November was an average month for me, reading wise, where I clocked 6 books read. I normally think of this as a month where I’m “behind”, but I’m realizing that I just need to accept that I don’t have as much time for reading as I used to! I currently have 73 books ready in 2019, and know I’m not going to meet my annual goal of 100 books in a year. However, I’m hoping a week at my mountain house during the holidays will help me get at least somewhat close. I know it’s really aggressive, but I’d love to finish around 85! All depends on how that vacation time goes…
5 stars:
Juliet’s School of Possibilities: A Little Story about the Power of Priorities, by Laura Vanderkam: I was VERY skeptical of the idea of a parable, but I absolutely loved this little gem. A burned out consultant striving to meet all her deadlines certainly resonated for me! I thought the story was told in the perfect way – compelling, didactic, but not hitting me over the head with the lessons. Short and sweet; I will be buying copies of this for many of my team members.
Us Against You, by Fredrik Backman: I heard mixed reviews of this, but I absolutely LOVED it! Beautifully written, compelling storyline, and some twists and turns along the way that definitely kept me on the edge of my seat. Highly recommend this two book series.
The Floating Feldmans, by Elyssa Friedland: Loved this light novel about a dysfunctional family going on vacation together! A few of the characters annoyed me at times (especially Elise), but it jumped around enough that it didn’t bother me – and it was interesting to see how self-involved everyone was in their own secrets. By halfway through, I couldn’t put it down, and stayed up late to finish! Definitely recommend this for a light and funny fiction read.
4 stars:
Bel Canto, by Ann Patchett: At first, I wasn’t thrilled by the terrorist premise – too violent for me. But it got really interesting when it became clear that the hostages and the terrorists were going to have to find a way to live together for a while, and I was really intrigued to see how it unfolded, even with the foreshadowing of the ending. I found it especially fascinating that this is based on a true story, as parts of it seemed pretty unbelievable. I just think it could have unfolded a little faster, as I found myself wanting to skim just to get to some action.
Love and Miss Communication: A Novel, by Elyssa Friedland: The main character was pretty sanctimonious with her ban on electronics, and I was a little frustrated by how rigid she was about it. (She was willing to shirk her job just to not be on the internet? How about just make a rule that the internet can only be used for work?) While I didn’t love her character, I still thought it was a cute and fun chick lit novel, and an enjoyable read.
3 stars:
Time of My Life, by Allison Winn Scotch: At times I really liked this, and at other times, the pacing was just too slow. I liked the premise, but to me what she was going to choose in the end was pretty obvious throughout.
Any book recommendations for me? Follow me here on Goodreads to keep up with what I’m reading in real time.