bgoodbookclub's reviews
752 reviews

Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly by Anthony Bourdain

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adventurous emotional funny fast-paced

4.0

I really enjoyed this book! I loved the honesty and the willingness to admit wrongs and humiliation.

I have a physical copy of this book but I decided to listen via audio which I recommend since it's narrated by Bourdain himself.

Listening to this story, made his death even more tragic.
Subculture Vulture: A Memoir in Six Scenes by Moshe Kasher

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 29%.
This book wasn't really for me and that's okay!! Nothing particularly wrong about it and I think others will enjoy it but I DNF'd it at 29% because I'm not the target demographic and I wanted to move on to something different.
The Most Famous Girl in the World: A Novel by Iman Hariri-Kia

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adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

2.5

This book was extremely underwhelming and just so jumbled. I enjoyed her first book and rated it 4 stars but this one didn’t live up to the first. The questions at the end of the book say it’s satirical but I don’t feel like it reads that way? It reads like a bad Netflix movie. 

The beginning gives Anna Delvey vibes and quickly launches into someone who is going off of the rails. There’s drug use and alcohol abuse that felt just thrown in there and the main character is so unlikeable. I had very little interest in the love story.

The pacing felt off and rushed and the twists were frustrating.

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this book!
ADHD for Smart Ass Women: How to Fall in Love with Your Neurodivergent Brain by Tracy Otsuka

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emotional funny hopeful informative reflective medium-paced

4.5

I got so much out of this book! I found this book via Google because my therapist thinks I might have ADHD. Although I do not have an official diagnosis, I resonated with a lot in this book. I think what was even more reassuring was Otsuka's emphasis that everyone's ADHD is different, so while I felt seen with certain parts, I didn't with other parts and that's okay! 

I used this book like a textbook, highlighting phrases and dog-earing pages so that I can come back to them and review them in the future. 

If you're an anxious woman who has ever wondered if you have ADHD, I definitely recommend this book!
Only When It's Us by Chloe Liese

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 59%.
There's really nothing wrong with this book, and I didn't hate it, but it's just okay and there are 6 more books which is intimidating so I'm giving up!!
Real Americans by Rachel Khong

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challenging emotional hopeful tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I think this style is my ideal historical fiction. I love dual POV, over a long period of time, with historic aspects and current day aspects. I enjoyed the characters and the problematic decisions and learning why they did what they did. 

This is a great book for a book club because there's a lot to discuss!

TW: 
Racism

Favorite Quotes:
"What did it say about me that I could only understand myself in relation to another person? Alone, I was a blank."
The Love of My Afterlife by Kirsty Greenwood

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

This book was so cute! Truly nothing wrong with it, just didn't hit me as a 4 or 5 star read. I definitely liked it more and more as I read it.

A lot of good found family and friendship in this book!

Thank you to PRH Audio for an audio ARC and to BBBC and Berkley for a physical ARC.
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

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adventurous challenging 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

So many people told me they did not like the first book, that it was slow and too much world building. But I enjoyed it! It did not change my life and I'm not ready to shout about it from the heavens but I thought it was great for a beach read. It was easy to not want to put down and to just zone in and power through. I think it was a very solid 4 stars.

I am excited for the second book! I found it significantly less annoying than Fourth Wing and the world building of Feyre was actually interesting to me. Typically, I do not read fantasy because I hate world building but this one was good. 

I am intimidated by the length of the books but I am ready to keep going!
Sisterhood Everlasting by Ann Brashares

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emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This book was the perfect round out of the series! I loved it and it made me grieve but also full of warmth so I overall loved it so much.

Perfect beach read!
Margo's Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe

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adventurous emotional funny reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I could not stop reading this book. I was stressed at times but so invested. I was so into the characters and cared so deeply about them!! It was so chaotic but so good.