Books Added to My Shelves in November 2024

This is my monthly roundup of books that I added to my shelves in November 2024. Some of the books came directly from authors or publishers, others were a purchase or a gift. You’ll find books from all kinds of genres including adult and children’s books. I’ll even share a few updates from our family’s life in the last month as well.

Family and Life Update

We had our first family Christmas the first weekend of November. My mom and her sisters and their descendants all gather together for a weekend of food, all-you-can-eat ice cream, games, puzzles, and lots of laughter. It’s one of my favorite weekends every year.

Each sister takes a turn at hosting and also making ornaments for everyone. Isn’t this gnome ornament adorable? They were definitely a labor of love and they made 90 of them!

I’m so lucky to call this crew family! There were a few missing when the photo was taken, but this is the majority of us. I am truly blessed.

We had a full table(s) for Thanksgiving. It was our first time hosting and it was such a wonderful day of family time, fellowship, and football.

I did a lot of other fun things in November, like attending church when Patrick was leading the worship music, working the election as an election official, subbing at school, and all the usual day-to-day stuff, but I guess I didn’t take many photos. Enjoy this gorgeous sunset out my back door. I’m so lucky to have this view.

Now on to the books! 

I finished seven books in November. I read two physical books and one eBook and listened to five audiobooks. Be sure to follow me on Instagram, HERE to see snippets of what I’m reading or what’s going on in my daily life.

You’ll notice, for the first time in a long time, that I only have two children’s books to share with you. It’s pretty rare for me to not receive children’s books for review in a month, but this is the time of year when the review packages slow down a bit. I’m hoping to catch up on my review stack a bit this month.

If you have missed any of my recent book reviews, you can see all of them by clicking, HERE.  Or you can stay up to date with my monthly Quick Lit Roundup.

Clicking the photos of each book will take you to a link to purchase. If you choose to purchase through any of the links, I may receive a small commission without you having to pay a cent more for your purchase.

Puzzles

FORAGED
By: Galison Puzzles

This was one of the gifts I received in the gift exchange at our family Christmas. I love Galison puzzles and couldn’t resist the mushrooms so I had to steal it to get it.

Adult Fiction and Non-Fiction

THE MIND-BODY METHOD
How Moving Your Body Can Strengthen Your Mind
By: Dr. Anders Hansen
Published: September 3, 2024
Publisher: Zeitgeist Publishing
Non-Fiction
Format: Paperback for Review

Reduce my stress levels, boost my mood, memory, and focus, and be more creative all by moving my body? OK! I like the idea of optimal exercises for specific brain needs. I just listened to a podcast about neuroplasticity and this book discusses it as well. I’m definitely intrigued.

In this groundbreaking international bestseller, The Mind-Body Method, acclaimed psychiatrist and mental health guru Dr. Anders Hansen reveals a simple yet effective method for transforming your exercise. Dr. Hansen explains the evolutionary reason that exercise can reduce stress and anxiety, boost memory and focus, raise IQ, and even slow down the aging process.

Drawing on his vast expertise, Dr. Hansen provides practical and concrete advice on how we can all harness the benefits of daily movement. From understanding why our brains are wired to move to motivating ourselves to achieve our health and fitness goals, The Mind-Body Method offers a life-altering approach to physical and mental well-being.
Dr. Hansen is a renowned psychiatrist, well-being guru, and award-winning author whose expertise in the field has earned him international recognition as a two-time winner of the book of the year Big Health Award and Sweden’s Mensa Prize 2018.Backed by extensive research, data, and studies spanning decades and countries, Dr. Hansen’s insights are not only scientifically proven, but also enriched and explored through his TV series delving into the intricacies of the human brain, making him a trusted authority in the field of mental health, fitness, and overall well-being.If you’re ready to transform your mental and physical health and unlock your full potential, The Mind-Body Method is the essential guide you need. Find out the optimal types of exercise and the duration needed to improve your attention span, memory, and overall mood.

I GRADUATED NOW WHAT?
An Essential Guide to Adulting and Life Skills
By: Amanda McLaughlin, PhD
Published: October 29, 2024
Publisher: Zeitgeist Publishing
Format: Paperback for Review

If you know someone graduating high school or college soon, this would make a great gift for them. Our son graduated just a year ago from college and really struggled with the job search (thankfully he found a great job), but it was pretty defeating for a while. The author also shares her own struggles with college and adulthood, even moving back in with her parents after getting her Master’s degree which makes this much more relatable.

