#November 2023 Wrap Up

[signourneybooks]

Dancing out of November 2023

The lower end that I was on in September and October initially continued on into November but as the month progressed and I dealth with things, this got a little better. It was also Sci-Fi Month and for the first time I was on the hosting team. I’m sad to see it end again. It was fun to connect with so many of you on the subject of sci-fi. The Numbers In November I read a total of 9 books which…

[haleyfury]

November 2023 Wrap Up & What I’ve Been Reading Lately

[dewitty1]

Fic Recs Wrap Up November 2023 ଘ(੭ˊᵕˋ)੭* ੈ✩‧₊˚･*:.｡.♡⑅୨୧̩̩̩̥✼• .｡.:*･゜ﾟ･*☆

This Ain’t the Garden of Eden by Romaine @romaine2424

In 2020, Hit Wizard Harry is starting to enjoy his life. He’s divorced, and no longer Head Auror. His biggest project these days is trying to remodel 12 Grimmauld Place for him and the kids. Draco Malfoy is recovering from his wife’s death. But is happy with his Ministry position as Temporary Head of the Department of Intoxicating Substances, and with his son who he adores. This all changes quickly when Minister Shacklebolt decides not to run for another term. The assumption is that ‘all is well’ in the British Magical world, and that Hermione Granger-Weasley will easily be voted in as the next Minister for Magic. However, Draco knows better. He knows she has a strong competitor who is wooing those who live in Knockturn. And if he wins, the Ministry, and all that has been accomplished the previous twenty odd years, will be destroyed. Rec Post

In Bad Faith by fencer_x, SoldSeparately @fencer-x @secretartlair

Draco Malfoy just can’t catch a break. Between the magical curse upon his bloodline, his hair misbehaving, and that strange pit full of demons in his basement that he had absolutely nothing to do with, it just hasn’t been a banner year for him. Luckily, Harry Potter is here to make things ten times worse. Rec Post

Anatomy of a Wolf Heart by orphan_account

MALFOY HEIR FOUND ALIVE IN WEREWOLF FIGHTING RING Three years ago at the tragic Battle that freed our great Wizarding World from the grip of a megalomaniac Dark Wizard, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, our world lost many Witches and Wizards. Among the dead and missing was Draco Malfoy, the only son of notorious Death Eaters Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy, both of whom volunteered their home for He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named to use as a headquarters. Sources have confirmed that the young Malfoy took a vow to follow in his parents footsteps by taking the Dark Mark. Inside sources have uncovered that the Malfoy heir has been found alive. Aurors recently went undercover to expose a fighting ring involving illegal potions and unregistered werewolves. Among those rescued was Draco Malfoy. Rec Post art by @tiefkuhltruhe

Fool Me Twice by iota @sorrybutblog

The case seemed simple: follow the corruption, bring down the source. Draco just didn’t anticipate Harry Potter crashing in, taking a break from red carpets and nudey-rudey photoshoots to make a giant mess. Or: Draco is an Unspeakable. Potter is an (unfairly attractive) thorn in his side. Rec Post

Inertia by cavendishbutterfly @cavendishbutterfly

It’s three months after the war. Harry has already mucked up all his plans. Draco is no longer the prince of Slytherin house. And they sure as hell didn’t both mean to go back to Hogwarts at the same time. Cue snarking, long conversations…and unexpected snogging. This is the story of how Harry and Draco put their past aside. And then it’s the story of how they finally learn to listen to it. Rec Post

Eager for the Sky by oknowkiss @oknowkiss

It was announced, just as the Triwizard Tournament had been, at the start of term feast. A year-long, international Quidditch varsity match — the inaugural Wizarding Academy Cup. In which Harry is Hogwarts’ star Seeker, Draco is on the bench, and they both have a thing or two to learn about playing for the same team. Rec Post

Once Upon a (Wet) Dream by InnerLilith

Once a year, Harry has a very strange dream. Meanwhile, in real life, he’s falling for Draco Malfoy. Rec Post

