bubblescotch's reviews
431 reviews

Swipe Up for More!: Inside the Unfiltered Lives of Influencers by Stephanie McNeal

informative lighthearted medium-paced

2.5

Lacks any real depth or journalistic rigor. Just kind of seems like the author gushing about how neat she thinks influencers are. Honestly reads like an overlong Buzzfeed article.

Zero Days by Ruth Ware

adventurous tense fast-paced

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

3.5

Predictable, but it’s a quick read so that doesn’t become to grating. Definitely not Ruth Ware’s best, though.

Out There Screaming by Jordan Peele, John Joseph Adams

dark tense medium-paced

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

3.75

It’s a good anthology, and some of the pieces are real bangers, but it doesn’t always feel like a HORROR anthology. 

My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite

dark tense fast-paced

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

4.25

Commander in Cheat: How Golf Explains Trump by Rick Reilly

funny informative reflective fast-paced

4.5

LOVE to see books like this. Surprisingly (at least to me) well-researched: not just hearsay and dry statistics, but ample relevant interviews and thoroughly documented receipts. Also quite funny, despite the fact that the author clearly feels strongly about the subject. Honestly, I really appreciated Reilly’s tangible frustration—that devotion is what makes this kind of commentary work. I’m not a golf girlie (in fact, I’ll admit I went in with a generally negative perspective of golf) so I do wish there was a little more explanation or grounding for those of us who are completely out of the loop. That said, Reilly says, “it’s not a political book. It’s a golf book,” so in that respect, it’s not his fault I’m not part of the target audience! 

TBH the author succeeded in shifting my own view of the sport to a more positive one than I went in with, which I think he would be happy to hear. My family very much enjoyed hearing about the goats.

Homegrown: Timothy McVeigh and the Rise of Right-Wing Extremism by Jeffrey Toobin

dark informative tense medium-paced

4.0

Well-written as an account the the Oklahoma City bombing but doesn’t convincingly deliver on the connections to contemporary right-wing extremism, which is a shame. The author seems to be right there, but just doesn’t devote enough time and space to fully exploring the points that he makes. 

Don't Call It a Cult: The Shocking Story of Keith Raniere and the Women of Nxivm by Sarah Berman

dark informative medium-paced

4.0

The Road Through the Wall by Shirley Jackson

Haven't had a chance to pick it up in a few days so I'll just start over. Hngh.

Mister Magic by Kiersten White
Did not finish book. Stopped at 36%.

This is SO good but I haven't had a chance to read in a minute so I'll just have to restart.

A Legend of the Future by Agustín de Rojas

challenging mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

3.5

Fascinating. Wish I could have read it in the original Spanish--I do think that would have improved the experience.