nataliebootlah's reviews
360 reviews

A Love Song for Ricki Wilde by Tia Williams

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

3.5

 “What they heard as frenzied abandonment was the sound of his rage. Their joyous release was his escape, his chance to outrun the memories that stalked him. Jazz was freedom, but grief was his fuel. It was that simple, and that terrible.” 
 
Ricki is the outcast of her wealthy, perfect family. Ezra is the mysterious  hottie on the block, with an aura Ricki can’t quite stay away from. What plays out is a love song one hundred years in the making, one leap day at a time. 
 
I went into this mostly blind, it was available immediately from Libby and I was most definitely intrigued by the beautiful cover. I stayed for the Harlem-era journey, genre-bending between romance and magical realism, musical landscape, and sassy characters. I especially loved the minor characters and their stories. What didn’t quite stick for me was the romance, it felt rushed and a bit shallow. That said, I enjoyed it as a quick summer read! 
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This Ordinary Stardust: A Scientist's Path from Grief to Wonder by Alan Townsend PhD

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

“Please find a way to make our story help someone else.”

Through the lens of a scientist, Alan Townsend’s memoir walks through the nearly impossible odds of both his daughter and wife getting diagnosed with unrelated, rare brain cancers. Forced to tread through the most harrowing moments of his life, Townsend does so—at times—with grace, science as his friend, and other times wading through near-total darkness, science seemingly against him. 

The memoir itself is a courageous, deeply vulnerable look at the joy, suffering, sickness, and health we’re all guaranteed in life. It weaves science, faith, love, and grief together. Devastatingly beautiful. 

Thank you to Grand Central Publishing for the gifted copy. 💌
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Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

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

4.0

Elizabeth Zott is your average housewife. 

Wait, no, she most definitely is not. Elizabeth Zott is a chemist, plagued with the need to do her work despite constantly battling sexism, misogyny, judgment, and stolen work to do so.

Set in the 1960s, the story portrays the difficulties women face working outside of the home. Sound familiar? Despite those hardships, Lessons in Chemistry is a book about science, resilience, feminism, passion, love, and loss.  

I knew I had to read this when I saw Bonnie sharing how men often talked over her and stole her ideas to the point where she got fed up and wrote the first chapter. I love a strong female character, and this book did not disappoint. When Elizabeth takes a job cooking on live TV, her show is as much about chemistry as it is cooking. She is unyielding in reminding her audience, mostly stay at home moms, about what it means to be a woman. If you’re into STEM, love a badass feminist, a quiet love story, or feel like you don’t quite fit in, this one’s for you. 

“Despite what Elizabeth Zott will tell you, Supper at Six is not just an introduction to chemistry, he wrote that day on the plane. It’s a thirty-minute, five-day-a-week lesson in life. And not in who we are or what we’re made of, but rather, who we’re capable of becoming.”
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Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross

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emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

“Even when the world seems to stop, threatening to crumble, and the hour feels dark as the siren rings… it isn’t a crime to feel joy.”

Iris is devastated when her brother goes off to war and begins writing him letters, slipping them into her wardrobe. Unbeknownst to her, the wardrobe is enchanted and just so happens to deliver them to her rival: Roman. Roman, a pompous rich kid, is vying for the same coveted columnist position Iris is going for. As they go head-to-head, the gods have risen from their slumber and soon a war rages on around them. 

With a little bit of everything—academic rivals to lovers, magical type writers, vengeful gods—this isn’t your typical enemies to lovers trope. As Iris and Roman’s mysterious connection is forged, we vicariously grow with them through their letters. It was such a unique way to bring this book to life. 

I really enjoyed it—except for that cliff-hanger ending!!!!
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Funny Story by Emily Henry

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emotional inspiring lighthearted reflective
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

 
Imagine being blindsided by your fiancé when he dumps you for his childhood best friend…and then moving in with his new girlfriend’s ex-boyfriend simply because you need a place to live. Yikes. 
 
This felt like reading a rom-com movie—witty banter, lovable characters, and summertime vibes. Daphne and Miles are both mourning their respective breakups alone until their living situation forces them to interact. From there, they somehow, accidentally tell their exes that they’re happily dating and, of course, they’ll attend their swiftly upcoming wedding. 
 
I just couldn’t put it down. I loved the chemistry, the emotional baggage, the real-life struggles. It felt like the characters had real substance to them. As soon as I read the last chapter, I was sad it was over. I guess I like romances after all?? In case you’re wondering… my ranking of Emily Henry books is Funny Story tied with Book Lovers. Happy Place was super meh. And I’ve been told I have to read Beach Read. 
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You're the Only One I've Told: The Stories Behind Abortion by Meera Shah

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challenging emotional informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

5.0

I wish I had read this sooner. It feels almost dystopian after the overturn of Roe v. Wade (what doesn’t feel dystopian lately?). As you can imagine, this isn’t a fun read you chit-chat about. It is, however, a crucial book, especially in today’s political climate. Why are the decisions of pregnant people—often made together with their partner—political? Who the hell knows. 

