2023 Monthly Reading Wrap-Up: November

Hi! Comin' atcha from 2024. November and the books I read during that time feel so. far. away. I'll have two blog posts coming back-to-back, if I have the time (this one and the one for December). No reading stats in these because it's just extra effort I don't feel like giving.

I also haven't made a 2024 reading list/post yet. That may not even come until later in the month. We'll see, man. It's been a weird last few months. My husband lost his mom in September and then his grandmother at the end of November. It's been a lot. The holidays have been a lot. I'm ready for the quiet time that January will hopefully bring.

I hope the holidays were okay for you. If they weren't, I'm right there with you and send you my love. But, right now, you're here for book reviews. So let's do that, shall we? (Oh, also, on my GoodReads, it says that I read and finished David Yezzi's Late Romance. I will not be reviewing that, or any St. Martin's titles or imprints due to the readers strike happening). I think there are only two or three titles that I read in the last two months that I won't mention, but I still wanted to give you a heads up!

These Violent Delights by Micah Nemerever

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Shelves: Historical Fiction, LGBTQIA+, Modern Literature

Review: As soon as I finished These Violent Delights, the first thing that came to mind for a review was: sad gays. This is dark academia, this is unlikeable main characters and a toxic relationship, this is violence and a bleak setting, this is the sadness and darkness that can be all-consuming about the human spirit. And even though I can get down with those things, for some reason, this book was also just . . . fine.

When I tried to read the physical book, I had a hard time focusing. When I switched to the audiobook, I had a hard time caring. These boys, Julian and Paul, are a mere 17 years old and even though this is set in the 1970s, they just feel so much older most of the time. And yet, some of the conversations they have paired with their actions remind you of their age. And, for some reason, I have a hard time with books that do that. I understand people can be precocious, but this felt borderline unbelievable for me. And by the time I got to the end of the book, I couldn't wait for it to be over and for this very toxic, very masochistic relationship dynamic to end.

Not quite the book I hoped it would be, but I can understand how some of the dark academia girlies would love it.

Late Romance: Anthony Hecht--A Poet's Life by David Yezzi

Rating: N/A

Shelves: ARC, Nonfiction, Memoir-Biography, Poetry, History

Review: I am currently boycotting St. Martin's Press and its lack of taking a stand against its racist, harmful employee who spoke lies against Palestinians being murdered by Israel. Therefore, this review has been extremely shortened.

While this book was dense at times, it was super interesting to read about a poet who has clearly been very influential in American literature but that I had never heard about before this. Enjoyable!

This was an eARC provided to me on NetGalley and a physical copy later came in the mail. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me advanced reader access in exchange for an honest review. This title publishes November 7, 2023.

Black Water Sister by Zen Cho

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Shelves: Book Club, Fantasy, LGBTQIA+

Review: Black Water Sister was refreshing in its setting and main character, and overall concept. Mostly, the main reason it didn't rate higher for me came down to a plot that felt a bit chaotic and unfocused. I had a hard time paying attention or caring a lot about what was happening. The description of this book uses buzz words about our MC because she's a lesbian who hasn't come out to her parents yet, and so part of me thought that would play a bigger part in the story than it actually did.

I liked that this was set in Malaysia, and I'm glad I listened to the audiobook rather than reading the physical book. The dialogue reminded me a lot of Crazy Rich Asians in that there are certain phrases, expressions, and lilts of tone that have to be heard in order to understand the context. If I were reading the physical book, I don't think I would have picked up on everything.

Overall, though, I'm glad I read it. It was interesting and paranormal without being too dark, and weaved in Malaysian deities and culture that I was happy to learn and read about.

The Year of the Witching by Alexis Henderson

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25

Shelves: Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Horror-Thriller

Review: I really enjoyed my time with The Year of the Witching and so hope we get the sequel soon! When I first heard about this book, I thought it was set in puritanical New England, but this is actually a fictitious setting that recalls that period. It has very much Nathaniel Hawthorne and Margaret Atwood vibes, but with a person of color as the main character and a swoony love interest that will make you fall in love with him. I think Henderson's descriptive writing is some of the best out there right now--it was so rich with imagery and details, I could picture everything so vividly. It was delightful for my brain while I was reading.

