It’s #NovNov23!

Week 1 – My year in Novellas

I don’t normally keep track of the length of the stories I read but for this challenge it felt like I should and in future I might just keep it going. So this is why I’m not sure what novellas I have read over the past year and whilst I may well figure it out I haven’t done so yet.

These are the stories I read/listened to during this November:

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens (listened to via BBC Sounds, my copy comes in at 91pp)| The Forester’s Daughter by Claire Keegan (54pp)| How to Read a Book by Virginia Woolf (48pp)| The Hermit by Louise Walters (133pp)

If I haven’t already I’ll catch up with posting my thoughts as soon as I can.

Week 2 – What is a Novella?

Here are my thoughts on the length of a Novella.

As to what a novella is Richard Brewster in his Writer’s Digest gives as reasonable an explanation as I’ve come across. Whilst StudySmarter gives information on where and how the Novella was ‘born’. Finally, Study.com gives a list of characteristics and features a video.

Basically, it’s a short form of a story and comes in at under 200 pages. Which was kindly confirmed by Cathy @746books for this challenge.

Week 3 – Broadening my Horizons

Being an avid reader of crime fiction I enjoy the opportunity of to read other genres and challenges such as Novella November allows me to do just that. I find that I enjoy reading them, the shorter form allows me to explore all kinds of stories that I might not otherwise want to afford time to. Also, I really enjoy reading the shorter form.

Week 4 – The short and the long of it

Shortest read: At 48pp – How to Read a Book by Virginia Woolf

Longest read: At 133pp – The Hermit by Louise Walters

Week 5 – New to my TBR

I always like to check my TBR for stories to read during the #NovNov challenge but somehow it doesn’t seem to stop me buying others! I’m sure we’re all the same when we are getting ready for a challenge. Of course, reading about stories from other participants also finds me adding to my TBR /wish list.

Already on my shelves: How To Read A Book by Virginia Woolf | The Hermit by Louise Walters | A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. Whilst I listened to a version on BBC Sounds I did already own a copy. | The Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allen Poe.

Here’s a few I bought just in case I needed more: The Forester’s Daughter by Claire Keegan | Courage Calls to Courage Everywhere by Jeanette Winterson | Weight by Jeanette Winterson.

Love and Friendship by Jane Austen was not specifically bought for this challenge but arrived in time should I have had time to add it to my reading in November. Reader, sadly, I did not!

Here’s a few that caught my eye: So Late In The Day by Claire Keegan (via Fictionophile) | An Awfully Big Adventure by Beryl Bainbridge (via Annabookbel | A Room of One’s Own by Virginia Woolf ( via Cathy@746books | Cursed Bread by Sophie Mackintosh| Who Was Changed & Who Was Dead by Barbara Comyns (these two both via This Reading Life (Bronasbooks).

Novella November 2023

Well there you have it my #NovNov23 I read more than I expected to. Happily I read the one novella that was specifically set out in my personal challenge The Hermit by Louise Walters. So I’m really pleased with how it went. Although I do have to catch up on posting my thoughts!

How about you? Did you take part? What did you read? Hopefully, I have seen your posts on X/Twitter, reposted and commented on some. Thank you to those who have left comments and reposted my posts.

Finally, a word of thanks to Cathy and Rebecca who have co-hosted the challenge. What a feat! It’s been a great month of reading and you have both been amazing.

Cathy can be read at 746books

Rebecca can be read at bookishbeck

Add your links: NovNov23