nila's reviews
504 reviews

84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff

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funny lighthearted relaxing fast-paced

4.0

So bittersweet and wholesome, I was so emotionally invested, I can't believe it. Everyone involved seem like such gems
Witches, Midwives and Nurses: A History of Women Healers by Barbara Ehrenreich

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 73%.
I didn't realise that it was more of a historic documentation and a call-to-action paper rather an actual In-depth publication on the subject. I was well into it when I saw the total page count, and realised I wanted to see if I could find something else on the subject
Girl With a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier

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emotional hopeful sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

This was a very easy read, I couldn't put the book down. I still struggle to give it a higher rating, though I'm not sure why. I expected it to be more of an emotional roller-coaster and it fell a bit flat for me in the end to get that full fourth star. Griet is, however, a character I'd love to read more about, I really felt for her throughout her journey.

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Our Wives Under The Sea by Julia Armfield

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emotional mysterious sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.25

I have to admit, I'm not even quite sure what I read, the plot became a bit too abstract for me. But the writing was beautiful

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Force of Nature by Jane Harper

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dark emotional mysterious slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

Very disappointed in this one, I have to admit. In the first book, it seemed the author had such control over every detail and everything deliberately moved the story forward. This one, just has too many things happening at once, and none of the tropes/storylines is explored deeply enough. It's part financial crime case - lost person case - childhood frenemies case - old serial killer case - all mixed into one... 

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Strong Female Character by Fern Brady

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emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

3.75


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Say Nothing: A True Story Of Murder and Memory In Northern Ireland by Patrick Radden Keefe

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challenging dark informative reflective medium-paced

4.75

I read along my physical copy while listening to the audio book, and the narration gave the words on the page so much life. 

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Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty by Patrick Radden Keefe

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challenging dark informative reflective tense slow-paced

4.5

Such a well-organised and well-researched book. I usually struggle with these kinds of deep-dive documentaries, but the audiobook was easy to follow and very engaging. It's a disturbing read; Keefe weaves us through the history of the Sackler family that spans decades and how their family roots are twined through so many industries and aspects of our everyday lives. A very eye-opening listen/read

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How to Kill Your Family by Bella Mackie

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dark mysterious tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.0

Fool Moon by Jim Butcher

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

3.0