The Faeries, the Prince, and the Cupboard by makeitp1nk @makeitp1nk

In 1967, Roy Disney made a deal with a rare species of fae to build his brother Walt’s dream on their land. Forty-seven years later, that deal will change the lives of two wizarding families forever. A story about stories, family, dreams, and love. Rec Post

The Wonder of You by Ladderofyears @ladderofyears

A Family Man AU. In the year 2000, Harry left Draco behind in London, intent on America and Quidditch fame and never looked back. Thirteen years later, Harry gets the opportunity to see what his life could have been like, had his life unravelled in a different way. Nothing in Harry’s world is the same, but Harry soon comes to realise that fatherhood, marriage and the biggest, laziest Crup in Hogsmeade add to up a life he enjoys more than he could ever have imagined. Rec Post

Here are a few more fics I've read recently that y'all might like to check out as well!(ノﾟ∀ﾟ)ノ━☆ﾟ･*:.｡. .｡.:*･.*･｡ﾟ*:・ﾟ✧

To have a Home by Aulophobia

Not quite a decade after the war, Draco Malfoy was happy with his quiet little Muggle life in Oxford. He had a small group of friends from the university he’d attended, and colleagues from the law firm where he worked as a solicitor. He played folk music on his violin around the city. And he volunteered to provide legal services getting mostly idiot teenagers out of trouble with the law. His life was full. He had no contact with the magical world, and all was the way he liked it. And the feeling of emptiness in his chest, the feeling some part of him was missing, was at least better than the alternative. Or at least it was until the last few months when he kept getting called down to the police station to get Harry Potter out of trouble. Indecent exposure and possession was one thing, but the latest charge was for murder. OR Harry and Draco find each other again after the war in Oxford, a completely non-magical city. Together they solve the mystery of the city which hates all wizards but them.

[ART] Harry Potter Gets a Job (A 106-Page Comic) by dustmouth

Harry returns home from Romania to find Arthur Weasley has a new apprentice, and there's an extra place set for dinner.

Here's The Pencil, Make It Work by ignatiustrout @6balls

Harry thinks "Why is Malfoy working in a coffee shop in muggle London?" is a much simpler question than, "Are you going to accept that auror offer and, if you don't, what will you do?"

Tapestry by Kbrick @kbrick

In 2017, Harry is on his way to Pansy and Luna's beach house. He’s a bit terrified of seeing Draco, to be honest. It’s been a while, and then there’s the little matter of Draco having married someone else in the interim. In 2001, Draco is drunk, wearing Pansy's mother's ermine coat, and afraid to walk into the Leaky because someone might throw a curse at him. So, of course, he runs into his ex-nemesis and hopeless crush, Harry Potter. This is a love story that isn't perfect, about two people whose timing is never quite right, and all the moments that come together to make something extraordinarily beautiful anyway.

Sense of Doubt by FibromyalGIA

Normalcy is driving Harry insane, and just when he thinks it can't get any worse, he's invited to Draco Malfoy's hearing as a witness. Drama ensues.

Canary Creams and New Yellow Paint by dothechachaslide

It’s not Draco’s fault that Potter is seeing things and Scorpius’s campaign to be the Ministry’s Creature Liaison is struggling, it’s not. Draco didn’t ask for Potter to walk into his Ocularistry Clinic in Northern Ireland fifteen years after they last saw each other, demanding to know why the Spectroculars Draco invented malfunctioned while Potter was painting and cost him an eye. Scorpius hadn’t asked for any of that either, though, so when Potter and the rest of Draco’s patients start to see mysterious symbols through their prosthetic eyes, and the resulting blow to Draco’s public reputation drags Scorpius’s campaign through the mud, Draco is determined to fix it. If that means trudging through a boggy moor in search of a fictional species Luna thinks is causing their problems, Draco will just have to pluck up the courage, march in with a team of Gryffindors, and be ready to battle any beast they meet. Even if that beast looks less like the large, bipedal talking toads they find and more like the Ministry of Magic as a whole.

