3.75 fun!!! definitely an unnecessary sequel but it felt like the author was very self-aware about that and I will never fault a good writer for giving3.75 fun!!! definitely an unnecessary sequel but it felt like the author was very self-aware about that and I will never fault a good writer for giving us an extended adventure. she rehashes a lot of the first book in here, so I wouldn't necessarily urge you to read them super back to back, but if you liked the first one you'll probably enjoy this romp as well! I had a few gripes (where it felt like things from the first book were twisted/changed for the sake of a second), but it didn't at all taint my love of the first and has affirmed that I need to pick up more from this author....more
revisited this one after it featured prominently in our Christmas Eve sermon and oh my goodness :') definitely missed a lot of the nuances of this storevisited this one after it featured prominently in our Christmas Eve sermon and oh my goodness :') definitely missed a lot of the nuances of this story as a child, but I loved it as much this time around as I remember loving it then. In some ways this story feels way ahead of its time (calling out the fact that Mary and Joseph were like refugees), and in other ways,,,,,, it's very clear it was written in the 70s lol. I could totally see myself rereading this as a Christmas tradition. What a sweet story :')...more
ohhh my goodness. I requested this on a bit of a whim and was completely knocked off my feet from the first essay. this collection is real and funny aohhh my goodness. I requested this on a bit of a whim and was completely knocked off my feet from the first essay. this collection is real and funny and, at times, so breathtakingly relatable that I had to put it down and just stare at a wall. It feels dramatic but I will be forever grateful for Scaachi Koul for having the courage to write this and putting words to feelings that I felt alone in. Truly my only complaint is that it's not out yet because I want to hold it in my hands and reread it and annotate it and give it to my friends and make them wonder what parts made me sob. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. <3 One of my favorite reads of 2024 will be out in 2025. ...more
Feels very odd to rate this as both someone's life story and as a source of information... so consider the three stars as a reflection of the writing Feels very odd to rate this as both someone's life story and as a source of information... so consider the three stars as a reflection of the writing and storytelling more than anything else. I have very complicated feelings about Gypsy-Rose, which I think is common. There are a lot of questions I have about her story and the treatment of her co-defendant that will probably never be answered in any satisfying way. But at this point, Gypsy-Rose obviously went through some horrific stuff and she's out in the world, so we should probably wish the best for her. As for the book... I can't say this was an enjoyable reading experience. This is ~graphic~, and I couldn't help but feel like I was complicit in some level of exploitation while reading it. Though Gypsy-Rose says she's writing this book to tell her side of the story, I can't imagine that she's had enough time in the real world as an adult to process all of this yet, and make an informed decision about whether or not she wants to tell her story, her side, and her analysis in a form as permanent as a book. She's published TWO books in the time since she's been released. Could she truly have had enough time to reflect and come to concrete conclusions? I also just don't know what purpose this served. Gypsy says she dreams of her children reading it one day to understand her, but then why publish it? I don't think this revealed any new information, just added more incredibly graphic details to the stories we've heard before. The biggest questions and controversies surrounding her aren't addressed in any meaningful way. Who is the audience for this? You would think that someone would have to be at least a little familiar/friendly toward Gypsy to be willing to hear her side at all... but anyone who is familiar with Gypsy will probably immediately clock that the writing doesn't sound anything like her voice. I am not anti-ghostwriter, but the writing in this has an artistic flair that does not feel authentic to the Gypsy on social media and reality TV (beyond throwing in an occasional, overblown "y'all!!!" or "oh hell no"). It was just bizarre to read about Gypsy feeling like she was "caught in a current" or "swept away by a wave" while in prison, when she made a TikTok about stepping into the ocean for the first time just this year. Why isn't "her story" in her words, drawing comparisons to her own experiences? Anyway. I hope she (and all the ripple-effect victims of this case) can find peace. I don't know if reading "her side" is truly the best way to support her, but I also was curious enough to read it, so I guess I'm a hypocrite. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an early listening copy in exchange for an honest review....more
ooooof who needs a kidnapper with a daughter like this amiright??? this was rough. I know I am not the target demographic but I've liked this author's ooooof who needs a kidnapper with a daughter like this amiright??? this was rough. I know I am not the target demographic but I've liked this author's stuff in the past!! this was just so overwritten and cheesy that it has me nervous about her forthcoming adult book. holly jackson babe I am all for a twisty mystery but the only thing believable about this story was that Bel had no friends...more
