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Here is the Folder and thread to tell us what your monthly reads for November 2024 were.

Please provide:
~ A GoodReads link
~ A few sentences telling us how you felt about the book.
~ How would you rate the book

Hello everyone! For the month of November, I read four books.

First up was Momo Arashima Steals the Sword of the Wind by Misa Sugiura. I wrote an entire review on it, which you can read here.

This book is about a girl named Momo Arashima and basically, she has to team up with her former friend Danny and a magic fox named Niko to not only save her mom's island (and in turn, her mother) from being obliterated, but the entire world as well.

I have to say. This was a pretty enjoyable first entry to a series. For one thing, it does such a great job creating interesting characters that the reader can root for (including the main trio: Momo, Momo's friend Danny, and a magic fox named Niko). Speaking of the main trio, they don't always get along, but the disagreements feel natural and don't drag on for way longer than they have to. Also, I absolutely love this entry's take on various characters from Japanese mythology. Much like with Percy Jackson and The Olympians, the portrayal of these characters was fun, creative, and clever.

However, there are certain elements that just fell flat. So for whatever reason, despite Momo and the gang already having a strong motivation for going on a quest, this entry decided to tack on a "save the world" plot and when I say "tack on", I mean tack on. Seriously, despite a ton of build up, the fight between Momo and Shuten-doji (the guy trying to end the world) is so short and anti-climactic and it really feels like this plot was just put in here out of obligation. On top of that, there were some major plot holes that just raised too many questions and could've easily been fixed.

I'm still checking out the next entry though.

Rating: B

Second was Listen by Marissa Beck. You can read my full review on it here.

This book centers around Blake, a young woman who is working to better manage her mental health issues and all the ups and downs that come with that endeavour.

This was another KrimsonRouge recommendation and man does it live up to the hype! If I had to describe this book in one word, it would be "Genuine". It's genuine in the way that it balances optimism and realism with its take on coping mechanisms, it's genuine in how Blake bounces between being in control and falling apart while still showing that she is making progress towards achieving her goal, it's genuine in how Blake handles the personifications of the different aspects of herself (like Nellie and Little Miss Monster), and it's genuine in how it sticks to one thing and does it well.

Honestly, the only real issue I had with it was a minor inconsistency in the Track One chapter, but if that's the only complaint I had, I think this book is doing something right.

Rating: A

The third book I read in November was 100 Animals that Can F*cking End You by Mamadou Ndiaye. More on my thoughts about it here.

Non-fiction book where a man tries to warn humanity about some animals that could kill them.

If you love humor and you love learning about animals, I think you're gonna like this book. From the high quality illustrations and photographs to the narration style and so on, this book oozes charm and the sheer amount of thought and effort that went into this is front and center. Dare I say it. I think this book is up there with some of the classics like Zoobooks () and Eyewitness ().

I will say that, though rare, there are moments where the information is incorrect. To the author's credit though, he has since corrected it in this video: ().

Rating: A

Last was Feather and Fang by Ali Sparkes. Full review here.

This is the sixth entry in The Shapeshifter series and it's about Dax trying to escape the college that he stays at because it's been turned into a prison or something and he also has to rescue some of his COLA friends or something.

This was genuinely the absolute worst entry in the entire series! Like, I can't believe how bad it actually was, especially considering that the other entries in the series were pretty solid.

Before I tear into this entry, let me start with the good stuff. So one of the issues I had with the previous entry was that, despite Dax obtaining an otter form (his third and final form), the reader didn't really get to see it in action. This entry, on the other hand, certainly delivers. Also, this entry actually explores some new territory by having Dax's sister Alice and Dax's journalist friend Caroline (two characters who have never teamed up before) work together to find Dax and seeing them work off of each other was just so much fun. To be honest, the Alice and Caroline scenes were some of my favorites in this whole entry.