Becoming a grown-up is no easy feat. Many new grads find themselves How do I find a place to live? How do I land a job interview? How do credit cards work? Whether this is you, or you know someone at this exciting but challenging stage of their life, worry help is on the way! This book gives you the basics to face the “real world” head-on. 

But adulting isn’t just about DIY repairs and budgeting like a pro (though you’ll find that in here too!). It’s about figuring out what success looks like to you. Setting goals and sticking to them. Finding joy and purpose in independence.
Filled with fun prompts, exercises, and checklists, I Now What? goes beyond other “life skills” books to provide the tools young people need not just to survive, but to thrive at adulting. Easy-to-read and organized by topics like Home How-Tos, Money, Work & Career, Relationships, Set Goals, and Structure Your TimePacked with useful tips and bite-sized hacks at the end of every sectionThe ideal graduation The guide you wish you had when you entered the real world—perfect for any student about to graduate, just graduated, or even a few years out of high school or college. Practical meets inspirational in this essential guide to building your best life in adulthood.

KNOW YOURSELF BETTER
By: Gretchen Rubin
Published: February 6, 2024
Publisher: Gretchen Rubin Media
Journal
Format: Hardcover Purchase

I’ve been a long-time fan of Gretchen Rubin. I read about this journal in her weekly newsletter and decided to get it.

It’s easy to be distracted by the way we wish we were, or think we ought to be, or what others think we should be, until we lose sight of what’s actually true. The Know Yourself Better Journal is made for anyone who wishes to gain insight into themselves, but needs more direction than a blank page. In this journal, you’ll find questions and distinctions based on Gretchen Rubin’s work, meant to help you develop self-compassion and understanding, and discover ways you might make your life a little happier.

WOMEN’S DIARIES OF THE WESTWARD JOURNEY
By: Lillian Schlissel
Published: Originally in 1982
Publisher: Schocken
Non-Fiction
Format: Paperback

At our family Christmas, we always have a table of books, puzzles, and games for swapping. This one intrigued me because I love learning about women in history and this one is a collection of personal diaries by women on the journey west, think Oregon Trail. Photos are also included throughout the book. This particular edition is an expanded edition with a new introduction by the author. There is also a Volume 2 edition.

More than a quarter of a million Americans crossed the continental United States between 1840 and 1870, going west in one of the greatest migrations of modern times. The frontiersmen have become an integral part of our history and folklore, but the Westering experiences of American women are equally central to an accurate picture of what life was like on the frontier.

Through the diaries, letters, and reminiscences of women who participated in this migration, Women’s Diaries of the Westward Journey gives us primary source material on the lives of these women, who kept campfires burning with buffalo chips and dried weeds, gave birth to and cared for children along primitive and dangerous roads, drove teams of oxen, picked berries, milked cows, and cooked meals in the middle of a wilderness that was a far cry from the homes they had left back east. Still (and often under the disapproving eyes of their husbands) they found time to write brave letters home or to jot a few weary lines at night into the diaries that continue to enthrall us.

THE NEW MENOPAUSE
Navigating Your Path Through Hormonal Change with Purpose, Power, and Facts
By: Mary Claire Haver, MD
Published: April 30, 2024
Publisher: Rodale Books
Non-Fiction
Format: Hardcover purchase

I learned a lot from Haver’s book THE GALVESTON DIET and by following her on Instagram. I’m still struggling with symptoms so wanted to check out her newest book.

Menopause is inevitable, but suffering through it is not! This is the empowering approach to self-advocacy that pioneering women’s health advocate Dr. Mary Claire Haver takes for women in the midst of hormonal change in The New Menopause. A comprehensive, authoritative book of science-backed information and lived experience, it covers every woman’s needs:
– From changes in your appearance and sleep patterns to neurological, musculoskeletal, psychological, and sexual issues, a comprehensive A to Z toolkit of science-backed options for coping with symptoms.
– What to do to mediate the risks associated with your body’s natural drop in estrogen production, including for diabetes, dementia, Alzheimer’s, osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, and weight gain.
– How to advocate and prepare for annual midlife wellness visits, including questions for your doctor and how to insist on whole life care.
– The very latest research on the benefits and side effects of hormone replacement therapy.
Arming women with the power to secure vibrant health and well-being for the rest of their lives, The New Menopause is sure to become the bible of midlife wellness for present and future generations.

MELANIA
By: Melania Trump
Published: October 8, 2024
Publisher: Skyhorse Publishing
Non-Fiction/Memoir
Format: Hardcover Purchase

A friend recommended this to me saying it was an interesting read. I’m curious about her life and decided to purchase it.

