Scan barcode
shawshaff's reviews
31 reviews
Being Mortal by Atul Gawande
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
5.0
A beautiful informative piece on our inevitable mortality and how we can do our best to grapple with the impending end. poignant and necessary!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Chronic illness, Death, Blood, Medical content, Dementia, and Death of parent
The Things We Leave Unfinished by Rebecca Yarros
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
dooooozy womp womp thank god that's over
The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic by Breanne Randall
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
this felt like a Hallmark screenplay. dialogue was terrible, characters were insufferable, half of it was a cookbook ???, and the dead grandma was not compelling in the least. Sadie took much too long to solve the riddle and it was MADDENING ! can we get some critical thinking in the chat pls ?! Also wish I had a shot for each time I read "shit ass" (meant to be a term of endearment ?) because maybe then I'd have enjoyed this book a bit more being blinded by intoxication. I should have DNF'd lmao
The House of My Mother by Shari Franke
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
fast-paced
4.0
Shari does a wonderful job approaching this devastating circumstance with nuance and so much grace. I would have loved some more reflection on how the LDS church (and church in general) enables abuse....and how this isn't a one-off situation, but something that occurs frequently. Unfortunately, she is still practicing so there was no real critique of the powers that be but rather summed up with "men make mistakes" and she continues to "trust god". I digress. Still a compelling story!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Stalking, Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
The Saint of Bright Doors by Vajra Chandrasekera
Did not finish book. Stopped at 26%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 26%.
This book leaves a lot to be assumed by the reader. Too much to be assumed. Can we get a little explanation in the chat pls?
Sandwich by Catherine Newman
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
more, MORE inner workings from the brain of 54 year old menopausal woman. I laughed and cried. I related to Rocky's musings as a 26 year old. I will be thinking about quotes from the book for quite some time, truly beautiful writing.
"And this may be the only reason we were put on this earth. To say to each other, I know how you feel. To say, Same. To say, I understand how hard it is to be a parent, a kid."
"I cry a little then, because of the conversation and the wine and this absolute devastation and blessedness, rolled up into a lump in my own throat that I have been trying to swallow for my whole life."
"She waited to die until I left the room, which is a thing I've heard parents do. I can imagine it. I mean, you're never done being somebody's mom, ever, are you? She took care of me until the very end."
"I cry a little then, because of the conversation and the wine and this absolute devastation and blessedness, rolled up into a lump in my own throat that I have been trying to swallow for my whole life."
"She waited to die until I left the room, which is a thing I've heard parents do. I can imagine it. I mean, you're never done being somebody's mom, ever, are you? She took care of me until the very end."
The Love of My Afterlife by Kirsty Greenwood
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
it's a modern Christmas carol but with all the romance tropes, couldn't step away. adored
The Last Devil to Die by Richard Osman
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
I love this series, the way the author strings you a long with humor while simultaneously discussing life and death truly makes for a beautiful read. I didn't want the book to end!
Life of the Party: Poems by Olivia Gatwood
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-paced
3.75
we are all teenage girls 🥹