stealingyoursunbeams's reviews
303 reviews

Someone Who Will Love You in All Your Damaged Glory: Stories by Raphael Bob-Waksberg

emotional fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes

3.0

A lot of the stories have an interesting premise: a couple planning a wedding that's getting increasingly extravagant, a group of friends who suddenly get superpowers, a scientist jumping between universes.  Bob-Waksberg is able to take the surreal world of his characters and make it seem normal to us, enough that we focus more on the characters' grounded, all-too-human flaws and emotions. Some stories, like We Men of Science and rufus, I thoroughly enjoyed - they were written with unique perspectives on love and relationships.

However, there were more pieces that felt like filler or fluff, like Lies We Told Each Other and Rules for Taboo. I recognize the limitations imposed by their very short length, and that they were probably not meant to be fully-fleshed characters to get invested in. But I found myself speeding through them because they felt like eating empty calories. In these pieces, the author seemed more interested in the format or premise than the story.

Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World by Cal Newport

informative reflective fast-paced

4.0

Cal Newport presents the idea of digital minimalism in a way that it's doable, pragmatic, and even as an act of resistance. Some parts fell flat for me (I didn't particularly see how Lincoln's history really illustrates the need for solitude), but the overall message of the book is useful. He gives several suggestion  that can be readily implemented.

I recommend this to anyone who feels overstimulated by constant screen time, like me.

The Course of Love by Alain de Botton
Did not finish book. Stopped at 6%.

I was put off by the essay-ish explanations in between every section where something was actually happening to the protagonist. It felt so "tell", and not enough "show". I'm being told what to look at and what's happening, instead of me discovering it for myself. 

This approach did not serve the format of fiction well. The frequency of these monologues took me out of the story every time I started getting into it.

Electric Literature no. 3 by Rick Moody, Jenny Offill, Matt Sumell, Patrick deWitt, Aimee Bender

emotional reflective fast-paced

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

3.25

Out of the 5 short stories in this book, I enjoyed 3 of them: The Red Ribbon, Reed & Dinnerstein Moving, and The Tunnel. Those stories had characters moving about their world in an interesting manner, and

by the end, their situation has either changed or they have.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Cancer and Death

I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy

emotional funny reflective sad fast-paced

3.75

Jennette McCurdy's writing is simple and straightforward, bordering on sparse, which actually makes a better impact on the reader than explaining everything to us. She doesn't try to hammer a point home; she lets us sit in the feeling. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Body shaming, Cancer, and Death of parent

Minor: Sexual content and Sexual harassment

Mating in Captivity: Unlocking Erotic Intelligence by Esther Perel

challenging reflective medium-paced

4.5

My favorite takeaway from this book is that intimacy must be intentional. It's not revolutionary advice, but she lays it out in a thoroughly convincing way that I started to think about how to intentionally nurture playfulness in a domestic relationship. 

I also love her writing style: eloquent, direct, but still beautiful. She doesn't mince words but she doesn't come across as superior or preachy. 

It's a well-structured book worth a read for anyone seeking insight on intimacy in long-term relationships. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Infidelity and Sexual content

Batman: Year One by Frank Miller, David Mazzucchelli

adventurous tense fast-paced

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

4.0

The Audacity to Win by David Plouffe

informative inspiring fast-paced

3.25

It was fun to read about behind-the-scenes stories of a campaign. 

The author did a passable job for a first-time book writer: his voice was consistent, the content was easy to digest, and the structure was straightforward. 

The Hunger Games and Philosophy: A Critique of Pure Treason by George A. Dunn, Nicolas Michaud, William Irwin, Andrew Zimmerman Jones

challenging informative slow-paced

3.5

Technopoly: The Surrender of Culture to Technology by Neil Postman
Did not finish book. Stopped at 12%.

It's a slower pace than I anticipated. The author does make good arguments, although the way they're laid out feels stilted and stuffy, for lack of a better word. 

I'd like to return to this book in the future.