whatchareadingheather's reviews
708 reviews

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

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emotional reflective sad slow-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

4.0

This book is unique to the point that I can't pinpoint any other book to compare it to. I think it does an amazing job of discussing the concept of grief and how it can take many forms that people tend to not be aware of (ex: grieving of a loved one, grieving a lost body part/organ, grieving of your former way of life). It also showcases the many different kinds of behaviors, actions, and coping methods of those experiencing depression and anxiety in such a beautiful and honest way for a work of fiction.

Disclaimer: I have educated myself on controversies regarding this author and this specific work in general. I had purchased this book long before I educated myself on the political climate regarding Isreal-Palestine, and do agree that the language used in this book is Zionist in nature. I have also sought out information on the plagiarism claims made against this book, and can definitely see that overt similarities to the game 'Train' and believe that it should receive its due acknowledgement (Linking article below)

 A novel, a Holocaust game, and accusations of uncredited work – J. 
In My Father's Basement by T.J. Payne

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dark mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

I've previously read 'The Venue' by this author, and while this is a very different style of book than that one, I still really enjoyed it. This does a great job at making you think about how uncomfortable it actually is that there's such a thing as a 'murderabilia' market when it comes to serial killers that goes beyond tangible items, specifically the journalism and general media worlds trying to capitalize on the pain that comes with these types of crimes. I think the biggest lesson I took away from this book is the self-defense tactic of breaking someone's pinky as it's the weakest part of the hand that's usually still  accessible. 
The Ex Talk by Rachel Lynn Solomon

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emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

As someone who's come from the journalism world, this made me miss my past experiences a teeny tiny bit. I thought the slow-burn buildup (which I personally am a fan of) was done in an entertaining way, and I thought that this did a fantastic job as showcasing the concept of grief in multiple facets. I do wish the ending was a little bit stronger and more dramatic (maybe something to tie in what happens at the beginning of the book), but otherwise I really like this one overall.
Disney and Pixar's Turning Red: 4*Town 4*Real by Dirchansky

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Tbh I wasn’t expecting a whole lot of depth with this considering it’s a side adventure from a kid’s movie, but my God this absolutely exceeded my expectations. This is a great tool to discuss and combat toxic masculinity and issues that many men face but are told to keep silent about due to idiotic gender roles. 
We Lie Here by Rachel Howzell Hall

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

3.75

Definitely times where I thought I knew exactly where the story was going, but was given the run around (in a good way) throughout the whole book. Slightly formulaic, but still entertaining. The big reveal is equal parts unsurprising and shocking (because of our villain’s motives). 
Falling Back in Love with Being Human: Letters to Lost Souls by Kai Cheng Thom

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challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad

5.0

This is an absolutely stunning work that I think a lot of people (regardless of if you are a part of the queer community) can find a bit of themselves in. Listening to this on audio gave me a similar experience to watching an open mic night, a meditation session, or even (dare I say it) a religious speaking engagement. I need this in physical form asap!
Get Your Sh*t Together by Sarah Knight

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challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

4.5

Slightly dated on the socio-political aspect but otherwise this has a lot of really good (and realistic) methods for anyone (no matter how perfect they think they are) to get their shit together. The fact that Knight got me interested in checking out her other books shows that her writing style for the self-help genre is relatable and not preach-y, and I always enjoy when the author shares their own experiences as examples.
Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney

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emotional lighthearted sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.5

The only reason why I even finished listening to this book was because I was super busy with work. Should have DNF-ed. Definitely NOT watching the show to see if it's any better.
Wolverine: The Long Night by Marcio Takara, Benjamin Percy

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challenging dark tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.0

Wolverine literally didn’t even need to be in this story.
The Lover by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

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mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Glad to know my ship from the get go works out lol. Also, good for her.