November Reading Wrap-Up

Back again for another fun month of book suggestions? Here are the things Kristin and I have been reading since the last wrap-up. Be sure to tell us if you see any of your favorite reads, something on the never-ending To-Be-Read list, or if you know of a comparable title we might enjoy. Thanks again for reading! Write on.

Kamryn:

As I mentioned last month, my latest choice to reread was The Hunger Games series and prequel by Suzanne Collins. I finished out the final two books in the original series, Catching Fire and Mockingjay, over the last few weeks, and plan to move on to The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes next.

As we’ve discussed in previous blogs, The Hunger Games is a fantastic example of writing technique, so it’s been really interesting to go back to it not only as a reader, but now being able to pay attention to it from a writer’s perspective. Honestly, I think this series hit me a lot harder than it did when I originally read it just because I might have processed the brutality of the story better than when I was a teenager. Though The Hunger Games can be a brutal story to read at times, Collins still manages to juggle elements of humor, action, and hope in a masterful way. Catching Fire, in particular, has always been my favorite of the series, and Kristin and I did an entire blog breaking it down as one of the few sequels that tops the original book that you can also check out.

Kristin:

Alright so this is a special month because one of my favorite series Heaven Official’s Blessing just released the eighth and final novel. I actually got it earlier this week and had it read within the same day (I was really excited). It’s been a tough debate on which series between this one and Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation is my favorite and while I do prefer the latter, this is still an amazing series and excellent if you want to get into Chinese fantasy (Xianxia). The protagonist really gets a chance to shine, our love interest proves why they are the greatest significant other (while still having their own life and personality) and side characters that are fully-developed and impactful. It was a wonderful conclusion and, as always, the extra chapters were a sweet edition. This series is what got me into this genre and probably why I will never leave it.

I also wanted to mention how cool these novels are. I got the special edition which included mini-posters, a cute little character cutout, stickers, postcards, and a cute little notebook. It kind of felt like Christmas. I love the amount of care put into these novels and the little goodies that come with it. It reminds me of when stores used to do an opening night event (I specifically remember going to a Twilight DVD release at midnight and I got cake and a goody bag, good times for my pre-teen self).

Next, Beyond the Wand by Tom Felton. This was an incredibly fun and surprising autobiography. I love how open and friendly he was with his words, it almost felt as if he were sharing stories with a friend. Definitely one of the more interesting autobiographies.

That’s all for this month! Be sure to let us know what you’re reading and we’ll see you in December! Write-on!