In her memoir, Melania reflects on her Slovenian childhood, the pivotal moments that led her to the world of high fashion in Europe and New York, and the serendipitous meeting with Donald Trump, a chance encounter that forever changed the course of her life. Melania opens up about their courtship, life in the spotlight, and experiencing the joy of motherhood. She shares behind-the-scenes stories from her time in the White House, shedding light on her advocacy work and the causes close to her heart.
Melania offers an unprecedented look into her time as a First Lady who was born outside the United States — a role she embraced with honor and dedication. It brings readers into her world and presents an in-depth account of a woman who has led a remarkable life on her own terms.
Melania Trump’s story is one of resilience and independence, showcasing her strength and unwavering commitment to her true self. 

THE THINGS WE LEAVE UNFINISHED
By: Rebecca Yarros
Published: February 23, 2021
Publisher: Entangled: Amara
Fiction
Format: Paperback Purchase

My niece sent me a message saying this was a must-read. I went to add it to my Libby holds and there was a several-month wait, so I just decided to purchase it knowing my daughter and I would both read it. This is by the author of the wildly popular FOURTH WING but a completely different genre. Plus I love the cover!

Twenty-eight-year-old Georgia Stanton has to start over after she gave up almost everything in a brutal divorce—the New York house, the friends, and her pride. Now back home at her late great-grandmother’s estate in Colorado, she finds herself face-to-face with Noah Harrison, the bestselling author of a million books where the cover is always people nearly kissing. He’s just as arrogant in person as in interviews, and she’ll be damned if the good-looking writer of love stories thinks he’s the one to finish her grandmother’s final novel… even if the publisher swears he’s the perfect fit.

Noah is at the pinnacle of his career. With book and movie deals galore, there isn’t much the “golden boy” of modern fiction hasn’t accomplished. But he can’t walk away from what might be the best book of the century—the one his idol, Scarlett Stanton, left unfinished. Coming up with a fitting ending for the legendary author is one thing, but dealing with her beautiful, stubborn, cynical great-granddaughter, Georgia, is quite another.

But as they read Scarlett’s words in both the manuscript and her box of letters, they start to realize why Scarlett never finished the book—it’s based on her real-life romance with a World War II pilot, and the ending isn’t a happy one. Georgia knows all too well that love never works out, and while the chemistry and connection between her and Noah is undeniable, she’s as determined as ever to learn from her great-grandmother’s mistakes—even if it means destroying Noah’s career.

THE DRESS LODGER
By: Sheri Holman
Published: January 1, 2000
Publisher: Atlantic Monthly
Fiction
Format: Paperback Purchase

This was one of the books discussed in WHY WE READ by Shannon Reed. I’ll share more about Reed’s book in my upcoming Quick Lit post. Her description intrigued me enough to purchase it because she talked about it having one of the best twists she’s ever read. I also bought it as a Christmas gift for a friend to do a buddy read with.

In Sunderland, England, a city quarantined by the cholera epidemic of 1831, a defiant, fifteen-year old beauty in an elegant blue dress makes her way between shadow and lamp light. A potter’s assistant by day and dress lodger by night, Gustine sells herself for necessity in a rented gown, scrimping to feed and protect her only love: her fragile baby boy.
She holds a glimmer of hope after meeting Dr. Henry Chiver, a prisoner of his own dark past. But in a world where suspicion of medicine runs rampant like a fever, these two lost souls will become irrevocably linked, as each crosses lines between rich and destitute, decorum and abandon, damnation and salvation. By turns tender and horrifying, The Dress Lodger is a captivating historical thriller charged with a distinctly modern voice. 

THE FROZEN RIVER
By: Ariel Lawhon
Published: December 5, 2023
Publisher: Doubleday
Historical Fiction
Format: Paperback Purchase

I’ve been wanting to read this for a while. Since I have the next book club choice and we will be reading it during the cold winter, I will be choosing this one as our next read. Sorry to my book club friends for spoiling the surprise. Everyone I know who has read this book has raved about it. Even though I don’t usually like to read books set prior to the 1800s, I’ve been stepping out of my box lately and I’ve read a few this year that worked for me. Lawhon was one of the authors of a favorite book of 2022, WHEN WE HAD WINGS.

Maine, 1789: When the Kennebec River freezes, entombing a man in the ice, Martha Ballard is summoned to examine the body and determine cause of death. As a midwife and healer, she is privy to much of what goes on behind closed doors in Hallowell. Her diary is a record of every birth and death, crime and debacle that unfolds in the close-knit community. Months earlier, Martha documented the details of an alleged rape committed by two of the town’s most respected gentlemen—one of whom has now been found dead in the ice. But when a local physician undermines her conclusion, declaring the death to be an accident, Martha is forced to investigate the shocking murder on her own.

