So we have made it to the end of November and I’m very happy to report I can now shout – BINGO!!! I made it!! Completed my Netgalley board for November thanks to the wonderful challenge set up by NeverEndingNetgalley over on Twitter! It’s set up to help you get your NG shelves under control a little and I need lots of help on that front! And this past month has helped…. if only I could stop then adding new titles to the shelves! Whoops!!
So here’s my look back at the titles I got to read!! Click on the title for a link to my reviews…
So there we have it! Always happy to complete a challenge and it does feel good to clear some older titles off my Netgalley shelves, so now I need to keep being good and keep that up!!! Wish me luck haha!!
BINGO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I don’t know how I’ve done it after a very slow start, but I managed to complete my Bingo card with a day to spare!! Yay me!! Thanks again to @emandherbooks and @totandtales for running such a brilliant November challenge!! I need them to host it every month so I can get the rest of my Netgalley shelf under control!!!
The month of November got off to a good start with me reading 3 prompts from the Netgalley November bingo board… seem to have hit a bit of a slump now though so need to regain my focus and see if I can hit the target for the rest of the month!
so here’s some mini reviews for my first 3 ticks off the bingo board!!
YOUR OLDEST APPROVAL
HOW I WONDER WHAT YOU ARE by JANE LOVERING – 5 STAR
Strange lights in the sky and a naked man on the moors??!! Do you need to know anymore?! It had me hooked from the start and in the characters of Molly and Phinn there’s so much fun that the author had playing with their stories, that it made for such an enjoyable read and a real escape from the realities of life – and has me looking to the skies at night in the hope I can spot my own ‘Alice lights’!
Molly doesn’t know but her life is about to change when she goes out for a horse ride over the moors where she discovers the naked Phinn. Fearing the worst for him, she manages to get him back to safety and the mystery behind him starts to reveal itself. Phinn himself isn’t quite sure what is going, but things soon start to fall into place and you really get the sense that these 2 characters were meant to meet to try and help them resolve the pasts they’d been trying to forget.
I loved Phinn and Molly as a pairing! There’s hurt there, but there’s also compassion towards one another and a real connection that is clear for all to see. There’s great humour throughout the book but also a good look at some interesting developments for each character to work through as there’s so much hurt that they have to work through! Those lights in the skies are around to distract them and bring them closer together! A fabulous read!
BOOK BEGINNING WITH N
NATURAL MAGICK by LINDSAY SQUIRE – 4 STARS
This was one of those books that’s perfect for anyone new to natural magick, or those who’ve been practising for a while! It is beautifully set out, clearly written, easy to follow and full of great illustrations that help you learn so much more about practicing magick in a more natural way.
There’s great descriptions of learning more about the subjects, tools to use, all the different elements, rituals, spells, tarot…. and so much more!
I adored the moon section and have learnt so much and will be putting some of the spells to good use!
For anyone wanting to know more about witchcraft, or just to have everything in a beautifully put together book, then look no further!
YOUR LATEST APPROVAL
THE WOMAN IN THE WOODS by LISA HALL – 3 STARS
This was a really atmospheric read for me, full of those chilling moments that have you listening out for noises in your own home and sensing the supernatural around you!
When Allie and her family move out of London to a cottage in a haunted village, there’s excitement about their new start! But things never go that smoothly do they?! And soon after the fun(!) begins and Allie is thinking she’s slowly going mad as she starts seeing and hearing things around the cottage – it’s enough to spook anyone! But she’s dismissed by her family and it’s only when she starts talking to locals that the truth about the history of their new cottage comes to light!
From the very evocative opening, this is a story that keeps you on the edge of your seat as it explores a number of subjects including the supernatural, witchcraft and also mental health. The tension is captured really well and I enjoyed the characters portrayed as they all added something a little different, with Allie playing the main role perfectly as you’re going through the anguish with her – is she going mad or is she being played? An enjoyable creepy read!
Hello!!! This is my first foray into the world of NETGALLEY NOVEMBER! And I couldn’t be more excited!!
I spotted the details over on Twitter https://twitter.com/NetGalleyNov and it’s a place where we can all come together for the month of November to make a dent on our NG shelves! It’s all hosted by @emandherbooks and @tot_and_tales so go check their pages out, as well as the main NG Nov page, for more details of all the fun!!
My NG shelves are a disgrace!! I keep saying I won’t add anymore to it, and then go and click on a few more without thinking of the consequences! So now it’s time to start getting the numbers down and I’m hoping this will help me focus a little more, and maybe inspire me to get even more read – can we have Netgalley readalongs every month please??!!
So there’s the list! I am hopeful but know I’ll probably get distracted by other pretty books throughout November but I’m looking forward to being part of it all! And hopefully taking more off my Netgalley shelves than adding…. famous last words!!
Books and Me! 
