November Wrap Up 2020

Disclosure: November Wrap Up 2020 contains affiliate links. I’m an affiliate for Blackwell’s and BookShop UK, so this post contains affiliate links to their sites. If you buy a book via my links, I’ll earn a small commission at no extra cost to you – thank you! Titles with an asterisk* were received free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Hello and welcome to my November wrap up! We’ve plodded through most of 2020 and now Christmas and the New Year are in sight. Who knows what 2021 will bring, but no doubt it will continue to bring great books if nothing else!

Usually I do two separate wrap ups for print and audiobooks, but my November wrap up is going to be an all-in-one. For Christmas this year, I decided I would cross stitch all of my family’s gifts. I don’t regret it, but it’s a LOT of stitching, so my audiobook consumption has gone through the roof this month. I usually average around 15 physical books and 4 to 5 audiobooks a month. This month I read 9 physical books and a whopping 8 audiobooks. Almost half and half!

Since it’s very difficult to find audiobooks of translated fiction, I’ve readjusted my translation goal slightly. Now instead of 50% translations overall, I’m focusing on an equal balance of translated and non-translated works with the print books I read. I’m picking up alternating translated and non-translated, and not worrying about trying to keep up with audiobooks as well. Reading goals should never be stressful, and trying to match my translations to my audiobooks as well as non-translated physical books was becoming stressful. At the end of the day, it’s only a reading goal and no one cares about it except for me!

Anyways, onto my November wrap up!

November Wrap Up Favourites

Becoming by Michelle Obama (narrated by the author)

I know I’m late to the party, only reading Michelle’s book two years after its publication but it was worth the wait! I’ve always admired Michelle Obama, but this book made me full on obsessed with her. She has lived such an incredible life, and she’s just an amazing woman! Although it was fascinating to hear about life in the White House, my favourite part was hearing about her career beforehand. As someone who still isn’t sure where their life is headed, it was extremely comforting to learn that MICHELLE OBAMA was in the same boat. And of course, I loved hearing about her relationship with Barack. Couple goals, honestly. I will definitely listen to A Promised Land too, but I want to spread out the Obama love!

Buy Becoming at Blackwell’s

There But For The by Ali Smith

I picked up an Ali Smith for the Scottish Readathon which took place in November – any excuse to read a new-to-me Smith! This book felt like classic Ali Smith magic. She takes the everyday, the mundane, and makes it magical. She’s astute, playful and witty, and depicts contemporary British society with a flawless combination of the three. Sometimes it’s hard to put my finger on exactly what I love about her work, but I always get just a feeling when I read her books that’s hard to find with other authors!

Buy There But For The at Blackwell’s

Ladivine by Marie NDiaye, tr. Jordan Stump

Is there anything better than finding a new author with a healthy backlist to obsess over? Ladivine was my first book by Marie NDiaye, and I promptly added all of her other titles to my Christmas wish-list. This book follows three generations of women living in France, exploring mother-daughter relationships and the way trauma can be passed down through generations. There was such an oppressive atmosphere reigning through the book. I had to slow down to fully appreciate NDiaye’s unique style, masterfully translated by Jordan Stump. But it’s worth the extra concentration, as she draws you in to this slightly surreal, claustrophobic, introspective world.

Buy Ladivine at Bookshop UK

Other Print Books

There’s No Such Thing As an Easy Job by Kikuko Tsumura, tr. Polly Barton*

This was an almost-favourite of my November wrap up! If the last two jobs hadn’t dragged on a little bit, then it definitely would have been. As it stands, it’s one of those books which makes the mundane and dull utterly compelling. Tsumura examines the need to be seen as a productive member of society, through a series of jobs undertaken by our protagonist. It’s not a book for those who need lots of action, but for something introspective and a little different, give this one a try.

Buy There’s No Such Thing As an Easy Job at Blackwell’s

The Stone Sky by N.K. Jemisin

After reading The Fifth Season in July, this is the quickest I’ve completed a trilogy in YEARS. Which is of course a testament to how compelling The Broken Earth trilogy is. N.K. Jemisin has crafted a masterpiece here, and this rich series of books deserves to be read more than once. In The Stone Sky, we’re taken further back in history to see how the world she created came to be. There are plenty of jaw-dropping, skin-crawling moments, as well as the heartbreak you’d expect from the last in a trilogy. Read The Fifth Season now.

Buy The Stone Sky at Blackwell’s

The Inugami Curse by Seishi Yokomizo, tr. Yumiko Yamakazi*

It’s been an age since I was engrossed in a good murder mystery. The Inugami Curse was exactly what I needed for the last weekend of November. I spent most of Saturday ensconced in a blanket, wondering what the next plot twist would be and trying (and failing) to spot clues and red herrings. It was written in the 50s and set in the 40s, so some things haven’t aged so well (a woman’s ravishing beauty is constantly referenced), but the mystery itself is riveting and intricately plotted.

Buy The Inugami Curse at Blackwell’s

The Woman of the Wolf and Other Stories by Renée Vivien, tr. Karla Jay & Yvonne M. Klein*

Pitched as a sapphic collection of fantastical tales from a forgotten British-French author, I had high hopes for this book. They were not exactly met. This collection does have some gems, including a woman who rides a crocodile, but overall I felt underwhelmed.

