bookbrig's reviews
1808 reviews

The Waiting Game: The Untold Story of the Women Who Served the Tudor Queens by Nicola Clark

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informative reflective medium-paced

3.75

A lovely audiobook and really intimate look at the lives of women.  I learned a lot, and I enjoyed the threads of each woman's journey as they wove back and forth. Also, weirdly, it was very reassuring to read about an era of such upheaval and unrest in government just now .
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Prosper's Demon by K.J. Parker

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

3.5

A weird and interesting little read. It's definitely one that will stick with me, but I'm not sure I really... liked it? Anyway, the style suited the narrative and it was definitely a quick and engaging story. I may try the sequel? I can't tell if I wanted more, and the novella format worked against it, or if I don't want more and it just wasn't my taste.
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Merry Inkmas by Talia Hibbert

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fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Super quick read with a lovely main character! I didn't totally love the hot and cold nature of the love interest, but overall it was a cozy and sweet read. Did I read this in March? Yes. Was it just as fun as it would be at Christmas? Also yes. 
My Cat Is Such a Weirdo Vol. 1 by Tamako Tamagoyama

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funny lighthearted relaxing fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

This is adorable and would be a perfect gift for a cat owner, I think. It mixes art with photos of the author's cats, and instead of a linear story it reads almost in an episodic style. Breezy, fun, and very sweet. 
The Dinner Lady Detectives by Hannah Hendy

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lighthearted mysterious medium-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? No

3.75

Overall quite cute and fun, with very lovable characters. I don't think I'll read more in the series, but it's great to have older queer protagonists in such a cozy series I can recommend!
Thunder Song by Sasha taqʷšəblu LaPointe

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3.5

A bit of a memoir via essays, this book has a strong core of family and love running through it. I wasn't quite sure what to expect when I picked it up, but it was an engaging read.
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Box Office Poison: Hollywood's Story in a Century of Flops by Tim Robey

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informative medium-paced

4.0

Informative and sometimes funny, but also just a great peek behind the scenes of movie making. 
Uvalde's Darkest Hour by Craig Garnett

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challenging emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

Just a heartbreaking and enraging read, but still filled with truly hopeful and loving moments. The reporting here is excellent, the writing engaging, and the story absolutely horrifying. Definitely worth a read if you enjoyed reading Iverson's Full Body Burden or Sheeler's Final Salute. Avoid if you're not in the headspace for truly gut-wrenching loss. Genuinely, check the content warnings on this one. You can probably guess what most of them are based on the subject matter, but still. Even so, it was such a well written book, I highly recommend it. It's not an easy read, but it is an important one, and I couldn't put it down once I started.
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That Takes the Cookie: 85 Tasty Treats for Every Occasion (A Cookbook) by Adam Merrin, Ryan Alvarez

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informative lighthearted medium-paced

3.75

There are some delicious sounding recipes in this book, and I really appreciated the full color images for each finished cookie. But the descriptions weren't terribly interesting, and nearly all of the cookies require hours of refrigeration prior to baking. I'm definitely going to try one or two of these recipes, but I don't know that I'll buy this cookbook as a keeper. I'm returning the library's copy for now, and we'll see how it goes!
The Body Is Not an Apology: The Power of Radical Self-Love by Sonya Renee Taylor

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emotional hopeful informative reflective medium-paced

4.5

There are so many excellent pieces to this book. I think I'd like to buy it so I can go through and actually use it as a workbook next.