In the world of outdoorsy mysteries, I think this did pretty well. Listened to it after we attended a William Kent Krueger author event. I liked him aIn the world of outdoorsy mysteries, I think this did pretty well. Listened to it after we attended a William Kent Krueger author event. I liked him and thought: ok I'll read one of his books.
We enjoyed listening to the book on a few scenic drives. Same narrator as the Joe Pickett series, so that's a familiar vibe....more
I liked the main character tremendously and appreciated her experience. I also appreciated what the horrible-what's-his-fac More about the author here.
I liked the main character tremendously and appreciated her experience. I also appreciated what the horrible-what's-his-face had to say when it came to societal expectations and control. But I also really struggled with the cruel things that were said to her throughout the book. Oof... I wanted the sister from Atypical to come in and start throwing punches for Keiko.
There were some involuntary out-loud reactions as I listened - I am glad no one was in earshot.
I enjoyed it until about halfway through, then it started to work my nerves a bit.
AND then it really struck a nerve. One character's inability to put I enjoyed it until about halfway through, then it started to work my nerves a bit.
AND then it really struck a nerve. One character's inability to put basic pieces together is stunningly inept and it is painful to listen to. I struggled to finish it off after that point. ...more
Listened to about 1/3 of this during a road trip last weekend. I need a guidebook to keep up with the names of people and it was rambling and convolutListened to about 1/3 of this during a road trip last weekend. I need a guidebook to keep up with the names of people and it was rambling and convoluted.
I love "dirt on the CIA" books, but this felt more like Hollywood dirt and I found myself not caring much. Maybe I'll come back to it, but why......more
Good audiobook narrator (wasn't sure at first, but changed my mind).
The first part of the book was fun - the curse was funny as heck and I was gettin Good audiobook narrator (wasn't sure at first, but changed my mind).
The first part of the book was fun - the curse was funny as heck and I was getting vibes of Practical Magic. I liked the characters and comedy of errors/all hell is breaking loose direction...
The second half of the book lost me. To be fair, I was half distracted and in a mood when listening to it, so that didn't help. I think had I read it in print on a weekend somewhere, I'd have zipped through it - rather than get in the car, listen 10-20 minutes, realize I lost track...rewind... get back out of the car, repeat...
I think some books are better listened to in different settings: doing the chores, taking a walk, painting, gardening... driving is a tough one if it's the afternoon commute vs. a cross country interstate trip....more
My takeaways: -PCT is dangerous. -It's hard to find people who go missing there. -I do not want my loved ones to waste their lives away looking for my reMy takeaways: -PCT is dangerous. -It's hard to find people who go missing there. -I do not want my loved ones to waste their lives away looking for my remains if I go missing in the wilderness. I'm totally on board with Lankford's perspective: take some time to get it out of your system, but after that point (a year, in her case), move on. I think the most heartbreaking thing to read was one person saying: I can't take any trips, I might get that call.
Caveat: if there's a strong suspicion I was murdered. In which case, still, don't waste your life - but maybe use some of my estate to hire someone else to spend their time looking.
This also made something click for me: people will insert themselves into a situation or assume knowledge they don't have in order to feel a sense of importance or belonging. It's something I've known, but it took this to make it click. We all want to have the answers and solve the problem, but this is something to be aware of whenever asking for help with a need... some people may genuinely want to help, but not all are qualified to help. ...more
Adorkable. We enjoyed it. Great audiobook narrator.
The other reviews are going to totally wreck it for me - but it was typical rom-com fare, so I am jAdorkable. We enjoyed it. Great audiobook narrator.
The other reviews are going to totally wreck it for me - but it was typical rom-com fare, so I am judging this lightly in the "cheesy poof" category. There are some more emotional moments, and Scott and I differed on our take on the "thanksgiving dinner debacle." Why did anyone let it go that far? Oh yeah, for the drama of the scene and finale there. But, that was unnecessary. But, again, typical rom-com fare, so...eh.
DNF - I got 3 hours in and stopped, realizing it was just stressing me out. I think it is worth learning about it, it's just that I am not sure I needDNF - I got 3 hours in and stopped, realizing it was just stressing me out. I think it is worth learning about it, it's just that I am not sure I need to know any more about this subject than I already do.
Years ago pain doctors dosed my ex-husband up to several high potency Oxy pills per day and then, when it became national news people were dying, his doctors were switched out. The new doctors tried to cut his dosage back quickly and abruptly - an experience that was devastating for him. It took years of bi-weekly negotiation with pain specialists, health insurance and pharmacies (the attitude from many was judgmental and discriminatory) to get gradually tapered down and finally off of it. This was not before the drug did permanent damage to his body; and, while he was on the medication, he was numbed to taste, touch, and smell. At the time, I knew the situation was not good, but did not realize how bad it was. I knew he didn't want to be on it, I knew he hated it, I knew it made the pain even worse than what it was before he started and he was trying to get off it. I learned to recognize the symptoms of withdrawal and learned that he voluntarily put himself through it trying to taper down. I eventually came to understand his situation was life threatening.
