November Reading Wrap Up

And another month of 2020 has rolled past us uneventfully again. It feels like November only started a week ago, let alone us being significantly into December now. I didn't finish any books on my kindle last month because the one I was reading turned out to be a real slog that took forever, but I read a good range of genres in my physical books.

'With the Fire on High' by Elizabeth Acevedo - 4/5 stars
After reading Clap When You Land last month I knew I wanted to finally pick another of Elizabeth Acevedo's books up off my shelf. Although I didn't enjoy this one quite as much, it still made for a good read. 17-year-old Emoni is learning how to juggle school, friendships and being a mother to her baby whilst sharing custody with an ex she no longer sees eye-to-eye with. Emoni's real passion is for cooking, and when she's offered the chance to go to Spain to learn more about culinary arts, she's faced with a tough choice.
'Fahrenheit 451' by Ray Bradbury - 4/5 stars
This is a dystopian classic that I've wanted to read for years but never quite got around to. Montag, the main character, is a fireman whose job is to burn homes that contain books. However, he's got a secret: he's been hoarding books in his own home. Things take a turn for the worse in this fast paced book when he realises his secret is out, which leads to a chain of events far beyond his imagination. The descriptions in this book were so vivid and I think that's a big reason for why I enjoyed it so much.
'Together by Christmas'* by Karen Swan - 5/5 stars
I read The Hidden Beach by Karen Swan this summer and if I'm honest, it was a totally 'meh' read for me. I was really disappointed because I read one of her festive books last December and loved it, and having now read this 2nd Christmassy book, I think it might just be her summery books I don't enjoy. This was more than just a straightforward romance: Lee is a single mum who is trying to reconcile her new life in Amsterdam with her old life as a war photographer. The timeline moves between the present day and Lee's old life, and I just completely fell in love with both bits of the story.
'Ninth House'* by Leigh Bardugo - 4/5 stars
This adult fantasy was something I thought I'd enjoy a lot more than I ended up liking it. It's all about a girl called Alex who can see and interact with ghosts, which leads her to a whole lot of trouble. The book revolves around secret societies at Yale that use magic to help get what they want, and Alex's job is to keep them under control and make sure their activities don't interact with the deceased. This was a bit of a slow burner for me - I'd definitely read a follow up book if there was one, but it didn't blow me away. 
*The books marked with asterisks were sent to me as PR samples.
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