rpweber15's reviews
273 reviews

Pride and Prejudice and Pittsburgh by Rachael Lippincott

4.0

Predictable yet very earnest and endearing! I think kids these days say “totes adorbs?”

The Guncle by Steven Rowley

4.0

A delightful story full of hilarious banter (seriously, I laughed out loud a lot) and lots of heart, all with the backdrop of grief. I'm not sure how it worked so well, given the stark contrasts of literally everything in it, but this was a really heartwarming story.

The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi by S.A. Chakraborty

5.0

I really loved this book and am so excited for the story to continue! Ms. Chakraborty's writing is incredible...funny, tender, vivid, fiery. Did I mention funny? I know very little about Islam, so I had a lot of googling of some words and customs to do, but that just added to the story. The author clearly researched the heck out of the time period. The characters, even the non-human ones (who were ), were very human and incredibly relatable. I, too, am a woman over 40, but have lived a quieter life than our swashbuckling MC, Amina. Despite my lack of adventures on the high seas, I could related to Amina in so many ways. I very much appreciated the wisdom (and morals) of Amina and her ragtag team. This is the first of Chakraborty's books I've read but it certainly won't be the last!

Nothing. Everything by Virginia Montanez

5.0

I've been reading whatever Ginny writes since she had her "That's Church" blog. She's hilarious and has always had a way with words. I've followed her through her different writing platforms (and on social media) and was incredibly excited when I found out she was writing a novel. The chapters are short...at the beginning, I thought they were too short and found it challenging to get into the rhythm of the characters and the writing. I'm not sure where everything clicked, but it did and then I found myself voraciously reading about the emotional journey Ellis found herself on. I was really transported into the lives of ALL the characters, though, and loved them all. I really loved the therapy session chapters in between the flashback and current time chapters...even though they were really short, they were very poignant and it felt a little like finding a great therapist for yourself (which is incredibly difficult to do). I shed some tears at various parts of the story and actually had to just shut the pages at one point to sit with my emotions. And when I opened the pages back up, I hit a little Easter egg for long-time readers of Ginny's work and busted out laughing.

I think everyone will find a little bit of themselves in this story...that's the true beauty of Ginny's writing.

Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant

4.0

As I’ve gotten older, I have lost my desire to swim in bodies of water that I can’t see through…and this book certainly confirmed why. This was a slow burn, deep sea thriller with diverse and interesting characters (great autism, lgbtqia+, and disability rep) that you mostly rooted for, even though some were quite flawed and probably don’t deserve your support. The horror/gore level is high enough to make an impact but not so much that it’s gratuitous. I feel like the pacing was a little off and that the ending was tied up too neatly, but I’m hoping there is a sequel in the works!

An Olive Grove at the Edge of the World: How two American city boys built a new life in rural New Zealand by Jared Gulian

5.0

I discovered Jared on BookTok and read his sci-fi thriller "The Last Beekeeper" last year (also a 5-star read). I knew I loved his writing and I always enjoy his particular style of storytelling on social media/in his monthly newsletter. The pictures he shares of his and his partner's lifestyle block in New Zealand on Instagram are absolutely stunning; they truly live in paradise. This memoir covers the first 4 years of their life in the olive grove and includes the most delightful and endearing real-life characters, human and animal alike. Between the pictures on Instagram and the stories in this book, I want to sign up to move there and be a farmhand of sorts. I laughed out loud...a lot...during this memoir and I even shed some tears over a couple of characters. This book was such a delight, I want to get the audiobook just so I can experience it again, but through Jared's actual voice. I don't do audiobooks....and I'm fairly certain that I never really will...but I will make an exception for this book. Honestly, I would start this book all over again today if my TBR wasn't so ambitious. But you can bet I'll be getting that audiobook soon.

I always chuckle at celebrities who have numerous memoirs/autobiographies published. As far as I'm concerned, the world could use a little less of those and 15+ more years of stories from Jared's and CJ's adventures in the olive grove.

Oh....and there are recipes in the book!!

Other Ever Afters: New Queer Fairy Tales by Melanie Gillman

4.5

A lovely set of queer fairy tales for Pride month!

People Love Dead Jews: Reports from a Haunted Present by Dara Horn

5.0

I do not have the proper words to describe this book. Eye-opening. Uncomfortable. Maddening. Eye-opening. Ok, that is a repeat but it might be the best way to sum up this book, especially for a non-Jew. The author is a superb writer and everyone should read this book.

Neon Gods by Katee Robert

4.0

Spicy mythology retellings are not my thing but maybe they are now? My book club picked this one with some trepidation knowing my style…and they were surprised I loved it. Except it’s full of complex, modern characters…including a badass female MC…and a lot of respectful consent. The author writes really well, too. I think the resolution of the story was a bit rushed and yet a little bit slow, but I enjoyed this enough to keep going with the series!

Nimona by ND Stevenson

4.0

Cute graphic novel full of heart and humor. I will say that the text is quite small and my 40-something year old eyes had a hard time reading them. But other than that, I enjoyed the story!