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booktalkwithkarla's reviews
1337 reviews
Good Energy: The Surprising Connection Between Metabolism and Limitless Health by Casey Means
informative
medium-paced
4.25
Good Energy doesn’t hold back in telling the truth about the for profit systems - medical and food manufacturing - that are failing people. The book is comprehensive and accessible. I appreciate the practical strategies for me and my family. Some of the information isn’t new to me - because I have an awesome and educated friend who has been teaching me for years - yet I find the organization and lists in Good Energy helpful. I also like the title which reminds me that the strategies are addressing root issues to reduce risks of disease.
Casey Means does her research and presents an educated, clear, and compelling case for seeing the whole human (not body systems) when looking at chronic issues versus acute and working together (food manufacturers, regulators, and eaters) to improve metabolic/overall health. Yes, please and thank you.
Beyond the practical strategies, what I enjoyed most was Casey Means narratives on the realities in the hospital. Her real world experiences (and those of Callie Means from the business world) gave the book’s information validity and credibility. At times there are some questionable tangents but because they were part memoir, these parts were not a total distraction. I recommend this book and I will be following both authors, praying that they use their influence to make systemic changes for all of us.
And So I Roar by Abi Daré
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Adunni and Tia come together, both with their own secrets and story, to find and use their voices for change. The novel has strong drive which kept me turning the pages. I didn’t enjoy the story, although I can see the importance of the story being told. I rated it lower because of a few parts that had me rolling my eyes. The characters are well drawn but their actions did not always make sense to me. I really like her first novel but found this one less enjoyable.
Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-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? Yes
5.0
Angel doesn’t know her worth. At 8 years old she is sold into prostitution. She experiences horrific abuse and sees unimaginable things. To survive, she builds a wall around her heart. Michael Hosea, a faithful Christian man, sees her at age 19 and hears God’s prompting to marry her. He is obedient and takes Angel home as his wife. Over time her heart softens which only serves to increase her pain and shame. What follows is the transformation of Angel, Michael, and their neighbors.
This is a beautiful story of redemption and love (of course the title is perfect). Reading this book as a Christian is so healing and sweet to my soul and my view of God and his love. There are countless places I wept. I loved reading about unconditional love, friendships, neighbors, service, and prayer. This is the second time I’ve read this book and it’s even better on a re-read. It’s a keeper and one I highly recommend.
Let Your Life Speak: Listening for the Voice of Vocation by Parker J. Palmer
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
4.25
Anne Bogel from What Should I Read Next podcast talks about this book often. Finally, I picked it up and was overjoyed by the writing. Parker Palmer shares essays with his reflections on the vocational journey. His vulnerability and the examples from his life, combined with quotes from Henri Nouwen, Thomas Merton, and more make this a powerful read. It’s rich, so at times I had to reread the same passages few times to grasp Palmer’s meaning. I’m certain I now know why Anne Bogel rereads it, and I will too.
Values, vocation, and inner work are all important topics to me so reading this felt like a conversation with the author. Understanding limits, listening, and learning from experiences and wise community is the path for humans to be, to contribute, and to live content. Reading this book helps us to process that we are “led to truth by our weaknesses as well as our strengths.”
“From the beginning, our lives lay down clues to selfhood and vocation, though the clues may be hard to decode. But trying to interpret them is profoundly worthwhile – especially when we are in our twenties or thirties or forties, feeling profoundly lost, having wandered, or been dragged, far away from our birthright gifts.”
Guilty Creatures by Mikita Brottman
dark
sad
medium-paced
4.0
This book by Mikita Brottman explores the psychology of a couple accused of murdering Mike Williams in Tallahassee Florida. The details of the behaviors, relationships, and faith of the people involved are salacious and shocking. The fact that they got away with the murder for so long incredulous. This is a page turning (or compulsively listenable audio) story. It says a lot about all of us - as the author points out in the concluding words - making it interesting.
I listen to true crime stories because of my deep desire to understand the human mind and passion for justice. Both are found in this story. This non-fiction pick was fascinating, but for the many ruined lives of the murderers’ choices making it tragic.
