November Reading Wrap-Up

November was a great month for reading - I read a total of 5 books, and I liked them all a lot (mostly)! See the brief breakdown below ⬇️

💐 The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky [Reread]
The Gist
Charlie is a lonely freshman, and he starts writing letters about his life to a stranger, hoping they can understand him. Throughout the novel, Charlie's letters help him understand himself, and he details the friends he makes, the experiences he has, and the troubling truths he's been repressing since childhood. It's a short novel with characters that feel giant.

The Thoughts
I remember reading this book in middle school and thinking it was the most profound piece of literature I've ever read. While I don't think that's necessarily true anymore, it does still have a special place in my heart. I care for Charlie as if he's my own best friend, and I think his mindset helps me see the world a little differently. I don't know what it is, but he does! The people he surrounds himself with are somehow so well-rounded despite only being experienced through Charlie's point of view and what he chooses to write about. There's a little bit of everyone I know written into the characters of this book.

🏰 Maeve Fly by CJ Leede [5 stars]
The Gist
Maeve Fly is an unnamed snow queen at an unnamed theme park, and she's batshit. She drinks, does drugs, and has kinky sex - the complete opposite of the character she plays for her job. She meets a man, and something about him starts her downfall into depravity. With murder, sex, and paranoia, Maeve Fly figures out her life in her own unique way,

The Thoughts
Did my description make any sense? No? That's how I felt throughout the book - in a good way! I rated it 5 stars because I couldn't stop listening to the audiobook, but I genuinely can't decide on whether I actually liked the book or not. It went deep into the depravity pit, but it was still so good. Leede writes an incredible unhinged female main character. If at any point you think you know what's going to happen next, think again.

📖 Funny Story by Emily Henry [5 stars]
The Gist
Daphne loves her job but hates everything else about her life. She was engaged to a wonderful man who she moved to Michigan for and got her dream job as a children's librarian. Then it all blows up in her face. Peter (the fiancé) tells her he's actually in love with his childhood best friend, Petra, a free-spirited, gorgeous, well-off girl. She's left single and homeless - enter Miles, Petra's ex-boyfriend. The two dumpees move in together, and a love story ensues.

The Thoughts
I LOVED this book. Emily Henry is one of my must-buy authors (once those books are published in paperback format, that is), and she knocked it out of the park with this one. I always love a fake dating scenario, and when it's done to spite exes, I love it even more. While I do tire of the third act break-up sometimes, she knows how to draw me back in with the reconciliation. Miles and Daphne are a great pair, and I love them.

💿 Everything I Need I Get From You by Kaitlyn Tiffany [3.75 stars]
The Gist
A sociological look at the Internet as we know it and the hand that fangirls played in creating it. With a focus on the One Direction fanbase, this book was an exploration of all things fandom dating back to the original British Invasion.

The Thoughts
Look, I wrote a whole full length review of this book that you can read here. I won't parse words - I didn't love it. At a certain point, it felt like fangirls were being made the butt of the joke while the entire novel's premise was supposedly in defense of fangirls. As a lifelong fangirl, it left a bad taste in my mouth. It was also a very narrow focus, and it sure felt like it.

💞 Red, White, & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston [Reread]
The Gist
Alex is the First Son of the United States, and Henry is the the Prince of England. They hate each other and avoid any and all interactions until Cake-Gate at the Royal Wedding of Henry's older brother forces them into a PR friendship. Long-distance friendship turns into long-distance flirting turns into long-distance love.

The Thoughts
Alex and Henry are a couple that I will be obsessed with until the day I die. Their banter is witty and funny and believable, and their heart-wrenching moments are ones you can't help but hurt with them over. I will always love this book, and I don't think there's much that could happen for me to change my mind.

Anyway! Thank you for reading this - if you'd like more frequent reading updates, follow me on Instagram, @kevs_library :)