November Book List

The Panem Companion by V. Arrow
I reviewed this here.

The Pioneer Woman: Black Heels to Tractor Wheels, a Love Story by Ree Drummond
I don't follow the Pioneer Woman, but since I don't live under a rock, I knew enough about her to be interested in this memoir of her unlikely courtship with her husband. She's a funny and engaging writer. She also possesses a certain brand of self-assurance that's totally foreign to me - I felt the same way about Dr. Phil's wife when I read her book.

Speechless by Hannah Harrington
This novel was loaned to me unsolicited, and I'd never heard of it, so I had no idea what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised. Chelsea is a known gossip, riding on the coattails of her queen-bee best friend. After she outs a gay classmate at a party, a popular boy practically beats him to death. When Chelsea reports the crime, the popular crowd doesn't just shun her, they make her their new target. So, deciding that her words can only hurt herself and others, she takes a vow of silence - and in doing so, finally finds her "voice." To be honest, I didn't find Chelsea very likable, even by the end of the book. But I still thought this was good.

Point of Retreat by Colleen Hoover
This sequel to Slammed is slightly less compelling than the original, but I still read the whole book in two sittings! I liked the narration shift from Lake to Will - hearing another character's perspective is always interesting. These characters (including the new additions to the group) are vividly quirky, and admirably committed to each other, and you can't help but root for them. Although Will and Lake's circumstances are highly unusual and soap-opera-esque, the problems they deal with seemed realistic to me within those circumstances. And their love, it is pure.

Introverts in the Church: Finding Our Place In an Extroverted Culture by Adam S. McHugh
I don't have time right now to say everything I want to say about this book, so I may elaborate later. Although I say that about a lot of books, and then it doesn't seem important enough to bring up again. :\ Anyway, I'd been looking forward to this book ever since I heard about it. The American Church definitely values extroversion over introversion, and it's past time to shed some light on the subject. Although Adam McHugh makes a lot of excellent points and observations, I didn't personally connect with them as much as I expected. The book is directed mostly at pastors and people working in ministry, and would also be more helpful to people more extremely introverted than I am.

As Always, Julia: The Letters of Julia Child and Avis DeVoto, edited by Joan Reardon
The collected correspondence of two smart, insightful, accomplished women over a period of several decades. Even when I didn't understand what they were talking about, I was fascinated. I laughed, cried, and was inspired. I wish I could have known these ladies!

Books for November: 6
2012 year to date: 62