What I Read in November
Last month I officially hit my goal of reading 100 books for the year, something I didn’t think I would do. I had never really counted my books until I joined GoodReads, so it’s been fun tracking my monthly progress (add me as a friend here). While I don’t know what my final book count will be for the year, this month was another great month for fun reads. I read a great book recommended by a friend, and decided to tackle a few more non-fiction selections than I typically would, especially since I read so many thrillers last month. Keep reading for my round-up :)
what i read in november
the moonlight child by karen mcquestion
4/5 stars
While it’s marketed is a thriller, I’d say this book is more of a suspenseful, gritty drama. The author tugs at your heartstrings and goes for emotional punches over jump-scares and impulsive acts of violence.
This is very well-written, especially for a Kindle Unlimited book. The characters are vivid, layered, and you really develop an emotional connection to quite a few of them.
The growing tension makes this hard to put down, but the last third leaned a little too far into “Lifetime movie” territory for me. That didn’t necessarily take away from the overall quality of the book or ability to enjoyment, but showed that the book starts out very strong but tapers a little towards the end.
I do wish that there was a little more closure at the end, especially since it was a multi-POV book. However, I still highly recommend it for the heartfelt relationships and think it would be a great holiday break read for those who want something they can connect with that isn’t happy-go-lucky.
Read it here (free through Kindle Unlimited).
don’t look now by mary burton
4.5/5 stars
This is a highly-rated Kindle Unlimited thriller jumps right in, featuring a strong female lead and easy-to-follow-storyline. The author writes both thrillers and romance novels, o this has a little bit of everything - suspense, twists, difficult sister relationship, work drama, and romance - without feeling too spread-out or convoluted.
While aspects of the crimes committed by the serial killer are gruesome, this wasn’t the heaviest thriller that I’ve read. What made this unique and hard to put down is that the main character loses her vision after being attacked by the serial killer. Reading about how she needs to adapt to a new way of living while the killer is still on the loose added intensity, was emotionally gripping, and kept this from being a run-of-the-mill police procedural.
I was able to guess who the killer was at about the halfway mark, but I still liked the pacing and sequence of events. I can see why this is so highly rated, and definitely recommend it if you’re looking for a thriller that reads like an episode of Law and Order with hints of Criminal Minds.
Read it here (free through Kindle Unlimited).
the mountain is you: transforming self-sabotage into self-mastery by briana wiest
5/5 stars
This self-help book is all about self-sabotage; It appeals to personal habits, daily choices, and the patterns that leave us “stuck” rather than deep-rooted trauma or conditions like anxiety or depression.
That being said, this book is very straightforward and direct. It’s about accountability, honest self-reflection, and your role in your life. The main chapters divide into short sections that cover concepts and theories, followed by practical advice and lists of action steps you can take.
ex: How to Get Out of Denial (p. 20), Learning to Validate Your Feelings (p. 188), Creating Aligned Goals (p. 212)
It’s easy to follow, and there’s a lot to highlight and reflect on. I was concerned that this would seem like it’s written for social media sharing, but there’s depth to it. I plan to read it again, as I think it’s one of those books that will speak to you in a different way each time you read it.
Favorite quotes:
“Your mountain requires you to reconcile two parts of you: the conscious and the unconscious, the part of you that is aware of what you want and the part of you that is not aware of why you are still holding yourself back.” (p. 6)
“When you habituate yourself to do things that move your life forward, you call them skills. When they hold your life back, you call them self-sabotage. They are both essentially the same function.” (p. 27)
“You cannot get rid of the coping mechanisms and think you've solved the problem.” (p. 31)
“The variable here is you. The common denominator is whether or not you shift your foundational perspective on the world and how you behave within it.” (p. 195)
“The most effective and healthy way to change your life is slowly. If you need instant gratification, make the goal the tiny step you take each day. Over time, momentum will build, and you'll realize that you're miles from where you started.” (p. 228)
Read it here.
the new house by tess stimson
4/5 stars
Another highly rated Kindle Unlimited thriller, I was intrigued by the real estate plot, and wanted to see if it would add high-stakes tension without being cheesy.
