It’s that time of month where we check in with our fellow OUABC teammates to discover which books had them captivated. We love it because the answers are never predictable. 

One minute we are investigating secret societies at Yale, the next we are attempting an impossible heist, capturing monsters for a very dangerous card game, or falling headfirst into a world of witches, fae, and murder. Basically, our collective TBR has absolutely no rules.

Last month, we read everything from dark academia and fantasy adventures to paranormal romance and magical murder mysteries. We even have two Leigh Bardugo books making an appearance, which feels like a pretty strong recommendation in itself!

If you have been searching for your next read, we have got you covered! Don’t forget to check out this month’s new releases; after all, there’s no limit when it comes to TBR lists!

 

Logan read Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo

“Being from Connecticut, it's making me homesick, but I am loving the intense magical world-building around the secret societies of Yale and look forward to taking a drive down to New Haven to see some of the tombs' architecture the next time I visit!”

Galaxy “Alex” Stern is not your usual Yale freshman. After dropping out of school and getting caught up in a dangerous life in Los Angeles, she ends up being the sole survivor of a horrific multiple homicide.

But then she is unexpectedly offered a second chance: a full ride to Yale. Of course, there is a catch.

Once in New Haven, Alex is tasked with monitoring Yale's secret societies and the mysterious activities taking place inside their famous windowless tombs. These societies may be filled with the rich and powerful, but their secrets go far beyond exclusive meetings.

Forbidden magic, raising the dead, and sinister occult practices quickly become part of Alex's university experience. College is suddenly sounding considerably more complicated.

 

Sydney read The Eye of the Bedlam Bride by Matt Dinniman

“Somehow the Dungeon Crawler Carl series just keeps getting better and better! Although the audiobooks are incredibly long, they go by so fast with all the action, adventure, and hilarious moments (plus some surprisingly emotional ones). The card-style fighting system in this one reminds me of Pokémon, and I absolutely love it.”

Carl and Princess Donut have reached the eighth floor, where their latest challenge involves finding and capturing six monsters. The captured creatures are transformed into cards, and the stronger and deadlier the monster, the more powerful the card becomes. 

Unfortunately, the bad guys are building decks of their own, so Carl and Donut need to assemble the toughest possible team if they want to survive. Naturally, there is a catch. The most powerful monster in their area is Shi Maria, otherwise known as the Bedlam Bride, and capturing her may be essential to making it through the floor alive.

With forgotten gods, a rapidly deteriorating AI system, monsters, card-based battles, and plenty of chaos, this one is packed with action!

 

Teri read Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

“This book has been a favorite of many for so long, and I'm finally getting around to reading it! I'm reading it for the OUABC 40 Book Reading Challenge Prompt "A book that features a heist"! So far, I love the banter between the characters and Leigh Bardugo's writing style.”

Set in Ketterdam, where almost anything can be bought for the right price, the story follows criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker after he is offered the chance to pull off an incredibly dangerous heist.

There is just one problem: he can't do it alone. So Kaz assembles a crew of six dangerous outcasts, including a convict seeking revenge, a sharpshooter with a weakness for wagers, a runaway, a spy, a Heartrender, and a thief with a talent for impossible escapes.

Together, they may be the only people capable of pulling off the heist. Assuming they don’t kill each other first.

 

Ryan read Sullied by Lee Colgin

“This is about a vampire/human hybrid (Sully) that was created in a secret lab and has been experimented on his entire life. He escapes and runs to the only Doctor (Ru) in the lab who ever showed him any kindness. This book is really sweet, and it's so cute how Ru helps Sully discover and learn all the things he missed out on while being held captive.”

Dr. Rupert Martin works inside a covert laboratory experimenting on hybrid, test-tube vampires. If he had known the true nature of the lab's mission, he would never have worked for them. Now he knows too much, and they’ll never let him go.

Sullivan, known as Specimen 19, has spent his entire life being experimented on inside the facility. When he finally escapes, badly injured and with sunrise approaching, there is only one person he believes might help him: Ru, the doctor who once showed him kindness.

As Ru and Sully try to find a way forward, an unexpected attraction begins to grow between them. Our hearts may already be in trouble with this one.

 

Tristan read The Hearth Witch's Guide to Magic and Murder by Kiri Callaghan

“This is a sapphic, Sherlock Holmes retelling with witches, fae, magic, witty banter, and gruesome murders to solve. It's incredible, and I'm loving every single word.”

A rise in London's supernatural crime is threatening to expose the Fey society, forcing the Winter Council to turn to an unusual investigator: Avery Hemlock, a changeling sentenced to 500 Years of Nightmares. Avery is given probationary freedom. But first she must adjust to a world that has moved on without her and solve the case threatening the Fey society.

Meanwhile, Saga Trygg is rebuilding her life after being left at the altar and dropping out of medical school. But when her new neighbor Avery accidentally reveals the Fey living amongst humanity, Saga discovers that magic is far more real than she ever imagined.

The two form an unexpected partnership, but their investigation soon reveals that the danger may be much closer to Saga than either of them expected.

What Are You Currently Reading?

Last month's OUABC reading list took us from the secret societies of Yale to the streets of Ketterdam, through a monster-filled dungeon, inside a secret vampire laboratory, and finally into a hidden society filled with witches and fae.

Apparently, nobody on the team was in the mood for a quiet little book this month.

That is exactly why we love sharing what we’re reading. Every member of the OUABC team brings something completely different to the bookshelf, and there is always a title we suddenly need to investigate for ourselves.

We would love to hear which books have made it onto your September TBR list! Did you know our Christmas Boxes are available for pre-order? Order yours now because a sexy, light-hearted romp over Christmas is what everyone needs! Until next time, happy reading!