Talking About September’s Books

So many good books in September. And even though October is half way over I need share. Otherwise I am piling up too many books I want to talk about. So let’s dive right in talking about September books.

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros | ★★★★☆

Goodreads says: Twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail was supposed to enter the Scribe Quadrant, living a quiet life among books and history. Now, the commanding general—also known as her tough-as-talons mother—has ordered Violet to join the hundreds of candidates striving to become the elite of Navarre: dragon riders. But when you’re smaller than everyone else and your body is brittle, death is only a heartbeat away…because dragons don’t bond to “fragile” humans. They incinerate them.
What I thought: You know me I am not fan of hyped books. So glad my book club besties were so hyped that I needed to jump in on it. I wanted to read but only got a hold of the audio book. It was fun. It was engaging. I loved and wasn’t able to do much else. So much so, that I ordered the. book because. fantasy is just better to read. I also pre-ordered the sequel. Call me engaged. It is fun. It is diverse. It is brutal. Its spicy. Something for everyone.
Medium: audiobook
Original Language and Title: English
Publications: German title “Fourth Wing – Flammengeküsst”
Recommend to: Everyone! Even if you usually steer clear of fantasy.

Solito by Javier Zamora | ★★★★☆

Goodreads says: Trip. My parents started using that word about a year ago–“one day, you’ll take a trip to be with us. Like an adventure.” Javier’s adventure is a three-thousand-mile journey from his small town in El Salvador, through Guatemala and Mexico, and across the U.S. border. He will leave behind his beloved aunt and grandparents to reunite with a mother who left four years ago and a father he barely remembers. Traveling alone except for a group of strangers and a coyote hired to lead them to safety, Javier’s trip is supposed to last two short weeks.
What I thought: This is one of those books that will change the way you view things. At least it has for me. I never really understood what refugees and migrants are going through. And I still won’t. But this book has opened my eyes. It is tragic. It is tough. But most of all it is very humbling. It is amazing that Zamora has not walked away with more trauma. That most of them are able to function after such an ordeal. At times I found the language a bit too naive. But, since it is written from a child’s perspective it was fitting. And after a while it was not bothering me anymore.
Medium: ebook
Original Language and Title: English
Publications: German title “Solito – Eine wahre Geschichte”
Recommend to: Everyone. Yes, I think everyone should read. It is eye opening, tragic and humbling.
Read Around the World: Logged for El Salvador.

Am Horizont wartet die Sonne by Meike Werkmeister | ★★★★☆

Goodreads says: There are no coincidences, there are only signs. Hamburg-based author Katrin is convinced of this. But while she writes books that are supposed to give others orientation, she herself is in a life crisis. Until fate gives her a sign, too: When she finds a love letter addressed to a Filipe in Portugal, she decides to deliver the message to the recipient personally. With her friend Julia, she travels to an idyllic peninsula on the Atlantic coast, the home of the mysterious Filipe. While searching for him, Katrin unexpectedly gets caught up in a family drama. And finds something she wasn’t looking for at all …
What I thought: Books by Meike Werkmeister are always a good choice for me if I want to read some romance that isn’t too cheesy. I love her settings and the atmosphere. There is a story in there and not only romance and love triangles. Usually the couples are down to earth. This one features a woman in her late thirties which is a nice change. Werkmeisters books are easily read in a day for me.
Medium: swapped paperback
Original Language and Title: German
Publications: no other translations
Recommend to: Everyone loving a feel-good summer read with happy endings and love

Der Mauersegler by Jasmin Schreiber | ★★★★☆

Goodreads says: Humans dream of flying, what does a swift dream of? Perhaps of falling, as we do on the border between wakefulness and sleep.
Prometheus is also in free fall after the death of his best friend. We meet him when he hits the Danish beach after a hasty escape from the police, his family and himself. The Swift tells of a man who threatens to break down because of his guilt. And about two women who ask few questions – like all people who have their own secrets.
What I thought: I struggled a bit getting into this book but I think it was more the time and place I was reading it and not the book itself. It is a book that doesn’t agree with lots of other books that are read at the same time. I like when we follow people in books that are struggling. Real life struggles. Here we are talking about grief. And guilt. How memories come to us unexpected and connect us to the current situations but also take us right back to grief. In the end I was happy to have read this book and I could see myself picking it up again.
Medium: paperback
Original Language and Title: German
Publications: no translations as of now
Recommend to: Everyone loving books about deep characters and life struggles that make them stronger.

