Take a photo of a barcode or cover
happentobeshort's reviews
1216 reviews
Split Tooth by Tanya Tagaq
challenging
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The Deep by Rivers Solomon
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Storm of Locusts by Rebecca Roanhorse
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
The Barrow Will Send What it May by Margaret Killjoy
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Revelations in Air: A Guidebook to Smell by Jude Stewart
informative
fast-paced
2.5
It started off fun and interesting, but then each section ended so abruptly and it started feeling like I was reading a listicle of sorts instead of a book. Each section was a collection of smells that were grouped together for what felt like arbitrary reasons, with Stewart talking about her personal experience with them as well as their actual history - of which the latter was more interesting.
She also kept trying to explain how things smelled to HER which was a bit boring to read sometimes lol... Luckily I was listening to this via Audiobook on like 1.75x speed while sewing so it wasn't such a struggle for me lolllllll.
IDK. I feel let down by this book because it wasn't as detailed or analytical as I expected.. I guess the runtime should have been a good indicator for me that it wasn't going to be as all encompassing as I wanted as the runtime was around the same as This Is Your Mind on Plants and Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change Our Minds & Shape Our Futures. I think Jude Stewart bit off more than she could chew with this book and wanted to cover a LOT but ended up not covering anything in great detail... Just my o(pi)nion...
She also kept trying to explain how things smelled to HER which was a bit boring to read sometimes lol... Luckily I was listening to this via Audiobook on like 1.75x speed while sewing so it wasn't such a struggle for me lolllllll.
IDK. I feel let down by this book because it wasn't as detailed or analytical as I expected.. I guess the runtime should have been a good indicator for me that it wasn't going to be as all encompassing as I wanted as the runtime was around the same as This Is Your Mind on Plants and Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change Our Minds & Shape Our Futures. I think Jude Stewart bit off more than she could chew with this book and wanted to cover a LOT but ended up not covering anything in great detail... Just my o(pi)nion...
The Paris Bookseller by Kerri Maher
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
I am not immune to 1920s historical fiction about writers and artists and I am ok with it!!!!!!!
This was so much fun to read for me especially as I have been to the real Shakespeare and Company in Paris many times, and have a some idea of what the scene was like at the time. While I enjoyed the constant name dropping of real life people who really interacted with Sylvia Beach and the shop, I can see how it would be annoying for some. Kinda like when you constantly have self referential cameos in a franchise film lol...
But if you're looking for a book that shows you what the 1920s Parisian lit scene was like, this is really not it. This is about Sylvia Beach, who was a book seller, a publisher, a lesbian and a dedicated supporter of the arts. Anyway, as someone who is now working in the same(ish) field some 100 years later, learning about Sylvia's life made me reflect a bit on my own standing in this industry and what it is that I really want out of it. Which was a nice surprise for me!
Lastly: I super appreciated that Maher had an epilogue where she separated fact from fiction and stated which bits she fiddled around with to suit the narrative. I love it when historical fiction writers do that! Saves me the effort of looking things up myself LOL.
This was so much fun to read for me especially as I have been to the real Shakespeare and Company in Paris many times, and have a some idea of what the scene was like at the time. While I enjoyed the constant name dropping of real life people who really interacted with Sylvia Beach and the shop, I can see how it would be annoying for some. Kinda like when you constantly have self referential cameos in a franchise film lol...
But if you're looking for a book that shows you what the 1920s Parisian lit scene was like, this is really not it. This is about Sylvia Beach, who was a book seller, a publisher, a lesbian and a dedicated supporter of the arts. Anyway, as someone who is now working in the same(ish) field some 100 years later, learning about Sylvia's life made me reflect a bit on my own standing in this industry and what it is that I really want out of it. Which was a nice surprise for me!
Lastly: I super appreciated that Maher had an epilogue where she separated fact from fiction and stated which bits she fiddled around with to suit the narrative. I love it when historical fiction writers do that! Saves me the effort of looking things up myself LOL.
