Today’s post covers the second half of the books I read in November 2022. This month I actually read the least amount of books in a month that I’ve read all year. I shared the first half of the books I read here. I shared my favorites of the month here. I will be linking up with Lauren’s book link up, My Month Is Booked, on Tuesday! The Amazon links to the books I’ve read are affiliate links and if you use them and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. If you’ve read any of these books or are interested in them, I’d love to hear about it in the comments!
Title: Before We Were Trans
Author: Dr. Kit Heyam
Genre: Non Fiction
Publisher: Hachette Audio, 9/13/22
Source: Publisher Audio
Why I Read It: Sounded Interesting / Non Fiction November
My Rating: 4 Stars
Before We Were Trans by Dr. Kit Heyam is a history of trans people around the world before the term trans was used or well known. It tells stories of people who were gender non conforming from across time and culture.
“Today’s narratives about trans people tend to feature individuals with stable gender identities that fit neatly into the categories of male or female. Those stories, while important, fail to account for the complex realities of many trans people’s lives. Before We Were Trans illuminates the stories of people across the globe, from antiquity to the present, whose experiences of gender have defied binary categories. Blending historical analysis with sharp cultural criticism, trans historian and activist Kit Heyam offers a new, radically inclusive trans history, chronicling expressions of trans experience that are often overlooked, like gender-nonconforming fashion and wartime stage performance. Before We Were Trans transports us from Renaissance Venice to seventeenth-century Angola, from Edo Japan to early America, and looks to the past to uncover new horizons for possible trans futures.”
This book was very interesting and I can imagine it being useful in college courses and research.
Title: Chatter
Author: Ethan Kross
Genre: Non Fiction
Publisher: Crown Publishing, 1/26/21
Source: Publisher
Why I Read It: Sent to me for my review / Was waiting on my shelf / Non Fiction November
My Rating: 4 Stars
So, you know that voice inside your head? Does it narrate your movements or is it more of a background projector of your thoughts? The book Chatter by Ethan Kross takes a look at this inner voice and makes suggestions as to how to better make it work for you.
“Tell a stranger that you talk to yourself, and you’re likely to get written off as eccentric. But the truth is that we all have a voice in our head. When we talk to ourselves, we often hope to tap into our inner coach but find our inner critic instead. When we’re facing a tough task, our inner coach can buoy us up: Focus—you can do this. But, just as often, our inner critic sinks us entirely: I’m going to fail. They’ll all laugh at me. What’s the use? In Chatter, acclaimed psychologist Ethan Kross explores the silent conversations we have with ourselves. Interweaving groundbreaking behavioral and brain research from his own lab with real-world case studies—from a pitcher who forgets how to pitch, to a Harvard undergrad negotiating her double life as a spy—Kross explains how these conversations shape our lives, work, and relationships. He warns that giving in to negative and disorienting self-talk—what he calls “chatter”—can tank our health, sink our moods, strain our social connections, and cause us to fold under pressure.But the good news is that we’re already equipped with the tools we need to make our inner voice work in our favor. These tools are often hidden in plain sight—in the words we use to think about ourselves, the technologies we embrace, the diaries we keep in our drawers, the conversations we have with our loved ones, and the cultures we create in our schools and workplaces.”
This book talks about the tricks we can play on our brains with things like rituals and placebos, and the ways we can talk to ourselves to stop upsetting thoughts from taking over. I wanted to hear more about different types of inner voices but this was very interesting nonetheless.
Title: Year of the Tiger
Author: Alice Wong
Genre: Memoir
Publisher: Vintage, 9/6/22
Source: Publisher
Why I Read It: Sent to me for my review / Non Fiction November
My Rating: 4 Stars
This unique memoir is a series of essays, interviews, graphics, photos, etc which depict Alice Wong’s life as an Asian American disability rights activist.
“In Chinese culture, the tiger is deeply revered for its confidence, passion, ambition, and ferocity. That same fighting spirit resides in Alice Wong. Drawing on a collection of original essays, previously published work, conversations, graphics, photos, commissioned art by disabled and Asian American artists, and more, Alice uses her unique talent to share an impressionistic scrapbook of her life as an Asian American disabled activist, community organizer, media maker, and dreamer. From her love of food and pop culture to her unwavering commitment to dismantling systemic ableism, Alice shares her thoughts on creativity, access, power, care, the pandemic, mortality, and the future. As a self-described disabled oracle, Alice traces her origins, tells her story, and creates a space for disabled people to be in conversation with one another and the world. Filled with incisive wit, joy, and rage, Wong’s Year of the Tiger will galvanize readers with big cat energy.”
