Monthly Wrap Up: September 2009

Total Books and Current Status

Since January 1, I've read 75 books and left 4 books unfinished. I have posted 73 full reviews and 17 mini-reviews and I have 3 reviews left to write. I am currently reading 31 Hours by Masha Hamilton and listening to To Darkness and to Death by Julia Spencer-Fleming. I have 3 other books on the go: Burnt Shadows, Dust of 100 Dogs, and A Separate Country.


What Did I Read and Review?

Here's what I reviewed in September. Click on the link to see my review; the letter in parentheses is my rating.

Bran Hambric: The Farfield Curse by Kaleb Nation (B)
Testimony by Anita Shreve (A)
Willow by Julia Hoban (A+)
French Milk by Lucy Knisley (B+)
Between Me and the River by Carrie Host (B-)
Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson (B+)
Dreaming Anastasia by Joy Preble (B-)

Here's what I also read in September but haven't yet reviewed:

Shanghai Girls by Lisa See
Darkness, Be My Friend by John Marsden
Mind Scrambler by Chris Grabenstein

I didn't have a great reading month, and I'm slipping behind in reviews. My current excuse is Book Bloggers Appreciation Week (yeah, so it was over almost 2 weeks ago . . .).

Willow was my top read for the month; don't miss it. I also highly recommend French Milk, Testimony, and Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.

Mini Reviews

I posted four mini reviews of books I read before I started blogging:

Death at Wentwater Court by Carola Dunn
Fallen by David Maine
Genghis: Birth of an Empire by Conn Iggulden
Hit Man by Lawrence Block

Literary Road Trip, Author Interviews, Guest Posts

• Literary Road Trip project: A.S. King, author of Dust of 100 Dogs
• Author interview: Julia Hoban, author of Willow.
• Guest post: Joy Preble, author of Dreaming Anastasia

Did I Complete Any Challenges? Join Any New Ones?

I completed the Support Your Local Library Challenge.

I joined one new challenge: Clear Off Your Shelves.

There is still time to join the first challenge I've ever hosted: The Sookie Stackhouse Reading Challenge.

What's New and What's Coming in October

The big change in September was my new template. Several people asked about how to create tabs and how to make a drop-down label box. The codes for everything on my blog can be found by clicking the links in the "Thanks!" box at the bottom of this page.

Thanks to all of you, I have lots to think about concerning the usefulness of a blogroll. I have decided to leave things as is for the rest of the 2009 Read and Review Challenge. In January, I plan to change my blogroll. I think I am going to keep it but will tie it to my Goggle Reader using one of the widgets suggested by my readers.

I have at least three Literary Road Trip posts planned for October and two blog tours.

I'm very excited about the Fall Read-a-thon, scheduled for October 24. I loved cheerleading in the spring, but I think I'll be a reader this time. I am working on a lace bookmark to give away. I just have to come up with a mini-challenge to go with it.

How was your September? Did you meet your reading goals? Are you caught up on your reviews? Are you making changes?