Over the course of one winter, as the trial nears, and whispers and prejudices mount, Martha doggedly pursues the truth. Her diary soon lands at the center of the scandal, implicating those she loves, and compelling Martha to decide where her own loyalties lie.

Clever, layered, and subversive, Ariel Lawhon’s newest offering introduces an unsung heroine who refused to accept anything less than justice at a time when women were considered best seen and not heard. The Frozen River is a thrilling, tense, and tender story about a remarkable woman who left an unparalleled legacy yet remains nearly forgotten to this day.

THE SEVEN O’CLOCK CLUB
By: Amelia Ireland
Published: April 15, 2025
Publisher: Berkley
Fiction
Format: eBook for Review

I was intrigued by the premise of this one.

In a perfectly ordinary building, four strangers who couldn’t be more different meet for the first time. Their skepticism of this new kind of grief therapy—and the unnervingly perceptive group leader—means they’re all wary, but as the weeks go by, they find themselves returning again and again, pulled to work toward healing, even if it means first facing the pain head-on.

A sharp-tongued lawyer who has no intention of letting down her walls, a fragile young woman looking for a place to belong, a musician at the top of his game who’s one drink away from losing it all, and an interior designer facing the crumbling of her picture-perfect life—this unlikely group slowly opens up, not only to the possibility of a happier future but to friendship, change, and even romance.

When a shocking revelation reveals the real reason they were chosen for this group, it shakes the very foundation of what they thought they knew. What began as a journey designed to heal turns out to be a much greater test of friendship, strength, and love as they realize happiness is just outside the door…if they’re brave enough to seek it.

HERBAL MEDICINE FOR MODERN LIFE
Traditional Folk Remedies for Everyday Health and Well-Being
By: Ruth Blanding
Published: November 12, 2024
Publisher: Zeitgeist Publishing
Non-Fiction
Format: eBook for Review

I’ve been looking for ways to heal certain ailments without modern medicine or over-the-counter medicines. I’ve started this one and am taking a lot of notes.

In today’s busy world, our disconnection from the earth has led to an overreliance on health interventions that don’t always work. With Herbal Medicine for Modern Life, you’ll discover the enduring wisdom of plant medicine with an herbalist who draws on her connection to the ancestors and nature to support health and wellness. With her expert advice, you’ll learn how to benefit from the folkloric use of plants: how to use them to heal the root causes of many modern ailments and bring you back to feeling balanced, healthy, and whole again. 

• Ancient Remedies for Modern Needs. Learn to tap into traditional medicine for modern health issues like anxiety, allergies, hormone imbalances, and more.
• Approachable, Affordable Herbalism. Make safe and powerful herbal medicine in the comfort of your home with easy-to-source medicinal plants and everyday tools.
• Profiles of Powerful Medicinal Plants. Discover more than 35 medicinal herbs with photos and details about therapeutic actions, contraindications, and healing qualities. 
• Wide Range of Herbal Remedies. Follow step-by-step recipes to craft infusions, tinctures, syrups, balms, powders, and other common herbal preparations.

THE FLOAT TEST
By: Lynn Steger Strong
Published: April 8, 2024
Publisher: Mariner Books
Fiction
Format: eBook for Review

You know I love a good sibling story. I was familiar with the author because I also have her novel, FLIGHT, on my to-read list.

The Kenner siblings are at odds. Jenn is a harried mom struggling under the weight of family obligations. Fred is a novelist who can’t write, maybe because she’s lost faith in storytelling itself. Jude is a recovering corporate lawyer with her own story to tell, and a grudge against her former favorite sister, Fred. George, the baby, is estranged from his wife and harboring both a secret about his former employer and an ill-advised crush on one of his sisters’ friends. Gathered after a major loss, each sibling needs the others more than ever—if only they could trust each other.

A family story is, of course, only as honest as the person telling it. This family story in particular is fraught with secrets about kids and sex and jobs and why the Kenner matriarch had a gun in her underwear drawer. The biggest secret of all though is the secret of what happened between Jude and Fred to create such a rift between the two once-close middle sisters. Over the course of a sweltering Florida summer, the Kenner siblings will revisit what it means to be a family and, if they are smart and kind and lucky, come out on the other side better for having each other.

A rich exploration of family, ambition, secrets, and love, The Float Test is an elegant and gripping testament to the power that family has to both nurture and destroy us from a critically acclaimed writer working at the top of her craft.

