking up, so I'll tell you about them here. 

~The Ballad of Dorothy Wordsworth, by Frances Wilson~

The third and final book I bought, surrounding Lake District. A biography written by Frances Wilson, with Dorothy Wordsworth at it's centre. I have no idea what this book is like, review ratings are all over the shop with this one, but I'm excited to read a book about what she was like, what her life was like, outside of what she wrote about. That's why I purchased this book in the first place, and I hope that's what it contains. 

I know this might be difficult to get through, like the other two Lake District books were, and it might be even harder with a time limit. But I put this on here, because I would very much like to finish it in September, even if I don't choose it. 

~The Porpoise, by Mark Haddon~

I have a feeling about this book. It's a good feeling, like I know I'm going to enjoy it, but it's also an unnerving feeling, like I don't quite know what to expect with it. Basically, it's very intriguing. The Porpoise is about a motherless girl, who has grown up isolated from the rest of the world. Other than her overprotective father. 

Unable to escape the house she resides in, she seeks solace in the novels she reads. And soon it's hard to tell where she ends and the novel begins... 

I won't lie, I might not have given the blurb a second glance if it wasn't for the author. But, after reading the blurb a couple of times, I decided to take a chance on it. It's just over 300 pages, so a likely candidate to pick up after The Nobleman's Guide, if I'm in the mood for it. 

~ The Pieces of Ourselves, by Maggie Harcourt~

I bought this when I was reading Theatrical last month, because I just wanted more of Maggie Harcourt's writing to look forward to. This is a completely different story to Theatrical of course. The Pieces of Ourselves is about Flora who, after leaving school midway through her GCSE's due to an incident, (which led to her being diagnosed with Bipolar II), doesn't quite know which way's up at the moment. 

Until Hal arrives. 

He's researching a missing warrior from World War I, and he wants Flora's help. Against her better judgement, Flora accepts. 

Yet as they find themselves getting deeper and deeper into soldiers' story, she finds herself falling for Hal. Does Flora know what she's getting herself into?

There's no way this book is going to be the same fun, cutesy book that Theatrical was, but something makes me want to pick this book up. And soon. Currently edging towards this one as my next read. 

~Inkheart (Inkworld #1), by Cornelia Funke~

I read this several years ago, and I absolutely loved it, but sadly never continued on with the series. I decided that that was about to change, the minute I spied this in a second-hand bookshop way back in July. I don't remember much, except the father has a gift: whenever he reads aloud, the characters come to life, and physically come out of the book. His daughter shares this gift, and events escalade, until they become captives of the characters they're forced to bring to life. 

That's basically all I remember, but I do know that I loved it, and I'm excited to re-read this, and continue on with the series. 

Those are all the books to choose from, after finishing my CR (and I'll be choosing from them again, after 24-hour-readathon as well), but here are my choices for the 18th: 

1. Wonder, by R.J. Palacio 

Okay, so I read this several years ago, can't remember when( I'm starting to see a trend here) and I was absolutely amazed. Such a sensitive, gentle, beautifully-written novel that shows you that it doesn't matter what you look like. You don't have to be beautiful to be beautiful inside. 

What matters is what you are inside. 

Honestly, go and read this if you haven't, or even see the film if you're not a reader. 

I've added this because I recently obtained a graphic novel, from the POV of a side character in Wonder, and I wanted to re-immerse myself back into it all. 

But I honestly can't wait to pick this book up again and likely have a good cry. 

2. White Bird, by R.J. Palacio 

I came across this in a graphic novel shop in Leicester a couple of months ago, and reached for it in an instant as soon as I realised what it was. 

If you've read Wonder, you'll know Julian most as Auggie's bully. But White Bird shows a different side to Julian, as he finds out the moving and powerful tale of his grandma, who grew up during World War II. To sum up the story, Julian's grandma tells him: "It always takes courage to be kind, but in those days, such kindness could cost you everything." 

I'm sure I'm going to be in balls of tears when I read this, but a 24-hour-readathon will be the perfect opportunity to pick it up and read it. 

3. The Woman in Black, by Susan Hill 

A very creepy, very classic book. Under 200 pages, and if I can keep my eyes open, a novel I will hopefully fly through. I've seen the film, but never read the book. That changes on the 18th. 

From what people are saying on goodreads, The Woman in Black is an atmospheric book that will scare you to your wits end, and I am ready for it. We follow Arthur Kipps, a young solicitor that has come to the english moor that is The Eel Marsh House, to settle the affairs of Mrs. Alice Drablow. What he encounters next is not at all what he expects... 

You genuniely can't get any more Halloweenish than this, and I'm excited to see what's in store. 

4. A Monster Calls, by Patrick Ness

I know I'm in for some sort of emotional outburst with this one. The whole book community fell in love with this upon it's release, and I just happen to be in the minority of people that haven't read this yet. 

I know it's beautiful, I know it's sad, and I know trees come to life in it. Like the BFG, kind of. 

A Monster Calls was originally a book by Siobhan Dowd. But when she was unable to finish it, Patrick Ness was inspired to write the story himself, but with his own spin on it. I've read some of his books before, and I know he's an insanely powerful, and emotional writer. 

I can't wait to sink my teeth into this. 

5. Girl, Woman, Other, by Bernardine Evaristo

Why did I plan to read so many books this month? 

Okay focus, last one.

Girl, Woman, Other. What can I say about this? 

The blurb is simple: "This is Britain as you've never read it. 

This is Britain as it has never been told. 

It is the future, it is past. It is fiction, it is history. 

It is a novel about who we are now." 

Girl, Woman Other is a collection of short stories, all taking place at the same time, telling a whole story, a whole web. Each character gets a chapter each, and then I think they meet at the end. 

I have wanted to read this for years, along with some other titles that I'll hopefully have my hands on soon. And it's just perfect for a readathon. 

Okay! Those are all the books I hope to read this month! As always, feel free to comment what you're planning on reading this month, and we can chat about it! 

I hope you have a wonderful evening, and I'll see you all soon! 

Byeeeee! 

-Abi xxxxx