Welcome to my November Reads, dearest Pragmaster!

As you venture into this reading list, please, keep in mind that I believe no book is ever truly perfect. I rate books based on overall quality and enjoy-ability from my perspective. I may feel a book wasn’t written very well, but still give it a good rating, because it had great characters, or I just really enjoyed it.

A person can love a certain book/series while another hates it, so please be courteous of people’s right to their own opinion.

I present to you, my November reads & listens:

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (Harry Potter #1) by J.K. Rowling

My Rating: 3 of 5 | 2019 Goodreads Challenge 30 of 20

I am one of those monsters that never had an interest in reading the Harry Potter series growing up. Maybe the writing style wasn’t for me, or maybe I was just plain lazy (don’t judge me). Everyone has their own preferences, and I just didn’t vibe with Harry Potter when I was little, but don’t start harassing me, because I do respect the franchise and all of its fans.

As of a few weeks ago, I can now say that I have read this book, although, only because it is required reading for my Children’s Literature class this quarter. I can honestly say I was surprised by this book, as in it was better than I expected, so I kind of understand the hype.

I don’t have the nostalgia feels for this series, because I didn’t read it when I was little. With that said, I feel like a lot of the hype among people my age is partially due to nostalgia, which is great for those people.

Obviously, I didn’t love it, but I did enjoy it. I can think of many things I would change and did not like, but the overall experience wasn’t bad. So, I will call this one neutral for me.

I will probably never read this book again, and I don’t think I will continue with the Harry Potter series.

Although, I am glad I can say I have at least read the first book in the series.

I am curious: please leave a comment about your feelings on the series. Are you a fan? Have you never read it? What house are you? I am a Ravenclaw.

Circe by Madeline Miller

My Rating: 4 of 5 | 2019 Goodreads Challenge 31 of 20

Even though I didn’t seek this book out on my own, I actually loved this book. I am not usually a fan of mythology, even in fiction, but this book didn’t require any background knowledge and wasn’t too heavy, in my opinion.

The first person narration and melodic nature of the writing creates a very dreamlike experience, which I found to be suiting for the story and pleasant as an audiobook (I both listened to and read this book).

My only complaints would be that there was way too much sexual violence in way too much detail for me, and the end of the book kind of summarizes what happens pretty fast, while the rest of the book is slower. It kind of felt like the author ran out of space, so she rushed the end. Even if the end felt rushed, I still think it was impactful.

So, overall, a pretty good book that I recommend to anyone who likes mythology or witchcraft. The main character is super relateable, and you really feel for her throughout her story. Be warned, you may not enjoy this book if you’re not into gore or excessive amounts of sex and violence. It is a book about Greek gods and titans after all, so what else would you expect?

I could see myself revisiting this book one day, but I am not overwhelmed with passion for this story.

I don’t really know if I will pursue Miller’s other novels about mythology, mostly due to the violence that comes along with the nature of the time period.

The Modern Witchcraft Book of Natural Magick: Your Guide to Crafting Charms, Rituals, and Spells from the Natural World by Judy Ann Nock

My Rating: 3 of 5 | 2019 Goodreads Challenge 32 of 20

This was a random read that I picked up from the library. I read it in about an hour, because I skip things I don’t find relevant to my practice or interests. This book had some interesting information and good advice, but the beliefs and practices just didn’t align with mine personally. If you are interested in Witchcraft, I do recommend giving this book a try.

I found it interesting, and there wasn’t anything wrong with it, but I wouldn’t personally use this book for my own reference.

Wicca: A Modern Guide to Witchcraft and Magick by Harmony Nice

My Rating: 5 of 5 | 2019 Goodreads Challenge 33 of 20

This was a book that a coworker snatched from the shelves for me, so I am grateful to her for doing so. I really enjoyed this book, and even took some notes down for my personal reference.

Same as the last book, it only took me one sitting to go through the whole thing, and I skipped parts that I don’t need. I love the break down of each solstice and equinox. I found a lot of useful information and history in this book, and found myself agreeing with a lot of it.

Even though it didn’t align with my beliefs exactly, it was a very general book that could be applied to many beliefs with the right amount of tweaking done by the reader as they read.

I will be referencing this book again at some point, since I didn’t take notes of the whole book.

If you are interested in learning about Wicca/Witchcraft, whether to practice or just out of curiosity, this book is a great starting point, in my opinion.

I also feel like this book can have something valuable for anyone. there is a lot of good advice and self-care tips that everyone could make use of.

The Life-Changing Manga of Tidying Up: A Magical Story
by Marie Kondō

My Rating: 5 of 5 | 2019 Goodreads Challenge 34 of 20

This was a new manga at the library that I decided to give a shot, because I love organizing things and haven’t read anything by Marie Kondo yet.

I loved this cute little book. It is very instructional, but also has a sweet story to it. The information is also super helpful! Not just for cleaning up, but also for storing and organizing the things in your life.

If you are trying to finish your yearly reading challenge and need short books, this is a great one!

I will definitely look into Kondo’s other books about minimalism.

Hildafolk (Hilda #1) by Luke Pearson

My Rating: 5 of 5 | 2019 Goodreads Challenge 35 of 20

This children’s graphic novel is the cutest thing ever. The aesthetic is woodsy and adorable.

This particular one in the Hilda series is very winter-y, but I haven’t read the others yet.

My coworker told me this is a Netflix show now, so guess what I am watching after final exam week?

This is a children’s graphic novel, so I was a bit surprised that a troll says “damn it”, not obviously, but it is said. Other than that, I enjoyed this book way more than I should have as an adult.

I will definitely be checking out the other five books in the series!

Thanks for checking out my November Reads! I know I didn’t read very much, but it’s school crunch time. shrugs

I will be back full force in December!

Don’t forget to check out my Tips and Tricks for Reading More (with a Busy Schedule).

-Knight of Cups ❤

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