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November included a lot of Christmas shopping, sweaters, and beverages consumed from the festive holiday cups at Starbucks. Needless to say, it was a good month. I love this time of year and am always filled with giddy expectation for Christmas.
I read some books I absolutely loved last month, so I’m excited to share them today. Let’s get to it.
What I Read
The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell
This is my most recent Book of the Month pick, and it didn’t disappoint. The Family Upstairs is about Libby, a 25-year-old adoptee whose life changes when she receives a letter informing her that she’s inherited her birth parents’ house. It’s worth millions, but is falling apart and has a dark history. Years ago, three dead bodies were found in the house and the children that had been living there mysteriously vanished. As Libby explores her past, the suspense slowly increases which makes for an extremely satisfying thriller.
Watching You by Lisa Jewell
I enjoyed The Family Upstairs so much that I wanted to read more by Lisa Jewell immediately. Watching You is set in a posh Bristol neighborhood where several lives come to overlap. There’s the popular headmaster Tom Fitzwilliam and his beautiful wife whose teen son enjoys spying on the neighbors through an upstairs window. There’s newlywed Joey who develops a crush on Tom which she feels powerless to fight. Then there’s Jenna, one of Tom’s students who suspects that Mr. Fitzwilliam isn’t who he seems to be. Complicating things even more is a decades-old diary that raises a lot of questions. There’s a lot happening in this book, and I loved all of it. I devoured this story and can’t wait to read more by Jewell.
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
The patient to which the title refers is Alicia, a well-known London artist who was married to a popular photographer. She shot and killed him, and then stopped speaking, never to explain what caused her to snap. Theo is a psychotherapist who is fascinated by Alicia and her story. When a job opens at the facility where she’s kept, he applies, thinking he might be the one to help her talk and explain what happened. This book has plenty of twists, though I did figure out the last one before the big reveal. This is worth reading if you’re a thriller fan, but I liked the previous two novels I mentioned even more.
All This Could Be Yours by Jami Attenberg
There’s a blurb on the cover of this book that refers to the author as the poet laureate of dysfunctional families. I was only a few chapters in before I agreed. All This Could Be Yours centers on Alex, a divorced and hard-working lawyer and mother. When Alex gets the call that her father is dying, she heads to New Orleans to be with her family. Problems arise, of course, because her father is a terrible man married to a woman who has put up with his mistreatment for decades. Alex begs her brother to come be with her, but he’s busy pursuing his dreams in Los Angeles while his wife and daughter remain in New Orleans. Parts of this book are funny and others are heartbreaking. If you like messy family dramas, don’t skip this one.
Bibliophile: An Illustrated Miscellany by Jane Mount
Bibliophile is such a delight for the eyes. It’s full of booklists, interesting facts, and book recommendations, all illustrated by Jane Mount. This is the perfect coffee table book for any book lover.
What I Loved
TELEVISION: Dublin Murders
A few months ago, I was talking to a friend at work about Tana French’s books. I said that I don’t usually like watching adaptations of books I love, but that In the Woods would make great television. I told her I wanted it to be made into a series on a cable network that could capture the moodiness and darkness of the story. Well, guess what? I’m basically a prophetess because that very thing premiered last month on Starz. This show brilliantly captures the setting and tone of French’s first two novels, on which the series is based. The episodes release one week at a time or else I’d have binged the entire series ASAP. If you’re a fan of French’s books and don’t mind some creative liberties for a TV audience, I think you’ll love this show.
MUSIC: The Gospel According to Water by Joe Henry
Joe Henry’s music is lush, folksy, occasionally jazzy, and absolutely gorgeous. His new album is no exception. I’ve been listening to this a lot and think it’s the perfect soundtrack for the gray, cool days of autumn turning into winter. “Orson Welles” might be my favorite track.
COMEDY: Lobby Baby on Netflix
I’ve been a fan of Seth Meyers for a long time, so I was delighted to hear he was releasing a standup special. I thoroughly enjoyed this show about his family, wife, and sons, one of whom was indeed born in a lobby. Also, Meyers loves books! Yay!
What did you read or love in November?
Andrea Is Reading 