Tag: november wrap up

November 2022 Wrap Up

kerrimcbooknerd2 Comments

Hello, reader!

We’re getting to the point where I need to start planning my December (and yearly!) wrap ups, so I figured this was the perfect time to wrap up what I read in November! One of these days, I will write these wrap up posts in a semi-timely manner 😂 I’m going to blame the fact that I’ve been wrapped up in BBNYA business for pretty much all of December, which was a blast! Now, it’s time to get back on track and actually tell you all about what I read last month.

And try not to have a crisis over the fact that 2022 is almost over!

Books Read

  • Spy x Family Vol 7 by Tatsuya Endo: I continue to love this manga series, though this one was probably my least favorite of the ones I’ve read so far. If I remember correctly, Yor’s brother featured prominently in this volume? That would explain why I didn’t like it as much because he truly creeps me out 😂 Even with him, though, I love watching Loid, Yor, and Anya grow closer and closer. Even if Loid pretends like they aren’t. This reminds me that I need to catch up with the anime… ★★★
  • The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow: My goodness, this book was a freakin’ gem. Harrow’s writing is always magical and it lent well to this story about witches and suffragettes. I adored the three sisters featured in this story and how this book is not only about women’s rights, but the fractious relationship between the Eastwoods. I’m a sucker for a book with great characters, so when I’m presented with three of them, you know I’m gonna love it. I also thought the magic in this was fascinating! This has certainly cemented Alix E. Harrow as one of my favorite authors. ★★★★
  • The Stars Between Us by Cristin Terrill: Last month, a bunch of the TWR gang got together and decided to do Netgalley November. The ARCs are getting out of hand, y’all! A good problem to have, but I joined in to try and start knocking some books off of my shelf. This was my first e-ARC of the month and I enjoyed it! It was an interesting story about a young woman who finds herself whisked into another life after a mysterious benefactor includes her in his will. The concept was intriguing, though the main character made me want to shake her. And the love interest was pretty… meh. Overall, though, I had a fun time reading this! ★★★
  • Nubia: The Awakening by Omar Epps and Clarence A. Haynes: This was my second Netgalley read of the month and I loved it! It’s a young adult fantasy that features young, Black kids gaining superpowers. It is an adventure that you are happy to jump into because the writing absolutely pulls you in. I loved how cinematic the writing could be and I found myself enthralled with the story. I also loved that this book tackles some social issues within the story and I think the authors did a great job incorporating it. I’m eager to read the sequel! ★★★★
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November 2021 Wrap Up

kerrimcbooknerd2 Comments

Hello, reader!

We’ve made it to the last month of 2021, which means it’s time to wrap up my reading in November. It was a weird one, I’ll tell ya that! I found myself in a strange, slumpy mood which means I didn’t read nearly as much as I usually do. Still, I’m happy about the books I did read because I enjoyed all of them. Seriously, I didn’t read anything under four stars.

But I’m getting ahead of myself, aren’t I? Let’s get to the post!

Books Read

Click on the covers to be taken to the book’s Goodreads page

Book: Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi

Rating: ★★★★

Thoughts: This was such an interesting read. It was my first time reading a graphic memoir and I really enjoyed it. It was heartbreaking and incredibly moving at times. I also enjoyed the art style. I definitely want to continue the author’s story!

Book: Skin of the Sea by Natasha Bowen

Rating: ★★★★

Thoughts: I read this book for a blog tour run by TBR & Beyond Tours. I absolutely loved this Black mermaid tale! It had a bit of a slow start, but it certainly gripped me by the end. And the world-building was great! You can read my full review here.

Book: Ring Shout by P. Djèlí Clark

Rating: ★★★★

Thoughts: This was such an intense, short read that completely gripped me from beginning to end. I loved the writing style, the characters, and the concept. And it packed quite the emotional punch. It definitely made me want to read more from this author!

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November 2020 Wrap Up

kerrimcbooknerd2 Comments

Hello, reader!

Can you believe that we’re almost done with this hell year? We’re so close to 2021 I can taste it! Before we dive completely into December and looking into the new year, though, it’s time to talk about my reading in November. After coming off a pretty dismal reading month in October, I’m happy to report that November treated me much better! I fell back into my reading grove and it felt really lovely. I also read some incredible books 💖

So, without further ado, let’s get to the wrap up!

