December is here and its’s time to talk about Novembers books. I have no idea how I managed to read 12 books in November with all the NaBloPo commenting going on. I guess I had more sleepless night than I can recall.
The Change by Kirsten Miller | ★★★★✶
Goodreads says: With newfound powers the time has come to take matters into their own hands…Widowed Nessa lives alone in her house near the ocean. In the quiet hours, she hears voices belonging to the dead – who will only speak to her.On the cusp of fifty Harriett’s marriage and career imploded, but her life is far from over – in fact, she’s undergone a stunning metamorphosis.Jo spent years at war with her body. The rage that arrived with menopause felt like the last straw – until she discovers she’s able to channel it.Guided by voices only Nessa can hear, the trio discover the abandoned body of a teenage girl. The police have written off the victim. But the women have not. Their own investigations lead to more bodies, and a world of wealth where the rules don’t apply – and the realisation that laws are designed to protect villains, not the vulnerable.Now three women will avenge the innocent and punish the guilty. IT’S TIME
What I thought: This book is a wild ride. It is borrowing from all the genres you can think of and doesn’t fit into a box. Instead it checks off so many boxes. The main characters are all in their late 40, early 50, going through life changes and menopause. But that – at least for me – was only the side note. For me the entire storyline about why women struggle in life, what roads blocks women it, the incompetence that is projected onto women and basically everything that is wrong with this world – all wrapped up in a neat story and delivered with a bow of sarcasm and satire. This book made me angry at times and I needed to step away, open the window and breath. But it is really really good. Our book club managed to invite Kirsten Miller into our zoom call and we had the. chance to chat with her for an entire hour. So good. Very brilliant and intelligent woman. I may write about that if I can find the time. I took some notes.
Medium: paperback
Original Language and Title: English
Publications: currently only Turkish and Russian as no German, French or other publisher deems this topic relevant for translation.
Recommend to: Everyone. Seriously read this book. It is good. It is crazy. It is important.
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarrows | ★★★★✶
Goodreads says: see September books
What I thought: Yes. I read it again. Just a couple of weeks after I finished it for the first time. It was just as good as the first listening. I prefer to have read it. For once I understand the hype.
Medium: paperback
Original Language and Title: English
Publications: German title “Fourth Wing – Flammengeküsst”
Recommend to: Everyone loving fantasy, dragons and a budding love story.
Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarrows | ★★★★☆
Goodreads says: Everyone expected Violet Sorrengail to die during her first year at Basgiath War College—Violet included. But Threshing was only the first impossible test meant to weed out the weak-willed, the unworthy, and the unlucky.
Now the real training begins, and Violet’s already wondering how she’ll get through. It’s not just that it’s grueling and maliciously brutal, or even that it’s designed to stretch the riders’ capacity for pain beyond endurance. It’s the new vice commandant, who’s made it his personal mission to teach Violet exactly how powerless she is–unless she betrays the man she loves.
Although Violet’s body might be weaker and frailer than everyone else’s, she still has her wits—and a will of iron. And leadership is forgetting the most important lesson Basgiath has taught her: Dragon riders make their own rules.
But a determination to survive won’t be enough this year.
What I thought: This makes for a wonderful escapism read again. I loved the characters, the story was interesting and the. dragons are hilarious. I could have done with less bickering on Violet’s part, less sulking and blaming and heart eye emojis. I guess that is what makes it a young adult read. And I don’t need as many sex scenes. We get it they are hot for each other.
Medium: paperback
Original Language and Title: English
Publications: German title “Iron Flame – Flammengeküsst”
Recommend to: Everyone loving fantasy, needs to escape the mundane of daily grind and loves witty dragons.
Red Cape Society Series by Melanie Karsak | ★★★ to ★★★★
Goodreads says: Who’s afraid of the big, bad werewolf?
When London’s brightest tinkers and alchemists come up missing, Red Cape Society Agent Clemeny Louvel is on the case.
To help her get the problem in hand, Queen Victoria assigns her a temporary partner—a werewolf with a knightly history and a tendency to be far too flirtatious for either of their good. Can she trust him to help her chase down the monsters they’re hunting?
What I thought: I read the entire series of six books in the first couple of weeks in November. They are fun, entertaining and have nice characters. I loved the love story as it wasn’t too predictable and was (for once) eye level. Each book as a bit of a different setting in theme and characters. There is a Halloween book and a Christmas book. I am hoping for a vampire spin off with Rose.
Medium: ebook
Original Language and Title: English
Publications: no translations
Recommend to: Everyone loving a good fairytale retelling and enjoys steam punk settings and London life.
Das Haus an der Voldersgracht by Ingrid Möller | ★★★☆☆
Goodreads says: There is no doubt that one can only appreciate an artist’s work once one has learned something of the master’s fate beyond the experiential viewing.
Vermeer, who was deeply rooted in his home town, made the provincial narrowness and sedateness of everyday life in Delft the subject of his colorful paintings, with which he succeeded in making a universally valid artistic statement.
The author traces the creative process in a creative and exciting way.
What I thought: I wanted to learn more about Vermeer and figured this would be a nice read. While I learned some aspects of his life (though I always wonder with these types of novels how much is fiction and how much is real ) I feel like I only scraped it. I enjoyed that after each chapter a painting. was featured that was previously discussed. At times I found the story meandered to far from Vermeer. Over all we learned a lot about his wife but not really much from his point of view. I also wasn’t quiet following some aspects of the story – other painters, character, etc.. Why were they important…
Medium: ebook
Original Language and Title: German
Publications: no translation found
Recommend to: If you want an introduction to Vermeer and like historical fiction.
