Best Books of November
As I say every month, I’m shamelessly stealing this idea from Jessica Lahey. She has a recurring monthly date where she reviews all the books she read that month. Book reviews are important for authors, and I want to get better about doing this.
So. I’m going to review them here and also online, but I’m going to do it a little differently. I’m only going to review the stuff I really liked. I don’t see a reason to spend my time writing about something I didn’t love; it’s just using up more of my energy. So only positive reviews.
These are the books I liked (or mostly liked) from November.
As Good as Dead (Holly Jackson): This was the third and final book in a trilogy. I’m so impressed by this first-time author. This final book was a little rough in places, and I didn’t find all of the choices believable. But she wrapped up everything, and she wrote something fascinating — similar to Serial, which inspired this series.
The Man Who Died Twice (Richard Osman): His first book (and the first book in this series) was one of my favourite books last year. This book is one of my favourite books this year. Quirky, wonderful characters. A good mystery. A very moving ending. There were so many times I laughed aloud. I’ll buy the third one in this series, sight-unseen.
The Hawthorne Legacy (Jennifer Lynn Barnes): This was also a book in a series. I also read books this month that weren’t part of a series, but they weren’t enjoyable so I’m not going to mention them here. Anyway. Another series, and this was a second book just as exceptional as the first. Maybe more exceptional because she skillfully reminds you of everything you read in the first book while you read the second — not an easy trick to pull off without being annoying. It meant that I never felt like I had to work hard to remember things. Well done.
What did you read last month?
3 comments
I love Richard Osman’s books! Apparently, he is a quiz show host in the UK. Can’t wait for the next book…
I LOVED “The Thursday Murder Club,” and I can’t believe I haven’t gotten to “The Man Who Died Twice” yet — it’s in my e-reader and it will be one of the books I’ll be trying to read over Christmas!
I got through three books in November, all of them very good and all reviewed on my blog and on Goodreads:
* “The Storyteller” by Dave Grohl. Loved this one. I imagine it would be great as an audiobook. He has some great stories to tell, and he’s a wonderful writer.
* “Widowland” by C.J. Carey (the November pick for the Gateway Women/NoMo book club). I got this one from the U.K. via Amazon.com (U.S.) — it will be more widely available in North America this coming August. This one was kind of a cross between Robert Harris’s Fatherland (Hitler won WWII) and Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale. I really enjoy alternative history, and this one really kept me turning the pages.
* “The Poisonwood Bible” by Barbara Kingsolver (another online book club pick). Long, but really wonderfully written.
I always enjoy these posts, and I get a lot of ideas about books to add to my “Want to Read” list. I’ll share a few books I read and enjoyed in November. . . .
I read my first P.D. James novel (The Private Patient) after it sat on my shelf unread for YEARS. (A dear friend whose tastes I trust gave it to me as a gift when I was pregnant with my sons almost 10 years ago.) It was a bit of a slow start for me, but I would read more by the author.
I am working my way through Georgette Heyer’s catalog after reading my first book by her in October. I read three of her books in November: Venetia, Faro’s Daughter and The Corinthian. They are easy, light reads that always put a smile on my face.
Sing Unburied Sing by Jesmyn Ward. Roxane Gay described this book as having “many layers,” and I would agree with that assessment. This was an affecting book.
False Witness by Karin Slaughter. All of this author’s books should come with multiple trigger warnings, and I have friends who don’t enjoy her writing for that reason. This book was so well-plotted and kept me riveted throughout. One of the first books I’ve read set during the Covid-19 pandemic, too.
The Magician’s Nephew by C.S. Lewis. I read this aloud to my sons. I don’t recall reading this particular installment in the chronicles of Narnia as a child, so it was (I think?) new to me. It holds up surprisingly well, given how many years ago it was originally written and published.
I read several other books last month, but I will refrain from mentioning them. 😉