Hello, everyone! I can’t believe it’s November — where has this year gone? October went particularly quickly for me (whenever it rolls around, I want to submit to “spooky season” but I never quite get as much in as I’d like so it inevitably seeps into November also). I’d say I got some good reading in last month, which was aided by utilizing audiobooks more than I have before (finally!) and a long overdue reread.
The Ironwood Tree, the penultimate installment of The Spiderwick Chronicles, was my favorite of the stories yet! I like how with each book, the world expands a bit and the tone/tension gets slightly elevated.
I initially checked out a physical copy of Horror Movie from my local library but ended up consuming it mostly via audiobook — which I think was a really good idea! I was a little dubious in the beginning as I found the protagonist’s voice (prose-wise) a bit obnoxious. Listening to the full production with a cast of actors and soundtrack really improved it for me. That being said, the ending was quite lackluster and felt a bit cheap but since I wasn’t taking this book too seriously to begin with, it didn’t really ruin the experience as a whole. It was a good enough time for the most part!
Since I got Spotify Premium, I’ve been really trying to take advantage of the monthly audiobook listening hours which I utilized for Why is This Night Different From All Other Nights? This was a good conclusion to the series, though I’ve been meaning to reread the last few chapters as I was a bit distracted while listening and I think missed a fair bit of what was going on. Additionally, I thought it was really neat that Liam Aiken who played Klaus in the 2004 ASOUE film adaptation narrates the audiobooks for this series!
I’ve been meaning to reread The Hunger Games for many, many years since devouring the trilogy at twelve and with all the buzz about Sunrise on the Reaping coming this spring, I felt the impulse stronger than I have before. (I’ve also been saying I want to finish The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes all year but I think have been subconsciously holding back due to wanting to reread the original books.) Words can’t really capture how glad I am to have reread this!
Though I’ve seen the movies innumerable times over the years, rereading this reminded me just how excellent the book is and how much more you can get out of it than a movie adaptation. There are lots of details that didn’t make it into the movie and you get a much closer look at Katniss with all of her interior perspective in the book. You see her grief over her father, her resentment towards her mother, the war of her determining whom and what to trust, and more. The characterization particularly of Peeta but also even of Katniss feels a bit different in the movie (which I hadn’t realized until now rereading it). Though we do see Peeta’s charm in the adaptation, it’s much stronger in the book, especially in terms of his interactions with Katniss. Katniss gets the opportunity of more nuance while in her head which contextualizes the behavior she displays. Also, the most blatant difference is that you get the horror of the Games so much more in the books because you see the Tributes as they are: children.
It’s fast paced, as bleak as it is tragic, and very appropriately lauded as a modern classic. I’ve been thinking about it a lot since finishing it, and I’m hoping to get through my current reads quickly so I can start on Catching Fire very soon. These ones I’m reading physically and annotating while doing so!
Books Completed: 4
Most Read Genre: n/a
Top Intended Audience: Middle Grade
Currently Reading
I’m still making my way through the audiobook of Good Omens. I’ve been really enjoying this book’s quirk and humor, though it’s one I have to really pay attention to or else I wind up very confused about what’s going on. I might switch to physically reading it or at least tandem reading — we’ll see!
I’m only about fifty pages into Smothermoss, but I’ve been really enjoying it! The characters and setting are intriguing, and the prose and subject matter have a bizarre tilt to them that I love. I’ve seen some middling reviews but I’m hoping it’s in the way that Mona Awad gets mixed reactions because that would mean there’s a decent chance it’s just what I’ve been looking for.
Overall, I’m pleased with my reading this past month. I’m surprised too how much more I’ve been utilizing audiobooks and how much it’s actually benefitted my reading. I didn’t think my life was super conducive to fit them in but I have a lot more busy work that leaves my mind available than I’d realized — which I’m quite happy about!
[edit: Upon publishing this wrap-up, I was notified that this is my hundredth post on Little Bit of All That. What a joy this book blog has been for me! I hope to have many, many more posts/years/etc. to come. 🙂 ❤ ]
How was your reading in October? Any new favorites? Least favorites? Have you read any of the books I’ve mentioned here? What books are you hoping to read in November? I’d love to hear your thoughts below!
Little Bit of All That 