What did you read in November?

[Vespasia]

We're nearing the end of the year! What did you read last month? How are you doing on your annual reading goal, if you have one?

[travella]

4*
Forsaken Country by Allen Eskens (4.5*)
The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
Wrong Place Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister (3.5*)- Not what I was expecting, but I ended up enjoying it.

3*
Sisters of Night and Fog by Erika Robuck
The Measure by Nikki Erlick - the concept had a lot of potential, but the story fell short

1*

The School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan - One of the worst books I read this year

I always set my goals low because I don't want to feel pressured at the end of the year.  I've read 60 out of the 45 I had set for my goal. I don't think I will reach the book and pages read numbers I achieved last year.  

[Vespasia]

I rated almost every book 4 stars this month. 

The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle

Poster Girl by Veronica Roth 

House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig (My favorite of the month)

The Last to Vanish by Megan Miranda

The Margot Affair by Sanaë Lemoine (This was my one 3* book)

Catch Her in a Lie (Getaway, #5) by Jess Lourey - 4* (Kindle Short)


My original goal for the year was 52 books. I increased that to 75 a few months ago and met this with my final book of November. 

[tacokick]

I felt like November went fast! These books are fresh in my mind.

Fatty Fatty Boom Boom: A Memoir of Food, Fat, and Family by Rabia Chaudry (no)

Dying of Politeness by Geena Davis (great!)


Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing by Matthew Perry (he really told on himself)

Foster by Claire Keegan (good)

Small Game by Blair Braverman (good)

The Distant Echo by Val McDermid (good but I thought the show was better)


Someday, Maybe by Onyi Nwabineli (good)

The Girls Who Disappeared by Claire Douglas (eh)

The Extraordinary Life of an Ordinary Man by Paul Newman and others (interesting)


Speak, Okinawa: A Memoir by Elizabeth Miki Brina (not great)

The Hot Brown: Louisville's Legendary Open-Faced Sandwich by Albert W. A. Schmid (did not need to be a book!)

Are You Sara? by S.C. Lalli (good premise but eh)

White Horse by Erika T. Wurth (good but needed to tighten up)

Acceptance: A Memoir By Emi Nietfeld (didn’t sit right)


The Stranger Diaries: Harbinder Kaur #1 by Elly Griffiths

Postscript Murders: Harbinder Kaur #2 by Elly Griffiths (fun little series)


It Won't Always Be Like This by Malaka Gharib (good)

Hello, New York: An Illustrated Love Letter to the Five Boroughs by Julia Rothman

Bleeding Heart Yard: Harbinder Kaur #3 by Elly Griffiths (I wonder if there will be more)


Have I Told You This Already?: Stories I Don't Want to Forget to Remember by Lauren Graham (she writes like she talks)


Signal Fires by Dani Shapiro (disappointing)

I Know Who You Are by Alice Feeney (bad,
gross)

A Living Remedy by Nicole Chung (sad)

The Vanishing Triangle: The Murdered Women Ireland Forgot by Claire McGowan (interesting)

QOTW: I’ve read 281 books this year. That’s already around 20 more than I have the previous 4 years but I don’t really have goals. Maybe I will crack 300?

[charlatti]

Vespasia , you meant November in the thread title, right? (I don’t think I missed a whole month!) 😂

I’ll be back to add my list when I’m not on my phone.

[Vespasia]

Dec 1, 2022 17:02:39 GMT -5 charlatti said:

Vespasia , you meant November in the thread title, right? (I don’t think I missed a whole month!) 😂

I’ll be back to add my list when I’m not on my phone.

Whoops! Fixed it. 

[dearprudence]

5*
Joan (This was AMAZING, best book I've read all year. Couldn't recommend more highly)

Honey and Spice

A Thousand Steps into Night

Once More Upon a Time


4*
The Rehearsals

Koshersoul

Edgewood


3*

Soul of the Deep

My goal was 85 books and I'm currently at 90. I'm tempted to make my goal next year a nice round 100, but I can't imagine having more time next year than I did this year.

[estrellita]

Only 2 books. I don't think I'm making it to my 3 book/month goal, I still need 11. Oops!

Take My Hand by Dolen Perkins-Valdez - 4* - This was HARD to read with everything going on right now. It takes place recently after Roe v Wade and was written before it was overturned, so some of the lines about choice were like a punch in the gut. The story was good, but it felt unresolved at the end. Without spoilers, she's basically writing to someone as an older adult and is going to see people from her past. It doesn't fully explain why or what's she's getting out of it, and I didn't really make the connection to why this particular person is in her life. I felt like something was missing. Or maybe I just missed it, haha.

Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood - 3* - I really loved The Love Hypothesis, but I didn't want to read it again with a different setting and names. I felt like the main characters were too similar. The main male characters seemed like the same person, and the main female character in this book had some annoying "quirks". But, still had its moments.

[mie]

A Little Too Late by Sarina Bowen 3*
A Little Too Wild by Rebecca Yarros 3*
A Little Too Wild by Devney Perry 3*
Where Time Stands Still by NS Perkins 3*
Book Lovers by Emily Henry 3*
Set on You by Amy Lea 3*
The Float Plan by Trish Doller 3*
The Suite Spt by Trish Doller 3*
The Kiss Curse by Erin Sterling 3*
Dane's Storm by Mia Sheridan 3*

Mine to Cherish by Natasha Madison 2*
Mine to Love by Natasha Madison 2*
Beside Herself by Elizabeth LaBan 2*
The Ever After by Sarah Pekkanen 2*
The Love of My Life by Brit Benson 2*
This Life and All the Rest by Brit Benson 2*
Lies by AL Woods 2*

Slip of the Tongue by Jessica Hawkins 1*

[charlatti]

The Wilderwomen by Ruth Emmie Lang 3*
Wayward by Chuck Wendig 5*
Stellarlune by Shannon Messenger 4*
Dead by Dawn by Paul Doiron 4*
Small Game by Blair Braverman 4*
The World We Make by N.K. Jemisin 5*
Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver 5*
The Wilderwomen by Ruth Emmie Lang 3*
Wayward by Chuck Wendig 5*
Stellarlune by Shannon Messenger 4*
Dead by Dawn by Paul Doiron 4*
Small Game by Blair Braverman 4*
The World We Make by N.K. Jemisin 5*
Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver 5*

I hit my goal of 125 for the year!

[mrspez07]

4*
Night Road by Kristin Hannah
The Last House on the Street by Diane Chamberlain (audio)

3*
All the Ever Afters: The Untold Story of Cinderella’s Stepmother
The Guncle (audio)
Upgrade
The Mall

2*
A Novel Obsession

It was a really good month for me. I’ve read 57 of my 62 goal.

I did also give up on Carrie Soto is Back (audio) and likely will quit I’ll Show Myself Out. I have a few others that are on my currently-reading shelf but I have stalled out on (mostly non-fic), maybe one will get finished by the end of the year.

[litskispeciality]

I thought I responded already? Good Reads is giving me a hard time with finish date. Anyway, I believe

I finished:
"The Long Weekend" by Gilly MacMillian 3 - 3.5* a little too in the weeds about alcoholism and things that I don't feel added to the plot
"The Perfect Marriage" by Jeneva Rose 3.5 - 4*'s. One of the best Kindle free books I've read. Def worth making it to the end.

Read:

"Project Hail Mary" 3.5 - 4*'s

I'm 27/30 for the year. I really need time to focus this month and hit goal

[springchick32]

Wrong Place, Wrong Time- 5*
The prisoner 4*
The Family Game 4*
Every Last Secret 4*

I am working on book#38 of 40 for the year and it will be close!!