The Prince and the Troll by Rainbow Rowell | ★★★☆☆
Goodreads says: It’s fate when a man accidentally drops his phone off the bridge. It’s fortune when it’s retrieved by a friendly shape sloshing in the muck underneath. From that day forward, as they share a coffee every morning, an unlikely friendship blooms. Considering the reality for the man above, where life seems perfect, and that of the sharp-witted creature below, how forever after can a happy ending be?
What I thought: Nice short story. I needed a bit of time to understand I was reading the Frog King retelling or rather adaption. Was interesting enough to finish.
Medium: ebook
Original Language and Title: English
Publications: no translation found
Recommend to: Not sure. Read if you are board it is a short story but you won’t miss if you don’t.
Hazel and Gray by Nic Stone | ★★☆☆☆
Goodreads says: It’s bad enough that Hazel and Gray have defied the demands of Hazel’s foul stepfather. The Monster has forbidden their romance. Now they’ve awakened in the forest, phones dead, hours past curfew. But not far away is a grand estate in the middle of nowhere. The door is open. In this short story about choosing your own path, the fury of the Monster that awaits them back home may be nothing compared to what lies ahead.
What I thought: This one was weird. Not sure I liked it. And. interesting take on Hansel and Gretel though.
Medium: ebook
Original Language and Title: English
Publications: no translation found
Recommend to: Not sure I would. I wasn’t a fan.
New books on the shelves
I decided in 2022 I will also share how many books make it to my TBR list (only books I own otherwise we would sit here in years) and occupy my shelves right above the reading chair and also on my digital home on the kindle. Feel free to ask me in a few weeks if I have read it yet. HA
- Waldträume (Elemente-Trilogie 1) by Eva Baumann – a kindle freebie
- Immortality by Dana Schwartz – a kindle deal for 0,99€
- Enchanted Sonata by Heather Dixon Wallwork – a kindle freebie for a few hours. yeah.
- The Modern Herbal Dispensatory: A Medicine-Making Guide by Thomas Easley, Steven Horne – provided by the German publisher
And so another reading month in the books. With this momentum I will easily read the last 8 books and crack 100 for the first time ever.
Your turn: What book did you enjoy this past month? Did you fell into the Fourth Wing hype? What book did you buy for yourself? Have you been gifted a book? Any books that are going to be read in December?
17 comments
I’m excited that you’re going to make your goal of 100 books!
You have me intrigued by The Change, I will give it a try. I keep hearing about Fourth Wing, I think I will put that on my list as well.
Thank you Julie. I hope you will enjoy those books. I am also excited that 100 books is possible. I was not planning on doing that but then things happened when you least expect.
Great job on reaching 100 by the end of the year. That is some accomplishment when there is so many other things going on in your life. Trying to fit reading in with everything else is hard and it is so easy to set aside and say, maybe tomorrow.
Thank you Tina. It is hard at times. But I guess with everything it comes down to priorities. I read. Exercise falls to the wayside.
I put The Change on my hold list, but there’s a months long wait, so you know I won’t remember that it was you who recommended it to me when I finally get to it, so thank you in advance!
I read Fourth Wing, but teenage sex squicks me out, so I opted out for the rest of the series. I’m glad to know the sequel is as good as the first one, though.
It was sure fun to read and I will continue the series but yeah I don’t the sex scenes. I mean one or two ok but this was a bit much.
I hope you enjoy the change. I found it really refreshing and different.
I also added The Change on my list of books to read – if I ever. This last year was not a good book year for me – always to tired, preoccupied or busy. Unless you count audio books. I keep working my way through the Inspector Gamache books (on #14 right now) and finished The Inheritance Game. I was gifted one book that I started reading when we were in Las Vegas: “Remarkably Bright Creatures” by Shelby van Pelt. It goes back and forth between the story of Tova – a recently widowed aquarium employee – and an octopus living in said aquarium. I love it so far. The characters are great, the story is, too and what is not to love about an octopus. I think they are just s cool.
I think I heard of the octopus book. I need to check it out it sounds great. And audiobooks definitely count.
I haven’t read Fourth Wing and I’m intrigued, but I’ll probably end up reading it wayyy late when all the hype has died down, haha.
The Change sounds really interesting! I think I’ll put it on my TBR to get around to in the future.
I am usually not into hype books but my book club forced me. HA. It’s good and fun and entertaining but it’s also hyped.
You read twelve books in November??? I could barely get through two. I’m hoping to get back on my regular reading schedule now though.
The Change sounds good! I’ll put it on my TBR.
Congrats on your 100 books for the year (I know you haven’t reached it yet, but it sounds like you will.). That is AWESOME.
I was shocked myself when I realized how many I read EVEN though it was NaBloPoMo. Crazy.
I loved The Change too! I thought it was hilarious and so spot on about so many things. I’m so surprised that there hasn’t been more hype about it – it’s so good and there aren’t a lot of books about middle aged women out there.
I have not read the Fourth Wing – my Husband read it – not because it was popular or anything – he doesn’t really have a sense of what books are getting a lot of publicity – mostly because he saw it at the library on the new release shelf and thought it would be interesting. But… he said it wasn’t something I would enjoy, so I’m going to trust that and move on to other things on my list.
I totally agree. The change should get more hype. It is is really fun and witty. So many dimensions and all the characters are so quirky yet real.
I usually don’t like hyped books but this one I jumped on the band wagon. If you read a lot of fantasy I guess it is not a bad book but there are better ones out. Great that you can trust your husband here.
I found The Prince and the Troll by Rainbow Rowell is really interesting. it was quite enjoyable.
It wasn’t too bad, no.
Love the November book picks! Excited to check these out. Thanks for the great recommendations!