Books Read

Click on the covers to be taken to the book’s Goodreads page

  1. The Fires of Vengeance by Evan Winter::★★★★★::My review
  2. No Truth Left to Tell by Michael McAuliffe::★★★::My review
  3. Dragon Pearl by Yoon Ha Lee::★★★★
  4. The Black Sky by Timothy D. Minneci::★★★::My review
  5. Blood and Honey by Shelby Mahurin::★★★★
  6. Check, Please by Ngozi Ukazu::★★★★
  7. Shadows of Winterspell by Amy Wilson::★★★★
  8. Through the Woods by Emily Carroll::★★★★
  9. Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier::★★★
  10. Anya’s Ghost by Vera Brosgol::★★★★

Shout out to the graphic novels for the fact that I managed to read ten books this month! They’re the real MVPs 💕

Challenges

Popsugar Challenge prompts completed: 2

  • A book about a subject you know nothing about (Check, Please)
  • A book published in the 20th century (Rebecca)

Look, we have one month left and I think we all know I won’t be completing these challenges 😂 Still, I like to keep y’all updated!

Highs and Lows

Though I read a lot of great books this month, there is definitely one clear winner that stands out. Funnily enough, it was the first book I finished in November! That book is…

What can I say? The sequel to one of my favorite books of 2019 just blew me out of the water! It was filled with action, incredible characters, and a hard look at what can happen when you treat people as the ‘other’. The writing is captivating and completely pulls you into the story. Absolutely loved this one and I can’t wait until the next book releases!

As for my low, this was a book that was sent to me by the publisher that I took a chance on and, through no fault of anyone, it just wasn’t my cup of tea. I mean, I ended up giving the book three stars. It definitely had it’s merits. But it made me realize that there might be more genres than just Westerns that aren’t my thing. That book would be…

Like I said, this book was enjoyable, for the most part, but there’s a reason it took me almost all year to read this fairly short book. I just got so bored with the courtroom and police procedural stuff. I could not have cared less. But, plus side, I know now that kind of thing is just not for me.

Reflections

First, how is November already over? I remember thinking in March that this year was never going to end. Now we’re into the last month of 2020! It’s… been a weird one. But we’re talking about my last reading month, not the dumpster fire that was this past year. I’m so happy that I seem to have gotten back into my reading grove. The Poppy War legit ruined me for the entirety of October and it feels nice to have gotten back on the wagon.

Though I am planning to finish The Dragon Republic this month, sooooo… 😬

I also finally got a library card for our local library and my access to books has sky-rocketed! Well… books I don’t want to buy, lol. I had been spending way too much money on books after breaking my book buying ban shortly after lockdown happened. I had been doing so well and then the dam broke, lol. Now I have even more books chilling on my TBR bookshelf that I promise to read… eventually! I’m stoked that I can now satisfy my need to read books that I’m interested in but don’t necessarily want to own. And this will hopefully help me stick to my new book buying ban 😅

I also discovered a robust graphic novel collection at the library and got back into reading those. I love graphic novels, but I don’t tend to buy them. I don’t know why… I think it’s because I remember buying manga when they started becoming more widely available in the United States and being aggrieved about spending ten bucks on a book I could read in half an hour! Especially since I’m not big on re-reading books! So it’s nice to have access to graphic novels and manga again because there are a lot of books and series that I’ve wanted to check out. They certainly help bump up those end of year numbers, as well!

As for my reading challenges… it’s been a good run, but I don’t think I’ll be completing either the PopSugar Reading Challenge or the Book Riot Read Harder Challenge. Mostly because I stopped trying to squeeze in books that fit the last few prompts I needed, lol. What with book/blog tours, ARCs, and my tendency to mood read, there just wasn’t room to fit a book just to fulfill a prompt! Still, I’m pretty stoked with how far I got with both of those challenges! And, who knows, maybe whatever I read in December will help me check off a few more. Either way, I had fun and I’m not overly stressed about it 😊

All in all, November was a fun reading month and, hopefully, December will shape up to be the same!

How was your reading in November? Did you find a new favorite? Make any progress on some challenges? Let me know in the comments!

And, as always, happy reading!