Read With Keri: Books I Read in September

It’s the first day of October! My favorite month is finally here!

Believe me, there is a ton of fall-related content that I can’t wait to write but before I do that, I want to share the books I read in September.

I honestly didn’t think I’d be able to finish five books this month. September was insanely busy getting back into a routine of things, work picking up, grad school starting again, etc. But when there’s a will, there’s a way! Here are the books I read in September.

Prodigy — Marie Lu (3.5/5 stars)

Prodigy is the sequel to Legend, which I read earlier this year. I had a hard time remembering what happened in the first book so I wish I read this shortly after reading Legend. This series is written similar to The Hunger Games trilogy, meaning that it isn’t hard to read and is dystopian by nature. I struggled to relate to the characters and the book ended on a cliffhanger so I guess I’ll have to read Champion next!

The Dutch House — Ann Patchett (4/5 stars)

Tom Hanks narrates the audiobook so it was an automatic “need to read” for me. The story was very “Cinderella-esque” where the brother-sister duo have an evil stepmother and they go from rags to riches. I admired the relationship between the brother and sister and liked how it spanned over 30+ years of their lives. It’s worth the read, but it isn’t a book I’d read again.

Malibu Rising — Taylor Jenkins Reid (4.5/5 stars)

I requested this from the library months ago and it finally arrived! Malibu Rising is written by the author of one of my all-time favorite books, Daisy Jones and The Six. I heard so many good things about this and it lived up to the hype. The story takes place in one night but there are flashbacks throughout. It focuses on four siblings and how they share a close bond because of childhood trauma. It is definitely written for a mature audience but I’d say it’s worth the long wait at the library.

Dare to Lead — Brene Brown (5/5 stars)

I loved this book. I thought it was super informative and provided tangible tactics to be a better, more vulnerable leader. I’ve listened to a few podcast interviews with Brene Brown and admire her view on leadership. When I saw Dare to Lead available as an audiobook with her narrating it, I knew it was a must-listen. Highly recommend even if you are not in a managerial or leadership position. I think anyone could benefit from this book.

Don’t Read This Book: Time Management for Creative People — Donald Ross (4/5 stars)

The other day I was wandering around the library looking for some new books to add to my stack. I came across this one and was instantly intrigued by the title. I decided to check it out and I ended up really enjoying it. It’s short and sweet but full of tips and tricks to stay productive and manage your time efficiently. The author is creative himself so the book is full of fun and colorful visuals, which is a bonus.