Another month is coming to a close, and it’s time to show you guys what I read this month! I asked my twitter friends to vote, and it was unanimous that they wanted me to go back to organizing my wrap-ups by star ratings, so that’s what we’ll be doing here. If there’s a review, you can click the title to see it!
About the title:
I know my reading wrap-up looks good this month, so the title isn’t related to how many items I read. The title is referring to the fact that I slumped for THREE FREAKING WEEKS in November, and literally almost everything in this list is a graphic novel, manga, or something I had started reading in October.
I just wanted to add this little note because I don’t want anything thinking that I think this list is “bad”. It’s not that, it’s just that I had to fight tooth and nail to read ANYTHING this month. Anyone else? I feel like November was rough for a lot of us!
EMOJI KEY:
? = review copy
? = POC rep
? = LGBTQ+ rep
? = Remember November
? = Read and Chill-a-thon
5 stars:
- Check, Please! Vol. 1 — Ngozi Ukazu ???
- The Kiss Quotient — Helen Hoang ???
- Book Love — Debbie Tung ?
- Manga Classics: The Stories of Edgar Allan Poe — Stacy King ?
- Pilu of the Woods — Mai K. Nguyen ??
- The Wicked King — Holly Black ??
- The Language of Thorns — Leigh Bardugo ??
- The Sorrows — Jonathan Janz ???
4 stars:
- Manga Classics: Jane Eyre — Stacy King ?
- Girls of Paper and Fire — Natasha Ngan ?????
- Archival Quality — Ivy Noelle Weir ???
- Empire of Sand — Tasha Suri ??
3 stars:
- Asylum — Madeleine Roux ??
- Sincerely, Harriet — Sarah Winifred Searle ???
- What Makes Girls Sick and Tired — Lucile de Peslouan ??
- Truth or Beard — Penny Reid
- The First One You Expect — Adam Cesare
- Manga Classics: Les Miserables — Stacy King ?
- Night Shift — Robin Triggs ?
2 stars:
- Hidden Heartbreak — Emma Lee ?
1 star:
???
DNF – no rating:
- Evenfall — Gaja J. Kos & Boris Kos ?
in progress & predicted ratings:
- The Faithful — Matt Hayward
- 46%
- prediction: 4.5
- Kingdom of Ash — Sarah J. Maas
- 13%
- prediction: 5
- The Shadow of What Was Lost — James Islington
- 10%
- prediction: 4.5
- Small Spaces — Katherine Arden
- 15%
- prediction: 4
- Dear Heartbreak — edited by Heather Demetrios
- 8%
- prediction: 3.5
- Hark! The Herald Angels Scream — edited by Christopher Golden
- 37%
- prediction: 4.5
- The Truth About Forever — Sarah Dessen (REREAD)
- 16%
- prediction: 5 (as always)
- The Gilded Wolves — Roshani Chokshi
- 41%
- prediction: 4
- The Battle of the Labyrinth — Rick Riordan
- 52%
- prediction: 5
Other Reviews Posted this Month…
(click the photos!)
Movies Watched this Month…
- Holidays (rewatch) — 4.5
- Halloween (rewatch) — 3
- Jigsaw (rewatch) — 4.5
- Wrong Turn (rewatch) — 3.5
- The Evil Dead (rewatch) — 4.5
- Donnie Darko (rewatch) — 4
- I Know What You Did Last Summer (rewatch) — 3.5
- Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (rewatch) — 4
- Trevor Noah: Son of Patricia — 5
- Trevor Noah: Afraid of the Dark (rewatch) — 5
- The Meg — 5
- Crazy Rich Asians — 4
My Favorite Non-Review Posts of the Month…
- Overdue ARCs I Need to Read ASAP
- Let’s Look at My ARC Shelves!
- Quotes I’m Thankful For (with graphics)
- Favorite Found Families (with fanart)
- My Very First WWW Wednesday
My Favorite Posts from OTHER Bloggers This Month…
- Annemieke @ A Dance With Books: Try a Chapter – Sci-fi Edition
- This is such a fun tag and it’s inspired me to try something in 2019 that I am VERY excited about, so stay tuned for more info on that. 😀
- Kathy @ Books and Munches: A truly beautiful GIRLS OF PAPER AND FIRE review!