Buy The Woman of the Wolf at Blackwell’s

Ghana Must Go by Taiye Selasi

This one of my Top Picks recommended by The StoryGraph! I was worried at first since the first 80 pages are rough-going, it can’t be denied. But I pushed through at the advice of Roxane Gay’s review, and I’m glad I did! Once I settled into Selasi’s rhythm, I couldn’t look away from this complex family saga. It explores themes of belonging, identity, class and immigration.

Buy Ghana Must Go at Blackwell’s

The Farm by Joanne Ramos

This book gets a lot of mixed reviews. I think it’s because Ramos toes the line between thriller and literary fiction. There is intrigue and some action, but there’s also a lot of reflection. I think a lot of people were expecting more of a dystopian thriller from the marketing, but I much preferred the quieter themes of immigration, motherhood, racism and class.

Buy The Farm at Blackwell’s

Catherine The Great and The Small by Olja Knežević, tr. by Ellen Elias-Bursać & Paula Gordon*

I’ve never read anything set in Montenegro before, so I was fascinated by the glimpse into its history offered by this book! The history and politics of Montenegro plays out behind the personal story of the main character Katarina. I did prefer the first half of this book (‘The Small’), which detailed Katarina’s coming-of-age, but it is quite a strong read overall.

Buy Catherine the Great and the Small at Blackwell’s

Other Audiobooks

The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune*

Oh, this book. Another near favourite, this book is just a sheer delight. A hug in a book. A much-needed soothing balm for the soul in these trying times. It’s a fantasy about magical children, yes, but it’s also a commentary on our very real fear of the unknown and different. I’m also always here for a queer romance between two older people. It’s not just young folk who deserve to find love in books! If you’re in need of a serotonin boost, this book is for you.

Buy a physical copy of The House in the Cerulean Sea at Blackwell’s

Scythe by Neal Shusterman

This is one of those books that I enjoyed while reading but didn’t leave a massive impression weeks later. I rarely read high-octane, action-packed books, and I’d definitely say this book falls under that category. The characters are pretty well-rounded, but plot definitely takes precedence here. The concept of this series is super intriguing though (people can’t die and the scythes are needed to keep the population under control), and I will likely continue with the trilogy!

Buy a physical copy of Scythe at Blackwell’s

Apple: Skin to the Core by Eric Gansworth*

Another pick for Non-Fiction November, and a great one at that! In his memoir-in-verse Eric Gansworth explores what it meant to grow up Indigenous through a pop culture lens. The print book includes illustrations and photos which would have been nice to see, but I don’t feel like I missed out too much. I love listening to books in verse read by the author, so that more than made up for the missing illustrations. There are difficult topics addressed, including residential schools and racism, but it’s important not to look away from it.

Buy a physical copy of Apple: Skin to the Core at Blackwell’s

Sia Martinez and the Moonlit Beginning of Everything by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland*

Look at me reading science fiction! I binge-listened to this YA sci-fi over two days. With 224 tracks, it was all too easy to just keep listening and squeezing in more chapters while I did little chores around the house. Some of the chapters were a tiny bit melodramatic – you know the type of YA chapters where it’s like ‘… It’s entirely possible I did like him that way. Oops.’ And that’s it, that’s the entire chapter. BUT I absolutely loved Sia and her best friend, and Galliland weaves together themes of immigration, ICE and racism with ALIENS in this super creative story. Definitely worth a read.

Buy a physical copy of Sia Martinez and the Moonlit Beginning of Everything at Blackwell’s

Ace: What Asexuality Reveals about Desire, Society, and the Meaning of Sex by Angela Chen*

I’m still processing my feelings on this brilliant book. I first heard about it on The Stacks pod and then my friend Steph wrote a brilliant review, so I had to give it a listen! I think this is one of those books everyone needs to read because asexuality is not talked about or understood enough in society. I’ll write a proper review soon, but please do check this one out!

Buy a physical copy of Ace at Blackwell’s

Because of You by Dawn French*

Previously gifted as part of a paid campaign. Opinions remain my own.

Although this was a compelling and addictive read, I did have to suspend my disbelief for parts of it. It’s a little too much Lifetime Drama for my tastes. However, French raises some good questions around motherhood, and I liked that she did not pit the two mothers against each other, despite the circumstances. I had my doubts about propagating a stereotype too, but this was later cleared up.

Buy Because of You at Blackwell’s

White Ivy by Susie Yang*

I literally finished this book last night and it did not hold back on the drama! It did, again, remind me of a TV drama, but a dark and gritty one which addresses crucial themes of race, class and wealth. Everyone in this book is either terrible or hiding something, and honestly I was living for it. I don’t need my characters to be likeable, in fact, I think it makes it more interesting when they’re not. The lives of uber rich people also fascinate me (not in an aspirational way, in a more observational way), so I loved the glimpses we saw of that here. I’ll also be thinking about that ending for a long time!

Buy a physical copy of White Ivy at Blackwell’s

November wrap up stats

Total Books: 17
Physical books: 9
Audiobooks: 8
Fiction: 14
Non-Fiction: 3
Total Pages: 5837

New countries visited:

• Montenegro

Countries revisited:

• Japan
• USA (including Chinese, Filipino and Mexican diasporas)
• Ghana
• France
• UK

Languages read from:

• 2 Japanese
• 1 Croatian
• 2 French

That’s it for my November wrap up!

If you missed my October wrap up, you can read that here.