evangelinew's reviews
14 reviews

challenging informative inspiring reflective relaxing fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? N/A
Strong character development? N/A
Loveable characters? N/A
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

3.0

I appreciated this short synopsis on Kant’s ideas, especially as much of his philosophical ideas have been misinterpreted over the years. This book was challenging despite how tiny it is, as philosophy overall is just dense and hard to get through. I enjoyed this read, though I had to be in a very specific mood to want to sit down and think that hard. I don’t know how philosophers do it everyday. Good read.

The House of Hidden Meanings by RuPaul

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informative inspiring reflective relaxing fast-paced

3.75

I really enjoyed this book. I went in as a fan of RuPaul, though admittedly not knowing much about him. There was so much about his life that I never knew, and the lessons he learned along the way were really insightful. The book does suffer a bit in how much unnecessary details are provided. Obviously, this is a memoir and life does not flow in an easy to follow or simple path. However, I often got overwhelmed by the sheer amount of names and places dropped, only to never be brought up again. All in all, I really enjoyed the book and felt that the closing two chapters were really, really strong. Recommend this to anyone interested in RuPaul or the club scene of the 80s-90s in general. Inspiring read.

Love Medicine by Louise Erdrich

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dark emotional inspiring reflective sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I don’t think I’ve ever read a book with such interesting and compelling characters. Matter of fact, everything about this book is incredible. The setting, the conflicts, the prose in general. Erdrich has one of the most unique voices I’ve ever read, which allows her to beautifully articulate ideas I’ve always felt but never understood. These stories center around generational trauma, loss, suffering, and much more dark topics many native people face. It offered a window into a world I’ve never fully understood, despite the fact that it takes place within miles of my own home. Beautiful and compelling, though definitely not happy.

Content Warnings

This Bird Has Flown by Susanna Hoffs

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funny lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

I warmed up to this book, but it still wasn’t a perfect read for me I don’t think. I don’t read much romance, but the main character seemed was too bumbling and cringe, crossing the line of relatability to annoyance. The main guy was nice, but the second anything that deep gets revealed about him it’s the twist. He’s very hallmark perfect man. Some of the Brits feel almost like caricatures, with their “bullocks!”, “oh good heavens”, “deary me, he rides like a Yorkshireman!” But then again, I’m not a posh Brit so for all I know it’s realistic for Oxford. I warmed up to it, and honestly enjoyed the protagonist’s personal life towards the end more than her dating. A nice read, but probably not a re-read. Also, very clearly Gen X written. Feels sorta like my mom’s friend wrote it.

World Within a Song: Music That Changed My Life and Life That Changed My Music by Jeff Tweedy

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funny lighthearted reflective relaxing fast-paced

3.0

Found it a bit hard to relate to, as I’m not the world’s largest music connoisseur, nor a 50 year old man obsessed with rock music from his youth. Yet it was still an enjoyable read, and finished it in one session.

Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim by David Sedaris

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funny lighthearted reflective relaxing fast-paced

4.0

Not quite as funny as When You Are Engulfed in Flames was(which was the first Sedaris book I’d read), but I really did enjoy this book. I think it really picked up on charmingness after the second half. He manages to capture the simultaneous monotony and chaos of everyday life, and I find that style of writing incredibly refreshing. Found myself noting surprisingly profound passages immediately followed by a hilariously absurd event.

Persepolis: The Story Of A Childhood by Marjane Satrapi

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dark emotional informative reflective sad tense fast-paced

4.5

Macbeth by William Shakespeare

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adventurous challenging dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced