readtotheend's reviews
1349 reviews

Moon of the Turning Leaves by Waubgeshig Rice

adventurous emotional tense medium-paced

4.25

As soon as I put down Moon of the Crusted Snow, I immediately wanted to pick up Moon of the Turning Leaves to continue the story and it did not disappoint.  It didn't have as much tension or suspense as the first book but I was ok with that because it's a follow up and I don't think I could take THAT much tension or suspense again! This was definitely a slower and quieter novel but the emotions and care that I felt for the characters remained strong and there were parts of this book that gutted me and had me in tears.  Bravo for this beautiful duo of books, highly recommend!

The Night We Lost Him by Laura Dave

emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

3.75

Mystery suspense + family drama.  This was a fast listen on audio and wonderfully narrated by Julia Whelan, one of the best.  A wealthy hotel magnate falls to his death at his seaside home and the book is about his daughter, Nora, trying to figure out what happened and if the death was accidental or something more sinister. While the ending was a touch anticlimactic, it was way more believable than The Last Thing He Told Me. I actually thought there was also an unexpected but sweet love story!  

Moon of the Crusted Snow by Waubgeshig Rice

adventurous challenging dark tense medium-paced

4.5

A post-apocalyptic tale in a Anishinaabe community where power is cut off as winter arrives and a tight knit community has to come together. But of course there are tensions as generator and food supplies are limited and some unexpected visitors show up. The build up of tension was great in this book!  I enjoyed reading it in print more than audio. It's a shorter book so it flew by and was atmospheric and a perfect cold weather read. Great to read with some warm drinks and maybe a fireplace!  As soon as I turned the last page, I was ready to dive into the sequel!

You Are Here by David Nicholls

adventurous emotional hopeful medium-paced

3.5

Slower paced lovely story about two people walking and getting to know one another. I liked the middle age representation of being interested at a later point in your life. It definitely reminded me of The Salt Path by Raynor Winn but a fictional version and I preferred fiction!  It was a nice meandering pace just like the walk they were on. I preferred this one on audio, the dual narration was great. 

The Cinnamon Bun Book Store by Laurie Gilmore

funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

3.0

I really enjoyed The Pumpkin Spice Cafe and had high hopes for this installation but it fell a bit short for me. It still felt like a cozy, comfort read for me but alas, I just wasn't as engaged or invested in Hazel and Noah's story. Still super cute with the small town vibes and still a very easy and smooth listen on audio.  I'll definitely continue on in the series but this one was just ok, nothing to write home about!

Funeral Songs for Dying Girls by Cherie Dimaline

emotional mysterious reflective slow-paced

3.5

Liked, but didn't love this one. I think it crawled at such a slow pace, I struggled with staying engaged. It has themes of grief, loss and family and I always love Indigenous representation but I didn't really connect with Winifred. Admittedly, I don't love paranormal elements so this one was already going to be a struggle for me and alas, it didn't really exceed my expectations. I did enjoy the journey of Winifred and her dad's relationship throughout the book. If you enjoy paranormal or ghosts you may enjoy this one.

A Christmas Memory by Truman Capote

reflective relaxing medium-paced

5.0

Perfect book to kick of my holiday reading. This was nostalgic and beautiful. It's a short story so you can definitely fit this into your reading schedule and I urge you to do so. It's tender, sweet and a bit sad but it hit me in all the feels.  Buddy and Miss Sook are characters that will stay with me. I think this will be something I pick up each holiday season. 

What You Do To Me by Rochelle B. Weinstein

emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

3.75

This one was a slow burn for me and it took a good while to get into it. There are 2 storylines happening - one with Cecilia and the present day where she's dealing with work, partner and family issues. The other storyline is about Eddie and Sara and how they met and how a song came to have meaning.  I think both stories were interesting and engaging but while it took a long time to get there, I think my favorite scenes were between Cecilia and her dad.  There's a little blurb about how the song “Hey There Delilah” by the Plain White T’s inspired this book - finding the girl behind an iconic love song.  If you're a music lover, there are great music references throughout the book.  

A Council of Dolls by Mona Susan Power

emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

3.5

This one was a case of it started out strong for me but as the book progressed, I became less interested. There are a council of dolls that tell the story of 3 generations of Dakota women. I typically love multi-generational stories and I've read compelling stories about Indian residential boarding schools but while each generation's stories were good, I didn't feel the strong interconnected links and found some chapters to end rather abruptly.  I felt like the final chapter which brings us back to the newest generation to be the weakest and feel like it could have been a shorter epilogue.  I always recommend Seven Fallen Feathers, a nonfiction book by Tanya Talaga, one of the best books I've read and educates us on the violence against Indigenous communities.

The House of Hidden Meanings by RuPaul

informative reflective medium-paced

3.75

I enjoyed learning about Rupaul's early childhood life and his humble beginnings to what he's achieved in his career and I really enjoyed his narration of his memoir - that is always a treat! But I have to say, it felt a bit like he told us in his sassy way, parts of his life he was willing to share but it felt a bit ....sanitized? Hard to describe but I felt there was a little distance between the reader and the book and I think my expectation was to be brought a little closer to the author but I didn't feel that. It was nostalgic with music, clubs and references from the past which was again fun but the book felt a bit performative and not heartfelt or genuine for me. Still a big fan and deeply respect his journey and career!