whatchareadingheather's reviews
414 reviews

Things I Wish I Knew Before My Mom Died: Coping with Loss Every Day by Ty Alexander

emotional reflective sad

4.0

I really liked that the author was not afraid to really voice her opinions regarding people's (especially the people around her) reactions to discussing grief and death in this book. I also enjoyed the fact that they included quotes and reminders for times where the grief hits a little harder so the readers can feel a bit of reassurance. But most of all, I love the emphasis on everyone processes grief differently because it's so true yet easy to forget.

In Real Life by Cory Doctorow

adventurous lighthearted reflective fast-paced

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

3.0

This definitely had the potential to be a great political commentary graphic novel, but I feel like the overall story needed to be expanded upon in order to achieve that. I did really like the concept and the artwork was gorgeous so it gets a nod in my book.

In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren

funny lighthearted slow-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

3.25

Definitely could have been a little shorter for pacing purposes and the ending was straight out of a Hallmark movie, but this was still fun and a great way to start off the holiday season. 

Somebody Told Me by Mia Siegert

dark emotional sad tense fast-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? It's complicated

4.0

As someone who grew up Catholic, I think this book is an extremely important one to exist as I haven’t really see much fiction focused on sexual abuse in the church (if y’all have recs please send them my way because I’ve seen more nonfiction on this particular topic). I also think that the inclusion of harassment and assault in the cosplay convention setting is not only timely and relevant, but also works into the plot smoothly. I feel like the ending was slightly on the rushed side, but overall I think the buildup to the conclusion was well done enough that I can give it a pass. 

Save Me the Plums: My Gourmet Memoir by Ruth Reichl

hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted reflective medium-paced

5.0

I am very much not a foodie in real life, but this memoir definitely inspired me to want to explore cooking and appreciate food a lot more than just a basic necessity. I thought the pacing was perfect as it covers a large timeframe, and I thought that having recipes weaved throughout was a nice touch. This book absolutely opened my eyes to the world of food publication and I'm going to be seeking out more nonfiction books of similar nature.

The Woman in Me by Britney Spears

emotional sad medium-paced

4.0

This was so unbelievably sad that I needed to step away from my work desk to collect my thoughts in the restroom during some parts. As a longtime Britney fan, I'm so happy that she got to share her story and it really made me look back at her entire career in a completely different light. 

Harley & Ivy Meet Betty & Veronica by Paul Dini, Marc Andreyko

funny lighthearted fast-paced

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

4.0

As a long-time Betty & Veronica comics fan, of course I needed to read this. I had a fun time with the plot and the antics. There were a few loose ends that I think could have been benefited from 2 more issues, but otherwise I enjoyed reading this.

Midnight Son by Isaac Kestenbaum, Josephine Holtzman, James Dommek Jr.

dark informative mysterious slow-paced

2.25

I definitely thought that there were interesting topics being discussed in this "book" (TBH I thought this was more of a long-form podcast than a traditional audiobook format), but there was almost too much going on for the length this was. This honestly felt like 3 separate books, but I can't deny that the narration was very well done. Ideally, I would have liked 1 book focused on the lore of the Iñukuns, 1 book focused on the history of Indigenous people being misrepresented in the U.S. Justice System, and 1 book focused solely on eddy Kyle Smith's case.

Harley Quinn and Her Gang of Harleys by Jimmy Palmiotti

adventurous funny lighthearted 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

5.0

I absolutely loved this. I thought this did a great job with aspects revolving around found family, mental health, and was self-contained enough where I didn't feel like I needed to do my research on what's happened in the world of Harley Quinn. 

Marvel's Voices: Spider-Verse (2023) by Jeremy Holt, Cody Ziglar, Steve Foxe, J. Holtham

adventurous lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.0

This was a pretty fun collection with a combo of both well-known and new Spider-People (Web-Weaver is now officially one of my faves!) There were a few stories that I felt like I was missing some context on, but overall each one had great self-contained plots and, of course, beautiful illustrations.