alltheradreads's Reviews (1.9k)

Well, I couldn't get through this one either. It's a sign of growth (I think) that I've been learning to close books I'm not enjoying and stop reading once I've given them a chance. I used to feel obligated to finish... but no longer. There are too many amazing books to be read to waste time reading mediocre ones! This one was challenging in the way each paragraph switched perspectives and times. It takes skill to make that work well, and I wasn't following this one. It's a fictionalized take on VanGogh's life, which made for an intriguing premise, and although I learned more about his life beyond his art, I really wasn't intrigued by the his complex and messy relationship with his brother or hooked at all by the writing. I'm sure there are people (art fans especially) who would enjoy this one, but it just wasn't worth finishing to me!

This book was an interesting one. As a New York Times bestseller, I assumed the quality would be high. With a Gillian Flynn (author of Gone Girl) review on the front saying "Chilling, nasty, smart, shocking, and unputdownable," I assumed it would be similar in nature to Gone Girl. It wasn't, at all. I honestly found it pretty boring and slow. I really didn't get much out of it, didn't really find it particularly enjoyable, and wouldn't really suggest you read it. So that's that.

I received this one free from NetGalley in exchange for my review (which will be honest always, because that's my thing). I have mixed feelings about Chris Cleave after reading both Gold and Little Bee by him-- I LOVED Gold but really disliked Little Bee (even though everyone I know loves it). I wasn't sure what I would think of this one as a result! I'm pretty dead set in the middle on this one. It was a whole new subject matter, but still character driven more than plot. I blew this one pretty quickly, but just wasn't as enamored by any of the characters or able to connect with the storyline as well as I expected I would. It's a love triangle story at its core, and the twists and turns as they came didn't really hook me or shock me like they perhaps were intended to, and I felt like the ending fell a bit flat after how everything played out. Gold is still my favorite of Cleave's books, and the one I would most recommend!

I received this one from Blogging For Books in exchange for my honest review, and honest review I will give! I couldn't finish this one. It wasn't that the premise wasn't interesting and unique (it was) or that the writing was bad (it wasn't) or that I wasn't interested in the plot or characters (I was)...there just was some spark missing and this one felt super slow. I talked to someone else who listened to this one on audio and felt the same way about its slowness, sadly! It's about a man who takes a job as a missionary of sorts to an entirely new galaxy, where he meets the natives and goes to live among them, all the while trying to stay in contact with his wife back on Earth who keeps him informed of the disasters and tragedies happening back home. It's not a small book (500 pages) so once I had given it 200+ and still felt like it was dragging, I knew it was time to just let this one go. I can't tell you too much more about the plot because at halfway through, that's really all that had happened... I did flip ahead to find out how it ends though, even though I'm sure that's cheating. Oops! Not one I would highly recommend, but still an interesting read if you're willing to slug through the slowness.

I'm all about this idea, and found this book to be a very powerful motivation/reminder to truly chase the essential things in all aspect of my life. It's one I know I'll read again when I feel off track, and think it's a must-read for creatives of any kind!

I had heard so many rave reviews about this one, and you should know by now how I feel about hype... But joining in for the #readathon and finally having this one in hand from the library was enough motivation to give it a chance. People. I couldn't put this one down. It was amazing. Beautifully written, completely engrossing, powerful, and eye-opening. I have read many books about World War Two, but hearing this one totally from the perspective of women was both good and hard. I felt overwhelmingly grateful for the freedoms I have and the way war has always felt far from me, but also deeply challenged by thinking about how I would act (and should act) when the world around me falls apart. I haven't stopped thinking about the power I hold and how I should be using it for good around me, and for a fiction book to leave me so convicted and moved is a mighty thing. This is absolutely deserving of every bit of hype, and I cannot recommend it highly enough. It will make you want to be braver and bolder in the face of injustice and opposition and cruelty. It will also make you cry, so get ready. And I rarely cry at books.

For all the awards plastered onto the cover of this one, I couldn't sink into it. It wasn't bad, just wasn't enthralling. Love triangle stories frustrate me sometimes, and this was exactly that. I won't say more as I don't want to turn people away since clearly the majority love this one, so just check it out if it interests you (the cover is stunning and was what drew me in!).

I heard about this one on Anne Bogel's podcast and instantly put it on my to-read shelf. It's about a grumpy old man, and while that might not sound enjoyable, the anecdotal way this book goes about introducing him draws you in and makes you love him even though he is very quirky and rude and not at all the kind of person you want to be when you grow old. The poor cranky old man is so loveable and this one is such a fun little read.

I listened to this one on audiobook in my car driving to and from work, and it was perfect for that. The chapters were mostly short, and this style of humorous writing worked well for short twenty minute bursts of listening. I laughed out loud a few times, and loved that it was Tina Fey herself reading it. I think that added a lot to it that I wouldn't have gotten just from reading the book itself. Overall, it wasn't wildly hilarious or a must-read at all, but it was fun!