What I Read and Loved | November 2024

Seven books, a podcast, a lip mask, and more

Photo by Elin Melaas on Unsplash

In my October recap, I wrote that fiction failed me and that I read a lot of nonfiction. In November, I read five novels and only two nonfiction titles. I love nonfiction books but I was glad to read more good fiction, even if I didn’t love every single one.

As the end of the year approaches, I’m beginning to think about the best books I read this year. My 2024 reading stats showed me some patterns I don’t like, so I’m looking to switch up my reading habits in 2025. I’ll be sharing those plans with you soon, as well as my top reads of the year.

But for now, here’s what I read, loved, and wrote in November!

What I Read

Great Expectations by Vinson Cunningham: Vinson Cunningham worked on Obama’s presidential campaign, and he uses his experiences (though never Obama’s name) as the inspiration for this novel. The story focuses on David, a young father who's intrigued by the Senator from Illinois and believes he might have what it takes to be America’s first Black president. Great Expectations follows David for eighteen months of the campaign.

Cunningham explores many topics in this debut, including religion, race, and parenthood, but never goes deep enough with any of them. As a lover of presidential history and coming-of-age stories, I should have loved this book, but as I reflect on it a month after reading it, I realize that much of the story was forgettable. David meets a lot of different characters from across the country, yet I can’t tell you much about any of them or the relationships they had with our protagonist. Overall, I did like this book, but I wish Cunningham had tightened his focus and produced a more tightly edited story that packed more punch.

The Mighty Red by Louis Erdrich: At the heart of Louise Erdrich’s newest novel is a girl named Kismet. She loves a man named Hugo, but Gary loves her and is determined to make her his wife. He believes she can save him after he causes a terrible accident that changes his life and damages his reputation. Kismet belongs to Crystal, with whom she’s especially close. When Kismet’s dad and Crystal’s partner disappears with money he stole from a local church, the town starts to talk and looks down on the two women. Readers also meet Gary’s family beet-farming family (for whom Crystal works), including his overbearing mother who is just as determined as Gary to make Kismet part of the family. These stories are set in North Dakota during the economic crisis of 2008, an important backdrop to Erdrich’s musings on money and environmentalism.

The Mighty Red is overflowing with characters and storylines, yet Erdrich always maintains control of the narrative and clearly focuses on her well-rounded characters and how their lives intersect. I struggled to keep everyone straight sometimes, but the thoughtfulness this novel requires is just fine with me. Erdrich does such a good job investigating her characters’ desires, using their motives to explore why they act the way they do. Even though a lot is happening in this book, the characters all feel very real.

As I read more from Erdrich, the more I fall in love with her writing and mind. Readers who appreciate character-driven stories that offer wise commentary on what’s happening in the world will love The Mighty Red.

The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory: American Evangelicals in an Age of Extremism by Tim Alberta: Author Tim Alberta is a pastor’s son and longtime journalist. He begins the book by talking about his father’s death. When Alberta returned to his hometown and the church his father had started and pastored, he noticed a change in many of the congregants. Even though he just lost his dad and was there for his funeral, some church members gave him grief for his critical reporting on Trump. The change that Alberta saw in his childhood church led him across the country to talk with pastors, preachers, and other religious leaders about what he viewed as Christian nationalism that had overtaken many congregations.

Alberta’s reporting is fascinating. He talks with a megachurch pastor whose office has a shrine full of Trump photos and memorabilia. Liberty University, the hugely influential Christian college that’s been mired in scandal recently, plays a big role in the story, as Alberta talks with former professors and spends time reflecting on the role Jerry Falwell, Liberty’s founder, had on modern evangelicalism. If you’re as interested in the relationship between religion and politics as I am, you’ll enjoy this book and find some of your questions answered. I wish Alberta would have spent more time focused on female believers and leaders, but overall, The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory is an eye-opening look at how so many people have traded their humble faith for political power.

It’s Elementary by Elise Bryant: After reading some serious and heavier books, I was in search of something light, so I picked up this cozy mystery from Elise Bryant. It’s about Mavis, a single mom raising Pearl, her seven-year-old daughter. When she drops off Pearl at school one morning, Trisha, the pushy and controlling PTA president, tells Mavis she has the perfect role for her: head of the school’s new DEI committee. As one of the few Black parents at the school, Mavis knows exactly why Trisha wants her to lead the committee and she’s not interested. But even though she doesn’t trust Trisha, Mavis decides to accept her offer after the urging of a friend. At the first PTA meeting she attends, the new principal announces plans that enrage Trisha. When Mavis is out later that night walking her dog, she spots Trisha emerging from the school with trash bags and gloves. Then the principal goes missing.

