With all the excitement of Nonfiction November I forgot to put up a reading list from October! So, this month’s review will actually be two months, looking at the books I read in both October and November.
I’m also desperately behind in writing reviews, so much so that I may just give up on the whole endeavor and start fresh this month. We’ll see how motivated I feel over the next few weeks as the holidays and end of the year approaches, but that’s a problem for another blog post. On to the books!
October Reading Log
I managed to read a ton of books in both October and November, but I think that was helped along by some shorter choices and a few long weekend afternoon reading sessions. Here’s the list for October:
- How to Be an American by Silvia Hildago (nonfiction, comics)
- The Library Book by Susan Orlean (nonfiction)
- And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie (mystery)
- Vincent and Theo by Deborah Heiligman (YA nonfiction)
- Enchanted Air by Margarine Engle (YA memoir)
- American Princess by Leslie Carroll (nonfiction)
- Mary’s Monster by Lita Judge (YA nonfiction, comics)
- All You Can Ever Know by Nicole Chung (memoir)
- Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling (YA fantasy, audiobook)
- Girl, Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis (essays)
- Our Stories, Our Voices, edited by Amy Reed (YA essays)
One of my interesting reading trends in October was a bunch of YA nonfiction. We talked about that genre on an episode of the podcast (you can find that episode here), so I ended up reading a lot to prepare since it was new to me — Vincent and Theo, Enchanted Air, Mary’s Monster, and Our Stories, Our Voices. But it was awesome! I think YA biography is the perfect level for me, so I’ll be seeking that out more going forward.
Aside from that, my favorite reads of October were The Library Book and All You Can Ever Know. I love Susan Orlean’s writing and way of observing the world, so a book she wrote about why libraries are great was definitely in my wheelhouse. Nicole Chung’s memoir about her interracial adoption and subsequent search for her birth family was just stunning — it’s among my favorites of the year.
November Reading Log
The thing that makes me smile when I look at my reading list for November is how well it reflects the many facets of my reading life. There’s some literary fiction, a memoir, nonfiction on contemporary issues, a few YA books, and some fantasy. Throw in a comic and a couple of Harry Potter books, and it’s a list that sort of encapsulates the entire year:
- Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward (fiction)
- Heartland by Sarah Smarsh (nonfiction)
- One Person, No Vote by Carol Anderson (nonfiction)
- The Witches of New York by Ami McKay (fiction)
- The Fifth Risk by Michael Lewis (nonfiction)
- A Winter’s Promise by Christelle Dabos and Hildegarde Serle (YA fantasy, translation)
- Sadie by Courtney Summers (YA fiction)
- The Master Magician by Charlie Holmberg (fantasy)
- The Best We Could Do by Thi Bui (memoir, comics)
- Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by J.K. Rowling (YA fantasy, screenplay)
- Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindewald by J.K. Rowling (YA fantasy, screenplay)
On the nonfiction side, I loved both Heartland and One Person, No Vote (both, coincidentally, books I read to prepare for an episode of the podcast). They’re both excellent reads that help explain our current political moment that made me think and inspired me to act. So great! The Best We Could Do was also a stunning memoir, another potential favorite of the year.
The fiction side of November was a little more mixed. The Witches of New York was easily my favorite, but there was also something very odd and very interesting about A Winter’s Promise. I read this work of YA fantasy in translation to complete a task for the Read Harder challenge, but I still don’t quite know what I thought of it or if I want to keep reading the series as it comes out. I read both of the Fantastic Beasts screenplays (via library checkouts) because I’m not especially interested in giving money to the franchise, but I’m still curious where the story is going.
A Look to December
This post is so long already, but I do want to get some thoughts down about reading to close out the year.
This weekend I tried to get the books that have piled up on my desk organized and put away, setting aside the ones I hope to read before 2019 arrives. I felt like I was doing well, then realized my “finish before the end of the year” pile was 17 books high… an impossible feat if there ever were one. And that doesn’t even count the tower of library books I have checked out and the holds that will inevitably come in.