Okay, now onto the bad. The biggest issue plaguing this entry is this overpowering sense of half-assedness. For example, it's like this entry just took random elements from the previous entries and Frankensteined them into a plot while bringing very little new to the table. Second, even though I believe this entry does a time skip, it doesn't go all the way with it, as the only character who feels like they've aged is Alice. On top of that, this entry just throws things at the reader with little to no context and just expects them to accept it, whether that be characters acting differently than they did in a previous entry with no explanation for why they've changed or even introducing a new major character and giving them so little development, that they feel more like a plot device than an actual character.

Rating: F

Overall, November was, for the most part, a pretty good month for me.

I have no idea what I read in November. I started keeping track of the books I read, but I think I only wrote one down, then I abandoned the list like I have to abandon so many things.

I know I read A Lonely Death by Charles Todd. It was a highly atmospheric "Inspector Dagliesh" mystery, but it was a little too complicated and Dagliesh drove around the countryside far too much. Still, I enjoyed it very much, I'm really getting to like Ian Dagliesh very much and will read more books in the series. 4*

I also know I read this year's Booker winner Orbital by Samantha Harvey. I was taken in by the lovely prose at first because I'm a sucker for lovely prose since I write poetic prose myself, and poetry, but a few days after finishing the book, I realized it was all pretty prose with no plot at all, no conflict, and cookie-cutter characters. She didn't even develop her themes. It depended on the prose, and that's just not enough. 2*

I read The Mystery of Mrs. Christie by Marie Benedict, and while not historically factual since Agatha Christie never said where she disappeared to, I really liked this book. 4*

Exposure by the late Helen Dunmore. Dunmore is one of my favorite authors, but this books just wasn't up to her usual standards. Still, very good. 4*

I read more, but I can't remember what.

Happy December, booklovers! It's finally December, and it's the last month of the year. I am so excited for the new year's coming and so many new books are going to be released. So, I'm going to read new books, and I hope I'll enjoy reading them. November is a pretty good month, but I just read 1 book this month because I've been in a reading slump. But hopefully, this December, I'll read as many books as I can.🥳🥳🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻

November

Foul Days by Genoveva Dimova - 5 stars/⭐⭐⭐⭐��

At first, I did not expect that I would like this book, but the description is pretty convincing enough for me to read. Since it's a debut book and it's the first book in a series, I would like to read the 2nd book from the series. I would totally recommend this book to read if you guys like fantasy, romance, magic, witches, etc. So, I'll give this book 5 stars.

I hope you find many books to help you climb out of your reading slump, Patricia. At least November provided you with a five-star read and a new series to look forward to. :-)

I have just the opposite problem. There are so many books I want to read, but I have to finish the first draft of my new novel as soon as possible.

Here are mine ...


Sommerkamp by Greg Koren ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️


/review/show...



Loving And Giving by Molly Keane ⭐️⭐️⭐️


/review/show...

Patricia wrote: "Happy December, booklovers! It's finally December, and it's the last month of the year. I am so excited for the new year's coming and so many new books are going to be released. So, I'm going to re..."

I'm glad to hear you enjoyed Foul Days, Patricia!

Hailey wrote:
"Second was Listen by Marissa Beck. You can read my full review on it here.

This book centers around Blake, a young woman who is working to better manage her mental health issues and all the ups and downs that come with that endeavour."

Thanks for sharing, Hailey. You had a nice mix of books.
Listen sounds intriguing. I will put it on my list.

Speaking of mental health, I gave a top rating to the non fiction book, The Myth of Normal: Trauma, Illness, and Healing in a Toxic Culture by Gabor Maté

Bella (Kiki) wrote: "I have no idea what I read in November. I started keeping track of the books I read, but I think I only wrote one down, then I abandoned the list like I have to abandon so many things.."

Overall it looks like you had a nice reading month, Bella.

I found keeping a simple journal is useful. It's just one or two lines.
Date, title, author, Fiction/non fiction, how rated the book -zero to 5. If it's an audio book I note that and the narrator. It takes maybe 2 minutes.

