jomerl's reviews
91 reviews

Hiding for My Life: Being Gay in the Navy by Karen Solt

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challenging emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

5.0

Thank you, Karen, for sharing your powerful story with the world. This book should be mandatory reading for today’s chiefs and military leaders.

Content Warnings

The Life Impossible by Matt Haig

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adventurous hopeful inspiring mysterious 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

The Dallergut Dream Department Store by Mi-Ye Lee 이미예

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hopeful inspiring relaxing medium-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

5.0

This book was like a warm hug and I am so glad to own the beautiful hardcover because I know I will come back to this time and time again.

The Fine Print by Lauren Asher

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funny lighthearted medium-paced

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

2.5

If I had read “the fine print” I would have realized this was about a Disney adult and would have never read it.

This book regained 2.5 stars for its inclusivity and showing a character with Down Syndrome in a positive, capable, strong light.

The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business by Charles Duhigg

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informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

2.5

This is just what it claims - a basic look at habits. Very basic. It has great basic ideas for habit forming but I found the data used to be deeply lacking. For example many studies used to provide habit data have since been uncovered to have alternative causes. The marshmallow study done with kids has been debunked once folks looked at wealth and poverty and realized the reason kids could withstand the temptation of the marshmallow was because they were the kids who had food at home. Of course wealth resulted in kids getting better grades and higher test scores. An understanding of this data is great but we need to look at the intersection of other key points to understand habits.

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The Book of Cold Cases by Simone St. James

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dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree

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adventurous funny inspiring lighthearted medium-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

American Royals by Katharine McGee

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emotional lighthearted medium-paced

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

2.75

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We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer

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challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Nestlings by Nat Cassidy

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challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-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

4.5

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