Five star review, originally posted here on December 21, 2020 during a mass-review of pandemic audiobooks. [DISCLAIMER: I’m catching up on months worth of Audiobook reviews, so writing this quickly and belatedly.] I only discovered Amy Greene earlier this year, and she’s already a favorite author. The story, characters, and landscape all came to life. The audiobook … More Goodreads Review: Bloodroot by Amy Greene

Two star review, originally posted here on December 21, 2020 during a mass-review of pandemic audiobooks. [DISCLAIMER: I’m catching up on months worth of Audiobook reviews, so writing this quickly and belatedly.] I didn’t really enjoy this book, which is a shame because there’s a lot of potential there. It might have helped to have read it … More Goodreads Review: Mozart in the Jungle: Sex, Drugs, and Classical Music by Blair Tindall

Five star review, originally posted here on December 21, 2020 during a mass-review of pandemic audiobooks. [DISCLAIMER: I’m catching up on months worth of Audiobook reviews, so writing this quickly and belatedly.] This book was great, as all the awards and high ratings indicate. Westover’s stories are absolutely crazy, and she is a very talented and intelligent … More Goodreads Review: Educated by Tara Westover

Three star review, originally posted here on December 21, 2020 during a mass-review of pandemic audiobooks. [DISCLAIMER: I’m catching up on months worth of Audiobook reviews, so writing this quickly and belatedly.] This book has pros and cons. Pro: despite being B-list, Campbell is still a damn talented dude, and so his reading of this … More Goodreads Review: If Chins Could Kill: Confessions of a B Movie Actor by Bruce Campbell

Four star review, originally posted here on December 21, 2020 during a mass-review of pandemic audiobooks. [DISCLAIMER: I’m catching up on months worth of Audiobook reviews, so writing this quickly and belatedly.] I made a terrible mistake. I should NOT have attempted this as an audiobook. I figured “this is going to be a very … More Goodreads Review: Black Reconstruction in America 1860 – 1880 by W.E.B. DuBois

3 star review, originally posted here on August 31, 2020. I didn’t really understand the premise of the book before I started reading, but it became clear pretty quick: this is basically Jim Crow X-Files. It’s pretty clear that the author had TV in mind. In each chapter our characters embark on a new adventure … More Goodreads Review: Lovecraft Country by Matt Ruff

Four star review, originally posted here on August 20, 2020. I first discovered Geraldine Brooks last year when I picked up Year of Wonders and was BLOWN AWAY. I got completely sucked in, moreso than I have with any other novel in a really long time, and wanted to give it 5 stars so badly. … More Goodreads Review: Caleb’s Crossing by Geraldine Brooks

Originally posted here on July 29, 2020. I’m teetering between 3 and 4 stars here. In the end I’ve decided to round up to 4 because: 1. This worked really well as an audiobook2. The subject matter was interesting and important First off, Ronan Farrow narrates his own audiobook, which worked out great. There’s a … More Goodreads Review: Catch and Kill: Lies, Spies, and a Conspiracy to Protect Predators by Ronan Farrow

Two star review, originally posted here on July 19, 2020. I’ll start by emphasizing that I consumed this one as an audiobook, which may have been a poor choice. It could easily be that, had I been reading text, I may have liked this book more. That being said… I’m surprised at my own poor … More Goodreads Review: Full Body Burden: Growing Up in the Nuclear Shadow of Rocky Flats by Kristen Iversen

Two star review, originally posted here on April 18, 2020. Just not my jam. The immediate storyline is boring, and the creepy dystopian twist isn’t much of a twist (you could guess it in the first chapter) and isn’t interesting enough to warrant a novel-length build-up. It’s well written, and the lightly-drizzled clues along the … More Goodreads Review: Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro