Scan barcode
labbyreads's reviews
269 reviews
A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. Maas
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Read Full Review
Have you ever wondered what it would be like if Feyre was the lead in a Hallmark Christmas movie? If so, this is for you.
The story takes place a few months after the events of A Court of Wings and Ruin and centers around the characters coming together to celebrate their holiday. It includes a lot of scenic, snowy streets and searching for the right gift.
While it briefly mentions the politics of rebuilding, it does nothing to move the overarching plot along. There is little character development other than Nesta (the saving grace of this story).
@windycityreads_ described this to me as "a Christmas special" and there is no more accurate way to describe this read. It's fun. It's festive. But it lacks substance.
Overall, I would only recommend reading on a snow day surrounded by your own Winter Solstice (or equivalent) decor. Had I not fallen prey to my own completion bias, I probably would have gone directly to A Court of Silver Flames.
Have you ever wondered what it would be like if Feyre was the lead in a Hallmark Christmas movie? If so, this is for you.
The story takes place a few months after the events of A Court of Wings and Ruin and centers around the characters coming together to celebrate their holiday. It includes a lot of scenic, snowy streets and searching for the right gift.
While it briefly mentions the politics of rebuilding, it does nothing to move the overarching plot along. There is little character development other than Nesta (the saving grace of this story).
@windycityreads_ described this to me as "a Christmas special" and there is no more accurate way to describe this read. It's fun. It's festive. But it lacks substance.
Overall, I would only recommend reading on a snow day surrounded by your own Winter Solstice (or equivalent) decor. Had I not fallen prey to my own completion bias, I probably would have gone directly to A Court of Silver Flames.
Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
4.0
Read Full Review
This book is a mix of personal anecdotes, reflections on her life and career, and insights into the entertainment industry.
One of the strongest aspects of the book is Kaling's humor, which shines through on every page.
While the book is undoubtedly funny, it also has a more reflective side. Kaling reflects on her experiences as a woman of color in the entertainment industry.
Overall, Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? is a must-read for fans of Mindy Kaling, as well as anyone who loves memoirs with a comedic touch.
This book is a mix of personal anecdotes, reflections on her life and career, and insights into the entertainment industry.
One of the strongest aspects of the book is Kaling's humor, which shines through on every page.
While the book is undoubtedly funny, it also has a more reflective side. Kaling reflects on her experiences as a woman of color in the entertainment industry.
Overall, Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? is a must-read for fans of Mindy Kaling, as well as anyone who loves memoirs with a comedic touch.
Vino Italiano: The Regional Wines of Italy by David Lynch, Joseph Bastianich
challenging
informative
inspiring
slow-paced
3.0
My husband and I are planning a trip to Italy this year. To celebrate (and help plan) he got me this textbook on all things Italian wine. I can confirm that this is a comprehensive and authoritative guide to the wines of Italy. This book is rich in knowledge, but deeper knowledge than I needed as a layperson.
Bastianich begins each chapter with these beautiful descriptions of his journies throughout the countryside. His story of the fry men in Cinque Terre actually made me at that stop to our list of places to visit.
Outside of some beautiful prose, this is a book that is heavy with knowledge. It was at a 201 level. I only needed 101. If you are a sommelier or a collector this is perfect for you, but if you are looking for an introduction to Italian wine this will drown you with information.
Overall, I liked it. In retrospect, I wish I had only read the chapters about the regions that I was considering visiting. If I had though, I probably wouldn't have added Cinque Terre to my list.
Bastianich begins each chapter with these beautiful descriptions of his journies throughout the countryside. His story of the fry men in Cinque Terre actually made me at that stop to our list of places to visit.
Outside of some beautiful prose, this is a book that is heavy with knowledge. It was at a 201 level. I only needed 101. If you are a sommelier or a collector this is perfect for you, but if you are looking for an introduction to Italian wine this will drown you with information.
Overall, I liked it. In retrospect, I wish I had only read the chapters about the regions that I was considering visiting. If I had though, I probably wouldn't have added Cinque Terre to my list.
Roar: How to Match Your Food and Fitness to Your Unique Female Physiology for Optimum Performance, Great Health, and a Strong, Lean Body for Life by Stacy T. Sims
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
3.0
<a href="https://labbyreads.com/review/this-fitness-book-might-be-a-little-too-much-for-one-plate">Read Full Review</a>
This book is full of great information on nutrition and fitness for a woman. It was an incredibly educational read. I've done a few things differently in my fitness and nutrition routine as a result of listening to this book. However, the downside to Sims's breadth of knowledge is that not all will be relevant to every reader.
Roar aims to be your comprehensive guide to fitness and nutrition strategy for female athletes. Her guiding principle is that "women are not small men" and that we must stop following guidance and studies based on male physiology. Instead, she encourages her athletes to leverage their unique female physiology to increase their performance.
I appreciate how Sims breaks down the female hormone cycle and other key aspects of physiology. There are some key aspects of her advice that really resonated with me. For example, I have stopped intermittent fasting since reading this book.
