It’s The End of September Here’s What I Read
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September 2025 slipped by in that way time always does. One book at a time, one late-night chapter after another. September was a month filled with stories I didn’t just read but lived inside for a little while, the kind of books that remind you why you fall in love with reading in the first place. Looking back at my list of September reads, I see favorite characters (Wren), first impressions that surprised me, and pages that carried me through the in-between moments of life, work, and everything else the world throws are way. Before October arrives with its own stack of stories, let’s talk about the books that defined the month—and I’d love to hear in the comments which books shaped your September too.
Reading Stats: September at a Glance
- Total Books Read: 15 (same as last month)
- Total Pages: 4063 (up 1.04% from last month)
- Genres Explored: 4 Fantasy, 2 YA Fantasy, 2 Mystery/Thriller, 3 Dark Romance, 2 Romance
- Formats: 1 ARC, 3 eARCs, 8 eBooks, 3 Physical
- Where I Sourced Them: 1 NetGalley, 4 Kindle Unlimited, 2 Kindle, 3 Sent by Author, 2 Publisher, 1 Library, 2 TBR
TL;DR – September Highlights
- Kingpin Trilogy – Fast mafia drama, but weak execution left me disappointed.
- The Lyonesse Trilogy – LORD HAVE MERCY. Sierra Simone delivers heat, tension, and obsession.
- The Wolves of Crescent Creek Trilogy – My feral obsession. Addictive, emotional, and utterly bingeable.
- Adrift in Currents, Clean and Clear – Fairytale warmth in novella form. Lush, wistful, unforgettable.
- The Vanishing Place – Atmospheric debut thriller with twists that shocked me out loud.
What I Read in September 2025: Favorites, Surprises, and Obsessions
Lyonesse Trilogy (Salt in the Wound, Salt Kiss) by Sierra Simone
LORD HAVE MERCY! The Lyonesse Trilogy is HOT.
I’ve been rereading the series because I was lucky enough to get an ARC of Bitter Burn, and I needed a refresher before diving in. Mark Trevena… the man that you are. I am obsessed. I didn’t realize how deep my obsession ran until this reread, but now it’s undeniable.
Sierra Simone is one of my favorite authors—I’d read her grocery list and thank her for it. Her writing is pure tension and yearning, the kind that leaves you breathless.
And now that Bitter Burn has released, if you haven’t read this trilogy (plus the prequel), consider this your sign.
The Keeper of Night by Kylie Lee Baker
This dark young adult fantasy pulled me in with its eerie worldbuilding — souls captured in bone-glass vials, Reapers bound to deliver death’s will, and a story steeped in Japanese folklore. The writing is fluid and the pacing steady, but I struggled to connect with Ren as the main character. Her cruelty toward her younger brother Neven and the rushed romance with Hiro left me more frustrated than invested.
While Kylie Lee Baker’s prose shines and the atmosphere of the Japanese underworld is haunting, the characters kept me at a distance. By the end, I was torn: the fantasy world intrigued me, but I don’t see myself continuing the duology.
Check out my full review Keep or Unhaul: Is The Keeper of Night Worth Reading?
Fling to Forever by Manisha Vashist
From Fling to Forever isn’t the cleanest book you’ll ever read—there are some real editing issues and a few moments that just don’t make sense. But even with all that, I still had fun. Sometimes that’s enough.
It’s flawed, yes, but also enjoyable. If you like romances that don’t overcomplicate second-chance love, you’ll probably have a good time with this one, too.
Wolves of Crescent Creek Trilogy (Crescent Kingdom, Eclipsed Empire, Rising Reign) by Tessa Hale
The Wolves of Crescent Creek trilogy by Tessa Hale has me in a chokehold. I’ve already read and reread these books three times this year—even though the first one only came out at the end of April.
Every release pulled me deeper into Crescent Creek, until I couldn’t resist diving back into the pack again. That’s five straight months of obsession, and Tessa Hale is quickly becoming a favorite author. While I didn’t love Rising Reign quite as much as Crescent Kingdom or Eclipsed Empire, the trilogy as a whole is pure addiction.
I’ve been shocked, cried, laughed, and even questioned my sanity while reading, and weeks later I still find myself wanting to run back to the pack—and be worshipped by five mates like the goddess I am. If you haven’t started this series yet, it’s time.
Check out my full review of Crescent Kingdom and Eclipsed Empire!
The Vanishing Place by Zoë Rankin
Zoë Rankin’s The Vanishing Place is a debut thriller that pulls you under with atmosphere and refuses to let go. The writing is lush, the pacing sharp, and the twists—oh, the twists. When the first reveal came, I actually screamed out loud.
