elizlizabeth's reviews
163 reviews

Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman

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funny lighthearted reflective fast-paced

4.5

Really enjoyed this novel approach about time and it made me rethink a bunch of things that were giving me worry. I felt it was a biit repetitive around the end but nevertheless a great book thar I'm sure will be recommending to friends.
Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

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dark funny mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot

3.0

It was an interesting plot with a novel premise. The characters were likable enough, but I wish their backstories were explored further. 
I feel that it tried to broach too many themes for such a short book and as a result it didn't have enough time to show-not-tell.
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Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey

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challenging funny medium-paced

2.0

It was entertaining and made me laugh a lot, except not because of the book but at it. The disconnect between what he's advising and the stories he tells is so big that it has to be a joke. He's a good actor so I won't dispute that but the whole thing is a libertarian manifesto told by someone who I would very much never like to meet in person. The writing is decent but mostly mumbo jumbo I didn't care for.
Also RIP to earphone users because this man will do whatever to that mic to get a dramatic effect.
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Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler

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dark emotional hopeful medium-paced

4.0

Hopeful dystopia, quick read and it raises some interesting points. It reminded me of The Dispossessed but in a more straightforward narration style, so if you like LeGuin's approach to Scifi but often feel confused by the elaborate plot maybe this one's for you. 
The audiobook was good, immersive and non-obtrusive narrator.
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Foundation by Isaac Asimov

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challenging tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

Weird format and pacing to get used to at first but Asimov has always excelled with short stories, so it's no wonder that he found a way to make it work for novel-lenght.
Sometimes the plot solves problems in a way that takes away from the sense of urgency, and some others you end up with the same basic character in every era but eh. Trying to write a Big History through individual lenses is an ambitious project and this is wayy more than a fair shot at it.
It's also very funny which! why aren't more people talking about how hilariously tongue in cheek Asimov is?!
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Something More by Jackie Khalilieh

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funny lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes

3.5

Light read for when you need to turn off youe brain for a bit. It was interesting and I'm glad autistic rep is picking up, buzzwords askde. I do worry that the core message of this is a bit misguided, as Jessie's autism keeps being treated as something she has to admit (or unmask) to people to really be herself. People's treatment and manners shouldn't depend on whether or not you justify your "weirdness".
Aside from that it was a fun and engaging read so I would recommend it if you're on the hunt for a romance.
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Love Is a Dog from Hell by Charles Bukowski

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fast-paced

1.5

There's two or three salvageable poems but honestly I feel like Bukowski just relies on the shock factor to pretend that he's actually good.
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The Overstory by Richard Powers

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reflective slow-paced

3.5

I feel that Powers is an excellent short story writer. I really loved the first part of this book because of how engaging and emotive the character introductions were. The concept of the book is pretty cool: Roots has the introductions, Trunk where they all meet, Crown where they split, and Seeds as a sort of epilogue. However, in the execution the plot felt overly dramatic and the author kept either repeating or negating the character arcs to introduce conflict. This is a book I would've loved if nothing of substance happened, but in its effort to be jaw dropping it became trite and dated.
I was expecting a well-reaearched ode to trees and the inextricable paths that join us to them and the first part IS that. I am just disappointed that it didn't continued in the same vein. Roots is so good that it can even stand on its own, so I will cherish those stories and forget the rest.
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The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

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dark hopeful tense medium-paced

3.0

This started great but then it became so melodramatic for no reason. I ended up hating Amir and his plot armor; everyone around him keeps suffering so that he can learn "a lesson" and yet he never does!
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Into the Planet: My Life as a Cave Diver by Jill Heinerth

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adventurous informative fast-paced

4.0

Very informative and interesting memoir. Whacky to read about the kind of technology they used not too long ago, and also how the attitude towards women divers was (is?) at the time.
I would've appreciated a glossary of terms and maybe maps and diagrams across the book, but other than that it was a very enjoyable read.
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