What I do know is that abortion has become a major political argument, and the loudest voices are not the people who have actually had the procedure done. One in four American women will have an abortion, for a multitude of reasons, at some point in their lives. You’re the Only One I’ve Told shares the accounts of people who have. People who were young, people who couldn’t financially support another child, people who were in abusive relationships, people whose babies wouldn’t survive or would only know a life of pain, people who so badly wanted a baby. People shouldn’t have to be vulnerable in order for the world to listen and it shouldn’t be considered brave for doing so, but these people are. It’s the least we can do to listen. 

As a Texan/US woman, it’s been horrifying to have my rights stripped away. As a woman who has fortunately never had to make this decision, I learned so much from this book and what people seeking reproductive health care truly face. Stats, high costs, arbitrary waiting periods, time limits, restrictions, state-sponsored scripts not based on medical science, misinformation. 

Written by Dr. Shah, a reproductive health doctor, believes that medical care should be patient-centered and evidence-based. I’m not sure how you couldn’t agree with that. As someone who’s obviously pro-choice, I believe people who live in the Land of the Free deserve the freedom to choose what happens with their body. I hope you take the time to read this book and do so with an open heart.
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The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon

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

4.5

Book club pick of the month! This one was definitely a slooooow burn, but in the end, it burned bright. 🔥

Martha Ballard is the town of Hallowell’s midwife and healer. In a place full of secrets, gossip, and drama, Martha knows everyone and knows a little bit about everyone too. She keeps her diary in meticulous order, noting births, deaths, and general happenings in the town. So when a body is found on the frozen river, Martha is called to examine it and provide the cause of death in court, and her diary is at the center of it all. 

I love a ‘based on true events’ story where the author takes some liberties here and there. Martha really was a renowned 1700s midwife whose diary was passed down for generations. As mentioned in the author’s note, Martha Ballard is the great-aunt of Clara Barton, founder of the American Red Cross, and great-great-grandmother of Mary Hobart, one of the first female physicians in the United States. She is an outstanding woman in America’s history, but one we rarely, if ever, learn about. Will we ever know what really happened in the town of Hallowell? Probably not. But we do get to see Lawhon’s version. And it’s a damn good rendition. What a story.

“Memory is a wicked thing that warps and twists. But paper and ink receive the truth without emotion, and they read it back without partiality. That, I believe, is why so few women are taught to read and write.”
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They Called Us Exceptional: And Other Lies That Raised Us by Prachi Gupta

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

Oooof. What an exceptionally difficult, yet important read. This memoir is, in many ways, a love letter to the author’s mother. It’s a classic dissection of the model minority myth alongside the societal pressures and demands that come with trying to achieve the ‘American Dream’. 
 
This is an emotional rollercoaster of a book; it’s raw and heartbreaking. The story itself is a mesh of retelling and reflection, and oh how brave it is to share the darkest parts of your life with anyone who picks up your book. I found it particularly difficult to read because of the abuse Prachi, her mother, and older brother go through at the hands of her father. Prachi does a wonderful job showcasing what non-physical abuse looks like. It left me wanting to give this whole family a hug, even her father. 
 
“In our family, we learned to love one another for how well we were able to conform to the story they wrote for us—not as who we really are.” 
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Hello Stranger by Katherine Center

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funny inspiring lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

 What a cute read! And not your typical romance, which I enjoyed. 
 
After minor brain surgery, Sadie Montgomery wakes up with face blindness. She can see faces—eyes, nose, mouth—but her brain struggles to recognize who is who. As a human, it’s horrifying. As an artist, it’s potentially career-ending, especially when you’ve landing a top spot in a prestigious photorealistic portrait contest. 
 
This feel-good fiction is about so much more than falling in love. It’s about growing up, finding independence, realizing asking for help isn’t the end of the world, learning to let go, dealing with medical battles, and being true to yourself. I won’t say that it was predictable (read the acknowledgments!), but the anticipation throughout the story was a fun ride. 
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Everything/Nothing/Someone: A Memoir by Alice Carrière

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

5.0

I always question how to rate memoirs. Like, who am I to rate someone’s personal story? It seems others feel similarly.

The majority of Carrière’s life was incredibly hard to read. It certainly did not shy away from childhood neglect, self harm, addiction, paranoia, psychiatric malpractice, self indulgence, and so much more. 

This wasn’t a read most people I know would enjoy. I’m still digesting it. One of my book club friends said that writing this memoir seemed therapeutic for Carrière, but traumatic for readers. That I agree with. Definitely check the trigger warnings before reading.
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