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bibliorama's reviews
172 reviews
Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson
informative
inspiring
fast-paced
4.0
Solid 4 stars. This was an interesting audiobook to listen to during work, and Tyson did a good job narrating it as well. It gave plenty of detail for different topics in the field but not in a way that is overwhelming.
The Witches: Salem, 1692 by Stacy Schiff
informative
reflective
slow-paced
3.0
Enjoyment - 3.5
This was a hard start for me. I read this in audiobook form and I highly do not recommend. The beginning was all about laying out the people involved, which there were many, and getting the setting situated. It was too much information to try and process in audio form (granted I am more of a visual learner to begin with). Overall, the book was like getting lost in the trees without being able to see the whole forest, until the very end then it pulled somethings together more.
Start - 2
At many points, I wasn't sure why certain details were being given and how they were suppose to tie into the overarching point the author was trying to make. These details wound up overloading the front half of the book making it hard to follow. We also seemed to jump from person to person without a segway to connect the points.
Characters - 2.5
Therewere a lot of people involved with a ton of varying motivations between them all, I ended up feeling like a I need a corkboard with strings to keep them straight. This isn't necessarily the books fault because these people were all involved with what happened during the trials, but it probably would have been better if I read this book rather than do the audiobook.
Atmosphere - 3
I do think there were a lot of details added that gave insight as to what life in Salem in 1692 would have been like. The book laid out a harsh landscape that would play part of the catalyst for the witch trials.
Plot - 2.5
This is a 2.5 just because of how the author introduced some information and split up sections that didn't flow that well.
Ending - 3.75
The ending brought it up for me. The author started getting into the why and all the motivations that lead people to do what they did, but it was never too prescriptive which I appreciated. The author did a good job showing all sides to the story.
Style - 3
Overall - 3
This was a hard start for me. I read this in audiobook form and I highly do not recommend. The beginning was all about laying out the people involved, which there were many, and getting the setting situated. It was too much information to try and process in audio form (granted I am more of a visual learner to begin with). Overall, the book was like getting lost in the trees without being able to see the whole forest, until the very end then it pulled somethings together more.
Start - 2
At many points, I wasn't sure why certain details were being given and how they were suppose to tie into the overarching point the author was trying to make. These details wound up overloading the front half of the book making it hard to follow. We also seemed to jump from person to person without a segway to connect the points.
Characters - 2.5
Therewere a lot of people involved with a ton of varying motivations between them all, I ended up feeling like a I need a corkboard with strings to keep them straight. This isn't necessarily the books fault because these people were all involved with what happened during the trials, but it probably would have been better if I read this book rather than do the audiobook.
Atmosphere - 3
I do think there were a lot of details added that gave insight as to what life in Salem in 1692 would have been like. The book laid out a harsh landscape that would play part of the catalyst for the witch trials.
Plot - 2.5
This is a 2.5 just because of how the author introduced some information and split up sections that didn't flow that well.
Ending - 3.75
The ending brought it up for me. The author started getting into the why and all the motivations that lead people to do what they did, but it was never too prescriptive which I appreciated. The author did a good job showing all sides to the story.
Style - 3
Overall - 3
Happy Place by Emily Henry
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Enjoyment - 4
Start - 4.5
Characters - 4
Atmosphere - 3.5
Plot - 3
Ending - 2.5
I don't know what it is about Henry's books, but the final third drag heavily to me. I ended up putting the audiobook on 2x speed, which is rare for me. I had the same issue with Book Lovers where I felt the ending was over explained for what it was.
Style - 3.5
Overall - 3.5
Start - 4.5
Characters - 4
Atmosphere - 3.5
Plot - 3
Ending - 2.5
I don't know what it is about Henry's books, but the final third drag heavily to me. I ended up putting the audiobook on 2x speed, which is rare for me. I had the same issue with Book Lovers where I felt the ending was over explained for what it was.
Style - 3.5
Overall - 3.5
Content Warnings
Minor: Drug use, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Alcohol
I found these parts of the book to be very minor and I definitely didn't think twice about their inclusion in the story. They also aren't presented in a traumatic way, I just listed them since technically they are there.
Night by Elie Wiesel
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
5.0
"And that is why I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Antisemitism, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail
It's a first hand account of the Holocaust. It's going to tell it like it was in all its brutality. I say it's important to read no matter what the trigger warnings are.
Broken Throne by Victoria Aveyard
emotional
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? Yes
3.75
Enjoyment - 3.75
Start - 3.5
Characters - 4
Atmosphere - 3
Plot - 4
Ending - 4.5
Style - 3.5
Overall - 3.75
Start - 3.5
Characters - 4
Atmosphere - 3
Plot - 4
Ending - 4.5
Style - 3.5
Overall - 3.75
Royal Witches: Witchcraft and the Nobility in Fifteenth-Century England by Gemma Hollman
informative
reflective
fast-paced
4.0
This gave good insight into what medieval 1400s England Nobility looked like and wasn't so much about what 1400s witchcraft looked like. It dealt heavily with making these four women into real individuals rather than mysterious and dramatized footnotes in history. The author did a good job stating when information about certain situations was lost to time and always tempered the 1400s chronicles by pointing out potential biases and motivations they may have had.
I really needed a break from fiction, and I'm glad I picked this audiobook up from the library. (Also, I've been playing a lot of Anno 1404 lately, so maybe that played into my enjoyment 😉)
I really needed a break from fiction, and I'm glad I picked this audiobook up from the library. (Also, I've been playing a lot of Anno 1404 lately, so maybe that played into my enjoyment 😉)
If They Come for Us: Poems by Fatimah Asghar
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
fast-paced
4.0
How do you review a poem or a book of poems? I have no idea.
I don't read enough poetry to feel like I could give a decent review, so take my star rating with a grain of salt.
I liked many of the poems in this collection. The standouts to me were "Kal" "Partition, 1945: my grandfather steps off a train in Jammu & Kashmir" "How we left: Film Treatment" and "Other Body"
I don't read enough poetry to feel like I could give a decent review, so take my star rating with a grain of salt.
I liked many of the poems in this collection. The standouts to me were "Kal" "Partition, 1945: my grandfather steps off a train in Jammu & Kashmir" "How we left: Film Treatment" and "Other Body"
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Racism, Sexual content, Xenophobia, Blood, Islamophobia, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Colonisation, and War
Morning Star by Pierce Brown
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I loved this boyo. <3
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Genocide, Gore, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
A Deal with the Elf King by Elise Kova
Did not finish book. Stopped at 2%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 2%.
I may come back to this, but the first few pages were not gripping. Plus it's a kindle unlimited borrow and I'm not planning on renewing so idk when I'll get back to picking it up.
Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch
adventurous
dark
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? No
3.75
Enjoyment - 4
Start - 3.5
Characters - 3.5
Atmosphere - 4
Plot - 4
Ending - 4
Style - 3.5
Overall - 3.8
Start - 3.5
Characters - 3.5
Atmosphere - 4
Plot - 4
Ending - 4
Style - 3.5
Overall - 3.8
Content Warnings
Minor: Death, Genocide, Sexual assault, Xenophobia, Blood, Colonisation, and War
First I want to clarify the sexual assault tag, I would say it's more of an attempt and it's very brief towards to end and not explicit in any way. Mainly it's implied that that's what the villian is doing. There isn't any other part where something like that happens and the one part is very brief where the mc gets away.
Also, there are some heavy themes in this book but it's written in a way where it's not heavy. It doesn't go into graphic details about the mistreatment. The book is more focused on the broader themes.