patlo's reviews
1306 reviews

Snowflake by Louise Nealon

challenging dark emotional funny mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.5

A worthy read for my "Read a book from each of the 32 counties in Ireland" (Kildare).  The characters are well written, complex enough, and witty. There are at least three layers to the story, and the story surprises and turns into something else at least twice. Big mysteries aren't fully answered, so if that's something you need in a book.. this may not be for you.  It's an engaging and fast read. I really enjoyed this world and the tricks the author uses to invite us into it.

The Final Strife by Saara El-Arifi
Did not finish book. Stopped at 15%.

Not a bad book, interesting 
 
storyline
 
and
 
characters
. I just didn’t find myself wanting to find out anymore 
 
 
happening
.
 
Probably
 
just
 
the
 
mood
 I’m in.

Disability Visibility : First-Person Stories from the Twenty-first Century by Alice Wong, Alice Wong

adventurous challenging informative lighthearted reflective medium-paced

4.0

An illuminating, eye opening, challenging collection of essays and poetry written by a community of authors with varied experiences of disability, and across multiple perspectives of sexual and non sexual intimacy. Some of these chapters are more impactful than others, but this is well written and well edited. 

I am especially appreciative of the chapter by the Redwoods, a plurality of persons in one body (sometimes known as Dissociative Identity Disorder, previously Multiple Personality Disorder). Theirs was a group of perspectives that I had never considered and will think and feel about for a long time.

Emergent Strategy: Shaping Change, Changing Worlds by adrienne maree brown

challenging informative inspiring medium-paced

3.5

3.5 stars. The content is good, helpful and thought provoking. The delivery is a bit sloppy, rambling, and needed a tighter edit. Its a worthwhile read but could have been great.

The Worst Ronin by Maggie Tokuda-Hall

adventurous funny fast-paced

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

3.0

On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century by Timothy Snyder

challenging informative inspiring tense medium-paced

5.0

An excellent, quick, important, serious and hopeful read about how we prepare for and resist tyranny, using lessons from the regimes of Hitler and Putin as primary examples. this is a thought provoking and easily actionable read

A Prayer for the Crown-Shy by Becky Chambers

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

A worthy, relatively different, follow up to the first book. This one is a lovely meditation on community, neighborliness, humanity, and most importantly, friendship. I know that this is the final book in this series, and while I would love to read more about this world, It’s a perfect conclusion.

Pen and Wash: An Artist's Guide to Combining Ink and Watercolour by John Harrison

adventurous challenging hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

5.0

An excellent introduction to ink
And watercolor for all levels. Harrison teaches clearly, inspires the reader to explore and play and find their own style. He spends good time on line wish, more than most ink-and-wash books do . He explains his choices well and frees the reader to go explore. Inspiring work and clean art.

A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

WOW I loved this so much. Sweet, curious and gentle story 
 looking at personhood, vocation and meaning.  It's rare that so plan to reread something soon after a first read (to be read list is sooo long!) but I'm returning my library copy of this and buying a print copy so I can revisit this soon, and recommending it widely. A kind, Zen Buddhist - flavored exploration.

The Galaxy, and the Ground Within by Becky Chambers

adventurous challenging emotional lighthearted relaxing slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0