November Wrap-Up: Books, K-Dramas, and Films
Fall has passed and gone, and winter has arrived with cold winds and, where I live, snow. This month was a decent one for me in terms of reading, films, and K-dramas. I didn’t get to work on essays as much as I hoped. I only wrote one at the beginning of the month, which left me slightly disappointed. But at the same time, I only like to write essays when I feel genuinely inspired, when an idea presses on my heart so strongly that I must write about it. And this month, that happened only once.
This month was also more difficult for me mentally. My mental health has been a struggle, and certain things in my life kept resurfacing, making everything harder to navigate. I noticed that the books and K-dramas I gravitated toward reflected that inner tension, many of them centred on past mistakes, regrets, or redemption. And sometimes, as a Christian, it feels strange to talk openly about these things, even though redemption is at the very center of our new identity in Christ.
One thing I’ve had to relearn this month is that while prayer is always the first and most important answer, God doesn’t only heal through the miraculous. He can and does heal miraculously, and I absolutely believe in that, but He also heals through the ordinary grace of people: through therapists, doctors, friends, accountability, and community. God’s power is no less miraculous when it comes through human hands. Supporting one another through difficult seasons is one of the ways His kingdom grows on earth.
Because of all this, the first book I read this month was particularly challenging. The Book of Atrix Wolfe deals heavily with past regrets and old wounds, and it touched my own far more directly than I expected. Yet Patricia A. McKillip’s writing was so beautiful and her storytelling so compelling that I kept going despite the discomfort. In another season of life, I might have rated it higher, but for now, my rating stands.
Thankfully, I also read several wonderful books and watched a K-drama that all earned 4.5 stars from me. They were beautifully written, well-crafted, and a blessing to experience, especially during a tough month. Art is meant to convict as well as comfort, after all.
I’ll be ranking the films and books from least recommended to most. And before we get into the list, I just want to say again: thank you to all of my readers and supporters, your kindness means so very much.
Monthly Wrap-Up
Table of Contents
James and the Giant Peach — 3 stars
James and the Giant Peach opens by introducing James, an orphan being raised by his two cruel aunts, who force him to work tirelessly and live a lonely, unhappy life. One day, a mysterious stranger gives James a handful of magical green pebbles, which he hopes will change his life and rescue him from his miserable existence.
When he accidentally spills the pebbles near an old, nearly dead peach tree in his aunts’ yard, it seems as though his chance for a better life is lost—until he wakes up to discover a giant peach growing in the garden. From there, James embarks on an extraordinary journey, accompanied by a group of friendly insect companions, through which he learns to overcome his loneliness and discovers the joys of friendship and happiness.
Overall, I’d say this book was “all right.” It isn’t one of Roald Dahl’s best, in my opinion, but it’s still a pleasant read. I’d recommend it to anyone looking for a quick story with found-family themes in a simple children’s novel. Overall, this book was three stars.
Read my full review of James and the Giant Peach
The musical takes a real historical moment and turns it into an inspiring story of youth-led courage and solidarity. We follow
Jack Kelly, also known as Cowboy, as he takes David and his younger brother under his wing as they all work to sell newspapers.
When a rival newspaper gains power, Jack’s employer raises the prices the boys must pay to sell papers, threatening their already precarious livelihoods. This injustice pushes Jack and David to rally newsies across New York to fight a corrupt system armed only with their determination, unity, and courage.
Overall, the musical was genuinely good, even though I haven’t watched many musicals. It may not be flawless, but it offers enough heart, energy, and sincerity to make it worth watching. For that reason, I’d give it three and a half stars.
Read my full review of Newsies
The Book of Atrix Wolfe is a story about ignorance, virtue, and vice, about power unused and power neglected. It’s also about the courage to move forward even when the path is clouded.
The story follows three POV characters:
- Atrix Wolfe, the most powerful mage in the land, hiding from a past mistake that caused great harm
- Talis, a young prince who discovers a mysterious book filled with nonsensical spells
- Soro, a mute kitchen girl who escapes into visions from a cauldron at night
McKillip’s prose is poetic, atmospheric, and deeply thoughtful. I learned from this book both linguistically and morally. Her characters don’t shy away from grief, conviction, or consequence.
I rate this book four stars, only because one or two lines involving Talis’s trials left me uncertain about their deeper meaning.
Read my full review of The Book of Atrix Wolfe
Twenty-Five Twenty-One — 4.5 stars
Twenty-Five Twenty-One is a K-drama about young adulthood, friendship, love, dreams, and heartbreak. We follow Na Hee-do as she races toward her dream of becoming Ko Yu-rim’s rival in fencing.
The drama also follows characters like Moon Ji-woong, Ji Seung-wan, and Baek Yi-jin as they navigate their own struggles—family, future, identity, and loss. The show captures every stage of relationships: growing closer, growing together, and growing apart.
Goodbye in this show sounds less like farewell and more like thank you.
I recommend this to anyone going through personal growth or anyone who loves reflective, heartfelt stories. Overall, four and a half stars.
Read my full review of Twenty-Five Twenty-One
Heartless — 4.5 stars
Cath believes in as many as six impossible things before breakfast, but what happens when she’s faced with an impossible choice?
Heartless is Marissa Meyer’s reimagining of the Queen of Hearts as Lady Catherine Pinkerton, a noblewoman torn between love, duty, and her dream of opening a bakery with her best friend.
Set in a glittering yet morally decaying Kingdom of Hearts, the story explores romance, creativity, ambition, and corruption beneath the surface of royalty.
I recommend Heartless to fans of imaginative retellings, coming-of-age stories, and Alice in Wonderland lore. Overall, I rate it four and a half stars.
Read my full review of Heartless
Welcome to the Fae Café — 4.5 stars
Welcome to the Fae Café opens with Kate Cole, a 22-year-old college student trying to juggle life and dreams—until a normal morning ends with her accidentally killing someone… who wasn’t human at all.
The man she kills turns out to be a fae assassin, catapulting her into a world of danger, politics, and chaos. Prince Cressica of the North believes Kate is a murderer, and his decision to hunt her down breaks his Queene’s orders, putting him and his fellow assassins at risk.
What follows is a delightful chaos of fae, coffee, friendship, and pink yarn.
This romantic-comedy fantasy was everything I hoped for in a cozy urban fantasy. It’s also written by a Christian author, and I believe in supporting good Christian literature.
Overall, I’d rate it four and a half stars.
Read my full review of Welcome to the Fae Café
That's all folks! If you’re planning to read or watch anything from my November wrap-up list, feel free to comment below!❤❤❤
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