My November TBR 2024 is again going to be an ambitious one as I’ve chosen fourteen books that I want to complete this month. Additionally, I’ve set some solid reading goals that I’m also seeking to accomplish this month. Currently, I’m enjoying taking this structured approach to reading and it’s helping me read faster and achieve more of my reading goals. So, let’s dive into it and talk about the books I want to read and the reading goals I’m looking to hit.
My November TBR 2024
Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo
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So, as we get deeper into the fall and winter season I find I read more fantasy books and I’m getting the itch again. Hence why, I’m finally deciding to finish the Six of Crows duology and read Crooked Kingdom. I’ll be honest I’m super nervous to read this book because of how things left off in the first installment. I’m literally a bundle of nerves but I can’t continue living in this suspense and need to know how everything plays out. I’m skipping adding the synopsis to this story just in case you haven’t read the first installment and I spoil you for all the greatness that you’re sure to enjoy reading it. If you haven’t checked out this series and you enjoy YA fantasy definitely check this out.
Belladonna by Adalyn Grace
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The next YA fantasy book that I’m adding to my TBR is Belladonna. I’ve had this on my radar for a while and love that it’s pitched as a gothic story involving a potential romantic entanglement with death itself. That sounds super interesting to me sign me up.
Goodreads Synopsis
Orphaned as a baby, nineteen-year-old Signa has been raised by a string of guardians, each one more interested in her wealth than her well-being—and each has met an untimely end. Her remaining relatives are the elusive Hawthornes, an eccentric family living at Thorn Grove, an estate both glittering and gloomy. Its patriarch mourns his late wife through wild parties, while his son grapples for control of the family’s waning reputation, and his daughter suffers from a mysterious illness. But when their mother’s restless spirit appears claiming she was poisoned, Signa realizes that the family she depends on could be in grave danger and enlists the help of a surly stable boy to hunt down the killer.
However, Signa’s best chance of uncovering the murderer is an alliance with Death himself, a fascinating, dangerous shadow who has never been far from her side. Though he’s made her life a living hell, Death shows Signa that their growing connection may be more powerful—and more irresistible—than she ever dared imagine.
Crave by Tracy Wolff
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I missed out when this series was first published. Most likely due to my obsession with all things Twilight by Stephanie Meyer. So, here I am to right my wrongs. I don’t have particularly high expectations for this story and it’s debatable whether I’ll continue with the series. However, I’m positive I’ll have a silly, goofy time reading this one.
Goodreads Synopsis
My whole world changed when I stepped inside the academy. Nothing is right about this place or the other students in it. Here I am, a mere mortal among gods… or monsters. I still can’t decide which of these warring factions I belong to, if I belong at all. I only know the one thing that unites them is their hatred of me.
Then there’s Jaxon Vega. A vampire with deadly secrets who hasn’t felt anything for a hundred years. But there’s something about him that calls to me, something broken in him that somehow fits with what’s broken in me.
Which could spell death for us all.
Because Jaxon walled himself off for a reason. And now someone wants to wake a sleeping monster, and I’m wondering if I was brought here intentionally—as the bait.
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
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This is the domestic thriller that defined the genre and set the standard. To this day you’ll see books described as being similar to Gone Girl whether this is true or not I can’t say because I’ve never read it! Shocker since I love a well-done domestic thriller. So, I’m hoping to dive into this book in November and see what all the fuss is about and if all these comparisons are actually true.
Goodreads Synopsis
Who are you?
What have we done to each other?
These are the questions Nick Dunne finds himself asking on the morning of his fifth wedding anniversary when his wife Amy suddenly disappears. The police suspect Nick. Amy’s friends reveal that she was afraid of him, that she kept secrets from him. He swears it isn’t true. A police examination of his computer shows strange searches. He says they weren’t made by him. And then there are the persistent calls on his mobile phone.
So what did happen to Nick’s beautiful wife?
Wrong Place, Wrong Time by Gillian McAllistar
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Another delicious thriller that I can’t wait to escape into is Wrong Place, Wrong Time which features a time loop element in which the protagonist proceeds to go back in time to try and prevent the present-day events from occurring. I enjoy stories that play around with this element and interested to see how well this will be executed in this story.
Goodreads Synopsis
Can you stop a murder after it’s already happened?
