November Reads

Going into November, I knew I wanted to have a better reading month. Being a reader is a core part of my identity and my absolute favorite hobby, so when my reading life feels meh, it is usually a sign that I’m stressed. I knew that with lots of “weird” weeks out of routine with school schedules being different or traveling, having a good reading month would help me feel more grounded. Focusing attention on this really helped solve the problem--I had a much better reading month after spending a little time listening to book podcasts, browsing all the bookish posts on NaBloPoMo, and putting in a bunch of holds at the library. Here’s hoping this trend continues in December!

Favorite Reads This Month:
*Homeseeking by Karissa Chen. This was my absolute favorite read this month. The story follows Sushi and Haiwen from Shanghai in the 1930s to the early 2000s in SoCal. When it’s done well, I love historical fiction with multiple timelines and perspectives. The pacing in this was excellent, and I was so invested in Sushi and Haiwen’s stories. The ending of this made me cry, which is very rare for me. Even though the main focus of the book is the love story, I found the family relationships in the book equally well-developed and compelling. Highly recommend.
*Heart Check by Emily Charlotte. I’ve written about this already, but this was such a warm, delightful read. I don’t read much YA anymore, but this was such a sweet, cozy hockey romance. My oldest kept picking it up and saying “this sure is a beauty” and talking about how she might write a book one day like Emily. What a joy to see a friend’s dream come true.
*Three Days in June by Anne Tyler. I loved this short book about a woman preparing for and attending her daughter’s wedding. It is completely character-driven, but I was absorbed in the people their back stories. I want to check out more of Anne Tyler’s work since I also loved French Braid.

Enjoyed:
*The Strength of the Few by James Islington: I liked this one, but the pacing wasn’t as strong as book 1 for me. The ending definitely reeled me back in, and I’m all in for book 3.
*Awake by Jen Hatmaker. I’m glad I read this, and found many of the insights interesting. TW: infidelity.
*A Sea of Lemon Trees: The Corrido of Roberto Alvarez. A quick novel-in-verse about a local school segregation case.

Fine:
*The Friend by Sigrid Nunez. This was an uneven reading experience for me. I liked parts of it, but also maybe this book wasn’t a great fit for me, at least at the moment I read it. I didn’t connect as much with the characters. I know other people loved this book, but it might have been too dark for me. TW: suicide.
*Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson. I thought I would like this one more than I did! It seems like such a me book, but though it was a fun premise, I didn’t love it.

Did Not Finish:
* Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters. I may return to this later, but the complicated dynamics and tension between the characters didn’t fit my mood the week I was reading it. Also, I really wanted to read The Strength of the Few.

What was your favorite read this month? Also, have you ever used StoryGraph? I tried it out this month at Tobia's recommendation, and I like the graphic at the end of the month and the review prompts.