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bookswithleesh's reviews
126 reviews
The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams
informative
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Witness by Louise Milligan
challenging
dark
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Stalking, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, Medical trauma, Grief, and Child abuse
Minor: Homophobia
Lean in: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead by Sheryl Sandberg
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
3.5
Lapsed by Monica Dux
informative
reflective
tense
medium-paced
2.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Rape, and Suicide
Any Ordinary Day: Blindsides, Resilience and What Happens After the Worst Day of Your Life by Leigh Sales
4.0
Enjoyed this one! For my non-Aussie friends, Leigh Sales is a renowned Australian journalist - the book covers a series of interviews with individuals who have experienced extreme trauma & documents their psychological response to it. An introspective read, although would’ve liked a little more depth to the lives that Sales interviewed (rather than her own perspective of their story). Overall, great insight into what goes on after the headlines and a very interesting discussion on ‘post-traumatic growth’.
[b:Any Ordinary Day: Blindsides, Resilience and What Happens After the Worst Day of Your Life|40637139|Any Ordinary Day Blindsides, Resilience and What Happens After the Worst Day of Your Life|Leigh Sales|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1529916228l/40637139._SY75_.jpg|63141155]
[b:Any Ordinary Day: Blindsides, Resilience and What Happens After the Worst Day of Your Life|40637139|Any Ordinary Day Blindsides, Resilience and What Happens After the Worst Day of Your Life|Leigh Sales|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1529916228l/40637139._SY75_.jpg|63141155]
Becoming by Michelle Obama
5.0
So good! My first audiobook and couldn’t have picked a better one!! Michelle’s own narration made it for me - you can hear the inflection in her voice when she discussed her work with not-for-profits and love for her family! Some of her experiences as a young lawyer at Sidley-Austin were very familiar. Interesting insight into her early life in Chicago and how that helped her navigate life in Washington DC. Overall, refreshingly honest memoir, would highly recommend!
Fleishman Is in Trouble by Taffy Brodesser-Akner
3.0
This was definitely one of those books that I kept thinking about weeks after finishing it and probably liked it more after letting it digest.
I found Fleishman to be equal parts enjoyable and aggravating. I found most of the characters to be unlikeable. All of the stars are given for the author’s writing style, which was impeccable! The witty narration and satirical commentary on divorce kept me reading. LOVED Rachel’s part of the book. The message about marriage and women felt preachy and actually a bit grim so I remember feeling flat after finishing the book. Overall I’m very glad I read it and looking forward to more work from Brodesser-Akner.
I found Fleishman to be equal parts enjoyable and aggravating. I found most of the characters to be unlikeable. All of the stars are given for the author’s writing style, which was impeccable! The witty narration and satirical commentary on divorce kept me reading. LOVED Rachel’s part of the book. The message about marriage and women felt preachy and actually a bit grim so I remember feeling flat after finishing the book. Overall I’m very glad I read it and looking forward to more work from Brodesser-Akner.
Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
5.0
Synopsis: Eleanor Oliphant leads a simple life. She wears the same clothes to work every day, eats the same meal deal for lunch every day and buys the same two bottles of vodka to drink every weekend. Eleanor Oliphant is happy. Nothing is missing from her carefully timetabled existence. Except, sometimes, everything…
Review: This stunning debut by Gail Honeyman is deserving of all the praises it has been receiving. Honeyman did an incredible job creating the protagonist, Eleanor, who is a social misfit and unconventional in the way she grows on you as the story unfolds. There are gentle hints of comedy amidst some otherwise dark humour and the book is loaded with dramatic irony - Eleanor unable to understand why others are reacting to her deadpan weirdness the way they are (while being completely obvious to the reader). ‘Eleanor Oliphant’ touches on the difference of loneliness and being alone and the importance of mental health. I would recommend this book to anyone!
There were gentle hints of comedy admits some otherwise dark content. The difference between loneliness and being alone is explored beautifully. ‘Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine’ is a reminder On the periphery, the themes of loneliness
One of my fav lines from Eleanor was ‘I don’t want to accept a drink from you, because then I would be obliged to purchase one for you in return, and I’m afraid I’m simply not interested in spending two drinks’ worth of time with you’.
Review: This stunning debut by Gail Honeyman is deserving of all the praises it has been receiving. Honeyman did an incredible job creating the protagonist, Eleanor, who is a social misfit and unconventional in the way she grows on you as the story unfolds. There are gentle hints of comedy amidst some otherwise dark humour and the book is loaded with dramatic irony - Eleanor unable to understand why others are reacting to her deadpan weirdness the way they are (while being completely obvious to the reader). ‘Eleanor Oliphant’ touches on the difference of loneliness and being alone and the importance of mental health. I would recommend this book to anyone!
There were gentle hints of comedy admits some otherwise dark content. The difference between loneliness and being alone is explored beautifully. ‘Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine’ is a reminder On the periphery, the themes of loneliness
One of my fav lines from Eleanor was ‘I don’t want to accept a drink from you, because then I would be obliged to purchase one for you in return, and I’m afraid I’m simply not interested in spending two drinks’ worth of time with you’.
Why We Sleep: The New Science of Sleep and Dreams by Matthew Walker
4.0
An ‘eye-opening’ (pun intended) book about how a lack of sleep can affect almost every facet of your life. The narration by John Sackville made for easy listening of an evidence based book. Few chapters were longer than they needed to be and the scientific jargon was sometimes hard to follow but overall gave me a new found respect for snoozing!
For those interested (and if you are a human who sleeps, you should be!), a brief overview of the benefits of sleep - getting a full 7-8 hrs enhances our memory and makes us more creative, attractive, happier, less anxious, protects us from cancer and improves athletic performance. A lack of sleep makes us stupider, fatter, unhappier, poorer, sicker, worse at sex, as well as more likely to get cancer, Alzheimer’s and to die in a car crash. The more you know!
C.f getting a full 7-8 hrs enhances our memory and makes us more creative, attractive, happier, less anxious, protects us from cancer and improves athletic performance.
For those interested (and if you are a human who sleeps, you should be!), a brief overview of the benefits of sleep - getting a full 7-8 hrs enhances our memory and makes us more creative, attractive, happier, less anxious, protects us from cancer and improves athletic performance. A lack of sleep makes us stupider, fatter, unhappier, poorer, sicker, worse at sex, as well as more likely to get cancer, Alzheimer’s and to die in a car crash. The more you know!
C.f getting a full 7-8 hrs enhances our memory and makes us more creative, attractive, happier, less anxious, protects us from cancer and improves athletic performance.