November was a busy reading month, which isn’t really surprising since the weather turned colder and I got a break from school.
I read 10 books in November. Of those, I gave four perfect grades. My reviews are below.
The Art of Social Media
The single non-fiction book I gave a perfect grade last month was The Art of Social Media by Guy Kawasaki and Peg Fitzpatrick.
I’m actually embarrassed that it took me so long to read this book, but I sped through the practical advice once I started.
I read the book because I was looking for a textbook for the introduction to social media course I’m teaching next semester. I like requiring mainstream books instead of traditional textbooks.
In the end, I decided that Guy and Peg’s book probably was a little too basic for my students’ needs, but it’s a great read for anyone who feels uncertain about social media, or who just wants amazing tips and tricks from people who know.
The Nowhere Girls
I absolutely loved The Nowhere Girls by Amy Reed because of its female empowerment theme.
The book is the story of three girls who unite a school of women after the rape of a fellow classmate. The girls start a group, the Nowhere Girls, as a movement against the misogynist culture at their high school.
We could all use a little girl power right now. This book has it.
I Am Watching You
Ella Longfield overhears two young men flirting with two teenage girls on a train. Her maternal instincts kick in and she almost intervenes, telling the girls to stay away from the boys. In the end, she decides to mind her own business and says nothing. The next day, she sees on the news that one of the girls is missing.
A year later, Anna Ballard still is missing and Ella is riddled with guilt about what she should have or could have done to save the girl. As the anniversary of Anna’s disappearance gets closer, what really happened that night begins to become apparent.
I Am Watching You by Teresa Driscoll was one of those books that I needed to finish so I could find out what happened to Anna. The storyline was sad, but the plot twist at the end was worth staying up late for.
The Life We Bury
Joe Talbert is just trying to get an A in English. He is supposed to interview a stranger and write the person’s biography. He goes to a nearby nursing home to find a subject and meets Carl Iverson.
Carl is convicted of raping and murdering a teenage girl who lived next to him. He spent 30 years in prison before being medically paroled to the nursing home with terminal cancer.
As Joe learns more about Carl, he realizes that he’s found more than just an interesting topic for an English paper. He believes Carl was wrongfully accused and the girl’s murderer is still out there. But how can Joe prove Carl’s innocence before the man dies?
The Life We Bury by Allen Eskens had me from the beginning. While it was unbelievable at times, I still couldn’t put the story down.
There they are, my favorite books of November! I hope you find something on the list to read and love.
As always, happy reading!
