#September 2024 Books

[bargainsleuthbooks]

Book Reviews Children's Edition: Manga Biographies: Charles M. Schulz; Halfway There: A Memoir; The Terrifying Tales of Vivian Vance; How to Explain Climate Science to a Grown-Up #GraphicNovels #Manga #NetGalley #ChildrensBooks

Time for another round-up of book reviews: this time I tackled some manga, graphic novels, and a children's book about climate science. Read about the history of the Peanuts comic book, a memoir about being mixed-race, and a YA horror story. #ARCReviews

I have been connecting to my kids more with their reading. The two youngest adore manga books and the reason I have a Barnes & Noble membership is because the county library and school library do not carry the series’ they are interested in. I’ve also been picking up some graphic novels and manga, including some ARCs. Here are some reviews of my most recent finds: Most books can be found at the…

[one-time-i-dreamt]

I was forced to read a Donald Trump autobiography for one of my college courses. It was just the plot of Boss Baby. He thought nobody would notice. 

[greenwitchcrafts]

September 2024 Witch Guide

New Moon: September 2nd

First Quarter: September 11th

Full moon: September 17th

Last Quarter: September 24th

Sabbats: Mabon- September 22nd

September Harvest Moon

Also known as: Autumn Moon, Child Moon, Corn Harvest Moon, Falling Leaves Moon, Haligmonath, Leaves Turning Moon, Mating Moon, Moon of Brown Leaves, Moon When Dear Paw the Earth, Rutting Moon, Singing Moon, Wine Moon, Witumanoth & Yellow Leaf Moon

Element: Earth

Zodiac: Virgo & Libra

Nature spirts: Trooping Faeries

Deities: Brigid, Ceres, Chang-e, Demeter, Freya, Isis, Depths & Vesta

Animals: Jackal & snake

Birds: Ibis & sparrow

Trees: Bay, hawthorn, hazel & larch

Herbs: Copal, fennel, rye, skullcap, valerian, wheat & witch hazel

Flowers: Lily & narcissus

Scents: Bergamot, gardenia, mastic & storax

Stones: Bloodstone,carnelian, cat's eye, chrysolite, citrine, iolite, lapis lazuli, olivine, peridot, sapphire, spinel(blue), tourmaline(blue) & zircon

Colors: Browns, dark blue, Earth tones, green & yellow

Issues, intentions & powers: Confidence, the home, manifestation & protection

Energy: Balance of light & dark, cleaning & straightening of all kinds, dietary matters, employment, health, intellectual pursuits, prosperity, psychism, rest, spirituality, success & work environment

The full Moon that happens nearest to the fall equinox (September 22nd or 23rd) always takes on the name “Harvest Moon.” Unlike other full Moons, this full Moon rises at nearly the same time—around sunset—for several evenings in a row, giving farmers several extra evenings of moonlight & allowing them to��finish their harvests before the frosts of fall arrive. 

• While September’s full Moon is usually known as the Harvest Moon, if October’s full Moon happens to occur closer to the equinox than September’s, it takes on the name “Harvest Moon” instead. In this case, September’s full Moon would be referred to as the Corn Moon.

This time of year—late summer into early fall—corresponds with the time of harvesting corn in much of the northern United States. For this reason, a number of Native American peoples traditionally used some variation of the name “Corn Moon” to refer to the Moon of either August or September. 

Mabon

Known as: Autumn Equinox, Cornucopia, Witch's Thanksgiving & Alban Elved

Season: Autumn

Element: Air

Symbols: Acorns, apples, autumn leaves, balance, berries, corn, cornucopia( Horn of Plenty), dried seeds, equality, gourds, grains, grapes, ivy, pine cones, pomegranates, vines, wheat, white roses & wine

Colors: Blue, brown, dark red, deep gold, gold, indigo, leaf green, maroon, orange, red, russet. Violet & yellow

Oils/Incense: Apple, apple blossom, benzoin, black pepper, hay/straw, myrrh, passion flower, patchouli, pine, red poppy & sage

Animals: Dog & Wolf

Birds: Goose, hawk, swallow & swan

Stones: Agate, amethyst, carnelian, lapis lazuli, sapphire, yellow Agate & yellow topaz

