November wrap-up

November is officially over, and I’m attempting to sort of get this wrap-up out early, so we’ll see how successful that is... (it wasn't.) Anyway, November was my birthday month, so the reading theme was “anything I think I’ll love” in the hopes that I’d get a 5-star-read. Spoiler: I didn’t, but I did enjoy every book I read… so let’s discuss!!

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Fake Dates and Mooncakes

Sher Lee

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

"Meet Dylan Tang: he juggles school and delivery runs for his aunt’s struggling Chinese takeout in Brooklyn. Enter Theo Somers: a charming, wealthy customer who convinces Dylan to be his fake date to a family wedding full of crazy rich drama."

This was my Kindle pick for the month, and one that I originally intended to just have going in the background, but I was quickly swept into the story and didn’t want to put it down!! This was such a cute romcom with a fun plot and a romance that I was wholly rooting for. The writing was also really good, not cringey like some Y/A romances are. I loved the differences between Dylan and Theo’s worlds: a humble family-run takeaway full of love and a passion for food, against the flashy world of the uber rich and famous - family feuds and grudges aplenty. The inclusion of Chinese culture and food was especially one of my favourite aspects of the book, not only was it really interesting to learn about, but the descriptions of food constantly made my mouth water! Overall, it was a really good read that brought me a lot of joy, and I’d recommend it if you’re looking for a lighthearted, fun romance with something a little bit special.

Remarkably Bright Creatures

Shelby Van Pelt

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

"After Tova Sullivan's husband died, she began working the night cleaner shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium. One night she meets Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus living at the aquarium who sees everything, but wouldn't dream of lifting one of his eight arms for his human captors - until he forms a remarkable friendship with Tova."

Honestly this book has been on my tbr for the last couple of years and I was so sure I was going to love it. And I did really enjoy it, but perhaps not as much as I thought I would.

I loved our main character of Tova, it’s really refreshing to follow someone different, someone older; it makes for a new perspective than most other books I read. The story felt slow and cosy and I enjoyed how the different aspects of the plot slotted together in the end. However, I wish Marcellus (the octopus) had been more prominent a character. Because despite being central to the story’s narrative, he wasn’t in it as much as I thought he would be. I also wish the mystery element of Tova's son's death was more mysterious, and that the book was a little faster at times. Having said all that, I found it it be heartwarming and a nice slice-of-life novel, telling the stories of real people with real lives. Overall, it was a good read but not my favourite.

Heartstopper Volume 3

Alice Oseman

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25

"Charlie didn't think Nick could ever like him back, but now they're officially boyfriends. Nick's even found the courage to come out to his mum. But coming out isn't just something that happens once - there's Nick's older brother, and a school trip to Paris, not to mention all the other friends and family - and life can be hard, even with someone who loves you by your side."

Heartstopper is such an adorable yet important graphic novel series, with the sweetest lgbtq+ relationships, whilst also managing to cover important topics. However, Volume 3 is definitely the lightest of them all. The Paris trip is an incredibly fun plotline, and it’s just so lovely to see all the characters having fun. The relationships are as usual, adorable, but especially Nick and Charlie, and Mr Ajayi and Mr Farouk (underrated couple fr). The friendships and found family aspects are equally heartwarming, and it's a series just full of queer joy and celebration. Such an enjoyable read and I can’t wait to read the next one!

Taylor Swift: Era by Era

Caroline Sullivan

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.75

"In this revealing and entertaining biography, author and music journalist Caroline Sullivan charts Taylor’s journey from budding country starlet to pop music phenomenon, encompassing her evolution as an artist. Each of Taylor’s Eras is explored in depth, detailing her influences, her collaborators and the aesthetics that have become such a crucial part of her performance"

Of course my birthday month had to include a Taylor Swift book! This was an incredible biography, and as a swiftie I could tell so much research had been done. My favourite part was definitely the first half, outlining the beginning of her career and how she went from a 12 year old with a dream to securing a record deal. It taught me so much I didn’t know and made me respect this incredible woman even more for her constant dedication. As the book went further into her career, it was more of a recap than a discovery, but I still enjoyed it. My only qualm was that despite being sectioned into eras, sometimes the author went on a tangent and discussed later or earlier events within eras where they didn’t belong. Other than that I thought it was brilliant - the only thing better would be an autobiography from Taylor herself - maybe she’ll do an Evelyn-Hugo-style tell-all one day!

The Art of Frozen 2

Jessica Julius

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

"Through never-before-seen development art, character sketches, storyboards, and color scripts, The Art of Frozen 2 gives fans a front-row view of the vast creative effort behind the epic sequel to Frozen."

Another non-fiction book, who am I? This was incredibly interesting: full of beautiful art, production sketches and details on the creation of the Disney movie Frozen 2. From concept designs of characters' outfits to animating a whole forest, this book was lush with details and background on the creation of an animated movie, especially the story and character progression that comes with creating a sequel. It was delightful to pore over the tiny details in the animation and design, and there are definitely a ton of things I'll be looking out for when I next watch the film! There are loads of these “Art of...” books for many Disney movies, and I’d definitely recommend giving them a try if you’re a Disney fan or an animation fan - the Tangled one is going on my Xmas list!

The Song of Achilles

Madeline Miller

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

"Greece in the age of heroes. Patroclus, an awkward young prince, has been exiled to the court of King Peleus and his perfect son Achilles. Despite their differences, Achilles befriends the shamed prince, and as they grow into young men skilled in the arts of war and medicine, their bond blossoms into something deeper. But when word comes that Helen of Sparta has been kidnapped, Achilles must go to war in distant Troy and fulfill his destiny."

Wow, truly wow. This book is just incredible, and after having read it, I can understand why everyone raves about Madeline Miller. Her writing style is a perfect mix of beautiful language and great storytelling: pretty, descriptive, heart-wrenching, and all at a great pace that moves you along with the story. I also loved the plot and the setting, and I think I'll definitely be reading Circe (her other novel) as well as more Greek-mythology-inspired books after this. It was epic and fierce, with characters that felt equal parts real and untouchable, a tender romance, and a beautifully tragic ending that had me sobbing non-stop for the last 40 pages. And although it wasn't quite 5-stars for me, I can honestly say that I loved reading it, and would absolutely recommend it!

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And that was November! Sadly no 5-star-reads here, but I did read six new books that I thoroughly enjoyed, so I'd call that a win! Apologies that this is once again late (are we surprised?) but I'm planning on writing December's wrap-up early so I can get that out asap in the new year. I'm also planning an end of year ranking mega-post, so keep an eye out for that. I hope you all have a fantastic holiday season! <3