JANE AND DAN AT THE END OF THE WORLD
By: Colleen Oakley
Published: March 11, 2025
Publisher: Berkley
Fiction
Format: eBook for Review

I previously read and reviewed Oakley’s book, THE MOSTLY TRUE STORY OF TANNER AND LOUISE. I’m thrilled to get to read her newest book.

Jane and Dan have been married for nineteen years, but Jane isn’t sure they’re going to make it to twenty. The mother of two feels unneeded by her teenagers, and her writing career has screeched to an unsuccessful halt. Her one published novel sold under five hundred copies. Worse? She’s pretty sure Dan is cheating on her. When the couple goes to the renowned upscale restaurant La Fin du Monde to celebrate their anniversary, Jane thinks it’s as good a place as any to tell Dan she wants a divorce.

But before they even get to the second course, an underground climate activist group bursts into the dining room. Jane is shocked—and not just because she’s in a hostage situation the likes of which she’s only seen in the movies. Nearly everything the disorganized and bumbling activists say and do is right out of the pages of her failed book. Even Dan (who Jane wasn’t sure even read her book) admits it’s eerily familiar.

Which means Dan and Jane are the only ones who know what’s going to happen next. And they’re the only ones who can stop it. This wasn’t what Jane was thinking of when she said “’til death do us part” all those years ago, but if they can survive this, maybe they can survive anything—even marriage.

THE BATTLE OF THE BOOKSHOPS
By: Poppy Alexander
Published: August 19, 2025
Publisher: Avon
Fiction
Format: eBook for Review

This one won’t be published until next August, but I’m thrilled to have it. I have her book THE LITTLEST LIBRARY on my to-read list already.

The shop, in the heart of a high street that stretches crookedly down the hill from the castle to the sea, may be a tad run-down these days, but to Jules Capelthorne, the wonky, dusty world of literary treasures is full of precious childhood memories. When her great-aunt Florence gets too frail to run it alone, Jules ditches her junior publishing job in London and comes home to make the bookshop’s hundredth birthday a celebration to remember.

Jules quickly discovers things are worse than she ever imagined: The bookshop is close to bankruptcy, unlikely to make it to its own centenary celebration, and the lease on the building is up for renewal. With a six-figure sum needed, the future looks bleak.

To make matters worse, the owner of the property is the insufferable Roman Montbeau, from the posh, local family who owns half of Portneath. The Montbeaus and Capelthornes have feuded for years, and Roman has clearly not improved since he tormented Jules as a child. Fresh from a high-flying career in New York, he is on a mission to shake things up, and—unforgivably—proves his point about Capelthorne’s being a relic of the past by opening a new bookshop directly opposite—a shiny, plate-glass-windowed emporium of books.

Jules may not be able to splash the cash on promotions and marketing like the Montbeaus, but she’s got some ideas of her own, plus she has a tenacity that may just win the hardest of hearts and the most hopeless of conflicts.

Let the battle of the bookshops commence.

THE ULTIMATE FUN ADULT ACTIVITY BOOK
Logic Puzzles, Sudoku, Mazes, Word Searches, Crosswords, Acrostics, Coloring, and More!
By: Julie Demyanovich
Published: November 26, 2024
Publisher: Zeitgeist
Non-Fiction/Activity Book

I’ve already shared my review for this book, HERE.

Children’s Non-Fiction

FUN WITH OUTER SPACE
A BIG Activity Book for Kids about Our Incredible Universe
By: Emily Greenhalgh
Illustrated by: Candela Ferrández
Published: November 12, 2024
Publisher: Zeitgeist/Z Kids
Non-Fiction/Activity Book
Format: eBook for Review

I’ve already shared my review for this book, HERE.

WOULD YOU RATHER? ANIMALS EDITION
Answer Wild and Wacky Questions to Win a Roaring Good Game
By: Lindsey Daly
Published: November 12, 2024
Publisher: Z Kids/Zeitgeist Publishing
Middle Grade Non-Fiction
Format: eBook for Review

A fun game-in-a-book for kids ages 6-12, great for long car rides, playdates, or around the dinner table.

Are you as wise as an owl? As smart as a chimpanzee? Show off your talents with these hilarious “Would You Rather?” questions about all kinds of animals. Try to outdo your competition with the funniest, smartest, most creative answers to entertaining questions about sharks, snakes, cats, elephants, lizards, penguins, horses, and more!

Which books are you adding to your reading list?

Click HERE to see all the posts featuring new books on my shelves.

So many books, so little time!