Food: Apples, blackberries, blackberry wine, breads, carrots, cider, corn, cornbread, grapes, heather wine, nuts, onions, pomegranates, potatoes, squash, vegetables, wheat & wine

Herbs/Plants: Benzoin, bramble, corn, ferns, grains, hops, ivy, milkweed, myrrh, sage sassafras, Salomon's seal, thistle, tobacco & wheat

Flowers:  Aster, heather, honeysuckle, marigold, mums, passion flower, rose

Trees: Aspen, cedar, cypress, hazel, locust, maple, myrtle oak & pine

Goddesses: Danu, Epona, Inanna, Ishtar, Modron, Morgan, The Morrigan, Muses, Pomona, Persephone, Sin, Sophia & Sura

Gods:  Bacchus, Dionysus, Dumuzi, Esus, The Green Man, Hermes, Mannanan, Thor & Thoth

Issues, Intentions & Powers: Accomplishment, agriculture, balance, goals, gratitude & grounding

Spellwork: Balance, harmony, protection, prosperity, security & self-confidence

Activities:

•Scatter offerings in a harvested fields & Offer libations to trees

• Decorate your home and/or altar space for fall

• Bake bread

• Perform a ritual to restore balance and harmony to your life

• Cleanse your home of negative energies

• Pick apples

• Collect fall themed things from nature like acorns, changing leaves, pine cones, ect)

• Have a dinner or feast with your family and/or friends

• Set intentions for the upcoming year

• Purge what is no longer serving you & commit to healthy changes

•Take a walk in the woods

• Enjoy a pumpkin spice latte

• Donate to your local food bank

• Gather dried herbs, plants, seeds & pods

• Learn something new

• Make wine

• Fill a cornucopia

• Brew an apple cinnamon simmer pot

• Create an outdoor Mabon altar

•Adorn burial sites with leaves, acorns, & pinecones to honor those who have passed over & visit their graves

The name Mabon comes from the Welsh/Brythonic God Mabon Ap Modron, who's name means "Divine/great Son", However,there is evidence that the name was adopted in the 1970s for the Autumn Equinox & has nothing to do with this celebration or this time of year.

• Though many cultures see the second harvest (after the first harvest Lughnasadh) & Equinox as a time for giving thanks before the name Mabon was given because this time of year is traditionally when farmers know how well their summer crops did & how well fed their animals have become. This determines whether you & your family would have enough food for the winter.That is why people used to give thanks around this time, thanks for their crops, animals & food

Some believe it celebrates the autumn equinox when Nature is preparing for the winter months. Night & day are of equal legth  & the God's energy & strength are nearly gone. The Goddess begins to mourn the loss she knows is coming, but knows he will return when he is reborn at Yule.

Related festivals:

• Sukkot- Is a Torah-commanded holiday celebrated for seven days, beginning on the 15th day of the month of Tishrei. It is one of the Three Pilgrimage Festivals on which Israelites were commanded to make a pilgrimage to the Temple in Jerusalem. Originally a harvest festival celebrating the autumn harvest, Sukkot’s modern observance is characterized by festive meals in a sukkah, a temporary wood-covered hut, celebrating the Exodus from Egypt.

• Mid-Autumn festival- September 17th

Is also known as the Moon Festival or Mooncake Festival. It is a traditional festival celebrated in Chinese culture, similar holidays are celebrated by other cultures in East & Southeast Asia. It is one of the most important holidays in Chinese culture; its popularity is on par with that of Chinese New Year. The history of the Mid-Autumn Festival dates back over 3,000 years.  On this day, it is believed that the Moon is at its brightest and fullest size, coinciding with harvest time in the middle of Autumn.

During the festival, lanterns of all size and shapes – which symbolize beacons that light people's path to prosperity & good fortune – are carried & displayed. Mooncakes, a rich pastry typically filled with sweet-bean, egg yolk, meat or lotus-seed paste, are traditionally eaten during this festival. The Mid-Autumn Festival is based on the legend of Chang'e, the Moon goddess in Chinese mythology.

