November 2015 Reading Round-Up
Posted 2nd December 2015
Category: Round-Ups Genres: N/A
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November was busy, a very long month. I attended two events, Meike Ziervogel’s book launch and the Young Writer Of The Year blogger afternoon. I struggled through a mini slump but made it through. There were birthdays and anniversaries and of course all that pre-planning for Christmas. It was a great month, really, but I am looking forward to getting my weekends back. I’m currently on my 55th book so I’m going to aim for 60 but at this point in the year, anything’s a bonus.
The Books
Non-Fiction
Lisa Hilton: Elizabeth: Renaissance Prince – A look at the Tudor queen from the perspective of Kingship rather than Queenship. Good but lacks focus.
Fiction
Elizabeth Baines: Used To Be – A short story collection with the theme of different roads in life. Very, very good.
Nicola Cornick: House Of Shadows – A woman looking for her missing brother starts to unravel the mysteries her brother was working on at the time and finds out the house she’s always seen beyond the trees was destroyed years before she was born. Utterly superb.
Sara Taylor: The Shore – Short stories, interlocking, about different generations of a family. Excellent – full of twists and things you didn’t know you needed to know.
Poetry
Sarah Howe: Loop Of Jade – A collection of non-fictional and fictional tales, many based on the poet’s mother’s life as an unwanted daughter in China. Super.
I didn’t realise it until I wrote this list but all my books have been stellar this month. The only one I wasn’t so keen on was the non-fiction but even that wasn’t bad. Without a doubt my favourite was House Of Shadows; it’s likely it’ll be on my best of list. The Howe is right up there too, with its literary and intellectual aura. I’m enjoying reading my first award shortlist, I’ve never followed an award before and certainly never read any shortlisted or longlisted books before a prize has been awarded.
Quotation Report
None this time.
well, it seems it’s the most wonderful time of the year. It’s also pretty mild which is lovely and great for heating bills, even if it’s not particularly festive. (Hearing Elton John singing ‘step into Christmas’ in Britain, when there are still one or two people in shorts, is a bit mind-boggling.)
What was your favourite read this month? And do you have any Christmas book recommendations?
December 3, 2015, 9:43 pm
You’ve had a really good, mixed reading month – with non-fiction, fiction and poetry. I love the sound of Elizabeth: Renaissance Prince and House Of Shadows. My favourite November read has to be Jamaica Inn by Daphne du Maurier. Happy reading in December :-)
December 6, 2015, 6:28 pm
Yay for a fantastic November, but it’s always good to know you’ve got some time to yourself coming up too. I didn’t really have a favourite this month, but I’m hoping December will greet me with something excellent.
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December 3, 2015, 1:31 am
Looks like a good month for books to me! :-) Happy December!