Friday, December 21, 2018

Books Read in November

Last of fall color & crisp blue sky in November
Whew, it's taken me awhile to catch up reviews from November because of the holiday season, my illness flaring up, and especially...because I read so many books last month! Here's what I finished in November (links are to my reviews, where available):
  • How To Hang a Witch by Adriana Mather (MA) - teen/YA novel on audio
  • Flawed by Andrea Dorfman (Canada) - graphic memoir
  • Escaping Wars and Waves: Encounters with Syrian Refugees by Olivier Kugler (Iraq, Greece, France, UK, Germany) - graphic nonfiction - reviewed for Shelf Awareness







  
Yes, that's right - I read 12 books in November! That is an all-time record for me. Now, granted, three were graphic novels and very quick reads, and I crammed in four audio books, but that is still a big accomplishment for me. Not only that but I crushed Nonfiction November, with 11 of those 12 books nonfiction (the novel was a leftover from October that I finished in early November). I read almost all fiction normally, so this was a nice change for me. I enjoyed every one of them. The four audio books were especially good and have all stayed with me, long after I finished them. Both Hey, Kiddo and Escaping Wars and Waves were very powerful and unique graphic-novel style books. I guess Born a Crime would be my top book of November, but it's a close race!

Progress in 2018 Reading Challenges:
This is my favorite part of my monthly summary - updating my Reading Challenges:

Mount TBR Reading Challenge - I added 5, bringing my total-to-date to 31 (and I think I should get extra credit for finally reading Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil after 20+ years on my shelf!). 

Monthly Motif Reading Challenge - November was Family month, and Seven: In the Lane of Hope was a family memoir.  

Back to the Classics Challenge - Gift From the Sea counted as a 20th century classic, published in 1955.

2018 Badass Books Challenge - nothing new added
  
Travel the World in Books Reading Challenge - I added Iraq, Greece, France, UK, Germany (all in one book!), plus South Africa and Turkey.

2018 Literary Escapes Challenge, I added Georgia and Delaware (it's rare to find books set in our tiny state)
Finally, Bookish Bingo hosted by Chapter Break - not really a challenge per se, but a fun game that I play each month. I filled in 22 squares in November - an excellent Bingo month for me (though impossible to get "set in the future" or "magical abilities" when you are reading all nonfiction!)




Spaces filled in:
How to Hang a Witch - in a series, baking/cooking, mysterious character, bad boy actually good
Flawed - free book, graphic novel
Escaping Wars and Waves - read a physical book, travel/distance, start over/new beginning
Seven - family gathering, feast, sports
Hey, Kiddo - not in a series, married couple, sassy/sarcastic character
Born a Crime - library book, pet, brown on the cover
Midnight in the Garden of Good & Evil - shelf love, made into a TV show or movie
What was your favorite book read in November?   

8 comments:

  1. Wow--12 books in one month! I can't even imagine--that's 3 a week! Loved A Gift from the Sea and Garden of Good and Evil. I got the Trevor Noah memoir out of the library, but decided I would rather listen to it, as you did.

    Hope you are feeling better again--my best wishes for a happy and safe holiday with your family.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, yes, Trevor Noah is AWESOME on audio, read by him.

      And I am feeling better, Jane - just in time for the holidays. Hope you had a good one with your family!

      Delete
  2. What a successful reading month; I love it when I have a month full of wonderful book reading! And you are doing so well on your challenges, great job.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank, Helen! It certainly was an unusual month for me, but a good one!

      Delete
  3. Great reading month Sue! I remember reading Gifts from the Sea a long time a go now. I suspect one worth a reread. Great that you so aced all the NF books for November too.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, yes, I enjoyed Gift from the Sea even more this time around - more relatable as an "older" woman!

      Delete
  4. Good job with 22 squares!!

    ReplyDelete