Patricia wrote: "Happy December, booklovers! It's finally December, and it's the last month of the year. I am so excited for the new year's coming and so many new books are going to be released. So, I'm going to re..."

You may have been in a slump but the one book you read was top rated. That's wonderful. Here's to a great reading December for you!

John wrote: "Here are mine ...


Sommerkamp by Greg Koren ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

."

Thank you for sharing, John. I'm sorry for the loss of your friend.

It is a blessing that his memory can live on in his book as it touches new readers.

Bella (Kiki) wrote: "I have no idea what I read in November. I started keeping track of the books I read, but I think I only wrote one down, then I abandoned the list like I have to abandon so many things.

I know I re..."

I abandon lists too Bella. I have them all over the house half finished!

For keeping track of books, I've found Good Reads to be the best place to track. When I pick up a book I add it to "currently reading" and occasionally forget to click "I've finished" - but at least it's recorded. And prompts me to write a review.

I keep all of my TBRs saved here too, so I can filter them based on what I'm in the mood to read :)

Here are my November reads.

It was a good reading month for me as no book did I rate below 3/5. A rating of 3/5 is a solid good book but does not exceed expectations.

I reviewed them in detail in our November Book Salon Thread when I read them. So I will try to be brief here.

Lucky Man by Michael J. Fox
Memoir
Published 2002
Format: Audio Book
Narrator: Michael J. Fox
Rating 4/5

In 1998, Michael J. Fox announced that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. Currently there is no cure. PD is a brain "disorder that causes unintended or uncontrollable movements, such as shaking, stiffness, and difficulty with balance and coordination." There are more debilitating issues in the later stages as the disease progresses. Fox hid his diagnosis for around seven years. He feared he wouldn't get work if it was known. He managed his symptoms by very carefully timing his meds to hide his symptoms when he was on the set.

PD wasn't suspected as he was only around thirty at the time. This disease usually strikes people in their sixties. The memoir recounts his successful acting career and then on to his directing. In 2000 he founded the Michael J. Fox Foundation that is funding research for this terrible disease.

I found the memoir informative and honest. The memoir didn't have a poor me or why me vibe.


Those Angry Days: Roosevelt, Lindbergh, and America's Fight Over World War II, 1939-1941 by Lynne Olson
Non fiction- history
Published: 2013
Rating: 3/5 Good
Format: Audio book and eBook.

I did an immersive read as I listened to the audio and followed along with the eBook . The audio was done well by Robert Fass.

This book centers on the debate between the isolationists and the interventionists from 1939 to 1941, at which point the United States entered the war after the bombing of Pearl Harbor.

The isolationists were led by many including the America First group and the famous aviator Charles Lindbergh. The interventionists were led by President FDR.

The authors take on FDR is one I never read before and one I don't think I agree with. She painted FDR as indecisive instead of a man who had to deal with the realities of a public that didn't want to get into another world war, the political climate and also a military that was woefully unprepared.

The book was very informative. However, it was repetitive and included too many ancillary characters. Lynne Olson certainly did a lot of research which I did appreciated. I gave the book a solid 3/5 which is good. Better editing down from its 700 pages would have made it a 4/5.

What the Dog Saw and Other Adventures by Malcolm Gladwell
Genre: non fiction- essays
Published: 2009
Format: eBook & Audio book (audio done by Gladwell)
Rating: 4/5

I listened to the audio while exercise walking and read the book when home.

This is a collection of 16 essays that first appeared in the New Yorker magazine. I found each essay very interesting. The range of topics is wide. For fans of Gladwell, you won't be disappointed.


Revenge of the Tipping Point: Overstories, Superspreaders, and the Rise of Social Engineering by Malcolm Gladwell
Genre: Essays - non fiction
Published: 2024
Format: eBook
Rating: 4/5

Gladwell's classic The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference was published 25 years ago.