I found this book to be very interesting and it presented things I did not think of previously like how hard it was waiting for vaccines during the pandemic and the way that people with disabilities are effected by bans on plastic straws. I had read an essay by Alice Wong in another book (which was also shared in this one) and I enjoyed hearing more from her here.
Title: At Midnight
Author: Dahlia Adler (editor)
Genre: YA Short Stories / Fairy Tale Retellings
Publisher: Flatiron Books, 11/22/22
Source: Publisher
Why I Read It: Sent to me for my review (at my request)
My Rating: 4 Stars
This book of retold fairy tales includes some fairy tales that I know well like Rumplestiltskin, Snow White, and Cinderella and others I don’t know like The Nightingale, Frau Trude, and The Robber Bridegroom. However, all of the original fairy tales are included in the back of the book! Also, there is one new fairy tale included that is not a retelling.
“Fairy tales have been spun for thousands of years and remain among our most treasured stories. Weaving fresh tales with unexpected reimaginings, At Midnight brings together a diverse group of celebrated YA writers to breathe new life into a storied tradition. You’ll discover . . .
Dahlia Adler reimagining “Rumpelstiltskin,”
Tracy Deonn, “The Nightingale,”
H. E. Edgmon, “Snow White,”
Hafsah Faizal, “Little Red Riding Hood,”
Stacey Lee, “The Little Matchstick Girl,”
Roselle Lim, “Hansel and Gretel,”
Darcie Little Badger, “Puss in Boots,”
Malinda Lo, “Frau Trude,”
Alex London, “Cinderella.”
Anna-Marie McLemore, “The Nutcracker,”
Rebecca Podos, “The Robber Bridegroom,”
Rory Power, “Sleeping Beauty,”
Meredith Russo, “The Little Mermaid,”
Gita Trelease, “Fitcher’s Bird,”
and an all-new fairy tale by Melissa Albert.”
As normal for me, I liked the contemporary versions of the tales over the ones that were more fantasy!
Title: The Number Ones
Author: Tom Breihan
Genre: Non Fiction
Publisher: Hachette Books, 11/15/22
Source: Publisher
Why I Read It: Sent to me for my review / Non Fiction November
My Rating: 4 Stars
This book looks at the history of music through the lens of the Billboard Chart from 1960 with the Twist through 2020 with Dynamite by BTS. It shows the way the consumption of music changed and how the charts changed along with that. It was not only a history of types of music but a history of the technology of music sharing and really a look at American history through music.
“When Tom Breihan launched his Stereogum column in early 2018, “The Number Ones”—a space in which he has been writing about every #1 hit in the history of the Billboard Hot 100, in chronological order—he figured he’d post capsule-size reviews for each song. But there was so much more to uncover. The column has taken on a life of its own, sparking online debate and occasional death threats. The Billboard Hot 100 began in 1958, and after four years of posting the column, Breihan is still in the early aughts. But readers no longer have to wait for his brilliant synthesis of what the history of #1s has meant to music and our culture. In The Number Ones, Breihan writes about twenty pivotal #1s throughout chart history, revealing a remarkably fluid and connected story of music that is as entertaining as it is enlightening. The Numbers Ones features the greatest pop artists of all time, from the Brill Building songwriters to the Beatles and the Beach Boys; from Motown to Michael Jackson, Prince, and Mariah Carey; and from the digital revolution to the K-pop system. Breihan also ponders great artists who have never hit the top spot, like Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, and James Brown. Breihan illuminates what makes indelible ear candy across the decades—including dance crazes, recording innovations, television phenomena, disco, AOR, MTV, rap, compact discs, mp3s, social media, memes, and much more—leaving readers to wonder what could possibly happen next.”
Along with the actual number 1 hits, many other songs and artists are mentioned and many sections came with a good sense of nostalgia. I was a little annoyed that Billy Joel was not mentioned at all! It was sad to see how many famous artists dealt with deep struggles and died young. Through 20 main songs, the book discusses fads and trends, TV, MTV, social media, memes, etc. that provide a look at larger pop culture and history and overall it was a very interesting read.
Title: Now Is Not The Time To Panic
Author: Kevin Wilson
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Publisher: Harper Audio, 11/8/22
Source: Libro.fm
Why I Read It: Sounded good
My Rating: 4 Stars
This was such a weird and intriguing story. It is about Frankie, who along with Zeke, creates a poster that basically goes viral in the time before the internet.