- Marija @ Inside My Library Mind: So You Want to Start a Bookstagram: Nailing Your Bookstagram Aesthetic
- Heather @ The Sassy Book Geek: Books Recs: Insane Plot Twists
- Malanie @ Malanie Loves Fiction: Beginner’s Guide to the Contemporary Genre
- Amber @ The Book Bratz: Book Boyfriends I Am Thankful For
- Lauren @ Northern Plunder: Steam Wishlist Clean Up
- This is the final installment in Lauren’s wishlist clean up series, but I’m linking it because you can check out the previous installments AND keep an eye on her blog for future video game posts!
- Sofii @ A Book. A Thought.: Spreading Love Part 1
- Kathy @ Books and Munches: How Do You Decide on Yearly Reading Goals?
- Amber @ ambsreads: Things I Love to See in Books
- Ellyn @ Allonsythornraxx: 10 Blogging Pressures I Deal With Every Day ft. My Anxiety
- Kaleena @ Reader Voracious: 2019 BOOK BLOGGER SPREADSHEET TEMPLATES!
- YOU NEED THESE IN YOUR LIFE
Mel
December 1, 2018I also found November to be a really rough reading month. I was super slumpy and it took what felt like forever to get out of it. I hope you manage to get out of your slump soon!
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
December 2, 2018I’m sorry it hit you hard, too! 🙁 I hope December is better for all of us.
Jaymi at OrangeCountyReaders
December 1, 2018The Kiss Quotient is high on my list!
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
December 2, 2018It’s soooo good! I read it all in one sitting, I couldn’t stop myself!
Alexa
December 1, 2018I definitely feel you. If you look at my numbers, then I suppose I did a decent job reading in November (although it was still one of my weakest months), but I still feel like I spent more time wishing I had time to read than actually reading. I hope 2019 will be better for both of us!
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
December 2, 2018Yes, that’s exactly it!! I hope it will be, too. Happy reading, love! <3
kkaylanicole
December 1, 2018Loved your wrap up! I need to get back in to doing these! I also loved your emoji key! ?
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
December 2, 2018Thank you so much! 😀
Sionna (Books in Her Eyes)
December 1, 2018You really do have a ton of books you are currently reading right now!! I don’t know how you do it! I think 3 or 4 is the most I’ve had started at the same time. Good luck getting to all of them 🙂
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
December 2, 2018I really hope to get back to averaging 3-4 at a time, that used to be my usual number as well and I was a lot less overwhelmed like that! Thank you so much <3
Sofia @ BookishWanderess
December 1, 2018I’m so glad you enjoyed The Kiss Quotient and Girls of Paper and Fire! I really liked both of them and I can’t believe both are debut novels, it’s so impressive.
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
December 2, 2018I know, they’re really great!! I’m so glad you enjoyed them both too!
MetalPhantasmReads
December 1, 2018Awesome wrap up! I hope you enjoy Shadow of What Was Lost; it’s a really cool fantasy!
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
December 2, 2018Thank you! It’s been really good so far, for some reason I just have the hardest time getting sucked into high fantasy right now. This is actually my second time of picking it up and both times I’ve hit a rut when trying to read the hardbacks, so I think I might switch over to my spouse’s audiobook and see if I fare better that way!
MetalPhantasmReads
December 3, 2018Uh oh that’s no fun. I did like the audio book, so if you do audio books, you can try that and see if it helps 🙂
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
December 3, 2018I do love a good audio book, so that sounds like a good plan! That’s how he has read the books (I think he’s read them twice each now) and he keeps pushing me to try the audio, too. It’s settled, I’ll take both of your advice and switch over to that so hopefully I can finally make some good progress in it! 😀
Sofii @ A Book. A Thought.
December 1, 2018Thank you SO much for mentioning my post, it means a lot honey! And incredible Wrap Up, I hope your December is even better ??✨
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
December 2, 2018You’re so welcome Sofii! <3 <3 And thank you, you too!
Lauren @ Wonderless Reviews
December 1, 2018i slumped hard in november too!! im so glad graphic novels exist because they’re also my go to when i can’t read anything else haha i really need to check out check, please!! i don’t know why i haven’t gotten to it yet.
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
December 2, 2018I’m so glad it’s not just me lol! Yep, same here on graphic novels. And Check Please was SO CUTE, please read it soon! 😀
Lauren @ Wonderless Reviews
December 5, 2018I just binged read Check Please the other day and omg it was soooo good!!
Kathy @ Books & Munches
December 2, 2018Slumping for three weeks is baaaaad. But at least you’re getting out of it! And with the short-a-thon coming up, I just KNOW you’ll be all fresh and ready to start 2019 with a huuuge bang [and probably some big books too, haha].
I really, really should get my hands on a copy of The Kiss Quotient. And My Favorite Half-Night Stand.. [I’m still resisting that one huge splurge – I don’t even know HOW.]
