Everything I Read in November (With Reviews)

Anyone looking for a new book? Well I have some recs for you! I didn’t read a ton this November but I did read really enjoy some of the books I read (especially the holiday ones!). Here’s a recap of everything I read last month.

A Mouthful of Air- This one wasn’t an enjoyable read for me but it made me a think a lot afterwards. The book tells the story of Julie, a young mother struggling with postpartum depression. We meet her shortly after her suicide attempt and right before her son’s first birthday. After she returns home she tries her hardest to appreciate family life but the birth of her second child shortly after pushes her deeper into her depression.

I’m having a hard time forming an opinion on this one. I didn’t like way it was written but I’m sure it was written in that style intentionally to convey Julie’s mental state - that her memories and experiences were disjointed and unreliable.

I really appreciated how the author chose to make her main character Julie a wealthy white woman with all the resources in the world to show that depression is a disease that can affect anyone regardless of their situation. I think maternal health and depression are such important topics to discuss that although I didn’t enjoy the read, I’m glad the book was written and I’m still eager to see the movie.

Sleigh Bells Ring - Let the cozy holiday reading begin! I read Sleigh Bells Ring over a weekend in early November and it was exactly what I hoped it would be. I started reading RaeAnne Thayne books last year and they’ve become such a enjoyable escape for me. They’re oh so wholesome and sweet, which isn’t something I usually look for, but they’ve become my comfort Hallmark-ish books.

Christmas In Peachtree Bluff - In the fourth installment of the Peachtree Bluff series the Murphy women are once again all together to celebrate the holidays even with the storm of the century quickly approaching. However instead of making it out safely before the storm arrives some of the Murphy clan must stick it out in their beloved coastal village. But after 3 books learning about the Murphy women, we know nothing can stand in the way of family and they’ll stop at nothing to help each other out.

I’ve been a huge fan of this series since the beginning and was thrilled to see a holiday book! What I love the most about the series is how Kristy Woodson Harvey created characters with such depth that we can all relate to and root for. They feel like real women with real flaws and fears. There is something for everyone: cross-generational love stories, women trying to figure out what they want for their lives, an Insta-worthy mother in the middle of a divorce, the largest hurricane since 1916 and of course the holiday season complete with lit up wreaths and sparkly lights!

Christmas in Vermont - Are you a fan of re-reading books? Usually I am not but with the holidays quickly approaching I felt like revisiting Christmas in Vermont, a book I loved so much last year. While I still thoroughly enjoyed the Hallmarky Vermont romance, it lost a little bit of its charm the second time around. Maybe it was because I wasn’t swept up in the “small snowy town, single woman revisiting her first true love and saving a small business at the same time” charm as I was the first time? Or maybe I just don’t like rereading?

I still totally recommend this delightful book about Emma, recently single and feeling lost, who visits a small Vermont inn knowing her first love will be there in hopes of rekindling their romance.

Local Woman Missing - I picked up Local Woman Missing at the library on a whim, knowing nothing about it, and read it all yesterday (which is pretty impressive when you still have to parent a 4 year old!). I was totally hooked a few chapters in and NEEDED to know what happened, hence why I stayed up way too late and let my kid watch a movie just so I could read.

I of course went to Good Reads after I finished to see what other people thought of it. Most reviews were very positive and similar to mine but I was so surprised by the intensity of some peoples criticism that “the plot wasn’t possible.” After thinking about it I can say that no, it’s not the most realistic scenario and it would only happen in books (thank goodness!), but I was all in and couldn’t have cared less if this exact plot could actually happen.

If you’re not familiar with this one, it’s the story of a woman who goes missing while running. A few days later another woman and her daughter disappear but 11 years later the daughter reappears and people try to piece together the mystery of what happened. I really, really enjoyed this one and will definitely be checking out her other books.

Rules For Dating a Bookshop Owner - This cute book tells the story of Campbell Harrison, a young woman who ran away from her problems to a small town where she decides to open a bookshop. Enter the complicated and handsome firefighter Bishop Graham and of course sparks fly but not without some serious complications. Can they both learn to let down their guard for long enough to give their relationship a chance? This book was written by a bookstagrammer turned novelist so that’s also really fun!

Happy reading!

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