This is not the kind of story that ties everything up neatly. Instead, it leaves you tumbling through questions, disoriented in a way that mirrors Effie’s own confusion. Some readers may want more clarity, but for me, that uncertainty is what made the book so unsettling and effective.
Fans of Stacey Willingham and moody, atmospheric psychological thrillers will love this one. Rankin is absolutely an author to watch.
Adrift in Currents Clean and Clear by Seanan McGuire
I’ve been reading Seanan McGuire’s interconnected novellas for over a year now, and every new release feels like a piece of me coming home. Adrift in Currents Clean and Clear is easily among my top three of the series.
These books always carry a fairytale feeling—lush, warm, and brimming with wonder—and this one is no exception. My only gripe is that they’re novellas instead of full-length novels, because I always finish wanting more: to know what happens next, to see what unfolds when the characters find their doors again. But that is also what makes them magical—I can’t help but keep reading.
The Autumn Springs Retirement Home Massacre by Philip Fracassi
This horror novel was nothing like I expected. Atmospheric and blood-soaked, it had me reading passages out loud just to savor the clipped, cynical writing. Rose DuBois isn’t your average final girl—she’s in her seventies, sharp, kind, yet fiercely independent. Watching her piece together the truth as residents begin to drop dead was both chilling and heartbreaking.
The Autumn Springs Retirement Home itself feels like a haunted house. Isolated in New York, with creaking halls, boarded up buildings, and shadows that whisper. What gutted me most, though, was how the story explores aging, grief, and the neglect of the elderly. Families forget them, yet Rose fights to survive.
It’s not a quick slasher. It’s a slow unraveling mystery that mixes horror with humanity. Creepy, and emotional. This book reminded me why Philip Fracassi is a name horror readers should be watching.
Cruel King Trilogy (Kingpin, Mob Princess, and His Prize) by Callie Vincent
I pulled Kingpin by Callie Vincent from my TBR jar, thinking I’d dip into the first book and get it off my TBR. But before I knew it, curiosity had me tearing through the entire trilogy in one weekend. Mafia romances are usually my weakness. But by the end of the series I wasn’t just left unsatisfied, I was done right disappointed. Because once I stepped back and looked at the whole picture, all I saw were the cracks in the pavement.
Israel was a terrible mafia head. His penthouse was attacked multiple times with zero security. No right-hand man. No control. Too much wishy-washy doubt and excuses made for his family. For a “Kingpin,” he was laughably unconvincing.
Bonnie was… exhausting. Whiny, pouty, interrupting, acting more like a spoiled teenager than a mafia queen-in-the-making. And then suddenly—seven months later—she’s transformed into an effective leader? It didn’t add up. There were plot holes everywhere, and the constant back and forth of were together we’re not was like being back in high school.
To be fair, the trilogy wasn’t without its sparks. The ending was satisfying, and the books are incredibly fast reads—you could binge the whole series in a weekend. If you’re looking for quick mafia romance with drama and chaos, this might scratch the itch.
Begging for Mercy by Misti Wilds
I went into this one excited—Misti Wilds has given me favorites like Rule of Three and Reign of Four—but Begging for Mercy left me conflicted.
The premise hooked me right away (and honestly if you throw in the words “why-choose” I will eat it up), and even read it in one sitting. But once the characters (a woman, her best friend, and two “brothers”) were introduced, the story never really found its footing. The relationships felt rushed, especially the sudden bond between Kane and Zane, and the writing leaned fragmented sentences and filler that slowed the pace. By the time the plot gained momentum, it rushed into a cliffhanger that felt more frustrating than satisfying.
It wasn’t all bad—there were a few moments that kept me turning pages—but overall, the immaturity of the characters and the lack of depth left me wanting more. I’m torn between love and hate on this one, so far it sits at 3 stars.
The Serpent’s Chains by Sylvia Conley
A dragon romance I wasn’t expected to like as much as I did was The Serpent’s Chains by Sylvia Conley.
As far as dragon romance books go, this one has a lot of compelling elements. I loved the worldbuilding with dragon bound royals, where every member of the family is tied to a dragon with different abilities. It gave the fantasy world a layered structure and made the stakes feel larger than just the romance.
That said, it wasn’t a perfect romance story for me. The perspective shifts between Sabine and Cole felt abrupt, the writing style leaned more functional than lush and the intimate scenes didn’t always hit the right notes (one moment was cringe worthy). Still, the adventure and pacing made it surprisingly bingeable—I kept turning pages because I wanted to see how their bond and the brewing war would unfold.
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