November Wrap-Up and TBR

This month has been very busy. I started a new job, and then got quite sick (and am still recovering). I've spent a fair portion of this month exploring different ways of reading. I've been sent a few eARCs and have been slowly working through them on my phone. It's not my favourite method of reading (I'm traditional in that way), but it's convenient for when I'm on public transport, or waiting in a supermarket queue.

My new job, however, is one where I can put on earphones while I work meaning and I have been taking full advantage of that. I've been listening to audiobooks (almost) non-stop, with an occasionally music break when time drags.

This month I read a grand total of seven books, two of those being eARCs and four being audiobooks. I did also DNF an audiobook this month (which I will talk about), despite getting over halfway through. Other than that, it was a great month for reading.

Without further ado:

Sick Girl Screams by SJ Townsend (★★★★)

Sick Girl Screams is a short story collection focusing heavily on body horror and feminist narratives. I received this eARC from Netgalley, and I'm so happy I read it. I love discovering indie authors who write in a similar fashion to myself, and I loved this collection. Highly recommend reading it, but of course, please check the content warnings beforehand as it tackles some pretty heavy stuff. I've also posted a review on this collection, so check that out if you fancy it.

The Invisible Hotel by Yeji Y. Ham (Audiobook) (★★.5)

The Invisible Hotel follows Yewon, a young woman in South Korea who feels trapped in her hometown. In her bathtub lay the bones of her deceased family members and at night she dreams of a hotel. These dreams reveal unsettling truths surrounding the war that her country is on the brink of. This novel is about family and identity, but it is overshadowed by a larger political narrative. There were segments of this book that I really enjoyed; it was eerie, gothic and unsettling. However, this book is very confusing. It jumps between settings and time without warning and it made the narrative SO difficult to follow. This was particularly obvious in the audiobook, although I've read reviews that confirm this for the physical book as well. While I did like some parts, the overall confusion was too much for me.

She's Always Hungry by Eliza Clark (Audiobook) (★★★★.5)

She's Always Hungry is a recently published short story collection by Eliza Clark. I adored these stories, there was such a wide variety and there was a great blend of humour and horror. The narrators were engaging ESPECIALLY Eliza Clark. She was brilliant, funny and I could listen to her for hours. Literally.

Bestial Mouths by Brenda S. Tolian (★★)

This was another eARC and I've also done a full review of it. It wasn't my favourite read this month, but there is a lot of potential there.

Boy Parts by Eliza Clark (Audiobook) (★★★★★)

Yet again another fabulous audiobook from Clark. I thought this was perfect. The narration? Perfect. The characters? Perfect. It follows Irina, a photographer whose portfolio contains explicit pictures of men who she solicits from the street. She is offered an exhibition at a London gallery, and from there things take a dark turn. Overall, a highly recommended read.

Lapvona by Ottessa Moshfegh (Audiobook) DNF

Not going to spend too much time on this book, but long story short the audiobook was not engaging at ALL. Which sucks because it was read by Moshfegh herself. I will probably give the book another try, but I'm staying away from the audiobook. I think a large part of it could have been her American accent, and with the setting being a medieval village, it didn't fit very well with me.

A Darker Shade edited by Joyce Carol Oates (★★★★★)

Another short story collection. Perfect in every way. No notes. If you like body horror/ feminist horror, read it.

Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield (★★★★)

Our Wives Under the Sea follows wives Leah and Miri who navigate life after Leah came back from a submarine expedition six months late. I thought the story was gripping and I loved the characters and dual perspective narrative. I guess I wanted a little bit more from the ending, but otherwise it was a solid novel.

I've been planning some exciting stuff for next year, so hopefully I can be more active on social media, but who knows. My TBR going into the Christmas period is always messy. I don't read seasonal stories (except Halloween, although for me Halloween is a year round event). Currently on my list we have: The Rats by James Herbert, Think Again by Jacqueline Wilson and Apple and Knife by Intan Paramaditha. I'll also be listening to a bunch of audiobooks, although I'm more spontaneous with those. Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed it.

All the best,

Talia