November is here, and I’m back with another reading pile. Not that I always stick to these plans, but let’s pretend I’m a disciplined reader for a change.

This month’s pile is a little different from what I’ve been reading lately. We’re going old-school chick lit, with a generous dose of humour, shopping disasters, relationship drama, and questionable life decisions.

Basically, some light reading. Because life is complicated enough already. I don’t need my books making it worse.

I have four books lined up for November, and there’s a definite theme here. Four authors, five books, and a whole lot of female chaos.

If I decide a reading pile for the month, I end up changing my mind every few days and don’t really go by the reading pile. If I don’t decide a reading pile for the month, I don’t really read much. So, even though I know I’m going to change my mind, here’s November 2026 TBR.

November Reading Pile

0 October Carry-Forward

I’m really into middle grade, YA these days, so continuing the streak, I’m going to finish reading Lily B on the Brink of Love by Elizabeth Cody Kimmel. I started reading it in October 2026 but didn’t like the reading style.

1 Shopaholic & Sister by Sophie Kinsella

Let’s start with Becky Bloomwood.

I have always associated Sophie Kinsella with feel-good, laugh-out-loud chick lit, and the Shopaholic series is probably one of the first things that comes to mind when I think of the genre.

In Shopaholic & Sister, Becky discovers she has a long-lost sister. Naturally, this should be a happy family reunion. Except, well, things aren’t quite that simple.

I’m looking forward to getting back into Becky’s world, with all the shopping, impulsive decisions, and the sort of financial management that would give any accountant nightmares.

Let’s see what trouble Becky gets herself into this time.

2 Bridget Jones’s Diary by Helen Fielding

FINALLY.

This book has been on my radar for ages, and I am rather embarrassed that I’ve made it this far without reading it.

Bridget Jones is practically an institution in chick lit. The diary format, the relationship struggles, the self-deprecating humour, the endless attempts at self-improvement… I know enough about the character to be curious, but I haven’t actually experienced the book for myself.

And now I have a physical copy sitting on my shelf.

No more excuses.

I’m particularly curious to see how the book holds up after all these years. Sometimes classics of a particular genre are classics for a reason. Sometimes nostalgia does a lot of heavy lifting.

Let’s find out which category Bridget belongs to.

3 Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason by Helen Fielding

Well, if I’m reading the first Bridget Jones book, I might as well have the sequel ready.

The Edge of Reason brings us back to Bridget and her wonderfully complicated life. More relationship drama, more overthinking, and presumably more situations that could have been avoided with a little common sense.

I haven’t read the first book yet, so I don’t have much to say about this one.

But I do like having sequels ready. There’s nothing more annoying than finishing a book, wanting to continue the story, and then discovering that you don’t own the next instalment.

This time, I’ve planned ahead. Look at me being organised!

4 Dancing in My Nuddy-Pants! by Louise Rennison

And here’s the wildcard.

From what I read, Louise Rennison’s Georgia Nicolson books have that particular brand of teenage humour that promises plenty of ridiculous situations and questionable observations about life. That sounds a lot like me and I’m thinking Dancing in My Nuddy-Pants! would be a fun read, presumably teenage chaos, embarrassing moments, and laugh-out-loud narration. This is exactly the sort of book I want to pick up when I need something silly and entertaining.

Not every book has to be profound. Sometimes, a little ridiculousness is all you need.

Final Thoughts

And that’s my November reading pile.

Four books, three authors, and a very specific mood: chick lit, nostalgia, and humour.

I’m hoping these books will be a nice change of pace from some of my recent reads. Also, they’re the kind of books that make me want to read just one more chapter, which is always a good sign.

Will I finish all four? Will I abandon the pile halfway through and pick up something entirely different? Will another book haul interfere with these plans?

Knowing me, all three are equally possible.

Until next time, happy reading!

Shabana Mukhtar

~~~

Shabana Mukhtar