Ah, November. The height of the ā'berā months, the middle of the holidays, and the middle of autumn proper. Although now that weāre through Thanksgiving with a snowstorm on its way (or happening now, as you read this) to the Midwest, itās feeling a lot like winter already. Iām not ready.
I only got through seven books this month (definitely not complaining), and have officially hit 95 books for the year. Iām in shock! That was my number for all of 2024, and I am well on track to hit 100. Probably the most Iāve read, consistently, since I was a kid. It feels awesome! I find Iām striking a balance between being more choosy about what I purchase and pull from my own shelf, or put on hold via my local library. While I prefer to purchase as much as possible, so I can support the authors I love, Iām simply running out of space and need to get a new bookshelfā¦ like, soon. Very, very soon. I know a lot of you can relate to this!
Anyway, hereās this monthās breakdown: 7 books, total. š„³
Fiction: 4
Physical: 2
eBook: 2
Nonfiction/audiobook: 3
Iām looking forward to getting my yearly stats together, much like I did last year. Picking out my favorites, diving into how much I borrowed from the library versus pulled from the shelf in my babe cave, and revisiting the goals I originally set for myself. I know I didnāt meet a couple of them, but thatās okay, because I read a lot. And thatās the ultimate goal!
Alright, letās get this show on the road. Keep scrolling to see the books I devoured in November. Thereās something for everyone!
Oh! Please, donāt forget: if you have a recommendation or something you know Iāll love to read, please put it in the comments, DM me, send a smoke signal, tell me on Goodreads ā basically, whatever it takes to get the book on my TBR!
Also, just to keep it top-of-mind, please refer to the Instagram post on what my star ratings mean.
FICTION
THE BITTER PAST, by Bruce Borgos
Who itās for: People who love a thriller with history and espionage.
My Rating: āļøāļøāļøāļø
Compelling. This story had so much that kept me turning the pages: historical, espionage, and procedural vibes. We follow Porter Beck, a former military intelligence officer who is now the sheriff of a desolate county in Nevada. (Side note, I can attest to just how vacant this area of the country is, having traveled through the county where the story is set.) Everything lights up in this quiet corner of the country when an old FBI agent is found dead (and obviously tortured). Following the trail, it seems the crime has traces back to the nuclear race of the 1950s, when the Cold War was raging. I loved it from start to finish, and cannot wait to read the other two in the Porter Beck series!
WILD DARK SHORE, by Charlotte McConaghy
Who itās for: Those who dig chilly mysteries set in remote locations
My Rating: āļøāļøāļøāļøāļø
Stunning. This novel was utterly fantastic. ā Remote location. ā People with secrets. ā Pulsating prose. This story is about an island that houses one of the worldās seed banks, between Australia and Antarctica, a place only accessible by the rare passing ship. In fact, if a ship comes by, itās likely intended to be visiting the remote Shearwater Island. Dominic Salt and his three children are the only people left on the island, left to care of whatās left before it recedes into the ocean. In their final weeks, a woman, Rowan, washes up on the shore. As they get to know each other, there is little trust and lots of mystery. I wonāt say more, except that I recommend you cozy up with this read as the weather turns cold ā itās fitting. Hands down, one of the best books Iāve read all year!
RABBIT HOLE, by Kate Brody
Who itās for: People who like a mystery with a sprinkle of internet culture
My Rating: āļøāļøāļø
I am struggling for one simple word to describe this book, so instead of spinning my gears on it, I am just going to jump into my review. It was decent, and very well written, which is why I gave it three stars. But it was not at all what I expected based on the description ā while there was a very shallow rabbit hole the main character, Teddy, explored, I thought thereād be more interneting involved the way it was billed. Teddyās sister, Angie, went missing ten years ago and when her father commits suicide, Teddy finds herself going through his things and discovering he was still trying to find Angie. I found the core story too clouded with sex scenes and B plots, which made it very slow to get to the conclusion. I will say, the ending left me a bit sad, because it felt very real as far as how people find closure in tragic situations.
HOME IS WHERE THE BODIES ARE, by Jeneva Rose
Who itās for: Someone who loves a suspenseful page-turner of a book
My Rating: āļøāļøāļøāļøāļø
Thrilling. Iāve never met a Jeneva Rose book I didnāt love, and this was no exception. A trio of siblings come together when their mother passes away. Thereās a slight death bed confession; rather, a statement that leaves one sibling, Beth, wondering what the hell she meant. Both her brother, Michael, and sister, Nicole, missed saying goodbye to their mother, but arrive shortly after she passes. There are estrangements ā Michael has been gone since his father left, seven years ago, and Nicole is an addict who has kept distance until she has some sobriety under her belt. They stumble upon old home movies and when they watch one specific VHS tape, secrets begin to bubble up to the surface. They have to decide if they forget what they found or come clean, and the details of what happened all those years ago start to come together. This was a great, fast-paced thriller ā I couldnāt put it down, devouring it within a day.
NONFICTION
SEMI-WELL-ADJUSTED DESPITE LITERALLY EVERYTHING, by Alyson Stoner
Who itās for: People who like memoirs by former child stars
My Rating: āļøāļøāļø
Cautionary tale. This memoir wasnāt on my radar until it popped up on Goodreads, and I didnāt really know who Alyson was before reading it. Alyson was a child star (prominently featured in Missy Elliotās āWork Itā video and the only movie Iāve seen them in, Cheaper by the Dozen), and is now using their platform to promote mental health awareness (we stan!). Alysonās story is unfortunately not unique ā but they have seemed to come out of it in a much better place. Well written and entertaining, and a tiny bit of tea about a co-star or two can be found within the pages of this memoir.
WE DID OK, KID, by Anthony Hopkins
Who itās for: Those who like a celebrity memoir from an iconic actor
My Rating: āļøāļøāļøāļø
Honest. Iāve been a fan of Hopkins, like most people I think. With him releasing a memoir at the age of 87, I knew I had to read it. This was a wonderful retrospective of his career (comparable to last monthās fave, Vagabond by Tim Curry) and an honest, raw reflection of his decision to get sober back in the 1970s. I did get the audiobook and while he did not read it himself, he did read poetry and pieces in the appendix that are absolutely worth the listen. From Keats to Shakespeare, hearing one of the greatest actors of all time read those beautiful words was absolutely lovely.
GEMINI: STEPPING STONE TO THE MOON, by Jeffery Kluger
Who itās for: History buffs and space lovers
My Rating: āļøāļøāļøāļøāļø
Fantastic. Most of us know a lot about NASAās Apollo program, but what came before is how we got as far as we did in the race to the moon. Gemini (pronounced je-meh-nee by those who worked on the program) is such an important piece of our history with space travel. This book was so well researched and highly engaging. If youāre into history, specifically early Cold War/Space Race-era history, you definitely should pick this one up.
All the (non-affiliate) links for the books reviewed go to Bookshop.org, a wonderful site where you can purchase your books and support your local independent bookstore(s). š