September in review

I haven't done a monthly wrap-up post since the end of June! I fail at blogging over the summer, it seems.  I'm going to work harder to get back into a blogging and reading routine.  So the bottom sections with the reading challenges will cover all three months but otherwise July and August's posts have disappeared from my head. Oh well. I hope September was a wonderful month for you... Bring on October and Halloween and some spooky/darker reads, eh?

Books Read in September 2013:

Breaking Nova by Jessica Sorensen
Popping the Cherry by Aurelia B. Rowl
Heartbeat by Elizabeth Scott
The Infinite Moment of Us by Lauren Myracle
Hell Without You by Ranae Rose
Dear Cassie by Lisa Burstein
Hostage Three by Nick Lake
The Rules by Stacey Kade
The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Megan Spooner
Goodbye, Rebel Blue by Shelley Coriell
The Fall by Anthony McGowan
Prisoner In Alcatraz by Theresa Breslin
Through the Zombie Glass by Gena Showalter
   
Total: 14

Total for 2013:187

My reading has slowed down considerably over the last month.  I have an exam in about 10 days, and that is taking up ALL of my time.  All of the books that I've read this month have been downloaded from Netgalley as I'm working very hard to increase my feedback ratio there (it currently stands at 22%)

I've read some wonderful books this month, including Through the Zombie Glass, Goodbye, Rebel Blue and Hostage Three...

What was the best of the bunch though?

September Book of the Month:

Heartbeat by Elizabeth Scott


It has to be Heartbeat by Elizabeth Scott. She is definitely one of my favourite authors for a reason. I love how much emotion that she packs into every page of her books.

Books reviewed in September:

Through the Zombie Glass by Gena Showalter
The Killing Woods by Lucy Christopher
Goodbye, Rebel Blue by Shelley Coriell

Guest Reviews

Raining Fire by Alan Gibbons
Charm and Strange by Stephanie Kuehn
Someone Else's Life by Katie Dale

A very big thank you, as always, to (one of) my lovely guest review, Kulsuma! Thank you for your consistent and interesting reviews! I really do appreciate it. Especially as I'm a bit rusty on writing reviews lately...

Non-review posts during September:

How well do you market yourself or your blog?

Relationship History and what I'd like to see more of in YA
Break-up Songs that I'd like YA Authors to use as Inspiration
Books that didn't end with a couple-related HEA

Latest selections from my book club

My non-review bookish posts have been quite popular this month! I feel as though this is where the blog is headed, with less emphasis on reviews and more on discussion posts.  The blog self-promotion post surprised me by how well received it was. And I just had a blast ranting a little bit about the over-emphasis of happily-ever-afters in YA. You'll see one or two more posts on this subject soon, I'm sure.

UKYA in 2013

Jonathan Stroud's Favourite Places to Read

PTSD in The Killing Woods by Lucy Christopher

I really wanted to bring you more posts covering UKYA in 2013, but it just didn't happen this month. I'm very happy to have hosted both Jonathan Stroud and Lucy Christopher on the blog this month. Both were excellent guest posts and I really do hope that you go out and read both of their books!

If you are a UKYA author with a book published this year, please do get in touch about guest posting here on Fluttering Butterflies! I'd love to have you.

Waiting on Wednesday

No Waiting on Wednesday posts this month, I'm afraid. Perhaps next month if I have the energy!

Bookshelf Requirements

Amanda Rutter's Bookshelf Requirements

Thank you so much, Amanda, for bringing us your wonderful bookshelf requirements post! I love the variety of different books that everyone chooses. 

This feature is sorely lacking participants. Please do get in touch either via comments, twitter or email if you'd like to take part in Bookshelf Requirements.

British Books Challenge update in July-September

Scissors, Sisters and Manic Panics by Ellie Phillips
Silent Saturday by Helen Grant
The Killing Woods by Lucy Christopher
Stolen by Lucy Christopher
Dead Jealous by Sharon Jones
Rolling Dice by Beth Reekles
The Name on Your Wrist by Helen Hiorns
Night School: Fracture by CJ Daugherty
Undeniable by Liz Bankes
Diary of a Grace by Sarra Manning
ACID by Emma Pass
Popping the Cherry by Aurela B. Rowl
Hostage Three by Nick Lake
The Fall by Anthony McGowan
Prisoner in Alcatraz by Theresa Breslin

Total in July-September:15
Total in 2013: 50

Okay. Not bad. Sure 15 books in three months is not a lot, only 5 books a month on average, but I'm happy with this amount. And books by British authors currently makes up 27% of my overall reading this year. I say that's a success. I'll be working hard over the next few months to boost the numbers by the end of the year. Let's see how that goes!

Personal challenge to read 10 non-review books a month:

Gabriel's Inferno by Sylvain Reynard
The Submissive by Tara Sue Me
Going Vintage by Lindsey Leavitt
Shut Out by Kody Keplinger
Stolen by Lucy Christopher
Seven Years to Sin by Sylvia Day
Raw Blue by Kirsty Eagar (re-read)
Pink by Lili Wilkinson
Dead Jealous by Sharon Jones
The Distance Between Us by Kasie West
The Lucy Variations by Sara Zarr
The Dominant by Tara Sue Me

Total in July-September:12
Total in 2013: 46/120

Ahh! In three months, I only read 12 of my own books. How and why am I failing so badly at this personal challenge?! Look at the total for the year... 46. When by now it should be almost double that number. Will I manage to complete this challenge by the end of the year? What do you think?

What was your favourite book that you read in September?