beardedbarista's reviews
737 reviews

Cuckoo by Gretchen Felker-Martin

challenging 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? It's complicated

2.5

Thanks to Macmillan Audio for this complimentary audiobook! This book reminded me A LOT of IT by Stephen King but sadly I didn't really like IT so this was also kind of a stretch for me. I think I just struggled mostly to keep up with the back and forth of this one. I obviously wanted to kids to get their revenge and win against the evil but I also struggled to keep my attention. Am I wrong? Lets talk about this book...Sometimes I wish all the books I read were in book club format that way I could discuss my issues

 

The Heart That Fed: A Father, a Son, and the Long Shadow of War by Carl Sciacchitano

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring sad tense medium-paced

5.0

Special thanks to Gallery books for this complimentary graphic novel. This book was SOOO good! An emotional  and honest tribute to Carl's father and to the veterans of the Vietnam War. Not only was the story so well written and structured but the art was so good. It made you feel like you were transported into the story. I could go on about it forever. Even the small or not so small details like the colorization change between before Vietnam and Dave entering Vietnam and after. Just an amazing MUST HAVE book for your home library or comic collection.

Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

2.5

Thanks to PRHaudio for this complimentary audiobook. I thought I was going to really love this book but it was just so hard to believe. Not sure the mysterious horror part but just the conversations and characters. The book definitely had some creepy aspects but I just couldn't vibe with it.

The Algebra of Wealth: A Simple Formula for Financial Security by Scott Galloway

informative inspiring medium-paced

5.0

I want to thank PRHaudio for this complimentary audio book! This book does such a great job in helping you understand creating wealth, keeping it and developing financial security. Galloway pulls no punches on putting your time and money in perspective to make sure you are taking care of you and your families future. Definitely recommend this book!

The Last Murder at the End of the World by Stuart Turton
Did not finish book. Stopped at 25%.

I just couldn't do it anymore. The whole plot was too much and my patience for finding out what was going on was exhausted. I tried and just couldn't

Every Beautiful Mile by

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring 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? It's complicated

5.0

The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted mysterious sad fast-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

4.0

This was a fun and lighthearted, kind of magical book! A mix of Nancy Drew and Charlie and The Chocolate Factory... Some of the stuff that happens in this book was a stretch but I think the whimsical nature of the old author reuniting some of his favorite readers for a chance to win the last manuscript of his stories was so great! (That's what the book was about) Sort of. It was also about facing your fears and taking on responsibility. The cover and title at a glance kind of give you a different idea of this book but it's still a solid and short read.

Very Bad Company by Emma Rosenblum

funny lighthearted mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

Thanks so much to MacMillan Audio for this complimentary audiobook!  I loved this book from the start! I had a great time listening to all the perspectives and didn't mind(for once) the multiple view points. And while the stakes were pretty low I found myself caught up with the Aurora Company retreat and all the nefarious dealings. I can't wait to read Rosenblums other book and definitely recommend this one for a fun read this summer!

When Among Crows by Veronica Roth

dark tense fast-paced

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

2.25

Thanks to MacMillan Audio for this complimentary audiobook! I didn't really know what to expect going into this except for it was a short book. And I think that was what really hurt this story. I didn't feel like I got quite enough world building and character development. This could have either been expanded or shortened for maybe a story in a short story collection. I just couldn't keep my attention on the story and I didn't care enough about the characters.

Raising Mentally Strong Kids: How to Combine the Power of Neuroscience with Love and Logic to Grow Confident, Kind, Responsible, and Resilient Children and Young Adults by MD Amen

challenging emotional informative inspiring medium-paced

5.0

I love taking a break from fiction to work on myself or my relationships and family. This book was fantastic. It did make me really analyze how I parent my daughter and also how me and my wife interact around her. If you care about the well being of your child this book is a must.