It was a couple years after our marriage ended that I learned about Purdue and the Sacklers, and looking back over that time period and understanding better what happened to him brings up such an intense anger that does me zero good in the present day. Knowing what I know now, and putting those pieces together, I am tremendously proud of him. He is the only one who will ever understand how truly hard that journey was, and he did an amazing job advocating for himself to get appropriate treatment and help to get safely off a drug that he was over-prescribed (and then penalized and shamed for his dependency on).
So, is it probably worth the read, but I think for me it's better to touch on a summary and focus on something else that doesn't make me angry....more
Delightful. I thoroughly adored the main character and the story and the setting and I loved that she had real accounts to back up her research.
It haDelightful. I thoroughly adored the main character and the story and the setting and I loved that she had real accounts to back up her research.
It had a couple stressful moments. Good book for those of us who mistakenly shunned our femininity growing up because we absorbed messages that it was “weak.”
A sidenote: There’s an overdose scene that jumped out at me because I wished there was one small disclaimer for the sake of education. Narcan blocks the effects of opioids temporarily, but it is not an antidote and does not speed metabolization (If the drug lasts 3-4 hours at full strength and Narcan lasts 1, you will still be in big trouble when it wears off). It is meant to give time to get to a hospital where the person can be medically supported for both the overdose and the life threatening side effects of withdrawal if needed. I did not learn about this until after it would have been useful information to know, so I mention it here. That scene landed a little different for me because of it (with dark humor…)....more
I had no idea who Jennette McCurdy is until a friend read her book. I'm hoping she will write more as time goes on.
It was not an easy book to listen I had no idea who Jennette McCurdy is until a friend read her book. I'm hoping she will write more as time goes on.
It was not an easy book to listen to, but I really enjoyed her narrative style and the blunt honesty. The situation is obvious pretty quick, but she doesn't hold anyone's hand and explain it - she lets them draw their own conclusions as adult bystanders watching it all go down. Horrified.
This made me react to it - I'd be listening and make an exclamation, or laugh, or comment back. Anytime a book gets me reacting out loud and interacting with the content, I feel it's worth 5 stars.
I liked it - I'd listen to the series on road trips and have no problem following it along. It got a bit weird around the mystery portion, but I like I liked it - I'd listen to the series on road trips and have no problem following it along. It got a bit weird around the mystery portion, but I like the characters and setting....more
I liked it - we listened on a road trip and I enjoyed it from the start, and I like the main character more than Joe Pickett and Longmire. His humor rI liked it - we listened on a road trip and I enjoyed it from the start, and I like the main character more than Joe Pickett and Longmire. His humor resonates a bit more for me. Love the investigator, Estelle Reyes-Guzman. ...more
I enjoyed it. I didn't set super high expectations on what this had to be, so I didn't have much to be disappointed about in the lack of in-depth coveI enjoyed it. I didn't set super high expectations on what this had to be, so I didn't have much to be disappointed about in the lack of in-depth coverage of the journey. It is surprising how well he did for how ill prepared he was.
I appreciate that he wrestles with questions about his faith and has that conversation, though I don't know that there's any clear answer by the end (but, should there be?) - it seems like he does a good sum up of his beliefs in his memoir of traveling with his mom.
I'm not sure I felt like I walked away with a clear understanding of his own conclusions on living a life with no regret, but again, I did enjoy the adventure and the story. I particularly appreciated the story of Pizarro and Atahuallpa and the conquest of the Incan empire - interestingly, it overlapped with a segment of Tad William's Otherland in which a VR world is created in which the Incans were not overwhelmed by the Spaniards... Annnnd watching a youtube channel where the vlogger is traveling through this area of the world currently as well. It is weird how things suddenly converge and overlap in my reading/watching.
I understand the instagram was pretty good, so I'll go check that out and see if I can catch up on the visuals of his trip....more
I enjoyed listening to this in audio, which the author narrates, himself.
Many pieces of his perspective resonated with me - particularly his views onI enjoyed listening to this in audio, which the author narrates, himself.
Many pieces of his perspective resonated with me - particularly his views on spirituality vs. the church/religion and Christianity. I really appreciated his insight and enjoyed him as a writer, overall.
