Review: Jahre der Kämpfe 1902-1914

Jahre der Kämpfe 1902-1914 by Unknown Author
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

hated this. i read it because it was required for my 400 level art history class. super dry, repetitive, and honestly not worth the chase it took me to find a copy. sometimes class readings end up being interesting, but this one really wasn’t.

View all my reviews

Review: The House of My Mother: A Daughter's Quest for Freedom

The House of My Mother: A Daughter's Quest for Freedom by Shari Franke
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

this was well worth the wait. i first picked it up after seeing people on tiktok connect it to eight passengers and that whole world of complicated family stories. it is interesting… peeling back the surface and seeing what’s hidden underneath.

the writing is thoughtful and layered. at times it felt heavy, but in a way that made me pause and think, not in a way that dragged. it’s not a book you speed through, but one that you sit with. i appreciated how it balanced honesty with reflection, and it left me thinking about how children exploited on the internet will grow up. and what stories they will tell when they are 18. especially the ones who are a part of family vlog channels.

View all my reviews

Review: We'll Always Have Summer

We'll Always Have Summer by Jenny Han
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

*contains spoilers*

this book and the second book totally could’ve been combined. we didn’t need two separate books.

i liked the switching of perspectives… however it still would’ve worked with one book instead of two mini books.

the wedding plot kept me reading but was also so boring at the same time. i knew exactly what was going to happen. it was just a matter of when. belly shouldn’t have stayed with jeremiah after he cheated. i actually liked him for her until he ruined it. conrad should’ve talked about his feelings sooner, and steven finally came around as likable.

i’d love a spin off about taylor’s life next. maybe she can date steven and they can go on double dates with conrad and belly. is that crazy?

View all my reviews

Review: It's Not Summer Without You

It's Not Summer Without You by Jenny Han
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

2 stars. i liked the first book better, i think. it’s hard to say because by this point i was starting to dislike all of the characters. this book felt short, and honestly it fell short too. it didn’t carry the same charm or momentum as the first one, and left me feeling more frustrated than invested.

*spoilers start now*

i did like jere for belly in this book… well more than conrad. honestly i wish she would choose to date someone who isn’t her ex’s brother. belly is messy for that.

View all my reviews

Review: Notes d'un Peintre / Notes of a Painter

Notes d'un Peintre / Notes of a Painter by Henri Matisse
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

this was an interesting read but also kind of dense... which makes sense, because it was assigned to me in a 400 level art history course.

matisse writes that he is above all after “expression.” i took this to mean that he wants the message of his art to stand on its own, without relying on literary explanation. i really love the idea of art speaking for itself.

at one point he says, “the whole arrangement of my picture is expressive,”. by this i think he means that everything, figures, colors, forms, and empty spaces, is intentional. nothing is random, and every choice adds to the expression of the work. this was really neat to me, that he is creating his own visual narrative.

matisse also talks about the type of art he dreams of: one of “balance, purity, and serenity, devoid of troubling or depressing subject matter.” i connect with that as an artist, because the work i enjoy viewing is calm and relieving, rather than heaviness.

as an artist myself, i also relate to the way he describes struggling with his own work and constantly reworking things until they feel right. it felt honest and raw.

overall this essay was more thought-provoking than enjoyable. repetitive at times, but i’m glad i read it because it gave me a new understanding of my own art.

View all my reviews

Review: Rebel Rising

Rebel Rising by Rebel Wilson
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

we lost the plot here

*i want to be clear that when i rate a memoir, i’m not judging the author’s life, ONLY how the story is delivered*

parts of rebel rising by rebel wilson were very engaging. her childhood stories and some moments from her time in the industry were vivid and had the potential to strongly anchor the book. still, details felt inconsistent.

rebel often described her family as very poor, but later mentioned experiences like flying to disneyland or her grandmother owning a beach house. perhaps the wealth was more on her grandmother’s side, but the way it was presented came across as contradictory.

my main critique is that the book never fully found its through-line. many memoirs have an underlying story that ties the smaller anecdotes together, but this one felt scattered. it began in a way that suggested it might build toward her journey to motherhood, or even her rise to stardom. yet the ending only loosely circled back to that idea. as a result, the book felt unfinished and more like a brainstorming sheet. like it was aiming for a cohesive arc but never quite got there.

