september 2025 reads
Hard to believe that September is already done and gone! It was another whirlwind of a month and in addition to spending the whole month catching up with work after my COVID infection, I also had to have emergency eye surgery last week—my retina decided it would be a convenient time to detach itself and start floating around in my eye. I can't say I recommend the experience honestly.
Anyway, because of all that, I didn't have a lot of energy or time to do personal reading this month, so while it's more than August, it's not by bunch. Honestly, I kind of anticipate that this is how the rest of the year is going to go, but we'll see! Maybe I'll get back to my translated literature challenge and start reading my own books again!
Now onto the list of books for September!
Novels, Collections, & Nonfiction
An Immense World by Ed Yong
I listened to this to help me fall asleep while I was recovering from COVID. That may make it sound boring, but it wasn't at all! It was just the only time I could really stand to listen to anything during my recovery. I learned so much about how different creatures sense the world—and silly perhaps, but the book influenced me to turn off my outdoor light more proactively. Highly recommend.
ピリオド by 乃南アサ (Asa Nonami)
This was a super cool (and long) family epic from the early 2000s that I powered through. Told from the perspective of a freelance photographer who divorced at age 36. The main character Yoko is basically trying to find herself again four years after the divorce while also dealing with her brother's impending death and the trauma of her niece and nephew. It's about finding yourself again and remembering that you can always start again. Really loved it.
Under the Full Crescent Moon by Aamir Hussain
A review book I finished rather late. Feel free to check out my full review in detail, but this book challenges Islamophobia in really cool ways. It took awhile for be to be drawn in, but enjoyed the premise and how the book ended up.
Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
Another book I listened to, but it took me over three months. It wasn't because it was long (though it is a long audiobook), but because the book just made me so frustrated. The author is so careful with her language when it comes to reciprocity and I really loved some chapters, but then suddenly there would be an onslaught of blatant classism that was haphazardly glossed over. I know this book is popular, but I can't understand how anybody who has extensive knowledge of other languages and cultures already not being frustrated by this book.
Manga & Other Comics
The Way of the Househusband by Kousuke Oono Vol 3 (tr. Amanda Haley)
The only volume of manga I read in September that I can talk about. Same fun as always. Lettering work by Bianca Pistilla was also top notch. Just a really fun series to sit down with for a short period of time to get a break from the world.
And that's it! Not much to say that hasn't already been said, but I do have several more review copies I plan to go through this month, so stay tuned for those detailed reviews when I write them!
As always, happy reading!
Updated 7 hours, 6 minutes ago