It is midnight on the morning of Halloween, and Jen anxiously waits up for her 18-year-old son, Todd, to return home. But worries about his broken curfew transform into something much more dangerous when Todd finally emerges from the darkness. As Jen watches through the window, she sees her funny, seemingly happy teenage son stab a total stranger.
She doesn’t know who the victim is, or why Todd has committed such a devastating act of violence. All she knows is that her life, and Todd’s, have been shattered.
After her son is taken into custody, Jen falls asleep in despair. But when she wakes up… it is yesterday. The murder has not happened yet—and there may be a chance to stop it. Each morning, when Jen wakes, she is further back in the past, first weeks, then years, before the murder. And Jen realizes that somewhere in the past lies the trigger for Todd’s terrible crime…and it is her mission to find it, and prevent it from taking place.
Local Woman Missing by Mary Kubica
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I’ve really enjoyed previous thrillers written by Mary Kubica and I’m excited to give this one a read. Although her thrillers are usually more slow-paced and intentional I appreciate this because she always takes her time to fully develop the story and characters and leaves you with a breathtaking twist at the end. Looking forward to seeing how this one plays out. Check out my
Goodreads Synopsis
People don’t just disappear without a trace….
Shelby Tebow is the first to go missing. Not long after, Meredith Dickey and her six-year-old daughter, Delilah, vanish just blocks away from where Shelby was last seen, striking fear into their once-peaceful community. Are these incidents connected? After an elusive search that yields more questions than answers, the case eventually goes cold.
Now, 11 years later, Delilah shockingly returns. Everyone wants to know what happened to her, but no one is prepared for what they’ll find….
In this smart and chilling thriller, master of suspense and New York Times best-selling author Mary Kubica takes domestic secrets to a whole new level, showing that some people will stop at nothing to keep the truth buried.
The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave
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As you can see from the last few options I’m really in my mystery thriller era and well can’t stop, won’t stop. This was another popular sensation that landed a series on Apple TV and I can’t wait to read it and watch the series. I don’t have necessarily high expectations but I’m hoping it will be a decent read.
Goodreads Synopsis
Before Owen Michaels disappears he smuggles a note to his beloved wife of one year: Protect her. Despite her confusion and fear, Hannah Hall knows to whom the note refers—Owen’s sixteen-year-old daughter, Bailey, who lost her mother tragically as a child and wants nothing to do with her new stepmother.
As Hannah’s increasingly desperate calls to Owen go unanswered, as the FBI arrests Owen’s boss, as a U.S. marshal and federal agents arrive at her Sausalito home unannounced, Hannah quickly realizes her husband isn’t who he said he was. Bailey just may hold the key to figuring out Owen’s true identity—and why he really disappeared.
The Secret History by Donna Tartt
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For November, I’m planning to dive deep into the dark academia genre. I’ve read a couple of books from this subgenre but never took the opportunity to read the revered favorites that everyone recommends you must read to truly get a feel for it. Hence why I had to add The Secret History to my November TBR. This book is the poster child for the dark academia genre and it’s essential that I read it and see what all the fuss is about. I’ve heard nothing but good things which has me really excited and looking forward to the pretentious and sinister vibes that I’m certain to find in this story.
Goodreads Synopsis
Under the influence of their charismatic classics professor, a group of clever, eccentric misfits at an elite New England college discover a way of thinking and living that is a world away from the humdrum existence of their contemporaries. But when they go beyond the boundaries of normal morality they slip gradually from obsession to corruption and betrayal, and at last—inexorably—into evil.
If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio
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Another must-read dark academia novel that I’m adding to my TBR this month. Similar to The Secret History, If We Were Villains is another notoriously popular book from this genre that everyone raves about. When it comes to this novel I’ll admit that I’m a little intimidated since Shakespeare is a major theme in this story and I’m not a Shakespeare buff. However, I’m willing to give it a try and see how it goes. I’m certain I’ll have a diabolically sinister time.
Goodreads Synopsis:
Oliver Marks has just served ten years in jail – for a murder he may or may not have committed. On the day he’s released, he’s greeted by the man who put him in prison. Detective Colborne is retiring, but before he does, he wants to know what really happened a decade ago.