Here he expands on that book and also changes his mind on a few things. It's the rare public person that says, I was wrong. I admire that quality. In interviews he says he was totally wrong about the "broken windows" theory as crime in NYC continued to plummet after "stop and frisk" was abandoned.

In his new book he explores social epidemics and tipping points. He covers many topics including vaccinations, Covid, the Holocaust, white flight, college acceptances, suicides, the opioid epidemic and much more.

Gladwell never disappoints me. He certainly gives you a lot of food for thought and maybe even changes the way you look at certain things.

Here are a few interviews of him and the new book. There are many on YouTube.

Malcolm Gladwell on "Revenge of the Tipping Point" CBS Morning


The Tipping Point I Got Wrong | Malcolm Gladwell | TED

Here are my November Reads:

The Wrong Daughter by Dandy Smith
⭐️⭐️⭐️
I mostly enjoyed this one. Solid Thriller/Mystery.
Pros: creative story that kept me reading. Cons: the writing was a bit superficial (in terms of describing characters more by how they looked and less by their personalities, etc). It also got repetitive and seemed longer than it needed to be. I'm not sure if I'll try this author again.

The Traitor of Sherwood Forest, a debut by Amy S. Kaufman.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book is set to come out next Spring and I haven't decided if I'd recommend it or not. Probably to anyone who enjoys childhood story retellings.
Pros: The storyline was great. And I did like the author's take on Robin Hoods character.
Cons: I thought all of her characters could have been more developed and a bit more interesting. I finished the book and haven't missed anyone or thought much about it.

Orbital by Samantha Harvey
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This one's difficult to rate because it's just not a "normal" novel. It's basically a giant lump of beautiful prose set in space. I did enjoy getting to know each character and their motives for going into space, but an actual storyline would have been welcome.

First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Another solid Thriller/Mystery.
I guessed a few pieces of the puzzle but was surprised by some twists. Again, I would have loved more character development. But I'm starting to realize that maybe that's not the goal of Thrillers and Mysteries. They lead with plot and story and focus less on the characters? Either way, I enjoyed it.

Alias Reader wrote: "Here are my November reads.

It was a good reading month for me as no book did I rate below 3/5. A rating of 3/5 is a solid good book but does not exceed expectations.

I reviewed them in detail..."

My dad had Parkinsons, so glad you liked the Michael J. Fox book. I haven't tried Gladwell yet, but maybe next year ...

Lindsey wrote: "Here are my November Reads:

The Wrong Daughter by Dandy Smith
⭐️⭐️⭐️
I mostly enjoyed this one. Solid Thriller/Mystery.
Pros: creative story that kept me reading..."

It looks like you had a pretty solid month, Lindsey. All 3 & 4 stars.

I like how you clearly give the pros and cons of each book. Well done !

Hailey wrote: "Hello everyone! For the month of November, I read four books.

First up was Momo Arashima Steals the Sword of the Wind by Misa Sugiura. I wrote an entire review on it, which you can read here.

Thi..."

It sounds as though your selections were a mixed bag of enjoyment. I appreciate when you explain what shines & what is dull, for you.

It's a pity Feather & Fang were disappointing but i can see why, after reading your comments.

Thank you for supplying links in the Momo Arashima review. It was neat reading about these things, as i was unfamiliar with them.

Thanks for sharing your opinions here, Hailey.

Patricia wrote: "Happy December, booklovers! It's finally December, and it's the last month of the year. I am so excited for the new year's coming and so many new books are going to be released. So, I'm going to re..."

Patricia, i'm amazed that you find time to read for pleasure at all while going to school. It's neat that you enjoy new books because they seem to come fast, of late.

Thank you for sharing your review & recommendation. Happy December!

John wrote: "Here are mine ...


Sommerkamp by Greg Koren ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
..."