( •ॢ◡-ॢ)-♡ I hope you enjoy these fics as much as I have! Happy reading, y’all! xoxo, Carey  (◍•ᴗ•◍)♡ ✧*💜💙💚💛❤💗💕💖

[slaughter-books]

Day 30: JOMPBPC: Read In November

My November, 2023 reading wrap-up! 💜

[thereadingchallengechallenge]

JOMP BPC - November 30th - Read in November

despite mostly being committed to NaNoWriMo this month, I managed to read 10 books in November in the end which I'm very happy with 🥰 I'm also having a good run with audiobooks at the moment which helped!

[theartguard]

November-December 2023 Theme Wrap-Up

Fic-Inspired

Here's what the last two months' theme inspired us to create:

@seanchaidh7 - Hold my cigarette | Sk8r boi

@goldheartedsky - Cherry wine series

@linaxart - Planet earth is blue

@zairaalbereo - The Ghost Of You

@sassy-wartime-nun - Pantoum

Bonus: Our best of 2023! Both as artists and art admirers!

January-February theme is: Sports!

[bookaddict24-7]

✨A little belated, but here is my Reading Wrap Up for November, 2023✨

I read 31 books this month.

15 of which were physical books I own (not all are featured because I purchased them throughout November and they were part of my book haul.)

Favourite Book of the month was: Hello Beautiful.

Least Favourite Book of the month was: Away Game.

I DNF’ed 11 books.

[roseunspindle]

What I Read in November 2023

re-read, these guys have soooo many issues. Also mad that they don't kiss. XD

Read along with Dracula Daily again ^_^

another re-read...honestly considering things, Kyoshiro deserves everything Yuya does to him.

re-read, feels a bit odd, but hopefully volume 2 will balance the world better.

I enjoyed this, the religious back and forth is interesting, the world was neat...then an event that was just...so very unnecessary happened at the end. I will try to read book 2...but I'm pretty annoyed.

Last of Karen Savages jane austen readings... sad to run out. But fun to listen too.

still enjoy

I want cool necromancer powers!

Started this the day it came in the mail. Love so much!

[godzilla-reads]

📖 November Reading Wrapup 📖

I started off November with 149 books in my pocket and left at 164 books, meaning I read 15 books this month! My top 3 are starred below:

🌎 What You Need to be Warm by Neil Gaiman

⭐️ Rules for a Knight by Ethan Hawke

🪐 Alone in Space: A Collection by Tillie Walden

⭐️ Faeries by Brian Froud and Alan Lee

❤️ Other Ever Afters: New Queer Fairy Tales by Melanie Gillman

💍 The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald

🗻 So Far So Good: Final Poems 2014-2018 by Ursula K. Le Guin

🧟 Zombie Penpal by Ken McMurtry

🧄 Garlic & the Vampire by Bree Paulsen

🐥 Poems About Birds edited by H.J. Massingham

❄️ The Naked Tree by Keum Suk Gendry-Kim (trans. Janet Hong)

🐲 The Farthest Shore by Ursula K. Le Guin

⭐️ Things You May Find Hidden in my Ear: Poems from Gaza by Mosab Abu Toha

🏴‍☠️ One Piece Vol. 6: The Oath by Eiichiro Oda

🍄 How to See Fairies and Other Tales by Charles van Sandwyk

[pokimoko]

Another year, another Wrapped. Looks like I'm won't be beating those geek allegations afterall.

[thewordworrier]

November 2023 Writing Wrap Up

Words Written: 56,261 words. Hell yeah. Things I’ve worked on: Aside from two of the three things I posted this month, I also worked on: ~ Normal AU situations [lots of these] ~ other Taylor fic bits ~ something i've helpfully titled :P [I mean, I know what this is but you won't until I post it] ~ the Reverse Vampire AU ~ an AU with the wife ~ the refleshening ~ the tamarin situation Oh! Actually I did work on the 3rd published thing a little - I added a few paragraphs of an ending. Things Published: I'm honestly surprised that I managed to post anything this month. ~ A Shot In The Darkest Dark [My usual, new piece inspired by Taylor's new music kinda deal.] ~ If You Look In The Mirror And Don’t Like What You See [I'm not sure where this came from but hey, we ran with it.] ~ This Place Is Too Crowded - Too Many Cool Kids [Though I will admit I didn't write the majority of this one this month, I wrote it some time ago but decided that it would be fine as a stand alone.]

