obstinateheadstrongcurl's reviews
922 reviews

The Invisible Bridge: The Fall of Nixon and the Rise of Reagan by Rick Perlstein

informative slow-paced

3.5

I’m fascinated by this time period and the cultural changes happening, but Perlstein’s writing isn’t my favourite. He hops around so much it’s often unclear even what year you’re in. Definitely curious to find other books covering the rise of conservatism in America, but I won’t be diving straight into Reaganland, and frankly I’m not sure I’ll ever pick it up.

Next Of Kin by Hannah Bonam-Young

emotional funny fast-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

4.75

Hannah Bonam-Young is writing some of the best romance out there. Her characters are fully realised, and her plots are well-crafted. Chloe’s and Warren’s past family dynamics are critical to the plot, but we never get bogged down in their backstories. The relationship build-up felt well-paced, with no out-of-character drama to stretch it out. Overall excellent and I can’t wait to continue this series.

Mastering the Art of Soviet Cooking: A Memoir of Food and Longing by Anya von Bremzen

informative medium-paced

4.25

This was an interesting memoir, although it didn’t focus on the food as much as I was hoping. I enjoyed the intimate look at life in the USSR, both pre and post dissolution. I listened to the audiobook and wasn’t a huge fan of the narrator. I dislike when a narrator is cast who is putting on an accent for the whole book, it just feels weird not to cast someone with the correct accent. This one felt especially egregious, almost mocking, and I really didn’t enjoy it.

Say You'll Be Mine by Naina Kumar

lighthearted slow-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

3.25

This was a fine debut. It could have benefited from being a bit shorter. I also wanted a bit more from the characters. I feel like Karthik was neuro-divergent-coded, but Kumar never really went anywhere with that. Would have loved to see that explored a bit more.

The Secret History of Food: Strange but True Stories About the Origins of Everything We Eat by Matt Siegel

funny informative fast-paced

4.0

This was funny and informative. Not as deep or broad as I was hoping for, but definitely an entertaining dip into food history.

In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado

dark emotional reflective fast-paced

4.75

Such a well-crafted memoir. I really enjoyed the conceit of using multiple genres, it was such a unique way of showcasing all these different vignettes. Even though she uses a non-traditional narrative structure, it never feels like the plot gets away from Machado, nor did I ever feel bogged down in what is a tragic and frustrating story.

The ending shocked me a bit, but I appreciated the messiness and honesty of it.<\spoiler>

In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto by Michael Pollan

informative fast-paced

4.25

I really enjoy Michael Pollan’s writing. I really appreciate how he focuses on broader societal changes rather than painting food choices as individual failings. Pretty ahead of it’s time in that regard, although not so much in his view on who’s preparing the food (spoiler alert: it’s the mom). Overall this was really good. For anyone contemplating picking up Ultra-Processed People, go for this instead.

Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 by Cho Nam-joo

informative sad fast-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? No

3.25

I appreciate the issues this book addresses: sex-based discrimination, sexual harassment, parental leave, costs of childcare, the pressures of societal expectations. Overall, the book didn’t really work for me because of its style. It’s fiction that reads like nonfiction, and while I think the idea is cool, the actual execution wasn’t great.

The last few pages explain why this style is used, and I think I would have enjoyed it more if this was introduced at the beginning of the book rather than as a surprise at the end.<\spoiler>

What My Bones Know: A Memoir of Healing from Complex Trauma by Stephanie Foo

dark emotional informative medium-paced

5.0

Such a well-researched and honest telling of how trauma affects people. Foo moves between telling her story and sharing the science with ease and in a way that always feels compelling. Definitely check content notes on this one but I highly recommend.

Knots & Crosses by Ian Rankin

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

2.75

Aside from the fact that it’s virtually impossible for me to get behind a cop as the main character, I don’t think this is very good. It certainly hasn’t aged well. Rankin has some not great takes on sexuality.

Rebus appears to have no parental instincts whatsoever. When his daughter is kidnapped, he’s much more fixated on his past connection to the villain, occasionally seeming to forget that his daughter is a part of it at all. <\spoiler>