🍁 November Reviews 🦃
November 1st-30th
Book 121: Inkdeath
By Cornelia Funke
Read November 2nd-3rd
Pages: 699
Release Year: 2007
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November 2024 reread:
There is a common belief for many writers that their characters control their stories more than they do themselves. This story takes that idea further with an author being brought into his own book and seeing it happen with his own eyes. I adore this world with all my heart and it has been a joy to revisit it again. It’s funny how much a book can change for you within even just few years. It is such a great story for book lovers and writers.
February 2021 read:
I really enjoyed this ending to the series. I started the book on Sunday and listened to 227 pages of it with the audiobook which were great and then picked up the book again today and read the rest of it myself. The audiobook was great but it was so much better reading it myself.
This book and the series itself are perfect books for booklovers. I loved following along with the characters and am very happy with the outcome of everything throughout. What a satisfying ending that fit so well with the series as a whole. I do wish that I had read this along with the first book so many years ago though. I know it probably would have been a favorite series of mine for so long.
Book 122: The Colour of Revenge
By Cornelia Funke
Read November 4th- 7th
Pages: 340
Release Year: 2024 (USA)
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I have been looking forward to returning to the Inkworld for years. The first time I read Inkheart was when I was fourteen years old and I fell in love with it instantly. I did not finish the rest of the series until much later, though I loved the other two just as much as the first. Cornelia Funke’s books are stunning stories with a world that will draw you in, almost as much as the characters themselves. I had such a wonderful time rereading the original trilogy before picking this up.
I’m always apprehensive when an author returns to a series so many years later, but I was excited to see where Cornelia would take this story. Sadly, I did not enjoy this book as much as I wanted to. It was written just as beautifully as the others, but I was not a big fan of the focus in the novel. I don’t want to spoil the plot here, though I will say that it was meant to wrap up Orpheus’s story and it did that.
Also, this book is so much shorter and it loses some of the magic. Cornelia’s writing is still just as stunning but just too short for me. I always loved how much detail she went into and seeing the books from the many different perspectives: Meggie, Mo, Resa, Dustfinger, Elinor, etc and I missed that in this book. We did get some, but what made the other books feel magical was not here as much.
One of the best parts from this story was the idea of the book with the paintings. It was so clever and fit so well into the Inkworld and made me think of the book Mo bound in Inkspell. Cornelia always comes up with such interesting ideas for the fantastical aspects of the story. I liked learning about the new characters and getting even more world-building. This is a world I love with all my heart.
It will always be a joy to read a Inkworld story and I would read anything Cornelia writes in this world. I didn’t love this but I’m happy we got to see these characters again.
*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC of this book all opinions are my own.*
Book 123: Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats
By T. S. Eliot
Read November 8th
Pages: 56
Release Year: 1939
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I had a great time reading these poems. There were many that I already knew about because of Cats the musical. My favorite being “Macavity the Mystery Cat.” These are so strange and fun.
Book 124: At Midnight
Edited by Dahlia Adler
Read January 28th- November 10th
Pages: 496
Release Year: 2022
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I highly enjoy these short story collections edited by Dahlia Adler. In January, I started this collection and read nine stories. I didn't pick the book back up until today but I still vividly remember almost every story I read about a year ago.
Each of the writers took the fairy tales and twisted them into their own stories. The more creativity the better. I did not love every one of these new tales but most were great. Also, I love how they included the original tales in this book. Most, I have read before, but there were a few I did not know the origin for.
I'm hoping there will be more collections from this series based on other tales. One, I'm really hoping for is a Mythology one. I could just imagine a young adult take on popular myths, especially the realistic contemporary ones.
My favorites in the collection are:
🪶 "In the Forests of the Night" by Gita Trelease- inspired by "Fitcher's Bird" which is a tale I had never heard of before. This is probably my favorite from the collection.
🔥 "Fire and Rhinestone" by Stacey Lee- inspired by "The Little Match Girl"
🍖 "Just a Little Bite" by Roselle Lim- a contemporary twist on "Hansel and Gretel" which also had me thinking of Sweeney Todd
💰 "Once Bitten, Twice Shy" by Hafash Faizel- such a wonderful twist on "Little Red Riding Hood"
Book 125: Nettle & Bone
By T. Kingfisher
Read January 14th- November 11th
Pages: 319
Release Year: 2022
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T. Kingfisher is great at creating stories that feel like a fairy tale. She does an incredible job blending the dark scenes along with the heartfelt. I didn’t love this as much as her others I have read this year, but it was highly enjoyable. She has definitely become a new favorite author for me and I cannot wait to pick up another of her books soon.
Book 126: Dante’s Inferno: A Graphic Novel Adaptation
Adapted by Paul Brizzi & Gaëtan Brizzi
Read November 13th
Pages: 160
Release Year: 2024 (USA)
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A stunning adaptation of Dante's epic poem Inferno. It is a great example of how such a classic can be re-imagined into a visual medium and is a masterpiece. Paul and Gaëtan Brizzi did a remarkable job adapting the poem to feel like a modern take on the tale while staying true to the source material. It is an abridged version of the story, though.
The illustrations are beautiful, haunting, and frequently grotesque. They fit along with the story perfectly. I would love to see Paul and Gaëtan take on other adaptations of classic works such as The Iliad, The Odyssey, Paradise Lost, and Dracula. Their style would fit these stories well.
I highly recommend picking this up. This would be a great inclusion for classes teaching the epic poem.
