Hello Readers! November was a struggle for me. I participated in my 9th NaNoWrimo (National Novel Writing Month), but once again I was a #NaNoRebel, working on an existing project, which is never as fun as creating something new and shiny. I sludged through, wrapping up a day early, desperate to be done. BUT, I had a great reading month. Probably because I was avoiding writing. 😃 I finished My Popsugar Reading Challenge for the year AND reached my Goodreads goal of 100 books!

If you take a look back at My November TBR, you’ll see I managed to read 7 out of the 9 books I had planned (I’m currently reading the 8th), bringing my total number of pages read to 2,296. I’m combining my wrap-up and haul again for this month, since both were small-ish.

Let’s see what I read and what I added to my TBR!

Be sure to check out The Monthly Wrap-Up Round-Up hosted by Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction!

(Link to synopsis on Goodreads through the book title.)

November Wrap-Up

I was almost finished with Jasmine Zumideh Needs A Win by Susan Azim Boyer but couldn’t quite get there, finishing it on Nov. 1st. I adored this YA book set in 1979! So refreshingly different and smart.

My Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐.25
My Review
Published on November 1, 2022

Next I picked up Never Never: The Complete Series by Colleen Hoover and Tarryn Fisher. I used this one to fulfill one of my last remaining prompts for my Popsugar Challenge. I had mixed feelings about this one—which is typical for me with Hoover books. It kept me entertained and turning pages, but the ending was anticlimactic.

My Rating ⭐⭐⭐.25

When I received an invitation to read a copy of The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin to promote the release of the movie tie-in edition, I jumped at the chance. It sounded like the perfect bookish romance to read in the fall. And I would have given it five stars—until the ending.

My Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐
My Review
Movie tie-in Published On September 20, 2022

I sped through The Man I Never Met by Elle Cook in almost a day. Sweet, emotional, but lighthearted despite some heavier topics, I was impressed with how the author managed to keep this one joyful throughout.

My Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐
My Review
Published on November 11, 2022

I read Premeditated Myrtle, the first in the Myrtle Hardcastle Mystery series by Elizabeth C. Bunce, to fulfill my final Popsugar Challenge prompt: A book set in the Victorian Era. This fun middle grade novel is intelligent and perfect for adults, too.

My Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐

When I was accepted to read an advanced copy of the fourth book in the Well Met series by Jen DeLuca, I knew that meant I needed to get caught up. I adored Well Matched, Mitch and April’s story, which included a cute fake-dating storyline and a May-December romance!

My Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐

After Well Matched, I immediately dove into the fourth installment of the Well Met series, Well Traveled, which takes the Ren Faire on the road. This one is fun! The plot may be a bit far-fetched, but once I let go of my hesitations, I enjoyed the story. A bit more light-hearted than its predecessors, but fans of the series will enjoy revisiting old friends and meeting new ones!

My Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐
My Review
Expected on December 6, 2022

November Book Haul

I added five ebooks (including two ARCs) and two physical books to my shelves this month!

My eARCs

I was first introduced to Curtis Sittenfeld when I was invited to read an ARC of her short story collection You Think It, I’ll Say It. I ended up giving it five stars, enjoying each story, a rare occurrence for anthologies. I’ve also read and loved Eligible, her Pride and Prejudice retelling. I’m always surprised to see mixed reviews for her books, but I guess something in her writing just speaks to me. I didn’t hesitate to accept this invitation of Romantic Comedy. Great title, too!

Synopsis:

A comedy writer thinks she’s sworn off love, until a dreamily handsome pop star flips the script on all her assumptions. Romantic Comedy is a hilarious, observant and deeply tender novel from New York Times–bestselling author Curtis Sittenfeld.

Sally Milz is a sketch writer for “The Night Owls,” the late-night live comedy show that airs each Saturday. With a couple of heartbreaks under her belt, she’s long abandoned the search for love, settling instead for the occasional hook-up, career success, and a close relationship with her stepfather to round out a satisfying life.

But when Sally’s friend and fellow writer Danny Horst begins dating Annabel, a glamorous actor who guest-hosted the show, he joins the not-so-exclusive group of talented but average-looking and even dorky men at the show—and in society at large—who’ve gotten romantically involved with incredibly beautiful and accomplished women. Sally channels her annoyance into a sketch called the “Danny Horst Rule,” poking fun at this phenomenon while underscoring how unlikely it is that the reverse would ever happen for a woman.

Enter Noah Brewster, a pop music sensation with a reputation for dating models, who signed on as both host and musical guest for this week’s show. Dazzled by his charms, Sally hits it off with Noah instantly, and as they collaborate on one sketch after another, she begins to wonder whether there might actually be sparks flying. But this isn’t a romantic comedy; it’s real life. And in real life, someone like him would never date someone like her…right?

With her keen observations and trademark ability to bring complex women to life on the page, Sittenfeld explores the neurosis-inducing and heart-fluttering wonder of love, while slyly dissecting the social rituals of romance and gender relations in the modern age.

Expected April 11, 2023

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About this time last year, I was invited to read The Bodyguard by Katherine Center, which became my favorite book of 2021. It almost seemed unfair to all the other books I’d read that year. 😬 We’ll see if lightning strikes twice with Hello Stranger.

Synopsis:

Sadie Montogmery has had good breaks and bad breaks in her life, but as a struggling artist, all she needs is one lucky break. Things seem to be going her way when she lands one of the coveted finalist spots in a portrait competition. It happens to coincide with a surgery she needs to have. Minor, they say. Less than a week in the hospital they say. Nothing about you will change, they say. Upon recovery, it begins to dawn on Sadie that she can see everything around her, but she can no longer see faces. 

Temporary, they say. Lots of people deal with this, they say. As she struggles to cope―and hang onto her artistic dreams―she finds solace in her fourteen-year-old dog, Peanut. Thankfully, she can still see animal faces. When Peanut gets sick, she rushes him to the emergency vet nearby. That’s when she meets veterinarian Dr. Addison. And she’s pleasantly surprised when he asks her on a date. But she doesn’t want anyone to know about her face blindness. Least of all Joe, her obnoxious neighbor who always wears a bowling jacket and seems to know everyone in the building. He’s always there at the most embarrassing but convenient times, and soon, they develop a sort of friendship. But could it be something more?

As Sadie tries to save her career, confront her haunting past, and handle falling in love with two different guys she realizes that happiness can be found in the places―and people― you least expect.

Expected July 11, 2023

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Bookmail Giveaway

A finished copy of Meet Me in Mumbai by Sabina Khan showed up on my doorstep from the publisher. ( I think I entered a giveaway?? 😂) This beautiful book is a YA novel about Mira’s adoption story, told eighteen years apart by Mira and her birth mother in India.
Published on September 6, 2022

My Paperbackswap Book

In November, I had one wish granted through Paperbackswap. I read an eARC of Every Summer After by Carley Fortune earlier this year, and I loved it so much I wanted a physical copy to reread and display on my shelf. I was extra happy when my copy showed up in almost new condition.

Purchases

I purchased two holiday ebooks on Kobo when I saw them discounted: The Mistletoe Motive by Chloe Liese and Holiday Romance by Catherine Walsh. I finally read two books this year by Liese and I’m a fan! This will be my first book by Walsh.

Amazon First Reads

I was thrilled to see a Sonali Dev book among the Amazon First Reads choices! The Vibrant Years is “a heartfelt novel about three generations of hilarious, unconventional, ambitious women who embark on a shared journey of self-discovery”.

Published on December 1, 2022

How was your reading month? Let me know in the comments!

Happy Wandering!