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson | ★★★★☆

Goodreads says: In 1936, tucked deep into the woods of Troublesome Creek, KY, lives blue-skinned 19-year-old Cussy Carter, the last living female of the rare Blue People ancestry. The lonely young Appalachian woman joins the historical Pack Horse Library Project of Kentucky and becomes a librarian, riding across slippery creek beds and up treacherous mountains on her faithful mule to deliver books and other reading material to the impoverished hill people of Eastern Kentucky.
Along her dangerous route, Cussy, known to the mountain folk as Bluet, confronts those suspicious of her damselfly-blue skin and the government’s new book program. She befriends hardscrabble and complex fellow Kentuckians, and is fiercely determined to bring comfort and joy, instill literacy, and give to those who have nothing, a bookly respite, a fleeting retreat to faraway lands.
What I thought: This was a fun find. When I read Book Woman I wanted to read. I didn’t know I was picking up a historical fiction book. But I love those. Win. I had never heard of the blue people of Kentucky or that medical condition. Very enjoyable to learn about that. And I also didn’t know about the Roosevelt book program. Along the way you get a glimpse into rural life at the time. Overall very enjoyable and I will try to find the sequel.
Medium: audiobook
Original Language and Title: English
Publications: no German translation but many other such as Spanish, Italian and.Russian.
Recommend to: Everyone loving historical fiction and a story revolving around books.

The Wager and the Bear by John Ironmonger | ★★★★☆

Goodreads says: A small village in Cornwall, a polar bear and an unusual bet about our future
In the cozy pub of a tiny fishing village in Cornwall, a student and a politician make a bet on the future on Midsummer’s Eve that has far-reaching consequences. Will the 307 inhabitants of the village soon also feel what the world is still turning a blind eye to? Will the politician’s house be swallowed by the sea in 50 years?
John Ironmonger tells of the most urgent task of our time, of a journey to the Arctic, of two fatefully connected lives and not least of the big question: Can opponents become allies when it comes to the future of us all?
What I thought: Books by Ironmonger are always ranking high. I like his writing style and I like the topics he picks. Lately his books revolve around climate change. I like the two main characters in this book. They are not without flaw, they are on opposing sites and we follow them through their life span. In which they always come back to each other. They always don’t agree and yet somehow they try to work towards a similar goal. Even though intentions might be different. I liked listening to it. However, I think “The Year of the Dugong” was a bit stronger.
Medium: audiobook
Original Language and Title: English – however it has been first released in German as no publisher wanted to pick it up. Crazy.
Publications: German title “Der Eisbär und die Hoffnung auf morgen”
Recommend to: Everyone who wants a story that makes you think and cares about earth and is aware of. climate change. And all those who deny it – give it to them!

The Garden Adventures of Griswald the Gnome by Daniela Drescher | ★★★★☆

Goodreads says:
Griswald is a little gnome who lives in the rain gutter. One day, it rains very hard and he is washed down the drainpipe into an old rain barrel. At first, Griswald is unsure about his new home, but soon he meets all the animals, birds and plants that live in the garden and has wonderful adventures with his new friends.
Through the seasons, Griswald explores a whole new world in the garden, gets into sticky situations, helps his new companions and even learns to dance!
Perfect for bedtime, each easy-to-read chapter tells a different story of Griswald’s adventures and is filled with beautiful illustrations of lively gnomes and sprites, colourful plants and flowers, and characterful animals and birds.
What I thought: I had to read this and the two following books for work as I needed to build a landing page. It is a cute little story for children that explores nature and friendships. It’s whimsical and down to earth. Haven’t seen the illustrations as I listened to it but I am working with the illustrator and authors so I know it must be a wonderful book over all. I can recommend as childs. gift.
Medium: audiobook
Original Language and Title: German “Giesbert in der Regentonne”
Publications: English and Chinese and Dutch
Recommend to: Everyone who loves to read children’s books or needs a good story for reading to kids about nature and garden adventures.

