My November book round up is finally here! I have had a busy month full of reading, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Something Like Happy by Eva Woods
This book brought me joy beyond words. Something Like Happy follows two very different women as they commit to 100 days of doing things that make them happy. Despite a cancer battle, caring for a mother with dementia, and a heartbreaking divorce, these women try to find light in the overwhelming darkness.
I’ll Be There For You by Kelsey Miller
Is there any sitcom better than Friends? Well… maybe Seinfeld and The Office, but Friends definitely lands in the top 5. If you are a lover of this show, you will enjoy all of the behind the scenes info on how this show came to be.
Dad Is Fat by Jim Gaffigan
Though I prefer his second book “Food: A Love Story”, this is still a hilarious read. Jim Gaffigan covers almost every aspect of what it looks like to be a parent. Though he jokes that he is drowning because of all of his children, you can’t help but feel the love that he has for his 5 kids. Did I mention they live in a tiny apartment in New York?
Holding Up The Universe by Jennifer Niven
This is a sweet teenage love story. It certainly isn’t the most amazing book I’ve ever read, but I still found it enjoyable. One of the main characters suffers from Prosopagnosia, a disorder that causes you to be unable to recognize faces. I had never heard of this condition before, and it was interesting to hear about it through the character’s perspective.
The Library Book by Susan Orlean
I really wanted to love this book, but for me it fell flat. The Library Book investigates the fire at a Los Angeles Library in 1986 that destroyed more than 400,000 books. At the time, it was suspected to be arson…but was it? The LAPD had a suspect, but they were unable to get a conviction. My issue with this book is that it rarely talks about the case at all. 75% of the book talks about the history of libraries. While it was relatively interesting, it is not what I thought I had signed up to read. The investigative work seemed to be a gimmick to get people to pick up the book in the first place. If you have an interest in the history of libraries, I believe you will love this book. If you are looking for a suspenseful investigative piece, you might want to skip this one.
Shockaholic by Carrie Fisher
Something about Carrie Fisher makes her easy to love. I was not a huge Star Wars fan growing up, but somehow I have found myself reading almost all of her books. Each book is more of the same, different stories of her troubled life. She tells her life story with such humor that you can’t help but laugh along with all the crazy circumstances she has been through. Whether you love Star Wars or not, I am sure that you will love Carrie Fisher by the time you finish reading.
P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han
I wish this book didn’t exist. Too harsh? Maybe. I, like so many others, fell in love with the cute love story of Lara Jean and Peter. Unfortunately, this book felt unnecessary. Without mentioning spoilers, all I can say is that this book felt like a plot filler until the final book in the series.
Always And Forever Lara Jean by Jenny Han
Now this one? So much better. To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before is still my favorite in the series, but this one is a close second. The perfect way to end this cute teen series.
Of Mouse And Men by Nicklaus Hopkins
Of Mouse And Men follows one man’s journey as a costume character at the happiest place on earth. Throughout his career at Disney, the author got to play Woody, an Army Man, Sully, Br’er Bear, Beast, Baloo, Mr. Incredible and Hook. If you love Disney World, this book is a must. You can read my full review here.
Unfu*k Yourself by Gary John Bishop
I am so thankful that I found this book. I am a sucker for a good self help book, and this one easily makes it in my top 5 favorites. The author doesn’t sugar coat his message: you need to care enough about your life to fix it. He emphasizes the fact that we must all decide what kind of life we want to live and put away our victim mentality for good. Are you disappointed that your dreams aren’t a reality? Do something about it.
Bachelor Nation by Amy Kaufman
I have a confession: I love the bachelor. I have seen every season in the past 6 years and I have no regrets. Amy Kaufman takes us behind the scenes of the making of The Bachelor. What is the audition process like? How prevalent is producer manipulation? How did this crazy reality TV show start in the first place? If the Bachelor is a guilty pleasure of yours as well, you will love this book full of production secrets.
It’s Not Okay by Andi Dorfman
Fresh off my Bachelor Nation read, I decided to read Andi Dorfman’s book next. Andi Dorfman was The Bachelorette in 2014. It’s Not Okay documents Andi’s heartbreak after breaking up with the man she chose on the show. It is a “How-To” guide to breakups. While I found it really entertaining and I am glad I read it, her content is a bit ridiculous. Her worst piece of advice? Go sleep with your ex boyfriend to “get your power back”. Um… No thank you. That doesn’t sound healthy. It is still a fun read, but I would not recommend using it as an actual breakup manual.
