How in the world is 2021 almost over? Where did the rest of the year go? Seriously, it feels like it was summer only a couple of months ago! Now we aren’t sure if we will have a white Christmas or not. Maybe my November flew by because I started working again after being out of work for over a year. While I didn’t read as many books as I have been, I still read quite a few. Let’s check out my reading wrap up for November 2021!
November 2021 Wrap Up
Looking at the TBR I gave myself for the month in my October wrap-up, I read one of the fours books and DNF one of the other two. For November, I managed to finish reading seven books and started two others, and I’ll share those in my December wrap up. I read two ARCs and two audiobooks of the seven books I read in November.
What Did I Read in November 2021?
- Baking Cakes in Kigali by Gaile Parkin
- Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale
- By the Pricking of My Thumbs by Agatha Christie
- Mediums & Murder by Elle Wren Burke
- The Maid by Nita Prose
- The Bookish LIfe of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman
- Must Love Books by Shauna Robinson
What Did I DNF in November 2021?
- French Coast by Anita Hughes
A Brief Summary of Each Book
For a more in-depth summary of each book, click on their title in the list above.
Book 1: Baking Cakes in Kigali by Gaile Parkin
Baking Cakes in Kigali is a tale in fourteen confections, and behind each cake lies a story. Hauntingly charming, funny, and involving, this is a novel about the real meaning of reconciliation — about how, in the aftermath of tragedy, life goes on, and people still manage to find reasons to celebrate.
Book 2: Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale
The little-known classic fairy tale Maid Maleen from the Brothers Grimm is reimagined and reset on the central Asian steppes; it is a unique retelling filled with adventure, romance, drama, and disguise.
Book 3: By the Pricking of My Thumbs by Agatha Christie
A duty visit to Tommy’s elderly and unpleasant aunt results in a strange inheritance, black magic–and danger for Tommy and Tuppence Beresford.
Book 4: Mediums & Murder by Elle Wren Burke
Alara Beatty leads an everyday, boring life—even though she’s psychic. Living in the small town of Prickly Pear in the Southwest, Alara is an accountant by day and a dog mom by night. She is convinced her psychic abilities are too scary to handle; she pushes them down as much as possible. But when a close coworker turns up dead at Alara’s workplace with a knife in her chest, Alara must decide whether to use her gifts to find the murderer.
Book 5: The Maid by Nita Prose
The Maid explores what it means to be the same as everyone else and yet entirely different—and reveals that all mysteries can be solved through connection to the human heart.
Book 6: The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman
When the father Nina never knew existed suddenly dies, leaving behind innumerable sisters, brothers, nieces, and nephews, Nina is horrified. They all live close by! They’re all—or mostly all—excited to meet her! She’ll have to Speak. To. Strangers. It’s a disaster! And as if that wasn’t enough, Tom, her trivia nemesis, has turned out to be cute, funny, and deeply interested in getting to know her. Doesn’t he realize what a terrible idea that is?
Book 7: Must Love Books by Shauna Robinson
Meet Nora Hughes―the overworked, underpaid, last bookish assistant standing. At least for now. When Nora landed an editorial assistant position at Parsons Press, it was her first step towards The Dream Job. Because, honestly, is there anything dreamier than making books for a living? But after five years of lunch orders, finicky authors, and per my last emails, Nora has come to one grand conclusion: Dream Jobs do not exist.
DNF Books
I was hoping to enjoy French Coast, as it seems like it should be a quick read set in a dream location. Who wouldn’t love to travel to the French Riviera, especially when it’s cold and damp where you live? Exactly, everyone! Sadly, I only managed to get through the first chapter, and there was so much name-dropping that it took me out of the story. Yes, I understand the main character is an editor for Vogue but does every item have its brand name-dropped? It made the characters seem self-centered, and it took me out of the story.
December 2021 TBR
It’s December, the month of Christmas, and all sorts of seasonal fun! So the majority of the books I hope to read this month are holiday-related. As of writing this, I’ve already finished one book. But I’ll still put it on my December TBR as it was one I wanted to read this month.
- Cheddar Off Dead by Julia Buckley
- One Day in December by Josie Silver
- Hercule Poirot’s Christmas by Agatha Christie
- Pride and Prejudice and Mistletoe by Melissa de la Cruz
The above list is only a small selection of my holiday reads, as I have at least six others, I hope to get to this month.
And that is my Reading Wrap up for November 2021 and a small sample of my December TBR. How was your reading in November? What’s on your December TBR? Are you focusing on holiday-themed books or something else?
Looking for some more ideas to read? Check out my other monthly reading wrap-ups. My Reading Wrap Up November 2021 features seven books, including three mysteries, three contemporaries, and a retelling.
Wow, you had some excellent books in November. And looks like you have some good ones coming up in December.
I need to read some agatha Christie…