• Thanksgiving- This is a secular holiday which is similar to the cell of Mabon; A day to give thanks for the food & blessings of the previous year. The American Thanksgiving is the last Thursday of November while the Canadian Thanksgiving is celebrated in October

• The Oschophoria- Were a set of ancient Greek festival rites held in Athens during the month Pyanepsion (autumn) in honor of Dionysus. The festival may have had both agricultural and initiatory functions.

-Amidst much singing of special songs, two young men dressed in women's clothes would bear branches with grape-clusters attached from Dionysus to the sanctuary of Athena Skiras & a footrace followed in which select ephebes competed.

Ancient sources connect the festival and its rituals to the Athenian hero-king Theseus & specifically to his return from his Cretan adventure. According to that myth, the Cretan princess Ariadne, whom Theseus had abandoned on the island of Naxos while voyaging home, was rescued by an admiring Dionysus; thus the Oschophoria may have honored Ariadne as well. A section of the ancient calendar frieze incorporated into the Byzantine Panagia Gorgoepikoos church in Athens, corresponding to the month Pyanopsion (alternate spelling), has been identified as an illustration of this festival's procession.

Sources:

Farmersalmanac .com

Llewellyn's Complete Book of Correspondences by Sandra Kines

Wikipedia

A Witch's Book of Correspondences by Viktorija Briggs

Encyclopedia britannica

Llewellyn 2024 magical almanac Practical magic for everyday living

[pigeonneaux]

I hear you call my name (and it feels like home)

[richardarmitagefanpage]

Richard at the Bloody Scotland in Stirling, Scotland. (September 13, 2024)

📷: bloodyscotland

[godzilla-reads]

🍂September Reading Wrap-Up🍂

Hello, lovelies! This September was a tricky month for reading as I read mostly short and sweet books because I could not focus on anything more than that. I did have fun reading these books, though, all 11 of them- bringing my yearly total to 107 books!

🌸 The Flowers’ Festival by Elsa Beskow

⭐️ Bug Boys Vol. 3: Adventures and Daydreams by Laura Knetzger

🥔 The Story of the Root Children by Sibylle von Olfers

🌳 The Forests: A Celebration of Nature, in Word and Image by Michelle Lovric

💜 Content Warning: Everything by Akwaeke Emezi

🍄 Faeries and Other Fantastical Folk: The Faery Paintings of Maxine Gadd by Maxine Gadd and John Grant

🍁 Flower Fairies of the Autumn by Cicely Mary Barker

⭐️ Dragons by Johan Egerkrans (trans. A.A. Prime)

🍄 The Fairies by William Allingham and Michael Hague

🌻 In Fairyland: Pictures from the Elwood by Richard Doyle, William Allingham, and Andrew Lang

⭐️ The Invasion by K.A. Applegate

How was your September reading experience?

[andreai04]

“Every life changes the universe. Whether or not that life is yours.”

[cosmicwriterof21stcentury]

-September: gently and softly.

Yet again,

September came,

Kissing my wounds with it's salty lips,

For once in my life

Love doesn't hurt,

And as my heart starts to moult,

I am birthed again in the lap of narcissi

Growing beside me.

I look up at the sun,

I'm intertwined with the soil,

The wind calls my name

I'm back again being myself ,

This time I won't forget.

I remember,

The winter wounds ,

And the shivering trees,

I know the end of the river ,

It's where I begin to be.

The pit has been my bed ,

No fences confide me,

Up on this hill,

I reside here.

The clouds deform into my heart,

Birds have known me,

I become the one,

The only me,

I exist

And that's why

I am loved.

-tamanna.

[mbbookblr]

"But if the last few years have taught her anything, it's that you really can't ever know who you are going to become."

[bookaddict24-7]

(New Young Adult Releases Coming Out Today! (September 24th, 2024)

___

Have I missed any new Young Adult releases? Have you added any of these books to your TBR? Let me know!

