For the first time since I started blogging, life was too busy for me to write my wrap-up on time!
What’s new?
A lot happened in November, it is hard to keep up and remember everything, but some highlights are worth mentioning.
First of all, I finally found a therapist! I had been shy and hesitant about talking about my issues, thinking it would not make a difference. Well, it does make a difference. I am now lucky enough to meet a psychiatrist and a nurse every week, and just talking about what’s happening has been a huge relief. I can feel a difference already. I haven’t started my med treatment, but I don’t rely that much on pills so I make the most of the sessions and relish every good day a little more.
I went shopping! Yes, it’s silly, but it deserves to be noted because spending three hours at the mall is not so easy for me. Not easy at all, in fact. A big thanks to my mother and my hubby for putting up with me to find shoes. (We did not find shoes but a beautiful Minelli bag and a wonderful little black dress that makes me feel sexy and hot 😂). Who goes shoes shopping and actually comes back home with shoes anyway?
Studies are now in the back-burner until January. It looks like I was a little too ambitious about working and taking care of myself at the same time. It’s a setback but I haven’t given up on my degree. For the moment I’m focusing on studying in a way that makes me happy, which means I shoved Lolita in the back of a drawer and won’t take it back until I absolutely have to!
Enough about mundane things, let’s go back to books now!
Book I read in November
Faithful, Alice Hoffman
4/5
My review was due two weeks ago, but it’s in draft. I’ll have it all good and ready to be read for next week.
I was surprised to like it so much as coming-of-age stories are not my thing. I love cover picks that end up being favorites!
Safe With Me, K.L Slater
Jury still out on the rating
Here comes the second review that should have been published already. Now I feel terrible!
Intense and creepy. Very creepy. The creepiest feeling. I still can’t put my finger on what made it so creepy, but creepy it is! (Did I mention it was creepy?)
Hello Me, It’s You, Hanna Todd and Anonymous
4/5
You can find the review here.
Three Dark Crowns, Kendare Blake
2,5/5
The review was published as the Hype or Like Book of the Month Review here.
Only 4 books read this month, this is a bit disappointing but a slump tried to invade my life. I had to fight to keep him at bay. Let’s hope it leaves me alone in December.
Books I reviewed in October
Blog Tour: Snowflakes and Christmas Cakes, Lindsay Paley 3/5
In Our Family Portrait We Look Pretty Happy… 5/5 Review of A Suitable Lie, Michael J. Malone
Looking Back and Moving Forward 4/5 Review of Hello Me, It’s You, Hanna Todd
Life In Words 4/5 Review of Descriptions of Heaven, Randal Eldon Greene
Hype or Like Friday: Review time! 2,5/5 Review of Three Dark Crowns, Kendare Blake
News Books
I was lucky to win a copy of The Graveyard Book, my first Gaiman book, from my Lady Saucy over at Inked Brownies and it came with the mail yesterday! Thank you Anne! 😘
Books I received for review
So proud to see my bestie’s name on a book! My review of Corrupt Me should be up very very soon! It’s not a genre I usually read, but this story might change that!
Book of the Month Award
The author managed to make me enjoy a coming-of-age book and relate to a growing character, that deserves an award! Also, the fact that I kept reading despite animals being a big part of the story says it all. It’s a good one.
Blogging Life
Blog Tour
Suntags
- Suntag: This Is My Genre, Tell Me Yours Book Tag
- Suntag: Celebrating The Little Things
- Suntag: The Rory Gilmore Reading Challenge
Challenges
This Week In Books
Extracts
That’s it for me! How was your November like? How many books did you read? Tell me everything, I’m nosey!
Meggy's Bookish Corner 
So glad to read some of the things are taking a positive turn in your life! super high fives for that 🙂
I’m excited to start reading Jillian’s book soon. seeing your comment about it not being your usual genre in a positive tone gives me so much hope and excitement… not that i was worried about reading it in the first place. Jill is just mega and I doubt anything other than awesomeness nad professional writing could come out of her pen.
Enjoy December! 🙂
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Thank you! *hugs tight!* It’s a nice way to finish the year, even though with therapy comes hard work!
I just finished Jill’s book and it confirmed my feeling, I really enjoyed it! I can’t wait to hear your thoughts on it, it has lots of positive points and a yummy guy 😀 I’m not one for book boyfriend but I’ll make an exception for Luca. I’ll stop here or I’ll write the review right away, haha!
Have a fabulous December!
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With therapy comes hard work… well, I for one have every faith in you that you will manage that hard work! You’re intelligent and creative what I can gather by following your reviews and I’m sure that applies to your own life as well… So happy though that it’s a positive way to end the year for you! 🙂
Ooh… That Luca sounds like some serious hot stuff… I look forward to your review and I better start reading the book sooner rather than later! 🙂
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You have more faith in me than I do! ❤ I cherish those words, you have no idea! Thank you so much, you have a way of making me feel better with every comment, and I have no doubts it applies to everyone who is lucky to interact with you. I want to send you my best waffles now! 🙂
Luca won't let you down, I promise :p
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😊 😘 you’ll do just great!
waffles…. blimey, I haven’t had waffles for over 13 years now… 😂
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13 years?? It’s been 20h since I last ate some xD How do you do it??
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😀 hahaha 20h… my sister used to make mean waffles… but… I don’t know, I’m just such a lazy bum when it comes to baking/cooking… my hubster is lucky he gets a home cooked meal for dinner in him every day … when I become a billionaire I shall hire a personal chef and waffle master and pay them big bucks! 😀
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Haha, good idea! I’m lazy too but never when it comes to food. I take it too seriously 😀
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Hi Donna, I am glad to hear that you started therapy and that its going well. That is some good progress. You have so many wonderful books on this post. I especially look forward to your review of Safe with me since I think I am in the minority on that one. I would love to see what you thought about it. I also got Jillian’s book for review and can’t wait to start reading it.Have a wonderful December and all the best with everything ❤
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Thank you, things are slowly moving in the right way, it’s a wonderful Christmas gift to myself 🙂
I still have no idea how to finish my review of Safe with Me, it’s a complicated book to review without giving away anything. I can’t wait to discover your thoughts on Jill’s book. I finished Corrupt Me this morning and I just loved it!
I wish you all the best for the last month of the year and plenty of happy time ❤
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I’m glad you found a therapist my sweechie, and I can only hope this helps you and makes you feel better with everything! ❤ ❤
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Thank you my Sweechie! <3<3<3 It feels like this therapy is a gift to myself 🙂 I feel a little stronger these days, I'm just happy to be surrounded by awesome people like you!
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Some great books there Donna, I’m sure you can use the Christmas break to curl up and get some quality reading done.
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I hope so! It’ll be the first Christmas since I started university that I spend as a real holiday. Usually, as I have exams in early January, I spend my days studying 🙂
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Enjoy and relax
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Ok you had me at the first creepy ;-). Sounds like my favorite poison :-). I look forward to the review of that one especially. Great book list too again. I’m glad you’ve found a way to help yourself, it doesn’t seem like an easy thing to do! And urgh shoe shopping.. I’m the worst at shoe shopping, I go window shopping and don’t see anything for me anywhere and then one day, because I just have to, I go to one store and I know I have to buy a pair, and then I come out with 3 pairs, because one of my issues is that I can’t choose between things. So either I leave it all or take it all. Good thing I almost never go shoe shopping huh 😂
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Creepiest creepy feeling, you’d love it 😀
Therapy is great but it also means lots of work. But it’s all good 🙂 I can always run back to my blog and my lovely bloggers like you to escape for a few hours!
I looooove shoes but I never find what I want. Well, it’s not true. I find the perfect shoes but they’re like the most expensive pair ever. Happens all the time! 😂 Shoe shopping is not for the faint-hearted!!
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You’ll get there, and I’m happy we can all be a diversion too :-). Never go shoe shopping with Donna – check – heaven’s knows when I’ll get home and how much I’ll pay then ;-).
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Great round up Donna. I have missed wrapping up on my blog the past couple of months as life has been crazy. I’m so pleased to hear that you are feeling a little better and well done on going out shopping. Sending love xxx
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I had completely forgotten about the wrap-up until I saw a few fellow bloggers post one on their blogs! It is hard to keep up when days fly by. Thank you so much, it’s a relief to know I can still do simple things such as going to the mall, even just for an afternoon, I felt okay again 🙂 I wish you a fantastic December! xxx
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Hope you have a fantastic month too xxx
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It looks like you had a great month for November Donna, both in terms of reading and in terms of your life in general. Here’s hoping your December is even better! 😀
Asides from Three Dark Crowns, and doesn’t the low ratings seem to be a general consensus for that book, you really enjoyed everything you read, and wow that’s an impressive haul as well. I need to read Neil Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book. I saw the review Lilly wrote for it and knew I had to pick it up when I next got a chance! 😀 I hope you enjoy it, and the rest of the books you got as well. 🙂
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Thank you! 😘 I can’t complain, there were low but also high points in November and I am just happy going one day after the other 🙂
I really need to stop jumping on every book deal,haha. I reached 101 books on my TBR, I did not even read that much in 2016!! I hope you can read The Graveyard Book soon so we can talk about it!
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That’s all right. I guess that’s the same with every month as well but taking things one day at a time is always a good way to go about things isn’t it?
At least you’re not constantly buying books full price though, that can be a really quick way to empty your bank account each month! I feel my TBR list has breached the 100’s as well.
I hope so too, it’s on my to-read list now but I’m not sure when I’ll get around to it!
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Ooh everyone needs a little black dress- that’s so great!! 🙂 hahaha that’s where lolita belongs to be honest- I could go the rest of my life without setting eyes on it again! Great wrap up!!
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I was dying for a black dress that does not make me look like I’m still 16 😂 Thank you!! ❤
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haha I understand that! You’re welcome!! ❤
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Looks like you had a great month! I enjoyed Faithful as well and I LOVE that cover of The Graveyard Book. I’ve also heard pretty mixed things about Three Dark Crowns, so that’s going to the bottom of the TBR pile for now.
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Faithful was such a surprise! I wrote my review this morning but I can’t say I did it justice. Still, I’m so glad I read it till the end despite my tears at the animal lives’ issues! I know, I can’t stop looking at The Graveyard Book’s cover. My bookcase is in front of my bed and I put the book in display just where I can see it, so I have a window opening on the cemetery on the left and the book right in front 😂 You definitely don’t need to rush to read Three Dark Crowns, I’d wait until the second book is published if I were you!
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I know! I wasn’t sure about Faithful either and requested it mostly just so I could stare at that gorgeous cover some more… But I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it despite the sad bits.
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I love therapy and my meds.. I’m always here if you need someone to chat with 😀 Looks like you had a positive month!
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Thank you! ❤ 😘 No matter what some might say, therapy makes me feel better that's the most important 🙂 I'm happy it works for you too!
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I think it all depends on the therapist too! You have to find one you mesh with…
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Yep, and that’s hard to find!
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So glad you found a dress that you feel great in! Sometimes that can feel like quite the feat!
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Exactly! Especially when stores never have your size!
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Yay for your first gaiman! Mine was Ocean At The End Of The Lane which you MUST read asap. (Also yay for the therapist! I’m still looking for a good one here.)
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I’m really anxious about starting it as everyone seems to love his stories 😀 I hope you find a therapist soon! I had to look for one for two years before I finally got a good one here…
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I need to find a responsible one because the ones in my country don’t necessarily follow intl laws. I tried American gods and hated it. Thankfully I loved ocean and I’m sorta liking NEVER where so that’s always good
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I believe therapy can be very beneficial. So glad to hear it’s doing good in your life. I have high anxiety about going out to things that are very busy with people, so going shopping (not just in and out, grab your item and go) stresses me out. I hope you enjoy that little black dress!
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I hope you get the help you need for that anxiety. It can be so difficult to handle by yourself. I’ll make the most of that little dress 😀
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I’m so happy to hear you found a therapist that you feel comfortable with, Donna ♥ I tried a few months ago and it went better than I expected, but of course I never went back because my brain hates me. It’s definitely something I want to try again though. And yayyy for successful shopping trips! Little black dresses are everything.
I hope you have an amazing December ♥
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Thank you! ❤ Brains are nasty beasts! I hope you can find a way to go again if you feel like it, I was skeptical but it really helps 🙂
Have a wonderful end of the year ❤
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The Graveyard Book is possible my favorite Neil Gaiman book, right after Stardust. I have that illustrtaed edition and it is gorgeous hehe 😀 http://www.curious-daisy.com/reading-wrap-up/november-reading-wrap-up/
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I’m really excited about reading The Graveyard. Partly because it comes from a friend and because I’m finally gonna see what everyone is talking about!
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