Thank you, John, for sharing about these tow. The Koren sounds good to me, so i added it to my TBR. I know what you mean, though, about YA audience will accept more than older adults will. But, for me, sometimes that is the pleasure of reading a YA. lol

Lindsey wrote: "Bella (Kiki) wrote: "I have no idea what I read in November. I started keeping track of the books I read, but I think I only wrote one down, then I abandoned the list like I have to abandon so many..."

I do something similar, Lindsey. I keep track of my TBRs on Amazon.

Lindsey wrote: "I keep all of my TBRs saved here too, so I can filter them based on what I'm in the mood to read..."

That's a good idea, Lindsey. As it stands now, my TBR is stored in 3 places with few repeats on any of them. I dare not look, lest i faint by the sheer number of them!

It appears i wrote lists this year of things we streamed on tv, in order to share on that thread here. I found THREE lists while reorganizing last week. LOL, as i've forgotten what many were about.

Alias Reader wrote: "Here are my November reads.

It was a good reading month for me as no book did I rate below 3/5. A rating of 3/5 is a solid good book but does not exceed expectations.

I reviewed them in detail..."

It looks like a very good month, to me, Alias. This is mostly because you had a mini-Gladwell fest. lol Thank you for recapping your selections here.

Lindsey wrote: "Here are my November Reads:

The Wrong Daughter by Dandy Smith
⭐️⭐️⭐️
I mostly enjoyed this one. Solid Thriller/Mystery.
Pros: creative story that kept me reading..."

I only gave Orbital by Samantha Harvey two stars for the prose. I couldn't justify more when the book lacks plot, character depth, or conflict of any kind. I got very bored with nothing but pretty prose after about 30 pages, but I did finish the book.

Lindsey wrote: "Here are my November Reads:
But I'm starting to realize that maybe that's not the goal of Thrillers and Mysteries. They lead with plot and story and focus less on the characters?..."

This is a good point, Lindsey. I tend to agree, as for most readers, the plot is why they came. For me, i like both but not an overkill on the characters. So, it's hard for me to tell.

Given the number of mystery & thrillers published each year, my guess is that more people want the story & mystery, rather than one about the character. It must be quite an balancing act for some authors.

Thank you for sharing about your November reading. You started me thinking about this more. :-)

My paltry November list of books began with Black Sabbath's Master of Reality--John Darnielle. Late last month i read two other novels, written by him & liked them very much. And, while i liked this one, too, something happened that knocked me off my reading for the rest of the month. It's a short novel, part of a series known as 33 1/3 main series. Each book covers a specific place in music history, so each book-length treatment is different. There are other authors in the series but i only recognized Jonathan Lethem. The titles don't give me many clues to the music, either. Still, i like the idea of such a series, as it may open the minds of readers about how deeply some works of music are to fans.
/series/4040...

But i did read one more book, hoping a mystery would stop my slump. Snowblind--Ragnar Jónasson. I didn't like the way he told this story, as it's unclear when some events occurred & they are not chronologically clear, as i figured out toward the end. I preferred Jónasson other series, about 64-year-old Detective Inspector Hulda Hermannsdottir of the Reykjavik Police Department. The first of those was The Darkness.

When i went to tackle The Moralist: Woodrow Wilson and the World He Made--Patricia O'Toole. Neither book, nor tape, nor a combo of the two worked for me last month. I'll wait until another day for this one, as i liked the presentation. It was me, all me.

I feel i'm over that slump, having just received The Wall of Life: Pictures and Stories from This Marvelous Lifetime--Shirley MacLaine!

madrano wrote: "I feel i'm over that slump, having just received The Wall of Life: Pictures and Stories from This Marvelous Lifetime--Shirley MacLaine!..."

Deb, I hope Shirley can get you back in the reading groove.

It's hard to focus when you have neck pain. :( Hope you are the mend with that.

Needed a non-fiction to pair with my other books this month, so I started The Four Tendencies: The Indispensable Personality Profiles That Reveal How to Make Your Life Better.

Alias, I think you recommended this one to me a while back?

