bookbrig's reviews
1798 reviews

Welcome to Paradise, Now Go to Hell: A True Story of Violence, Corruption, and the Soul of Surfing by Chas Smith

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Did not finish book.
I tried this audiobook because the premise sounded interesting, but after about 30 minutes I decided it wasn't for me. The tone struck me as cocky and aggravating, rather than interesting, and the direction of the story immediately left me uninterested in how this particular author was going to handle the upcoming situations. Just not for me.
The Princess Trap by Talia Hibbert

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 12%.
I just need to come back to this at another time. My library copy returned itself, I checked it out again, and ran out of time before I got back to the story again. Anyway, will read. But not right now.
Exit Black by Joe Pitkin

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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? No

3.0

I picked this up because of the "Die Hard in space" pitch, and while I really enjoyed some of the characters and the first half of the book, I lost momentum for the second half. The characters were excellent, well drawn and genuinely interesting. I really loved both Chloe and Dion. Part of what I was hoping for was more story for Dion, but his arc ended pretty abruptly and it left me wanting more from the book than it delivered,

Overall the resolution fell a little flat for me, as it read a tiny bit predictable. Still, it was worth the read, and if you want a relatively quick sci-fi thriller, you could definitely do worse. It mostly took me so long to read because my library copy returned itself and I needed to wait for my hold to arrive before I could finish.
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How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying by Django Wexler

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adventurous funny 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? No

4.25

This has an excellent audiobook and it's a really compelling story with a great main character. I enjoyed the whole adventure, thought I didn't realize it was a series opener because I am oblivious. It took me until the last 30 minutes of the book to go, oh, wait. I'll happily pick up the next one when it comes out, and I think I'd try the audiobook again just for the wonderfully expressive reader.
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Redbone: The True Story of a Native American Rock Band by Sonia Paoloni, Christian Staebler

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informative slow-paced

3.5

I learned quite a bit from this, and the art style worked really well-almost melting between scenes and giving the work a distinctly time period accurate vibe at different parts. That said, it was a fairly slow read, and when I put it down in between reading sessions I didn't find myself reaching for it often. I think that even with the great art, there's a fair bit of telling the story in an almost academic way which reads a bit dry for my taste. Still glad I picked it up, and I particularly appreciated the interview included at the end.
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The Wild Robot by Peter Brown

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adventurous emotional slow-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

3.5

This is very sweet and would work as a great bedtime read aloud. I really loved Roz. As an adult reader, it didn't hold my attention as much as I think it will for younger kiddos. It actually reminded me a little bit of Becky Chambers' Psalm for the Wild Built, but gentler. Would happily gift this to someone, but don't think I'll need to come back for a reread.
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Why We Read: On Bookworms, Libraries, and Just One More Page Before Lights Out by Shannon Reed

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lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

3.75

At the start, I wasn't sure if this was the book for me because as someone who works in libraries and reads for work, it felt a bit twee. But the more I got into it, the more I enjoyed the casual and charming tone, and I ended up really enjoying it by the finish. It's a nice audiobook, and a lovely reflection on lots of different books. 
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DIY: The Wonderfully Weird History and Science of Masturbation by Eric Sprankle

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informative lighthearted fast-paced

3.5

A decent and quick audiobook listen, this had lots of interesting history and presented health info in an accessible way. Honestly, it could be a good read for a teen or college student, if you don't feel weird giving them a book about masturbation. As an adult aware of many of the myths and misconceptions covered, this wasn't quite as engaging as it might have been. I did appreciate the conversational tone and the very factual approach to the subject though.
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Bite by Bite: Nourishments and Jamborees by Aimee Nezhukumatathil

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informative lighthearted medium-paced

5.0

This was the perfect summer read for me, and the audiobook is terribly charming and well read by the author. It's incredibly vivid writing, with gorgeous descriptions of fruits and other foods, plus lots of facts/history all blended together with some memoir. I really enjoyed listening, and it left me wanting to eat practically everything she mentions in the book. Highly recommend!
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Chop Fry Watch Learn: Fu Pei-Mei and the Making of Modern Chinese Food by Michelle T. King

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informative inspiring medium-paced

4.5

This was so interesting! I learned a ton about Fu Pei-Mei, but I learned just as much about food and political history in China and Taiwan. The interstitial conversations were a nice touch, and I loved how intimate the story felt. I immediately went to look up YouTube videos of her shows, and even though the videos I found weren't translated, they're really fun to watch. Her aprons are delightful, and I really enjoy the delicate work she does with the cleaver. 

This is just a great book about family, cooking, and culture, and the audio was particularly lovely for me as I got to hear the correct pronunciations for different names and dishes that I definitely would have gotten wrong reading myself. I may try to check-out the physical book to see if there are photos included.