November Wrap-Up.

Another solid six reads managed! It's frustrating, I know I can read much faster than this but I seem to be so busy most of the time that I simply don't get round to it. But the reads I did manage were mostly great!

1. 'Zenn Diagram' by Wendy Brant. I had pretty high hopes for this book when I read the synopsis, but sadly it was a pretty sad start to the month's reading. The MC was so annoying and the writing took way too long to get to the point. I grew so bored of the constant info-dumping and inner monologues. I liked the romantic interest and the plot twists were well thought out. A pretty cool concept, but not very well executed. 2.5/5 Stars.
2. 'Hortense & The Shadow' by Natalia O'Hara & Lauren O'Hara. I'm always up for a good, illustrated children's book with a fairy tale feel. This one certainly delivered, though was so short. There was a really clever (albeit sinister) addition to a lot of the drawings so I think I felt the ending to be a bit anticlimactic due to them. 4/5 Stars.
3. 'The Goblins Of Bellwater' by Molly Ringle. This was the book that I had no idea I needed until I read it. Goblins are a creature seldom found in fiction, and having grown up with the movie Labyrinth they were everything I wanted: cunning, mischevious and stronger than they appeared. I adored this read. Great characters, fantastic world-building and a thrilling plot. 5/5 Stars.
4. 'The Girl In The Tower' by Katherine Arden. I adored 'The Bear & The Nightingale' at the beginning of the year, and saw this month as the perfect time to get stuck into book two! And what a sequel! What impressed me most (being a 'middle' book) was the character and plot development. It felt like a necessary addition to the series' world. I can't wait for book three. 5/5 Stars.
5. 'Fragments Of Femininity' by Olivier Pont and Laurence Croix. Another graphic novel, in response to my promise to read more of these at the beginning of the year. I really loved this beautiful piece of art, as each fragment or story so beautifully articulated a point regarding a very taboo topic: breasts. I felt there was room for a piece on motherhood here, but each story was sensitive, liberating, and a little bit heartbreaking. 4.5/5 Stars.
6. 'The Wrath & The Dawn' by Renée Ahdieh. I just about squeezed this one in but it was well worth it. It played on a lot of overused tropes, and yet somehow that didn't irritate me! Shazi is a great female MC, strong-willed, clever and witty. Khaled was a great love interest too despite being a little typical. This book was a fantastic retelling and made me melt. 4.5/5 Stars.

Now it's time to see how I did with my challenges this month!

This month I have read five books for the Netgalley & Edelweiss Challenge, bringing my yearly total so far to twenty seven. My reads were:

- Zenn Diagram

- Hortense & The Shadow

- The Goblins Of Bellwater

- The Girl In The Tower

- Fragments Of Femininity

This month I have read five books for the 2017 New Releases Challenge, bringing my yearly total so far to fifteen. My reads were:

- Zenn Diagram

- Hortense & The Shadow

- The Goblins Of Bellwater

- The Girl In The Tower

- Fragments Of Femininity

This month I have read one book for the LGBTQIA Challenge, bringing my yearly total to eleven. My read was:

- Fragments Of Femininity

This month I have read three books for the Diverse Reads Challenge, bringing my yearly total to thirty four. My reads were:

- The Girl In The Tower

- Fragments Of Femininity

- The Wrath & The Dawn

And here's my update on this quarter's Bookish Bingo card, courtesy of Pretty Deadly Blog!

Mental Health: Our Numbered Days; Neil Hilborn
Different Culture: I Am Malala; Patricia McCormick & Malala Yousfazai
Illustrations: The Little Red Wolf; Amélie Fléchais
Black Cover: The Hate U Give; Angie Thomas
Set In Another Country: The Girl In The Tower; Katherine Arden
Person On The Cover: The Elite; Kiera Cass
Magic In The Real World: The Girl From Everywhere; Heidi Heilig
Co-Authored: Fragments Of Femininity; Olivier Pont & Laurence Croix
2017 Debut: Hortense & The Shadow; Natalia O'Hara & Lauren O'Hara
American History: Lies We Tell Ourselves; Robin Talley
Fall Release: The Goblins Of Bellwater; Molly Ringle
Horror: Lot No. 249; Arthur Conan Doyle
Asian American Author: The Wrath & The Dawn; Renée Ahdieh
Yellow Cover: The Geek Feminist Revolution; Kameron Hurley
Required Reading: The Return Of Sherlock Holmes; Arthur Conan Doyle
Set At School: Zenn Diagram; Wendy Brant
Poetry Or Verse: O Frabjous Day!; Lewis Carroll
Paranormal: The Woman In Black & Other Ghost Stories; Susan Hill