November Wrap Up - 2025

     It’s hard to believe it is already time for another monthly wrap up! Reading purposefully took a backseat this month. I was feeling drawn towards other creative outlets. Sometimes the heart must wander. I actually put away my TBR for the rest of the year and decided to let the last two months of 2025 take me wherever my whims may pull me. I read a shocking number of books given this information (though half of them come from 24 hours of manga binging.) I also saw my highest average rating all year. Perhaps this is a sign I should always be mood reading. 

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Reading Stats

Overall Stats

Total Books Read: 15

Total Pages Read: 3,420

Average Book Length: 243

Total DNFs: 0

Star Ratings

1 Star: 0

2 Stars: 0

3 Stars: 1

4 Stars: 2

5 Stars: 12

Average Star Rating: 4.46

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Books Finished: 

• Galatea by Madeline Miller

• Cat + Gamer volumes 1-8 by Waturu Nadatani

• Insomnia by Stephen King

• Vagabond by Tim Curry

• White Tears/Brown Scars by Ruby Hamad

• Circe by Madeline Miller

• Summers End by Juneau Black

• Godzilla and Godzilla Raids Again by Shigeru Kayama

     My reading for the month actually began in Baltimore over my birthday. I binged Galatea and the Cat + Gamer manga while staying with Carolyn. It has easily become one of my favorite manga series of all time. I still think about those cats daily. I also listened to Circe by Madeline Miller during my drive to and from Maryland. 10/10 choice if I may say so myself. 

     We are back to our regular schedule for reading all of Stephen King’s books. I started a blog project to coincide with the goal as well–as if reading over 80 books by the man wasn’t enough of an undertaking. I never said my goals were sound. This month I read Insomnia, which I almost borrowed from my high school library over a decade ago. I’m very glad I didn’t, because the book was essentially an unofficial sequel to The Dark Tower series, and I would have been very confused and put off by King if I had read it at that time. I want to know who in the hell thought it would be a good idea to stock a school library with a Stephen King book!? 

     Vagabond by Tim Curry absolutely took over all of my mental space throughout the month. I dug out the soundtrack to Rocky Horror Picture Show and played that record more times than I can count. I also investigated Curry’s short-lived music career. "Working on My Tan" and "I Do the Rock" are songs that will forever put a smile on my face. I’m sad I had no idea he had released any albums before reading the memoir. A rewatch of Clue and Home Alone 2 are on the horizon for me. I wouldn’t say no to revisiting the original It adaptation either. How very festive for the Christmas month, eh?

     Speaking of Adaptations, I have already read Godzilla and Godzilla Raids Again from my Baltimore haul and LOVED THEM! I did not realize the novellas were actually written after the films, so naturally I spent the entire reading experience in awe of how faithful the movies are to the book. Kayami put the film to paper because he was concerned the growing popularity of the story was erasing a very central theme: nuclear weapons wreak unmeasurable havoc on civilization and the damage goes far beyond the scope of lives lost and property damaged. I grew up loving Japanese monster movies (my favorite being Gigan), but the atomic bombs dropped on Japan in WWII was not something I knew of or understood at such a young age. Coming back to the first movie and reading these novellas as an adult brings such thematic depth to what I grew up thinking was a “haha destroy all the buildings and throw trains around” story. I’m so glad I picked these up. I recently discovered that Mothra is also available as a novel (though I don’t yet know if the book or movie came first here). I will need to acquire a copy soon. 

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     I had another little birthday celebration with a friend upon my return to Ohio. We tried a restaurant that just makes loaded baked potatoes. It’s set up like a Subway or Chipotle, so you go down the line adding toppings to your monstrosity until you are satisfied with the horror you have created. They essentially open up the jacket and mash the potato with butter and cheese before adding toppings, so its just creamy goodness. I could seriously eat a baked potato every day. I will be returning.

     After the potato party, we visited an indie bookstore. I blindly snagged a poetry collection out of their used books called Continuity Flaws by Keith Allison for $2 (I know exactly zero things about this collection or the poet), and we each bought a blind date with a book. I always get burned by these, but they keep luring me in. My blind date was Tea You at the Altar by Rebecca Thorne… the THIRD BOOK in a series. Mind you, it is a series I want to read, but I generally like to start with book one. On a happier note, there was an author visiting while we were there. After a really nice chat with her, we each left with personalized copies of Rebecca Danzenbaker’s book, Soulmatch. I really wanted to leave with Ruby Dixon’s two new books as well, but my wallet was still screaming in agony from Baltimore. Perhaps next time. 

     I almost never pop myself in front of a tv these days, but I did quite a bit of it this month. I binged the first season of Outlander (again) and immediately picked up the book (again). I am not sure if I’ll end up continuing on with the series. Only time may tell. The rest of my time in front of the screen has been spent playing video games. I dipped into Animal Crossing here and there, but I played an embarrassing amount of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3. I am living for the nostalgia. 

     I have finished one of four projects I have vowed to knock off the docket by the end of the year. I knitted a very simple blanket to go over the backseat of my Jeep. I wanted another pop of green to help tie the color theme together. This green is a little more bold than I was hoping, but I do think it ended up working out in the end. I also knitted with real wool for the first time while making a potholder. I wish my bank account could support me in only knitting with wool for the rest of my life. I loved every second of it. 

     Things got very cozy around here mid-month. I put up all the Christmas decorations and did lots of cooking and baking. The cats have been over the moon about the Christmas tree in the living room. This is the first year I’ve been able to put out the stockings on the mantel without Sadie ripping them down. It took 3.5 years, but she is finally settling down out of her puppy energy. People told us GSPs are crazy, but I didn’t really get it until I got my own.