4.5 I am a standalone girly until the day I die but this book had me frantically googling "the dream hotel series" "the dream hotel sequel" "the dream 4.5 I am a standalone girly until the day I die but this book had me frantically googling "the dream hotel series" "the dream hotel sequel" "the dream hotel extended ending or fan fiction or something" Not to say that this story wasn't built out or complete as is, but I think Laila Lalami opened the door for so many interesting scenarios and applications of this dream technology, and I want about 1,000 more pages. The commercial and social applications of manipulating and sharing your dreams?? please. Some of the lessons/parallels to the modern day prison system perhaps felt a litttle heavy-handed, but I thought she made excellent points in an accessible and engaging way. Mark your calendars for this release and then pick it for your book club!!! thank me later. ...more
babe WHAT I don't know what to say about this book. I may have finally found a reading experience that I recommend less than "a little life." This was babe WHAT I don't know what to say about this book. I may have finally found a reading experience that I recommend less than "a little life." This was definitely interesting and I learned a lot... but AT WHAT COST. Annie Jacobsen's scenario explores what feels like the absolute worst-case scenario at every turn, which is,,,, fair? I guess? She backs all of her twists and turns with interviews from experts that suggest all of this is possible and even somewhat likely. But the scale of devastation and bad luck was so intense that I found myself bursting out laughing at points. There are incredibly graphic descriptions of skin melting off and even random anecdotes about what would happen at a zoo :(((( And I would understand all of this if the goal was to motivate readers to advocate for change or prepare. But the rest of the book seems to suggest that there really isn't anything to do, and isn't that crazy? She was very committed to trying to make the reader understand the scale of this, while also acknowledging that the scale is unfathomable. Truly it was constantly like "the nuclear bomb has 47 trillagigatons of energy. That's impossible to understand, so imagine it this way: that's like 24,000 sticks of dynamite!" annie that is also impossible to understand. I've only seen dynamite in cartoons. The audiobook experience was also just insane. I get that Annie probably didn't want to sound horrified and exclamatory for 11 hours straight, but it was so monotone and was just a surreal experience to hear Siri dictate the end of the world. At her most emotional, she just sounded disappointed? I DIDN'T BUILD THE BOMBS ANNIE. If you want to save yourself some time and nightmares... if a nuclear war is brewing, you should: 1) bust open the good wine 2) text your ex <3...more
tjr audiobooks are so well-produced and my roadtrips are better for it. this was SO FUN. I don't know why I've put this off for so long. Of course, I ttjr audiobooks are so well-produced and my roadtrips are better for it. this was SO FUN. I don't know why I've put this off for so long. Of course, I thought some of the exposition (and casual reminders of tennis rules) was a bit heavy-handed. I also almost crashed my car when Carrie was randomly reading "Daisy Jones and the Six"... again, lacked a little subtlety there. but it was cheesy in a wholesome, nostalgic way. (view spoiler)[ ALSO not to be a tennis snob but I can't get over her signature move being aiming for people's feet when she serves?? in what world would a professional tennis player stand inside the baseline to receive a serve from another professional player?? aiming for your opponent's feet in a professional tennis setting would almost always mean hitting the ball well out of bounds (hide spoiler)] ...more
This book was really solid and I can see why people are already raving about it! O Sinners! follows three interwoven narratives—the journey of a groupThis book was really solid and I can see why people are already raving about it! O Sinners! follows three interwoven narratives—the journey of a group of Black soldiers in the Vietnam war, a cult-exposé documentary (in script form!!! <3 ), and the efforts of our narrator, Faruq, to learn the truth about this controversial group, "the nameless." You will see that, unlike the synopsis, I tragically did not refer to these narratives as "seamlessly interwoven." I found that, in an effort to have endings and reveals line up, some of the narratives felt incredibly stretched out, while others were prolonged. While they all had their brights spots, I wouldn't say that I was equally interested in the storylines throughout the whole book. I also think cult-curious readers (like myself) should adjust their expectations to fully receive this different story. O Sinners! is much more a book of self-discovery than conspiracy-uncovering. It wasn't quite what I expected, but I did really enjoy it and will definitely be looking for more from Nicole Cuffy in the future! Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an early copy in exchange for an honest review. <3...more