An unfortunate side effect of covering so much information is that there will be sections of this book that seem irrelevant to where you are at your current stage of life. There was a large amount of information for women older than me that went in one ear and out the other as I was listening.
Overall, I thought this was a good primer on fitness books. If you're looking for something specific this isn't it, but this is a great overview of where to start with optimizing your fitness as a woman.
This book is full of great information on nutrition and fitness for a woman. It was an incredibly educational read. I've done a few things differently in my fitness and nutrition routine as a result of listening to this book. However, the downside to Sims's breadth of knowledge is that not all will be relevant to every reader.
Roar aims to be your comprehensive guide to fitness and nutrition strategy for female athletes. Her guiding principle is that "women are not small men" and that we must stop following guidance and studies based on male physiology. Instead, she encourages her athletes to leverage their unique female physiology to increase their performance.
I appreciate how Sims breaks down the female hormone cycle and other key aspects of physiology. There are some key aspects of her advice that really resonated with me. For example, I have stopped intermittent fasting since reading this book.
An unfortunate side effect of covering so much information is that there will be sections of this book that seem irrelevant to where you are at your current stage of life. There was a large amount of information for women older than me that went in one ear and out the other as I was listening.
Overall, I thought this was a good primer on fitness books. If you're looking for something specific this isn't it, but this is a great overview of where to start with optimizing your fitness as a woman.
The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
<a href="https://labbyreads.com/review/the-other-black-girl-left-me-with-so-many-questions">Read Full Review</a>
The Other Black Girl spans the genres of workplace drama, horror, and retrospective of race in America.
The story opens with Nella who is tired and frustrated being the only Black girl working at Wagner Books when she notices a new employee being interviewed. Nella is excited about the prospect of having a Black friend at work when she begins to receive cryptic notes like one left on her desk reading "LEAVE WAGNER".
She explores the themes of mental health, work-life balance, and obviously the intersection of race in the workplace.
Scattered throughout the novel are the timeline jumps and mixed point-of-view of other characters. These are only lightly explored and lack the impact they could have had if they were a more prominent part of the story.
Overall, "The Other Black Girl" is a fun and suspenseful read. Go with caution, and know you might not find the answers to all your questions.
The Other Black Girl spans the genres of workplace drama, horror, and retrospective of race in America.
The story opens with Nella who is tired and frustrated being the only Black girl working at Wagner Books when she notices a new employee being interviewed. Nella is excited about the prospect of having a Black friend at work when she begins to receive cryptic notes like one left on her desk reading "LEAVE WAGNER".
She explores the themes of mental health, work-life balance, and obviously the intersection of race in the workplace.
Scattered throughout the novel are the timeline jumps and mixed point-of-view of other characters. These are only lightly explored and lack the impact they could have had if they were a more prominent part of the story.
Overall, "The Other Black Girl" is a fun and suspenseful read. Go with caution, and know you might not find the answers to all your questions.
When We Cease to Understand the World by BenjamÃn Labatut
challenging
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
This is at the top of my 2022 list of "books that did not live up to the hype." The books is effectively discussing some of the founding principles of quantum mathematics. It should be fascinating, but it was not. It was painfully boring.
This book is less than 200 pages and it took me four months to read. The only reason I was able to finish it was because I used it to fall asleep in the previous weeks when suffering from mild insomnia.
The stories are only losely tied together. There is no cohesion to the overall story. The stories are gradually more fictionalized as you read through the book starting with a single paragraph at the beginning to an undisclosed amount towards the end.
Overall, this was a loss for me. It was the closest that I came this year to a DNF book and I read The Last of the Bohemians this year. Perhaps, the only thing I'm learning is that I drastically disagree with major literary award winners. I guess I'm not literary. That's life. Read what sparks joy with you.
This book is less than 200 pages and it took me four months to read. The only reason I was able to finish it was because I used it to fall asleep in the previous weeks when suffering from mild insomnia.
The stories are only losely tied together. There is no cohesion to the overall story. The stories are gradually more fictionalized as you read through the book starting with a single paragraph at the beginning to an undisclosed amount towards the end.
Overall, this was a loss for me. It was the closest that I came this year to a DNF book and I read The Last of the Bohemians this year. Perhaps, the only thing I'm learning is that I drastically disagree with major literary award winners. I guess I'm not literary. That's life. Read what sparks joy with you.
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Over the last ten years, we've developed a holiday tradition of spending Christmas Day road-tripping between our two families. That's 8 hours of driving. How do you enjoy 8 hours of driving? A great audiobook.
This one is good, good, good. Ryland Grace a high school science teacher wakes up in another star system with no memory of how he got there or why.
Ryland and the reader are slowly fed memories of his mission and goal while figuring out how to survive in space and collect vital data. Between the dual mystery box I couldn't put this one down.
For a book that is about a man alone in space, Weir doesn't keep the reader stuck in Ryland's mind. This is equally science fiction and buddy comedy. The conversational tone is really brought to life in the audiobook.
