mec8337's reviews
196 reviews

Local Woman Missing by Mary Kubica
Did not finish book. Stopped at 34%.

I accidentally was spoiled by looking up a character list so I could keep the women’s names straight and it seemed too far-fetched for me to want to continue. 

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

emotional inspiring medium-paced

• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

I loved all of the main characters in this book, especially Six Thirty. 

Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men by Caroline Criado Pérez

informative slow-paced

4.5

Congratulations, The Best Is Over! by R. Eric Thomas

funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

4.5

4.5/5 stars

I laughed out loud several times, and I liked that this was more like a disorganized memoir than anything else because, listening to the author narrate, that is exactly what I think I would expect from this joyful, hilarious human. I do think it rambled slightly at times but that might have also been because I would pause the audiobook in the middle of a tangent.

The Sicilian Inheritance by Jo Piazza

emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.5

I’m a sucker for historical fiction with some mystery thrown in so this book was right up my alley. I listened to the audiobook and that really helped bring the characters of Sara and Serafina to life, especially Serafina. I loved the descriptions of Sicily and I learned a lot about what life was like for women who were left on the island when their husbands went to America. I didn’t love Sara, the modern-day main character, but I appreciate what her timeline brought to the story. 

The Power of Ritual: How to Create Meaning and Connection in Everything You Do by Casper ter Kuile

hopeful informative reflective fast-paced

5.0

I loved this book so much that I’m considering buying a hard copy for myself so I can re-read it and make notes. I’ve struggled with my feelings towards spirituality and organized religion and felt a kinship with Casper ter Kuile as he described some of his feelings towards religion and the reasons people today are less likely to attend church. I’ve always struggled with prayer (how to do it, why to do it) and listening to him describe what prayer is and actually how to do it was so eye-opening to me. I’d always prayed in Mass because it’s what I was supposed to do and it’s only been very recently that I’ve tried to be intentional with my prayers but still feeling like I’m doing it wrong. 

I took a lot away from this book and am looking forward to re-reading it as I continue to explore what spirituality and spiritual practices might look like for me. 

The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket

5.0

As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow by Zoulfa Katouh

emotional sad slow-paced

• Strong character development? No

3.0

I’m unsure how to rate this. I thought parts of the book were heart wrenching and I liked that there was a bit of lighthearted romance in there as well, especially considering the main characters are barely adults. I think it’s important to remember that even during a horrific war, there can still be moments of something close to happiness, and this book weaves those moments in through all the pain. That being said, I found it to be too long and some of the conversations to be repetitive. I found myself getting bored at times. I felt bad about feeling bored reading a book about the Syrian Civil War, but I think the author could have pared down or eliminated some of the similar scenes and still have achieved the emotional effect. 

The Paris Apartment by Kelly Bowen

emotional sad medium-paced

• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

I couldn’t put this book down. I looked forward to having time to read it and it’s always a treat when you come across a book like that. 

In My Dreams I Hold a Knife by Ashley Winstead

dark mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No

3.0

I thought this was…boring? It took me about 30% to really get into the story and even then, my main motivation to finish it was that I had another audiobook checked out from the library I want to get to. I did like how unlikable the main character was but she got too whiny too quick. Overall, not bad but I won’t ever read this again and it’s not going on a favorites list.