genannj's reviews
332 reviews

Mean Baby: A Memoir of Growing Up by Selma Blair

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informative inspiring lighthearted reflective medium-paced

4.0

I don’t really like to review memoirs because it’s someone’s life story and you really can’t rate that. This memoir was well written and interesting. One thing that I do not know what to make of is that the author, who is also the narrator, many times in the book she starts crying out of the blue when she’s talking about. It just seems like it’s not a very genuine cry and since she’s an actress, I can’t help but wonder if it was for dramatic effect.  I could definitely understand getting emotional when telling your story as well, but she’s the narrator or who’s ever done this, and I was just kind of shocked. 
The Last Housewife by Ashley Winstead

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dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

My daughter and I read this book for our little book club that we have.  This time it was her pick and she chose this book/author that I had never heard of. Whoa! I really enjoyed the book. It was thrilling to read and a real page turner where I could not wait to find out the outcome of the story. My only critique of the book, and why it only earned four stars instead of five with me, is that it did not have a definitive ending. It had a more open ending than I personally like. I never post spoilers so I can’t comment any further about this part. With this said, I still highly recommend the book and was very engaged in it the whole time I was reading it. 
The Patient's Secret by Loreth Anne White

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dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This was a fantastic book! It was definitely a page turner with many twists that kept you guessing and an explosive ending. I am so glad I discovered White’s books.  I love her writing style and how her characters develop in this story. I have enjoyed the two books by her that I’ve read so far. I would definitely recommend this five star read to others.  
The Stationery Shop by Marjan Kamali

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emotional hopeful informative reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

There was nothing that I did not love about this book. It kept me fully engaged, had a great storyline, with good character development, and taught about Iran’s history in 1953 and in the 1990s. 

This is the second book that I’ve read by this author (they were both five-star reads) and I’m beginning to think she doesn’t get the recognition she deserves. I highly recommend this book, and I hope to see other new books released by her. 
Over the Influence by Joanna "JoJo" Levesque

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informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

3.75

Fever by Mary Beth Keane

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informative sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

I really like this book that was written about typhoid Mary. The whole story was intriguing and really kept me engaged.  One thing I did not like at the end was the lack of explanation by the author. In many of the historical fiction books I read, they give a detailed explanation at the end, explaining how much is there a book was based on true characters, things they found in their research, etc.  This author merely briefly mentioned one book she consulted a lot but does not explain exactly what she took from that book. I, as a reader, should not have to read an entire second book to figure out what was true in the Fever book. 
The Unquiet Bones by Loreth Anne White

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dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This book was fantastic! From the first pages, I was engrossed. The book was a real page, with great twists, and a totally unexpected ending that I couldn’t wait to get to.  I would highly recommend this book. It was a five star read for me.  
Gullah Tears: The Enslaved Souls of Charleston by Josie Olsvig

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dark emotional informative sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

I really liked this book. I learned a lot specifically about the Charleston area. I knew about this very ugly time in American history, but didn’t realize how big a part the Charleston area played.  My only criticism of the book is that I did not like the ending at all. I personally like more of a definitive ending and this one was so open ended. If I would have liked the ending better, it would have definitely been a five star read, but I gave it four stars instead.  
Brave by Rose McGowan

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emotional informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.0

I really enjoyed this memoir that was written with the objective of empowering women. I love the angry feminist’s voice McGowan uses when telling her story. There is so much truth to everything she is saying.  It really hits home as a woman. 
Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism by Amanda Montell

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informative lighthearted medium-paced

4.0

I really enjoyed the style in which the book was written. The book was easy to follow and provides really good  information.