Gio'
Kill for Me, Kill for You – 4 Stars:
I'm a little torn on this one. It has stretches that are just silly, pushing the believability factor way down, even for a fiction thriller.
That said, it’s often very gripping. Some twists genuinely surprised me, and I really enjoyed getting pulled into the story—even if it was in a mindless and forgettable way.
The characters have just enough depth to hold the story together, but nothing more. Is this the definition of a guilty pleasure? Having fun with a book that’s not amazing and will probably fade from memory in a few weeks?
Either way, it was fun and never boring.
Never Split the Difference – 5 Stars:
What a great book. Over the years, I’ve read so many business and self-help books that I consider it a win even if a book gives me just one or two fresh insights or helps crystallize things I already know.
This one way over-delivered. It gave me empirical, usable techniques that I can actually apply in day-to-day life. I’m even thinking of creating a personal cheat sheet because I see this book as fundamental—I want to master the concepts.
The writing is tight, clear, and refreshingly free of filler. Best of all, it avoids the self-congratulatory, overly patriotic tone that often plagues books by former military or law enforcement folks.
The Universe in a Nutshell – 3 Stars:
I’m not sure what I expected from this book, but it didn’t really work for me. It’s mostly a science book, with very little of the science philosophy or history that made me love Brief Answers to the Big Questions.
Even on the science side, the rhythm felt off—the author moved too quickly for me to get truly engaged with the concepts.
An okay book, but nothing more than that for me.
A Master of Djinn – 4 Stars:
The story has a great setup, and the way it blends real historical references, old myths, and new imaginative elements makes for a lively and exciting world. The characters feel alive, and the story is fun, though not particularly original. I’d give 5 stars for the world-building, but the plot is a bit too familiar, and the book feels slightly too long—tighter editing would have made a difference.
As for the audiobook, it was problematic. The narrator is over-enthusiastic, with dramatic volume shifts—especially during accents or intense moments—that were ear-splitting. I had to constantly adjust the volume, which is a first for a professional audiobook. It's a shame because the narrator is pretty good at a normal volume, but the production quality is definitely below average.
A Time for Mercy – 5 Stars:
Happy, happy, happy. Before reading this, I thought Grisham was no longer a thing for me. It had been a few years since I was truly engrossed in one of his books.
Sure, the Camino series is fine—nothing to complain about—but its light silliness isn’t where Grisham shines. A Time for Mercy is a classic courtroom Grisham, executed with perfect pacing.
You can’t put it down, and it will completely derail your plans for the day. It’s probably not going to win any awards or break new ground, but it’s fun, well-written, and has fairly well-developed characters.
Last Night in Montreal – 5 Stars:
A very impressive debut novel. The author shows total control over the structure, handling multiple timelines, characters, and perspectives with real maturity. Even here, she’s already developed the distinctive tone that made her more famous later on.
The story is absorbing, the plot is tight, and the pacing is steady—it really takes you for a satisfying ride. The rise of this writer is clearly no accident. The talent is real, and the voice is genuinely different.
Galápagos – 3.5 Stars:
This is definitely a fun read, beautifully written by Vonnegut. There are some humorous moments, typical of his style, and the messages and reflections are fairly clear and easy to grasp.
It reminded me a bit of The Sirens of Titan in terms of scope and tone—light, enjoyable, but not much more than that. Vonnegut doesn’t always resonate with me, and while sometimes the connection is pure magic, this wasn’t one of those times.
Also, I’ve realized that this kind of light sci-fi—based mostly on speculation and humor without much science or world-building—has started to lose its appeal for me over the years.
Solaris – 4.5 Stars:
Reading this, I immediately noticed a lot of similarities to Sphere by Michael Crichton—and I’m clearly not the first to draw that comparison. The big difference is that Solaris is a vastly superior book on every level.
Lem masterfully blends plot, science, introspection, and internal monologue, resulting in a truly artistic take on science fiction. The book meanders in a few sections, which occasionally distracted me—hence the 4.5 instead of a full 5 stars, though that might be unfair.