aw sophie :') truly can't even imagine how scary this would be. I appreciate Sophie Kinsella's willingness to give a little snapshot into such a traumaaw sophie :') truly can't even imagine how scary this would be. I appreciate Sophie Kinsella's willingness to give a little snapshot into such a traumatic and personal time, especially since she's somewhat private. It was a heartfelt peek behind the curtain, complete with her signature wit and style. honestly, between this and "sea of tranquility" ... more of my authors doing self-insert fiction when they go through unique things please! (but hopefully nothing as traumatic as this and only if you're comfortable!!!!) wishing her all the best always...more
my KU free trial and (god willing) my depressive episode both end today so say goodbye to my freida mcfadden re3.75 great gatsby fan fiction final boss
my KU free trial and (god willing) my depressive episode both end today so say goodbye to my freida mcfadden reign of terror. we've had fun, though. this was probably my favorite of the three I've read, although she stayssss having main characters abandon all of their established traits and morals for the sake of a twist <3 but this was probably the least offensive one...more
3.5 after saying I was in no rush to read another Freida McFadden book I immediately read another because these are so fun when you are deliriously sic3.5 after saying I was in no rush to read another Freida McFadden book I immediately read another because these are so fun when you are deliriously sick and sad. super fast-paced per usual. I was proud of myself for guessing a few more of the twists this time (and proud of freida for writing logical twists). Of course, she couldn't resist throwing in one ridiculous twist at the end that leaves a ROUGH topic completely unexamined and makes the first-person narration of one of the main characters completely nonsensical (once again, per usual, I'm afraid)...more
very happy I finally got to this one, but it didn't quite stick the landing for me. I think this could've been a bit shorter and stayed within the houvery happy I finally got to this one, but it didn't quite stick the landing for me. I think this could've been a bit shorter and stayed within the house and its perspectives, as opposed to pulling in Dee's perspective as well. It just did ever so slightly too much and strayed away from the characters who made the first half so strong for me. & wrapped up both story arcs wayyy too quickly, when I think it could've just focused on one and been near perfect. did really appreciate/enjoy the afterword though (don't skip ahead)! and a very good reading experience overall. ...more
3.75 I am a self-proclaimed thriller snob and I have avoided Freida McFadden for a long time. I have a deep mistrust of some of KU's top authors, becau3.75 I am a self-proclaimed thriller snob and I have avoided Freida McFadden for a long time. I have a deep mistrust of some of KU's top authors, because I feel like books are easier to rate highly when they're free? And the booktok girlies have led me astray before (still love you though) but this was pretty fun! incredibly readable and I honestly didn't take too much issue with the writing style, although I see that as a common critique. To me it felt very classic, 2010 thriller writing (and I mean that with the highest of praise). In the end, I don't think this will really stand out for me long-term, though. It was twisty, but I almost couldn't full enjoy the twists. The red herrings were so overt that I spent half the book praying that the twist wouldn't be what it seemed like it would be, and then the second half feeling like Freida didn't give the reader a fair shot. maybe I'm just a sore loser. not desperate to pick up anything else by her, but I definitely see the appeal....more
100th book of the year was a banger. I listened to the "you're wrong about" podcast episode on Beatrice Sparks, and then avoided this book for a while100th book of the year was a banger. I listened to the "you're wrong about" podcast episode on Beatrice Sparks, and then avoided this book for a while because I thought I got the gist. No! There is so much to this story. This is expertly told, and such a fascinating look at the woman behind "Go Ask Alice" and "Jay's Journal." If you're interested in publishing, Mormonism, the Satanic Panic, or the war on drugs, this is for you (also please be my friend)...more
checking out evil cash grabs is my favorite way to support my local library but this one wasn't even fun to hate. aside from the obvious reasons to bechecking out evil cash grabs is my favorite way to support my local library but this one wasn't even fun to hate. aside from the obvious reasons to be mad about this book, it was just so poorly written. Literally just hundreds of pages of tiny paragraphs that read the exact same way: "Here's what I did. Here's why. Here's what I learned." Like it read like a college admissions essay. "I was an active child. I liked to play outside. This taught me the lifelong value of nature." Those vibes. over and over and over and over. given her plagiarism speech scandal, the ghostwriting accusations almost write themselves, but I have a hard time believing that someone who is a writer by trade wrote this. it was just so awkward? like (these are exact quotes):
- "'I think it's very sexy for a woman to be pregnant,' I told the readers of Vogue, making clear that I believe that a pregnant woman is very attractive."