___

New Releases:

The Thirteenth Child by Erin A. Craig

Rabbit & Juliet by Rebecca Stafford

Faeries Never Lie by Various

Everything Glittered by Robin Talley

The Hysterical Girls of St. Bernadette's by Hanna Alkaf

Aisle Nine by Ian X. Cho

A Constellation of Minor Bears by Jen Ferguson

When the World Tips Over by Jandy Nelson

Pick the Lock by A.S. King

Signed Sealed Dead by Cynthia Murphy

Payal Mehta's Romance Revenge Plot by Preeti Chhibber

Superficial by Diane Billas

Tears of the Nameless by George Mann

This Fatal Kiss by Alicia Jasinska

New Sequel:

Hunterlore (Hunterland #2) by Dana Claire

___

Happy reading!

[bargainsleuthbooks]

Hill of Secrets by Galina Vromen #BookReview #LakeUnionPublishing #ARCReview #HistoricalFiction #LosAlamos #WWII #Oppenheimer

I recently finished an historical fiction book centered around the loved ones of those working at Los Alamos on the Manhattan Project. If you love a good soap opera, Hill of Secrets is for you. #BookReview #LakeUnionPublishing #HillofSecrets #ARCReview

It’s time for another book review from my never-ending TBR list. Most books mentioned in my reviews can be found at the affiliate links below or try your local library! (Amazon US) (Kindle Unlimited) (Amazon CA) (Amazon UK)  (AbeBooks) (Barnes & Noble) (Booksamillion)  (Audible.com) (Audiobooks.com) In a desert outpost, nuclear scientists and their families face the toll of the secrets they…

[books-in-a-storm]

September 2024 FDBPC: Day 8 International Literacy Day

[slaughter-books]

Day 1: JOMPBPC: TBR This Month

My immediate TBR for September, 2024! 💙

[monsieuroverlord]

September 2024 Solicits are up!

We'll have quite a line-up for this month! From the Ashes Era of X-Books officially kicks off and there are plenty of first wave books to check out!

There's also a new Marvel Zombies -- this time a vrus created by Groot?

Lots of Spider-man and Venom as well.

Source here

Dazzler #1

written by Jason Loo, art by Rafael Loureiro, main cover by Terry Dodson & Rachel Dodson

"SO BRIGHT THIS STAR!

DAZZLER, Marvel’s glittering mutant songstress, has been in and out of the limelight over the years – but now the time has finally come for her to take center stage! Dazzler embarks on a new world tour, the culmination and celebration of her entire musical career! And along for the ride is her new road crew: Domino, Strong Guy and Multiple Man! But while Dazzler may be ready to focus on her music, her celebrity-mutant status and a violent attack may sideline the entire endeavor before it’s even begun…"

Exceptional X-Men #1

written by Eve L. Ewing, art and main cover by Carmen Carnero

"KATE PRYDE LEADS A TEAM OF ALL-NEW X-MEN!

After the fall of Krakoa, Kate Pryde is trying to get as far away from all things X as she possibly can. She’s just a regular-degular bartender now. Definitely NOT getting ready to head up an ALL-NEW TEAM of wayward young mutants while avoiding the watchful gaze of Emma Frost. Nothing in this title but work, dating and staving off depression. That’s it. No never-before-seen EXCEPTIONAL X-MEN to see here!"

Wolverine #1

written by Saladin Ahmed, art and main cover by Martin Coccolo

"THE LEGEND BEGINS ANEW IN THE ADAMANTIUM-TOUGH NEW ONGOING SERIES!

There’s a killer in the woods – and as WOLVERINE’s attempt at peace is shattered, an OLD ENEMY will re-emerge as a NEW VILLAIN rises who will bring LOGAN to the brink of his berserker rage. But NIGHTCRAWLER knows his old friend is capable of doing what’s right, and before long, Logan will have to unleash his claws, push his healing factor to the limit and demonstrate he’s the best there is at what he does once and for all – nice be damned!

The legendary WOLVERINE ongoing series kicks off anew with the superstar creative team of Saladin Ahmed (DAREDEVIL, MS. MARVEL) and Martín Cóccolo (DEADPOOL, IMMORTAL THOR) beginning their epic journey with Logan!"

Ultimate X-Men #7

art, writing, and main cover by Peach Momoko

"MEET THE MUTANTS’ NEW MENTOR, PSYLOCKE!

• After the climactic finale of issue #6 and the surprise new teammate they found, Mei, Hisako, Nico and the mutants need some guidance!