“Sixteen-year-old Frankie Budge—aspiring writer, indifferent student, offbeat loner—is determined to make it through yet another summer in Coalfield, Tennessee, when she meets Zeke, a talented artist who has just moved into his grandmother’s house and who is as awkward as Frankie is. Romantic and creative sparks begin to fly, and when the two jointly make an unsigned poster, shot through with an enigmatic phrase, it becomes unforgettable to anyone who sees it. The edge is a shantytown filled with gold seekers. We are fugitives, and the law is skinny with hunger for us. The posters begin appearing everywhere, and people wonder who is behind them and start to panic. Satanists, kidnappers—the rumors won’t stop, and soon the mystery has dangerous repercussions that spread far beyond the town. Twenty years later, Frances Eleanor Budge gets a call that threatens to upend her carefully built life: a journalist named Mazzy Brower is writing a story about the Coalfield Panic of 1996. Might Frances know something about that?”
I think people will either love or hate this book. I was somewhat undecided. It was a quick listen narrated by Ginnifer Goodwin and I found it interesting, especially in how obsessive Frankie was over the phrase that was written on the posters and about the posters themselves. I’m not sure exactly what the point of the story was, other than that it is a coming of age story and is a personal story for the author!
Title: The Light We Carry
Author: Michelle Obama
Genre: Non Fiction
Publisher: Crown Publishing, 11/15/22
Source: Publisher
Why I Read It: Sent to me for my review / Non Fiction November
My Rating: 4 Stars
Michelle Obama has written an honest and down to earth book about how to cope in difficult times. No matter how well known and famous you are, you experience similar things to the rest of us, and she wrote about that in this book.
“There may be no tidy solutions or pithy answers to life’s big challenges, but Michelle Obama believes that we can all locate and lean on a set of tools to help us better navigate change and remain steady within flux. In The Light We Carry, she opens a frank and honest dialogue with readers, considering the questions many of us wrestle with: How do we build enduring and honest relationships? How can we discover strength and community inside our differences? What tools do we use to address feelings of self-doubt or helplessness? What do we do when it all starts to feel like too much? Michelle Obama offers readers a series of fresh stories and insightful reflections on change, challenge, and power, including her belief that when we light up for others, we can illuminate the richness and potential of the world around us, discovering deeper truths and new pathways for progress. Drawing from her experiences as a mother, daughter, spouse, friend, and First Lady, she shares the habits and principles she has developed to successfully adapt to change and overcome various obstacles—the earned wisdom that helps her continue to ‘become.’ She details her most valuable practices, like ‘starting kind,’ ‘going high,’ and assembling a ‘kitchen table’ of trusted friends and mentors. With trademark humor, candor, and compassion, she also explores issues connected to race, gender, and visibility, encouraging readers to work through fear, find strength in community, and live with boldness.”
The sections in the book talk about self, relationships, and the world and contain relatable stories as well as advice. This book will definitely allow you to get to know Michelle Obama better.
Title: Five Survive
Author: Holly Jackson
Genre: YA Thriller
Publisher: Delacorte Publishing, 11/29/22
Source: Publisher
Why I Read It: Sent to me for my review
My Rating: 4 Stars
I had high hopes for Holly Jackson’s new book as I loved the Good Girl’s Guide to Murder series (most of it!) and this book was good, but not as good as that series in my opinion. It is somewhat of a locked room mystery type thriller in which 6 friends get stuck on the road in the middle of nowhere in an RV with an unknown sniper somewhere nearby.
“Red Kenny is on a road trip for spring break with five friends: Her best friend – the older brother – his perfect girlfriend – a secret crush – a classmate – and a killer. When their RV breaks down in the middle of nowhere with no cell service, they soon realize this is no accident. They have been trapped by someone out there in the dark, someone who clearly wants one of them dead. With eight hours until dawn, the six friends must escape, or figure out which of them is the target. But is there a liar among them? Buried secrets will be forced to light and tensions inside the RV will reach deadly levels. Not all of them will survive the night. . . .”
I liked trying to determine what was happening and why the group was stopped as well as why someone wanted at least one of them dead. Like in the AGGGTM series, this takes place in the US but the teens speak in ways that seem more common in the UK (the author is British) and this bothers me a bit! It also includes the death of a parent prior to the book but discussed, guns, and gore as well as a very unlikable character and lots of tension!
There you have it, the rest of my November reading! This post included 8 of the books I read in November. Of these books, 6 were print and 2 were audio books. Genres included non fiction, memoir, short stories, contemporary, and thriller. Two of the books were YA.
Have you read any of these books or do you want to? What have you been reading lately?
