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beauty_andbooks's reviews
530 reviews
On Palestine by Ilan Pappé, Noam Chomsky
3.0
What I liked:
✔️I appreciate the importance of the knowledge shared by the authors
✔️Chapters written like articles. Broken down into different topics
✔️I preferred reading Chomsky’s versus Pappé’s written pieces
What I didn’t like:
✖️Pretty pro-Palestine. So depending on your own opinions, bare in mind this is heading towards one side of the politics
✖️Very heavy language and grammar so it got confusing sometimes
✖️You will need prior knowledge of the conflict to understand and appreciate this text
✔️I appreciate the importance of the knowledge shared by the authors
✔️Chapters written like articles. Broken down into different topics
✔️I preferred reading Chomsky’s versus Pappé’s written pieces
What I didn’t like:
✖️Pretty pro-Palestine. So depending on your own opinions, bare in mind this is heading towards one side of the politics
✖️Very heavy language and grammar so it got confusing sometimes
✖️You will need prior knowledge of the conflict to understand and appreciate this text
Strange Sally Diamond by Liz Nugent
4.0
What I liked:
✔️okay talk about timely! First chapter literally felt like the author was talking and describing my life experiences (minus the burning of her dad’s body😂)
✔️A very unique “thriller”! Both sort of contemporary mixed with mystery/thriller
✔️I much preferred reading the male POV (perhaps because more thriller-like)
✔️okay talk about timely! First chapter literally felt like the author was talking and describing my life experiences (minus the burning of her dad’s body😂)
✔️A very unique “thriller”! Both sort of contemporary mixed with mystery/thriller
✔️I much preferred reading the male POV (perhaps because more thriller-like)
Lost Girls by Robert Kolker
4.0
What I liked:
✔️After the last few weeks following the updates for the recent arrest of the potential LISK suspect, this was the perfect time to read this off my tbr! Talk about recent events reading!
✔️Another fave nonfiction author of mine, the author wrote it so simply and easy to understand the evidence and history
What I didn’t like:
✖️This is no way the fault of the author, but I found it so difficult to keep track of the victims because the majority of them had very similar names!!😂 Lots of “S” names. I would have liked if the author had placed the entire backstory and history of each victim in separate continuous chapters instead of splitting them apart and going back to different victims throughout (if that makes sense). I kept losing track of what happened to each victim.
✔️After the last few weeks following the updates for the recent arrest of the potential LISK suspect, this was the perfect time to read this off my tbr! Talk about recent events reading!
✔️Another fave nonfiction author of mine, the author wrote it so simply and easy to understand the evidence and history
What I didn’t like:
✖️This is no way the fault of the author, but I found it so difficult to keep track of the victims because the majority of them had very similar names!!😂 Lots of “S” names. I would have liked if the author had placed the entire backstory and history of each victim in separate continuous chapters instead of splitting them apart and going back to different victims throughout (if that makes sense). I kept losing track of what happened to each victim.
Into the Soul of the World: My Journey to Healing by Brad Wetzler
4.0
This was a truly inspiring read! Brad goes on an adventure of self discovery and trauma healing. I loved the aspects of the story where he journeyed through Israel and Palestine, following Jesus’ journey. You don’t have to be a Christian to enjoy this book though! Brad talks about all religions and how they can all help a person suffering to find healing. I learned so many new things about religion, history and psychology.
Thank you to Hachette for sending me an ARC to read and review!
Thank you to Hachette for sending me an ARC to read and review!
Minor Detail by Adania Shibli
4.0
✔️POWERFUL
✔️super quick (but difficult emotionally) read that everyone should devour for further knowledge and ethos
✔️past and present timelines were great
✔️super quick (but difficult emotionally) read that everyone should devour for further knowledge and ethos
✔️past and present timelines were great
Sometimes I Lie by Alice Feeney
4.0
What I liked:
✔️Back and forth timelines kept this interesting. Especially towards the end.
✔️ Characters were well developed and I enjoyed reading about all of them
✔️Twist was so finely tuned, which is a totally typical Feeney thing to do
What I didn’t like:
✖️The twist and how it all connected sort of confused me. Took a lot of my brain power lol!
