September Wrap-Up and Mini Reviews

 1. Winter Counts by David Heska Wanbli Weiden - This was my first September BOTM that I read, and I thought it was a really good and unique read.  I liked how it included so many aspects of Native American culture and was written by a Native author.  I haven't read other books by or about Native people anytime recently.  The mystery was complex and interesting.  I enjoyed the thought-provoking aspects of the book and the complicated relationship that Virgil had with his ex-girlfriend, Marie.

2. The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett - This was a June BOTM but I didn't add it to my box until September.  At first, this story was a bit slow, and I wasn't sure I would love it, but the more I read, the more invested I became, and I ended up loving this book.  It was a powerful, multigenerational family saga about two twin sisters, and the daughters that they had.  Many characters made questionable decisions, yet I loved all of them anyway.

3. Beartown by Fredrik Backman - This is my first Backman book, and I look forward to reading the next in this series, as well as likely getting Anxious People as a BOTM add-on next month.  My favorite characters in this book were probably Maya and Ana and their friendship.  But this book is chock-full of both great characters and awful ones, and Backman portrays all of them so deeply.  There were several parts throughout the book that made me angry, as I wanted justice to be served.  It painted a picture of a very insular, small-town, sports community.

4. Well Played by Jen DeLuca - This was a fun, worthy follow-up to Well Met.  I enjoyed getting to see some characters from the first book, as well as getting to know Stacey better.  The romance was cute, even if sometimes hampered by miscommunication issues.  I enjoyed getting to return to the Renaissance Faire setting from Well Met.  This series has a fun, small-town feel.

5. The Girl Who Smiled Beads by Clemantine Wamariya - This was a great memoir written by a woman who has been through many awful things during war in Africa and became a refugee in the United States.  Clemantine and her sister, Claire, are both so strong.  I liked how the story alternated between her time as a refugee in various African countries and her time in the United States.