This thriller did not disappoint. It’s dark and almost too graphic at times, reminiscent of a horror novel. The vlogger character adds levity to keep it from being too heavy, and that aspect reminded me of “A Simple Favor.” The twists aren’t cheap, and continue to the very last page.
I think the term “psychological thriller” can get thrown around a lot, but this really fits the bill. The author explores psychopathy and sociopathy vividly and realistically; it definitely makes you think about human nature.
I could not put this down and finished it in a day. I found this book to be engaging, dark, and one of the best Kindle Unlimited thrillers that I’ve read this year. It is dark though, so check the TWs first.
Read it here (free through Kindle Unlimited).
the anti-heroes by jenn lancaster
3.5/5 stars
This is a fun, lighthearted story about a group of strangers becoming friends and confronting their fears. It’s definitely cheesy, but heartwarming and endearing, too.
The writing was a little too trendy and felt very 2024; I don’t know how well this book will age, which is a shame since the message behind it is quite sweet and I love how it highlighted adult friendships.
While it’s a short book (less than 250 pages), it felt a little slow and repetitive at times.
Overall, this is not a very deep book and the characters themselves seem a little self-centered at times, but I liked this for the moments that shine a light on the ways in which we self-sabotage and disconnect from our true self. Focus on the big themes and life lessons and I think you’ll enjoy the book, too; if you get distracted by the cheesiness, you will probably hate it, to be honest.
Read it here.
can i say that?: how unsafe questions lead us to the real God by brenna blain
4/5 stars
This is a faith disrupter in the best way, and not for everyone. It’s thought-provoking to its core, because with a lot of non-fiction books, I go into it with the mindset of “take what resonates and leaves the rest,” but Blain argues that situational Christianity is a farce. There are a few points made in this book that I didn’t agree with, which has led me to question if I’m hearing from God directly or being distracted by culture, and in that sense, I think the book does exactly what it sets out to do.
Written in a conversational tone, this is raw and vulnerable. No topic is off limits - mental health, questioning faith, sexuality, etc.
This book made me appreciate community, and want to build a stronger network.
Favorite quotes:
“I had to learn what God's voice sounded like and how to cry out consistently. What once felt hard became only odd, and what once was odd became muscle memory. This new skill of reliance would bring me to Jesus day in and day out.” (p. 48)
“The best and kindest person you know is just as sinful as the person in your life who has hurt you the most. There is no hierarchy where sin is concerned. It levels all of us.” (p. 71)
“I believe if we begin to accept God's love, it will change us. And as we change, God might use us for something beyond ourselves.” (p. 134)
“We live in the now and the not yet, where victory over sin and death has been won. But we still exist in a broken world where sin, pain, and suffering exist, where death plunders and sickness steals and the Enemy destroys.” (p. 178)
Read it here.
find me in california by kerry lonsdale
2/5 stars
To be honest, I still don’t know quite to make of this book and almost omitted it from this post. While some of my reviews will be lukewarm in nature, I try to not post about any books I hate because I don’t think they’re constructive or helpful. Rather, my intention is to share fair and honest review about books that were overall enjoyable with some pitfalls to help you all decide if it’s worth reading.
That being said, this was strange. I liked how it was structured so you could follow along with what happened each day. The multi-POV was necessary for the plot, but didn’t feel choppy. The story itself flys by and it’s an easy read.
I did not like the hallucination aspect, and thought it took away from the seriousness of the book, but the story wouldn’t have unfolded the same way without it.
I liked the overall themes of the book - forgiveness, the intricacies of life, and the complexities of grief. There were a couple of great quotes sprinkled throughout, but I almost felt like you had to get through the rest of the book in order to get to them.
