Here we are, November already, with the end of the year approaching far too quickly. It’s that time again—time to look forward to a fresh list of books I can’t wait to dive into and to reflect on the ones I’ve enjoyed (some more than others). As always, reading lists are one of my favorite things to share. I hope you find a new favorite read of your own.
In this list of “Novels for November,” I’ve included my November TBR (to be read), Audiobook-specific Reads/Listens, Two Favorites of November’s Past, and Read & Rated October.
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- Here’s What We’re Readin’ for Spooky Season
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My November TBR
Bite by Bite
Author Aimee Nezhukumatathi
A few years ago, I read Nezhukumatathi’s novel World of Wonders, and like many others, I fell in love with its buoyant prose and deep-dives into wonders beyond our everyday thought.
Genres: Nonfiction, Short Story, Poetry, Essays, Food, Memoir
What I Learned from the Trees
Author L. E. Bowman
Of course, I had to include a poetry collection. I stumbled upon this when researching publications. L. E. Bowman was one of the judges in a writing competition. This collection, in particular, intrigued me for its promise of exploring the connection between humans and the natural world.
“What I Learned from the Trees delves into the intricate relationship between humans and nature, and how these often overlooked, everyday interactions affect us as individuals, families, and communities.” – Goodreads
Genres: Poetry, Nature, Nonfiction
The Hen Who Dreamed She Could Fly
Author Sun Mi Hwang
Named a Notable Book of 2021 by NPR and The Washington Post.
Genres: Fiction, Fantasy, Animals, Contemporary
Circe
Author Madeline Miller
I joined a book club! November is my first month and Circe is my first read.
“In the house of Helios, god of the sun and mightiest of the Titans, a daughter is born. But Circe is a strange child-neither powerful like her father nor viciously alluring like her mother. Turning to the world of mortals for companionship, she discovers that she does possess power: the power of witchcraft, which can transform rivals into monsters and menace the gods themselves.” – Goodreads
Genres: Mythology, Fiction, Fantasy
The Book of Delights
Author Ross Gay
Genres: Nonfiction, Essays, Memoir, Poetry
Audiobook Specific
What I Ate in One Year
Author Stanley Tucci
A meditative reflection on food with a pinch of life. What I Ate in One Year tugged at my heart and soothed my mind in equal measure to Tucci’s first novel, Taste: My Life Through Food.
“Now, in What I Ate in One Year Tucci records twelve months of eating—in restaurants, kitchens, film sets, press junkets, at home and abroad, with friends, with family, with strangers, and occasionally just by himself.”
– What I Ate in One Year, Stanley Tucci
Genres: Memoir, Nonfiction, Food, Cooking
Never Leave the Dogs Behind
Author Brianna Madia
It is official. I have a new writer to obsess over. Brianna Madia’s writing takes me to places beyond my own, and with a tug of experiences shared, I couldn’t help but say, ” Yes, that!” aloud to myself on numerous occasions. I first read (listened) to her book, Nowhere for Very Long (you’ll find it listed further down on the page) in October. Her description of life instantly enthralled me. From the start, she shares her wish to live connected to the world in a way we often do not, in the suburbs of America. Like all humans, her journal is filled with disaster, achievement, heartache, and love.
I devoured this listen and the other in one day. I will be the first to buy her next book, Homesick Nomad (release date not yet announced).
“In this stunning and triumphant memoir, the author of the New York Times bestseller Nowhere for Very Long continues her a tale of a woman reckoning with the decision to live alone and unburdened in the desert Southwest, in a trailer without running water or electricity, with nothing to her name and no one for company except the four dogs in her pack. ”
— Goodreads
Genres: Memoir, Nonfiction, Travel, Animals
Lifeform
Author Jenny Slate
Hilarious, witty and heartfelt.
Jenny Slate seems to take readers by the hand, gently but firmly, and pull them, un-reluctantly, through a whirlwind playhouse of whimsical reflections on various aspects of her own life that are both totally relatable and wholly her own.
If you are not familiar with Jenny Slate, here is a little treat for you.
“From actor, comedian, co-creator of Marcel the Shell, and New York Times bestselling author of Little Weirds, Jenny Slate, a wild, soulful, hilarious collection of genre-bending essays depicting the journey into motherhood as you’ve never seen it before” – Goodreads
Genres: Memoir, Nonfiction, Essays
Two Favorites of November’s Past
The Traveling Cat Chronicles
Author Hiro Arikawa
An absolute pleasure to read. Nancy Simpson-Brice (below) says it all.
“The time comes when you’ve just had enough: enough bad news, enough hateful words, enough human suffering, enough gloom and doom. The perfect antidote for those times is The Travelling Cat Chronicles. This exquisitely sized book not only feels good in your hand, but its essence feels good in your brain. Satoru and his cat, Nana, travel miles and miles all over Japan looking for the perfect place for both of them. Both laughter and tears come with this book. It’ll make a cat lover out of even the most ardent resister! Treat yourself to a short reprieve from the world: read this book!”
— Nancy Simpson-Brice, Book Vault, Oskaloosa, IA
Genres: Fiction, Contemporary, Japanese Literature, Animals
Taste: My Life Through Food
Author Stanley Tucci
Named a Notable Book of 2021 by NPR and The Washington Post.
Genres: Memoir, Nonfiction, Food, Cooking
Read & Rated October
October, October
Author Katya Balen
I know by now it probably seems like I’m giving five-star ratings like candy, but it’s only because I’ve read really great books lately. As far as past reads go, I only shared my favorite.
Do you want a book that takes you away from the chaos of reality? One that feels like a deep, cleansing breath in the woods? Something to spark your imagination, remind you of being a kid again? This is it. I fell head over heels for October, October. I found myself physically clutching this book to my chest a few times—storytelling in simple beauty.
Genres: Fiction, Nature, Middle Grade, Contemporary, Family
House of Cotton
Author Monica Brashears
I enjoyed Brashears’s narrative voice a great deal. The physical writing, the details, and the emotions it elicits were the most incredible things about the novel. However, The story itself, while interesting, fell just a tad short.
“A new, dazzling, and essential American voice.” – George Saunders, author of Lincoln in the Bardo
Genres: Horror, Fiction, Mystery, Gothic, Contemporary, Thriller
The Gathering Dark: An Anthology of Folk Horror
Perfect for October.
A fun dive into the various minds of horror. Some stories deserve a full five stars, others not so much. Overall, I enjoyed this collection of short stories.
Genres: Fiction, Short Stories, Horror
Nowhere for Very Long
Author Brianna Madia
I gushed about Brianna Madia’s writing in the above section on her novel, Never Leave the Dogs Behind. But if you need more encouragement to read her books, here is a little more: Every once in a while, you stumble upon someone you can not get enough of, someone who opens your world and can speak to the feelings you have experienced, while also of course, sharing things about themselves you couldn’t imagine, Brianna Madia is it.
Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Travel, Adventure
Comment below what you enjoy reading or watching this time of year.
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