What I Read In November 2020

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I started out slow in November and towards the end of the month, I started to pick up reading. I usually read right before bed, but pregnancy has gotten me so tired that at the end of the night I go right to sleep haha.

Overall, I enjoyed all the books I read in November, especially the holiday ones. It got me into the holiday spirit and mood.

What I Read In November 2020

The Last Story of Mina Lee by Nancy Jooyoun Kim

Margot is heading back to her hometown in L.A. She’s been calling her mom, Mina, nonstop to let her know but her mother has not picked up her phone. When Margot arrives in her childhood apartment, she finds her mother dead on the floor. Mina’s death was ruled as an accident, but Margot finds it very suspicious. As Margot tries to unravel what happened months and days before her mother’s death, she discovers her mother’s past. She learns what it was like for her mother to be a Korean immigrant, the struggles she has been through during the Korean War, and ultimately the sacrifices her mother has made. Margot starts to understand what it is like to be an Asian immigrant in the United States and what survival truly means.

There are definitely several instances where I can relate to this book. My parents immigrated to the United States from the Philippines hoping for a better life. I saw the sacrifices and struggles my parents experienced and it is why I am so thankful for where I am in life. But there are also some instances where I can’t relate to Margot at all and to me that makes her unlikeable. I do hope that this book opens people’s eyes to what immigrants go through. While life in the U.S. is not perfect, it is better than where they were.

We Met In December By Rosie Curtis

This is one of the books from my Holiday Reading List. Jess is finally going with her dreams and moving to London and starting a new career. Unfortunately, starting over means money is tight. She moved into a house that she shares with 3 other people and has an immediate connection with one of her housemates, Alex. Of course there’s a no-relationship rule in the house. But she can’t ignore the connection they have. One day she finds out he is with someone and so she moves on with someone else. Something rocky with her family happens and it makes her question everything in life and what it truly means to be happy.

This is such a sweet book. It is your classic British feel-good movie. If this book turns into a holiday movie, I totally would watch it. The ending is not surprising at all, but I think that’s the point. Some parts did feel a little slow but it didn’t stop me from continuing to read.

This Time Next Year By Sophie Cousens

Minnie Cooper was born on New Year’s Day and considers herself jinxed on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. Nothing ever goes right. And now she is on the verge of losing her pie business, unhappy with her relationship, and has no idea what she wants to do with her life. She blames her bad luck on Quinn Hamilton who happens to be born on the same day in the same year and in the same hospital. He seems to have it all. Quinn lived a wealthy life, is successful in his career, and is incredibly charming. One New Year’s party, Minnie unexpectedly meets and runs into Quinn. Minnie and Quinn come from completely different worlds, but somehow their lives always collided even if they didn’t know it. Now that they have actually met, they wonder if it is a sign why they keep bumping into each other.

I had zero expectations with this book. I was just excited to read it because it was one of Book Of The Month’s December picks. It turns out this book is also considered a holiday book, and if I had known that I would have included it in my holiday reading list. But this one is more focused on New Years. Long story short, I really enjoyed this book a lot. I finished it so quickly. It’s so funny and witty that it actually made me laugh out loud several times. I’m all for a good romcom book, but not many can make you laugh so much. So that was a happy surprise. The ending is not a surprise, but the journey and the laughter is what made the book so enjoyable.

Have you started reading any holiday books?

I’m going to try to read as many holiday books as I can in the month of December!

xo RD