My Month Is Booked (November 2023): Mini Reviews to Share

My Month is Booked: November 2023

If you are new to this link-up, then let me explain. Essentially, every second Tuesday of the month, I share some mini book reviews and then there is a place to link up your own post. Link up one individual book review, or a post where you do mini reviews like this one.

Before I get started sharing some books I’ve read recently, I want to remind you/let you know that I am hosting online auctions to benefit Palestinian Children. Check out the various auctions on my blog – many books are annotated, while others are just signed. All money goes to a good cause!

• all purchase links are affiliate links; I get a small % of any sale

Everything She Feared by Rick Mofina

copy from Netgalley; all opinions are my own

A teen falls off a cliff, supposedly taking a selfie and getting too close to the edge. The last person who sees her alive is a nine year old girl named Katie. The investigators aren’t sure this was an accident, but is someone that young capable of such harm? Katie’s own mom has her reasons to worry too, and she’s desperate to keep things in the past where she thinks they belong. I found this to be an intriguing mystery, and I liked the questions of nature vs. nurture. I did find it to be a bit more slow moving than I’d typically like for this genre though.

Nell of Gumbling: My Extremely Normal Fairy-Tale Life by Emma Steinkellner 

copy for review; all opinions are my own

This was a really cute graphic novel for middle grade readers! Nell is a regular girl, even if she lives in a fairy-tale town that most people find really interesting and exciting. For her though, it’s still everyday life – friends, school, the usual. She finds out her apprenticeship is in the archives, and she thinks her year of ruined…but she soon realizes that she can learn a lot about her town, and even save it! Bright, fun illustrations, and a really enjoyable story about being yourself and finding your talents.

Iveliz Explains It All by Andrea Beatriz Arango

copy for review; all opinions are my own

Iveliz is a wonderful character to read about. She goes through a lot during her seventh grade year. There’s the usual issues with school and friends, but Iveliz has these moments clouded by a profound sense of grief. At the same time, her grandmother has moved into her apartment, and it’s tough to deal with someone you love losing their memory. Iveliz Explains It All is written in verse, and I think it worked well to showcase the various emotions. This book most definitely made me think, and it made me cry. A good one to discuss with young readers!

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I’ve read a lot of other books, and I know I am behind on book reviews. I hope to be able to share them more individually again after all the auctions. Until next time!

Time To Link Up!