eeeeeeee's reviews
210 reviews

Missing Witches: Recovering True Histories of Feminist Magic by Risa Dickens, Amy Torok

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adventurous emotional informative medium-paced

4.5

I got 12 pages into this library book before I bought my own copy.  It's a lovely treasure of a book, based around the Sabbats, letting people know about "missing witches" from history - a wide variety of women who had or claimed magic within themselves, that are important to know for our history.  I liked the diversity of women featured, several of whom I had not heard of before.  I did find it hard to follow sometimes - the 'biographies' would be interspersed with often trite interjections about the Sabbat at hand - but overall I am so happy to have this book in my collection now.
The Favorites by Layne Fargo

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challenging informative lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

5 stars for ice dancing but god I hated Heath.  What a fuckboy.  I'm just not into the "jealousy" kind of relationship like getting pissy and storming off because your 'girlfriend' talks to another man.  Not cute not hot not cool.  I haven't read Wuthering Heights so not sure how closely this follows but that concept seems fun.  Ice Dancing knowledge was above average, I very much appreciated that.  Hate Heath though.  So much.
A Cage Went in Search of a Bird: Ten Kafkaesque Stories by

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adventurous challenging mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Maybe I do like short stories, if they're written by good authors and Kafkaesque.

My favorites were Art Hotel and The Board, but really I liked all of them in their own way.  This Fact Can Even Be Proved by Means gave me a real sens of panic.  Makes me want to read some Kafka - which I confess, I haven't.  But I was attracted to this book by the author list, and I'm glad I read it.  I'd recommend it to just about anyone - I think there's something in here for everyone, and I think the sense of unease from some of the stories is a universal feeling, that is good for people to feel.
The Age of Magical Overthinking: Notes on Modern Irrationality by Amanda Montell

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funny informative reflective fast-paced

3.0

This book was fine - I loved Cultish so much so it's hard not to compare.  I saw a lot of Youtubers criticize this book and ngl I think it's because she is rightly critical of a lot of social media stuff.  My criticism is just that a lot of the biases were very similar to each other and I didn't feel like the examples and anecdotes differentiated them enough.  I'm looking forward to reading Wordslut soon and will definitely read anything else she comes out with, but if you're looking to get into her work READ CULTISH.
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 46%.
I'm devastated to DNF this - my mom's favorite book! - but it's just way too rapey and wife beatery.  Jamie is not romantic at all, he literally is threatening to force her into sex ALL of the time and beats her and she's almost raped every other chapter and I just couldn't do it.
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Banal Nightmare by Halle Butler

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challenging dark funny medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I just love sad girl books, messy women in their late 20s and early 30s who say inappropriate things and don't have their lives together.  So it makes sense that I liked this book!  I wish there were fewer unhappy relationships but I think that's the point of the book - everyone is living their own nightmare - Moddie gets the happy ending because she's the only one who does something about it.
Housemoms by Jen Lancaster

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funny hopeful lighthearted fast-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? Yes

4.0

This was a fun little beach read-y romp.  Cece was super annoying at the beginning but she needed to be - it just seemed unbelievable compared to the more believable portrayals of Hayden and Janelle.  A nice fun relaxing read to start the year off (and check off a TBR challenge!).  Always nice to have women who aren't motivated by pregnancy and motherhood!
Born Into This by Adam Thompson

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challenging emotional sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

Read this for Storygraph Reads the World - it was just ok.  Cements my opinion that I just don't like short stories.  Some of them were very bleh; some have stuck with me like "Honey" and "Descendant."  Enjoyable to read from the indigenous Australian perspective but I just don't like short stories!
Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster by Jon Krakauer

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adventurous hopeful informative tense fast-paced

5.0

I love everything I've ever read by Jon Krakauer and this is no different.  I know a lot about this incident and it was still an interesting and satisfying listen.  A+ would go to Everest again.
An Ordered Love: Sex Roles and Sexuality in Victorian Utopias--The Shakers, the Mormons, and the Oneida Community by Louis J. Kern

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challenging informative slow-paced

4.0

Extremely detailed - perhaps too detailed? - look at sexual practices in the Shakers, Oneida, and early Mormons.  I didn't agree with some of his conclusions about the Shakers but they gave me something to think about.  I don't think he needed to use so many big vocabulary words - "postcatamenial"?? really??? - but for scholars and wanna be scholars of utopias this is a great book.