My First One Star Read of the Year 😬 | Standouts, Disappointments, Reviews | Spring 2021

My break from monthly wrap ups and TBRs continues, but let's talk about some of the reading & writing I did in the second quarter of the year!

💄 My Makeup 💄

👋 People Mentioned 👋

📝 My Written Reviews Mentioned 📝

📚 Books Discussed 📚

What I use to record my videos:

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Outro music by ProleteR under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (aka Music Sharing) 3.0 International License.

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TikTok: @NonfictionNovember

[marianamasbooks]

I’ve been really enjoying your content this year! I think I prefer this format of reviews, recommendations and highlights! That way you talk about the books that you truly want to talk about! So, you know… You keep doing what works for you ❤️ It’s all about you enjoying what you create ❤️

[Addressa]

always appreciate your videos. your make-up is great! and don't stress about not making your usual wrap up videos! i think seasonally is just fine, especially with all the moves and videos you're making! you're crushing it! <3 happy reading :)

[thereadersarmchair]

I adored ‘Things in Jars’- a new favourite author for me. Took a few pages to get used to the prose style but totally fell for this book.

[deborajohnson]

I have Empire of Pain on my TBR. He wrote Say Nothing which we read for the Booktube Prize. I fell in love with his writing style. I am treated for chronic pain. The medication didn’t work well. I have an implanted morphine pump in my spinal cord and it changed my life! Things in Jars is my favorite fiction book so far this year! I hope it moves on in the Booktube Prize round. Thanks for the video!

[ashleybogner]

Patrick Radden Keefe's work in Say Nothing is absolutely amazing. One of the few books that I've read as an adult that I can say has changed my life. I'm on the waiting list at my library for Empire of Pain solely because I think the author will do an amazing job with the topic even though I'm not at all interested in that subject.

[clancyconnolly]

Say Nothing was a phenomenal work of nonfiction. I learned so much about the NRA in the 1970s, highly recommended! I have Empire of Pain on hold at my library and I can tell it will be an enraging yet enlightening book. I am excited to add some of these other new to me books to my TBR!

[carolquade]

I just love how you propose an enticing challenge (Our Team) and have found many of your recommendations spot on! And I appreciate your saving me the time and effort on your disappointments because I think I came across those titles as well. Oof---no time for bad reads! Thanks for this!

[jessabelle]

Things In Jars and The Liar's Dictionary sound really good 🙂
going onto my TBR now

[MsSusyque]

I have "Things In Jars" on my Libby shelf. I am excited to dive in!

[KristinKravesBooks]

I love that you recommend sports books, especially baseball ones. I find the behind the scenes of sport fascinating! Will definitely pick up Our Team. Thanks for recommending it!

[reneabrown]

Things in jars broke my heart in the end

[wavy]

I also read Things in Jars this spring which feels like quite the coincidence since it's a backlist title! I very much agree that it would make an excellent autumn read. I think I was a bit mislead by the summery looking cover. I loved living in the world of this book, and I was so invested in the characters that I just wanted the book to keep going. I still think very highly of it even though I personally have absolutely no idea what happened in the end, which is high praise from me!

I think I'm going to add The Narrowboat Summer to my list. I could use a relaxing read.

[AshtheViking]

Glad to hear you enjoyed Empire of Pain. That and Say Nothing were both 5 stars for me. Keefe is an incredible writer. I think Say Nothing is an especially great achievement because of how divisive and political the topic can be but I think he handled it brilliantly and with extreme nuance.

[TheBookBully]

Ok was genuinely terrified Empire of Pain was a letdown for you and I would've immediately gone into a month of mourning. I'm SO GLAD you loved it. I eagerly await your review of Say Nothing 🤗

[keself]

I come here for the reviews and my tbr just keeps growing. But I appreciate your makeup and thank you for listing what you are wearing. I may need to get Stone Cold Fox.

[ChaoticBibliophile]

This may be just me, but there’s no topic I wouldn’t want to read a great book about 😂 I am definitely not a sports person (except dancing) but your reviews have made me interested in many a nonfiction sports book!!

[emily_robinson]

I finished "Narrowboat Summer" a few days ago and agree with your review. I really appreciated your review of "Empire of Pain" which I haven't read, but felt I learned so much just from hearing you review it. I do find from your reviews or in anything you share on your channel, that I am challenged in my own views, and I appreciate that. Lastly, I've never thought I'd be interested in a sports book, but I do enjoy nonfiction, so I'll give "Our Team" a listen. Thank you!

[abbywonder]

I just added Empire of Pain to my list. My sister and I both suffer from chronic pain (hers is so much worse). I refuse to take meds for the fear of addiction.

[deborahmink]

Yes! You will like "Say Nothing". Also because you liked "Bad Blood" and "Empire of Pain", you should absolutely read "Pharma" by Gerald Posner. The Sackler family is profiled in depth, but there is also a deep dive into the whole industry. Right up Olive Alley.

[DDB]

Regarding sports books, I would recommend 'Summer of 49' and 'October 1964' by David Halberstam. I'm not into baseball, but they're great.