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sareidle's reviews
139 reviews
White Trash: The 400-Year Untold History of Class in America by Nancy Isenberg
dark
informative
slow-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Classism
Moderate: Racial slurs
Sovietistan by Erika Fatland
adventurous
informative
reflective
slow-paced
4.75
I enjoyed learning about Soviet Central Asia through Erika Fatland's eyes. The prose was very readable and propelling. I liked how the history of each country was woven in to the travel diary style of writing. I was most interested in the Soviet era history, but each country has a long and rich history that is often unknown by westerners.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Trafficking and Kidnapping
Moderate: Confinement, Genocide, Misogyny, War, and Deportation
Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation by Kristin Kobes Du Mez
challenging
informative
medium-paced
4.25
This book helped me place all of the puzzle pieces together of things that I observed and criticized in American Evangelicals for years. Seeing the bird's eye view of how mainstream Christianity has shifted in response to societal changes demonstrates how Evangelicals care more about power and influence than Christ's message. There are many factors that have led to the current predicament of the United States in 2025 and Kristin Kobes Du Mez did an excellent job presenting her research on the white evangelical side.
That said, the misogyny and dog whistle racism was hard to listen to repeatedly. I felt myself getting angry when quotations from evangelical leaders and conservative politicians were read because it was so divorced from the actual teachings of the Bible. While this is a very important book to read, based on my experience, I recommend reading it in moderation.
That said, the misogyny and dog whistle racism was hard to listen to repeatedly. I felt myself getting angry when quotations from evangelical leaders and conservative politicians were read because it was so divorced from the actual teachings of the Bible. While this is a very important book to read, based on my experience, I recommend reading it in moderation.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Homophobia, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Sexism, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Incest, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Abortion, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment
One in a Millennial: On Friendship, Feelings, Fangirls, and Fitting In by Kate Kennedy
emotional
funny
reflective
slow-paced
3.75
An enjoyable reflection and reminiscence on life in the '90s and 2000s. I liked Kate's voice and how she played with words - their sounds, double-meanings, etc. While the narrative did drag a bit at the 60% mark, I appreciated Kennedy's honesty about her struggles with infertility and her advocacy for reproductive healthcare.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abortion
Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Toxic relationship, and Religious bigotry
Just Stab Me Now by Jill Bearup
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
This was a fun read - I liked how the author (Caroline) and the main character (Rosamund) helped each other find courage and happy endings to their respective stories. Robin was my favorite character and the plot moved in interesting ways that kept me engaged. However, the pacing was inconsistent and the fantasy world-building was very confusing. I had to give up on understanding the political aspects of Bevoria and Abrenia and decide to focus on the character's relationships instead.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Death, Violence, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Murder and Pregnancy
The Name-Bearer by Natalia Hernandez
Did not finish book. Stopped at 17%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 17%.
The premise was interesting, but the prose over explained things. The royal decree at the start of the book provided a great, in universe explanation for the role of the name-bearer and how they are cut off from their parents. It was not necessary to re-explain that process at length just a few chapters later. While the main character is young, it took her such a long time to realize what was going on, plus the narrator's high pitched voice for her was grating. Once I realized I wasn't enjoying the story, I decided to cut my losses and move on to something else.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement
The Guncle Abroad by Steven Rowley
emotional
funny
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
A very charming follow-up to The Guncle. Each of the character's has a distinct voice and personality that rings true to my experiences with family and taking care of children. Maisie and Grant are very endearing and I loved reading about their adventures across Europe with their GUP. The author handles difficult topics of grief, a parent's remarriage, and self-sabotaging relationships very tactfully and I was tearing up at the end.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Misogyny and Lesbophobia
Minor: Cursing and Alcohol
Vincent and Theo: The Van Gogh Brothers by Deborah Heiligman
emotional
informative
inspiring
slow-paced
5.0
Deborah Heiligman crafted an excellent, readable narrative of the Van Gogh brothers. Like the author, the letters between Theo and Vincent stood out to me when visiting the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. The brothers' story is deeply moving as they navigate challenges and figure out their relationship. I gained a greater appreciation for Vincent's art and the great effort his sister-in-law Jo took to make sure his name was remembered long after his lifetime.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Self harm, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
Divine Might: Goddesses in Greek Myth by Natalie Haynes
funny
informative
medium-paced
4.5
I love how Natalie Haynes retells Greek myths and explains how the stories evolved over time. The chapter on Hestia and her invisible labor was fascinating and I appreciated the tie-ins to modern versions of the goddesses to show how these characters still resonate to us.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Animal death, Incest, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman by Ernest J. Gaines
challenging
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
Honestly, I had a difficult time with this book. The prose is written in Southern dialect and frequently includes the n-word. I had to slow down to figure out what was being communicated for the first third of the book, and the repeated racial slurs were tough to see again and again. The purpose of the book was clear, and you could see the same patterns repeating with different characters as Jane's life progressed. While this makes a powerful point about how slavery died in name but not in practice, it made it hard to connect to new characters as I knew their fate would not be pleasant. I did enjoy a few passages of Gaines' writing, especially Ned's sermon on the river. In conclusion, while this book is important and uses the lens of one woman's (long) life to show how much has stayed the same from 1863 to 1963, it was not a book that fully connected with me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Rape