December Plans! ~ we are going back to the 500 words a day for my sanity. I love NaNoWriMo and I love the progress it helps me make, because I don't cheat - none of this, fully writing out contractions, or adding in extra words that I'll delete later, or whatever BS for me. But. My god is it tiring sometimes. I actually found this year's really hard. Which probably just means I need to plan a little better for next year, as I know I wasn't as prepared as I have been in the past.

~ maybe we can finish off the refleshing It's not too far off to be fair. I'm not sure how to end it. My outline didn't get that far.

[manuscripts-dontburn]

Leia, Princess of Alderaan

Author: Claudia Gray

First published: 2017

Rating: ★★★★☆

In the beginning, I felt this would be simply a decent fanfiction filled with movie references and easter eggs, but I was pleasantly surprised, as I read on, that instead, this turned out to be quite a compelling portrait of a girl who grew up to be the character I loved in Star Wars so much. A very believable portrait. I was also quite captivated that the main conflict here does not center on romance or teenage rebellion, but quite well-measured and carefully thought-through discussion of the prize of an uprising, its importance and difficulty, and the hard choices those with means to oppose the evil often have to make.

The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine

Author: Ilan Pappé

First published: 2006

Rating: ★★★★★

Sombre, precise, and accessible. Also very important and heartbreaking. A clear portrait of a colonial project that is still brutally taking people´s lives, homes, and history. I still find it extremely bitter that the Zionists took so many lessons and inspiration from the Nazi regime. It is also extremely interesting that the aims, language, and strategies the Israeli government is using in the autumn of 2023 are the same as they had used in 1948. This book is even more terrible now, as we see the genocide of Palestinian people in real time.

The Maiden

Author: Kate Foster

First published: 2023

Rating: ★★★★☆

Interesting take on a real historical event. Lady Christian, accused and deemed guilty of the murder of her lover (who was also her uncle - thankfully not blood-related, but still urghhhh), a professional courtesan Violet, who hopes the said uncle might just be her ticket to a better life, and a bunch of other female characters who all have their agendas, reasons, and hopes, are all linked through ties that are only gradually revealed. In spite of revealing the murder and the death sentence of Christian at the very beginning, the author still manages to take you on a journey where there are unforeseen twists and turns. I personally could have done with less raised petticoats and sweaty fumbling, but at the same time, the grittiness and awkwardness of human sexuality are presented in a way that is very real, but never pornographic or lewd for the sake of it. Definite feminist tones are running through the whole book and I appreciate they do not turn any of the women in the book into a 21st-century robot. No. everything is very real and I am sure that many women will also find the characters relatable in their actions and motives. The book COULD have been shorter and left the same impact, but if you don´t mind slower pacing, you might enjoy this a lot.

The Escape of Alexei, Son of Tsar Nicholas II: What Happened the Night the Romanov Family Was Executed

Author: Igor Lysenko

First published: 1998

Rating:  ★☆☆☆☆

Except for reprints of some genuine documents in full (i.e. the request of Dr. Botkin for allowing Alexei´s tutors to be allowed into the Ipatiev house), there is really no value to this publication. The whole first half merely gives some basic historical background, pretty much dismisses the accounts of the executioners as faked (without proof) and then there is a lot of trying to persuade the reader that Alexei lived. this the authors came to believe based on some really low-quality photograph comparison, a privately orchestrated writing analysis, and the fact some dude grows his beard like Nicholas II. The fact that Vasily Filatov was obviously very intelligent cannot be taken into account as proof at all, especially since the writers insist he spoke languages Alexei had never been taught and played instruments Alexei had never been taught to play etc. I also found it extremely weird that they insisted Alexei survived the brutal massacre in the Iptaiev house completely unharmed. This book was, of course, written before the 2007 discovery of the two missing bodies, so perhaps the fact those bodies had been missing in the first grave was just too tempting for the writers to let go of once they were contacted by Filatov. Yet in the whole book, there is not a single suggestion as to the fate of the "missing" sister. What happened to her according to these people? I picked this book up because I am fascinated with the Romanov pretenders and how much mental gymnastics they can go to. I am never disappointed in the amount of de-lu-lu.

