November : My Month in Review
1 December 2019 
Well, November just went speeding by. I’ve been so busy this month, I’ve taken on various ‘projects’ around the house and it seems every time I finish one thing I add another two to the list. I’m exhausted. On top of that we’re looking after our next door neighbours two dogs which is also an extra chore – I don’t mind really but it is time consuming. And, well, I’m so tired by the end of the day that I’ve been doing very little reading or blogging. I’m hoping things will calm down this month maybe and I can chill out – although December isn’t really known as the month for ‘chilling’ is it – chilled maybe! Plus, there’s no sign of the neighbours returning yet, they said they’d be gone for 5 days, week maximum – it’s now been 10 days and not a hint of a return. On the happy side of things I have completed Stage 1 of the SPFBO competition and to be honest it’s always a relief to finish the first part – not because I don’t enjoy it but it’s much more pressure than the second half because there are 30 books to be checked out and a winner chosen to go to stage 2 – and this year’s batch was rather excellent, which was good on the one hand, but just heaped even more pressure on in terms of choosing a finalist on the other. Anyway, enough of that. I’ve managed to read 8 books this month plus post a whole bunch of reviews and I’m about 30% into The Hanged Man and the God of Gnomes. My month in covers can be found here and here’s my November in review:
Books read: this month = 8
- Songs From the Deep by Kelly Powell
- Dark Pattern by Andrew Mayne
- Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo
- Never Die by Rob J Hayes
- The Blade Withinby Jackson Lear
- Vortex Visions by Elise Kova
- River of Thievesby Clayton Snyder
- Sir Thomas the Hesitant and the Table of the Less Valued Knights by Liam Perrin
Backlist books
None.
Unfinished series completed:
None.
Books Bought:
None – behaving myself before birthday/Christmas 😀
Audio Books Bought:
None
Review Books:
Not too excessive this month:
- Realm of Ash by Tasha Suri
- The Assistantby S. K. Tremayne
- Dead to Herby Sarah Pinborough
- The Shadow Saintby Gareth Ryder-Hanrahan
- Stormsong by CL Polk
Hope you’ve all had a good month.this
Books and travelling with Lynn 
Like you Lynn, I had a really busy November, with my return to full-time work and two weekends away, and then I was struck by the dreaded lurgy this week! I too hope for a more chilled December… but I think it is highly unlikely! However it hasn’t dropped your reading numbers too badly and well done for completing Stage 1 of the SPFBO competition. Happy reading, when you can find time, in December! 😛
Hope you’re over your ‘lurgy’ Jessica. Happy December.
Lynn 😀
Yes, I am feeling a lot better, thank you Lynn. 🙂
😀
Looking forward to your review of The Shadow Saint! I so need to go back and read Realm of Ash as well – I’ve just been too excited about all the new books I have coming in.
I know that feeling well. 😀
Ooh I need to read Songs of the Deep. 🙂
I liked it – not so much about the sirens though as the murder mystery and the ‘small island’ feel of claustrophobia.
Lynn 😀
What a busy month indeed!!! I do hope that December will be more relaxed for you Lynn :)))
I hope so too. Thanks.
Lynn 😀
Given that your neighbors seem to have gone AWOL, you might just have gained two more dogs for the household… 🐶🐶
I had already had very similar thoughts tbh.
Lynn 😀
Oh my goodness – going away and leaving you with their dogs without any word in the interim?? I’ve a horrible feeling you’ve been landed with them, Lynn:(… On top of everything else. I hope you do get a chance to occasionally chill during December! And I MUST get hold of that Andrew Mayne series…
Well, our neighbours are back – it wasn’t as bad as I probably made it sound but it was a bit worrying in that you never know what could happen.
Lynn 😀
Phew! I hope they bought you a REALLY nice pressie as a big thank you…
They did buy us a lovely gift which made me feel quite guilty for moaning! I didn’t mind looking after them tbh just started to get a bit worried more than anything else.
Lynn 😀
Oh, don’t feel guilty about the gift! You saved them a packet in kennel fees and the dogs have also been in their own home throughout, cutting down on risk of illness and trauma…
Yeah, I didn’t mind looking after them, and it is nicer for the dogs to be in their own homes – plus I am a dog lover and a bit of a softie, it was just more the issue of time dragging on which started to become a concern. Anyway, all’s well that ends well.
Lynn 😀
Wow, it does sound like things have been super busy for you. That’s crazy about your neighbors. Who does that?
Haha – well, they’re back now so it’s all done and dusted. It was a bit worrying though.
Lynn 😀