November was a mixed bag, finishing my autumn reading list and moving on to my Christmas TBR.
Halfway through November, I decided to bring my autumn reading list to an end to have a couple of weeks where I wasn’t restricted by a themed TBR before I moved on to my Christmas reading list. My last book for November was a pick from my Christmas TBR so it’s been a real mixed month! I read six books, had three 5-star books in a row and had one very disappointing read. Let’s get into November’s reviews.
How To Survive A Horror Movie
Author: Scarlett Dunmore | Genre: YA Horror | Length: 352 pages
Synopsis: Charley loves horror movies way more than the average person so when she finds herself enrolled at a girls’ boarding school she can hardly believe her luck that her roommate shares the same passion. Soon though the two girls find themselves in the middle of a real-life horror movie when someone starts killing off the senior class.
Using everything that she knows about horror movies, Charley must try and solve the mystery before she’s the next one on the murderer’s hit list. The problem is she’s started to see the ghosts of the dead girls and they’re not exactly a helpful bunch!
Review: As someone who loves horror movies I expected to love this book but it took me far too long to get into. I’d describe it as an alright read if you enjoy horror movies but it was a bit on the nose in places.
I was close to DNFing this book at first and I don’t regret sticking with it because it was a fun, fast-paced read and I didn’t work out who the murderer was either which I liked. However, the ending was a real letdown. I really don’t like that there’s going to be a sequel to this book and in all honesty I probably won’t read it. This would have been much better as a standalone given how heavy it went with all the horror movie rules I don’t see how a sequel will provide anything fresh.
I have written a full review for How to Survive a Horror Movie so take a look at that!
Legends & Lattes
Author: Travis Baldree | Genre: Cosy Fantasy | Length: 336 pages
Synopsis: Viv is an orc who has spent her life bounty-hunting. She’s grown tired of all the bloodshed and having nowhere to settle though so when she discovers coffee for the first time it’s like she finally realises what she wants to do.
Moving to the city of Thune, Viv opens the first-ever coffee shop there. The problem is no one even knows what the drink is. But as she sets to work building up her new business she finds more people are willing to help her than she anticipated.
However, her old life is never too far behind her and old and new rivals could just be her downfall unless she lets friends into her life in a way she hasn’t done before.
Review: This was my first ever cosy fantasy book and one that I was super excited to read. I’m on a mission to expand my reading horizons and starting with the subgenre of cosy fantasy felt like the perfect way to ease myself into fantasy as a whole.
This was like a hug in a book and I loved every second of it. There were some characters that I had to Google having had no experience of fantasy races (beyond the ones in the Lord of the Rings films!) but that didn’t take anything away from the story from me.
I loved how warm and relaxing the book felt. There was no world-building and no epic quests, just a feel-good story that left me with a smile.
If you’re more used to reading a lot of epic fantasy, the pace and content of this book may not be for you, but otherwise, I highly recommend it.
I have a full review of Legends & Lattes for you to read too!
The Cinnamon Bun Book Store
Author: Laurie Gilmore | Genre: Romance | Length: 385 pages
Synopsis: Hazel is about to turn thirty and she’s suddenly found herself feeling very reflective. Has she wasted her twenties but always been safe and sensible? When she starts finding hidden messages in the bookstore where she works she takes it as a sign to have a summer of fun. She just needs someone to help her.
Enter Noah, the handsome, fun-living fisherman who is always up for a good time and who Hazel may or may not have a crush on. The thing is, Hazel knows Noah’s reputation and she doesn’t want a relationship, just someone to let her hair down with.
Neither of them thinks that they’re looking for romance but as they embark on a summer of fun using the bookstore clues to lead the way, things start hotting up between them and they realise that the chemistry between them is undeniable.
Review: If you caught my review for The Pumpkin Spice Cafe then you’ll know how utterly in love I am with the Dream Harbor series. I have been looking forward to this book ever since I finished the last page of The Pumpkin Spice Cafe and it did not disappoint.
I would probably go as far as to say that The Cinnamon Bun Book Store is even better than The Pumpkin Spice Cafe! I just felt like the characters and the storyline where far more relatable in this book and I absolutly loved Noah and Hazel.
The spice level was definitely turned up a few notches in this second book and from about page 100 right to the end, it was pretty consistent where as most of the spicy scenes in the first book came towards the end. I definitely didn’t mind but I know some people think that the spice ruins the Hallmark vibes of these books.
Overall I still agree that this isn’t the best written series in the world, though I do think this was better written than the first one, however I’m not reading these books expecting a literary masterpiece. They’re fun, lighthearted and thoroughly enjoyable in my opinion and I just can’t get enough!
The House in the Cerulean Sea
Author: TJ Klune | Genre: Cosy Fantasy | Length: 400 pages
Synopsis: Linus Baker has always played by the rules. As a case worker at the Department in Charge of Magical youth, he believes the he has a firm but fair approach to overseeing the well-being of magical children in governemnt orphanages.
