thattheatrekid's reviews
104 reviews

One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus
Did not finish book. Stopped at 14%.

Too boring - I really tried!

The Garden Within: Where the War with Your Emotions Ends and Your Most Powerful Life Begins by Anita Phillips

emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective relaxing medium-paced

4.5

I loved this book and will definitely be rereading it!! I was assigned it as my final book for DTS and wow, it felt like therapy in book form. I learned all about how emotions physically affect the body, how the body and the parts that produce emotion reflect creation, and how emotions work. It was very eye opening to my life and especially toward the end made a lot of things in my past make sense. Phillips’ beautiful analogies and connections to nature are also vivid and helpful. I only wish 1) it was longer, and 2) That it went more in depth about what to do about repressed emotions and how to involve God more in the process!

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

Amazing book! This is my second read; I thought it would be good to reread it when I saw the new movie (which, by the way, was a fantastically done adaptation). I really love the symbolism and Snow’s gradual moral decline down a path you can somewhat predict from the beginning. Snow’s thoughts reveal more than anything and it’s fascinating from a psychological standpoint to see the way he rationalizes himself and his worldview. Just very well written.

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.75

I love this book! The writing, the characters, the world building, the message, the details are all so good as always. 

Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

Awesome book! It was SO. LONG. And so much happened that I can hardly remember what the beginning looked like. Overall amazing and the characters are really growing on me, especially Ridoc. Some things were unnecessary and there were times the geography and names confused me but I will definitely be reading the next one. 

Sex, Jesus, and the Conversations the Church Forgot by Mo Isom

emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

3.5

Good book!! I loved the author’s vulnerability, understanding and wisdom in sharing about what role sex should play in the Christian life. It wasn’t a condescending feel, just an emotionally honest view of how we should view sex. Good information taken in alongside the anti human trafficking training I’m doing. I do wish this went more in depth though as it did not address purity culture or suggest solutions for how churches, society, other Christians and parents should go about teaching about sex. It actually pushes purity culture to the point where it still seems to put shame on you if you have sexually sinned. There’s “redemption” (which is not well explained) but still the idea that you are a terrible person and the sin you committed was the worst of the worst. 

The Pregnancy Project: A Memoir by Gaby Rodriguez, Jenna Glatzer

emotional informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

3.0

Interesting premise! I was really interested in the idea of this project but I wish more time in the book was spent on the project itself and not just background and aftermath. I realize this author is young so I won’t be too harsh on the writing, but the trains of thought would definitely wander. I also felt preached at and like the information was dragging at times. Still, I loved the first half and it’s really cool that someone revealed so many societal biases through that project. 

Andrea Carter and the Long Ride Home by Susan K. Marlow

adventurous emotional mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

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

3.75

Great read and one of my favorites from when I was a preteen! Now that I’m much older it’s less engaging but still a great story with all the good story elements. Love watching Andi grow up!

Winning God's Way by Loren Cunningham

adventurous hopeful informative inspiring reflective relaxing fast-paced

4.5

Don’t remember too much of this book but it was good!! Really helped to strengthen my faith as well

Is That Really You, God?: Hearing the Voice of God by Loren Cunningham

adventurous emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective relaxing tense fast-paced

4.5

Read this book for my DTS! Loved it and it really strengthened my faith through testimony and showed me what hearing God can look like, and how he speaks and it’s REAL, not some coincidental fantasy.