janellerad's reviews
94 reviews

Black & Blue by James Patterson, Candice Fox

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adventurous fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

good to get out of a reading slump, super fast read. 
Wild: Tales from Early Medieval Britain by Amy Jeffs

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adventurous challenging dark informative reflective fast-paced

2.75

Yes Please by Amy Poehler

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring fast-paced

4.5

War Doctor: Surgery on the Front Line by David Nott

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5.0

Great book if you're a a fan of medical procedures and have some familiarity with surgical lingo. Nott does a great job combining factual background information, with the action packed situations in which he did surgeries in.
The Prince by Niccolò Machiavelli

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4.0

Because it was written in 1513, I found it challenging to read. However, I chose this book because I knew it would challenge me. I'm not used to reading anything written before the mid-1900s, so this was a change of pace for me.

After a few chapters, this was easier for me to get through, and I became more accustomed to the language being used. There were a few takeaway points from the book that I believe could be applied to my life (take a look at my profile to see a quote that illustrates this), but overall, the book had radical views as to how a prince should rule his principality, and most of the ideas would be hard to apply to our lives today. It was interesting to read about how Machiavelli believed each type of principality should be ruled, and how princes should behave. When it comes to history, I'm more of a visual learner, so it was hard for me to get through the historical chunks of information. But, I did enjoy reading all of the ideas Machiavelli about how one ought to rule over people.
How the Stock Market Works by Kathy Furgang

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3.0

I checked out this book simply to give myself a rudimentary understanding of how the stock market works. I am a business major and economics minor going into my third year of college, so learning about the stock market was long overdue. I enjoyed this book and appreciated it as my first introduction to the stock market. I read it in about an hour, and left with much more knowledge than I previously had.
Do No Harm: Stories of Life, Death, and Brain Surgery by Henry Marsh

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5.0

I really liked this book- I would even venture to say that I enjoyed it more than "War Doctor". This book did a great job mixing the facts of each case with the more personal details of the author's life. I also found that I learned a lot from the chapter names, which were medical terms with their definitions underneath them. In addition to enhancing my knowledge, the chapter names got me excited for each chapter, and gave me some insight as to what that chapter might discuss.
Dear White People: A Guide to Inter-Racial Harmony in "Post-Racial" America by Justin Simien

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4.0

I really enjoyed this book- the writing style was humorous but still got the point of each chapter across, and the illustrations were eye-catching. This book was an easy read, and it impacted my perspective on a variety of subtopics. Anyone and everyone should read this book, as it really is eye-opening.