This book had tons of potential, but it never fully reached it for me and I didn’t connect with it (or the characters) like I thought I would. For an endearing story that pulls at your heartstrings, I’d recommend The Pelican Tide instead.
Read it here (free through Kindle Unlimited).
the paris apartment by lucy foley
3/5 stars
This is a signature Lucy Foley thriller with lots of characters, but it’s easy to follow along and keep track of who is who.
I’d consider this to be a mystery as opposed to a thriller; it’s inquisitive but not suspenseful. Overall, I found it to be a little dull plot-wise, but even if I was really into it, there aren’t many moments of heightened tension that make it hard to put down.
It’s not as over-the-top as The Guest List. The apartment building setting is fun, but I still felt like the author could have done a little more with it. I also wish there was a little more character development; things never got as deep as I’d expected, especially for how drawn out it was at times.
Read it here.
the silent watcher by victor methos
4/5 stars
This is a new Kindle Unlimited thriller available to read on December 1. It’s part police procedural, part legal drama. The main character is a guardian ad litem, which I really enjoyed as you don’t see it too often in legal thrillers. It provided a different perspective and was a refreshing change of pace from the typical prosecutor vs defense attorney narrative.
While the story is set in Vegas, it doesn’t feel cheesy or overdone; it focuses more on the seedy outskirts of Vegas as opposed to the flashy Vegas strip.
It’s gritty and has a handful of creepy moments, but overall, it wasn’t as scary or intense as I thought it would be.
I’ve found Kindle Unlimited series to be hit or miss, as they can drag on too long and lose their quality, but this book sets the stage for a promising progression and I can’t wait for the next one.
Read it here (free through Kindle Unlimited).
choose your story, change your life by kindra hall
4/5 stars
Overall, this is a great self-help book. It’s not too out there, but also a little more engaging and anecdotal than a stepwise self-improvement book.
The author outlines a solid formula for identifying, processing, and changing the stories in your life that don’t serve you. That being said, once you get it, you get it, and the book then feels a little repetitive and drawn out, even though it’s only 250 pages.
I liked that the author divided the book into two parts. Part one goes over the concepts, and the second half gives specific examples as they pertain to life categories like health, money, relationships, and family. While I learned something from every chapter, the second half can be skipped entirely, or you can pick and choose different sections that pertain the most to what you’re working on.
Lastly, the author intentionally omitted any type of journal section from the book. I agreed with her thought process, as those sections sometimes feel unnecessary or half-hearted, but I think it would have been helpful given the topics of this book.
Favorite quotes and takeaways:
The idea that we tell ourselves stories has ties to both confirmation and negative biases. It’s not necessarily about how stories make us feel good or bad; it’s that they inform our view of the world and how we act as a result. This then ties back to the golem effect, which describes how low expectations lead to poorer results. Negative stories = direct negative impact on our lives (p. 20-22, 25-26).
Storytelling is infused in our lives in this formula: event —> story —> response —> result (p. 36)
“Potential can be a cruel master, and goals have a way of highlighting its power. Potential is fleeting. It's ambiguous. By definition, you never quite reach it. Skills enable new skills. Accomplishments enable newer, larger accomplishments. Confidence begets greater confidence. Your potential is an ever-moving signpost that is wonderful for helping you grow, but terrible if you never celebrate that growth by looking back at the stories that show you just how far you've come. Choosing the right stories and putting them on repeat helps shore up the flaws that are inherently wired into goals, and as a result, wired into our professional lives.” (p. 149)
“The first place to start installing better stories is anytime you find yourself telling a story of why you can’t.” (p. 151)
“Action in the right direction can be tough, especially if your life feels a bit like a minefield of triggers to throw you off course. In those moments, have your chosen stories ready - stories to remind you where you want to go and why.” (p. 177)
“The feeling of freedom when you are able to untangle your story from someone else's and find ways for both of them to exist as they are is worth every ounce of effort. (p. 207)
Read it here (free through Kindle Unlimited).