I'm enjoying it quite a bit so far. I'd already suspected my "tendency" but interested to learn more. I've already pin-pointed one of my kids too, which I suspect will help quite a bit at she gets older (or rather, help me parent her better!)

Lindsey wrote: Needed a non-fiction to pair with my other books this month, so I started The Four Tendencies: The Indispensable Personality Profiles That Reveal How to Make Your Life Better.

Alias, I think you recommended this one to me a while back?."

Yes. I'm happy you enjoyed it. I've also liked these two other books by Gretchen Rubin.

The Happiness Project

Life in Five Senses: How Exploring the Senses Got Me Out of My Head and Into the World

My tendency is: Upholder.

Here is the quiz if others want to take it.

Alias Reader wrote: "It's hard to focus when you have neck pain. :( Hope you are the mend with that ..."

'Tis true. There were two days when i couldn't even lift my iPad to read my book. It seems to be improving, though.

Lindsey wrote: "Needed a non-fiction to pair with my other books this month, so I started The Four Tendencies: The Indispensable Personality Profiles That Reveal How to Make Your Life Better.

Alia..."

Your comment about your own parenting is a good point, Often such books help us understand people who are not our own "Tendency" arena. I hope you continue to like it, Lindsey.

Alias Reader wrote: "Lindsey wrote: Needed a non-fiction to pair with my other books this month, so I started The Four Tendencies: The Indispensable Personality Profiles That Reveal How to Make Your Life Better.

Alias..."

When I took the test, I got Upholder, too.

Alias Reader wrote: "Here are my November reads.

It was a good reading month for me as no book did I rate below 3/5. A rating of 3/5 is a solid good book but does not exceed expectations.

I reviewed them in detail..."

Thank you for sharing your November reads, Alias! On the subject of Michael J. Fox, when I was a teenager, I remember reading a book of his called A Funny Thing Happened on The Way to The Future. My memory of it is a little fuzzy, but I do remember liking it. I'll have to revisit it some time in the future.

Hailey wrote: "when I was a teenager, I remember reading a book of his called A Funny Thing Happened on The Way to The Future. My memory of it is a little fuzzy, but I do remember liking it. I'll have to revisit it some time in the future..."

I see that was published in 2010.

I haven't read but I see he also has written:

No Time Like the Future: An Optimist Considers Mortality -- 2020

Always Looking Up: The Adventures of an Incurable Optimist 2009

madrano wrote: "Hailey wrote: "Hello everyone! For the month of November, I read four books.

First up was Momo Arashima Steals the Sword of the Wind by Misa Sugiura. I wrote an entire review on it, which you can ..."

You're welcome, madrano.

Alias Reader wrote: "I haven't read but I see he also has written:
No Time Like the Future: An Optimist Considers Mortality -- 2020

Always Looking Up: The Adventures of an Incurable Optimist 2009..."

I didn't realize he had written that many books. They must each offer hope and share his own story. Special.

Here's my books for November:

The Sunset Years of Agnes Sharp by Leonie Swann (German). This was a cosy crime, but it took ages to get going. The author seemed to want to establish it as a wacky laugh-a-minute book, which it wasn't. When she settled down to tell her story it got really good and was funny, but more the sort of humour that makes you smile rather than laugh out loud. Many things are not quite what they first seem in this book, which I liked. I was uncomfortable with one thing though. One of the characters was a tortoise that was carried around a lot by one of the human characters (including to destinations outside the house and garden). I got really irritated by this. I don't enjoy reading about animals being mistreated, which is what this amounted to. It also served no purpose whatsoever, I just don't understand what the author was trying to achieve. Even so, I still gave it four stars and I'll try the next in the series, but I expect it to get going a lot quicker than this one did. I already know the tortoise is not going to be in the next book (but might be in the third, if there is one).

Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky. This was a Sci-Fi. For most of the book it had two parallel stories. One was the rise of a spider civilisation, the other followed human refugees from Earth. I preferred the spider story line, the human refugee story was repetitive and I thought it was padded out. Overall, I gave it three stars, but I'm not sure I'd read any more by this author. It was (just) over 600 pages and with a good edit it could have been a real page turner.

