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Thursday, December 1, 2016

All The Good Books of November

I love a good reading streak! And November was just that! My Read (past tense) pile at month's end looked a little different than what I had planned at the beginning of November. Library due dates get me every time! Most annoying library rule ever! If you want free books, whatcha gonna do?


I started November with the third book of Harry Potter: Prisoner of Azkaban. My son really loves the HP series and I am trying to read them all. I admit Harry Potter is not really my style and I haven't reached fandom...yet. However, it is fun to have a mutual knowledge/experience with your child. Harry Potter is a fantasy story about students attending Wizardry school. Each book follows the respective school year Harry Potter attends. Book 3 was much better than Book 1 & 2. I hear each Harry Potter book gets better and better, so I'm staying the course! Plus, I'm hoping for a little reward called Harry Potter World after book 7!



#2 Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys- After I fell in love with Sepetys last month, I knew I needed to read all of her novels. I haven't been so obsessed with an author is years and years. Sepetys maintains the same standard across the board which is impressive. Out of the Easy is a young adult historical fiction set in 1950s New Orleans. The main character is navigating a tough life situation dealing with the crime world and her desire to move beyond her current situation. I like Sepetys' story telling. Out of the Easy was a little slow at times so it wasn't my favorite. However, as a Ruta Sepetys fan, I'm glad I read this book. I would recommend Salt To The Sea before Out Of The Easy if you want to check out Ruta Sepetys.


My third book of November, Killing The Rising Sun by Bill Reilly & Martin Dugard, was a very informative nonfiction book. I'm really glad I read this book. Most people have only positive things to say for Bill O'Reilly's "Killing" books. They are written in a way that makes history come alive and relevant in this culture. Killing The Rising Sun is about the World War 2 conflict between Japan and the United States. Uncovering the misconceptions and dives deeper into the issues, Killing the Rising Sun ends with the total surrender of Japan to Allied Forces. The book brings greater understanding for both sides. My husband and I buddy read this book in November. As a Marine, he could have powered through this book in days. I slowed us down quite a bit. This book is super intense (violent and detailed). Every few pages I had to stop and process what I had read. Despite those intense descriptions, Killing The Rising Sun was so so good. I recommend this one to every American!

November reading was all about quality over quantity. Now I get to start my annual Christmas book-a-thon in December. This is my month where I only read cheesy Christmas novels where the characters end up getting what they always wanted. And it snows :) I'm so excited!


Linking up with Steph and Jana for Show Us Your Books. Click the link for book reviews and recommendations galore!

15 comments:

  1. Hooray for Rita Septys! She really is such a fantastic author and I have a feeling that I'll love any book she's written! My husband who is not a reader loved Killing The Rising Sun and loved it so much! I think that I'd probably enjoy it since I'm a huge history and WWII buff. And I think that a trip to Harry Potter world is the perfect reward for finishing up the series! It really made everything come alive!

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  2. I LOVE a good Christmas book in December. What do you recommend? I've read some Richard Paul Evans but not all his books are as great as the others.

    I bought my husband Killing Patton two years ago and I read it on the couch while he watched tv. I love O'Reilly's books.

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  3. I am the opposite- I have read HP 3 times in full and I am trying to get C interesting in reading the first so we can enjoy them together. It is so awesome that you are sticking it out in his interest- I am sure he will remember that forever!

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  4. Salt to the Sea is on my list to read. I enjoyed Out of the Easy but didn't love it.

    Thanks for linking up!

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  5. Ruta Sepetys books are on my list - I like to start with the least popular books though haha so they get better, rather than worse.

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  6. I just read HP for the first time last year! It isn't my normal thing either, but if nothing else I'm glad to finally understand what other people are talking about when they mention random things from the HP world :)

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  7. Salt to Sea is on my TBR and a book I'm reading for Erin's 6.0 Challenge. Heard so many great things about it. I'm adding Out of the Easy in anticipation of falling in love with Ruth Septys' writing. I am a diehard HP fan and the books do continue to get better. The first two are more simple and the world keeps getting more complex and darker.

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  8. I read Out of the Easy before Salt to the Sea (loved them both), but was really surprised at how different Salt to the Sea was after reading Out of the Easy.

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  9. I really need to read a Ruta Sepetys book soon! :)

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  10. Yay for reading Harry Potter. The third book is my favorite in the series, and then the 6th. I hope you like the books as they go on! :)

    I haven't read anything by Ruta Sepyts yet, but I DO want to and Salt to the Sea is at the top of my list.

    -Lauren

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  11. The third Harry Potter was always my favourite, when I was young, and now as I've been re-reading the books this year. I have just started the sixth book in the series, but I'm definitely not an uber fan. In fact, I hate the fifth book.

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  12. I'm re-reading and finishing (I only got up to book #5 on my own!) the Harry Potter series with my son too! Our reward also when we finish is getting to visit Harry Potter World. I'm hoping it will be sooner than later, but we haven't picked up #5 in awhile now! Out of the Easy is already on my to read list. I read Between Shades of Gray and loved it.

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  13. I am definitely not a Harry Potter fan and have never read one of the books. I've said if my daughter wants to, I'll read them with her but that's the only way I will.

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  14. I am on HP book #2. Both my sons, who are 20 and 26 loved the books and movies. We are going to HP World first week of January. Can't wait to have my son as my personal guide through the parks.

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