The Enneagram by Richard Rohr | ★★★✶☆

Goodreads says: Richard Rohr and Andrea Ebert’s runaway best-seller shows both the basic logic of the Enneagram and its harmony with the core truths of Christian thought from the time of the early Church forward.
What I thought: I wanted to learn more about the Enneagram and ultimately learn what type I am. I learned more. I was very surprised to learn that the Enneagram originates in Christian traditions end not from research. Which was however done later on to verify. I almost enjoyed the historical part a bit more than the rest. I personally found it very hard to follow the structure of the book. It is not a book you walk away with a type and a clear plan on how to be a better human being. It lays all the pieces of the puzzle and when you are done reading you have to put that puzzle together. I didn’t really. Maybe if I. had kept the book I would have referenced it a bit more and gone back to it. That is apparently what my sister does as she needed it back rather sooner than later. I do not think I am done thinking about it and I want to learn more about the Enneagram. But I am not sure this book was the right one for me. It was a bit too religiously tainted for me and I am a Christian. Not sure how others will read this.
Medium: paperback, borrowed from my sister
Original Language and Title: English
Publications: German “Das Enneagramm. Die 9 Gesichter der Seele “
Recommend to: Everyone wanting to learn more about the origins and workings of the Enneagram.

Mittagsstunde by Dörte Hansen | ★★★✶☆

Goodreads says: The clouds hang heavy over the Geest as Ingwer Feddersen, 47, returns to his home village. He has some unfinished business here. Grandmother Ella is about to lose her mind, grandfather Sönke stubbornly holds down the fort in his old village pub. He has the best times behind him, just like the whole village. When did this decline begin? In the 1970s, when first the hedges and then the birds disappeared after the land consolidation? When the big farms grew and the small ones died? When Ginger went to study in Kiel and left the old man with the inn? With great warmth Dörte Hansen tells of the disappearance of a rural world, of loss, farewell and a new beginning.
What I thought: Again I struggled to really fall. into this book. It may be a pattern with German books?! Again a book that doesn’t work well with reading other books at the same time. It is a bit of a slower read which fits the content of the book. The little town of Brinkebüll is slow maybe even sleepy. The characters are very authentic. I would not be surprised driving through one of the villages and seeing a character walking around like the book painted. The book really picked up towards the end for me. I love an end that is unexpected and not always the happy happy ending. For me this one was a perfect end. Everything else would have been unrealistic.
Medium: paperback
Original Language and Title: German
Publications: Various languages unfortunately no English translation yet.
Recommend to: Everyone wanting to learn about the change of rural Germany and the impact of society wrapped up in a heartfelt story.

A tree grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith | ★★★✶☆

Goodreads says: The beloved American classic about a young girl’s coming-of-age at the turn of the century, Betty Smith’s A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is a poignant and moving tale filled with compassion and cruelty, laughter and heartache, crowded with life and people and incident. The story of young, sensitive, and idealistic Francie Nolan and her bittersweet formative years in the slums of Williamsburg has enchanted and inspired millions of readers for more than sixty years. By turns overwhelming, sublime, heartbreaking, and uplifting, the daily experiences of the unforgettable Nolans are raw with honesty and tenderly threaded with family connectedness — in a work of literary art that brilliantly captures a unique time and place as well as incredibly rich moments of universal experience.
What I thought: I like to know about classic that often get referred to by fellow readers or in other literature. So I bought it when it was on sale. I am very happy I read it together with Engies online book club. the experience made the book a bit better definitely more understandable. I would have never looked up so many things or learned about the things mentioned in the book. At the same time for me personally I would have read the book quicker and at times I feel I would have enjoyed it more. Overall I am glad I finally know what the book is a bout and I do not regret reading it. But it is as so not a favorite. Just. like so many other classics. I guess it is overall a more educational and not an emotional read.
Medium: ebook
Original Language and Title: English
Publications: German “Ein Baum wächst in Brooklyn”
Recommend to: Everyone loving classics and wants to learn about life in the late 19 hundreds in Brooklyn.