The Bunker Diary by Kevin Brooks. This was supposed to be YA, but I don't think it's suitable for anyone under 15-16. It is bleak and brutal and although it's written in a compelling writing style, I got to the end and I had no idea what the point of it was. Someone mentioned in a ŷ������ review that it was about God. That is possible, in which case it is about the Christian beliefs about God and ultimately it failed. I read the whole thing and it never occurred to me that was what the author was writing about. I didn't rate this because I just don't know what I make of it.

I Remember You by Yrsa Sigurdardottir (Icelandic). I suppose this was a mixture of crime story and ghost story. Unfortunately the ghost part relied heavily on characters acting in the most stupid way they possibly could, over and over again. It got very tiresome. The crime part was better. I did finish the book, but I think that was a bad choice. I gave it one star.

Murder at the Abbey byFrances Evesham I gave this 2 stars. It was just about OK but the author was too fond of info-dumps which included having a married couple tell each other things they would both have known.

Midnight in Everwood This was the adult debut of a YA writer, but the part I read was pure YA and implausible. The author set it in 1906 and the main character was a 21 year old woman who just wanted to be a ballerina, but her parents said she had to get married. I don't believe a wealthy aristocratic family would allow a 21 year old daughter to dance ballet in 1906. They still wore floor length dresses in 1906 and you can't dance ballet without showing a fair amount of your legs (even if you don't wear a tutu). I gave it one star and abandoned it.

Minerva I'll keep this short because I don't think many people here will be interested in it. It's a regency romance, which in my eyes should be witty, light and not too full of romance
(most of he book should be focused on getting the main characters to admit they are romantically interested in each other, ideally in a humorous way). Anyway, this one featured a heroine who was a sanctimonious prude (that's how the author described her and she was not wrong!). She was also irredeemably stupid. I did finish it but I've no idea why. I gave it 2 stars, since something kept me reading to the end and I usually keep one star for books I don't finish.

KeenReader wrote: "Here's my books for November:

The Sunset Years of Agnes Sharp by Leonie Swann (German). This was a cosy crime, but it took ages to get going. The author seemed to want to establis..."

KeenReader, I really enjoy reading your book summaries. You have a way with words and had me laughing at a few of your comments. I chuckled a bit too much at "irredeemably stupid".

KeenReader wrote: "Here's my books for November:

The Sunset Years of Agnes Sharp by Leonie Swann (German). This was a cosy crime, but it took ages to get going. The author seemed to want to establis..."

KeenReader, you had quite the eclectic month ! I enjoyed reading your reviews.

You mentioned in your review of The Bunker Diary it being a Ya but not really suitable for those under 15-16. That got me wondering what age is considered YA in the publishing world. Google says 12-18. There certainly is wide difference between a 12 and a 18 year old ! Maybe there should be another designation or maybe there is and I don't know it.

Anyway, thank you for the heads up regarding the age appropriate level.

I sometimes read YA. For example, I have enjoyed John Green books. Though I think they would be more for the upper range of YA. Someone in High School, I think. All that said, I don't have kids, so I'm not sure.

KeenReader wrote: "Here's my books for November:

The Sunset Years of Agnes Sharp by Leonie Swann (German). This was a cosy crime, but it took ages to get going. The author seemed to want to establis..."

I really liked Swann's Three Bags Full as an audiobook, where the narrator did great sheep voices!

John wrote: "I really liked Swann's Three Bags Full as an audiobook, where the narrator did great sheep voices!."

:)

KeenReader wrote: "Here's my books for November:

The Sunset Years of Agnes Sharp by Leonie Swann (German). This was a cosy crime, but it took ages to get going. The author seemed to want to establis..."

Thank you for sharing your comments, KeenReader. I like reading what failed to please you with these.