View all my reviews

Review: Fourth Wing

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

i actually couldn’t put this book down. fourth wing isn’t my usual kind of read. i tend to go for lighter stuff... but it completely pulled me in. some parts were pretty heavy, and i got genuinely sad when my favorite character (the only sane one, honestly) died. still, it was such an engaging story that i couldn’t stop turning pages. there’s some smut, but it’s totally skippable if that’s not your thing, and the plot is strong enough to stand on its own. overall i’d give it a 5/5. i’ll probably end up buying a copy for my future home library one day...

View all my reviews

Review: It Starts with Us

It Starts with Us by Colleen Hoover
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

one star out of five. a book that could’ve been an email.

i was really disappointed in this book because it ends with us was powerful. this, on the other hand, was flat, uninteresting, and plotless.

lily and atlas didn’t need a whole sequel. i feel like we got most of their love story in lily’s journal entries to ellen degeneres. this felt overdrawn and unnecessary. honestly, a single “future chapter” to conclude it ends with us would’ve been enough.

if this had been a coming-of-age story about josh and atlas from josh’s perspective, it could’ve been a solid 4 or 5 stars. better plot, fresh angle, and we’d still get glimpses of lily and atlas. instead, we got a story that had already been told… and told better the first time.

i also didn’t like the perspective change in the book at all. no man in real life yearns that much. cmon now.

i wanted to like the sequel but…

View all my reviews

Review: The House of Hidden Meanings

The House of Hidden Meanings by RuPaul
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

(2.5/5 rounded to 2/5)

the house of hidden meanings has a warm, homey feel that i genuinely enjoyed. rupaul’s narration in particular stood out. it’s comforting and almost like listening to a beloved elder reminisce about their life. i also appreciate that this isn’t a messy “tell-all” about the drag scene… it’s more reflective and personal.

that said, the book felt like it went on too long. i think it would have been stronger split into two volumes (part 1 and part 2) rather than one sprawling memoir. if you’re looking for behind-the-scenes drama, this isn’t it, but if you want a slower paced, meditative collection of stories, it’s outstanding.

for me, the pacing pulled it down to a 2/3 star read. with a tighter edit or split into two books, i could easily see it being a 4.

View all my reviews

Review: Counting the Cost

Counting the Cost by Jill Duggar
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

i wasn’t expecting to connect with this book at all, but parts of counting the cost hit home. jill’s honesty about complicated family dynamics and the role religion played in her life felt surprisingly relatable. i found her writing about those dynamics really interesting… jill explained blindly following, partially agreeing, questioning authority and beliefs, completely disagreeing and coming to her own conclusions, and finally standing up for herself.
it’s unexpected, raw, thoughtful, and gave a lot of insight into what she went through behind the scenes. this memoir is not a literary masterpiece by any means, but her transparency genuinely surprised me.

View all my reviews

Review: Only Say Good Things: Surviving Playboy and Finding Myself

Only Say Good Things: Surviving Playboy and Finding Myself by Crystal Hefner
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

i feel like i have nobody to talk to about this. crystal hefner’s story was so much more than i expected. it’s vulnerable, painful, honest, and empowering. she lays everything bare in a way that doesn’t feel performative. it’s like she’s finally taking her voice back after years of being quieted.

reading about what she went through behind all the glamour was heartbreaking. it’s more than just a tell-all about the playboy mansion. the pressure to be perfect, the surgeries, the control, the loneliness she went through really opened my eyes. what stuck with me most was how she found her way out and started figuring out who she really is.

100% recommend reading this… or listening to the audiobook. she reads it herself.

View all my reviews

Review: It Ends with Us

It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

to be honest i picked this up because i heard trisha paytas talking about the blake lively and justin baldoni drama on her podcast. i haven’t watched the movie, but i just don’t see blake as lily…. justin as ryle makes way more sense to me.
i usually go for light reads, so this one felt a little too heavy for my taste, but i can admit it was really well written. i hope readers take it the way colleen explains in her author’s note, but i also get how it could be twisted into something that normalizes abuse. i really hope instead it pushes people to break cycles and leave violent households.

View all my reviews

Review: The Fast Metabolism Diet: Eat More Food and Lose More Weight

The Fast Metabolism Diet: Eat More Food and Lose More Weight by Haylie Pomroy
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

it was an interesting read, not sure about it though… very informative.

View all my reviews

Review: The Good Girls

The Good Girls by Claire Eliza Bartlett
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

it was predictable, which i like. the story was more about the characters’ development than the investigation. like a teen drama with a hint of murder. overall a good, lighthearted read for me.