That all said, I’ve completely smashed my reading goal for the year. I was hoping to finish 84 books, but I’ve already completed 101. That’s exciting for me, it feels like coming back to myself after a few hard years — but more on that in a reflective post at the end of the year.
Realistically, I have two books to finish for the Read Harder challenge — a book with a cover I hate, and a book that I was assigned to read that I hated or didn’t finish. I have a plan for both, I just need to sit down and read. If I get them done, that’ll be the first time I’ve ever completed Read Harder! Everything else will just be a bonus.
Whew! That was an epic. Thanks for reading all the way to the end!
What books are you hoping to finish before the end of the year?
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Ooh, ‘The Best We Could Do’ sounds right up my ally. I love a graphic memoir!
I did the same exercise over the weekend: sorted my stacks of books out into the ones I want to read before year’s end and then realized it was too ambitious (11 books) for how slowly I’ve been reading of late. (And then I bemoaned that fact by taking a trip to the library. Whoops.)
Congrats on already passing your goal, and good luck with finishing the Read Harder Challenge! I always start that one with the best of intentions and then don’t come anywhere close to finishing it. Oh, well, there’s always next year.
I think I did the same thing — make the stack, worry about how tall it is, then check out three new books at the library. Book addict problems.
I’ve never gotten close finishing Read Harder, so being within two books makes me really want to finish!
What did you think of The Fifth Risk? I really liked it, but did think it was a bit all over the place. Almost like a brain dump of little known, yet fascinating (and sometimes terrifying) things about the federal government.
Same — it was three interesting essays that didn’t really connect as well as I wanted. And I wanted more from the whole book, really, the idea of presidential transition is ripe for a big chunky book.
Wow, 101 books? Way to go! I’m totally curious about which book you’ll be reading for “book that I was assigned to read that I hated or didn’t finish.”
It’s crazy! I haven’t read that many books in several years.
It’s gonna be The Hobbit. I was assigned to read it in middle school and just hated it. I know, that’s awful to say, but it’s true!
well done! curious about your December books.
This year, exceptionally, my total will be way below my usual 100-110.
My Nov wrap is here: https://wordsandpeace.com/2018/11/30/2018-november-wrap-up/
And my titles for Dec will be live tomorrow
Some years are slower than others, I haven’t been near to 100 in the last two or three.
Hmm, I don’t know if I’ve ever come across YA nonfiction! But I added Vincent and Theo to my TBR, so I guess I will be checking it out!
It’s a growing genre, and not super easy to find. I had to do some searching online, then digging around at the library to find ones I was interested in. But I definitely want to read more!
Yay for topping out over 100! I am set to hit my goal of 85. I got the new Jodi for my birthday, so I want to get to that one soon once I’ve tackled my ARCs. Hope you have a fabulous holiday season!
Ooooo, that’s exciting! Definitely a good treat after finishing some ARCs.
There is something wonderful about finding that perfect blend of genres and kinds of books that just makes your reading feel perfect.
Congrats on exceeding your reading goal! I’m a bit behind mine, so I really need to get reading!
Yes, definitely! I get on streaks a lot, so it was nice to have a balanced month of reading.
Yay for you for beating your goals! That’s awesome! I’m already over my total books read from last year, and that’s without counting the romance reads or academic nonfiction — which in fact seems like a weird standard to have set for myself, not including those categories, and I am going to change that next year.
That is a little odd, but whatever works for you is good. Congrats on beating your goals too!
Did you know there’s a sweet little novella to go with that Ami McKay novel? Wintry and easily enjoyed in a single sitting. Good luck with the rest of your reading year; last year I was determinedly not rushing with pages and extended some projects to two-years-long instead of a single year, which was nice, but now I am feeling a little rushed to get the volumes finished to keep the logs and stacks tidy. Hopefully holidays will help rather than hinder! Enjoy your December.
I didn’t know that, thanks for the suggestion!
Sometimes when you’re overwhelmed, a fresh start is just what you need. Good luck on your Read Harder Challenge!
A fresh start is the best, even if it’s just a mental one 🙂