Here’s my list of reads for November:

1. FREEDOM’S CHOICE by Anne McCaffrey (293 p)
2. FREEDOM’S CHALLENGE by Anne McCaffrey (277 p) The second and third books of this sci-fi trilogy. (The fourth book is an “extra” and very much worth ignoring. It doesn’t compare.) The first book, read last month, is my favorite of the series. The premise? An alien race swoops down and takes over Earth, and Kris Bjornsen ends up on a colony planet . . . I know, sounds dull, but the first book is really interesting, and the other two nicely cap off the story. Really, though, just pretend she never wrote the fourth. It’s nowhere near her usual standard.
3. CONFLICT OF HONORS by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (272 p)
4. AGENT OF CHANGE by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (246 p)
5. CARPE DIEM by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (303 p)
6. PLAN B by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (330 p)
7. I DARE by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (467 p)
8. WITH STARS UNDER FOOT by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (52 p) As a special birthday treat for myself, I read through the entire . . . well, the core, anyway . . . Liaden series with Shan, Priscilla, Val Con and Miri. Love these books; have never read “space opera” any better.
9. PRIDE & PREJUDICE by Jane Austen (332 p) Well, it’s a classic, possibly my all-time favorite, a new movie, and I hadn’t read it in months . . . it was time. Love this book.
10. DARK LORD OF DERKHOLM by Diana Wynne Jones (345 p)
11. YEAR OF THE GRIFFIN by Diana Wynne Jones (267 p) A pair of books that’s purely enjoyable. Young adult fantasy. Imagine a world where there are wizards, dragons, castles, the works . . . but that the entire world has been “hired” by us to play host to tourists, on “adventures.” The concept is a delight—it’s just what some heartless entrepreneur-types would do if they could, and Jones has been a favorite author of mine since I was about 12. (Come on, I’ve been reading her steadily for about 27 years. She’s got to be pretty good, huh, if I haven’t gotten bored yet.)
12. QUICK CLICKS by Mandy Book & Cheryl Smith (260 p) Dog training for behaviors and/or tricks by using a clicker.
13. THE GOOD EARTH by Pearl Buck (357 p) A Chinese peasant farmer takes a wife and starts to buy land to make a good life for his family. A classic, and an excellent look at a very different culture. (A real one, this time.)
14. SECRET LIVES by E.F. Benson (316 p) 1930’s England, a stuffy landlord dislikes her newest tenant, not realizing that the tenant is secretly her favorite author . . . snobbery, humor, loud music . . . kind of fun.
15. WILD HORSES by Dick Francis (319 p) I used to adore reading Dick Francis’ mysteries, usually centered somehow around English horse racing. I don’t read them often anymore, but every now and again, nothing else will do. This one—the main character is a movie director, filming back where he grew up, and digging up an old mystery at the same time . . . or is it as old as he thought it was?
16. TIME & AGAIN by Jack Finney (398 p)
17. FROM TIME TO TIME by Jack Finney (303 p) I was e-mailing about this book not too long ago, and decided I needed to pull it out and re-read it again. It’s by far the best time-travel story I’ve ever read (and I’m a sucker for a good time travel). Si Morley is a bored advertising-agency illustrator, when he gets drafted by a secret government program looking into time travel—where you convince your mind you’re there, and you are. Excellent book, and with illustrations as “Si” sketches and photographs his way around 1882 New York City. The author also wrote a sequel a couple decades later, but it’s not nearly as good as the first. Not horrible, but . . . you should really read the first one. Really excellent.
18. SINUS SURVIVAL by Robert Ivker (351 p.) Mentioned by Norma—a book for good sinus health. What’s not to appreciate??
19. 1421 by Gavin Menzies (491 p). Non-fiction, this time, about how Chinese sailors sailed around the world in 1421. Yes, sounds far-fetched, and I don’t necessarily agree with all the evidence the author presents, but . . . it’s pretty convincing. And definitely an interesting story—true or not!
20. LAST CHANCE TO EAT: THE FATE OF TASTE IN A FAST FOOD WORLD by Gina Mallet (367 p). A look at the quality of food, the flavors, the availability, interspersed with childhood memories of the author. Not horrible, but I didn’t love it either. Some really good spots, some boring ones. Decent enough for food essays.
21. HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX by JK Rowling (870 p)
22. HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE by JK Rowling (652 p) Really, I’m just proud of myself for making it five months before re-reading this most recent addition to the HP canon. I don’t really need to tell you about these books, do I?
23. ARCHANGEL by Sharon Shinn (390 p)

24. ANGEL SEEKER by Sharon Shinn (483 p)
25. JOVAH’S ANGEL by Sharon Shinn (389 p) Three of her Samaria/Angel books. I can’t tell you how much I love this series. Technically a fantasy series, but not wholly, and there is always a love story in here somewhere. It’s a world where there are real, physical angels who sing to Jovah for good weather, medicines for the sick, grain to help bad harvests—and get real results. But mostly, the writing is incredibly beautiful. It’s rich, lush, gorgeous prose. Wonderful stories. And oh, if ever a series of books deserved a soundtrack. Music is an integral part of these stories, and oh, I wish I could hear it. I just adore these books.

• Tags: Monthly Reading List, Reading • Permalink:What I Read in November //