On the “Definitive Edition”: I can’t read Polish and haven’t read earlier translations, but I found Bill Johnston’s prose exquisite—clear and easy to read. And Alessandro Juliani’s audiobook narration is among the best I’ve ever heard.
Underground – 5 Stars:
This is a massive undertaking from Murakami. I was very impressed to read about the background of the project—how it came together, why it mattered, and how it evolved over time.
Murakami brings together a wide range of perspectives, driven by curiosity and a deep social need to shed light on a terrible event. He’s at his most restrained here—professional, fair, and meticulous, inserting his thoughts in an open and non-sneaky way, never mixing opinion with fact, never playing politics.
One of the defining traits of Murakami’s work is his indifference to convention and expectation, and here he pushes that mindset to the limit, assembling a memorable, surprising, and thought-provoking book filled with wisdom and social awareness.
I’ve always found Murakami’s nonfiction deeply impressive. He has so many ideas and the bravery to explore them openly, even at the risk of being seen as a hyper-individualistic weirdo.
Keep up your weirdness, Murakami-san. The Nobel committee may not value it, but a lot of people around the world do.
Wonder Boys – Did Not Finish:
I’m short on time and patience for men in mid-life crisis acting badly. Real life—especially for people my age—is more interesting and complex, and I don’t need to spend hours being bored by a self-indulgent book.
It started off funny, but degraded quickly. I got to 20% and pulled the plug.
To Be Taught, If Fortunate – Did Not Finish:
I was very curious about this author, given the great following she has—but it turns out she’s not for me.
What others might call contemplative, I found simply boring. The writing is fine, and the world-building is fairly light, but the real issue is that nothing happens. The entire story feels like scaffolding for an almost uninterrupted stream of consciousness, which for me was thoroughly uninteresting.
Just when it seems like something might finally start to happen, the dreaded internal monologue kicks in again. I couldn’t get through it.
Deep Work – 4.5 Stars:
Overall, this is a great book that grounds essential concepts in a practical structure with suggestions you can adapt to your own routine.
Before reading it, I saw some reviews saying the book’s ideas are too extreme—I don’t think that’s true. High performance simply isn’t possible without something resembling “deep work.” People who think these concepts are too much either didn’t understand the book or aren’t the intended audience, and that’s fine.
A couple of criticisms: the author’s academic background makes it a bit abstract at times, which can make it harder to connect with if you're not in a similar profession. Also, the real-life examples feel somewhat forced, lacking the smooth narrative integration of, say, Gladwell’s writing.
Still, I feel this book will have a lasting influence on how I organize my life.
Essentialism – 5 Stars
The big caveat here is that I read this in 2025, even though it came out in 2011. A lot of the ideas have since gone mainstream and been repeated endlessly in books and podcasts. At first, I thought it would just be a helpful reminder—but I ended up finding several nuggets that were either new to me or phrased in a way that made me see things differently.
The book is well written and fairly concise, though it could’ve been shorter. The author also narrates the audiobook and does a great job.
I didn’t really disagree with anything in it. It goes well with The One Thing by Gary Keller. The interesting challenge now is figuring out how to blend essentialism with all the GTDing, pomodoring, and time-blocking that I rely on.
Yellowface – 3.5 Stars:
There’s a lot going on in this book, and it’s clear that a ton of research and attention to detail—especially in language—went into it. The smaller twists are plenty and original, but the overall arc is fairly predictable.
It’s like seeing bright patches of color up close, but when you step back, the canvas itself isn’t offering anything new. The pace is brisk, but the story loses steam in the last quarter, possibly from hesitancy in wrapping things up or the challenge of clarifying all the themes.
The writing style felt a bit juvenile for my taste, but the audiobook narration by Helen Laser was very good.
Looking Glass – 4 Stars:
The second installment of The Naturalist is definitely a solid and fun book. The story is interesting, the pace is good, and the techie stuff is always fun.
It’s not a 5-star read like the first book for a couple of reasons: the novelty has worn off a bit, and the ending doesn’t quite tie everything up to my taste.
That said, I still really like this author. The books are definitely commercial and come out quickly, but the content and thoughtfulness he puts into the story make for a great read for the nerdy crowd—myself included.