And the Mountains Echoed

Author: Khaled Hosseini

First published: 2012

Rating:  ★★★★★

Not one story, but many lives tying in together, all of which could have been their own book. This is, actually, one of my favourite types of novels and Khaled Hosseini managed to weave a beautiful tapestry full of sadness, desires simple and complicated, and some hefty moral questions. His characters are all so human that you can clearly see their faults and flaws, some of which are more and some less understandable to the reader, but you can always find something to relate to, care for, or pity in them. I would have wished for an ending more book-ish. But the one we get is not bad. It brought tears to my eyes. One of those books that capture life and that which makes us human.

Dostoevsky in Love: An Intimate Life

Author: Alex Christofi

First published: 2021

Rating: ★★★★☆

As I am writing this, I have only read one short story by Dostoyevsky and read only one of his novels (Crime and Punishment). I suppose I should have read a bunch more if I didn´t want to be spoiled for the rest. I imagine a proper biography on this complicated man could easily be a 1000+ pages book, so one must give credit to Alex Chrisofi for writing just about 200 and yet successfully introducing him to me. His childhood, his experiences of exile in Siberia, his ambitions to become a writer - and of course his loves, his gambling, his moral struggles - none of it is missing, everything has its place and tells enough to get to know Dostoyevsky and rouses interest to read more. As criticism, I might offer several footnotes that do not really connect to the matter at hand, and though compelling, I would be always careful before assigning a specific sentence from the author´s book to a specific moment of their life, because that is nothing but guesswork (even if effective in portraying emotions).

We Had To Remove This Post

Author: Hanna Bervoets

First published: 2021

Rating: ★★☆☆☆

This was short and that is the reason why I finished it. I suppose that is as good a review as any.

The Madman’s Gallery

Author: Edward Brooke-Hitching

First published: 2022

Rating: ★★★★★

Very entertaining, gorgeously illustrated, and left me feeling like truly walking through a gallery. I love Brooke-Hitching´s books, they are filled with funny and fascinating trivia and can point you in new directions of interest. The artworks are listed from the dawn of time up to contemporary times, finishing with a chapter about AI.

Silk Roads

Author: Peter Frankopan

First published: 2015

Rating: ★★★★☆

Money and greed rule the world, have always ruled the world and the West is really great at pretending it has always been the greatest part of the world while selling their souls for the dreams of colonialism. Peter Frankopan says all this in a very accessible way, pointing out both the obvious and providing lesser-known information. to be completely honest though, I do not think I have retained too much new stuff, since there was way too much all at once, but I suppose this book also gave me some good pointers to topics I have previously overlooked. Definitely worth checking out if you are unsure about how the world became such a mess (and actually always has been a mess). Pretty depressing with all the knowledge we have acquired and events that have happened since the publication of this book though.

Mammoths at the Gates

Author: Nghi Vo

First published: 2023

Rating: ★★★★☆

These books are such healing plasters upon my soul. A moment of peace and quiet, silent beauty, emotions that are welcomed and not repressed.

Starling House

Author: Alix E. Harrow

First published: 2023

Rating: ★★★☆☆

Things I liked: the writing, the atmosphere, the creepy old house. Things I did not particularly care about: the contemporary settings, the characters who all just seemed to fulfill a spot rather than actually live in the book. Things I did not like: repetitive situations. Overall I will need to think about this one a bit more before I come to a truly solid conclusion. Some time ago I was not thrilled with the author´s debut book, yet I keep thinking about it. Mabe this will be the same case?

[ninasbookshelf]

november 2023 reading wrap-up

hi all! it’s time for another monthly reading wrap-up. here’s everything i read in november:

Black Friend by Ziwe

Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto (re-read)

Down the Drain by Julia Fox

Scammer by Caroline Calloway

i’m on a big memoir/essay kick these days. what has everyone else been reading?

[ilovecoralineandotherbooks]

November Wrap-up:

Mix of romance dramione fanfic & fantasy, didn't read all of my November TBR butidid read a couple.

