danadoesbooks's reviews
893 reviews

Sir Lewis: The Definitive Biography by Michael E. Sawyer

hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

3.0

Thank you Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for the eARC of Sir Lewis.  All opinions in this review are my own.

I am so sad to say that I did not enjoy this book as much as I wanted to.  I love Lewis Hamilton and what he has done for not only the sport of Formula 1, but also his commitment to making the world better too.  I was so excited to get approved for this title that I immediately started reading it.

From the beginning, it is clear that the author is a Max hater (which I'm honestly fine with), but then he starts including comments made on Lewis's social media posts.  I understand the point the author is trying to make, but it takes away from Lewis when he gives these people a space in a book about Lewis by naming them and doing a deep dive into the comment they posted online.  These people are nobody important and they are just spewing hate online so to give them a section of your book was an odd choice.

There are also large portions of this book in the opening chapters that are not focused on Lewis.  In one chapter, the author discusses other Black athletes who are at the pinnacle of their sports in order to draw the comparison of how Lewis's dad trained him when he was younger.  While this is an important connection, multiple pages didn't need to be devoted to making it.  Another chapter is solely devoted to describing the structure of qualifying for a race without mentioning Lewis once.

Luckily, once Lewis gets signed by McLaren, the book is much more focused on Lewis and is more like the Introduction than the opening chapters.

Overall, Sir Lewis struggles to focus on its main subject at times. While I still love the subject matter, I didn't love this writing.

World Travel: An Irreverent Guide by Anthony Bourdain, Laurie Woolever

adventurous informative inspiring reflective fast-paced

4.0

The Romantic Tragedies of a Drama King by Harry Trevaldwyn

funny lighthearted medium-paced

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

5.0

Thank you Wednesday Books / NetGalley for the DRC and Macmillan Audio / Libro FM for the ALC!  All opinions in this review are my own.

I absolutely loved this book!  There were so many moments where I was laughing out loud because of Patch and his antics!  While Patch is hilarious, it is clear that he does still have some maturing to do and the author did an excellent job of striking the balance between the two.

While the writing of this book is hilarious in its own right, the narrator of the audiobook did such an excellent job capturing the emotions of Patch.  I always love when an audiobook is narrated by its author and this one was no exception!

The Little Book of Hygge: The Danish Way to Live Well by Meik Wiking

informative inspiring lighthearted fast-paced

4.0

Bell, Book and Corpses by T.C. LoTempio

mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot

3.0

Thank you Beyond the Page and NetGalley for the DRC of Bell, Book, and Corpses!  All opinions in this review are my own.

Although it is the seventh book in the Nick and Nora Mysteries series, this is the first one that I read so I did feel like I was missing out on some important events that happened previously.  

Overall, this was a solid mystery, however, I do wish they focused more on the fact that the killer was trying to imitate a vampire.  While it was brought up at times, it was not a huge part of trying to solve the mystery and to be honest, that was all I could focus on.  Who would be motivated to do that and how do they have the skill set to do it?  I did like the slight magical-ness of Nick the cat though and how he would assist in solving the case!

Halfway There: A Graphic Memoir of Self-Discovery by Christine Mari

reflective medium-paced

4.0

Thank you Hachette Audio and Libro FM for the ALC of Halfway There!  All opinions in this review are my own.

I was very curious how a graphic novel would be adapted to an audiobook, but they did an excellent job with this one!  I like how they added sounds and music to make it more than just a typical audiobook, especially since you would not be able to see the pictures.  Overall, this is a story of the author trying to figure out where she fits in and learning more about her identity.  Halfway There captures her emotions and the toll that this journey took on her mental health while the author learned important things about who she is and who she wants to be.  Because the audiobook was so good, I want to read the graphic novel version now too!

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot

4.0

The Last Bookstore On Earth by Lily Braun-Arnold

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Thank you Penguin Random House Audio and Libro FM for the ALC of The Last Bookstore at the End of the World!  All opinions in this review are my own.

I am usually not one for apocalypse or end of the world books, but apparently I will read anything if it is set in a bookstore!  I ended up really enjoying this one!  While I still think it's stressful to read about the world ending (and some of the descriptions grossed me out), I liked Liz and reading about how she was carving out a life for herself despite living in such a desolate world.  I also liked Maeve and how she pushed Liz to embrace more of the life they still had to live.

The Stolen Queen by Fiona Davis

adventurous informative mysterious reflective medium-paced

4.0

On the Grid: Life Behind the Scenes of Formula 1 by Luke Smith

hopeful informative reflective medium-paced

4.0

Thank you HarperVia and NetGalley for the DRC of On The Grid!  All opinions in this review are my own.

If you are a fan of Drive to Survive, you have to read this book!  While some of the storylines are covered in previous Drive to Survive seasons, I still learned more than what the show could cover.  I also like that it is written like the show because On The Grid focuses on the people and their stories beyond just the racing.  I think the author did a great job of showing the physical toll that travelling during the season has on the people who work in Formula 1 and that he discussed the environmental impacts of the sport.  Overall, if you are a fan of Formula 1, Drive to Survive, or are new to the sport, you have to check out this book!