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snowbenton's reviews
3354 reviews
What We Don't Talk about When We Talk about Fat by Aubrey Gordon
4.0
Part memoir and part longform essay on systemic and cultural issues with fatness, Gordon shares stories from her own and other fat people's lives to underline the issues we are facing as a society that continues to grow fatter seemingly in lockstep with discrimination against fat people. This is a deeply sad book.
Learning about the biases that fat people face on a daily basis, from insane airline regulations to doctor's disbelief of any issues that aren't related to weight (not to mention the basic indecency of the average rude human) is genuinely, truly horrifying.
Everyone should read this book to confront their own internal biases, and start to pay more attention and make change where we can.
Learning about the biases that fat people face on a daily basis, from insane airline regulations to doctor's disbelief of any issues that aren't related to weight (not to mention the basic indecency of the average rude human) is genuinely, truly horrifying.
Everyone should read this book to confront their own internal biases, and start to pay more attention and make change where we can.
The Pigeon Summer by Lee Mandelo
3.0
There was only maybe a ghost, but there was quite a lot of grief.
The Bell in the Fog by Lev AC Rosen
3.0
I liked the mystery a lot more in this one because I love getting revelations about someone's haunted past. Rosen does a great job immersing you in the time period, but I want more depth from the characters. I was surprised that the house and its varied cast didn't come in to play here; I like Elsie and Gene and Lee a lot, but I missed the others. It's a very unique series and I'll definitely keep reading.
Tibetan Peach Pie: A True Account of an Imaginative Life by Tom Robbins
Did not finish book. Stopped at 14%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 14%.
Self-important boomer tells boring stories about his "back in my day" life.
Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder
4.0
I remember reading these books as a kid, but I don't remember if I liked them or if I just read them because I owned them.
It's a really interesting view into what life was like for American settlers who wanted to move west and settle where no one else is nearby. Even though it's written from a child's viewpoint, it's surprisingly self-aware and honest, and surprisingly readable. If nothing else, this book will definitely make you grateful for your life! I couldn't imagine just picking some land and having to build everything up from scratch by yourself. I'm barely functioning in Stardew Valley.
It's a really interesting view into what life was like for American settlers who wanted to move west and settle where no one else is nearby. Even though it's written from a child's viewpoint, it's surprisingly self-aware and honest, and surprisingly readable. If nothing else, this book will definitely make you grateful for your life! I couldn't imagine just picking some land and having to build everything up from scratch by yourself. I'm barely functioning in Stardew Valley.
Rich AF: The Winning Money Mindset That Will Change Your Life by Vivian Tu
4.0
Tu doesn't give any groundbreaking advice, but her delivery is excellent. She doesn't shame, she rails against the kind of financial advisors who say skipping avocado toast will make a difference in your financial situation, and while the advice she gives isn't surprising, it is genuinely good advice.
Antimatter Blues by Edward Ashton
3.0
Not as funny as the first, and I felt like Nasha was just yelling the whole book and Mickey was the voice of reason, which didn't work for me after how much I liked their relationship in the first book. It was a fun read with lots of good tension and surprises and I liked the ending.
Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer
1.0
The writing is pretty terrible. Maehrer has tried so hard to make Evie cute and relatable that she just appears idiotic and obnoxious. (In one scene, she insists she isn't clumsy, and then in a slightly later scene, she says that if there is an obstacle in her way, she will find a way to run into it. There's a lot of dumb writing like that.)
I was excited to read this because who doesn't love a villain with a heart of gold? But I think I just wanted this to be another <i>Hench</i> and this is no <i>Hench</i>. The villain is an actual villain here: pretty early on he complains to Evie that she is being too demanding of him when he already stopped killing interns. She also says multiple times that he has an evil heart. Even setting aside the big things, he regularly calls her "little tornado" which she thinks is cute until she tells him that, and he says it was never a compliment. He is also constantly yelling at her for saying "sorry" even though he makes her call him sir. I can put up with a lot of shitty storytelling if there is a good romance, but their relationship isn't even in the same time zone as romance.
Honestly don't even waste your time with this and just go read <i>Hench</i>.
I was excited to read this because who doesn't love a villain with a heart of gold? But I think I just wanted this to be another <i>Hench</i> and this is no <i>Hench</i>. The villain is an actual villain here: pretty early on he complains to Evie that she is being too demanding of him when he already stopped killing interns. She also says multiple times that he has an evil heart. Even setting aside the big things, he regularly calls her "little tornado" which she thinks is cute until she tells him that, and he says it was never a compliment. He is also constantly yelling at her for saying "sorry" even though he makes her call him sir. I can put up with a lot of shitty storytelling if there is a good romance, but their relationship isn't even in the same time zone as romance.
Honestly don't even waste your time with this and just go read <i>Hench</i>.