November turned out to be a great reading month for me. That is thanks to a quiet Thanksgiving and a lot of reading time over the Thanksgiving weekend.
At least two of the books I read in November will make my best books of 2025 list.
There are several Christmas fiction books on the list because I have been working on my Christmas book lists, but I read quite a few non-Christmas books as well.
What I Read In November
I am sharing a little bit about each book, but you can click on the title of each book for more information and a full review.
Fiction
Harbor Secrets by Melody Carlson. Harbor Secrets is a historical fiction book set on the Oregon Coast in 1916, during Prohibition. I have never read a book set in Prohibition-era Oregon, so I enjoyed this one.
The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton. This is considered the first modern YA book. It is a classic YA book that I had never read. I am so glad that I finally picked it up.
The Christmas Ring by Karen Kingsbury. This is Karen Kingsbury’s 2025 Christmas book. If you like Karen Kingsbury, I think you will enjoy it.
A Sea View Christmas by Julie Klassen. A Sea View Christmas is a regency romance set on the English coast. It is part of the Devonshire Shores series. I listened to the audiobook and enjoyed it.
The Liberty Scarf. This book is by three authors: Aimie K. Runyan, J’nell Ciesielski, and Rachel McMillan. This is a WWI historical fiction book set at Christmas. I think the authors did a good job of weaving three stories into one with the story of a scarf.
An Ivy Hill Christmas by Julie Klassen. This is a Regency-era clean romance book set in the English countryside. If you like clean romance books, especially ones by Julie Klassen, I think you will enjoy this one.
Merry Mistake by Courtney Walsh. This book is one I think Courtney Walsh fans will love. This is the third book in the Holidays with Hart series. Each book focuses on a different Hart sister.
Nonfiction
Bad City by Paul Pringle. This book is a great one for fans of true crime journalism. It is about the scandals and cover-up at the University of Southern California. This one is going to be on my list of favorite nonfiction books of the year.
Marriae at Sea by Sophie Elmhirst. This book is about a couple who quit their jobs and sold everything to set sail across the world. It is an adventure and a shipwreck story. I think I am in the minority on this one. I liked it, but didn’t love it.
Christian Nonfiction
The Girl on the Bathroom Floor by Amber Emily Smith. I am going to share a more in-depth review for Sunday Reading soon, but this book is one I will be thinking about for a long time.
Amber Smith is the wife of former country music star Granger Smith. Their son drowned in their backyard pool. This is Amber’s memoir of the years following his death and how God used it to change her. If you read Granger Smith’s book, Like A River, I highly recommend you read this one too.
I think there are a few here I would enjoy!
Oh I didn’t know Granger Smith’s wife wrote a book! I’ll have to read that one, too
It is so good! I loved Granger’s book, but reading it from her perspective was so good too.