heidirgorecki's reviews
1054 reviews

Holding On to Hope by Claire Cain

hopeful reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

Well done, with both Nate and Ariel working thru their fears and weak points. Good character development and an endearing story. 

Sisters in Science: How Four Women Physicists Escaped Nazi Germany and Made Scientific History by Olivia Campbell

informative sad slow-paced

3.0

The information in the book was good, the women featured were amazing, their struggles to just survive and get out of Germany was commendable, and I'm glad I know about them. It definitely is so sad, yet impressive how much women of the past had to get thru in a male-dominated and discriminatory landscape in history. We definitely should know more of them, and I wish we could recognize not just them, but so many women who made such impacts but were never recognized.

That being said, the book itself was just so detailed and had so much going on, it was really hard to stay invested, and ultimately I kept losing interest. Outside of their brilliance in science in similar fields most of the time there was not crossover between the 4 women's stories. I had anticipated the "sisters" part of that meant that they literally worked together and had collaboration but typically they did not. Some didn't intersect with each other at all (unless I missed that for lack of focus). It was essentially 4 different women's stories going back and forth constantly during the book which, besides being extremely detail-heavy as mentioned, was really hard to keep track of who was who or what was going on. 

To be honest, when I requested the book, I thought it was a historical fiction based on real stories because the cover was a graphic image, which I don't think I've ever seen on a nonfiction, so also a little frustrating at the lack of focused attention in the marketing/writing. Again, I'm glad I know about these women that I probably never would have heard of otherwise, as so many women in the sciences or just in advancement in general during the time period, as well as what they went thru to get out of Germany during WW2, but I just felt like it tried to do too much all at once. 

Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy of this audiobook. All opinions are mine. 

The Thinker: Growing as an Enneagram 5 by Elisabeth Bennett

informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.5

I really liked the concept of a devotional that speaks to your personality and proclivities. Well done application and food for thought as well as biblical application.

The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark

dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Well done murder mystery and family history investigation into it. The first part of the book is a little slow going but it sets things up well, then the second half takes off really well. 

I liked how the story unfolded, having you second guess who did what and put the clues together little by little. It felt very puzzle-esq and I enjoyed picking up the little bits of information and making conclusions from them. 

It was also a good look at how grey people are - not a simple black and white, good or bad all the time, but so much of who we are is made up of other circumstances out of our control and how we respond to them, as well as the things we allow to stay hidden that can eat us up. It was a sad book for sure, but a great mystery. 

Overall, well done and I enjoyed it. Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions are mine.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death

Minor: Child abuse, Rape

The Bright Side of Brooding by Claire Cain

emotional hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

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

4.0

Good characters and I liked the introverted, silent but deep character of Nick, and Summer’s was well developed in the needing to help but not be helped. Some of it felt a tad repetitive but good progression overall 

The Anxious Generation: How The Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness by Jonathan Haidt

challenging informative medium-paced

5.0

While the title might lead you to believe you only need to read this book if you have anxious children, that couldn’t be further from the truth. If you are a parent of ANY child born in this century, or work with kids/young adults, please read this book. 

The book looks at the effects of a child’s access to the virtual/digital world, use of smartphones, and social media as they grow up, rather than the free play we grew up with, if you’re in the Gen X or Millennial Generations. It shows how it’s caused a “rewiring” of kids’ view of themselves, their environment and social interactions, mental health and their learning. It was incredibly insightful and, as a parent of 2 teenagers and a preteen myself, made so much sense, and is much needed information to help guide and support my kids in a world that is immersed in the digital. 

Cannot recommend this enough to other parents or those working with kids. I may even make my kids read it themselves before they start using get social media down the road. 

Learning to Fight After Flight by Claire Cain

hopeful sad 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

3.0

I really struggled to like Bec. I get that grief can be difficult and ongoing but she was so flighty and self-focused, not considering what she was doing to anyone else with her whiplash behavior. 

The Book Club for Troublesome Women by Marie Bostwick

challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted 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

5.0

Loved this book. It was such a great look at the importance and value of the women's friendships, navigating their marriages, and obstacles and discrimination women faced during the 1960s just for being female. While each of the women loved their families, they were moving in the direction of wanting fulfillment in their own identities in careers too, especially after coming out of post-ww2 when they had that opportunity in a way they previously didn't. 

While women's autonomy and opportunities are certainly not perfect still, living during a time where your whole life was dictated by your husband or you're automatically discounted everywhere outside the home because you're a woman would be infuriating to me. The uphill climb that was well described but valiantly fought by these women was so commendable and inspiring. I'm thankful women decades past fought for the benefit I have to be a working mom now, as well as being seen for my own value in most cases without all their barriers. 

The honesty and transparency that author gave each woman was just so well done. It looked at the difficulty and beauty of their marriages - and from a really different type of relationship that each one had with her husband, so it was very well rounded - was just so real. I think anyone who's been married for a decent amount of time could relate with one or other of the women at any given moment. But I loved how much they were determined to make things work, knew they weren't perfect, allowed themselves to bend when needed and stand up when also called for, to give their best and encouraged each other when they didn't feel like doing so. The author portrayed each in a way that I just loved each of them for their own reasons. 

I loved the importance the book club and their friendships had too. They pressed boundaries, weren't afraid to be themselves once they got to know each other, made mistakes, took risks with each other, and were unfailing in their loyalty to each other despite their differences. 

It honestly was pretty inspiring with all their imperfections and attitudes despite. Overall just a really great book and highly recommend.  

Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions are mine. 

Last Light over Galveston by Jennifer L. Wright

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

I always love it when I read a historical fiction and learn about a major, but not-well-known event for the first time. This book essentially deals with 2 historical events - the dam project on the lower Hudson Valley and the horrendous working conditions and subsequent strike and militia state at the dam, and the Galveston, TX Hurricane which is apparently the deadliest natural disaster in US history. 

I’ve often wondered with the weather and how much of a lead on prediction and radar we have, what it would have been like years ago to all the sudden find yourself in the midst of a storm - big or small - and have no idea it was coming. I thought this book did an excellent job of portraying that, as well as what it could have been like to live thru such a catastrophic event. The description and detail was well done and sucked you into Kathleen’s experience. 

The Dam, while not quite as focused on and detailed as the hurricane, still gave a transparent look at the workers’ conditions and the greed of others that caused them. I thought it was handled well, contrasting how selfishness and greed affects others but also the battle that can be to put aside our own comfort for someone else. 

I liked the characters of Kathleen and her friends. She was relatable and had a great progression of finding her footing and learning about herself. And Wesley, Matthew and Emily and their grace for her were well done and endearing. 

Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions are mine. 

Last Twilight in Paris by Pam Jenoff

challenging hopeful informative mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

Interesting and a good balance between intrigue, a unique setting, and the 2 female MCs on different sides of the mystery. 

I had never heard of the forced labor camp in a department store in Paris, and even some Google searches didn’t reveal much so it’s unfortunately still not well known. I appreciated learning about that thru Helaine’s story here. It was also well done how she experienced the slow shutting out of Jews within Paris.

The way Louise’s story intersected Helaine’s a couple times was creative, and the aspect of finding purpose in hunting down the mystery of the necklace when she felt like she was floundering after the war was an insightful view that was probably all too common post-war. 

I do wish there was more fleshed out in the story with Joe later on. Louise’s and his working together and  interaction just resolved rather quickly and could have had some great depth and character development, but I at least appreciated the resolution there and determination for their marriage. . 

Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy of this audiobook. All opinions are mine.