Planned Reads for November.

I'm definitely going through a bit of a reading slump right now. I'm going to try and set myself some smaller goals to give myself a little less pressure.

I've had so many people recommend 'The Alchemist' by Paulo Coelho that I feel like the time has come to actually read it? It sounds like an awesome read and I've never tried any of Coelho's work before.

'The Love Interest' by Cale Dietrich sounds like a lot of fun! The concept of two boys fighting to date the same girl and falling for each other pokes fun at a lot of common tropes in YA romance.  Also, throw in some spy-action and you might be onto a winning formula!

I read and adored 'Vengeance Road' such a long time ago, that I'm upset that I haven't started 'Retribution Rails' yet! That cover is absolutely stunning and I know that the story will definitely be up my street!

November Wrap-Up.

I'm very fortunate that I managed to finish up one more read before November ended, as it means that it wasn't a total disaster of a month. Honestly, I've really been struggling for reading time as of late, and I managed only four reads.

1. 'A Study In Charlotte' by Brittany Cavallaro. I started this off feeling that some of the aspects were a little bit off. The beginning chapters felt like a mass info-dump and were too rushed, and the concept of each family having all of it's members with the same personality over each generation was a bit peculiar. But I really got into it as the book went on - the mystery was cool, Charlotte especially was a great character, and by the end of it I realised I was hooked. 4/5 Stars.
2. 'The Saga Of Gunnlaug Serpent-Tongue' by Unknown. This served as more of a lesson on Icelandic history and Viking culture more than anything. I realised after reading that I knew so little on the subject other than big, bloodthirsty battles, Norse gods and funeral practices. But while I liked the educational value, the plot of the story was revealed at the very beginning of the book in a prophecy and I didn't find that aspect of it all that entertaining. 2.5/5 Stars.
3. 'Foxes Unearthed' by Lucy Jones. Anyone who knows me will probably be able to tell you I'm a huge fan of foxes. And I really wanted to learn more about them, so this book really appealed to me! I found that I did indeed learn a lot too: their folklore and stories, natural history and reputation all cropped up in this book. But parts of it were very skippable despite Jones's writing, as there was a fair bit of repetition. 3.5/5 Stars.
4. 'The Corset' by Laura Purcell. This book was so good and it's 100% in the running for my favourite read of the year. I loved it! It had a well-crafted story, felt researched and detailed, contained three-dimensional and well-crafted characters, and had me completely hooked throughout. The ending was a little short after all the build-up but I can forgive that as I still came out of this book blown away. 5/5 Stars.

This month I read three books for the Beat The Backlist Challenge, making my yearly total so far thirty five.

- A Study In Charlotte

- The Saga Of Gunnlaug Serpent-Tongue

- Foxes Unearthed

This month I read zero books for the Finishing The Series Challenge, making my yearly total so far one.

I read one book for the New Release Challenge, making my yearly total so far fifteen.

- The Corset

I read one book for the Netgalley & Edelweiss Challenge, making my yearly total so far twenty three.

- The Corset

Here is the result for Pretty Deadly Blog's Bookish Bingo card.

Made Into A Movie: Lolita; Vladimir Nabokov
Middle Grade: The Dreadful Tale Of Prosper Redding; Alexandra Bracken
One Word Title: Folk; Zoe Gilbert
Fire In Title Or Cover: As Kingfishers Catch Fire; Gerard Manley Hopkins
Mystery: A Study In Charlotte; Britanny Cavallaro
Set In A School: Solitaire; Alice Oseman
Black Cover: The Hatch; Joe Fletcher
Space Or Stars: Starfighter [Ch. 1]; Hamlet Machine
Fall Release: A Sudden Light; Garth Stein
Freebie: --
Dual POV: Steve & Mark; Tab Kimpton
Scares You: The Twisted Tree; Rachel Burge
Legend Or Myth: The Saga Of Gunnlaug Serpent-Tongue; Unknown
Pretty Spine: Foxes Unearthed; Lucy Jones
Killers: The Corset; Laura Purcell
Less Than 300 Pages: Teahouse [Ch.1]; Emirain
Features Animals: Into The Jungle; Katherine Rundell
LGBT+: Heartstopper [Vol. 1]; Alice Oseman

Planned Reads for November.

October may be over, but the beginning of November is still very Autumnal and a great time of year for some darker, spookier reads. I've got some exciting planned books coming up for this month!

I'm currently reading 'A Study In Charlotte' by Brittany Cavallaro, and I'm really excited about this retelling of Arthur Conan Doyle's classic 'Sherlock Holmes' series brought into a more contemporary setting. It will be interesting to see what she does with it!

I'm also a little way through 'The Corset' by Laura Purcell and loving it. Such intriguing characters and story so far, I can't wait to get to the bottom of the mystery! Also, I haven't read a book about a serial killer in a while and find it so fascinating!

I really did look forward to reading Kendra Leighton's retelling of 'The Highwayman', 'Glimpse' and the front of the book has a copy of the poem too which is awesome. I hope it lives up to my relatively high expectations!