There were a few things about this book that left me scratching my head (Immanuelle seemed like someone that was hardly paid attention to, but by the end of the book, she was the biggest deal? Some of the rationalities used and magic system details were v confusing to me, etc.), but I overall liked the story, I liked the plot and the way the magic system worked. I liked the ways our characters grew throughout the book. I really enjoyed the ways that Henderson spoke about feminism through the lens of this strict religious society. Some of it was pretty heavy-handed, but sometimes you need that to get your point across for readers.

If you want something for spooky season, this is a fantastic recommendation. Very atmospheric, witchy, dark, and bloody. I'm so happy I read it!

Where the Deer and the Antelope Play: The Pastoral Observations of One Ignorant American Who Loves to Walk Outside by Nick Offerman

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Shelves: Comedy, Environmental, Memoir-Biography, Nonfiction

Review: I get where a lot of the criticism for this book comes from. I think the overall messages that Offerman is trying to convey are important and should be topics that we're discussing on a bigger scale: food production and land management, making decisions both personally and politically that reach for a sustainable future and help us be good stewards of the world, including marginalized voices on a much larger scale where decisions about these things are being made, etc. There are a lot of great conversation starters within his book, a lot of topics that spark deeper engagement with the world around us, and challenge us to reexamine how we look at the world. He challenges readers to see beyond the lens of comfort that we're used to living in, and in doing so, that perspective shift can help us be better citizens, neighbors, and people overall.

The reasons this didn't rate higher for me land within a general lack of a strong structure. The book is broken up into three parts, and organized by an experience hiking with his friends, the time he spent on a farm in the Lake District in England, and an RV trip through the west that he took with his wife. Within those sections, there are stories about each of these experiences, but then within those, Offerman flashes back and forth on political or personal soapboxes. He's a comedian, so I think listening to the audiobook helped in putting his tone into the right context, but a lot of what he wrote about didn't feel like it was thoughtfully arranged or chosen. Moreso that he was writing a book and these were the things he has been personally thinking about a lot and so he threw them within the pages of this book. Again, are they worthy topics to be pondering? Yes. But there is a lack of what felt like intentionality that would have made his overall points stronger with a little more focus. And, then, of course, what's been touched on a lot already: his privilege. He acknowledges this, but there were parts that felt a little out of touch even if his intentions are in the right place.

He's a fantastic writer, though. His word play, alliteration, and general imagery within the book were all incredible. It was mostly fun and engaging, entertaining and thought-provoking. But I still can't believe that, when this came out, I saw a local bookseller suggesting this as a Christmas gift to give to dads if you don't want something political. This is most definitely political. Land and food are political. Offerman is liberal. If your dad isn't, I don't know how long he'd last reading these pages (although there are points that I wish I could show my family, and say, "See?!").

If you're an Offerman fan, I suggest mentally preparing for soapbox soliloquies, but highly recommend listening to the audiobook. If you're a fan of our national parks, land use, food production, and celebrity memoirs overall, then yes. Pick this one up. But again, prepare yourself for some disjointed, meandering stories.

Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative by Austin Kleon

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25

Shelves: Nonfiction

Review: I really liked Steal Like an Artist. I picked this book up because of my own art practice--I'm a point in it when I feel like I should be finding my voice in the things I create, but being scared to pick a lane and nervous about getting bored, or feeling boxed in in what I make. So I appreciated the honest, light-hearted approach that the author took with this book.

Is the information new? Some of it was, yes. But even the stuff you may know (inherently or otherwise) still feels like a soothing balm if you're struggling with your creativity. It helped me feel more comfortable in doing what I love, trying new things, and even entertaining the thought of choosing a style of work to perfect.

If you need the artistic or creative pick-me-up, this is a nice, quick little book to tuck into.