Thank youuu for mentioning two of my posts, love! <3
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
December 2, 2018It was such a pain! Hahaha yes, exactly. That’s what I’m hoping for, at least – it’s why I’m trying to finish everything before Shortathon, so I can ONLY read short things and be super fresh for 2019. :’)
They’re both soooooo good! I really recommend them.
You’re so welcome ♥
Kathy @ Books & Munches
December 3, 2018Yes, my goal as well. I just have to keep on top of my current reads and I’ll definitely make it! I hope.. 😛
I splurged. I succumbed. I ordered both of them. :’) Along with 64968465 other books. [Let’s hope the BF sticks to his habit of NOT checking our bank account statements or I’m toast.]
<3
harpergraeblog
December 2, 2018you killed it in November! Amazing!
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
December 2, 2018Thank you!
Ellyn
December 2, 2018Thank you so much for mentioning my post, Destiny! ???
I love that you talked about the movies you watched, though I feel kind of bad because I have only watched Scott Pilgrim which I actually don’t like!
I’m so glad you enjoyed Check, Please!, it sounds great and I’m so excited to get to it!
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
December 2, 2018You’re so welcome!! <3
Aww, don't feel bad! Scott Pilgrim feels like a super polarizing watch to me so I could 100% see how someone might not like it.
Ellyn
December 3, 2018I always thought it was such a popular movie and then I watched it and was like… what???
northernplunder
December 2, 2018definitely agree about november being a weird reading month.
im hoping to sort this out now, fresh month fresh start.
Thank you for linking up my steam wishlist post! 😀
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
December 2, 2018I’m glad it’s not just me! I hope December is better for us both <3 I don't know about you, but so far so good for me, so fingers crossed haha.
You're welcome!
northernplunder
December 4, 2018I finally counted … only “read 3 books”
And thats 1 dnf and 2 graphic novels?! wtf happened
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
December 6, 2018Ugh, screw you November ;-; How’s December going for you so far?
northernplunder
December 6, 2018Ive finished 1 so far, and part way through another so we’re doing betterish sof ar
malanielovesfiction
December 3, 2018ahhh Destiny thank you so muchhh for featuring my POST!!!?? you are so nice <3 ALSO THE KISS QUOTIENT!!!!!! I loved it so much and i'm so glad you did too, it deserves all the adoration in the world, Michael and Stella were both SO HIGHLY LOVABLE?? their romance felt so wholesome and sweet. i want to reread it one thousand times c: c:
also I'm so sad bc I finally read it & Girls of Paper and Fire wasn't all that wonderful??? in fact i dare say the plot was weird af. And this wasn't even slow burn romance, but an insta love halfway into the book, and I was so confused??? MY CRUMPLED HEART.
++ it brings me joy that you watched Donnie Darko, I remember identifying with him so much when I first watched it,,,especially "get out of my room i'm reading" XD XD
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
December 3, 2018You’re so welcome!! <3 Omg Michael and Stella – so so so precious. I adored them so much. Ugh. I need to reread it already!
Awwww, I can see what you mean. 🙁 First of all yeah you are 100% right about it not being a slow burn. I keep seeing people call it super slow burn-y and I'm thinking those people don't read a lot of slow burns because my angsty slow burn adoring self is over here like "they kissed in the first book, that ain't slow burn" LMAO. But yeah… I think it was a pretty solid 3.5 for me at best. 🙁
LMAO my spouse had never seen it and we were watching it and it got to that line and he just went "it you" and I died laughing ??
Kaleena @ Reader Voracious
December 4, 2018November was such a slumpy reading month, and I hope this month is better for you! I am looking forward to all our buddy reads!
Thanks for sharing my spreadsheet post, love! Means a lot because I know you have your own!
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
December 6, 2018Ughhh, word! I hope December is better for you too, love! And you are so welcome <3
Annemieke
December 5, 2018Yeay for inspiration! And ugh yes November is such a weird month. I read 12 books but don’t ask me how…
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
December 6, 2018November was SO weird! Ugh. Congrats on your 12 though!! <3
Sarah
December 7, 2018I’m sorry you struggled so much in November too!! I only read TWO books, which is unbelievable for me. I’m worried December may turn out much the same, but keep reminding myself that it’s not my fault. Hope this month treats you better <3
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
December 8, 2018Augh, I’m sorry November was so rough for you, too! 🙁 I hope December is better for you, but even if it isn’t, do remember that it isn’t your fault and you are valid no matter how much or how little you read ♥♥