Carrie Dils

It's possibly the worst book I've read. The characters were thin, the plot was unbelievable, the references to police procedures were wildly inaccurate, etc.

I hate giving a book 1 star because I know that writing and publishing a book is no small effort, but I just couldn't get past the awfulness of this one.

Read this from a recommendation from My Favorite Murder podcast and it was a well-written page-turner.

I'm including a trigger warning for sexual assault, infant death, general violence.

This would be a great beach book. Fun characters an delightful story-telling. I listened to the audiobook which I would HIGHLY recommend as narrator Katherine Kellgren did a fantastic job.

The author is quite cheeky, which makes for a funny read about a serious topic. There's SO MUCH historical content (and historical figures) discussed that it would be quite an undertaking to verify all of the reference material. Still, it certainly would provide a starting point to research individuals and eras.

What I primarily appreciate about the book is learning that straightwashing exists, that is, the explaining away, ignoring, or just plain revisionist history where queer women are involved. While that's sadly no surprise, it was an informative and eye-opening read. I'm not sure if it's to the full extent the author purports, but I wouldn't be surprised (and I'm sure for every story she told, there are many more that remain unknown).

The genre isn't necessarily my favorite, but the audiobook had an all-star cast that made listening to the book really enjoyable.

I was introduced to the author when she was a guest on We Can Do Hard Things podcast. I've very much enjoyed Enneagram study and the wisdom offered in this book furthered my understanding of myself and people I love.

I love Kate Winkler Dawson and appreciate her attention to detail in research and storytelling. This particular story didn't resonate.

Just sorta meh. Felt like 95% setup for the payout in the final 5%. I was expecting one final plot reveal that Nick was Mimi's father (after all, Nick would've been having his “birthday experience” at the club about the time of Mimi's mother's/caretaker's daughter's tenure at the club). Alas, no.

I love a good personality assessment! This book is a wonderful companion to the assessment – take the assessment first at motivationcode.com.

I think the real difference with Motivation Code and other assessments is that it's not highlighting how you're wired (emotionally, behaviorally, etc) so much as what drives you motivationally. It's left me with some great food for thought.

This sports memoir is part biography, part history, and part coming-of-age story. The writing is compelling and I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys football, appreciates a good underdog story, or wants to learn about the impact of team sports and coaching on players' lives.

Highly recommend the audio version so you can hear Stanely Tucci read it. His descriptions are delightful and his use of alliteration is often humorous. I might buy a physical copy of the book just for the recipes!

This was a delight to read! Be sure to check out the corresponding playlist on Spotify!

I'm a big Paul Holes fan and this didn't disappoint. If you've read Michelle McNamara's I'll Be Gone in the Dark or Billy Jensen's Chase Darkness With Me, you won't want to miss this book.

I've loved and listened to Jennifer Knapp since her Kansas album. I didn't know anything about her formative years, so enjoyed the biographical aspect of the book. I also appreciated her unique take on being part of the odd machine that is CCM.

I love Erik Larson, but I am tapped out on WWII drama. Life is too short to finish books I'm not enjoying.

As someone with an evangelical Protestant background, I related with Chase (main character) and his journey to rediscover who Christ is.

I'm a huge fan of MFM so picking up this book was a no-brainer. I opted to listen to the audio book (why wouldn't I want to listen to Georgia and Karen tell their own stories!).

I appreciate the honest vulnerability of these women, the way they champion taking care of your mental health, and that they shed light on (and give empathy to) victims of violent crime rather than spotlighting the terrible people that commit those crimes.

If you're an MFM fan, grab a copy.

#SSDGM

Kolker does an amazing job of weaving together this incredible family narrative with science/medical/psychology research. The organization of the book is fantastic. The story is tragic, but not without some element of redemption.

I'd never heard of E.O. Heinrich and very much enjoyed learning about him. The history gets a little dry at times but if you're a fan of criminal forensics, you'll enjoy the story.

Read like a biography. I wanted to hear the albums afterward.

I love Bill Bryson, but I just could not get into this.

I loved this. While it felt unbelievable at times (esp about 75% of the way through), I still enjoyed the storytelling. As a craft beer enthusiast and someone who's been involved in a local brewery business, I enjoyed reading a fictionalized tale that told the story of a start-up brewery (and the brewing process).

Michelle McNamara was a dogged researcher. I think anyone would be hard-pressed to say that her research, determination, and the fact that she even coined the name Golden State Killer didn't play a role in his eventual arrest. I'm sorry she didn't live to see it.

As an aside, I read Billy Jensen's book, Chase Darkness with Me, just prior to reading Michelle's. They were friends and he makes many mentions of Michelle and the GSK case in his book. If you enjoy this book, I'd highly recommend Jensen's.

Wow. I never read the sort of prequel, “Before We Were Yours,” and I still enjoyed this listen immensely. The stories are incredible and the passion of the author to unearth them was inspiring.

It's not fine literature but I love the characters and enjoy escaping into Stephanie Plum shenanigans.