As one of seven young actors studying Shakespeare at an elite arts college, Oliver and his friends play the same roles onstage and off: hero, villain, tyrant, temptress, ingenue, extra. But when the casting changes, and the secondary characters usurp the stars, the plays spill dangerously over into life, and one of them is found dead. The rest face their greatest acting challenge yet: convincing the police, and themselves, that they are blameless.
The Boyfriend by Freida McFadden
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Despite her popularity, I have yet to experience the chilling and thrilling world of Freida McFadden. While opinions regarding her work are very divisive I’m ready to take the plunge and determine for myself if this is a new favorite thriller author. And what better place to start than with her new release The Boyfriend? And with it being included with a Kindle Unlimited subscription what have I got to lose? I’m super excited to try another new to me author and experience a fresh and different writing style in one of my favorite genres. Fingers crossed I have a thrilling time.
Goodreads Synopsis:
She’s looking for the perfect man. He’s looking for the perfect victim.
Sydney Shaw, like every single woman in New York, has terrible luck with dating. She’s seen it men who lie in their dating profile, men who stick her with the dinner bill, and worst of all, men who can’t shut up about their mothers. But finally, she hits the jackpot.
Her new boyfriend is utterly perfect. He’s charming, handsome, and works as a doctor at a local hospital. Sydney is swept off her feet.
Then the brutal murder of a young woman―the latest in a string of deaths across the coast―confounds police. The primary suspect? A mystery man who dates his victims before he kills them.
Sydney should feel safe. After all, she is dating the guy of her dreams. But she can’t shake her own suspicions that the perfect man may not be as perfect as he seems. Because someone is watching her every move, and if she doesn’t get to the truth, she’ll be the killer’s next victim…
In My Dreams I Hold A Knife by Ashley Winstead
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Continuing with my dark academia themes I also decided to add In My Dreams I Hold A Knife to my monthly TBR. Upon reading this synopsis it immediately reminded me of The It Girl by Ruth Ware which I didn’t rate too highly and had a mid experience with this story I’m hoping that it will be quite the opposite with this book. Fingers and toes crossed that this is an enjoyable read.
Goodreads Synopsis:
Six friends.
One college reunion.
One unsolved murder.
A college reunion turns dark and deadly in this chilling and propulsive suspense novel about six friends, one unsolved murder, and the dark secrets they’ve been hiding from each other—and themselves—for a decade.
Ten years after graduation, Jessica Miller has planned her triumphant return to southern, elite Duquette University, down to the envious whispers that are sure to follow in her wake. Everyone is going to see the girl she wants them to see—confident, beautiful, indifferent—not the girl she was when she left campus, back when Heather’s murder fractured everything, including the tight bond linking the six friends she’d been closest to since freshman year. Ten years ago, everything fell apart, including the dreams she worked for her whole life—and her relationship with the one person she wasn’t supposed to love.
But not everyone is ready to move on. Not everyone left Duquette ten years ago, and not everyone can let Heather’s murder go unsolved. Someone is determined to trap the real killer, to make the guilty pay. When the six friends are reunited, they will be forced to confront what happened that night—and the years’ worth of secrets each of them would do anything to keep hidden.
The Elias Network by Simon Gervais
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Okay listen, I LOVE action-packed stories involving spies, double agents, and international suspense and intrigue. Hence why when I stumbled across The Elias Network I had to add it to my library. It’s pitched as a political thriller with the vibe of Mr. & Mrs. Smith which is one of my all-time favorite spy movies. Instantly, my interest was piqued and I had really high expectations that this novel would deliver all the espionage vibes that it promised me. It should considering the author is a former federal agent so he knows his stuff. Very excited to dive into this novel and give this author a try.
Goodreads Synopsis:
Caspian Anderson is a translator for the United Nations—or so he’s led everyone to believe. No one suspects that mild-mannered Caspian, with his baggy clothes and sensible car, is actually an elite assassin for the US government. And that’s just how he wants it.
For ten years, Caspian has worked under the code name Elias for Onyx, a black program deep within the Department of Homeland Security. His latest mission takes him to Switzerland to kill a target tied to a human trafficking ring. There, Caspian stumbles onto a web of conspiracies involving high-level political figures.
Meanwhile, Caspian’s girlfriend is starting to pull away, and he wonders whether she may have secrets of her own. The truth is, Liesel Bergmann’s a spy. But neither knows the truth about the other…yet. As their covert operations converge, trust becomes paramount. Can they work together to bring down the enemy with their lives—and hearts—still intact?
