Towering TBR (Part: November)

11 months, 1 more to go! November flew by with the last of the leaves and brought in some snow and holiday cheer before it left for good. Due to my upcoming move across the country in the new year, reading has taken a back seat (and so has blogging.) However, I made one last solid attack against my towering TBR so let's take a look!

Starting TBR Count: 19

TBR Reads: 3

TBR DNFs: 2

Rereads: 0

Library Reads: 2

Books Purchased: 0

Books Gifted: 0

Final TBR Count: 14

Total TBR Books Checked Off This Year: 52

TBR Reads

This Savage Song by VE Schwab - 4 stars

A dark, cinematic, and immersive dystopian story, however the book didn't connect with me on a personal level like I was hoping. I am looking forward to picking up the second half of this duology, but I will wait for a better headspace so I can enjoy the darker elements.

The Story Peddler by Lindsay A. Franklin - 3.5 stars

I really loved the magic system and the world building - it felt very comforting and colorful - but there were some story elements that kept my rating low. I would like to pick up the rest of series, but I'm not in a rush.

The Rithmatist by Brandon Sanderson - 4 stars

Fantastic world-building and magic system! I read this both on audiobook and physical and enjoyed immersing myself in the story. The ending was a tad disappointing, but it was nice to pick up my second Brandon Sanderson (and it will not be my last!)

Library Reads

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley - 4 stars

A fun mystery with charm from a precocious British child. The audiobook narrator was amazing so I'm excited to pick up more in the future however, I'm not in a rush.

The Pigment Thief by Myka Silber - 4 stars

This dark and cinematic cyberpunk novella is fast-paced and brutally beautiful, full of heartfelt rage and interesting conversations about AI and humanity. I had the pleasure of receiving an ARC for review and you can find my full thoughts on Goodreads!

TBR DNFs

Ashes in the Snow by Ruta Sepetys - DNF

I've heard amazing things about this author's work, but I started it and realized it would be a rare circumstance that I was in the mood for a serious (and sad) historical fiction. 

Beyond a Darkened Shore by Jessica Leake - DNF

Frankly, this book wasn't what I thought it would be and after flipping to the middle, I realized it wasn't my thing at all. I was hoping for Vikings but got undead hordes (and horses) instead.

November Thoughts

It could be the stress of moving or a little seasonal depression talking, but I didn't really fully enjoy any book this month. The world building in a lot of the books were fantastic and I would definitely recommend many of them, but I didn't find myself thinking back to the books or connecting to them personally. I'm hoping to read one or two more books on my TBR before the end of the year, but this was one last great push to lower my unread shelf!

One more month to go! Let's see what we can bring the final number down to...

Until next time!

~ K.J. Haakenson