What the Dog Saw – 3.5 Stars:
This is a fairly disjointed collection of pieces. Maybe there’s a common theme, but it’s feeble, and the overall quality is definitely below what I expect from Gladwell.
The first part was excruciatingly uninteresting, but I pushed through and eventually found some good stuff in the later sections.
The usual criticism of Gladwell—handpicking evidence to prove his point—is less of a problem here, since the book lacks a big central thesis, instead offering small, loosely connected ones.
Not a terrible book, but maybe an unnecessary one.
The Red Pony – 5 Stars
I was a little undecided between 4.5 and 5 stars, but in the end, I can’t find any significant faults in this short and intense book.
My main question before starting was whether this was (in modern terms) a YA book. I’d say it’s accessible, with a strong coming-of-age theme, but Steinbeck packs in so much intensity and depth that it remains a powerful read for adults as well—and might even be too much for early teens.
The story delves into loss, responsibility, and complex family and extended family dynamics, all set against the incredible tapestry of the Monterey area in an important historical moment.
I enjoyed the book very much, though the sad moments hit hard.
You Like It Darker – 5 Stars
When you’ve been a Constant Reader as long as I have (35 years and counting), you start to worry that the gifts from the King might dry out. Every new short story collection is a treasure to be savored, and I’m thrilled to say that Stephen King is still amazing.
His brain still produces crazy stuff at an unfathomable speed, and his short fiction remains a joy to read (or listen to).
The quality of stories varies from good to great, with Danny Coughlin's Bad Dream being a true standout—a magnificent example of Noir “Stephen King Style”. The collection mixes longer novellas with classic short and dark King stories, like The Fifth Step, making for an incredible anthology from a writer still at the top of his game.
Thank you, Stevie.
The Elephant Vanishes – 5 Stars
Murakami’s writing in these stories is, as usual: free, unapologetic, unembarrassed, and politically incorrect.
The short story format fits his style perfectly, forcing the narratives to be sharp and focused, avoiding the hard-to-follow stretches that appear in some of his novels.
Some stories are downright fun, some are haunting, some evoke that nostalgic, dreamlike mood Murakami is known for, and some I didn’t understand—but enjoyed reading anyway.
Not every story is a 5-star masterpiece, but enough of them are to justify the overall rating.
The Housemaid – Did Not Finish
This didn't work at all for me.
The writing is very basic, the plot is risible, and it’s filled with unrealistic situations straight out of countless B-movies and books.
I’m sure this book works for a lot of people in some situations, but not for me. I won’t be giving this author another chance.
Crook Manifesto – Did Not Finish
Start of a bad streak with Colson Whitehead, unfortunately.
I 5-starred The Underground Railroad and The Nickel Boys, but I was deeply unsatisfied with Harlem Shuffle. I hoped Crook Manifesto would be better—especially since its ratings seemed slightly higher—but it turned out to be the same fast-paced, confused nothingness.
I just can't listen to hours of something that doesn’t interest me at all. I’m definitely waiting for better work from this author.
The Message – 5 Stars
Before starting a book by Ta-Nehisi Coates, you have to sleep well, breathe deeply, and tense your abs—because you’re about to get punched in the stomach repeatedly.
The structure feels a little unconventional, not perfectly cohesive, but that doesn’t stop the book from delivering "the message" powerfully in multiple ways.
What makes the bitter pill easier to swallow is Coates' masterful prose and precise, controlled tone—not angry, not hyperbolic, just right. He is an extremely technical writer with a lot to say, and he says it with precision and depth.
This book left me emotionally drained, and while I can’t read books like this every week, I’m glad I didn’t miss this one.
A minor note: Coates narrates the audiobook himself, and while he does a great job making it even more real, he speaks a bit faster than professional narrators—I had to slow down my usual listening speed.
The Night Swim – 5 Stars
Wow, this book is exceptionally good.
Goldin’s prose is beautiful, and she has a great command of pace and structure. The characters are well-developed, and the cast is just the right size—enough to paint a vivid picture without becoming overwhelming.
I even worried that the author might not be able to tie everything together in a satisfying way, but she absolutely did. The quality held strong to the very last paragraph.
I’m impressed.