I finally, finally, finally had a month of reading that feels more normal, more like me. I felt like I was really struggling with making time to read since I moved in August and it was starting to get me down a little bit.
But November was awesome. I finished 12 books — a number that’s practically unheard of unless it’s a Read-a-Thon month — and I thought thought all of them were pretty good:
- Covering the Courts by S.A. Alexander (nonfiction)
- The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton (fiction)
- Sugar In My Bowl by Erica Jong (nonfiction)
- Mercury by Hope Larson (fiction) (graphic novel)
- My Year With Eleanor by Noelle Hanock (memoir)
- Falling for Me by Anna David (memoir)
- Learning to Breathe by Priscilla Warner (memoir)
- The Big Short by Michael Lewis (narrative nonfiction)
- Gluten-Free Girl by Shauna James Ahern (memoir)
- The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides (fiction)
- The Magicians by Lev Grossman (fiction)
- The Magician King by Leg Grossman (fiction)
My favorite was, without a doubt, The Magician King, which even now makes me feel a little giddy when I think about it. I’ll try to have a coherent review up before the end of the year, but in a nutshell I thought Grossman fixed a lot of the problems that popped up in The Magicians and managed to write a more sophisticated and complicated book about fantasy in the real world. It was stellar and very hard to follow up.
I didn’t have a specific reading list for November, which was nice. It let me go on a stunt memoir reading binge and dive into some library books as soon as they arrived and read without guilt. I liked that. Since I don’t have any book obligations this month, I’m going to keep reading what I want until the end of the year.
My one goal for this month is to end the year caught up writing reviews. Right now I’m only four books behind, which is about as close as I’ve been since… last January? Fingers crossed I can get on track and start the year with a fresh slate.
What books are you excited to read before the end of the year? Any other end of the year goals?
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Wow, I’m jealous that you’re only 4 behind! I never seem to get even close to catching up, but would love to!! Good luck 🙂
I decided to skip a few reviews because I don’t have much to say. I’m probably a little more behind than four, but only four I actually wait to write.
November was a depressing reading month for me. I am glad to see others did much better. 🙂
That’s a bummer! October was pretty slow for me, but November perked up. I’m not sure what December will be.
Oh I am looking forward to your review of the Magician King! Happy December!
I will get to work on that one soon then!
Oh, I’m looking forward to your thoughts on Grossman’s books too; I saw him at a book festival this year and thought he was hilarious, so I had to buy the first book (and will likely buy the second too).
I just bought a copy of The Magicians, and I’ll be buying The Magician King when it’s out in paperback (I like books that go together to match!).
So glad to hear you liked The Magician King. I just bought the first one for my mother so she could enjoy the second!
Yes, you really have to read the first one to read the second. But the second is SO GOOD it makes any problems with the first so worth it.
You had an awesome month! I hope that carries on into December.
Me too! So far December is starting out a bit slow, but I’m optimistic things will perk up.
wow, that’s quite a month! I only read half of that! Here is my November wrap up and what I plan to read in December: http://wordsandpeace.wordpress.com/2011/12/02/november-2011-wrap-up/
It was unexpectedly awesome, reading-wise. I’m happy about it 🙂
You’re doing great! I’m a few books behind in reading but there’s so much that I want to read before the end of the year. I want to read Moonwalking with Einstein soon along with Atwood’s latest In Other Worlds. I hope December is just as productive for you.
I want to read the Atwood, but I don’t think my library has it 🙁 I read Moonwalking with Einstein earlier this year. It was pretty good.