Take a photo of a barcode or cover
coolcatalycat's reviews
431 reviews
The Celebrants by Steven Rowley
Did not finish book. Stopped at 19%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 19%.
This was really promising but the first time I read it, I had a mental breakdown LOL. Hits a little too close to home right now. Maybe I’ll come back to this one day, but I personally don’t think it’s worth putting myself through emotional turmoil just to finish a book.
Ps. I didn’t know what it was about going into it so that was my bad lol
Ps. I didn’t know what it was about going into it so that was my bad lol
Evvie Drake Starts Over by Linda Holmes
emotional
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I was seeing the sticker “read with jenna” on a few of the books that I loved, so of course I had to search it up and see who jenna was. I thought since I’ve loved a few of her recommendations, I would enjoy the others in her book club. This was part of it. I wanted something a bit more lighthearted after my last read so I picked this up.
It was a quick read, but I felt a little disconnected from it. It was far from being awful..I still enjoyed some of it, but it was just okay.
It was a quick read, but I felt a little disconnected from it. It was far from being awful..I still enjoyed some of it, but it was just okay.
Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.0
I wish I could say I loved this book as much as I thought i would, but the last 20% made me like it just a little less.
Regardless, it was still such an incredible read. It was so rich with life. The writing was so descriptive, I could literally see each scene play out in my head.
For someone who didn’t know a lot about Korean & Japanese history prior to reading this, this was fascinating and insightful. A fictional story based on true events.
This was very emotional and dark, it was a bit slow at times and hard to get through, but it holds up at a 4. Really looking forward to watching the adaptation of this!
Regardless, it was still such an incredible read. It was so rich with life. The writing was so descriptive, I could literally see each scene play out in my head.
For someone who didn’t know a lot about Korean & Japanese history prior to reading this, this was fascinating and insightful. A fictional story based on true events.
This was very emotional and dark, it was a bit slow at times and hard to get through, but it holds up at a 4. Really looking forward to watching the adaptation of this!
Wild Feminine: Finding Power, Spirit & Joy in the Female Body by Tami Lynn Kent
Did not finish book. Stopped at 0%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 0%.
I think there is some good information in this book but it just doesn’t resonate with me at this time in my life. Definitely considering picking this up again in a few years (but not as an audiobook, it was so boring 🙏. I think this is definetly a “you need the paper version” type of book as well).
Too Good to Be True by Madonna
5.0
It checks out that as soon as I learned how to read, this was what I was reading
The House of Hidden Meanings by RuPaul
emotional
funny
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
3.25
my first book tour being for rupaul’s memoir is so funny to me
The Wedding People by Alison Espach
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
This was an easy 5 star for me, I wish I could give it 6 stars.
I can’t believe I almost didn’t read this book. It wasn’t until I heard someone speak about the concept that I knew I had to read it. And I’m so glad I did. I was literally hooked from the start, and tried my best to drag it out.
I could read about phoebe discovering how beautiful life is, with all its complexities and hardships, forever. This book just felt so human. Phoebe was literally grieving her past self and learning how to become a new version of herself. I felt that so hard. I related to her so much. Her character development was so beautiful to read. This book made me cry so much.
The “funeral” and the tarot reading scene had me genuinely sobbing.
Some of my favourite quotes (there’s too many and some of them are paragraphs so here are a few):
“Her husband is not watching. Her father is not watching. Nobody was ever really watching, except Phoebe. Phoebe was the only person waiting in the dark to condemn herself for every single thing when the day was over.”
“This sounds true to Phoebe. This sounds like exactly what she wants, what she has secretly always wanted. To read books when she wanted to read books. To be sad when she was sad. To be scared when she was scared. To be angry when she was angry. To be boring when she felt boring.”
“You do things in the moment for the person you hope you might be two years from now. You don’t kill yourself when you are sad because one day you might not be sad. ”
“I think we talk about happiness all wrong. As if it’s this fixed state we’re going to reach. Like we’ll just be able to live there, forever. But that’s not my experience with happiness. For me, it comes and goes. It shows up and then disappears like a bubble.”
😭😭😭😭 I love when books.
