November Reads

It's here! My favorite post each month--reads! This month I read 4 books and I really enjoyed them. These were some great, quick, entertaining reads.

1. Ghost by Jason Reynolds: This was an assigned reading for a professional development retreat/seminar I am participating in this year. The topic for November's session was about how to reach all students right where they are. This is a young adult (probably like a 5th or 6th grade level) book. The main character, nicknamed Ghost, lives in a rough part of town and has experienced trauma. His mom is struggling to get by as a single parent. Ghost finds a welcoming home on the track team and with the inspiring coach, he begins to imagine a brighter future for himself. This was a great, inspiring read and I think it'd be great in upper elementary or middle school to have discussions with.

2. You've Been Volunteered by Laurie Gelman: I loved this fun book! This is the sequel to the book Class Mom. This is about a feisty go-getter mom who is the class mom in her youngest son's 3rd grade class. She's funny and fabulous and like the first book, this one has lots of emails peppered throughout that made me LOL. If you like the show American Housewife, this is basically it in book form.

3. Naturally Tan by Tan France: I am on the waitlist for Jonathan Van Ness' autobiography, so I thought I'd go to another one of my Queer Eye faves, Tan! This book is Tan's story from his childhood, his successful career in fashion and how he ended up on Netflix's hit show. Tan has this definite silly, irreverant side to him in this book that we don't necessarily see on the show. This book was a breeze to read and a fun, light look at how Tan overcame adversity. If you are a fan of Queer Eye I'd recommend it. Otherwise, I'd skip it.

4. The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell: This was my November Book of the Month Club pick and I liked it! Here's the thing, it was confusing at first (various timelines and point of view narration), but it ended up being really suspenseful and I couldn't wait to keep reading to find out how it would all resolve. This book is about a wealthy London family who falls under the influence of a con man cult leader. He wreaks havoc on their family with disastrous results. It's pretty creepy and I don't think it's for everyone, but if fit the bill for me for a suspenseful, entertaining read.


And now here are all the books I've read in 2019....with stars by my faves!
1. An Anonymous Girl by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen
2. The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper by Phaedra Patrick
3. The Last Original Wife by Dorothea Benton Frank
4. *Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty
5. Happy Teachers Change The World by Thich Nhat Hanh and Katherine Weare
6. The Day I Went Missing by Jennifer Miller
7. *Glow Kids by Kardaras Nicholas
8. Final Girls by Riley Sager
9. *Becoming by Michelle Obama
10. As Long As We Both Shall Live by Joann Chaney
11. *The Family Next Door by Sally Hepworth
12. If You Only Knew by Jamie Ivey
13. *The Home for Unwanted Girls by Joanna Goodman
14. Adequate Yearly Progress by Roxanne Elden
15. *Regrets Only by Erin Duffy
16. *Girls in the Garden by Lisa Jewell
17. I Owe You One by Sophie Kinsella
18. *The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris
19. *Give Me Your Hand by Megan Abbott
20. When Did I Get Like This? by Amy Wilson
21. *Good Riddance by Elinor Lipman
22. Maid by Stephanie Land
23. Beyond the Point by Claire Gibson
24. Sh*tty Mom by Laurie Kilmartin, Karen Moline, Alicia Ybarbo, MaryAnn Zoellner
25. Someone Else's Love Story by Joshilyn Jackson
26. Dietland by Sarai Walker
27. The Mother in Law by Sally Hepworth
28. The Bride Test by Helen Hoang
29. *Life Will Be the Death of Me by Chelsea Handler
30. *Summer of '69 by Elin Hilderbrand
31. Those Other Women by Nicola Moriarty
32. *The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
33.  Roar by Cecelia Ahern
34. A Love Letter Life by Jeremy and Audrey Roloff
35. The Summer of Good Intentions by Wendy Frances
36. *Lock Every Door by Riley Sager
37. *Can I Get An Amen? by Sarah Healy
38. The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson
39. *Daisy Jones and The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
40. How Do You Tuck In a Superhero? by Rachel Balducci
41. City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert 
42. *No Exit by Taylor Adams
43. *Things You Save In a Fire by Katherine Center
44. Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
45. *Again But Better by Christine Riccio
46. *Secrets from the Eating Lab by Traci Mann
47. I Liked My Life by Abby Fabiaschi
48. Well Met by Jen DeLuca
49. What Happens In Paradise by Elin Hilderbrand
50. Ghost by Jason Reynolds
51. *You've Been Volunteered by Laurie Gelman
52. Naturally Tan by Tan France
53. The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell 


We are entering December, one of my favorite months! Happy reading!
Savor Your Sparkle,
Leslie