Mini Book Reviews – November 2023: What To Read & What To Skip

Welcome to my regular round up of mini book reviews for November 2023! This was a mixed bag month, with some books that were just ok and 2 that were incredible!

In my list of mini book reviews, I include everything I’ve read recently that I finished.  I like to share both my five star reads and any misses to help you get a better idea of what you should read or might want to skip.

As always, I love to hear if you agree or disagree with my ratings! Let me know in the comments what you thought of my November 2023 mini book reviews.

 

Fourth Wing

by Rebecca Yarros

Fourth Wing took the book world by storm earlier this year and I finally got around to reading it! The sequel, Iron Flame, just came out last week and it was a ton of fun watching everyone get excited for their copy to arrive! I ended up loving this fantasy series so much I ordered the special edition with sprayed edges and a bonus chapter!

Get ready for Basgiath, the brutal war college where cadets must survive the first year to become dragon riders. Violet was never meant to enroll, but now she’s forced to fight against fellow students bigger and more ruthless than her to claim a dragon. The cliffhanger on this was insane and I cannot wait to get into Iron Flame!! | 5 Stars | Buy From Amazon | Buy From Target 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Midnight at the Christmas Bookshop

by Jenny Colgan

The sequel to The Christmas Bookshop didn’t have quite the same appeal as the first book, but it’s still a Jenny Colgan so it’s always worth a read. A miscommunication leads to a blowup between Carmen and Oke and he decides to agree to a research trip in the Amazon. Carmen is left trying to keep the bookshop afloat and finding the mythical, affordable place to live.

All sorts of shenanigans and disasters take place over the course of 6 months, both in Edinburgh and the Amazon. As a result, the story felt a bit disjointed and not quite as cohesive and impactful as her other novels.  3.5 Stars |  Buy On Amazon | Buy From Target

 

 

 

 

As always, I recommend using Libro.fm if you’re an audiobook listener!! Libro.fm directly supports indie bookstores, but costs the same as Amazon’s Audible! You can get 2 audiobooks for only $15 with my link and code CHOOSEINDIE.

 

 

The Comeback Summer

by Ali Brady

This writing duo followed up their first novel with another hit!! So far their books have been a perfect mix of women’s fiction and romance, with equal time spent on sister / family relationships and romantic ones. I love that there’s two female main characters and we get to explore both of their stories simultaneously.

Hannah and Libby are desperate to keep their grandmother’s PR agency afloat, but they’re crashing and burning. A last ditch effort to snag a book marketing deal has them agreeing to “crush their comfort zones” just as the book advises. Libby is assigned a physical challenge and Hannah must open up by going on 12 dates. 

The two sisters are extremely reluctant and end up in a few sticky situations, but end up discovering some tough truths about themselves and end up as stronger, happier women (with two adorable men in tow).  4.5 Stars | Buy On Amazon | Listen on Libro.fm

 

 

 

 

eBooks:

 

 

The Burnout

by Sophie Kinsella

Unfortunately my experience with this book sort of matched the title. I was hooked at first, laughing along with Sophie Kinsella’s trademark humor and ridiculous situations. As the book went on though, I started slogging through it and finding less to love. 

 

4 Stars | Buy From Amazon