What I Read in November

Hello, December! I probably won't hit 100 books this year, & that's OK. I'm trying to focus on quality over quantity, reading things I enjoy & want to be reading, instead of trying to reach a particular number. Sometimes I find myself looking at read-time estimates & going "Seven hours?! No way," then ditching long reads in favor of shorter ones. I don't want to do that anymore!

Incidentally, I mostly only finished short reads this month because I was stressed & wanted a mental break. But they're what I wanted to read, so it's OK. Going forward, I just want to be sure to pay attention to my reasons for reading so that I don't overlook great long reads in favor of shorter ones that will boost my "numbers."

Reading isn't a competition, with myself or anyone else. 

Anyway. Onto my November reads.

Before He Preys by Blake Pierce

I can't believe I've made it all the way to book nine in this very cheesy crime series, but man, these books are perfect when I need a quick & easy escape. I get through them quickly but enjoy them, even if they do seem to be riddled with typos. Hire me as an editor, bro. This one is about a case in which someone is stages murders to look like suicides. ★★★☆☆

The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli

I think Albertalli is one of my favorite writers. I've loved everything I've ever read of hers, & this might've been the best yet - which is saying a lot, given how much I loved Simon versus the Homo Sapien Agenda. This book is loosely set in the same universe - it's all about Simon's best friend's cousin, Molly, so he makes a brief appearance - which was a cute revisit. Molly is 17 & has never been kissed, though she's prone to intense crushes. Her twin sister tried to set her up with cute guy... just as Molly starts falling for her nerdy coworker. Can she follow through on either? ★★★★★

The Financial Diet: A Total Beginner's Guide to Getting Good with Money by Chelsea Fagan

This book was a good start for learning more about financial literacy & getting some good ideas about savings, credit card usage, credit scores, & the like. Unfortunately, it was far too simplistic on some topics & way too complicated on others. It also veered weirdly off-topic into areas like wardrobe selection & cooking, even going so far as to include recipes. I understand what they were going for, but I have cookbooks for that; I wanted more of the financial help! ★★★☆☆

The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot

The world feels gross & overwhelming right now, & so I wanted a lighthearted read to get my mind off of it. Enter Meg Cabot's 2001 hit, later made into Anne Hathaway's big break. When New York native & noted dork Mia Thermopolis learns that she's the heir to the Genovian throne, her first instinct is to keep it secret. When she's outed by way of a front-page news story, her life changes... in surprisingly very normal ways. Unsurprisingly, this book is adorable & was the perfect antidote to my stress. ★★★★☆

Dawn and the Impossible Three by Ann M. Martin

This title is a bit of a misnomer, as it wasn't the three kids who were impossible; it was their scatterbrained & irresponsible mother, who left a 12-year-old babysitter to watch her kids, clean her house, & basically sort out her entire life. One of the kids was freaking kidnapped because she was so scatterbrained! You guys, this book was incredibly dramatic.

My Life as a Goddess: A Memoir Through (Un)Popular Culture by Guy Branum

I first heard of Guy Branum when he appeared as a hilarious guest on My Favorite Murder, so when I saw that he was coming out with a memoir, I got on the library's waitlist, stat. What I didn't expect was the level of intelligence behind Branum's humor. He's not just a comedy TV writer; he's also a lawyer & an all-around brilliant dude, thanks in part to his life growing up as a weird, dorky, closeted gay kid in a podunk southern town. He's a fascinating, funny guy, & this book was a delight. ★★★★☆

Girl, Wash Your Face: Stop Believing the Lies About Who You Are so You Can Become Who You Were Meant to Be by Rachel Hollis

I hated this book. It seems to be so well-loved that I thought I'd give it a try, even though I could've known by the touchy-feely title that it wouldn't appeal to me. I didn't know who Hollis was, but I also feel like I somehow should've realized that she is a Christian woman writing for a Christian publishing company & that this book would contain a great many eye-rolly platitudes, Jesus-loves-yous, & statements of unchecked privilege that are just not my jam. ★☆☆☆☆

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

I thiiiink I liked this one, but it wasn't necessarily memorable. I'd read that the plot twist was incredible, but I saw it coming halfway through. Still, I enjoyed the reveal. The main character, Cadence, comes from a wealthy family headed by an aging patriarch who pits his three daughters against one another in competition for his money. Every summer, the whole family gets together on Beechwood, a small island he owns - but one summer, something terrible happens. So why can't she remember it? And why won't anyone just tell her? ★★★★☆

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