First of all... slightly bizarre. Second of all, if your words made something CLEAR, do you need to awkwardly restate it AGAIN in the dialogue tag??
-"Callers often complimented my style and jewelry: 'It's so nice to talk to you. I love your style; I love your jewelry.'"
Wow! The inclusion of that very real dialogue added a lot to that anecdote. Thank you, Melania!
I truly don't know why this book was written. I know it's made a lot of headlines for her abortion stance. There are many instances in the book where she shares that she disagrees with Donald (including a hilarious scene where she finds out what is happening at the border from the news and is baffled. Like, "No one told me!")... but like clearly he doesn't value her opinion at all? And it doesn't bother her that her husband has so much power and wields it to do things that are apparently incongruent with her values? As she talked about her incredibly ironic "Be Best" anti-cyberbullying/bullying cause, she includes a little aside. "I had anticipated some criticism in light of Donald's social media behavior, but despite the scrutiny my stance might receive, addressing this issue was a personal priority for me." Okay??? anything else you wanna address?? the bully in bed next to you, perhaps? She glosses over anything negative about the presidency, which is to be expected I suppose. But it's such a bizarre reading experience to have her devote precisely one page to January 6 and casually say that she wasn't aware of what was going on and that she doesn't condone violence. And then you sit back and realize that Mike and Karen Pence were not mentioned or alluded to ONCE in this book about Trump's 2016 campaign and presidency. And why's that, baby girl? wild. Granted, I didn't come into this with an open mind toward Melania. But given that she apparently has all of these ideological differences from her husband, I thought this could be interesting. Unfortunately, Melania is not an interesting person....more
after declaring Anna to be a misunderstood girl boss for the two weeks I watched her on Dancing With the Stars, I figured I should at least read aboutafter declaring Anna to be a misunderstood girl boss for the two weeks I watched her on Dancing With the Stars, I figured I should at least read about her crimes. and now I feel bad, because I thought she was only stealing from rich investors, like a quirky russian robin hood. Her primary victim, Rachel, doesn't come off as the most sympathetic throughout this book, but I don't think she really needs to? I agree with the critiques that this isn't the most self-reflective or interesting account of a scam, but if I went through the stress she did, I would cash in too. The most interesting part of this book was the end, which (at least in my edition) contained an extended epilogue with Rachel reflecting on how it's felt to have Anna become a lauded figure, complete with a Netflix show that portrays Rachel in a poor light. Honestly, I think that is a MUCH more interesting concept for a book—how it feels to watch someone who hurt you be labeled a national treasure. I can only imagine what pain the DWTS feature brought back up for Rachel. But in terms of the rest of the book... I don't think it's a must-read. You really don't get much insight into Anna's psychology or much personal reflection. It's kind of just "where's my money?" "it's coming!" for two hundred pages. ...more
Loading...
