November 2022 – Fangirl Fury

And just like that, we’re at the end of November! This month was a great blend of cozying up with some good books and celebrating the holidays & also having good weekend plans. I went into the city twice to see Beetlejuice on Broadway (so worth going to see before it closes on Broadway!) & for a hockey game.

It also brought one of my favorite times of the year, Goodreads Choice Awards season. I know that there’s a lot of relevant conversations bout how exactly Goodreads chooses the finalists & how books are categorized by which genere., but I can’t help but look forward to voting each round!

I started holiday reading with Just Like Magic by Sarah Hogle (love!), Jenny Bayliss’s Meet Me Under the Mistletoe -perfect for readers who love books with a big cast of characters, as a friend group reunites in a English castle/estate for two of the friends’ wedding, set during the holiday season-, and Once Upon a December by Amy E.Reichert – very unique, set at the Milwaukee Christmas market and features a romance between a woman and a man whose family *magically* travels from Christmas market to market around the world.

My favorite books of November where Things You Save in a Fire by Katherine Center, Part of Your World by Abby Jimenez (I voted for Book Lovers, but so sad it didn’t make the final round for the Goodreads Choice Awards!), Just Like Magic by Sarah Hogle, When Stars are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed, and Mr.Perfect on Paper by Jean Meltzer.

Another day of catching you up on my recent reads! Over the two weeks, I’ve been delving into some adult contemporary – I guess some are considered women’s fiction, but I‘m not a fan of that label…and spoiler for a new-to-me author below, but I feel like Katherine Center is more contemporary, but on the edge of contemporary romance?? – my first holiday read of the season, a short story collection from my favorite beach read author, a new YA book, and an amazing graphic novel geared towards younger readers, but perfect for readers of all ages.

Just Like Magic by Sarah Hogle – I decided while giving out candy on Halloween that it was time for me to dive into holiday books this season, starting with Just Like Magic! Sarah Hogle’s Just Like Magic follows a woman, Bettie, whose life is not the one of luxury she previously had or promotes on her social media accounts. When she drunkenly plays Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas” on her vinyl, a mishap leads the holiday spirt, Hall, to appear and help Bettie get through the holidays with her family. Sarah Hogle’s books have this sense of quirkiness that I love – it did take me the first 50 pages or so to really settle into Just Like Magic – Bettie isn’t the most likable MC – but I love its humor and quirkiness, as Bettie spends the holiday with Hall and her over-the-top family. Overall, the book is unique but has many of the holiday tropes we’re all looking for this time of year. My Rating: 4/5 Stars

Fangirl Fury

Tag: November 2022

November 2022 Wrap Up

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