If any cover screams Autumn, it's this one. Foxes are actually my favourite animal, so Lucy Jones's 'Foxes Unearthed' seems like a great read to learn more about them, and the folklore surrounding them, as well as an interesting insight into why people love/hate them.

Books involving witches are best read during the Autumn. At least, I think so. Irena Brignull's 'The Hawkweed Prophecy' certainly looks interesting, with a really pretty cover too. I can't wait to read it!

It's about time I went back to getting through some of the series I own and have slightly abandoned. I enjoyed 'Rebel Of The Sands' a lot, especially the first half. I'm hoping that the second book in Alwyn Hamilton's series, 'Traitor To The Throne' is also good and adds a lot to the plot.

'The Long Way To A Small, Angry Planet' by Becky Chambers has been on my TBR pile for a while, and I love how much the synopsis puts me in mind of a fantastic console game, Mass Effect. I'm actually so excited about this book!

I've been really excited about Erin Bowman's follow up to 'Vengeance Road', 'Retribution Rails'. It looks so exciting and I'm looking forward to more YA Wild West with strong heroines, sizzling romance and plenty of adventure.

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

Planned Reads For November.

Is it really November already? 2017 is almost over? Yikes! Still, another month means new reads for me to delve into and I have some really fun ones planned for this month! In the months leading up to Christmas I like my reads to be more wintery, longer, a little magical or sci-fi and literary. Colder months just give off those vibes for me.

My current read, 'The Goblins Of Bellwater' by Molly Ringle is leftover from last month but still fits early November perfectly. I've read a little of it and it's definitely magical, mysterious and contains a lot of mischief that is reminiscent of some of my favourite childhood movies. Yet, it's mature too and I look forward to seeing where the plot will take me! Inspired by Christina Rossetti's poem 'Goblin Market' it's a great tribute so far!

I really loved the first book in this series, 'The Bear & The Nightingale, so I have no doubt that Katherine Arden's 'The Girl In The Tower' will be just as magical and exciting. Based on Slavic fairy tales and folklore, it's the perfect time of the year for a book set in the winters of Russia.

Maybe a book set in the hot desert doesn't seem like an obvious wintery book read, but I like to throw in a curve ball every now and again, and this book certainly contains all the magic. I love reading YA based on folklore from cultures that are not European, and 'The Wrath & The Dawn' by Renée Ahdieh is just that. I feel like fairytales and fantasy are going to be a recurring theme this month.

Why not read a YA contemporary too? The truth is, this book still has a touch of magic in it but a real world setting which I like. Wendy Brant's 'Zenn Diagram' is about a young girl, obsessed with maths, who has powers that allow her to know things about people when she touches objects that they frequently come into contact with them. It's an interesting concept. I hope it translates well to paper!

This book has been on my TBR for too long, and finally I'm going to read it. 'The Novice' by Taran Matharu has a gorgeous cover, and reminds me a little of Philip Pullman's 'His Dark Materials' series with demon companions and a University to study at. I do so love magical schools so I'm expecting good things from this book!

I can almost hear cries of outrage that I haven't read 'Six Of Crows' by Leigh Bardugo yet, especially when it's so obviously the kind of book I'd love. But I really wanted to finish her 'Grisha' series first and then take a little break so I come into it fresh. I'm ready to meet this ensemble of awesome characters I've heard so much about now!

That's right, I'm having another crack at 'Colourless Tsukuru Tazaki & His Years Of Pilgrimage' by Haruki Murukami. Like I said, I like literary fiction at this time of year, and I've never read one of Murukami's books before! I was going to read this in September, but didn't find time. Hopefully I can get to it this month!

Everyone knows that Marissa Meyer is probably one of my all time favourite authors. Not a single one of her 'Lunar Chronicles' disappointed me and I've been super excited about the sound of all her other books ever since. 'Renegades' is about super heroes and super villains, and I hope not only to see more of her futuristic visions, but also the complex, fun characters she often creates. I'm so lucky to have received an ARC of this book, and I'm not wasting another moment before reading it!

November Wrap-Up.

Things went a little off track this month in that while I'd planned reads, I ended up reading a fair few books that weren't on the original list. This meant that I only managed five of the seven reads from my Planned Reads For November post. However, that's actually not too bad, and I did manage a couple of other, much shorter reads on top bringing my total for the month to seven! Wahoo!