I can’t believe I almost didn’t read this book. It wasn’t until I heard someone speak about the concept that I knew I had to read it. And I’m so glad I did. I was literally hooked from the start, and tried my best to drag it out.
I could read about phoebe discovering how beautiful life is, with all its complexities and hardships, forever. This book just felt so human. Phoebe was literally grieving her past self and learning how to become a new version of herself. I felt that so hard. I related to her so much. Her character development was so beautiful to read. This book made me cry so much.
The “funeral” and the tarot reading scene had me genuinely sobbing.
Some of my favourite quotes (there’s too many and some of them are paragraphs so here are a few):
“Her husband is not watching. Her father is not watching. Nobody was ever really watching, except Phoebe. Phoebe was the only person waiting in the dark to condemn herself for every single thing when the day was over.”
“This sounds true to Phoebe. This sounds like exactly what she wants, what she has secretly always wanted. To read books when she wanted to read books. To be sad when she was sad. To be scared when she was scared. To be angry when she was angry. To be boring when she felt boring.”
“You do things in the moment for the person you hope you might be two years from now. You don’t kill yourself when you are sad because one day you might not be sad. ”
“I think we talk about happiness all wrong. As if it’s this fixed state we’re going to reach. Like we’ll just be able to live there, forever. But that’s not my experience with happiness. For me, it comes and goes. It shows up and then disappears like a bubble.”
😭😭😭😭 I love when books.
Upstream: Select Essays by Mary Oliver
Did not finish book. Stopped at 38%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 38%.
The way I keep dnf books right now… I couldn’t stick it out for a book under 200 pages?! 😭
I’ve seen a lot of Mary Oliver’s poems and lovedddd them so I wanted to pick up a book of her poems... I picked up a book of her essays... didn’t realize till I started reading.
Thought i would love this because it’s about nature,, but I’m not getting anything out of this at all. Im reading it and it’s just passing through my brain. My brain feels empty. I feel empty reading this. I don’t want to feel empty when reading anything 🙏😔.
I always feel like I’m missing out when I dnf books, but honestly, they’re here forever. Maybe it’s right book wrong time haha
I will pick up a book of her poems soon LOL
I’ve seen a lot of Mary Oliver’s poems and lovedddd them so I wanted to pick up a book of her poems... I picked up a book of her essays... didn’t realize till I started reading.
Thought i would love this because it’s about nature,, but I’m not getting anything out of this at all. Im reading it and it’s just passing through my brain. My brain feels empty. I feel empty reading this. I don’t want to feel empty when reading anything 🙏😔.
I always feel like I’m missing out when I dnf books, but honestly, they’re here forever. Maybe it’s right book wrong time haha
I will pick up a book of her poems soon LOL
Wrong Place Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister
Did not finish book. Stopped at 28%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 28%.
Broke our buddy read because I was so bored #sorryjulia ❤️.
Premise is cool but wasn’t enough to keep me in it
Premise is cool but wasn’t enough to keep me in it
Signs: The Secret Language of the Universe by Laura Lynne Jackson
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
4.25
This audiobook had me crying my eyes out several times. I’ve been meaning to read this for a while, it was recommended to me a few times but I didn’t pick it up until now. I got the notification that this audiobook was ready for me at 3:33. I knew then, that this was meant to find me when it did.
Taking half a star off because I did feel like it focused a lot more on other people’s signs and their stories and felt like it could’ve been a lot shorter! Regardless, I did really love hearing other people’s stories. They could also be signs in themselves.
I recorded one part of the book where she said “..and that’s what I think death is like. It’s like the people we love aren’t gone forever, they’re just somewhere far away, like Thailand.” Like WHAT? That actually freaked me tf out.
Anyways, this book has me really emotional and I’m just going to need to sit with my feelings for a bit.
Taking half a star off because I did feel like it focused a lot more on other people’s signs and their stories and felt like it could’ve been a lot shorter! Regardless, I did really love hearing other people’s stories. They could also be signs in themselves.
I recorded one part of the book where she said “..and that’s what I think death is like. It’s like the people we love aren’t gone forever, they’re just somewhere far away, like Thailand.” Like WHAT? That actually freaked me tf out.
Anyways, this book has me really emotional and I’m just going to need to sit with my feelings for a bit.