Thirst by Scott Harrison
Recently Scott Harrison came to my church here in Atlanta to talk about his organization, Charity Water. After hearing him speak, I couldn’t wait to hear more about the good that they are doing. Charity Water build wells for those in need of clean water. Did you know that 663 million people live without clean water? Scott Harrison has dedicated his life to solve this problem. If you want to learn more about Charity Water, you can check out their website here.
What good books have you been reading lately?
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This list is great! I am always looking for the next great book to read. Jim Gaffigan is my favorite comedian, I LOVE his stuff so I am glad to see he made your list.
Thank you!
Isn’t he hilarious? I read his book last year, and I had to read it again:) Hot Pockettsssss
Going to check out some of these. Thanks !!
Great! Let me know what you think:)
This was an interesting, varied list. You brought my attention to a few different ones. I’m trying to figure out if I would like “The Library Book.” I liked “The Orchid Thief” by Susan Orlean. “Of Mouse and Men” seems interesting and maybe “Dad is Fat” and some others. I guess I like books in multiple categories too. 🙂
Me too!I love reading all genres:) If you like Susan Orlean, I am sure you will love The Library Book. It was very well written, she truly has a way with words.
Thank you for that. 🙂
Love book lists! Thank you for sharing. I’ve pinned it so I can order some new books after I finish mine! I’m reading a book called Less (pullitzer prize) and just finished the Hate U Give (amazing… highly recommend)!
xo Chelsea | https://completelychelsea.com
I LOVED The Hate U Give. It was such a powerful book. I’m going to add Less to my list:) Can’t wait to hear which book you’ll pick!:)
Every time I read your book lists, I end up getting one! Love your recommendations!!
That means a lot to me, thank you Joanna! Let me know which one you end up reading:)
I didn’t realise there was a book about the behind the scenes info! This is definitely a book I should check out. Thank you for sharing! X
You’re welcome! Let me know what you think:) I really enjoyed it!
Unfu*k Yourself sounds like my kind of book! I recently finished The Nature Fix, I strongly recommend it. It covers recent research about how nature affects our health, but it doesn’t read like academic writing. The author is awesome in the way she presents everything.
I’ve actually seen that one around quite a bit, but haven’t gotten around to reading it. I think I would really like it, I am gonna add it to my list:)
I love book recommendations – thanks for the list! I’m going to need to get my hands on that Friends book!
These are great suggestions!! I’m always looking for new books to read. Thanks
Great list. This one is so helpful. Thanks
Great, well rounded list! This librarian approves!
Love this list! For one of my new year resolutions I want to make an effort to read more! I’m currently reading Girl Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis, which is a great read, I would definitely recommend! I too am obsessed with the bachelor franchise, I’m sure Andi’s books would provide me with a lot of entertainment! lol!
-madi xo
http://everydaywithmadirae.com
It did! I loved reading all the juicy info lol:) I love Girl Wash Your Face. It is such a powerful book:)
Great list! I have been wanting to read the “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before” series but am still undecided. Thank you for your honest review of the last two books!
Thanks Hannah! It is really cute, I definitely recommend that one:)
I just ordered Something Like Happy. Can’t wait! Thank for the recommendations and great reviews! 🙂
You’re so welcome:) You are going to love it. It really inspired me!
Theses sound like some great books to read over the holidays! Thanks for the reviews.
OMG, I absolutely loved all the boys I loved before. I completely forget that it’s based on a book series. So reading those this holiday!
Love this list and your opinions you gave for each book! I can’t wait to read a few of these that you recommend 🙂
Thank you for the list!
This is great! I had been looking for a new book to read. I’m also glad that you didn’t just say that everything was amazing and that I should read them all. Thank you for honestly saying that some are duds.
I’ve been wanting to read “It’s Not Okay!” This is such a great list and a it’s coming at the perfect time since I will have some extra hours around the holidays to actually pick up a book =) Thanks for the recs!!!
Thank you so much for all these great recommendations!! Being a die hard fan of ‘FRIENDS’ I’d love to read ” I’ll be there for you” sounds interesting!!
Perfect timing for this list! I’m about to go on a few long trips and needed some new recommendations.
What a great list, can’t wait to read a few of them
‘I wish this book didn’t exist’ – hahaha, that made me laugh 😀 but I can totally relate… I wish some books / films didn’t exist either… but then again, if they can help in any way to some people I guess it’s okay they exist right?
Anyway, some great tips here, I’ll definitely be checking out ‘Something like Happy’ as it sounds like exactly the kind of read I would enjoy! Oh and the Friends books of course cause no – there’s NO better show than Friends and NO I can never get enough of them! 😉 …. and have no idea how come I didn’t know until now that this book exists!!! So… thanks for the heads up 😉 xx