Choosing to Run: A Memoir by Des Linden
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
Recently I began listening to a podcast hosted by Des Linden and Kara Goucher. I believe I heard about this book on that show. From the podcast my love for Linden’s voice has grown and reading this book on paper felt like sitting across from her. I loved hearing her story, her running journey, her motivations, and how her grit came to be. Linden is tenacious, funny, and spirited. This book inspires me - in running and in life. I almost wish I could read it for the first time again. Read it if you run and even if you don’t. Maybe, like Linden and me, you will choose to run.
The Wedding People by Alison Espach
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
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? Yes
5.0
Phoebe shows up at the Cornwall, a place she’s dreamed of being. There she is the only guest who is not part of the wedding of Lila and Gary. Shortly, after arriving while in the elevator, Phoebe confesses to Lila that she’s there to and her life. Lila says no, you can’t ruin my wedding week.
I read this quickly because I desperately needed to know what happened next and how it ended. This book has mire depth than the cover or description leads you to believe. I loved how Alison Espach gently and directly addressed deep loneliness. Espach gave each character humanity. Her treatment caused me to feel seen and known. I adored this book and highly recommend it!!!
A few of the many quotes I loved:
“Love was an invisible wire, connecting them always.”
“Phoebe has become good over the years at detecting who has a loving mother and who does not, because Phoebe believes a loving mother gives a person the kind of confidence to exist that Phoebe never quite had.“
“That is how it happens, she realizes. One moment of pretending to be great leads to the next moment of pretending to be great, and 10 years later, she realizes she spent her entire life, just pretending to be great.”
“This is the gift random strangers can give you, Phoebe is realizing – the freedom to say or be anything around them. Because who cares? He doesn’t know her, will never know her.”
“A small step back into the world, a nice gesture, a fight against the entropy, something he could do to be human to another human.”
“She is so good at predicting what will happen in books, so bad at predicting what will happen in life. That is why she has always preferred books – because to be alive is much harder.”
Hansons Marathon Method: Run Your Fastest Marathon the Hansons Way by Luke Humphrey
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
3.25
This book has been on my shelf for years. After reading Des Linden’s Choosing to Run, I was intrigued to pick this one up next. The plans, charts, and figures in the book are great. Reading the strategies and plans motivates me to run and build mileage and also not be afraid to run on tired legs.
For the past decade I have felt sidelined by injury. Now I am back to running and feeling strong. I plan to use some of the ideas and plans from this book as I go forward. Since I don’t have a marathon on the immediate horizon, I will primarily use inspiration and a key concepts from this great resource book. But do recommend it for anyone looking to run a marathon.
Middle of the Night by Riley Sager
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
In Middle of the Night is about Billy coming to terms with the disappearance of Ethan when they were both children. The novel weaves together two time periods to give us a great mystery. I was along for the ride and didn’t know who the villain would be until it was revealed.
Riley Sager writes a page turning mystery. I enjoyed how the story came together. The pacing and characters were on point.
At our book club we enjoy a great discussion about some of the themes (life, death, friendship, loyalty, secrets) of the book. Mostly what we discussed is if we would’ve taken the same action at that pivotal moment. You’ll have to read the book to know what I’m talking about. I recommend this book especially if you’re mystery lover or Riley Sager fan.
“He takes him into what’s known as the library, although it holds much more than books. It’s the heart of the institute, where others gather to discuss, debate, debunk.”
“But she wasn’t prepared for how lonely it all felt in between one obligation and the next. That’s something she wished her mother had warned her about. The long, quiet hours when she wasn’t needed.”
“There were no villains in this story. Nor were there heroes. Just a neighborhood of flawed people, some more than others.”
The Hangman by Louise Penny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
“The ways of the creator, he knew, are hard to fathom, but not nearly as hard as the ways of the created.”
This short book written by Louise Penny falls between book 6 and 7 in her Three Pines series. Armand Gamache arrives at the scene to find a man hanging from a tree. Is it death by suicide or murder? Gamache first interviews Tom Scott, who while on vacation and out for a jog found the deceased man and called the police. He continues investigating the case, allowing us to visit with several members of the Three Pines community.
Penny is brilliant and I enjoy her writing. This one is no exception. In its short scope, she still shows up brilliantly.
The audio is just over an hour and since I want to be a “Penny completionist”, I borrowed it from my library. The narrator is different than I’m used to but once I settled in this narrator worked for this story. I loved the ending and enjoyed being with Gamache even if only for a short time.