September was a rough month life-wise and I’m happy to be rid of it. I welcomed October with open arms this morning, wrapped up in a light sweater, thanks to the chill in the air, and  a cup of autumn blend coffee in hand.

Glad as I am to leave the stress and the heat behind, September was a good reading month for me so let’s wrap it up:

An Ember In the Ashes, by Sabaa Tahir ★★★★★
Still Here, by Lara Vapnyar ★★
Why We Came To the City, by Kristopher Jansma ★★★.5
The Thousandth Floor, by Katherine McGee ★★★★
Just Mercy, by Bryan Stevenson ★★★★★
Illuminae, by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff ★★★★

I had been wanting to pick up An Ember In the Ashes for months, so when I heard that Sabaa Tahir would be stopping by a local book festival at the beginning of September, I immediately grabbed a copy. I could not put the book down. The world Tahir created was both familiar and imaginative, and the depth of her characters left me so excited for how they’ll grow as the series continues. This was easily my favorite read of the month (and one of my favorites of this year), and I’m so excited to get to A Torch Against the Night.

I’m going to hop on my soap box for a minute and strongly encourage everyone to pick up Bryan Stevenson’s Just Mercy. Stevenson explores the issue of capital punishment and the roles of empathy and justice as they are often forgotten in America’s criminal justice system – both past and present. If you have any interest in criminal justice reform, equality, and the fight for justice for oppressed populations, this is an important read.

That’s it for September! In October I’m hoping for some creepy reads, so let me know in the comments if you have any suggestions.