November Wrap-Up

Maid by Stephanie Land -4⭐️- This book forced me to pause and think about how lucky and grateful I am. This book was WILDLY stressful to read (and I've heard the TV show is the same), and it was incredibly well written and I love how the author structured the book.

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath -3.5⭐️- When I read this, I found it a bit hard to get into Plath's writing style (maybe because she's a poet)?! The subject matter felt very provocative for its time (with its stark depiction of depression and suicide), and the unfortunate realities of young women dealing with mental illness at the time.

Fresh by Margot Wood - 3⭐️- A fun coming-of-age story about a bisexual woman starting college, A cute and fun read!

The Witches Are Coming by Lindy West - 4⭐️- Lindy is one of my favourite writers. This is the last of her books I have to read, and I've been saving it!! The one thing that had me wincing at first was because there was soooo many mentions of Trump, which, I get it because him and his cronies kind of inspired this book. After the first few essays they became much more enjoyable to read!

Empire of Pain by Patrick Radden Keefe - 5⭐️- I really didn’t think that a book on the intersection of pharmaceuticals and e-commerce would hook me in as much as it did, but I couldn’t put it down. It reads almost like a family drama and suspenseful thriller. It was equal parts fascinating + horrifying the length these people went to do what they did, and took no accountability for the impact they had and showed no remorse. This is a must-read and an incredible piece of investigative journalism.

No One Is Talking About This by Patricia Lockwood - 3⭐️- A quirky, Black Mirror-esque novel on one's obsession with the internet (namely, Twitter and the viral but inside joke-like events that happen on that platform) and how a real-life tragedy pulls her out of it. I don't think I was in the right headspace to appreciate this much as much as I could have!

My Body by Emily Ratajkowski - 3.5⭐️- I was surprised at how well-written this memoir was, but felt it drew a fine line between her own self-awareness/deprecation and entitlement/privilege.

The Girl I Was by Jeneva Rose - 5⭐️- A coming-of-age story where the MC goes back in time and meets her 18-year-old self? My dream book. It was funny, real, emotional and fantastical. I read it in two sittings, and felt so good after I read it. This one is going on my list of top books of the year for sure!

Five Little Indians by Michelle Good - 4⭐️- I have been thinking for weeks about how to review this book and I really don't know how to. It's an unforgettable look at kids who try to reintegrate back into society after residential school. A definite must read.

The Golden Couple by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen - 3.5⭐- What a really gripping novel! I listened to this one on audio (mostly), and I loved the alternating perspectives and how you couldn't trust any of the characters. I did find some parts of the 'twist' and the end a bit far-fetched but enjoyed the whole lead up so much that it didn't bother me too much.

Part of Your World by Abby Jimenez - 4⭐️- I really liked Alexis and Daniel, their relationship, and their friends. Felt like it could have been 50ish pages shorter, and sometimes I felt the one sentence as its own paragraph back to back to back was a bit eye-rolly, but I really liked this story and the real-world challenges Alexis and Daniel faced.

Eight Perfect Hours by Lia Louis - 2⭐️- To be honest, I found this one boring and could not get into it. I wish I DNFed it.