nadia's reviews
520 reviews

The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living by Ryan Holiday

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informative reflective fast-paced

3.0

I was really looking forward to this book having a massive transformational impact on me, but, that wasn't the case! I think it was too simplistic for me! I wanted more nuanced or actionable insights rather than a bunch which said the same thing in different ways. I also didn't enjoy Holiday's tone at points — again, I just don't think I was the target audience!
Billion Dollar Whale: The Man Who Fooled Wall Street, Hollywood, and the World by Bradley Hope, Tom Wright

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informative medium-paced

4.0

When this book started, it was firmly in 5-star territory! However, it got a little bogged down in details and a large cast of characters and I found myself getting a little distracted and bored. It picked up again towards the end though and I was ultimately intrigued and wanted to know what happened the whole way through. 
New Nigeria County by Clare Brown

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challenging funny reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

This was a super-well produced audiobook, down to the full cast, music, and sound effects. When it started, I was excited by the concept, but it ended up being way too repetitive and thus I kinda got tired of it and felt it started to stray a little too far to the silly side. I know that's what satire can be going for but I was hoping for something that ultimately had a little more depth or nuance in the plot and takeaways. Maybe I'm not the audience for it!
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Paper Girls: The Complete Story by Brian K. Vaughan

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adventurous mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.75

This was fun and I was intrigued and engaged the whole way. But I felt like a lot of things weren't properly explained or fleshed out to be believable. And it also just didn't have the emotional impact I hoped it would! The artwork was brilliant and there was a real fun storytelling structure in the final volume!
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Children of Virtue and Vengeance by Tomi Adeyemi

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adventurous dark emotional fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

I wish I'd reread Children of Blood and Bone, which I'd read back in 2019, before reading this instalment. I thought the summaries I'd read online were good enough, but there were key details I couldn't remember, which impacted my understanding and emotional connection to the book when I started. Still, I managed to get into it after not too long!

This instalment wasn't as strong as the first. The characters' behaviour and decisions didn't always line up or seemed too naïve, some plot lines seemed rushed, and certain things needed a bit more explanation and elaboration. It definitely felt a little repetitive at times too.

Still, it wins point for ultimately being a page turner! Won't leave the final instalment so long. Plan to read it next month!
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Hijab Butch Blues: A Memoir by Lamya H

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emotional reflective medium-paced

4.5

What an absolutely brilliant memoir. I really appreciated the unique perspective of a queer Muslim woman navigating life as an immigrant. I especially liked how stories from the Quran were intertwined with Lamya's recollections. The writing was also great!
World Without End by Ken Follett

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adventurous tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No

4.0

A super solid Kingsbridge instalment. I loved the political intrigue of this. So gripping. It took me a really long time to read the first part of the book so I really came to appreciate Follett's way of reminding you who everyone is in a relatively smooth fashion. Some of the narration and dialogue is a little clunky or cringe-y but you get used to it!
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Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

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adventurous hopeful medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

A super fun read that raises some ethical/moral questions! Although some of the dialogue felt a little cheesy and there were parts that got too bogged down in the science, I really appreciated how clever this book was and how much research and attention to detail Weir put into it.
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Magic Pill: The Extraordinary Benefits and Disturbing Risks of the New Weight Loss Drugs by Johann Hari

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challenging informative medium-paced

4.5

This book wasn't what I thought it was going to be — a lot more focused on Ozempic and the business and drama behind it — but I was really fascinated by what it was — a book about the history of obesity, food, the industry, and the varying cultures around it, weight loss drugs, the evolution of human biology, and more! I appreciated the mix of personal memoir, pop science, and journalism/narrative nonfiction, and I liked Hari's narration. There were a few times where I felt like the structure was a teeny bit messy and the scope of the book strayed a little, but overall very very good and it's got me realising just how much everything is set up against us when it comes to maintaining a healthy body and lifestyle!
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Earthlight by J. Michael Straczynski

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adventurous fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated

3.0

Well, sound-wise, what a production this was!

It started strong, but unfortunately, I needed more unique story/plot points and meaty (instead of rather clichéd) dialogue over the action scenes! I had like zero emotional attachment to this. But the sound effects were really so well done!

If you want a real movie for your ears, this is well worth a listen!
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