Overall, this was fabulous. The mysteries kept me extending my sleep timer for "just one more chapter" all night long. The humor warmed my heart. The science fascinated and engaged me (and even my husband).
This one is good, good, good. Ryland Grace a high school science teacher wakes up in another star system with no memory of how he got there or why.
Ryland and the reader are slowly fed memories of his mission and goal while figuring out how to survive in space and collect vital data. Between the dual mystery box I couldn't put this one down.
For a book that is about a man alone in space, Weir doesn't keep the reader stuck in Ryland's mind. This is equally science fiction and buddy comedy. The conversational tone is really brought to life in the audiobook.
Overall, this was fabulous. The mysteries kept me extending my sleep timer for "just one more chapter" all night long. The humor warmed my heart. The science fascinated and engaged me (and even my husband).
I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
If you were on #booktok at all this summer then you probably have heard about this book. It is just as hilarious as the hype.
The lengths that McCurdy went to make her mom happy are nothing short of extraordinary. From eyelash tinting to calorie restriction there is very little she wouldn't give up to ensure that she got the happy version of her mom instead of the angry one. But when her mom died of cancer, she found that she lost not only her mom but her motivation for everything in her life.
While this story is filled with humor and color and personality, it is largely a dark tale of trauma and finding yourself through it all. The dark humor that creates her voice funny, but I wouldn't call this a funny book if that's what you're looking for.
My only critique is that she didn't shed enough light on some things. She describes an origin story of her OCD but then it largely disappears into the background. We find that she is getting the professional help that she needs to heal, but very little is included on what healing looks like for her.
Overall, I really liked this one. If you can handle stories of anorexia, OCD and abuse without being triggered then I think you should definitely pick it up. McCurdy reads her own memoir on audiobook and I highly recommend it.
The lengths that McCurdy went to make her mom happy are nothing short of extraordinary. From eyelash tinting to calorie restriction there is very little she wouldn't give up to ensure that she got the happy version of her mom instead of the angry one. But when her mom died of cancer, she found that she lost not only her mom but her motivation for everything in her life.
While this story is filled with humor and color and personality, it is largely a dark tale of trauma and finding yourself through it all. The dark humor that creates her voice funny, but I wouldn't call this a funny book if that's what you're looking for.
My only critique is that she didn't shed enough light on some things. She describes an origin story of her OCD but then it largely disappears into the background. We find that she is getting the professional help that she needs to heal, but very little is included on what healing looks like for her.
Overall, I really liked this one. If you can handle stories of anorexia, OCD and abuse without being triggered then I think you should definitely pick it up. McCurdy reads her own memoir on audiobook and I highly recommend it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder, Mental illness, and Death of parent
A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
So here's the thing about A Court of Wings and Ruin, it was given the impossible task of following A Court of Mist and Fury and being better. Not an easy task.
ACOMAF has less romance overall than the previous installments in the series. Because the book focuses less on romance, more of it is devoted to politics and military strategy. I really appreciated how thorough the battle mechanics were.
When you look at the basic plot not much really happened. There were a couple of battles. Do we really need this many pages? The book could have easily eliminated about a hundred pages without losing any major plot points or character development.
Overall, I really liked this one. Because of the politics and world-building, I enjoyed it more than ACOMAF, but it was way too long. I'm looking forward to the rest of the series.
ACOMAF has less romance overall than the previous installments in the series. Because the book focuses less on romance, more of it is devoted to politics and military strategy. I really appreciated how thorough the battle mechanics were.
When you look at the basic plot not much really happened. There were a couple of battles. Do we really need this many pages? The book could have easily eliminated about a hundred pages without losing any major plot points or character development.
Overall, I really liked this one. Because of the politics and world-building, I enjoyed it more than ACOMAF, but it was way too long. I'm looking forward to the rest of the series.
The Art of Woo: Using Strategic Persuasion to Sell Your Ideas by G. Richard Shell
informative
medium-paced
3.0
It truly is a framework that they give the user on how to be more persuasive. It's incredibly tactical and helpful.
They break their Woo Process into four "easy" steps. The problem is that each step has many steps. In order to diagnose the best strategy you also need to understand what your personal style is (of which there are five) and you need to understand what channels of persuasion will dominate with your audience (of which they lay out six). That's all before you even get to the pitch.
Like many professional development books, there were plenty of examples here. Many could have easily been cut in the editing process without detracting from the authority with which they were presenting the material.
Overall, I liked this one. The framework alone is reason enough to read this. Even if the only people you're persuading are your spouse to order your favorite for dinner.
They break their Woo Process into four "easy" steps. The problem is that each step has many steps. In order to diagnose the best strategy you also need to understand what your personal style is (of which there are five) and you need to understand what channels of persuasion will dominate with your audience (of which they lay out six). That's all before you even get to the pitch.
Like many professional development books, there were plenty of examples here. Many could have easily been cut in the editing process without detracting from the authority with which they were presenting the material.
Overall, I liked this one. The framework alone is reason enough to read this. Even if the only people you're persuading are your spouse to order your favorite for dinner.