However, when Extremely Upper Management give him a case like no other his life his turned upside down. Linus is sent to Marsyas Island on a highly classified assignment. On the island is an orphanage which is home to six of the most dangerous children in the world including the Antichrist.
Linus must determine whether the orphanage caretaker, Arthur is fit for the job or whether there is a very real chance that these children could bring about the end of days. But the island has many secrets and Arthur will stop at nothing to keep those in his care safe, in a world where magical beings are treated like second class citizens he know all too well what Linus’s report could lead to. Will Linus destroy a home or will his eyes be opened to other possibilities?
Review: Oh my goodness I don’t even know where to start with this. I adored every single second of this book. This, without a doubt has to be my favourite book of the year. In fact it’s probably the best book that I’ve read in a few years.
I didn’t really know all that much about this book going in to it but I was suddenly seeing it everywhere then my mum, who is also a big reader, said she’d read it before and was going to do a reread. Well, it felt like a sign so I dove straight in to see what all the fuss was about.
I laughed and cried so much at this book, it was just so beautifully done. It’s been a long time since a cried at a book the way I cried at this but it was just perfect. I absolutely fell in love with all of the characters and each of the children brought something unique to the story. It was also a pleasure to watch Linus and Arthur’s relationship unfold.
It extremely rare for me to reread books but after reading this on my Kindle I’ll be picking up a physical copy to read it again because it’s a story that I could happily revisit over and over again.
Somewhere Beyond the Sea
Author: TJ Klune | Genre: Cosy Fantasy | Length: 416 pages
Synopsis: The life that Arthur now has hasn’t come easy and just when he was starting to feel settled he realises that he most face his own dark past to secure a future for the children in his care.
Marsyas Island has many memories for Arthur and not all of them are good, especially the ones from his childhood when he found himself in an orphanage similar to the one he know runs. Arthur has always vowed to be different to the orphanage master he grew up with though which is why he’s created a home full of love and acceptance.
But Arthur has been summoned to make a public statement about his past and his ability to keep six of the most dangerous, magical children in the world from destryoing everything. He soon realises that this isn’t just a fight for the children he hopes to adopt but for all magical people who have always been treated as less.
With Linus by his side, he must do everything he can so save Marsyas Island from falling into the wrong hands and fight to become the family he and the children deserve.
Review: After reading The House in the Cerulean Sea and loving it I went straight on to Somewhere Beyond the Sea because I just couldn’t leave the characters behind. Although the first book doesn’t end in a cliff hanger or even in a way that particualrly warranted a sequel, I was still excited to read Arthur’s story and be back with the characters that I loved so much in the first book.
This has to be one of the most disappointing books I’ve ever read. Although I rated it two stars, that was a very genrous rating and one that definitely came off the back of reading The House in the Cerulean Sea. In all honesty, had it not been of the first book, this second one would have been a DNF for me.
This felt like a completely different book from the first one. It was so preachy and everything was rammed down your throat every other paragraph. The House in the Cerulean Sea mastered the art of show don’t tell perfectly but this one just completely failed.
To make this worse, it didn’t even need to be so preachy because the reader was already on board with the message, we didn’t need convincing. It just made it all the more painful to read. To be honest, from the 50% mark onwards, I skim read this because I just wanted it to be over.
Never has a book let me down so much and I am quite happy to push all knowledge of this from my head and pretend it doesn’t exist just so it doesn’t taint The House in the Cerulean Sea for me.
The Ice Children
Author: M. G. Leonard | Genre: Children’s Fantasy | Length: 288 pages
Synopsis: After an argument Finn and Bianca are sent to their rooms but the next morning Finn is found frozen in a pedastal of ice in the park and his family is distraught. Finn’s heart is still beating but no one can wake him. Overcome with guilt after their argument, Bianca is determined to find a way to bring Finn back. Then another child is found frozen in the same park.
As more and more children mysteriously succumb to the winter freeze Bianca finds herself transported to a winter wonderland where not all is as it seems. In order to save her brother and the other children so must find those responsible and learn why winter may never be the same again.
Review: At the end of November I decided to make a start on my Christmas TBR and I kicked things of with The Ice Children. It’s definitely more of a wintery read than a festive one but it is set in December and spans the lead up to Chrismtas so it seemed the perfect pick for my first book.
Although not a bad book, I wasn’t a huge fan of how preachy it got towards the end. It is a children’s book so I was left feeling a little confused as to how the target audience would process this message. Althought it’s supposed to take inspiration from The Snow Queen, it felt like there was some magic missing to take it to those heights.
It had some really nice elements that I feel could have been explored more over the more preachy parts of the book so overall it was just an average read for me. Not necessarily a bad way to kick off my Christmas TBR but also not the best.
What was your favourite book that you read in November? Have you read any of these books? Let me know in the comments!
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