eggbeater's reviews
1194 reviews

The Getaway by Lamar Giles

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adventurous dark tense medium-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

4.0

This young adult dystopian novel was a pretty gripping thrill ride, but I'm not sure a dystopian was the best choice for my anxiety when we're on the precipice of hell. Creepy story, though. Effective.
Lucy Undying by Kiersten White

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 7%.
Not the book's fault, just not in the mood for this. I will come back to it.
Brain Energy: A Revolutionary Breakthrough in Understanding Mental Health--and Improving Treatment for Anxiety, Depression, OCD, PTSD, and More by Christopher M. Palmer, Christopher M. Palmer

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challenging hopeful informative inspiring medium-paced
I don't know how to rate this book. A doctor I have a lot of respect for recommended it to me. It's well written and certainly sounds plausible. However, I am skeptical of some of the solutions, particularly the ketogenic diet. I can't speak to its efficacy until I've tried it. Some of the treatments for mental health, such as light exposure and sleep hygiene, are old hat. The book simply describes the reason why these things help in very scientific terms involving mitochondria, metabolic disorders, and the brain energy theory. It is fascinating even to someone like me who only took high school biology. Some of the scientific references were a little over my head, so the only way for me to learn is to do my own research. I now have a project.  
The Blonde Dies First by Joelle Wellington

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adventurous dark funny mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

This was an okay read for me. I really liked Their Vicious Games, but I wasn't really feeling this demonic horror as much. Devon, the main character, struck me as a bit immature. None of the characters resonated with me. It could have been the audiobook. I did like the twist.
A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher

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adventurous dark funny hopeful tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

T. Kingfisher is one of my favorites. This was a dark fairy tale that had humor and sweet, sentimental moments. It was very creative and imaginative . I really appreciated the faithful guardian geese. Hester was my absolute favorite character as my rusted old joints are right there with hers. 
The God of the Woods by Liz Moore

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This is a genre-bending book that combines a mystery/thriller with literary historical fiction. There were a lot of perspectives to keep track of and several different time periods, so I thought it was more complicated than it had to be, but I enjoyed it. I was engrossed in the story the whole time and it had an interesting ending. I didn't think it was a stunning literary marvel, but I count it as a book worth reading. Sometimes the hype can be a little overdone, but the characters will stick with me.
Looking for Smoke by K.A. Cobell

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dark emotional informative mysterious tense 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

Nightwatching by Tracy Sierra

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dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

The suspense really grabbed me in this thriller. The tension was written really well. I was actually scared. I'm never scared.
Beartown by Fredrik Backman

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dark hopeful inspiring reflective sad 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

5.0

I thought this was going to be a cuddly, feel-good book, but it was actually pretty intense--in a good way. I was completely engrossed in the town and the behavior of its characters. The book goes out of its way to point out the misogyny that is an integral part of many boys' sports and the consequences of that. It is not for the faint of heart. This book is an emotional roller-coaster. I thought it was excellent.
Lucky Girl: How I Became A Horror Writer: A Krampus Story by M. Rickert

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dark mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

 This horror novella is about as Christmasy as I get. I liked it. I was engaged. The characters were all delightfully obnoxious. I only wish the krampus made more of a showing.