September 2024 Reading Review

Happy October! This is it. We’ve finally made it to my favorite month. The leaves are changing and falling in earnest now; we are very near peak foliage in the mountains here in New Hampshire. These cooler, crisper months make me want to keep the espresso burbling in my moka pot, turn on the heating pad, and curl up with a good book. But before I can really get into reading season, I want to wrap up September. It was a month full of good books and I can’t wait to share some of these highlights with you!

General Statistics:

click or tap an image to make it larger

A Few thoughts:

  • This month was full of shorter books – all were less than 500 pages! I’ve spent most of this year reading books way over that, so this felt like a nice change of pace.
  • One of my (unrealistic) goals for this year is to read 150 pages/day; I averaged 106 pages a day in September.
  • I read a couple of books towards the end of the month that never really hooked me and I found myself avoiding reading. I’m still glad I read them because they got me closer to other goals I have, but man. I just wasn’t enthusiastic about returning to them each day.
  • Two audiobooks in September! As opposed to the ZERO I finished in August.
  • Most popular genres of the month: literary and historical.

Highlights of the month:

Happening by Annie Erneaux | Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar | The Safekeep by Yael Van Der Wouden | Enlightenment by Sarah Perry | Jazz by Toni Morrison

I read so many good books in September! I’ve gushed about 4 of these highlighted books before (Happening, Martyr!, and The Safekeep here; Enlightenment here), but not Jazz. I finished it late on Monday and am still gathering my thoughts about it, so I will probably talk more about this one on Friday.

Progress on Reading Goals:

Almost 6000 pages behind on my page goal for the year (150 pages x 360 days = 54,000). It’s unlikely that I’ll catch up and that’s okay!

  • I continue to make progress on this year’s Booker Prize list. In September I read 5 books from the long list.
  • Progressed on the Women’s Prize for Fiction winners by reading one book in this category (Bel Canto by Ann Patchett, the 2002 winner).
  • Progressed on the Female Booker Prize winners by reading one book in this category (Hotel du Lac by Anita Brookner, the 1984 winner).
  • No progress on the Louise Erdrich challenge.
  • Progressed on the Toni Morrison Adult Fiction (Jazz).

Calendar:

(just because it’s too cool not to include, despite being blurry???)

What a month! I’m anxious to see how October pans out. I’ve already shared my TBR for the month here, if you’re interested in reading along with me. What was your favorite book of the month? Did you make progress on any of your reading goals? Are you thinking about goals for next year (I am!). Let me know in the comments!

I hope Wednesday treats you well and you find time for the things you love this week. Take good care.

28 thoughts on “September 2024 Reading Review”

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  4. That’s a lot of books! October is indeed a splendid month. One of my favorite months, too. My favorite book was The Tortoise and the Hare by Elizabeth Jenkins. Might be my favorite book of the year and hope to write about it soon.

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  5. I set a very realistic goal to read 36 books this year which takes off the pressure. I am interested in Louise Erdrich’s new book but I’m not a completist for her books either.

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    1. I should probably be more realistic about my goals, ha! I cannot WAIT for the new Erdrich. I’m planning to read it in December, but I might cave and read it before then!

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  8. that data is so cool (and tempting!)! I read a few more chunky books last month (and I still have 200+ pages left in Casting Off, that 4th Cazalet Chronicle) but this month is all under 500 pages … and I’m glad about that!

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    1. The data is the best part of Storygraph! I can’t wait until you take the plunge and try it out. It’s so nice to have a month with slightly shorter books… I think October is going to be the same for me!

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  10. Katie, you have such an interesting way of thinking and writing about your reading. I’m curious is Naomi Shihab Nye’s book new? She is one of my favorite poets but I don’t know this title. Here’s to October and a month of cozy reading.

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    1. Thank you, Jane! And Naomi Shihab Nye’s book was published in 2014. It’s a middle grade novel that we read aloud last month about a boy temporarily moving from Oman to Michigan so his parents can attend doctoral programs. It was such a lovely story! And later this year we are planning to read The Turtle of Michigan, which was published in 2022 and is the second in the series.

      The Turtle of Oman was written beautifully and we all really enjoyed it. You can certainly tell she’s a poet and gifted with words and imagery!

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