katetipp's reviews
88 reviews

A sweet and lighthearted read gesturing conversations between the mother & daughter, as they take walks together, prescribed to treat Ladd's lung illness. The authors give her generous  into their lives & histories and hold the complexity of the mother daughter dynamic in a tense way that time & self awareness can allow. There were sections of the book that did feel a both forced or overproduced, but overall an uplifting read. I read the paper version and I actually think audio would've moved this one to  4 star. 

A blistering fiction about a women's perspective on her toxic marriage that reads more like a memoir. The author is exposing ways the stories we tell ourself to cope with unpleasant circumstances often perpetuate our stickiness in such circumstances, which is a worthwhile concept to examine. However, I could not enjoy this book. The tone and posture felt overdetermined to be crass, dark and normalizing of dysfunction and abuse. The titles itself assumes that there are multiple 'stories' about a relationship, but we only get one perspective, though the narrative is clearly written as unreliable & inconsistent. While there are some pivotal themes around ways women are negatively impacted in marriage/motherhood due to misogyny, in general these themes felt buried by the wrath rationalized with love. The author is a talented writer with some amazingly well written lines - I actually feel this could have been a good poem or short essay - the novel format was not a good read for me 

I loved this book! Probably a favorite of Moriarty's. Honestly was skeptical about the plot centered on a "psychic" predicting date & cause of people's deaths, but decided to read since I do usually like this author's work. Dynamic characters with a particularly well done main character. Writing style was excellent and she landed the ending well. Similar vibes to "The Measure". I enjoyed this one much more. A 500 page novel that did not feel drawn out to me in any way. 

I was not too familiar with John Green, but this book helped me become a quick fan, after being recommended to me by my  brother. Green's writing nails the blend between intellect, emotion and humor and manages to embody hope in each chapter. This book is a reflection on the human condition, and the impact we have on the planet, made more nuanced in its observations because it was written during the peak of the COVID pandemic. Each chapter (essay) dives into a specific topic- from geese to grocery stores to vaccines, with Green giving his review of the topic in a style that blends memoir & commentary. There was a small handful of chapters I felt no connection at all to, but overall an enjoyable read.

I give The Anthropocene Reviewed four stars. 

This novel didn't land for me I do appreciate the topic of being more authentic and undoing aloneness, but it actually felt like it was written in a way that lacked depth. For me, this had to do more with the writing style, as the patterns seemed to shift often between overly detailed and one dimensional. I did like the twist at the end of the book, and felt the characters introduced late in the book were more intriguing. I also appreciate the author creating fiction from her own experiences but overall this wasn't a hit for me. 

I am so grateful for Sharon McMahon and her voice of reason and integrity. This book accomplishes its intended goal of fostering hope and encouraging the reader that seemingly small
actions can be deeply meaningful. I appreciated learning some new historical events and figures. It does read as more a collection of short stories and at times felt a bit hard to track, as there are quite a number of people introduced. The writing style of this book felt to be a different tone than some of McMahon writing in other platforms, and I found it to actually feel a bit challenging to read just in terms of style. These factors led to it being more of a slow read for me, which was the best way to digest this book, I think. A good read for any American, and a timely reminder that we are not powerless and our actions matter. 

Probably my favorite memoir to date. Blasey Ford comes across as deeply authentic and relatable. Her reflection on a life defining moment that has been deeply shaped by media and politics is honest and genuine. In choosing to speak about her trauma, she faced implications she never imagined, and the poignancy in which she describes these experiences is gripping. This memoir did not overdone or dramatized, and you can hear the work she has put in to her own healing prior to owning her narrative through authorship. There are also so many feelings stirred about systemic injustices that I grappled with while reading and I feel this book serves as a reminder to any reader, regardless of beliefs, that we can never undervalue the importance of hearing someone's story.  It's impossible to be concise in this review but highly recommend this read.  

A quirky tale told from the perspective of triplet sisters and their reflections on the impacts of corporate greed on their small town community. Frankel always writes unique characters & family dynamics and this one hits the mark on both accounts. 

This was an intense story about friendship and love, set in the context of a kidnapping that haunts a midwestern town for decades. A deeply sad story with a complicated cast of characters. Whittaker's writing style is unique in its artistry and bluntness. While not my preferred style, there is no denying it is super well written, in a way that sat with me when I was not reading. I thought the story unfolded in a brilliant way. A bit too long (650+ pages) & a section or two dragged out, but overall a great read.