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lisa_nog's reviews
1275 reviews
Look Both Ways: A Tale Told in Ten Blocks by Jason Reynolds
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Jason Reynolds is such a gem. I enjoyed the vignette format, even if I found some chapters better than others. I’d recommend it highly for 6th-9th graders.
The Great Displacement: Climate Change and the Next American Migration by Jake Bittle
dark
informative
fast-paced
3.0
I would recommend reading the first 75% of this book. It gets quite loose and speculative at the end. The first 3/4s of the book are case studies of communities in the United States specifically that have been affected by climate change. The author typically outlines the disaster that occurred (some are fast like wildfires, some are very slow like bayou erosion), how the community was impacted, and where the residents were displaced to.
I found some chapters more engaging than others. Perhaps because I've already read a lot about the Tubbs and Camp Fires, those chapters felt redundant. But the chapters about Il de Jean Charles in Louisiana and water rights in Arizona were fascinating.
This book is fairly recent and already feels out of date given the context of the LA Wildfires.
I found some chapters more engaging than others. Perhaps because I've already read a lot about the Tubbs and Camp Fires, those chapters felt redundant. But the chapters about Il de Jean Charles in Louisiana and water rights in Arizona were fascinating.
This book is fairly recent and already feels out of date given the context of the LA Wildfires.
Black Edge: Inside Information, Dirty Money, and the Quest to Bring Down the Most Wanted Man on Wall Street by Sheelah Kolhatkar
dark
fast-paced
4.0
At a certain point, this became more of a hate listen than anything else. The corruption is so blatant, the greed is so profound, it is hard for a regular person to wrap their head around.
It's easy to see this book was exhaustively researched, and explained fairly complex stock market issues well enough for a novice like me to understand. I found the first half of the book more gripping than the second and some of the deeply biographical chapters lagged a bit, but I would still highly recommend it.
It's easy to see this book was exhaustively researched, and explained fairly complex stock market issues well enough for a novice like me to understand. I found the first half of the book more gripping than the second and some of the deeply biographical chapters lagged a bit, but I would still highly recommend it.
The Coffee Trader by David Liss
challenging
informative
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Interesting premise for this historical fiction book: Stock market intrigue between Dutch and Jewish traders in 17th century Amsterdam. It was not lightning fast, but I definitely learned a bit.
Imperium: A Fiction of the South Seas by Christian Kracht
challenging
funny
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
God, this is a weird book. An absurdist look at a German vegetarian, tired of society before the onset of WWI, who decides to start a colony in the South Pacific where he and his presumed followers will only eat coconuts.
The characterization is excellent, I enjoyed it.
The characterization is excellent, I enjoyed it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Antisemitism and Cannibalism
Fear and Loathing in La Liga by Sid Lowe
funny
informative
reflective
tense
slow-paced
4.25
Really good overview of the rivalry between Real Madrid and Barcelona. Understandably, a large portion of the book is devoted to how the clubs existed during Franco’s regime and the political implications of their alignments. That part started to drag a little bit, but that would be my only quibble. It’s current up to Mourinho leaving Real. So a bit dated now but still well worth reading!
The Year of the Dog by Grace Lin
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Grace Lin is one of those children's lit authors where when I find a book of hers, it immediately goes to the TBR list.
This is such a sweet, fairly uncomplicated book. It's a straight-forward semi autobiographical retelling of the authors middle school years. It's very wholesome, no one dies, there is some mild bullying, but it's just quaint.
I really enjoyed the context Grace Lin's afterword provided. She wanted to write a book like the charming chapter books she read as a child that she could see herself in. I would have loved this book when I was the age of the protagonist.
As an aside, representation matters so much and I cannot think of another book I've read where the characters are specifically Taiwanese. I think that's neat!
This is such a sweet, fairly uncomplicated book. It's a straight-forward semi autobiographical retelling of the authors middle school years. It's very wholesome, no one dies, there is some mild bullying, but it's just quaint.
I really enjoyed the context Grace Lin's afterword provided. She wanted to write a book like the charming chapter books she read as a child that she could see herself in. I would have loved this book when I was the age of the protagonist.
As an aside, representation matters so much and I cannot think of another book I've read where the characters are specifically Taiwanese. I think that's neat!
Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder
informative
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
Challenging rate because it is 100% a product of its time and to the modern adult viewer reads *quite* racist.
I enjoyed it for what it was, a fast moving story about Westward expansion.
I enjoyed it for what it was, a fast moving story about Westward expansion.
The Arab of the Future: A Childhood in the Middle East, 1978-1984: A Graphic Memoir by Riad Sattouf
dark
informative
tense
fast-paced
3.75
So many books and graphic novels set in the middle east focus on stories of sadness. There are sad elements to be sure, but you are viewing Syria and Libya through the lens of a child in the early 1980s. There is an atmosphere of making do, of sufficing. I really enjoyed the art style of this one. I've got the other volumes on hold, I'll be sure to check them out. Very fast paced graphic novel as well.