This funny and charming mystery follows Mavis and the attractive school psychologist she just met as they work together to prove Trisha had something to do with the principal’s disappearance. Along the way, Mavis makes new friends, starts to fall for the psychologist, and rethinks her career goals. I liked everything about this book but the ending, which took away from some of the earlier story developments. Still, I’m glad I picked it up as it was just what I needed at the time. I loved spending time with Mavis.

Happiness Falls by Angie Kim: I finished reading Happiness Falls for the second time, as it was the latest pick for one of the school book clubs I help lead. Here’s what I had to say about it when I read it for the first time last October:

It's 2020, and twenty-year-old Mia and her twin brother are home from school and staying with their parents and nonverbal younger brother. Mia narrates Happiness Falls and explains what happens when her little brother, Eugene, returns home from a trip to the local park, agitated and without his father. Since Eugene can't tell the family what happened, they must piece together clues with help from the local police, whom they don't entirely trust.

Happiness Falls is a gripping mystery and family drama about identity, belonging, and how we show up for the people we love the most. Mia isn't always the most reliable narrator, which adds another layer of interest to an already engaging story set during the height of the pandemic and the Black Lives Matter movement. This title would make a great book club pick since there's so much to discuss. (I WAS RIGHT!) I was captivated from the first sentence to the last.

Dinner for Vampires: Life on a Cult TV Show by Bethany Joy Lenz: For about a decade, Bethany Joy Lenz starred on the hit TV show One Tree Hill. She’d been a working actress for many years before securing the gig that would catapult her to huge fame. These years should have been a time of happiness and peace, but instead, Lenz spent them in a cult that slowly demanded more and more of her time, devotion, and money.

When Lenz relocated from NYC to LA, she wanted to find a community. Lenz’s parents had divorced and as a Christian, she was looking for people to share her life and faith with. She started attending a small Bible study with some friends her age, and as they continued meeting, an older man and his family would visit from Idaho more and more. Soon, the man started taking over the Bible studies. He began calling the group a family, and as they grew, many would end up moving to a commune in Idaho called the Big House Family.

Lenz’s captivating memoir explores how she was drawn into this cult, how they convinced her to turn on her family, and how their theft and abuse changed her life. I didn’t know much about Lenz or her career, but I didn’t need to in order to enjoy this book. Lenz writes honestly about her experiences and regrets, and her story reminded me how easily people can prey on lonely people to get what they want.

The Examiner by Janice Hallett: Six people of different ages and backgrounds come together at Royal Hastings University to earn a graduate degree in art. Gela Nathaniel heads up the course, and she knows its success is critical since the university is threatening to cut support for the arts. The students include Jem, a young sculptor and sound artist who is determined to succeed, no matter what. Patrick is an older man who owns an art supply store. Alyson is a gifted artist who has been working for many years, and whose place in the course seems odd because of her success. Ludya is a single mom and graphic designer who wants to better provide for her kids. Finally, Jonathan runs a family art gallery, and Cameron is a businessman who’s exhausted and wants a change of pace. As these six begin working together, conflict and drama steadily escalate until the book’s big conclusion.

The Examiner is an epistolary mystery written in text messages, emails, essays, and message board posts. I loved the format so much that I picked up another Janice Hallett novel immediately after finishing this one. I liked the basic storyline, characters, and style of The Examiner, but the plot got too complicated toward the end of the novel. I won’t say much more to avoid spoilers, but it seems as if the author was trying to offer commentary on too many topics and let that get in the way of clearer storytelling. Despite my issues with the ending, this book was a lot of fun to read and I’d recommend Hallett’s work to mystery fans in search of something unique.

What I Loved

BEAUTY: Fenty’s Plush Puddin’ Intensive Recovery Lip Mask in Salted Caramel

I bought this lip mask as a treat for myself when I was Christmas shopping last month. The first time I tried it, I could have curled into a little ball on the floor and wept with gratitude because of how good it smelled and felt. It smells EXACTLY like rich, delicious caramel, and it feels so luxurious on the lips. Plus, it works well, giving my lips the moisture they desperately need. I love this stuff, and it’s on sale right now for $16. It’s worth every cent.

PODCAST: Pantsuit Politics

I think I’ve mentioned this show before, but I wanted to share it again. In the aftermath of the election, I’ve found Sarah and Beth’s commentary to be especially helpful. Both women have legal backgrounds and approach politics with a level-headed desire to understand and share the truth with their listeners. They unpack the news with equal parts passion, intelligence, and thoughtfulness, making their show a nice reprieve from political reporting that thrives on name-calling and phony outrage.

What I Wrote

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I’d love to hear what you read and loved last month! Have you read any of the titles I shared? Leave your thoughts in the comments. Thanks for reading!