maddness22's reviews
538 reviews

The Woman in Me by Britney Spears

emotional sad fast-paced

3.25

Holy moly this gal went through a lot. I was hoping it would be a bit more in depth, but clearly there's a lot of trauma to unpack here that I don't think has had enough time to settle. I personally didn't really follow the #FreeBritney movement super religiously so the insight from her perspective was very well done, especially with the history from her childhood. I hope between this book and Jeanette McCurdy that we all learn a valuable lesson about forcing young women into fame and controlling their lives through such a bleak, one sided worldview and lens. 

I do have quite a lot of compassion and empathy for Britney though. What a nightmare she's survived. 

Force of Nature: Three Women Tackle the John Muir Trail by Joan M. Griffin, Joan M. Griffin

adventurous challenging hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective slow-paced

5.0

This has legitimately been one of my favorite reads of the year. I was STUNNED by the incredible storytelling and journey these women went through hiking the John Muir Trail. The self reflection and how the author grew over the course of the hike was so nuanced and well written. I truly felt like I was a part of the adventure and even got sad with the author as I neared the end of the book because it meant the adventure would be over soon and I didn't want it to end. It was such a delight to escape into this book. I felt like I truly got to experience the incredible journey with these three women with the wonderful depictions of nature, the grueling hardships experienced, and the proud confidence they celebrated with each victory! I am so delighted and thrilled to have read this book! I can't wait to blog about it. ☺️

Spoiler

Also, spoiler alert, but the happy ending of the book is that the author gets a bacon cheeseburger. This is a woman after my own heart and the best ending to a book I've ever read.

Disclaimer: I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. 

Dune by Frank Herbert

adventurous dark tense slow-paced

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

4.0

Such in-depth world building and character development. I can see how this would hit so hard back in the 60's but I was bored for a solid chunk with it. You can't deny the exquisite imagination and lore built through this sci-fi classic though. We'll see if I get around to the sequels but I'm good for now on spices and space politics. I was very impressed with the female characters in this book though and the depth they exhibited for it being a sci-fi from the 60's. 

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

adventurous dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

4.5

Such a good gothic emo melodrama! This was my first time reading this classic and I had a blast making fun of Victor's melodramatic ways. There's so much good scenery in this book too with terrific descriptions of nature and traveling. I was very pleasantly surprised by the deviations from the Hollywood tellings of the lore compared to the actual original story. The creature being erudite in nature and rational is much different than the depictions in the media and his monologues were actually my favorite parts to read. 

The Incurable Romantic and Other Tales of Madness and Desire by Frank Tallis

dark sad medium-paced

2.5

This guy doesn't seem like a very good therapist to me. I thought the first hand accounts of very bizarre love disorders were composed in a very digestible and entertaining way that was easy enough to read through. The first chapter about ertomania was truly haunting and an example of great storytelling blended with psychology. But there's not a lot of empathy or hope provided for the subjects of these stories. I was particularly disappointed by his repeated belief that his patients could only claim fulfilled lives if they committed and engaged in a monogamous romantic relationship when it was clear most of his patients didn't desire that kind of lifestyle. There's also a significant amount of acephobia in this book where the author regularly implies that life without physical intimacy isn't fulfilling or natural. So while the book is entertaining and easy to read, I think it's a bit problematic and dated with its psychology and presented beliefs about the highlighted disorders and doesn't necessarily match current understandings of love and relationships. 

The Girls Are Never Gone by Sarah Glenn Marsh
Did not finish book. Stopped at 31%.

This book has talked about diabetes more than ghosts at this point.

Goblin Market and Other Poems by Christina Rossetti, Candace Ward

challenging dark reflective slow-paced

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

3.5

What a gothic, spooky start to my spooky reads this year. I didn't care much for the poems focusing on God, but the poems about heartbreak, death, and the seasons were delightfully gothic and well done for the most part. Incredibly slow moving collection though. I almost fell asleep a handful of times. 

Lumberjanes, Vol. 1: Beware the Kitten Holy by Grace Ellis, ND Stevenson, Shannon Watters

adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious 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? No

4.5

Incredibly cute if not incredibly quick! I loved all of the incredible characters and their distinct personalities that are sold so well through the art and dialogue. I would die for Ripley. The Gravity Falls vibes of cryptid monsters in the woods is also very well done. I will definitely keep reading these books!

The Book of Moods: How I Turned My Worst Emotions Into My Best Life by Lauren Martin

emotional hopeful lighthearted reflective fast-paced

4.25

For the fact it was mostly written by other people with all of the quotations mentioned, I really enjoyed it. I thought it made the concept of identifying emotions and emotional regulation very digestible. So many of the presented moods and scenarios were highly relatable and relevant to my own life. I've definitely learned some nuggets of wisdom from this book and related very heavily to the material. 

Fair warning tho: it's very woo-woo white feminist. Not as bad as Girl Wash Your Face but it definitely has the vibes. 

Heartbreak: A Personal and Scientific Journey by Florence Williams

adventurous informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.75

I very much enjoyed this book. It's a great blend of memoir and science in which the author navigates her own journey of heartbreak and grief with various studies and logic. I love the unabashed appreciation for nature and the true honesty presented in the memoir aspects. It was incredibly inspiring, incredibly well composed, and overall one of the most insightful books I've had the pleasure of experiencing.