More Beautiful Than Death by David Mack
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
What a fun pulpy romp!!!! I have soft spot for the Kelvin timeline so when a I see a tie-in that sounds interesting I will totally check it out. LUCKILY this was one of the better ones! Pretty much everyone gets a fun scene or two, and they're all written very in character to the AOS counterparts! There's also ghosts, fight scenes, Bones berating Kirk about doing his physical, Sarek and another iconic Vulcan.
HOWEVER. If you a firm Spock/Kirk person and absolutely hate anything Spock/Uhura, then you should give this one a miss lol..
HOWEVER. If you a firm Spock/Kirk person and absolutely hate anything Spock/Uhura, then you should give this one a miss lol..
Kundo Wakes Up by Saad Z. Hossain
dark
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I walked into this one expecting a similar vibe to The Gurkha and the Lord of Tuesday and that was Not It. I still enjoyed this mind you, it was just a lot more grim and sad. Even a little freaky. There's quite a few CW needed: drug use, suicidal thoughts, body horror and I guess dead bodies???
It takes some time to get into it, and about halfway through I was contemplating DNF'ing it cause I was just.. not digging it.. But. I decided to truck on since I loved The Gurkha and the Lord of Tuesday so much!
TLDR: Perfect for those who enjoy gritty cyberpunk stories.
It takes some time to get into it, and about halfway through I was contemplating DNF'ing it cause I was just.. not digging it.. But. I decided to truck on since I loved The Gurkha and the Lord of Tuesday so much!
TLDR: Perfect for those who enjoy gritty cyberpunk stories.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror, Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, and Stalking
What Doesn't Kill You: A Life with Chronic Illness - Lessons from a Body in Revolt by Tessa Miller
challenging
emotional
hopeful
slow-paced
5.0
I honestly don't have words for how important this book has been to me. I have never felt so SEEN before on such a visceral level. Part memoir, part how to guide, part self help book, and exactly what I needed when I thought I was past it all, this book was often so hard for me to read that I had to stop and call it a day. Who knew medical trauma could last so long LOL!!!!
I was formally diagnosed with Crohns around 5yrs ago, and before that my IBD was assigned as Ulcerative Colitis. I can't remember a time when I WASN'T taking medicine anymore as this has been my life for over half of it now. And although during this time I have read about other people's experiences, and even chatted a bit to others, I still felt like my experiences weren't the same. But the way Tessa wrote about her experiences had me so often going, OH MAN - YOU TOO?!?
For non chronic illness havers: This is a must read if you want to be a good ally and support system for those you love and care about who have chronic illnesses, especially if you live in the states! Tessa has also included a plethora of advice on getting the right kinds of insurance and how to be the best person for your spoonie buddies.
And for chronic illness havers: Even if you don't have an IBD, this book might be worth a read for for the reasons above - Tessa has SO much advice for you on insurance and medicine, and even how to approach problems at work that have to do with your illness!
THANK YOU TESSA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111111111111
I was formally diagnosed with Crohns around 5yrs ago, and before that my IBD was assigned as Ulcerative Colitis. I can't remember a time when I WASN'T taking medicine anymore as this has been my life for over half of it now. And although during this time I have read about other people's experiences, and even chatted a bit to others, I still felt like my experiences weren't the same. But the way Tessa wrote about her experiences had me so often going, OH MAN - YOU TOO?!?
For non chronic illness havers: This is a must read if you want to be a good ally and support system for those you love and care about who have chronic illnesses, especially if you live in the states! Tessa has also included a plethora of advice on getting the right kinds of insurance and how to be the best person for your spoonie buddies.
And for chronic illness havers: Even if you don't have an IBD, this book might be worth a read for for the reasons above - Tessa has SO much advice for you on insurance and medicine, and even how to approach problems at work that have to do with your illness!
THANK YOU TESSA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111111111111
Sheets by Brenna Thummler
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Cute story even if it didn't feel like it was going anywhere. But also I'm clearly not the target audience for this GN! The art was very lovely though so that made it more "palatable" for me as an adult hehehe..