• Fortunately, the mysterious Kanon is an older student with a surprising amount of expertise…"

Marvel Zombies: Dawn of Decay

written by Thomas Krajewski, art and main cover by Jason Muhr

"Groot feels bad – not only because Rocket’s latest scheme put them firmly in the crosshairs of the Avengers, but also he’s just plain sick! Sap-dripping nose and all. Things go from bad to apocalyptic, however, after an ill-timed sneeze in Captain America’s face has unforeseeable consequences! Suddenly, Groot is being attacked by a horde of zombified Avengers, and only he and Hulk, with his impenetrable green skin, remain impervious. Now it’s up to these two heroes to team up and fight their way through a blighted New York City to Banner’s lab in Avengers Tower to find a cure before it’s too late. But can Groot keep the hero in check and on track, or will Hulk unleash his deadly might on the zombies they once called friends?"

[richardarmitagefanpage]

Richard at Kibworth Books in Kibworth, UK. (September 17, 2024)

📷: monikaplaha

[books-and-strawberry-tea]

Lucy Undying - Kiersten White.

If I was to describe this book in two words, it would be:

Utterly Insufferable!

I was so excited for this book. I rushed out to purchase. Spending $35AUD on this garbage just 3 days ago. Today I sat down to read it, and my cat decided to spill a whole 1L bottle of my hydrolyte drink on it. Absolutely soaking the back half of the book. I should have took this as a sign and thanked him for his service. Unfortunately, I had no clue what absurdity he was saving me from. If only I'd just thrown the book away.

The book follows Iris, but it also follows Lucy...and vampire Lucy. Iris' events is set in 2024 - 2025. Lucy, the vampire, is followed by tape recordings following her life as a vampire and how her past human life had impacted it. As well as human Lucy in the form of journal entries. At first I was intrigued at how this would play out. As I love different media in books. Unfortunately, the POV's were all over the place. The voice recordings would give away spoilers to the journal entries, completely taking away the element of surprise, holding no suspense what so ever. Making the proceeding chapters boring as you'd already know what was to happen.

Iris...Iris, Iris, Iris. Girl you are absolutely intolerable. 20% through the book, and she's mad at life, her mum, her dad, her past. But the reader has no idea as to why. Making her frustrating to read about as she is always angry. The author also repeats every chapter over and over and over that she needs to sell items in her mothers property in England. Every chapter with Iris' POV, these same words are repeated over and over again. Like yes, thank you, I've read the other chapters. I get it. Also why are all rich people in stories the same? So desperate to be away from the money and wealth of their family, but actively try to benefit at the same time from their families wealth.....but repeat over and over again they want nothing to do with it. I don't understand.

Other issues I had with the book involved the usage of the word queer, and the obvious declaration that the author has no clue to the history, original meaning, and modern usage of the word. It honestly felt like an insult. Two examples of the words usage, both used in a 1890's journal, frustrated me to no end. The first example, the author used the word queer as a quirky cool thing to be. Like how "wonderful" it is for me to be using the word queer in a 1890s view point (Obviously sarcasm on my behalf). I read the word in this usage and wanted to scream. This word historically was not something you wanted to be called. It had such a negative connotation and literally meant weird, strange, abnormal. But White used the modern day usage and connotation in this journal. Then, only a few chapters later, for example 2, in another 1890s journal, she used the old meaning of the word. Lucy describing herself as queer and strange, like something is wrong with her. Does White actually know much about this word? Cause it truly feels like they don't.

The book felt like a fanfiction. Written purely for self fulfilment, and not actually intending for a wider audience.

Also, was the modern day American politics necessary to mention?? Personal gripe, mentions like this in books automatically centres American audiences as the only intended audience. It's incredibly frustrating. Not everything has to involve American centralist mindsets. But apparently we non American's can't escape it. Even in fictional world's.

The 2024 references also made me cringe to my soul. 'The Last of Us' as a reference?? Really?? This is just a perfect way to age a book. Especially since the most recent editions of that game made audiences furious. Not a good look.

I'm seriously disappointed. The cover was gorgeous. It's a real shame the cover is the only good quality about this book.

Star rating. 1/5.

Wish I could label it 0. But good reads won't allow that.

DNF 20%.