September 2023 Wrap Up

In September I read 9 books! 

1. Hekate Liminal Rites by Sorita D'Este & David Rankine - I'm not sure really what to rate this. I went with the blanket three-stars, becuase it's a non-fiction work and that's usually what I give them. I feel awkward rating them. This book was interesting as it went over a lot of the history of her myths, but didn't give you very much in the way of actual rites. Perhaps they couldn't? I don't know. It was interesting either way and I definitely recommend it for anyone who is studying Hekate or one of Her devotees. 

2. Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer - Easily a five-star read. I absolutely loved the exchanges between the Villain and Evie. How he slowly, despite himself, revealed his life to her. Things that he had not told to any of his other employees. Not even the ones who had been with him for years. It was beautiful. I am looking forward to the next book to see if they get him back from wherever he ended up and what is going on with Nura Sage. I need to know!!!

3. The Obelisk Gate by N.K. Jemisin - The second book in the Broken Earth trilogy (third, and next on my list being The Stone Sky). I loved the continuation of the story. We are still following Essun in this one, but now we are starting to get more from her daughter, Nassun as well. I can't really say super much, since this is the middle book in a series and I don't want to spoil it, but it was really good and I definitely enjoyed it. 

4. The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill - Another amazing read. I loved working through the mystery with the characters. Who did what and why? My guess had been right. One of them was just too convenient a choice for the actual perpetrator. He barely knew anyone or anything that was related there. I think the connections were also a bit too...easy? Simple? They jumped too quickly into the idea of who it was without stopping to think. I loved how it we got to read the book she was writing as well as her critique partner's thoughts and then the letters from the various governmental agencies? Chef's kiss. It was beautiful. 

5. The Oracles of Apollo by John Opsopaus - I am a huge fan of divination and learning various techniques, so when I saw this book I couldn't pass it up. As typical of me for nonfictions, I gave it a middle of the road 3-star rating. It was good, don't get me wrong. However I don't normally like rating them highly. Anyway, there were a lot of things to try in this book and I have already made the oracle stones. I am curious to start using them soon and see how it goes. 

6. Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust - I loved this. It was well written. The way Soraya learns that maybe the way she is is exactly what she needs to be for the best for her people. I loved the storytelling and the growth of the characters as they learned more about themselves and their own history. 

7. Honoring Your Ancestors by Mallorie Vaudoise - I purchased this book a while back, and have finally gotten around to reading it. It's another nonfiction, so was only rated a 3-stars, but I did rather enjoy it. It's kind of partially through a Catholic lens and partially through a Voodoo (I think) one? I liked the information that it provided and I plan to put some of it into practice (as soon as I find my screwdriver....) 

8. Heaven Official's Blessing #2 by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu - I adored this. Xie Lian is so adorably obtuse that I can't not love it. We continue following his misadventures in the present time at first, as he meets more people from his past and things are revealed to him that he'd totally forgotten about or possibly blocked from his own memory. Then in Act 2, we are taken back to his first time being alive and who he was before his first ascension to the Heavenly Court. I loved his interactions with Hua Cheng, Mu Qing, Feng Xin, and Qi Rong. I cannot wait to get my hands on #3 and keep reading on. 

9. The Jasad Heir by Sara Hashem - I pre-ordered this from Barnes & Noble (may as well support an actual bookstore if I am going to pre-order things). It was wonderful. I loved how tense the whole things was. I will be posting a full review here if you all want to see it. I liked the volatile relationship between Arin and Sylvia and how she was with her friends. Worth the read.