Monthly Recap: November 2017

Hi everyone! It’s that part of the month again when we wrap everything up! We can’t wait to share with you what we read, reviewed, posted, and other in-real-life happenings!

Hello everyone! It’s Liv! I actually didn’t finish any books in the month of November (I know, I’m mad at myself too). However, I am currently reading Turtles All The Way Down by John Green! I am actually enjoying it more than I thought I would. I’m 120 pages into it, and I’m hoping I can finish it and break my reading slump!

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Hey, Bookworms! Jesse here. In the month of November, I managed to read 9 books, 4 graphic novels, and 1 manga. Here are some of my highlights:

Rosemarked // Amazing fantasy where a healer teams up with a scorned soldier to infiltrate the kingdom that has been massacring their people. Filled with action, poisons, plagues, and pinch of romance, I reccomend this to everyone!

Mask of Shadows // A gender fluid pickpocket enters an assassin competition to become one of the Queen’s right hand. Political intrigue, bloody deaths, and cool concept, I really enjoyed this one!

Jughead Vol. 3 // Following the hit that was Jughead Vol. 2, this volume has video games, a competition, lots of Reggie, and of course BURGERS! What will Jughead do when all his friends hate him, but all the ladies in Riverdale adore him? Read it and find out!

Siege of Shadows // Amazing sequel! If you like Sailor Moon, Pacific Rim, monsters and girls kicking ass, then you will want to pick up this series. Just wait for the ending, definitely the highlight so far!

Tohyo Game Vol. 1 // What happens when a popularity contest in a high school classroom becomes a deadly game of survival? If you get no votes you die, if you get the lowest amount of votes you die, if you vote for the person who gets the lowest votes you die as well. Who will reign victorious in this deadly game? Read it and find out!!

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Hi everyone! It’s Alice here! This month, I actually read 2 books, which I’m pretty proud of. I read THE CHAOS OF STANDING STILL and FAR FROM THE TREE, both of which I really enjoyed.

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Hiya, it’s ya boi JM! November has been a great month for me when it comes to reading. I love all the books that I read this month, and you guessed it: I only read Contemporaries. *laughs* This November, I was able to read the following:

1. Here We Are Now by Jasmine Warga // “I dived into Here We Are Now not knowing anything about it other than that it’s a diverse story about a girl trying to get to know her father. I didn’t expect for it to be as impressive as it was, and I utterly fell in love with the bubbly narration, the lovable and easily relatable characters, the little plot lines that took place in between the main story, the speedy pacing of the story, and the portrayal of close family ties. Hands down a very recommendable read for those who like heartwarming contemporaries with substance.”  // ★★★★★
2. You Out of Nowhere by Jay E. Tria // A #romanceclass novella. “You Out of Nowhere is the #romanceclass book that I never knew I needed. With a writing style that was quirky and entertaining, a trope that’s well-loved by most romance genre lovers, a setting that is 100% favorable to most, if not all kinds of readers, and a story line that might seem common to others but in reality is estimable, Jay E. Tria’s latest book will surely be a fan favorite, especially if you’re already accustomed to the way she writes her stories.” // ★★★★.5
3. Down and Across by Arvin Ahmadi // YA Contemporary. “Down and Across is a unique and diverse novel that tackles the struggles of a teenage boy who’s just as enthusiastic as he is afraid and confused. It tackles the relevance of choosing and honing your passions, the importance of self-discovery, and the power of familial love. Saaket’s charming and humorous story will surely move lots of readers the same way it moved and touched me. I can’t wait to read more from Arvin Ahmadi.” // ★★★★★
4. Keeping The Distance by Clarisse David // A #romanceclass novella. “Keeping The Distance is a short but sweet contemporary novella that is set in the Philippines and is told through the hate to love trope. It’s a well-recommended title for when you’re in the market for a title that will make you swoon, cringe, and just tear up at all the right moments.” // ★★★★★
5. It Only Happens In The Movies by Holly Bourne // YA Contemporary. “From start to finish, Holly Bourne takes her readers on a fun-filled ride that is as charmingly inspiring as it is realistically heartbreaking in It Only Happens In The Movies. It might seem like your typical light, contemporary read at first, but it’s so much more than that. It focuses on relevant themes such as mental health, depression, and teenage love, whether they be fruitful or not. And personally, I love the message that this book sends out to it’s readers. I was moved with Audrey’s story, and I hope that you could give this book the chance to move you as well.” // ★★★★.5
6. Lucky In Love by Kasie West // YA Contemporary. “Lucky In Love is my most favorite Kasie West book to date. It’s a quick read, and yet it was still able to tackle personal and unsettling topics such as financial bullying, friendship, family, and love. It made me feel different kinds of emotions and I was utterly moved by Seth and Maddie’s story. Easily a 5-star read worth recommending!” // ★★★★★

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Liv again, hello! November has flown by because I was so busy the entire time! November 5, 6, and 7 I had my school’s fall play! During those 3 days, I was in a total of 5 shows. Needless to say, I was exhausted. That weekend, I went to New York City to meet up with my childhood best friend! I also saw Kinky Boots on Broadway which was phenomenal! The following week I had auditions for my school’s musical. We’re doing Phantom of The Opera. While I only auditioned for ensemble, many of my friends ended up getting leads.

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Hey Bookworms, Jesse again! This month was definitely a roller coaster one for me. I’ve been swamped working two jobs, 7 days a week with long hours. My health was being affected, but so was my sanity. Luckily I have finally managed to land a job in my career field and was able to quit both my part-time jobs recently. So YAY!

Hopefully, with this big change, I will be to get a normal life back. Bookwise, there was no big signings, get-togethers or other bookish events. Going into December I am super excited to celebrate my favorite holiday and get to spend more time with friends and family!

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Alice here! This month was crazy busy as usual, and I’m simultaneously excited and nervous about the end of my first semester of college! I’ve met so many new people and done so many new things that I’m going to really miss college when I’m off for winter break.

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JM here. During the first week of November, I met Jasmine Warga and Jennifer E. Smith! Both ladies were so inspiring, and up until now, I still can’t believe I got the chance to meet and ask them some of my questions. Here are a few photos I’d like to share with y’all:

For a full recap of my #JenandJasinPH experience, be sure to check out my post on Book Freak Revelations here.

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• JM // As of drafting this post, I’m unfortunately on a book slump (thank you, Lucky In Love!) and I hope I’ll be able to remedy that with Love, Hate, & Other Filters by Samira Ahmed. Other than the holidays and the new year, I’m not really anticipating any IRL happenings. I guess we’ll all just see next month, no?
• Alice // I’m planning to read a bit more during my one and a half month winter break from college. I’m hoping to catch up with some friends and do some volunteer work. I’m also going to be participating in a few blog tours in the coming months, so keep your eyes out!
• Jesse // Christmas is coming and I am super excited about it. I’m looking forward to finishing up my shopping, the first snowfall, watching Christmas movies and getting a lot of reading in! There is also a little Bookmas dinner with my fellow Toronto Book Bloggers. Super excited for that!
• Liv // Much like October and November, December is going to be very busy too! I’m seeing Kinky Boots again on tour, and Phantom rehearsals begin! I’m going to New York City again this month to see Dear Evan Hansen and maybe Spongebob the Musical (hey, it’s actually really good. You should check out the cast album it’s on Spotify 🙂 ).

How was your November? What was the best book you read this month? Let us know in the comments below!