Read With Keri: Books I Read in September
I’m happy to report that September turned out to be a great book month.
I didn’t realize it at the time, but when writing these reviews, it dawned on me that most of the books I read this month touched on grief in some way. Not intentional, but interesting nonetheless.
Entering October, I am 5 books away from my yearly goal! I hope to achieve this by the end of October, especially since a lot of my library books came in all at once again. 😅
You can always view my progress on Goodreads or check out my Bookshelf for an up-to-date list of my 2022 reads. Also, a friendly reminder: I’m always open to book recommendations to add to my to-be-read list. The more, the merrier!
Here are the books I read in September.
Inseparable — Simone de Beauvoir (1.5/5 stars)
Based on my rating, you can probably assume I didn’t like this book. At all. The concept intrigued me; it is a book that wasn’t published until after the author’s death because it was seen as too controversial and political. It details a friendship between two girls as they grow up and find their way. If I’m being completely honest, I would’ve quit reading this book if it hadn’t been only a few hours long as an audiobook. Definitely skip this one; it isn’t worth it!
Summer People — Elin Hilderbrand (4/5 stars)
The last Elin Hilderbrand beach read of the season (at least for now). Summer People is an older Elin Hilderbrand book, but one that I’ve had on my bookshelf for a bit since I scored it for 50 cents at Goodwill one day. It follows a family who’s grieving the loss of their husband/father from a plane crash but is determined to keep their tradition of going to Nantucket in the summer…except this time, the family has a special guest stay with them: a teenage boy who is grieving in a different way. Without giving too much away, I really liked this book and loved how it detailed multiple characters’ points of view. It wasn’t your typical lighthearted beach read, but it still included Elin’s special way of making Nantucket shine.
I'm Glad My Mom Died — Jennette McCurdy (5/5 stars)
The title is definitely shocking, but this memoir is raw, heartbreaking, surprisingly funny at times, and worth reading. Jennette details the years and years of abuse from her mother, eating disorders, depression, etc. Needless to say, there are a lot of trigger warnings but I highly suggest the audiobook since she narrates it,
Love on Lexington Avenue — Lauren Layne (3.5/5 stars)
This book has sat on my shelf for about a year, and it was my goal to read it in 2022. Transparently, I purchased it because the cover was cute, so I had no idea what it was about. The story is set in NYC and is technically a sequel, but I didn’t realize that until about halfway through the book. You can definitely read it as a standalone. The story focuses on a woman who has recently lost her husband and is trying to figure out who she is without him. Despite the premise, it’s a lighthearted story about friendship, love, and finding your way amidst heartbreak.
The Princess Bride (The “Good Parts” Version)— William Goldman (4/5 stars)
I love The Princess Bride, so when I saw “The Good Parts Version” available on Libby as an audiobook, I was intrigued. This version is relatively shorter than the regular version and, like the title suggests, only includes the “good” parts of the story. I definitely recommend reading the full, unabridged book first before this one, but it was an interesting concept that I didn’t mind listening through.