dallas_shattuck's reviews
879 reviews

I’ve read a few financial books over the past few years, and Die With Zero was one of the most unique. Some of the most common pieces of advice I always hear are “start saving for retirement” and “make sure you’re saving your extra money”. Which...I do, but I also think it’s important to enjoy life and not deprive myself of things that bring me joy (e.g. books, Starbucks). So I appreciate the author’s perspective on making sure we are saving for retirement and the rest of our lives, while making sure we aren’t depriving our lives of joy by only working and accumulating more money than we could ever spend.

I think I read this book at the perfect time in my life, as my husband and I are a few years into our careers and working on our long-term goals. Making sure we take trips, spend time with our kids, and have fun is definitely on top of our list after reading this book!

This book isn’t for everyone, and I appreciate the author making that clear at the beginning. There were a few points that seemed repetitive, but it really emphasized the author’s point.

Overall, if you’re looking for a fresh perspective on money, retirement, and living life to the fullest, then you should check out Die With Zero!

Thanks to @billperkins and @outreachdiewithzero for a signed copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Death in the Family is the first book in the Shana Merchant series, and it did NOT disappoint!

I flew through this book, and stayed up late one night because I needed to keep reading. I loved the “locked room” mystery vibes and short, engaging chapters.

I had no idea who the “bad guy” was or what the ending would be like, which was great. And I only picked up on one of the clues throughout the story, so it was great reading how Shana put everything together at the end.

I also thought the setting was so unique! I’ve been to Thousand Islands once as a kid, and it was great to “revisit” it in the pages of this book.

I can’t wait to read the next book in the series! Thanks again to @tessawegert for this giveaway win!

CW: murder, infidelity, kidnapping, violence, mental illness, trauma

This was, hands down, one of the most unique crime fiction books I’ve ever read! There were so many things I loved about this book.

The main character was a badass, and even though she’s a serial killer, you’ll find yourself rooting for her at some point. Even just a little bit

I hadn’t heard of Hidden Figures until I saw the movie a few years ago. Then I knew I needed to read the book. I think there was a lot of great information on Dorothy, Mary, and Katherine, the challenges they overcame, and their extraordinary contributions to NASA. It’s such an important topic, and I appreciate all the work and research the author did to tell these intricate stories.

I thought there were some parts of the book that had unnecessary info (e.g. explanations of aerodynamic principles), and the timeline was not linear and sometimes caused me to get confused.

Overall, I’m glad this was my first audiobook. If you like historical non-fiction, then I’d recommend this. If not, I think you could just watch the movie.

I’m so glad I finally read The Girl With the Louding Voice! I’ve seen it all over Instagram, and knew that I wanted to read it.

This story was absolutely beautiful. Adunni is only 14, but she’s one of the strongest female characters I’ve seen. She went through so much in this book, yet she always kept her head up and pushed forward. I admire her strength and courage, especially when her life was full of pain and sorrow.

I also thought there were amazing secondary characters throughout the book, like Khadija, Tia, and Kofi. There was even good character development for Big Madam; it didn’t justify her actions, but having more context explained why she was so cruel to Adunni.

All in all, this book was amazing! If you’re looking for a book with a strong female protagonist, then you should DEFINITELY read this one.

CW: physical abuse, rape, attempted rape, death, abandonment, infidelity, domestic abuse, child labor, child marriage

I really enjoyed this book! So many of the words in this book were exactly what I needed to hear. I was shocked at how many of Tremaine’s struggles and experiences—anxiety, religion, growing up in a small town—resonated with me. I felt seen and understood.

I grew up in a very small, rural town in Pennsylvania. I moved to the DC area for grad school and have lived here since. I’m far away from family, and it’s been really hard. Making friends seems nearly impossible, raising toddlers is the hardest job ever, and my anxiety has increased significantly over the past few years. And I’ve felt that even if I did make friends, I wouldn’t have much to offer. All in all, I’ve felt alone.

After reading this book, I know that I’m not alone. And that I have a lot to offer. I hope some of the advice helps me make true connections—in person and in the bookstagram community.

This isn’t your traditional “self-help” book. It’s 180 pages of getting to know Tremaine and questions to help you think about “your story”. I think a lot of people will benefit from reading this one!!

Wow. Wow. Wow.

I’m not even sure how to put my thoughts into words, but I’ll do my best.

Farrow is an investigative journalist who first broke the Harvey Weinstein story and then wrote future articles on other high-profile predators. All I can really say is that people should read this book. If you think you know everything about the Weinstein case, you don’t. The amount of corruption and cover-up went on for DECADES and is disgusting.

At points, it will sound more like an action movie than a non-fiction book. Like, there were spies and private investigators. Literally.

The audiobook is narrated by Farrow, which really made it impactful. He was describing his experiences and frustrations while trying to bring this story to light. The bravery shown by the victims and Farrow is indescribable. They were threatened and intimidated by powerful people, but still shared their stories with the world. It was powerful.

If you haven’t read this book, please do (if you are able to—see content warnings below).

CW: rape, sexual assault, sexual harassment, coercion, spying, intimidation, victim blaming, threatening, crime cover-up

I don’t even know what to say about this memoir, other than it was beautiful and heart-breaking. Paul was a young neurosurgeon diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. He writes this book after his diagnosis. Seeing the struggles through his eyes was very humbling. He and his family showed such strength in spite of this devastating diagnosis.

I also thought the Epilogue was beautiful. It was written by Paul’s wife, Lucy, after he passed away.

This memoir is powerful, plain and simple.

CW: cancer, death, descriptions of surgery (especially brain surgery) and medical procedures

Everyone knows how much I enjoy reading memoirs, so I was really excited when @jacquiburnettauthor asked me to review hers!

Jacqui’s story was heart-breaking, eye-opening, but also empowering. She’s endured so much throughout her life, and was brave enough to share her experiences with readers. All of it—From growing up in South Africa during apartheid, to her strained relationships with her parents, her near-death experiences, and her journey to find herself.

I loved reading about Jacqui’s story. She is strong and resilient. I enjoyed her questions and deep examination on religion and spirituality and how it’s different for everyone.

If you enjoy memoirs, please check this one out!!

Thank you, Jacqui, for the #gifted copy of your beautiful book ❤️

CW: racism, white supremacy, abuse (all), divorce, infidelity, suicidal ideation and attempts, death