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heathen's reviews
87 reviews
I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
4.0
A very revealing look into how much a damaged parent can pass on their own insecurities and disorders to their unknowing children. A cautionary tale for any potential momagers out there. I'm glad Jeanette wrote this book but I hate that she had to go through all that.
Mean Baby: A Memoir of Growing Up by Selma Blair
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.5
This is a near perfect celebrity memoir. Blair gets into her life growing up and drops plenty of juicy bits about other celebrities she's encountered a long the way. It all read as a fairly honest assessment of her life and while she doesn't sugar coat anything, she is an engaging storyteller.
Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer
adventurous
challenging
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
5.0
This book changed how I look at the world and that's really the ultimate achievement for a book. I think everyone should read it!
Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
adventurous
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I kept hearing and hearing about this book so I finally listened to the audiobook. It was fine. Nothing to write home about imho. If you need a fluffy summer read, this will fit the bill.
Obviously: Stories from My Timeline by Akilah Hughes
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
4.0
I enjoyed this collection of tales. Breezy, hits on some heavy topics, the author is charming and likable, I could relate to wanting to be a cheerleader but not having the acrobatic skills to do so!
Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
emotional
sad
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? Yes
4.5
I thoroughly enjoyed this sweeping epic through multiple generations.
Hello, Molly! by Sean Wilsey, Molly Shannon
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
sad
fast-paced
4.0
I really enjoyed this book, and if you're at all familiar with Molly Shannon's comedy and are a fan, you'll probably enjoy it as well. Some reviews lodge complaints about the book sounding like a teenage diary and that's valid but I for one appreciate Shannon's wide eyed exuberance at Life In General. She strikes me as someone who strives to keep it positive, who's grateful for every good thing that's happened to her, and who learns from the bad things.
The book opens with a big hit of trauma. I was literally crying in my car hearing her voice break and how much it still affected her all these years later. Her dad is by turns lovable and enraging, but it makes more sense towards the end of the book.
I thought this was a pretty great celebrity memoir. It had a few juicy bits about being on SNL and helped give insight into Shannon's childhood. I'd always loved her as a comedian because she seemed less about *making* fun of a character and more about *having* fun with a character.
The book opens with a big hit of trauma. I was literally crying in my car hearing her voice break and how much it still affected her all these years later. Her dad is by turns lovable and enraging, but it makes more sense towards the end of the book.
I thought this was a pretty great celebrity memoir. It had a few juicy bits about being on SNL and helped give insight into Shannon's childhood. I'd always loved her as a comedian because she seemed less about *making* fun of a character and more about *having* fun with a character.
Groundskeeping by Lee Cole
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I'm not sure if I'll give the most unbiased review on this book. I grew up in the same region as the author, and it's a region he writes about at length in this book. He definitely nails how life is in western Kentucky, and the simultaneous love and revulsion its residents can have for the area.
The novel itself felt somewhat slow to me. The main character was relatable if not particularly likeable at times. The struggle to feel care and love towards family members whose political alignments are diametrically opposed was familiar to me.
Overall, I would recommend this. I love reading how other people from my neck of the woods write about a place I know intimately. I'm generally rooting for anyone from Kentucky to succeed. I would probably also let people know that the story is slow going and not terribly eventful.
The novel itself felt somewhat slow to me. The main character was relatable if not particularly likeable at times. The struggle to feel care and love towards family members whose political alignments are diametrically opposed was familiar to me.
Overall, I would recommend this. I love reading how other people from my neck of the woods write about a place I know intimately. I'm generally rooting for anyone from Kentucky to succeed. I would probably also let people know that the story is slow going and not terribly eventful.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Drug use
Minor: Xenophobia
Perfume: The Story of a Murderer by Patrick Süskind
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5