September Wrap Up

I have never done one of these posts before, but I have decided that it is something I should try - I post to Instagram when I start reading a book, and I update Goodreads with my reviews, but I thought maybe sharing my thoughts on another platform wouldn't hurt!

So here goes... September has been quite a slow month as far as reading goes for me, so it seemed a good place to start so as not to overwhelm anyone!


I started September off with VOX by Christina Dalcher, a new release from late August and loved every single page!

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Silence can be deafening.

Jean McClellan spends her time in almost complete silence, limited to just one hundred words a day. Any more, and a thousand volts of electricity will course through her veins.

Now the new government is in power, everything has changed. But only if you're a woman.

Almost overnight, bank accounts are frozen, passports are taken away and seventy million women lose their jobs. Even more terrifyingly, young girls are no longer taught to read or write.

For herself, her daughter, and for every woman silenced, Jean will reclaim her voice. This is only the beginning...

[100 WORD LIMIT REACHED]

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A radical idea, and one that scares the heebie jeebies out of me - anyone who knows me, knows that I love to talk, and a lot - so the idea of being limited to only 100 words a day was incredibly scary. The story is phenomenal and Dr McClellan is a worthy main character that deserves every word on the page.

Check out my review here...



Next up was Uprooted by Naomi Novik, an older publication from back in 2016.

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Agnieszka loves her village, set deep in a peaceful valley. But the nearby enchanted forest casts a shadow over her home. Many have been lost to the Wood and none return unchanged.

The villagers depend on an ageless wizard, the Dragon, to protect them from the forest's dark magic. However, his help comes at a terrible price. One young village woman must serve him for ten years, leaving all they value behind.

Agnieszka fears her dearest friend Kasia will be picked at the next choosing, for she's everything Agnieszka is not - beautiful, graceful and brave. Yet when the Dragon comes, it's not Kasia he takes.

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This was recommended to me by a friend because of the other books that I love, and I am not sorry for taking her advice - a beautiful book that deserves a place on every fantasy lover's book shelf.

Check out my review here...



I squeezed in Amelia Fang and the Unicorn Lords by Laura Ellen Anderson one night too, before reading the new book released this week.

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Amelia Fang is the biggest hearted vampiress you'll ever meet. In this adventure, she and her friends Florence the yeti (DON'T CALL HER BEAST), Grimaldi the Death and Prince Tangine (reformed spoiled sprout), along with her pet pumpkin Squashy, must brave the journey to the terrifying Kingdom of the Light to try to find Tangine's missing mother, Queen Fairyweather. But with unicorns, fairies and angel-kittens lurking around every corner, who can they trust? And will they finally uncover the real villain keeping the kingdoms of Light and Dark as mortal enemies? Join Amelia on her latest adventure. She won't bite!

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Snuggled up with hot chocolate and biscuits on the sofa with my other half, I devoured this book in only two sittings. An excellent read for 5-8 year olds, but a story that older children and adults alike will enjoy!

Check out my review here...



As if planned - the third Amelia Fang book showed up in the post for me the day after reading the Unicorn Lords, so I devoured Amelia Fang and the Memory Thief by Laura Ellen Anderson the following night before bed.

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Amelia and her friends are taking part in a competition to visit Pumpkin Paradise Park - the most bloodcurdingly brilliant theme park ever! All they have to do is sell as many cookies as possible. But the creatures of Nocturnia have begun to act very strangely . . . No one can seem to remember anything - including their own names or even Amelia's big birthnight party! Where have everyone's memories gone? And how can Amelia save them when they have all forgotten who she is?

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I believe every child should read this series, and many adults too - It's a quirky little thing and has you smiling from cover to cover! 

Check out my review for book three here...



I also squeezed in this beauty in the last couple of days too - what started out as a slow month soon caught up with me!! Fierce Fairytales by Nikita Gill - a stunning collection of fairytale retellings with a feminist twist!

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Feminist Fairytales for Young and Old.

Reimagining traditional tales, this empowering collection of stories, poems and beautiful hand-drawn illustrations gives Once Upon a Time a much-needed modern makeover.

Gone are the gender stereotypes of obliging lovers, violent men and girls that need rescuing. Instead, lines blur between heroes and villains and you'll meet brave princesses, a new kind of wolf lurking in the concrete jungle and a courageous Gretel who can bring down monsters on her own.

'Await no princes to save you
through their lips touching yours
whilst you are in unwilling slumber.
Wake each other up instead.'

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I started this one at work with my breakfast and found myself so excited by the touching poetry and short stories that I had to tell someone about it - that someone was my store manager who smiled at me in that way that only another book lover can because he understood my passion behind it! 

Check out my review here...


Not a bad month to say I started slow... It all happened in the last few days!! I have started a new one, but will save that to start off next month's post as I think I may keep this up!!

Till then,

My name is Vanessa and I am a Book Addict!