How to grow wings by Rimma Onosea | ★★★☆☆

Goodreads says: Two sisters in a small village in Nigeria want nothing more than to break free of their oppressive home. When one sister is given the opportunity to live with her wealthy aunt, she takes the chance and escapes, starting off a chain of events that leads the sisters on different paths.
Sisters Cheta and Zam couldn’t be more different. Cheta, sharp-tongued and stubborn, never shies away from conflict—either at school or at home, where her mother fires abuse at her. Timid Zam escapes most of her mother’s anger, skating under the radar and avoiding her sister whenever possible. In a turn of good fortune, Zam is invited to live with her aunt’s family in the lap of luxury. Jealous, Cheta also leaves home, but to a harder existence that will drive her to terrible decisions. When the sisters are reunited, Zam alone will recognize just how far Cheta has fallen—and Cheta’s fate will rest in Zam’s hands.
What I thought: Listened to this one and it was a nice story that kept me entertained. However, I couldn’t really sympathize with any of the sisters. But then maybe I don’t. Throughout the book I wondered if such an abusive family dynamic is a common thing or a rarity in Nigerian households. I truly hope this is not standard. I did enjoy the glance into home life in Nigeria. It wasn’t the main part of the book more the stage setting but since I am not familiar I enjoyed this different view.
Medium: audiobook
Original Language and Title: English
Publications: No translations found
Recommend to: Everyone wanting to learn. about other cultures and loves books about family drama and sisterhood.

The next person you meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom | ★★✶☆☆

Goodreads says: Poignant and beautiful, filled with unexpected twists, The Next Person You Meet in Heaven reminds us that not only does every life matter, but that every ending is also a beginning—we only need to open our eyes to see it.
What I thought: I came about this book through a random recommendation on Instagram about good fall books. I guess that set different expectations. it wasn’t a fall book. I personally couldn’t really pick up much from this book. It was at times a bit too positively hyped about afterlife. No, I am not finding the right words here. It just want’t really for me I guess. Or maybe I should have listened to the first book in the series first.
Medium: audiobook
Original Language and Title: English
Publications: German “Wer im Himmel auf dich wartet”
Recommend to: Everyone who needs an uplifting story about death and that it is not the end.

New books on the shelves

I decided I will also share how many books make it to my TBR list (only books I own otherwise this would take ages) and occupy my shelves right above the reading chair and also on my digital home on the kindle. Feel free to ask me in a few weeks if I have read it yet. HA

• Snow so White by C. Gockel – a kindle freebie
• Wolves and Daggers by Melanie Karsak – a kindle freebie
• Schrei im Eis by Bernadette Colanego – a 0,99€ kindle pre-order
• The Wise Mans Fear by Patrick Rothfuss – a treat for myself
• Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros – wanted to have a copy because want to read too
• Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros – a pre-order treat for myself
• The Change by Kirsten Miller – treat for myself and a book club pick
• A legacy of Storms and Starlight by Victoria J. Price – a kindle freebie
• The Growth Mindset by Joshua Moore, Helen Glasgow – a kindle freebie
• Of Time and Turtles by Sy Montgomery, Matt Patterson – a kindle freebie
• Tulpenliebe by Femke Robot – a book store sale

Did I escalate in the book buying? I sure did. But it felt good to splurge for once. I am still within my annual budget and could buy maybe one more… Anyway so much talking about September books from my side. Your turn.

Let’s hear it: What book did you enjoy in September? What book was a total fail? Is there a new book that moved into your home? Do you read seasonal books and if so what are you drawn too right now?