View all my reviews

Review: The Summer I Turned Pretty

The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

i liked this book— it had that easy, nostalgic summer vibe that’s fun to get lost in. i actually had to reread it before checking out book two because i forgot what happened, which kind of shows how light it was.

cam was a love interest for way too long, especially since it was pretty obvious the real story was about conrad and jeremiah. but i wish the story focused more on the family dynamic at the beach house with the moms and the kids. the love triangle was kind of exhausting at times— and it barely existed because of cam. still, i enjoyed the beach setting and coming of age vibe.
also, i think i’m team jeremiah? i don’t even know. the love triangle was frustrating.

View all my reviews

Review: Paris: The Memoir

Paris: The Memoir by Paris Hilton
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

i’m actually blown away.

i picked this up expecting glamour, gossip, and a little nostalgia—but this book delivered so much more. paris hilton writes with vulnerability, clarity, and depth as she pulls back the curtain on the ditzy blonde persona the world thought they knew. she’s nothing like that at all. this isn’t just a celebrity tell-all; it’s a raw, honest, and empowering story about trauma, reinvention, and reclaiming your narrative.

her experiences at the “boarding schools” were moving and enraging, and the way she confronts that past shows real strength. at the same time, she still gives us the sparkle and fun that only paris can: iconic pop culture moments, behind-the-scenes insights, and the evolution of her brand and identity.

whether you’re a longtime fan or just curious, this memoir is worth your time. paris proves she’s not just the original influencer—she’s a survivor, a genius businesswoman, and is a real person with an incredible story to share.

View all my reviews

Review: The Cheat Sheet

The Cheat Sheet by Sarah Adams
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

it’s a very “hallmarky” book, and also very unrealistic. but that’s what it was supposed to be. these types of books are supposed to be predictable. it’s good if you like that, but overall super lighthearted and silly. i don’t normally like the switch of perspectives in a book, not sure how to feel about it here.

View all my reviews

Review: The Woman in Me

The Woman in Me by Britney Spears
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

so good. reading the woman in me feels like sitting across from britney spears as she finally tells her story—her truth, on her terms. it was hard to learn about the deeply flawed system that failed her again and again.

her writing is simple but powerful. she doesn’t try to dress things up—she tells you what happened, how it felt, and what it cost her. this book is full of moments that made me angry, sad, and ultimately proud of her resilience.

definitely recommend this one to those who have followed her journey throughout the years.

and the thing about justin?? so crazy of him.

View all my reviews

Review: Love & Gelato

Love & Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

sweet, fun, and lighthearted. love & gelato was the perfect light beach read. some parts were predictable, but i loved the journal clues and, of course, all the gelato. made me crave gelato every time i would pick up the book.

View all my reviews

Review: Normal People

Normal People by Sally Rooney
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

eh i didn’t like this at first— i read it because it’s popular. the characters were frustrating, the punctuation bugged me, and the story felt slow. finally pushed myself to read further. the writing in this book is beautiful. i think that’s what kept me reading after i got used to the lack of quotation marks. too much sexual content for my taste, but i ended up really appreciating how the writing felt.

View all my reviews

Review: Love, Theoretically

Love, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

DNF

if i could give this book zero stars, i would. love, theoretically was an absolute disappointment. what started as a mildly cute, nerdy romance quickly devolved into one of the most gratuitously oversexualized stories i’ve ever read. the moment the characters admitted their feelings should’ve been the end. it had potential to be a short, sweet love story. but no. instead, the plot screeches to a halt and turns into pages and pages of painfully detailed, cringeworthy sex scenes.

personally i didn’t like/want/expect to read all that. i honestly felt sick trying to get through it. i ended up skipping entire chunks of the book just trying to avoid another graphic encounter, but they just kept coming. eventually i gave up entirely. i don’t know what audience this was meant for, but it sure wasn’t for me lol.

in my opinion, the author should’ve ended the book when the job didn’t pan out. period. everything after that felt like fanfic gone horribly wrong. if you’re into theoretical physics—or any science at all—and hoping for a lighthearted, stem-themed rom-com, look elsewhere. this isn’t it. and if you have even the slightest aversion to explicit content (like i do), steer clear. i wish someone had warned me or i would’ve read more reviews about this one before i nearly hurled on my kindle.

View all my reviews