1. 'The Dead House' by Dawn Kurtagich. I started this spooky read in October and did end up liking it a lot, though not as much as I thought I would. It had a great premise - an unusual format comprising of diary entries, police interviews, etc. that told the story of a young girl living with an identity disorder trying to figure out if her extra personality is a 'symptom' or something more. There were too many aspects to the plot and Kurtagich kept introducing them, even towards the end. This meant that my attention waned and the 'finale' was pretty disappointing. 2.5/5 Stars.
2. 'Kindred Spirits' by Rainbow Rowell. This short story that I received at YALC for free had been playing on my mind, and while I was already borrowing 'Fangirl' to read later on in the month from my sister, I wanted to read this too. It's a very sincere depiction and I liked it a lot, as it introduced me to Rowell's writing style pretty well. The characters were well-rounded and considering it's length the plot was very succinct. The end was a little cheesy and I would have liked it longer of course, but they are called short stories for a reason. 3.5/5 Stars.
3. 'The Lie Tree' by Frances Hardinge. It is so easy to see why this one Costa's Book Of The Year award in 2015 and I'm so happy for Hardinge. I read 'Cuckoo Song' and enjoyed it a lot, but I think I liked this even better. It's set in Victorian Society (my favourite historical period) and Hardinge's characters were powerful and complex, her plot imaginative and her writing exquisite. I need to read more books written by this lady, she's clearly the kind of author whose books just work for me. 4.5/5 Stars.
4. 'The Bazaar Of Bad Dreams' by Stephen King. The often-called master of horror did not blow me away in the past with his book 'It' and I'd been afraid to go back for quite some time in case I was disappointed again. Finally I decided that this time I'd opt for some of his shorter stories and I did enjoy them a little more. They were each different, though linked by common themes and I don't think that I disliked any of them, though a few I loved more than others. If you're intimidated by King's larger novels then maybe this is a good place to start. 3.5/5 Stars.
5. 'We Should All Be Feminists' by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. I'm trying to read more non-fiction as I do enjoy learning about facts as well as through fiction. I am a feminist though until this book, I'd never read many essays or books on the subject and as I had already adored Adichie's TED talk, 'The Danger Of A Single Story', this seemed like a good one to start with. It's short but it neatly summarises what feminism is about Feminism, taking from Adichie's personal experiences and injecting her distinct style and wit. 5/5 Stars.
6. 'The Ice Dragon' by George R.R. Martin. I didn't think that George R.R. Martin, famous for his use of gore, adult scenes and killing off everyone's favourite characters mercilessly would be able to pull of a children's book. But he has. In fact, it had a fairy-tale like quality to it, reminding me a lot of 'The Snow Child'. I did miss Martin's attention to detail, time period and setting however and elements of the story were a little vague. A great read though, and Luis Royo (whose artwork I've always admired) illustrates this edition beautifully. 4/5 Stars.
7. 'Fangirl' by Rainbow Rowell. My second Rowell book of the month and this one is significantly longer, which pleases me a lot. All I can say is that this lovely lady has a total mastery over realistic teen lives. The dialogues, characters, relationships and situational events such as first time going further than a kiss or first time at college felt so real. I related so much to Cath's anxious personality and honestly, it's a great depiction of how anxiety actually feels and why it's so frustrating for us when people thing we're just being difficult or weird. Loved the fanfiction element too, it brought back some happy memories. 4.5/5 Stars.

This month I have read six books for Pretty Deadly Review's Backlist Challenge, bringing my yearly total so far to fourty four. This month's reads were:

- 'The Dead House' by Dawn Kurtagich

- 'The Lie Tree' by Frances Hardinge

- The Bazaar Of Bad Dreams' by Stephen King

- 'We Should All Be Feminists' by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

- 'The Ice Dragon' by George R.R. Martin

- 'Fangirl' by Rainbow Rowell

This month I have read one book for Falling For YA's Netgalley & Edelweiss Challenge bringing my yearly total so far to sixteen. This month's read was:

- 'The Dead House' by Dawn Kurtagich

This month I have gained zero points for Novel Heartbeat and Writer Grrl Reads' Prequel & Sequel Challenge, bringing my yearly total so far to sixty.

This month I have read one book for [un]Conventional Reviews' New Releases Challenge, bringing my yearly total so far to fifteen. The books I read were:

- 'Kindred Spirits' by Rainbow Rowell

This month I have read zero book for Daily Prophecy's Retelling Challenge, bringing my yearly total to ten. 

I also updated my Bookish Bingo card, and here are this trimester's results!

Stand Alone: Fearless; Tim Lott.

Back List: If I Fall, If I Die; Michael Christie.

Killers: The Bazaar Of Bad Dreams; Stephen King.

Suspense: The Dead House; Dawn Kurtagich.

Sea Creatures: Dark Tide; Jennifer Donnelly.

Revenge: The Gospel Of Loki; Joanne M. Harris.

Horror Or Paranormal: A Monster Calls; Patrick Ness.

Freebie: The Star-Touched Queen; Roshani Chokshi.

Illustrated: The Ice Dragon; George R.R. Martin.

American History: China Dolls; Lisa See.

Friendship: Harry Potter & The Cursed Child; J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne & John Tiffany.

Black Cover: The Graces; Laure Eve.

Fall Release: As I Descended; Robin Talley.

Creepy Cover: The Lie Tree; Frances Hardinge.

Short Story: Kindred Spirits; Rainbow Rowell.

College: Fangirl; Rainbow Rowell.