The Devil at His Elbow: Alex Maurdaugh and the Fall of A Southern Dynasty by Valerie Bauerlein
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I am nothing if not a true crime nut. I enjoy trying to piece together and understand the dark motivations that drive people to commit unspeakable acts of violence against others. And the Alex Maurdaugh case is one of those cases that just captures your interest making it difficult to look away because the motives and crimes committed are so awful, so disturbing you just want to know why. So when I saw that this book would be digging into this crime uncovering the secrets and dark history of a disturbed man and how it could’ve led him to murder his wife and son. I’m highly interested in this story.
Goodreads Synopsis:
Power, privilege, and blood—this is the definitive and thrilling true story of Alex Murdaugh’s violent downfall, from a veteran Wall Street Journal reporter who has become an authority on the case. Alex Murdaugh was a benevolent dictator—the president of the South Carolina trial lawyers’ association, a political boss, a part-time prosecutor, and a partner in his family’s law firm. He was always ready with a favor, a drink, and an invitation to Moselle, his family’s 1,700-acre hunting estate. The Murdaugh name ignited respect—and fear—for a hundred miles in any direction. When he murdered his wife, Maggie, and son Paul at Moselle on a dark summer night, the fragile façade of Alex’s world could no longer hold. His forefathers had covered up a midnight suicide at a remote railroad crossing, a bootlegging ring run from a courthouse, and the attempted murder of a pregnant lover. Alex, too, almost walked away from his unspeakable crimes with his reputation intact, but his downfall was secured by a twist of fate, some stray mistakes, and a fateful decision by an old friend who’d finally seen enough. Why would a man who had everything kill his wife and grown son? To unwind the roots of Alex’s ruin, award-winning journalist Valerie Bauerlein reported not just from the courthouse every day but also along the backroads and through the tidal marshes of South Carolina’s Lowcountry. When the jurors made their pilgrimage to the crime scene, trying to envision Maggie and Paul’s last moments, she walked right behind them, sensing the ghosts that haunt the Murdaughs’ now-shattered legacy. Through masterful research and cinematic writing, The Devil at His Elbow is a transporting journey through Alex’s life, the night of the murders, and the investigation that culminated in a trial that held tens of millions spellbound. With her stunning insights and fearless instinct for the truth, Bauerlein uncovers layers of the Murdaugh murder case that have not been told.
Society of Lies by Lauren Ling Brown
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This was one of my highly anticipated releases for October and I’m looking forward to reading this book as soon as my library hold comes through which I’m hoping is soon. This story has some dark academia elements complete with secret societies, murder, and a troubling past. The perfect elements to make a chilling and thrilling story.
Goodreads Synopsis:
How far would you go to belong?
Maya has returned to Princeton for her college reunion—it’s been a decade since she graduated, and she is looking forward to seeing old faces and reminiscing about her time there. This visit is special because Maya will also be attending the graduation of her little sister, Naomi.
But what should have been a dream weekend becomes Maya’s worst nightmare when she receives the news that Naomi is dead. The police are calling it an accident, but Maya suspects that there is more to the story than they are letting on.
As Maya pieces together what happened in the months leading up to her sister’s death, she begins to realize how much Naomi hid from her. Despite Maya’s warnings, Naomi had joined Sterling Club, the most exclusive social club on campus—the same one Maya belonged to. And if she had to guess, Naomi was likely tapped for the secret society within it.
The more Maya uncovers, the more terrified she becomes that Naomi’s decision to follow in her footsteps might have been what got her killed. Because Maya’s time at Princeton wasn’t as wonderful as she’d always made it seem—after all, her sister wasn’t the first young woman to turn up dead. Now every clue is leading Maya back to the past . . . and to the secret she’s kept all these years.
The House of Lost Secrets by Antsey Harris
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Unfortunately last month I wasn’t able to get to this one so I’m adding it to my TBR for this month. And with luck, I’ll be able to read this title.
Goodreads Synopsis:
She thought she knew her best friend…She was wrong.
The weatherworn cottage Clachan has always been Jo Wilding’s sanctuary, a blissful escape from her tumultuous home life. From the first summer Rachel invited her to join the Willoughby family in the wilds of Scotland, she fell in love with the sea air, sandy beach and Tristan, Rachel’s older brother…
All these years later, Clachan is where their most important occasions and conversations take place, so when Rachel organises a weekend there, Jo never suspects that this weekend will change everything. Because it turns out Rachel has been keeping a secret, a betrayal that plunges Jo into a past she’s spent years trying to forget.
