Reviews In A Pinch

Full cast and audio experience

Revisado: 03-31-25

The only reason it isn’t 5 out of 5 is because there were quite a few parts where you couldn’t really hear what Andrew Garfield was saying because of the background noise.

Honestly one of the best versions of 1984 to listen to. I feel like if most high school students started with this, they may actually like the book before getting deep into adulthood and understanding it more.

It was definitely enjoyable and I would recommend it!

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

WTF

Revisado: 03-31-25

Cults are truly insane (didn’t mean to use part of the title, just the most apt word I could think to use. Reading a book like Cult Insanity makes me hope that Hell and/or karma are real.

I don’t think I’ll ever understand the mind of those who come out of cults and talk about all of the horrible and sometimes illegal things they’ve done; especially religious cults. Even Irene Spencer used a narrative device to make you feel like Joel and Verlan were good guys. Spoiler they weren’t. Did anyone else find it funny that evil is in Ervil’s name? Just me. Ah well, sometimes I do have an inappropriate sense of humor. Helps me cope with our ridiculous world.

Quick question at large: If “thou shalt not worship false idols” what the heck happens to those who are claiming to be the false idols? I wondered that for a good portion of the book and have a feeling that without deep diving into religion, I’ll never know. Also, odds are there’s a different answer depending on the religion you’re consulting. *Note I know there’s a whole thing in the Bible saying you’ll be punished basically down through family lineage. Do we think that’s why so many LeBarons died or can we hold them accountable to their own actions?

If you’re interested in cults, I would recommend Cult Insanity with a caveat. Don’t let it be your first cult book. Maybe start elsewhere.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Not what I expected

Revisado: 05-30-22

Tapio Saarelainen didn’t have to do anything to engage my interest in anything Finland related, but he did manage to write the most boring book I’ve ever read. He took probably the most iconic Finnish war hero and made it so tedious that I was struggling to make it through. I have no idea what new information his book uncovered either.
I recommend almost all Finnish books and authors, but I couldn’t recommend this one in good conscious.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Definitely worth a listen

Revisado: 08-29-19

Whether you agree with their picks or not, the reasoning behind their choices is solid. They’ve even convinced me to suck it up and give the Russians a shot.

I was a little surprised they didn’t include more gothic literature. Yes, technically Jane Eyre and Northanger Abbey count but most people think Frankenstein, Dracula and The Picture of Dorian Gray. I sincerely hope you do a part 2 for classics because I wouldn’t say I’m very well-versed (I’ve only read what was required in school plus Jane Eyre) in that genre so this was extremely helpful in deciding where to start.

I thought my opinion on classics was a fairly normal one outside of the literary world; just because we call it a classic doesn’t mean it’s any good. The Scarlet Letter ruined my view of classics in high school. This gave me a new perspective without shoving it down my throat.

I would highly recommend this episode if you’re on the fence, especially if you’re like me and think you’re not really a fan of classics.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 6 personas

Definitely worth a listen

Revisado: 08-29-19

Whether you agree with their picks or not, the reasoning behind their choices is solid. They’ve even convinced me to suck it up and give the Russians a shot.

I was a little surprised they didn’t include more gothic literature. Yes, technically Jane Eyre and Northanger Abbey count but most people think Frankenstein, Dracula and The Picture of Dorian Gray. I sincerely hope you do a part 2 for classics because I wouldn’t say I’m very well-versed (I’ve only read what was required in school plus Jane Eyre) in that genre so this was extremely helpful in deciding where to start.

I thought my opinion on classics was a fairly normal one outside of the literary world; just because we call it a classic doesn’t mean it’s any good. The Scarlet Letter ruined my view of classics in high school. This gave me a new perspective without shoving it down my throat.

I would highly recommend this episode if you’re on the fence, especially if you’re like me and think you’re not really a fan of classics.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Like reading it for the first time.

Revisado: 08-06-18

It's no surprise that I'm one of many who love the Harry Potter series. Unfortunately you can't go back and read something again for the first time and have those surprises. It's true you can get something new each time you reread a book, but it's not the same thing. Jim Dale's performance is the closest thing you'll get to reading HP for the first time again. He's incredible and I would highly recommend him/it.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

I will never get enough of Lauren Graham

Revisado: 12-12-16

Would you listen to Talking as Fast as I Can again? Why?

I would definitely listen again because Lauren Graham brings life to her own story. Anyone would read just the book without listening missed out.

What did you like best about this story?

Lauren Graham reading her own story and of course her Gilmore Girls anecdotes. I could've listened a lot longer.

Have you listened to any of Lauren Graham’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No, I haven't. I just bought Someday, Someday, Maybe since I enjoyed this so much and she reads that one too.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

There were quite a few moments where I laughed. I guess it depends on how you're defining moved. I thoroughly enjoyed it all.

Any additional comments?

If you're a fan of Gilmore Girls or Parenthood, you definitely don't want to miss out on this one and do yourself a favor by getting the audiobook.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

A stand out dystopian and I can't wait for more!

Revisado: 12-12-16

Full Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from an author assistant in exchange for an honest review.

My Thoughts: Post-apocalyptic dystopian novel with a twist I’ve never seen? Sign me the heck up. Listening to it as an audiobook during my audiobook obsession phase? This just keeps getting better! When you read a lot of dystopian books they start to have a similar sound and get to be a little bit boring. Then you come across a book like Raven Song and you smile while you read one of your favorite genres.

Raven Song had me with the description. I was definitely interested and most of the reviews I’d read were very positive, so there really wasn’t any hesitation about reading it. Part of me was still a little nervous since it’s a debut author book and you never know what you might get. I was anything but disappointed. Raven Song isn’t perfect, but I will definitely be buying the next book in the series when it comes out and I think I’ll be sticking with the audiobook version (the narrator was pretty darn awesome).

I felt true frustration with both main characters while reading Raven Song. They both had parts where they were just flat-out stupid. It was frustrating as a reader because if you have an ounce of common sense, you know it’s a bad decision. Yet both Anna and Jackson (the main characters) are supposed to be intelligent and they make some seriously stupid decisions. I couldn’t help but think of other books where the author needs the characters to make a specific decision in order to put them in a bigger situation with drama. As a reader, if it’s not done right you get annoyed with the lack of believability.

I loved the way the author fed you details in a way that keeps the reader in the dark with Jackson and Anna. I’m normally kind of a know-it-all, so at first I thought this way of story telling would get old fast. I was wrong. The story continues forward at a perfect pace because of this and it allows for more of a surprise element (which I absolutely LOVED).

Overall, I loved Raven Song! It wasn’t perfect, but it was so different from all of the other dystopian books I’ve read that it really didn’t matter to me. If you’re a fan of the dystopian/apocalypse genre, I would definitely recommend Raven Song.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña