This is what I finished in November from my reading stack…did you read anything great?

The Chronicles of Chrestomanci Vol. 1-3 by Diana Wynne Jones (****) – These are tomes because each volume is 2 books. I had so much fun with these and they would be perfect for over the holiday vacation. They are interrelated stories about a powerful enchanter whose title is Chrestomanci. He has nine lives and the current enchanter is Christopher Chant. He is an enigmatic, mysterious personality and he helps in many different children’s lives and situations throughout the books. These are SO fun and escapist fiction with interesting ideas in it. Jones really understands children’s imagination and thoughts. I found that so lovely. My favorite of the books were The Pinhoe Egg and Witch Week. If you are a fan of light fantasy/magic Middle Grade books with subtle British humor, you will enjoy these!

Bleak House by Charles Dickens (*****) – I read along with an Instagram group and I really loved this book. One of my favorite things about this was how places take on a life of their own, how amazingly distinctive Dicken’s characters are, and all of the children in this were fascinating and heart-wrenching. Mr. Bucket was one of my favorite characters, but I still can’t pinpoint why. I will probably have to reread it, someday! Ha. This follows multiple story lines and slowly culminates in them all tied together in some way. It features two main narrators, a young woman Esther Summerson, and a third person narrator, presumably Dickens himself? I can’t even begin to do this A-mazing book justice. Dickens gives us an immersive experience literally bogging us down at times in the foggy, gritty details of London. Highly recommend!

The Solitary Summer by Elizabeth von Arnim (*****) – The hilarious introspection of a wife and mother. Lush descriptions of nature, gardens. Enlightening, insider’s look at a wealthy, upper class woman’s life. I really enjoyed this title. This is technically a sequel to her Elizabeth and Her German Garden, but I don’t think you need to necessarily read them in order.

Adoring the Dark: Thoughts on Community, Calling, and the Mystery of Making by Andrew Peterson (***) – My favorite part of this was how well Mr. Peterson conveyed the sheer insecurity and terror an artist can feel about their work. And how it’s tied to our personhood. I also loved the pops of humor. Overall, a quick, inspiring read. I enjoyed this author’s middle grade fantasy series, The Wingfeather Saga.

Letters from Father Christmas by J.R.R Tolkien (*****) – I read and perused this from library! Definitely want to add it to our Christmas collection. The time Mr.Tolkien spent and the faithfulness of these is an inspiration to me as a mother. Just so lovely!

The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern (**) – 2.5 – 3 stars – This is a magic realism fiction title from the author of The Night Circus. If you like the idea of Alice & Wonderland for adults, you may? like this one.  I have a LONG review here, if you are interested.

The Holy Bible (*****) – finished Psalms, started Proverbs, and reading Acts

Happy Reading!

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