September 2025 Reading Status Update
I’ve been wildly disorganized this season, so I haven’t been posting lists or updates as much as I’d like. I thought I’d try out a monthly wrap post to see if it’s something I can sustainably do. The one or two sentence summaries I create for posts like this help me later when I am doing themed lists or my reading challenge pages, so maybe this will be useful. We’ll see.
At any rate, I managed to finish 25 books this month, including 11 backlist titles. Most of those are audiobooks, but I read a few as ebooks this time. I average about 20 books per month, so that’s pretty good for me. I’m happy with that.
The bad news is that due to my disorganization, I wildly overcommitted this month in terms of reviews, so I’ve still got 11 September release titles that I agreed to review which I haven’t read yet. O.o
So I’ll be working on those as quickly as I can.
I’m still working on updating my reading challenge lists for this year, but I added some new completed prompts to my list. (Read Harder: 17/24 prompts completed. Beat the Backlist: 33/52 prompts completed. 69 total backlist titles read.)
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September 2025 Reading
Guardians of Dawn: Ami by S. Jae-Jones
Notes: This is book two in the “Guardians of Dawn” series and follows bookish Ami. The series includes reimaginings of some fairytales, which I enjoyed. I missed this book when it came out, so this was a catch-up for me so I could jump into the third book, which came out in August 2025.
Published August 6, 2024 | My Review to Come
Guardians of Dawn: Yuli by S. Jae-Jones
Notes: The third book in the “Guardians of Dawn” series follows Yuli, whom I was less interested in before reading this book. This one adds a new point-of-view to the story and takes the characters to new places. There’s got to be at least one more book in the series, as there’s still one more guardian to meet.
Published August 19, 2025 | My Review
Only This Beautiful Moment by Abdi Nazemian
Notes: This story follows three generations of Iranian/Iranian American men in one family, telling the stories of their adolescence. I read this for a book club, and it was so much fun talking about how we each perceived the story and what worked or didn’t. I loved that the book repeatedly challenged assumptions about the characters.
Published November 9, 2023 | My Review to Come
El Deafo by Cece Bell
Notes: My littlest is a graphic novel fiend, so I read this one partly because she was interested and I wanted to make sure it was appropriate for her age (she’s seven; I thought it was fine). Bell does a wonderful job sharing her experience with humor and honesty, giving readers lots of space to think about what happens.
Published September 2, 2014 | My Review to Come
Trans History: A Graphic Novel: From Ancient History to the Present Day by Alex L. Combs, Andrew Eakett
Notes: Hands down, one of my favorite reads this month. I can’t stop telling people about this incredible book packed with biographical information about gender-nonconforming people from history and the development of medical care supporting transgender people. The authors include lots of great questions to prompt further thought and discussion.
Published May 13, 2025 | My Review
North of Tomboy by Julie A. Swanson
Notes: I might have initially thought this was going to be a memoir. It’s a novel about a girl who doesn’t fit conventional gender stereotypes and how painful that is for her in a small Michigan town in the 1970s. Poignant and thoughtful.
Published September 2, 2025 | My Review
A Wolf Called Fire (A Voice of the Wilderness #4) by Rosanne Perry
Notes: I’m on the lookout for middle grade with short chapters aimed at the younger side of the audience, so I picked up this heavily illustrated title for review. It’s a neat nature story that could appeal to “Warriors” series fans. I love the author’s notes connecting the story to a real wolf pack.
Published February 4, 2025 | My Review to Come
The Sherlock Society: Hurricane Heist by (The Sherlock Society #2) by James Ponti
Notes: The second in a super fun middle grade detective series. Each member of the team brings different knowledge. Great balance between investigation and the reality that these are kids. Loved it.
Published September 2, 2025 | My Review
I Wish I Didn’t Have to Tell You This: A Graphic Memoir by Eugene Yelchin
Notes: This memoir delivers a dark story with so many sweet moments. It’s a little disconcerting to read about the actions of the government in the story right now, but so important to continue learning about people who’ve been through the kinds of experiences the author has.
Published September 16, 2025 | My Review
Linus and Etta Could Use a Win by Caroline Huntoon
Notes: A book about a boy running for class president! In middle grade fiction! I love this. Also, transgender rep with a dash of coming out, but not the point of the story. A celebration of finding a friend who “gets” you and your humor. This was a joy to read.
Published May 7, 2024 | My Review to Come
The Firelight Apprentice by Bree Paulsen
Notes: I loved the “Garlic” books, so this was a catch-up read bringing me more current on the author’s work. My 7yo wants to read this, but it’s got some scary illustrations in the final scenes, so we’re waiting on that a bit. Great story of sisterhood and how to support one another through different dreams.
Published October 29, 2024 | My Review to Come
Call Us What We Carry by Amanda Gorman
Notes: I’ve been a fan of Gorman since her inaugural poem in 2020. I picked up this collection of her poetry written during and about COVID-19 at the library. It’s a cool collection that includes some blackout poetry using historial documents. She has such a distinct voice that I felt like I heard her reading in my head.
Published December 7, 2021
Sisters in the Wind by Angeline Boulley
Notes: I’m such a fan of Boulley’s work. This book delivers another high-stakes, intense story with thoughtful exploration of cultural issues. The main character is a Native girl in foster care who’s disconnected from her history and people.
Published September 2, 2025 | My Review
Mallory in Full Color by Elisa Stone Leahy
Notes: I loved Leahy’s debut, Tethered to Other Stars, so I was delighted to find that this is a companion novel. This one deftly explores anxiety and identity while celebrating comics and manga.
Published November 19, 2024 | My Review to Come
Sunrise on the Reaping (A Hunger Games Novel) by Suzanne Collins
Notes: This is Haymitch’s story at the 25th Hunger Games. The story answers so many questions about Haymitch and also offers glimpses of familiar characters, like Beetee and Wiress.
Published March 18, 2025 | My Review to Come
The Bard and the Book: How the First Folio Saved the Plays of William Shakespeare from Oblivion by Ann Bausum and Marta Sevilla
Notes: A fun look at how Shakespeare’s work survived and how theaters operated during his lifetime.
Published April 2, 2024 | My Review to Come
For the Rest of Us: 13 Festive Holiday Stories to Celebrate All Seasons edited by Dahlia Adler
Notes: A collection featuring stories of holidays throughout the year, like Lunar New Year, Valentine’s Day, Holi, Nowruz, Eid, Passover, Juneteenth, Rosh HaShanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Simchat Torah, Diwali, Día de Los Muertos, Winter Solstice, Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa from incredible authors.
Published September 2, 2025 | My Review
The Guardians of Dreamdark: Windwitch by Laini Taylor
Notes: As a fan of Taylor’s other books, I had to read this one. It’s easy to see how Daughter of Smoke and Bone followed this series, though this is a completely different story and aimed at a much younger audience. Fans of the 1994 Thumbelina movie will love it.
Published September 23, 2025 (Orig. 2007) | My Review
Your September 2025 Reading Wrap-Up
Did you read anything in September that stands out? Do you track your reading? Leave a comment and let me know if you read anything on my list.