All of the Books I Read in November

After taking a bit of time off to battle ongoing colds/fevers, freelance work and catch up with myself, there’s been a bit of silence on the blog lately. So I’m glad to be back today to share all of the books I’ve found time to read last month! Seven books in total.

In November, I found new favorites, tried new authors and picked up some pretty stellar #NonFictionNovember reads.

Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward

This book absolutely blew me away. From the beautiful writing to the intricate, complex and lovable characters. I hung onto every word until the very end. This novel follows our main character Jojo, a young boy learning how to be a man in the Gulf Coast of Mississippi from his grandfather while navigating a relationship with his drug addicted mother, Leonie. When Jojo and his younger sister Kayla’s father is released from prison, the three embark on a dangerous car ride to retrieve him. The plot unfolds from there. This book was one of my favorites of the year!

Lucky by Alice Sebold

I first discovered this book when I was in 7th grade and was way too young to read it. I always knew I wanted to revisit it, and grabbed it at my local library. It’s a nonfiction memoir about Alice Sebold who you may know as the author of The Lovely Bones. This memoir recounts Alice’s surviving a brutal rape and assault while she’s studying away in college. She takes us through the night of, the trial and her life after. It was incredibly well written and, though some parts were tough to get through, a necessary read. In light of so many sexual harassment cases coming out, reading women’s stories feels more important than ever.

Who Thought This was a Good Idea by Alyssa Mastromonaco

I’ve never read a political memior before, but this book made me want to read all of them. But only if they are as charming, smart and wonderful as Alyssa. She takes us through her time working on various campaigns, namely John Kerry’s and Obama’s campaigns, and later in the Obama White House. I was never bored, laughed and wrote down quotes to come back to later! I highly recommend this read if you’re looking to dip your toe in the political memoir pond.

The Big Life by Anne Shoket

I’ll have a full review for this one later on in the month! But in short, I really enjoyed this book. I’ve been a fan of Ann Shoket since her numerous cameos on America’s Next Top Model. In The Big Life, she shares solid advice for creating a life, especially a work life, that really feds you and brings you joy. It was nice to finally read a book that didn’t depict millennials as inept and hopelessly lost. *deep sigh*

Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire

This tiny little book (it’s only 173 pages) absolutely blew me away! The diverse representation in the characters paired with the beautiful writing and interesting plot made this book a total win. It follows students at a home for wayward children, those who have been to other worlds like Narnia and Wonderland and now are back to deal with the real world. This book is everything and I cannot wait to complete the series.

Dress Codes for Small Towns by Courtney Stevens

I picked this up from the library after seeing it all over Booktube and Instagram. I’m really glad I picked it up! This book follows our main character Billie McCaffrey and her group of 5 friends as they navigate coming of age in a small town. While reading it, I instantly thought of all of the teens who would pick this book up and instantly see themselves. Bille struggles with defining her sexuality and coming into her identity as a tomboy and preacher’s daughter. All of the characters are so lovable and I really enjoyed reading this book.

Her Body and Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado

If you’re looking for a short story collection that tackles femininity, womanhood and women’s bodies in an interesting, magical and fantastic way, pick up this collection. I was blown away by the dynamic writing, feminist approach and imaginative themes in this book. I definitely enjoyed some stories more than others (Inventory, The Husband Stitch and Mothers). If you aren’t into more abstract styles, this one may not be for you.

That’s it for this month. I have a huge list of books I’m hoping to get to by the end of the year and not nearly enough time to get to them all. One goal I have to set in 2018 is to get through a bulk of my owned but unread books! What did you read last month? What books are you looking to get to by the end of the year?