Left to untangle the pieces of their past alone, Jo has to decide if there is such a thing as forgiveness when there is no one left to forgive?
Life and Death by Stephanie Meyer
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Another book I didn’t get the chance to read last month was Life and Death. Every year I try to read a couple of books from the Twilight Saga but just didn’t manage to fit this into my jam-packed schedule last month so we’re trying again this month.
Goodreads Synopsis:
There are two sides to every story….
You know Bella and Edward, now get to know Beau and Edythe.
When Beaufort Swan moves to the gloomy town of Forks and meets the mysterious, alluring Edythe Cullen, his life takes a thrilling and terrifying turn. With her porcelain skin, golden eyes, mesmerizing voice, and supernatural gifts, Edythe is both irresistible and enigmatic.
What Beau doesn’t realize is the closer he gets to her, the more he is putting himself and those around him at risk. And, it might be too late to turn back….
How To ADHD by Jessica McCabe
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Lastly, I’m adding this title to my TBR because I also didn’t get to read it last month and I’m really interested in this title. As a neurodivergent person living with ADHD I need all the hacks I can get to help me navigate and effectively manage this disorder in my daily life. I’ve watched Jessica McCabe’s YouTube channel for years and I’m super excited to read her book and further support her initiative to support and empower those in the ADHD community helping them to feel less alone.
Goodreads Synopsis
In this honest, friendly, and shame-free guide, the creator of the award-winning YouTube channel How to ADHD shares the hard-won insights and practical strategies that have helped her survive, even thrive, in a world not built for her brain.
Forget “try harder.” When your brain works differently, you need to try different .
Diagnosed with ADHD at age twelve, Jessica struggled with a brain that she didn’t understand. She lost things constantly, couldn’t finish projects, and felt like she was putting more effort in than everyone around her while falling further and further behind. At thirty-two years old—broke, divorced, and living with her mom—Jessica decided to look more deeply into her ADHD challenges. She reached out to experts, devoured articles, and shared her discoveries on YouTube.
In How to ADHD , Jessica reveals the tools that have changed her life while offering an unflinching look at the realities of living with ADHD. The key to navigating a world not built for the neurodivergent brain, she discovered, isn’t to fix or fight against its natural tendencies but to understand and work with them. She explains how ADHD affects everyday life, covering executive function impairments, rejection sensitivity, difficulties with attention regulation, and more. You’ll also find ADHD-specific strategies for adapting your environment, routines, and systems,
• Boost the signal and decrease the noise . Facilitate focus by putting your goals where you can see them and fighting distractions with distractions.
• Have less stuff to manage. Learn why you have trouble planning and prioritizing, and why doing more starts with doing less.
• Build your “time wisdom.” Work backward when you plan, and track how long it actually takes you to do something.
• Learn about your emotions. Understand how naming your emotions and letting yourself experience them can make them easier to regulate.
With quotes from Jessica’s online community, chapter summaries, and reading shortcuts designed for the neurodivergent reader, How to ADHD will help you recognize your strengths and challenges, tackle “bad brain days,” and be kinder to yourself in the process.
November 2024 Reading Goals
For November I’ve set three reading goals that I’m seeking to achieve. The first is to prioritize reading two non-fiction books. I’m really trying to make a conscious effort to increase the number of non-fiction books that I read and broaden my reading experience by trying personal growth, memoirs, true crime, and history non-fiction books.
Second, I would like to explore the dark academia genre and have included four different books from this genre that I’m looking forward to reading. I’ve read very little from this genre and know that it’s a favorite for the fall season. So, I’m giving it a go to see if this will be a new favorite genre for me to enjoy.
Lastly, I want to finish the Six of Crows duology. I’ve put it off for so long because I’ve been so anxious and scared to about what’s going to happen following the events in the first installment. And, I’ve been putting it off because I’m not ready for this duology to be over. However, it’s time to finally finish this series and move on to the next duology in the Grishaverse.
This wraps up my TBR and reading goals for November. What’s your TBR and reading goals for this month looking like? Let me know in the comments below. And as always happy reading!
