somanybookstoread's reviews
553 reviews

Wandering Stars by Tommy Orange

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative sad medium-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

4.0

This was a hard one for me. I picked it up during a difficult time in my life and the emotional struggle so apparent on the page pulled me in ways that I felt with poignancy. I absolutely loved Orange’s debut “There, There”, which I read just a few months ago. “Wandering Stars” picks up where his first novel left off. It is definitely a sequel. Because some time had passed since I had read the first book, I needed to refresh myself on the many characters (some of whom have the same names) and their stories. So I do recommend that There, There is fresh in one’s mind to get the most out of this book. Perhaps it was because of this work and cross-referencing that I needed to do that the work didn’t completely wow me the way his first novel did.

It’s a beautifully-rendered story. I found it to be honest and dark. Orange writes about addition with such depth that I figured there was no way he didn’t have first-hand familiarity. Upon finishing the novel, I looked to see what I could learn about that and found an interesting article from The Guardian, published in March 2024, that confirmed my suspicions. 

I love his writing style. I love his honesty. I love the places he’s writing about. I remain a big Tommy Orange fan and will look forward to his future work. 

The Guardian article: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2024/mar/16/tommy-orange-my-whole-family-has-had-problems-with-addiction-including-myself

Say What You Mean: A Mindful Approach to Nonviolent Communication by Oren Jay Sofer

challenging informative mysterious medium-paced

5.0

LOVED this text, which was assigned reading for my Mindful Communication course. I will read this many times and will refer to its concepts daily. The text included game-changing communication strategies in a beautifully-structured and digestible layout.

Rest Is Resistance: A Manifesto by Tricia Hersey

medium-paced

0.5

This was absolutely painful! My brain is cramped. This book was so poorly written that I actually stepped away from reading altogether for two weeks because I was lightly traumatized by the experience of trying to read it. Hersey’s concept of resisting mainstream “grind” culture in order to prioritize rest lured me in because I don’t disagree with it. I am a student of meditation and mindfulness going through my own intense physical recovery, so I picked this up from a place of resonance. But what in the world is this book? It stands out as perhaps the most incoherent and repetitive publication I have ever picked up. Where is the editor? Little, Brown, & Spark, the publisher, I am disappointed. The concepts of this book could have (should have!) been contained in a few paragraphs. And/or the book should have offered practical suggestions for HOW to implement more rest into our lives, or how other cultures have been successful in doing so. Instead, the book offers nothing more than a repetitive rant, complete with fabricated words that are not defined. The author makes endless (but unvarying) claims about what we are doing wrong, how society is failing us, and doesn’t offer a single citation. I am baffled. While I support the idea of incorporating more rest into our lives and find value in reflecting on how this concept contrasts with societal past and preset goals, I do not recommend spending any time with this book. 

The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah

adventurous dark hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

I enjoyed this book quite a bit. This is my first Kristin Hannah novel. I think I've been put off by how prolific she is, wondering how anyone can write so much and still be able to write quality. I should be less quick to judge. While there was nothing complex happening from a literary device perspective, the character development was outstanding, and so was the pacing. I didn't want to put it down, and [not an easy crier], I even cried a bit. Those are two indicators of strong writing, if you ask me.

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

4.5

Somehow I made it to age 43 without having read this book. I am glad I have finally remedied that. With Brave New World, Huxley wrote a chilling and provocative dystopian work that will stay with me, and which I am sure I will pick up again. How interesting it is to read this now, 90 years after its publication. And how interesting it must have been to read in the 1930s or the world-altering 1940s. I give this a solid 4 stars. The only thing holding me back from the full 5 is that I found the Shakespere references to be too heavy handed. 

How I Learned to Cook by Margo Perin

dark emotional inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

4.0

This was a brilliant angle through which to create an anthology. I picked this book up many years ago, at once thinking I could contribute to such an anthology and wishing the idea to create one had been mine. The essays in the collection well well-curated and the arc of the book was especially well done. As with any collection, some pieces resonated with me more than others. My favorites include the pieces by Margo Perin (series editor), Jamaica Kincaid (predictably), Hillary Gamerow, Elizabeth Payne, Kim Chernin, and Alice Walker. 

The Best of Me by David Sedaris

emotional funny inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.0

Although his work had fallen off my radar the last 8-10 years, I used to read and re-read everything Sedaris wrote. I have seen him read his work about five times. He is funny, interesting, and his work inspired me to write essays (fun fact: I told him this when I met him after one of his readings and he remembered me and asked how my book was coming along about three years later). So I will always be a big fan of David Sedaris and his work. I admire how prolific and dedicated he is as a writer. It was interesting to read his self-proclaimed “Best of” collection and to see his decisions around selecting and curating this collection. In this collection, his humor lands for me about 80% of the time. There are a few pieces that are narrated by animals that didn’t work for me. And there are a surprising number of references to animal cruelty that I will never be able to read without becoming upset (drowning mice, for example). I was also interested to re-read pieces published 15-20 years ago and considered how certain references to race likely wouldn’t make an editor’s cut today. 

Overall, I recommend this collection and everything else Sedaris has written. I love his voice and have a lot of respect for him.

The Things You Can See Only When You Slow Down: How to Be Calm in a Busy World by Haemin Sunim

hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.0

There are many great gems in this beautiful little book. I appreciate the organization into sections that correspond to areas of life (Relationships, Spirituality, Love, Family, etc), making this an easy companion to reach for when one seeks wisdom in a specific realm of life. This was inspiring, insightful, and easy to read.  

Buddhism: What Everyone Needs to Know® by Dale S. Wright

informative reflective medium-paced

3.5

Text for my Contemplative Practice Traditions course. I both appreciated and found tedious the q&a format.

Rich People Problems by Kevin Kwan

funny lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

I liked this book about as much as I liked the first two, which I would summarize as a bit more than moderate appreciation. This installment spent time with characters I didn’t like as much as some of the others, so it dragged at times. However the last 100 or so pages were the best of the entire 1200-page trilogy, so that was a nice surprise. The series is definitely an accomplishment for Kevin Kwan and it was humorous, easy reading. But I wouldn’t read it again and I would only recommend it as light reading or for occasions when one has time to pass and doesn’t want to think too much.