Mini Book Reviews: Nonfiction November 2025

Disclaimer: I received an ARC of Ain't Nobody's Fool from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review. This post contains affiliate links.

I always look forward to Nonfiction November--it gives me a chance to catch up on some of the nonfiction I've accumulated on my TBR over the year. I also read one new release that I couldn't pass up! I didn't read as many books as I had hoped. I got bogged down in Everest, Inc, and didn't get to the final book on my list. Still, it was a interesting month of reading and I hope you find something that sparks your interest!

By now, everyone knows the story of Virginia Giuffre, the outspoken victim of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislane Maxwell. She shares her story in great detail in this unputdownable memoir. The first half is a tough read, but she does a great job telling her story and explaining why she couldn't just walk away from the predators' web. They were slick, and they were creepy, not only abusing her themselves, but forcing her onto many other prominent men, some named and others not. The rest of the book is about her recovery and advocacy for other victims, which took a toll on her physical and mental health. After having her youth stolen from her, she was driven to get justice. Nobody's Girl is a sad and cautionary tale for vulnerable young men and women who are drawn to those promising them a better life. Unfortunately, Giuffre took her own life shortly before the publication of this book. Wouldn't it be nice if they'd release the Epstein files to honor her and all the other victims?

Written by the author of The Fault in Our Stars, Everything is Tuberculosis is a deep dive into, yes, tuberculosis, but it is so much more. Tuberculosis, to most of us, is a disease we know about, that maybe some of us have to get tested for, but a disease that we'll never know personally. The author shares the history of TB and exposes the racial and socioeconomic inequities that keep TB active and fatal in the poorest parts of society. And yes, big pharma, that finger is pointing at you. He also shares the story of public health workers who work tirelessly to fight to bring treatments, cures, and justice to afllicted people all over the world. This little book is interesting and not one bit preachy--but it was eye opening. 

Doesn't everyone just love Dolly Parton? You would think so, and after reading this well-researched biography, you will learn that Dolly had to fight to get to where she is today. It wasn't just because she was a woman trying to make it big in the music business at a time when it was dominated by men, although being a woman definitely played a part in her struggles. I knew a lot about her modern-day successes and initiatives, but until reading this, I didn't realize how much she struggled in her early years. After finishing Ain't Nobody's Fool, I felt that the author had left no stone unturned. My only quibble? The portrayal of Dolly was flat. I felt as if I was reading a list of statistics and facts. There was no personality, no oomph to this story. There were also a lot of footnotes at the end of each chapter, and I wished the author had found a way to integrate that information into the narrative. In 2023, I read Sarah Smarsh's She Come By it Natural, a completely different perspective! --To be released 12/30/2025.

Mary Roach does it again with Replaceable You, an immensely readable book that explores the science behind replaceable body parts. With her signature irreverent wit and scientific knowledge, she shares her quest to learn more about organ replacement, artificial limb development, and other related procedures, some of which made me laugh out loud. Using a finger for a penis replacement? Learning how to intubate a patient? Spending the night in an iron lung? I was thoroughly entertained. She also shares some more serious topics--the cosmetic surgery chapter gave me lots of food for thought. I need to check out some of her other books! Highly recommended. 

The Serviceberry is such a beautiful essay that unleashes plenty of food for thought! As the author, an indigenous environmentalist, explores what she calls the gift economy, using the serviceberry as an example, she gives everyday examples, such as the public library, which shares books with the community without expecting payment. The only expectations are mutual trust that the item being shared will be cared for and, in some instances, shared again with the same expectations. I loved the message, especially as it applies to nature. My only complaint with this beautiful book is that it was originally an essay, expanded to book form, and it felt a little rambly.

You Could Make This Place Beautiful is a beautifully written memoir by poet Maggie Smith. Raw and lyrical, Smith shares the deep pain she feels when she discovers her husband's infidelity and through the subsequent divorce. While not a book of poetry, the book is laid out in a poetic style, which I enjoyed. Throughout the book, she shares not only her feelings, but those of her children and her attempts to help them adjust. The title of the book is the final line of her poem, Good Bones, in which she shares her struggle of raising children in a harsh world. Perfect. 

I am just fascinated by adventurers, and while I don't have a desire to climb Mt Everest, I do love reading about those who have. One of my all time favorite reads about this is Jon Krakauer's Into Thin Air, a gripping page turner about the deadliest climbing season on Mt Everest. Earlier this year, I also read Melissa Arnot's memoir, Enough, about becoming the first woman to summit Everest without oxygen. So I had high expectations for this one. Everest, Inc covers the history of climbing the mountain, from Edmund Hillary to its evolution into a business where anyone with enough money can get to the summit. In addition, the author emphasizes the role the Sherpa have played in guiding climbers to the top and how the climbing business took advantage of them until they found their voice and began businesses of their own. The book was incredibly well researched, but it wasn't as engaging as I had hoped.

What have you read this month? Do you like nonfiction? If so, do you have a preference for a certain type of nonfiction? 

I'm linking up with Jenn and Jenny for Tuesday Topics!  I'm also excited to join Farrah for My Month is Booked! Also with Share Your Shelf with Slices of Life, Memphis Bridges, Overflowing with Thankfulness, and The Other Side of the Road.