You wrote "I Remember You by Yrsa Sigurdardottir (Icelandic). I suppose this was a mixture of crime story and ghost story." Have you read her mysteries, featuring Thóra Gudmundsdóttir, detective and lawyer? I felt that in those she balanced the ghost tales well with the crimes and musings about the crimes. They didn't overwhelm a reader unfamiliar with them, but informed enough to appreciate what could be a connection.

Again, thanks for sharing with us.

KeenReader wrote "...I Remember You by Yrsa Sigurdardottir (Icelandic). I suppose this was a mixture of crime story and ghost story."

Madrano wrote "Have you read her mysteries, featuring Thóra Gudmundsdóttir, detective and lawyer? I felt that in those she balanced the ghost tales well with the crimes and musings about the crimes."

No, this was the first book by Yrsa Sigurdardottir that I've read. Although this book was not a great experience, I like the sound of My Soul to Take, which is the first Thóra Gudmundsdóttir book that my library has. I will probably try it next year, I've got too many on loan at the moment to borrow any more just yet.

Alias Reader wrote: "John wrote: "I really liked Swann's Three Bags Full as an audiobook, where the narrator did great sheep voices!."

:)"

Three Bags Full Looks really fun, but unfortunately, my library doesn't stock it. I can't buy any more books at the moment. I keep getting ambushed by books at one of my local shops. They have a second-hand bookshelf to raise money for local charities and like Oscar Wilde, I can resist anything except temptation.

KeenReader wrote:
"They have a second-hand bookshelf to raise money for local charities and like Oscar Wilde, I can resist anything except temptation..."

:)

It is going to a good cause. So that is a plus.

KeenReader wrote: "No, this was the first book by Yrsa Sigurdardottir that I've read. Although this book was not a great experience, I like the sound of My Soul to Take, which is the first Thóra Gudmundsdóttir book that my library has...."

That is the last one i've read. Now my library is getting more, thankfully. Usually, i read a series in order but often find that the very first is hard to find. As i recall, the first was heavy on church and burnings. Oddly, i didn't remember anything about her family from that one. But reading the second, reminded me.

KeenReader wrote: "They have a second-hand bookshelf to raise money for local charities and like Oscar Wilde, I can resist anything except temptation..."

I hear ya, on that point, KeenReader!

My November reads:

Haunted: 25th Anniversary Edition by Tamara Thorne - 5 stars.
My review:
/review/show...

The Saga of Dead-Eye, Book Two: Werewolves, Swamp Critters, & Hellacious Haints! by Ronald Kelly - 5 stars.
My review:
/review/show...

The Book of Accidents by Chuck Wendig - 1 star.
My review:
/review/show...

The Twelve: A ghost story by D.E. McCluskey - 5 stars.
My review:
/review/show...

That is my wrap for November. I didn't read much but then again the one star book by Wendig took up a lot of my reading time as it was near 530 pages and then the whole thing fell flat for me so I felt really let down with that book. I could have read two other books with that combined page count that I might have enjoyed a lot better. Oh well.....big sigh....that is the way it is in the book life. lol

Marie wrote: "My November reads:

Haunted: 25th Anniversary Edition by Tamara Thorne - 5 stars.
My review:
/review/show...

[book:The Saga of Dea..."

Sorry the Wendig book was a bust, Marie. But it's a good warning for others.

Marie wrote: "My November reads:..."

Thank you for sharing here, Marie. Isn't it sad how a long and unfortunate book will stymie our reading enthusiasm? I know you'll perk up soon enough, though.

As usual, your star ratings charmed me. Even the 500+ page book with its one "Dragging Disappointment" star was amusing. The five "Bloody Dust Trails" stars for the Saga was neat.

Again, thanks.

Alias Reader wrote: "Marie wrote: "My November reads:

Haunted: 25th Anniversary Edition by Tamara Thorne - 5 stars.
My review:
/review/show...

[book:T..."

Thank you Alias. :)