Slightly spoilery: I felt heartache over the disconnect and his struggle for acceptance with his mother, but it was heartwarming, also, how much they clearly love each other. I was impressed she agreed to let him portray her so intimately in the book, and impressed how tolerant he was of their differences, even when those differences hurt him deeply (and, to be fair to his mother from her viewpoint, hurt her as well). I ended the book hoping for a better resolution, but I also saw it as: this is how things usually are. Maybe a bit pragmatist, but it's better to understand and accept that than to cling to hope for something different and chase the wrong thing.
It was interesting that each of his parents have hurt and disappointed him in some way, but come through powerfully in another. I suppose it balances out - again, imperfectly.
I'm looking forward to reading more of his writing....more
Horror is not usually my genre, but this caught me on the right day in the right moment and it was wortListened in Audio - the narrator was fantastic.
Horror is not usually my genre, but this caught me on the right day in the right moment and it was worth the wait. I absolutely loved the premise of the "monster" in this.
Gruesome is not particularly "horror" to me, it's just splattery ick. I'm not a jump scare gal, either. But psychological horror is another thing and this does deliver a few good hits. I liked that my perspective as an outsider looking in was used to build the horror in a couple scenes - the reader understands the implications while the character does not.
I loved the peppering of humor - dry, dark, droll.
The animal scenes. I mentioned I'd spoiler it, so that's below if needed.
(view spoiler)[ Elk are hunted - we know that, since the horror is built off an elk hunting incident. The hunting scene is a massacre. One elk does not die a clean death and her suffering is drawn out and graphic.
A dog is nearly strangled to death, then is killed later. The owner's discovery of the nearly dead dog is tough. The dog's death is also gruesome, but by the time we're hearing about it, it's over and the dog is no longer suffering.
Other dogs get killed, but they're not quite as graphically depicted or haunting as the near-death experience. (hide spoiler)]
There were, as usual, some laugh out loud funny moments, but the humor doesn't always resonate with me. For me, it's best in a random blog post now anThere were, as usual, some laugh out loud funny moments, but the humor doesn't always resonate with me. For me, it's best in a random blog post now and again vs. all packed in to one place (maybe too much of a good thing)... but I did love the compilation of awkward moments and some got me to randomly laugh out loud in public places and in traffic, which is not my usual.
And I absolutely loved x1000 her letter to her health insurance. The moments where she talks about mental health treatments and the absolute shitshow it is trying to get them (and keep them!) are validating and sanity saving. The TMS information was really interesting, as well.
I skipped the entire chapter of inventions - just was not my vibe.
The rest I enjoyed. I did notice my ADHD and anxiety symptoms had an uptick while listening - so if you're an easily influenced sheep like me, well, you were warned.
I really really really want another Jenny Lawson coloring book for Christmas. ...more
Well narrated in audio. Sparked a side quest researching blue people… Some pieces near the end were not my cuppa tea, but I enjoyed the author’s note Well narrated in audio. Sparked a side quest researching blue people… Some pieces near the end were not my cuppa tea, but I enjoyed the author’s note and appreciated her research. ...more
Criminology and profiling are fascinating to me. When I finished, I had to find a follow up book with a completely different tone so that I wouldn't f Criminology and profiling are fascinating to me. When I finished, I had to find a follow up book with a completely different tone so that I wouldn't fall down a rabbit hole and disturb everyone around me with information they really don't want to learn!
I did initially watch the TV series Mind Hunter before reading this. I think all said and done, they did a pretty good job with it and portraying the key points in Douglas's journey.
And, on a sidenote... this guy, who literally changed the entire game in tracking and apprehending serial killers, got a chastisement AND a recognition at work in nearly the same breath. Happens everywhere, even to people who are bringing this much effectiveness to the table!
Most key points I'd reflect on are in the quote section. One in particular was (regarding a rapist): “What’s going through his mind is not sex – it’s anger and rage . . . Castration wouldn’t stop an angry man. It only makes him angrier." I felt so fricking validated after years of pointless headache inducing lectures and arguments. So for that one line alone, I am so glad I read the book.
This is very pointedly written to a young female audience.
While she acknowledges issues of access and race, she still has some powerfully tone deaf moThis is very pointedly written to a young female audience.
While she acknowledges issues of access and race, she still has some powerfully tone deaf moments that often come attached to a "pull up your bootstraps" sort of message. There's chunks of sarcastic fake whiny toned nonsense that make it hard to listen to.
The best parts in the book? When she talks about accidentally chopping off her fingertip and a bad date with a guy wearing all his debt on his body. She is a good, funny storyteller when she's actually telling a story.
Unfortunately I can't recommend the book to the people who would actually appreciate the contents because they are (heaven forbid) "white dudes" (they do not fare well in this book) AND it is so pointedly aimed to "girlies" instead of a broader audience. It doesn't seem like good business sense to narrow your audience down so much. Will have to try the other Rich As F#ck book....more
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