bookbrig's reviews
1794 reviews

A Botanist's Guide to Parties and Poisons by Kate Khavari

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

3.75

This could be a great readalike for Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Fairies, with the academically inclined leads bantering and flirting and dealing with mysterious goings on. I liked the main characters quite a bit, as well as the poisonous plant elements. The ending wasn't quite to my liking, though it did set up more mystery elements for the next book in the series. Not sure I'll read more of the series, but I enjoyed this one.
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When the Sea Came Alive: An Oral History of D-Day by Garrett M. Graff

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adventurous emotional informative reflective medium-paced

4.25

I checked this out on audio, saw it was over 20 hours, and figured I'd listen to a little before it returned itself. But the full cast recording sucked me in, and the story has so many voices I couldn't stop listening. It's wildly engaging and emotionally effecting, while still giving a very comprehensive overview of the big picture. I'm absolutely recommending this to others, and plan to send a copy to my uncle. The big advantage to the physical book is that it includes photos, but I liked the audio cast so much I might recommend trying both together. Anyway, not what I thought I'd be excited about this fall, but here we are!
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The Titanic Survivors Book Club by Timothy Schaffert

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 20%.
The audiobook had a great reader, and some of the characters interested me, but it was a bit slow and the story didn't quite hook me fast enough. I may try it again in print instead of audio, but I'm not in a hurry to pick it up.
The Dragon's Bride by Katee Robert

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fast-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? No

3.75

I'm not sure what I expected, but this is one of the more enjoyable monster romances I've found. I definitely liked it more than the shifter romances I've read, and part of it was that it didn't feel like it took itself to seriously. The characters were fun, it was short, and I think I'll give more of the series a try. 
Mislaid in Parts Half-Known by Seanan McGuire

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adventurous medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.75

Not my favorite, but I did enjoy the overall story. I think I may like it more once the series eventually concludes and I can read this one in context of future and past again.
Shadow Life by Hiromi Goto

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emotional funny hopeful reflective 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? No

4.5

I laughed out loud several times while reading this, and I fell in love with Kumiko. I don't think I quite got the full picture of the ending, but it was still such a great read! It's a mixture of humor and worry and care and irritation all bound up in one fairly simple story. I particularly loved the art style for the shadow and its creatures. 
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The Swans of Harlem: Five Black Ballerinas, Fifty Years of Sisterhood, and Their Reclamation of a Groundbreaking History by Karen Valby

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informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

5.0

I learned so much reading this! I love watching ballet, but I only knew the names of a small handful of dancers, including Misty Copeland and Michaela DePrince. It was fascinating to read about these dancers, Arthur Mitchell, and the Dance Theater of Harlem, and I particularly loved the audiobook as several of the ballerinas narrated some of their portions of the story. Each dancer was painted so vividly that I feel like I really got to know them and so much of their remarkable hard work and exceptional talent comes across in these pages. It's just a wonderful book, and I'm glad I know so much more now about the Black dancers who carved out a place in ballet before the dancers I've been more familiar with. 
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Sharks Don't Sink: Adventures of a Rogue Shark Scientist by Jasmin Graham

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informative medium-paced

4.0

This is an enjoyable memoir with great ocean and shark info, and would be an excellent choice for a teen reader too. I loved that the author read the audiobook, and she did a great job. The focus moved between her life and shark/ocean facts with a nice balance and pace. That said, I always want more shark facts, so I wouldn't have minded a few more details about the creatures she worked with. But that's just a personal preference. Overall, this is a great choice if you're looking for a read about sharks, academia and Blackness, or following your passion to shape the right workflow for yourself.
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There's Always This Year: On Basketball and Ascension by Hanif Abdurraqib

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emotional reflective medium-paced

4.25

The writing here is gorgeous with such a poetic flow. I can't recommend the audiobook enough, because Hanif Abdurraqib reads it. This is a moving and beautiful mix of sports and memoir and just... I don't know. So many things! Anyway it's great.
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All the Way to the Top: How One Girl's Fight for Americans with Disabilities Changed Everything by Annette Bay Pimentel

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hopeful informative medium-paced

3.75

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