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rpweber15's reviews
260 reviews
Nothing. Everything by Virginia Montanez
5.0
I've been reading whatever Ginny writes since she had her "That's Church" blog. She's hilarious and has always had a way with words. I've followed her through her different writing platforms (and on social media) and was incredibly excited when I found out she was writing a novel. The chapters are short...at the beginning, I thought they were too short and found it challenging to get into the rhythm of the characters and the writing. I'm not sure where everything clicked, but it did and then I found myself voraciously reading about the emotional journey Ellis found herself on. I was really transported into the lives of ALL the characters, though, and loved them all. I really loved the therapy session chapters in between the flashback and current time chapters...even though they were really short, they were very poignant and it felt a little like finding a great therapist for yourself (which is incredibly difficult to do). I shed some tears at various parts of the story and actually had to just shut the pages at one point to sit with my emotions. And when I opened the pages back up, I hit a little Easter egg for long-time readers of Ginny's work and busted out laughing.
I think everyone will find a little bit of themselves in this story...that's the true beauty of Ginny's writing.
I think everyone will find a little bit of themselves in this story...that's the true beauty of Ginny's writing.
Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant
4.0
As I’ve gotten older, I have lost my desire to swim in bodies of water that I can’t see through…and this book certainly confirmed why. This was a slow burn, deep sea thriller with diverse and interesting characters (great autism, lgbtqia+, and disability rep) that you mostly rooted for, even though some were quite flawed and probably don’t deserve your support. The horror/gore level is high enough to make an impact but not so much that it’s gratuitous. I feel like the pacing was a little off and that the ending was tied up too neatly, but I’m hoping there is a sequel in the works!
An Olive Grove at the Edge of the World: How two American city boys built a new life in rural New Zealand by Jared Gulian
5.0
I discovered Jared on BookTok and read his sci-fi thriller "The Last Beekeeper" last year (also a 5-star read). I knew I loved his writing and I always enjoy his particular style of storytelling on social media/in his monthly newsletter. The pictures he shares of his and his partner's lifestyle block in New Zealand on Instagram are absolutely stunning; they truly live in paradise. This memoir covers the first 4 years of their life in the olive grove and includes the most delightful and endearing real-life characters, human and animal alike. Between the pictures on Instagram and the stories in this book, I want to sign up to move there and be a farmhand of sorts. I laughed out loud...a lot...during this memoir and I even shed some tears over a couple of characters. This book was such a delight, I want to get the audiobook just so I can experience it again, but through Jared's actual voice. I don't do audiobooks....and I'm fairly certain that I never really will...but I will make an exception for this book. Honestly, I would start this book all over again today if my TBR wasn't so ambitious. But you can bet I'll be getting that audiobook soon.
I always chuckle at celebrities who have numerous memoirs/autobiographies published. As far as I'm concerned, the world could use a little less of those and 15+ more years of stories from Jared's and CJ's adventures in the olive grove.
Oh....and there are recipes in the book!!
I always chuckle at celebrities who have numerous memoirs/autobiographies published. As far as I'm concerned, the world could use a little less of those and 15+ more years of stories from Jared's and CJ's adventures in the olive grove.
Oh....and there are recipes in the book!!
Other Ever Afters: New Queer Fairy Tales by Melanie Gillman
4.5
A lovely set of queer fairy tales for Pride month!
People Love Dead Jews: Reports from a Haunted Present by Dara Horn
5.0
I do not have the proper words to describe this book. Eye-opening. Uncomfortable. Maddening. Eye-opening. Ok, that is a repeat but it might be the best way to sum up this book, especially for a non-Jew. The author is a superb writer and everyone should read this book.
Neon Gods by Katee Robert
4.0
Spicy mythology retellings are not my thing but maybe they are now? My book club picked this one with some trepidation knowing my style…and they were surprised I loved it. Except it’s full of complex, modern characters…including a badass female MC…and a lot of respectful consent. The author writes really well, too. I think the resolution of the story was a bit rushed and yet a little bit slow, but I enjoyed this enough to keep going with the series!
Nimona by ND Stevenson
4.0
Cute graphic novel full of heart and humor. I will say that the text is quite small and my 40-something year old eyes had a hard time reading them. But other than that, I enjoyed the story!
The Free People's Village by Sim Kern
4.5
When the author inspired everyone to read Trans books for the #transrightsreadathon, I wanted to participate. I love Sim's content on TikTok and knew they were an author (and journalist), but hadn't read any of their books. They put their to-be-published (Sept 2023) novel up on NetGalley for the Readathon and I jumped at the chance to give their writing a try. I loved it and will definitely be reading their other novels! The commentary on climate change, racism, identity, religion, activism, anarchy, white savior-ism, and gentrification in this novel is absolutely outstanding and incredibly digestible. Sim has a knack for saying an awful lot in very few sentences; I found myself highlighting a lot of the book. The characters are really well-developed, complex, and highly imperfect. As a Catholic-raised (but now agnostic) white woman, I very much identified with and appreciated the main character Maddie. I think the only reason this isn't a full 5-star read, however, is because the character Red fell flat for me...I just didn't understand Maddie's love for Red. But really, there was a large cast of characters and I pretty much loved everyone else (or hated them with the same amount of vigor).
As good as this novel is, it is not an easy read. Check content warnings before diving in; there are a lot of really difficult topics covered. And despite it being an alternate timeline where Al Gore won the election and the States entered into a War on Climate instead of a War on Terror, the country operates exactly the same way it always has. History is doomed to repeat itself until there is a true revolution. There are some slivers of hope in the book, but this was a VERY heavy read given the current state of the US (and a lot of the world). Alongside the doom and gloom, though, is definitely a little motivation to be part of the revolution.
As good as this novel is, it is not an easy read. Check content warnings before diving in; there are a lot of really difficult topics covered. And despite it being an alternate timeline where Al Gore won the election and the States entered into a War on Climate instead of a War on Terror, the country operates exactly the same way it always has. History is doomed to repeat itself until there is a true revolution. There are some slivers of hope in the book, but this was a VERY heavy read given the current state of the US (and a lot of the world). Alongside the doom and gloom, though, is definitely a little motivation to be part of the revolution.
The Crane Husband by Kelly Barnhill
4.5
I don’t know the Japanese folktale upon which this novella is based. I imagine this is a darker and far more modern retelling of the story. The cycle of domestic abuse hurts everyone involved, especially children who have to grow up far faster than they should so they can try and protect their younger siblings. The narrator of this story is the unnamed 15 year old daughter of the women being abused by a man/crane who does what she feels is necessary to protect her younger, named brother. The setting of the story is a sort of dystopian future in the middle of the country…but the horrifying effects of domestic abuse and trauma are timeless and spaceless.