candelibri's reviews
2033 reviews

The Lobotomist: A Maverick Medical Genius and His Tragic Quest to Rid the World of Mental Illness by Jack El-Hai

dark informative slow-paced

1.25

This is…a concerning portrait of a monster. Freeman is portrayed here as a visionary in neurology, doing what others wouldn’t when it came to lobotomies. This author showcases a strong bias in favor of a man who didn’t even have a medical license and practiced some of the most desperately dangerous procedures for his own edification. Just slapping in some fun family roadtrips doesn’t humanize him. Very concerning biography. 

Rosemary for Remembrance by rubber_soul02

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Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

slow-paced

• Loveable characters? No

1.0

Geez this book did not age well. 

Thank god for audiobooks bc oof this was a slog. The only reason I finished it was bc I was literally in the hospital and had nothing else to do. 

I have to come back a write a proper review but I had been dreading reading this book ever since becoming familiar with the author and the writing did not improve my opinions. Needless to say, the author’s “critiques” on numerous issues did not impress me and there are plenty of other authors I’d suggest reading instead - Audre Lorde, bell hooks, etc. 

This just wasn’t it for me. 

We Refuse: A Forceful History of Black Resistance by Kellie Carter Jackson

adventurous emotional informative inspiring medium-paced

4.25

What Happened to You?: Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing by Oprah Winfrey

challenging informative reflective medium-paced

4.5

A Magical Girl Retires by Park Seolyeon

adventurous lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.75

Inglorious Empire: What the British Did to India by Shashi Tharoor

slow-paced

4.0

Very dense but very useful

The Black Antifascist Tradition: Fighting Back from Anti-Lynching to Abolition by Jeanelle K. Hope, Bill V. Mullen

informative inspiring reflective slow-paced

4.25

Medgar and Myrlie: Medgar Evers and the Love Story That Awakened America by Joy-Ann Reid

challenging emotional informative sad medium-paced

4.5

My god this was so well written but whew did it break my heart. I never knew it took almost 3 decades to bring Medgar’s killer to justice after multiple efforts. And he was an absolute jerk - publishing writing that continually antagonized the Evers family…cracks my heart. 

Excellently researched and written by Joy-Ann Reid. 

Witness by Jamel Brinkley

challenging emotional informative medium-paced

• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.25

That first story tho…..