Any questions on content, or anything you want to know & any recs you have my DM's and asks are open.😊

Psycho shifters⭐️⭐️⭐️

Jasmine Mas

psycho fae⭐️⭐️⭐️

Jasmine Mas

Psycho Beasts⭐️⭐️

Jasmine Mas

Wicked beautiful lies⭐️⭐️

L.A. Ferro

Auctioned to the pack⭐️⭐️

layla Sparks

The hidden falling⭐️⭐️⭐️

kelly Cove

If we were villains⭐️⭐️⭐️

M L Rio

Perfectly in pieces⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

CDLynn- A03

The Slytherin Princess⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

taylorikari - Ao3

Heart of desire⭐️⭐️

Liana Tiomzon

Rosemary for Rememberance⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

rubbersoul02- A03

Trial of the sun Queen⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Nisha J Tuli

friends, enemies & all the broken people⭐️⭐️⭐️

lostpoet - A03

Rule of the Aurora king⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Nisha J Tuli

Ever thine⭐️⭐️⭐️

evergreentuesdays - A03

Heart shaped bruises & late night kisses⭐️⭐️⭐️

dramionewrites - A03

fortuna Sworn⭐️⭐️⭐️

k J Sutton

Denied⭐️⭐️⭐️

evelyn flood

Devoted⭐️⭐️⭐️

Evelyn flood

Sugar & Spice⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

In love with forever A03

The gloriana Set⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

TheBemoon - A03

too much labour⭐️⭐️⭐️

Ceilidhchaos - A03

various storms & saints⭐️⭐️⭐️

Viridianatnight - Ao3

Imprisoned ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Stein048 - Ao3

Fast burn ⭐️⭐️

Abigail Davies

Deep burn⭐️⭐️

Abigail Davies

Unperfect ⭐️⭐️

Susie tate

Once upon a broken heart ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Stephanie garber

The ballad of never after⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Stephanie garber

A curse for true love⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Stephanie garber

Look what you made me do ⭐️⭐️

Catstclair -Ao3

[bigdreamsandwildthings]

November Wrap-Up

Masters of Death (Olivie Blake) ★★★★1/2

In the Company of Witches (Auralee Wallace) (audio) ★★★

Iris Kelly Doesn't Date (Ashley Herring Blake) ★★★★★

Reckless Girls (Rachel Hawkins) (audio) ★★★★

A Power Unbound (Freya Marske) ★★★★1/2

Beholder (Ryan La Sala) (audio) ★★★

Iron Flame (Rebecca Yarros) ★★★★

Witch of Wild Things (Raquel Vasquez Gilliland) ★★★1/2

The Invisible Hour (Alice Hoffman) ★★★1/2

Good Bad Girl (Alice Feeney) (audio) ★★★★

November was a really good reading month! Find me over on Goodreads (linked) for more detailed reviews. I love to see what you're all reading too!

[thereadingchallengechallenge]

Read in November 2023

so Known Author November turned out pretty successful in the end! after a slow start to the month and quite a few DNFs, I managed to get through 10 books, 9 of which were by authors I was already familiar with

when I started this little challenge, I aimed to get my "Authors I've Read Before" list down to 79 from 87. I'm ending the challenge with ... 79 on that list lol it would've been 78 but I bought a book from an author I've read before this morning 🤭 but I'm still happy with this outcome, and I've got a few more books in this category on my December TBR so things are gonna keep coming down before the end of the year!

Series read:

Once Upon a Broken Heart trilogy by Stephanie Garber:

The Ballad of Never After - 3/5

A Curse for True Love - DNF

Familiar authors:

Some Girls Do by Jennifer Dugan - 4/5 (audio)

The Lake House by Sarah Beth Durst - 4/5

You’d Be Home By Now by Kathleen Glasgow - 3/5

Howl by Shaun David Hutchinson - 3/5 (audio)

Ryan and Avery by David Levithan - 5/5

Nothing More To Tell by Karen M McManus - 3/5 (audio)

The Life and (Medieval) Times of Kit Sweetly by Jamie Pacton - 4/5 (audio)

Violet Ghosts by Leah Thomas - 5/5

Other reads:

One Life by Megan Rapinoe & Emma Brockes - 5/5 (audio)