11/4: Apprentice to the Flower Poet Z. by Debra Weinstein (library, 2004) - I think this went over my head. 2.5/5 stars
11/6: Grave Mercy (His Fair Assassin #1) by Robin LaFevers (library audiobook, 2012) - Assassin nuns sounds fun, but wasn't in reality. 3/5 stars
11/12: The Running Grave (Cormoran Strike #7) by Robert Galbraith (library, 2023) - Not the best in this series. 3/5 stars
11/14: Maybe In Another Life by Taylor Jenkins Reid (library ebook, 2015) - This wasn't as exciting as some of TJR's other books. Fine, but not super memorable. 3/5 stars
11/17: Dog Songs: Thirty-Five Dog Songs and One Essay by Mary Oliver (library, 2013) - Just beautiful. 5/5 stars
11/18: Ask the Passengers by A.S. King (library, 2012) - If I were a teenager struggling with my sexual identity, this would have been much more powerful than it was to me. 3/5 stars
11/20: Fledgling by Octavia E. Butler (library ebook, 2005) - Not my favorite from Butler. 3/5 stars
11/23: Happiness Falls by Angie Kim (library, 2023) - Oddly boring book. 2/5 stars
11/24: Kill Show by Daniel Sweren-Becker (library, 2023) - I read this entire book on the way to Iowa for Thanksgiving. I was riveted and loved the format. 4.5/5 stars
11/25: For Small Creatures Such as We: Rituals for Finding Meaning in Our Unlikely World (library ebook, 2019) by Sasha Sagan - Lots of food for thought in this book. 4.5/5 stars
11/26: We Are All the Same in the Dark by Julia Heaberlin (library, 2020) - A tale of two parts. The first part of this book was a real snooze and then it picked up. Book club choice for the month. 3.5/5 stars
3.36/5 stars
Random Graphic Novels
Because I've been listening to Books Unbound, a podcast in which two friends talk about books, I've been super interested in some of the graphic novels they talk about. I checked out two of them and read them, but I'm not putting them on my spreadsheet because they aren't really full-length books and honestly, I didn't want to add yet another tab to my reading spreadsheet (books, DNFs, Spanish books, picture books). This will have to be sufficient for you.
Sheets by Brenna Thummler - A book about a girl whose family business, a laundromat, is haunted by a ghost named Wendel. I'm 100% sure this is supposed to be just a quirky little book, but because I am me, I thought this was really stressful to read! It was well-done, but so stressful.
Mooncop by Tom Gauld - Very short graphic novel about a cop who lives on the moon colony as the colony becomes more and more deserted. I found it very charming.
Did Not Finish
Witch King by Martha Wells - I really like the Murderbot series from Wells, but I tried listening to this as an audiobook and it just fell really flat for me. I think it might be better read as a physical book. DNF at 9%.
Oooh this was my reminder to look into that Mary Oliver collection!
ReplyDeleteYes! I bought it for a couple of people as Christmas presents.
DeleteI follow along on your book posts, but seeing them all ranged like this is still pretty awesome! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI like having a monthly roundup! It keeps me honest.
DeleteWhat Maya said! Yes I follow along but sometimes I forget to follow up on things that I want to read so the monthly recaps are a second chance for me.
ReplyDeleteI like having to come up with pithy reviews. It makes it easier for me later on to decide if I really liked a book or not. LOL.
DeleteAre these graphic novels for kids? I'm laughing at because I am me, I found this really stressful to read.
ReplyDeleteThe graphic novels are for teens. Sheets is about a teenage girl whose mother has died and her dad is grieving, so their business (the laundromat) is floundering. I found the Sad Dad and Scary Eviction in Progress to be so nerve-wracking and I'm pretty sure I was not supposed to. I found myself skimming that one more than actually reading it because I was so worried about that girl.
DeleteMoon Cop was not nearly as stressful. LOL.
Eleven books in one month. You are my Super Hero Reader!
ReplyDeleteWell, you could also read eleven books a month if you had no social life and all you did was read! But maybe you've made better life choices than I have!
DeleteI can't remember if I've said that, although I managed to finish Witch King, I didn't really like it (though I love Murderbot and the Raksura books), and having read it, was wondering if the audio would work better! I guess maybe not?
ReplyDeleteHmmm...that's disappointing about Witch King. I thought the humor would come out more in audio, but I was just bored. Have you listened to any Murderbot? I have not, but I wonder how the comedy comes out in that.
DeleteI adore the audios of the Murderbot books! The reader, Kevin R. Free, does a wonderful job.
DeleteSounds like you had a lot of "meh" books this month. I have to disagree about The Running Grave- I loved it! I'm also about the finish Happiness Falls. I think I'm liking it more than a lot of other people, but but I am kind of like "Let's just finish this for God's sake!!!"
ReplyDeleteYeah, lots of meh books. Oh, well. There were some real gems and I'm reading a great one now, too!
DeleteI put the Small Creatures on hold and already had the Kill Show on hold, as I think maybe Lisa liked it too, but don't quote me on that! I am looking forward to reading both of them, but they are only available on eBook and have a bit of a wait so it may be a while! I love this round up too and look forward to it each month as I like to put your favorites on my list! I just got Happiness Falls off of hold and am wondering how it will go for me.
ReplyDeleteYes, Lisa also liked Kill Show. It was such a breezy read for such a powerful topic. I love to hear people talking about Happiness Falls - it seems pretty polarizing!
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