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lawl3sswr3n's reviews
292 reviews
Monsoon Mansion: A Memoir by Cinelle Barnes
5.0
So powerful, real and true. The childhood of this author is beautifully and catefully enclosed in each chapter - we get to experience her trauma alongside her. We hear what she hears. We see what she sees... The writing so vivid, the descriptions and imagery so powerful, the truth she speaks in this novel will make you smile, cry, and shudder throughout. This is a bittersweet novel, for anyone searching for truth - even when it isn't pretty.
Ache. by Lillian Olson
2.0
Not really my style of poetry. Some of the imagery was beautiful, but I had a hard time connecting or feeling close to a lot of the poems in the collection. Not bad poetry, by any means, just not my personal style.
The Simple Path to Wealth: Your road map to financial independence and a rich, free life by Mr. Money Mustache, J.L. Collins
4.0
It was a great candid introduction to investing. Having little to no experience in investing whatsoever, Collins provided me a wonderful introduction to the myriad of ways I can successfully invest my money. He also provides solid examples, theories, and concepts rooted in both history and fact. He's candid. He's informational. He's passionate about this topic. A great read for any individual at any stage in their financial journey, but ESPECIALLY helpful for individuals unknowing of where to begin their investment futures or individuals unaware of the importance of financial freedom.
Codependent No More: How to Stop Controlling Others and Start Caring for Yourself by Melody Beattie
4.0
Not completely applicable to all of my personal circumstances but touched home in a majority of the chapters. Some of the material was hard to stomach, mostly because a lot of it was hard truth I was forced to acknowledge when reading.
Becoming by Michelle Obama
5.0
Offering us a very up-close, intimate back seat into the car ride that is this beautiful woman's life, Michelle takes us on a journey - her journey. She covers everything from her childhood up to the present - what it was like growing up in the south side of Chicago, being the FLOTUS, becoming a mother, falling in love with her best friend and partner, and everything in between. This memoir is beautiful, to out it simply. But it's much more than that... Michelle tells her story in a way that leaves you feeling like you were there... You lived this alongside her. You were there to witness her triumphs and her struggles... The writing is so personal and beautiful. I loved every page.
All The Things I Never Said by Mae Krell
2.0
Some of the poems were good, but I could tell when the author wrote something from the heart and something they gathered from their surrounding environment (I.E. the internet, popular sayings, other's quotes.) I would be curious to see this author's work now - as age increases we better develop our identity and sense of self. I would have liked to hear more originality in this collection, and a lot of that comes when you leave the boundaries of high school age groups.
Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams by Matthew Walker
4.0
I tend to think of my body as one thing – one connected moving mass. In reality, everyone knows it’s a bunch of smaller systems all put together to make up one. Walker thoroughly covers how sleep impacts literally every portion of your body. Using legitimate statistics, findings from his and other’s professional studies, and health facts he covers how sleep (or lack of it) impacts reproductive systems, mental health and cognitive abilities, eating habits and tendencies, ability to perform athletically, brain recognition and retention, memory, the body’s immunity, sleeping pills and medications (which, is incredibly scary by the way), how sleep impacts careers, the ability to make more money, how sleep is impacted by caffeine, and how not properly sleeping can be directly linked to a shortened lifespan or a promisingly painful and slow death. Walker starts Chapter 6 by stating, “Sleep enhances your memory and makes you more creative. It makes you look more attractive. It keeps you slim and lowers food cravings. It protects you from cancer and dementia. It wards off colds and the flu. It lowers your risk of heart attacks and stroke, not to mention diabetes. It helps you feel happier, less depressed, and less anxious.” Although there are so many negatives to not sleeping, there really is just one simple solution - sleep more. The strengths in my opinion, were Walker’s foundation of knowledge and facts, his credibility as a scientist, and his writing voice (his passion shines through every page). Its weakness would probably be that you have to like these sort of non-fiction books to really get into it. It’s hardcore fact-basef. But if you don’t mind being battered in the face by the truth nearly every paragraph, then you will probably enjoy this book.
To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han
4.0
I went into this book thinking it was just going to be a generic teen-romance series that I wouldn't enjoy. To be honest, I enjoyed nearly every page. As an adult reader, I would recommend to anyone wanting a quick-ish, easy read. The character development was amazing, and the book overall encompassed a lot of things about my younger high school years that I could definitely relate to. The romance that Laura Jean and Peter develop and build is one with sincerity and care. Genuine young love.
If it's any consolation, I read this first book in the series in less than a day before I was onto the next book in the series.
If it's any consolation, I read this first book in the series in less than a day before I was onto the next book in the series.
Always and Forever, Lara Jean by Jenny Han
3.0
This was my least favorite of the trilogy - which is so unfortunate because it was the final book. I was hoping that it would finish a little neater than it did, as I felt like I was officially saying goodbye to everyone I had grown so close to in this series... The ending felt messy and rushed. We didn't get to experience the details from Laura Jean's father's graduation present to her and her sisters. Instead it skipped straight ahead to the end of the summer before she begins her college life.
I think that although it was a great place to end, how it was executed felt rushed. I also just had a hard time getting through the lull of the writing. Where the first two books had a decent pace in the writing, this one also seemed less focused... Almost as if the plot wasn't fully developed, or the book was written around one tiny incident, that didn't feel that big when the book was finally written. I think there was no major climax in the plot of this book, and the plot was sort of all over the place.
All other books in the series I gave a four-star review, as they were thoroughly enjoyable. If this book wasn't the ending, I might have given the novel four-stars, but I don't feel like it earned that final star for rushing through the ending, and slowing WAY down for the duration of the novel's plot. I wished it had slowed down at the end, and kept good pace in the middle chapters. I would still recommend this book as part of the series as a whole, but standing on its own it was pretty weak.
I think that although it was a great place to end, how it was executed felt rushed. I also just had a hard time getting through the lull of the writing. Where the first two books had a decent pace in the writing, this one also seemed less focused... Almost as if the plot wasn't fully developed, or the book was written around one tiny incident, that didn't feel that big when the book was finally written. I think there was no major climax in the plot of this book, and the plot was sort of all over the place.
All other books in the series I gave a four-star review, as they were thoroughly enjoyable. If this book wasn't the ending, I might have given the novel four-stars, but I don't feel like it earned that final star for rushing through the ending, and slowing WAY down for the duration of the novel's plot. I wished it had slowed down at the end, and kept good pace in the middle chapters. I would still recommend this book as part of the series as a whole, but standing on its own it was pretty weak.