alltheradreads's Reviews (1.9k)

It’s not just because my initials are RAD that I loved this one! Big fan of this short but mighty book— it highlights incredible American women (some I knew and some I didn’t!) and gives brief bios highlighting their accomplishment and impact. It would be a great one for kids elementary aged and up, but I loved it as an adult too. More her-stories in our history books, plz!

I have always been pretty meh about Rob Bell’s work, but just intrigued enough to keep reading his books to see what I think... and I’m still meh after reading this one. Pretty egotistical, shallow, cliche, and felt like it was trying too hard. Lots of chapters started with “I had this idea for _____” and it was like, OKAY WE GET IT you have ideas!!! Maybe this is just me being sick and tired of entitled white dudes feeling like they’re super awesome… but I’d pass on this one. There are way better books with similar themes out there!

I would give this one more than five stars if I could. I adored it— the story, the stunning way Owens writes about nature, Kya and her complex character, the dynamics and tension between the characters, the way a story of a girl growing up flawlessly wove together with a murder mystery, the layers that built upon one another beautifully throughout the pages... I didn’t want this one to end but also couldn’t put it down. It will be a favorite for the year (and years to come) for sure.

Gahhh I’m so glad this one came out quickly after I read Truly Devious, but I have SO MANY QUESTIONS STILL. These books are so layered and the mystery is so nuanced and I love that, even if it’s so frustrating to not be able to figure out what’s happening! I got way more into this one than the first, which makes me even more hopeful for the final book in this trilogy. Love that it focuses on teens, and flashes between the past mystery and the present one, and doesn’t follow patterns I’m used to. These are so fun and so intriguing! Definitely a trilogy worth reading.

Thanks to Crown Publishing for this free book! I did not like this one. At all. I’m struggling to find a constructive angle to share, honestly! It didn’t seem well written to me, it was slow (which i get that novels more about place can be, but it didn’t do that well in my opinion), I couldn’t relate to or understand or empathize with the characters (twin brothers are compared against each other as the center of the story— one as a genius and one as “retarded”— but none of the family dynamics felt authentic or believable to me), there seemed to be a lot that was left vague which didn’t help me connect with the story or characters... and the ending was AWFUL and made me so angry and sad. I’m a little baffled by the hype around this one and SJP’s choice to publish this on her imprint. Wouldn’t recommend it at all, but would love to hear if anyone felt differently about it! At least the cover is stunning?

I found this little gem to be a really eye-opening read as a believer. I had never truly thought about how my personality type as an Enneagram 1 influenced my reading of Scripture, but this book did a great job of illustrating some of that. The focus on specific passages from the Bible and on certain people was really helpful. (Like, I don’t know why I never connected that Pharisees illustrate 1-ness SO CLEARLY.) I really just read the intro and the chapter on my type, but I think other types would find it interesting as well!

I was given a free copy from BookLook Bloggers in exchange for my review! If you’re a believer feeling burned out or a bit lost in your faith, this book is a helpful return to the basics of Christianity and the heart of what life could and should look like as a follower of Christ. It didn’t personally really grab me in this season, but there were a lot of good and thorough thoughts shared that I’m sure will resonate with and encourage many!

I started this one MONTHS ago when it came out (I was even on the launch team!) but I put it down part way through when the holidays got crazy. I finally got back to it this week and it was EXACTLY the right time for me to finish it. Don’t you love when God is totally at work orchestrating the timing of things like that? So good. I’ve been thinking a lot lately about my enneagram 1 inner critic, and all the lies I repeat to myself with or without realizing it, and the ways I can be working to rework my thinking to renew my brain, and the wisdom from Hayley here is SO HELPFUL for all of that. Loved this one so much!

OMG THIS BOOK. If you like Riverdale, you’ll love it. YA mystery/thriller about a town where the cheerleading squad all died— from a car crash, a murderer, a suicide— and while the town just wants to forget, the sister of one cheerleader wants to get to the bottom of it all. I was HOOKED on this one. It’s been a long time since a story had me so enthralled, and I didn’t predict the twists at all (which i loved). This was SUCH a good one! I was screaming and gasping and freaking out all the way through the last few chapters... so yeah, it gets five stars from me. (edited to add: it was not a perfectly written story and i have a lot of questions and some loose ends I’m unsure about... but still!)

I’ve followed Ally donline for a long time and have admired her heart, soul, and spirit, and all three shine in this vulnerable and heartfelt book. She tells the story of her marriage, its end, and her process of rebuilding in a way that is moving and powerful. She speaks openly about the pain and heartbreak she lived through, and she reclaims her independence, identity, strength, and story in such a beautiful way throughout every page. She’s got a gift with words, for SURE.