*Thank you to Edelweiss for my ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.*
Book 127: Wicked: The Life and Times of
the Wicked Witch of the West
By Gregory Maguire
Read November 11th-13th
Pages: 409
Release Year: 1995
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I have tried to read this book two times before and could not get past the first part: Munchkinlanders. The first time was in tenth grade (2010) when I first saw it, recognizing the cover instantly. I had always wanted to see the musical and thought the book would be just as great as I heard the musical was. Thank goodness, I didn't read it then and I wish I didn't now.
This time, I decided to listen to the audiobook while painting, which definitely helped a lot. I recommend readers go into this knowing it is a very adult and dark reimaging of the origin of the Wicked Witch of the West. It is not the fantastical story many people believe it to be because of the musical. It focuses on themes of politics, religion, and oppression.
I liked seeing elements from Baum's Ozian books here, but I wish there were more descriptions of the world of Oz. We learn about some of the different denizens' cultures and religions. But not a lot else. The world does not feel lived in as much as I would like from a fantasy book, especially one based on the world of Oz. Baum's books were short and he was still able to flesh out the world and characters.
The best part of this novel was the friendship between Glinda/Galinda and Elphaba. I enjoyed watching it grow throughout the first half of the novel. Their scenes together are what made this book bearable, though that was not enough to make me like this. I wish there would have been more of them together.
I do not like the weird scenes in this novel, especially dealing with "The Philosophy Club." There was literally no reason for this to be included other than making it even more adult. It just was off-putting and almost made me stop listening to this. I would have if I didn't make it a goal to read this book before seeing the movie.
The third part of this novel is where the story lost most of my interest. It lost everything I liked at all in the beginning and it dragged.
Gregory Maguire had many good ideas here but they were bogged down by awkward writing, many scenes feeling rushed, and overly strange/disgusting scenes. He had an interesting concept which fell apart as the story continued. It loses the magic that drew me into Oz all those years ago.
I have heard that the musical takes these ideas and creates a more fantastical story. I am highly looking forward to seeing the movie next weekend and do not recommend this at all.
Book 128: Rumo & His Miraculous Adventures
By Walter Moers
Read November 14th-16th
Pages: 688
Release Year: 2003
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It is an absolute joy reading the Zamonia books. Walter Moers writes in a way unlike any writer I have seen before and I adore his style. There are similarities to the other absurdist authors that I love, but his just goes above and beyond. These books are large and could probably be shortened a bit, but his world-building makes it worth the length. It is great to learn about the various characters, species, and places throughout the story.
This novel focuses mainly on our titular character, Rumo (did you know he’s named after a Zamonian card game), who is a Wolperting. He becomes a great hero throughout the novel, with the help of his talking sword Dandelion. I will always be a sucker for a book with a talking sword. I won’t spoil anything else dealing with the sword, but it is comedic gold.
Rumo’s story is a hero’s journey I had so much fun listening to and reading. I highly recommend both the audiobook and the physical book. The illustrations are a great addition to Rumo’s story. Zamonia is a world I cannot get enough of and I look forward to picking up the next novel soon.
Book 129: Disney’s Animated Classic # 7:
Disney’s The Little Mermaid
By Lily Murray
Read November 17th
Pages: 69
Release Year: 2019
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I decided to read this beauty today for the 35th anniversary of the movie. The Little Mermaid will always be my favorite Disney movie and I adore this edition of the story. It has beautiful concept art throughout the entire book. This is the perfect inclusion for any fan’s collection.
Book 130: Disney The Little Mermaid
The Full Film Script
By the Editors of Canterbury Classics
Read November 17th
Pages: 144
Release Year: 2022
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An absolutely wonderful piece of Disney memorabilia. This is the screenplay of the movie, which has every line and song. It also includes concept art, behind-the-scenes stories, fun facts, and insights from many of the people who worked on all aspects of the movie. There are even handwritten notes. I loved learning even more about my favorite Disney movie and had a great time reading through this book.
Book 131: Winnie-the-Pooh’s Little Book of Wisdom
By A. A. Milne
Read November 17th
Pages: 96
Release Year: 1999
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I think everybody needs more Pooh Bear in their life. This is so adorable, insightful, and funny. A great book that helps brings joy to a hard day.
Book 132: Roland Rogers Isn’t Dead Yet
By Samantha Allen
Read November 30th
Pages: 288
Release Year: 2024
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One of the strangest romances I ever listened to and I loved every minute of it! A highly original story that had me both laughing and crying throughout. Chris Henry Coffey and Nick Mills did a great job narrating for both Roland and Adam.
This was an emotionally packed story about two men finding comfort in each other in the most inopportune moment, after one of them passes away. Roland is a Hollywood A-Lister, who is known for his good looks and charisma. Adam is an ex-Mormon, who wrote a memoir revealing his sexual identity to the world, becoming almost famous. Now, down on his luck, Adam decides to take a job as a ghostwriter for Roland Rogers. Little does he know that the job is going to entail much more than writing.
When he arrives at Roland's house, Adam finds out that Roland has died in a skiing accident. Roland is still able to communicate if he focuses really hard and wants to get his life story written before anyone else finds out he's dead. He wants to finally come out to the world and believes Adam is the perfect person to write his story. Sparks fly as both men grow closer and reveal so much about themselves to each other.
This was a heartwarming story with heavy topics such as coming out, religious trauma, fame and homophobia. Samantha Allen does a great job of balancing these elements along with her humor. I laughed out loud many times while listening to this book. Also, the dual perspectives for this book were perfect. I loved hearing the story from both Roland and Adam.
*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC of this wonderful book. All opinions are my own.*
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