eeeeeeee's reviews
216 reviews

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
Did not finish book. Stopped at 9%.

Can't follow along on occasional audiobook; if I want to read this I need a physicial copy.

Heresy by S.J. Parris

adventurous dark mysterious 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? Yes

3.0

The first half of this book was a slog and I almost DNFed multiple times; the second half picks up and is quite enjoyable!  I don't normally read mystery/thrillers so it was a fun experience - definitely a page turner at parts.  I still can't tell if the book was pro or anti Catholic - but learning about the religious persecution was interesting and added some complexity to the book which was nice.  Can't recommend her repeated use of the word "palatine" though.

Tom Lake by Ann Patchett

emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

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

3.0

I wish I liked this book more than I did.  I'm not really in a place to listen to books about sets of siblings and close family dynamics, which this had a lot of.  The ending didn't feel satisfying to me; the "extra story" seemed fairly out of character.  I think a lot of people could love this book but not me not right now.

I Hate the Internet by Jarett Kobek

adventurous challenging funny fast-paced

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

4.5

Very much enjoyed this book!  Lighthearted, funny, while also quite insightful - lots of discussions of race, privilege, the internet, money, exploitation - makes you want to cancel all of your social media, which is probably a good thing.  Would recommend to anyone who still has a Twitter account.

Beyond Belief: The Secret Lives of Women in Extreme Religions by Grace Peterson, Elise Brianne Curtin, Leah Lax, Elizabeth Taylor-Mead, Valerie Tarico, Nikki Smith, Cami Ostman, Erin Seaward-Hiatt, Susan Tive, Mary Johnson, Caitlin Constantine, Leila Khan, Stephanie Durden Edwards, Donna Johnson, Joshunda Sanders, Yolande Brener, Julia Scheeres, Lucia Greenhouse, Colleen Haggerty, Naomi J. Williams, Huda Al-Marashi, Pamela Helberg, Kyria Abrahams, Elise Glassman, Melanie Hoffert, Carolyn S. Briggs

challenging reflective sad fast-paced

4.5

Excellent book about women who have left extreme religions however they define them.  Lots of different religions and experiences represented here, some more challenging than others, but all very thoughtful and kind and powerful.  

Emerald Green by Kerstin Gier

adventurous funny lighthearted fast-paced

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

4.0

Fun ending to this trilogy!  I found the ending satisfying; I didn't see the big reveal coming; I thoroughly enjoyed the world building throughout the books and I would recommend!

[email protected]: A Novel by Pagan Kennedy, Arne Tangherlini

adventurous mysterious reflective fast-paced

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

4.0

This is a gem of a book; gentle and mysterious and poignant.  I feel like it's the type of book that begs to be reread - almost tempting to dive back in as soon as you're done, which feels very apt for the novel.

The Shaker Experience in America: A History of the United Society of Believers by Stephen J. Stein

informative inspiring slow-paced

5.0

Probably the most comprehensive and informative book on the Shakers I've read (and presumably that has been written because I don't think another broad survey has been done since now).  Not a great intro (it's very dense and detailed) but once you want to learn more than the surface level, this is probably the right book to do so.

Sapphire Blue by Kerstin Gier

adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

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

3.0

This is very much just a set up for the final book but I still found it enjoyable - minus the CONSTANT fatphobia, really bizarrely out of place and unnecessary and happened almost every chapter.  WTH!  Otherwise it's fun world building, I like the inclusion of Count St. Germaine and Akashic records and other things I'm already familiar with, and I want to see how it ends!

An Unnecessary Woman by Rabih Alameddine

adventurous funny reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Two quotes:

"There are two kinds of people in this world:  people who want to be desired, and people who want to be desired so much that they pretend they don't."

"No loss is felt more keenly than the loss of what might have been.  No nostalgia hurts as much as nostalgia for things that never existed."

This is a very kind, thoughtful book.  I wish I knew more of the literary references.