nadia's reviews
563 reviews

Delay Deny Defend by Jay M. Feinman

informative slow-paced

2.5

This book was so dry and dull and the narration didn't help. It started promisingly, but it ended up becoming a long detailed list of a bunch of stats and case description. It was also far too repetitive and felt like it could have been a snappier 'longread' article. It wins points for how informative it is though. Very US-centric, so not sure how it is in the UK, but I wouldn't be surprised if the practices and malformed structures and incentives are very similar everywhere.

The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

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

2.75

I was intrigued by the setup and the concept but I just feel like the execution wasn't there. I never really felt invested in the characters or their relationships and I've ended the book confused as to what really happened, who was on who's side, what the motivations of the different characters were...can't wait to listen to The Stacks Book Club episode on this to see if more light is shed and to check I'm not alone in some of the things I was confused by. I wouldn't say I was ever really bored though! But I was hoping everything would click into place in the end...and it just didn't. It all felt rushed and messy.

Badass: Making Users Awesome by Kathy Sierra

informative inspiring fast-paced

3.75

I really loved the perspective on building excellent products that this book provided (and a lot of what Seirra wrote about matches with what we see at TSG). I took a handful of notes that I'll be revisiting as I work on StoryGraph. However, at times, the format felt a little off and it felt like the book went on a bit of a tangent at times — on expertise and mastery — and didn't always effectively tie it back to actionable insights for your product. On the whole, a great, quick read and I'd recommend it to any product person!

The Murder After the Night Before by Katy Brent

dark mysterious tense 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

3.0

I saw another review which, in its entirety, said: "Gripping but unconvincing" and I think that accurately summarises how I felt about this book! I didn't feel connected to any of the characters or invested in what happened. I didn't really care but I was still intrigued to keep listening! Funny that!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Sexual assault, and Murder

Moderate: Vomit

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain

adventurous challenging funny lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated

3.25

I went into this book with low to middling expectations - especially after Tom Sawyer (both books I’m reading in preparation for Everett’s James) - but I was pleasantly surprised at how much fun I did have with parts of this book. Some parts really made me laugh, some parts had me turning the pages fast, and some parts got me a lil’ emotional, but it dragged and got too silly for me towards the end. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs and Racism

Ultra-Processed People by Chris van Tulleken

informative medium-paced

4.0

Really hits home just how stacked against us the food industry is! I enjoyed the variety of science, personal anecdotes, and practical tips, and how the chemical, biological, economical, and environmental aspects are all explored. I also enjoyed the bonus material on the audiobook, with BTS-seeming convos between the author and his brother. The structure and organisation of the book didn’t always seem on point, but no biggie!

I have no clue how accurate the claims made are but until I learn otherwise I’m taking them at face value! It does all seem to check out!

Wellness by Nathan Hill

emotional reflective slow-paced

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

4.5

I really had a great time with this book. It's not perfect, no. Some of it was a slog, yes. But on the whole I was intrigued and I loved the various ways Hill told the story. It felt different and yet all the various styles and storytelling devices fit together into a cohesive whole for me. Lots of thought-provoking stuff in there, from romantic love and conventional and non-conventional relationship structures, parenthood, identity and fulfilment, big tech, the wellness industry itself, and more!

A friend and I have an annual tradition where we go to a bookstore in December and buy the other a book that was a fave of the year that the recipient knows nothing about. When my friend asked me if I knew anything about Wellness I said that I don't think I'd ever even seen it! Making it a perfect candidate!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Infidelity

Money Men: A Hot Startup, A Billion Dollar Fraud, A Fight for the Truth by Dan McCrum

informative mysterious tense medium-paced

3.5

This kind of book is right up my alley but I really struggled to follow this. I was listening on audio, so don't know if that was a contributing factor but I felt like the narrative structure was confusing, especially with the way the book started, and I struggled to tell the characters apart and remember who was who or what the key parts of the fraud were. I might check out the Netflix show now as that'll probably help solidify the narrative in my head.

An Academy for Liars by Alexis Henderson

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.75

I really enjoyed this book and was hooked from the get-go, but I never felt fully connected to the characters or invested in certain relationships and parts of the story/setup never quite clicked for me.

Scam Goddess: Lessons from a Life of Cons, Grifts, and Schemes by Laci Mosley

funny informative lighthearted reflective fast-paced

3.75

An overall great listen on audio, though the structure felt a bit messy — the true crime scams combined with the memoirs felt random, and the transitions abrupt, at times — and I didn't really care for the self-help parts. Still, engaging and entertaining for sure!