✖️Two weeks later and I sorta forgot the twist. Like I said, it was intensely created
✔️Back and forth timelines kept this interesting. Especially towards the end.
✔️ Characters were well developed and I enjoyed reading about all of them
✔️Twist was so finely tuned, which is a totally typical Feeney thing to do
What I didn’t like:
✖️The twist and how it all connected sort of confused me. Took a lot of my brain power lol!
✖️Two weeks later and I sorta forgot the twist. Like I said, it was intensely created
The Palestinian-Israeli Conflict by Martin Bunton
4.0
✔️Breaks down the facts! Very important non-biased outlook on history from a little over 100 years
✔️Just start with this book! Trust me! Knowledge is power
✔️Some terms I had to google but overall an easy approach to the topic
✔️Just start with this book! Trust me! Knowledge is power
✔️Some terms I had to google but overall an easy approach to the topic
Mister Magic by Kiersten White
3.0
What I liked:
✔️the setting vibes were spooky and really set the tone for the book
✔️For fans of “Don’t Worry Darling”, “Stepford Wives”, and “Nope”
✔️I really enjoyed all the characters’ personalities
What I didn’t like:
✖️Too philosophical/imagery heavy for my liking or even capability to understand (this is a personal struggle! You may not feel this way or struggle like I did to understand the ending/conclusion)
✖️I love dark and strange books but maybe this was too strange for me?! Like I said, I struggled intellectually with this book😂
✔️the setting vibes were spooky and really set the tone for the book
✔️For fans of “Don’t Worry Darling”, “Stepford Wives”, and “Nope”
✔️I really enjoyed all the characters’ personalities
What I didn’t like:
✖️Too philosophical/imagery heavy for my liking or even capability to understand (this is a personal struggle! You may not feel this way or struggle like I did to understand the ending/conclusion)
✖️I love dark and strange books but maybe this was too strange for me?! Like I said, I struggled intellectually with this book😂
The Woman in Me by Britney Spears
5.0
What I loved:
✔️To finally know the backstory of some of those iconic or famous moments was fantastic! I have memories of watching pop culture news shows or searching Perez Hilton’s blog for all the updates!
✔️Britney can finally talk!!! That alone makes this an instant five star read. She deserves the world.
✔️The quickest read on the planet. Reminded me of reading a magazine/blog article.
What I didn’t like:
✖️If I had to choose something to “complain” about I guess I’d say it was very simply written but I didn’t expect much more for this book. To compare it to Spare by Prince Harry, that one was much more wordy and flowery.
✔️To finally know the backstory of some of those iconic or famous moments was fantastic! I have memories of watching pop culture news shows or searching Perez Hilton’s blog for all the updates!
✔️Britney can finally talk!!! That alone makes this an instant five star read. She deserves the world.
✔️The quickest read on the planet. Reminded me of reading a magazine/blog article.
What I didn’t like:
✖️If I had to choose something to “complain” about I guess I’d say it was very simply written but I didn’t expect much more for this book. To compare it to Spare by Prince Harry, that one was much more wordy and flowery.
Midnight Is the Darkest Hour by Ashley Winstead
5.0
What I loved:
✔️I felt more True Blood vibes over Twilight vibes that people have been describing
✔️THE SETTING! In love.
✔️The plot twist and unraveling of it was fantastic
✔️Your girl loves a plot with a history lesson thrown in. Those scenes where the main character is researching info in the library were my fave
What I didn’t like:
✖️Okay yeah…was the twist and THE ENDING completely unrealistic?? Yep! But I give this book a break for the greatness of all the other factors
✔️I felt more True Blood vibes over Twilight vibes that people have been describing
✔️THE SETTING! In love.
✔️The plot twist and unraveling of it was fantastic
✔️Your girl loves a plot with a history lesson thrown in. Those scenes where the main character is researching info in the library were my fave
What I didn’t like:
✖️Okay yeah…was the twist and THE ENDING completely unrealistic?? Yep! But I give this book a break for the greatness of all the other factors