Kristen Barenthaler
Bio
Curious adventurer. Crazed reader. Librarian. Archery instructor. True crime addict.
Instagram: @kristenbarenthaler
Facebook: @kbarenthaler
Stories (338)
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“Not in My Book” by Katie Holt (5 stars)
I’ll be honest from the beginning here, I read this one because two of my favorite authors had given it glowing reviews. Lana Ferguson said that, “Not in My Book is a fun twist on enemies to lovers with unique perspectives and a fresh voice. With a swoony hero and a headstrong heroine set to the bustling background of NYC - this is romcom perfection” and Alicia Thompson said, “This is an author who understands the power of a happily-ever-after!”. So I really had no choice but to read it. Here’s what I think:
By Kristen Barenthaler11 months ago in Geeks
“Small Space, Big Living: Interior Design to Make Every Inch Count” by Sofie Hepworth (3 stars)
*I received an e-book copy of this book from Edelweiss Plus in exchange for review.* “Sofie Hepworth is an award-winning digital content creator, interior stylist and product designer. She shares her incredible renovation projects on her colourful Instagram page @threeboysandapinkbath, including her most recent one – a tiny 450-square-foot ‘Sheila Shed’ she designed and built for her family of four! She has been featured in the Sunday Times Home supplement and has worked with brands including B&Q, American Express, Sofa.com, Velux, eBay and West Elm.” (Three Boys and a Pink Bath).
By Kristen Barenthaler11 months ago in Geeks
“Kawaii Cafe Ramen: Classic, Fun, and Delicious Ramen Meals to Make at Home” by Amy Kimoto-Kahn (4 stars)
*I received an e-book copy of this book from Edelweiss Plus in exchange for review.* Okay, I’ll start off with the truth: I’ve never had ramen before! I know: shameful! So here’s what I read online that made me want to try this cookbook: “Kawaii Café Ramen covers everything you need to know, including how to put together a bowl of piping hot ramen in a myriad of ways with a choice of four soup bases, ramen noodles (homemade or store-bought), and traditional and non-traditional ingredients. Enjoy bowls of pork, chicken, and beef ramen, or branch out with seafood, vegetarian, and spicy soups - and even cold ramen and a breakfast version topped with bacon and a poached egg. Make your soup base in advance and you have a quick, easy, and special midweek family meal” (Amazon.com). Sounds amazing, right?
By Kristen Barenthaler11 months ago in Geeks
“How to Rate a Cat: Rate Any Feline Friend from Their Boopable Nose to Their Sweet Toe Beans” by Matthew McGlasson (5 stars)
*I received an e-book copy of this book from Edelweiss Plus in exchange for review.* I really only downloaded this book because I immediately went ‘CAT’ in my brain! I’m one of those crazy cat people and it’s best you know that now before reading any further. We’ll only go further down the rabbit-hole. I have two cats currently, named Boots and Pia who are my everything, even though to them I am often simply a way to get more food or a clean litter box. Which I realize is completely normal after reading this, so I don’t feel so bad about it now…
By Kristen Barenthaler11 months ago in Geeks
“The Cat Operator’s Manual: Getting the Most from Your New Cuddle Unit” by Queen Olivia III (4 stars)
*I received an e-book copy of this book from Edelweiss Plus in exchange for review.* I really only downloaded this book because I immediately went ‘CAT’ in my brain! It’s a problem that I’m working on…okay, not really. I’m one of those crazy cat people and it’s best you know that now before reading any further. We’ll only go further down the rabbit-hole. I have two cuddle companions currently, named Boots and Pia who are my everything, even though to them I am often simply a way to get more food or a clean litter box. Which I realize is completely normal after reading this, so I don’t feel so bad about it now…
By Kristen Barenthaler11 months ago in Geeks
“Chasing Headlines” by J. Rose Black (2 stars)
*I received an e-book copy of this book from Hidden Gems Books in exchange for review.* Amazon markets Chasing Headlines as “A steamy, new adult, enemies to lovers comedy series” (Amazon.com), but it wasn’t steamy (they had dreams about each other, but hadn’t even agreed to date by the end of the book). New adult just means that it can’t be too steamy because it’s being marketed for a younger audience and as for comedy, I didn’t laugh once. The only thing being correctly marketed is that it’s an enemies-to-lovers (who aren’t yet actually lovers) romance. I felt disappointed in what I had built this book into based on that marketing, but it barely met the minimum I would’ve expected for this tagline.
By Kristen Barenthaler11 months ago in Geeks
“Homicide: The Graphic Novel, Part One” by Philippe Squarzoni (4 stars)
Here’s how we got here: I run a True Crime Book Club, so I’m always looking for new and interesting ways to represent the subject matter. We’ve read interpretations, watched documentaries, and researched the typical true crime literature. Someone on a message board suggested this graphic novel (which is broken into two parts, but we’ll get to that later). Intriguing that I’d never heard of a graphic novel rendition of a true crime book. Apparently there are a few and I’m looking forward to giving a few of them a try with the club in the future. I figured I’d give this one a try since it came so highly recommended. So I ordered a copy from my public library and away I went.
By Kristen Barenthaler11 months ago in BookClub
“Lay Them to Rest: On the Road with the Cold Case Investigators Who Identify the Nameless” by Laurah Norton (5 stars)
I have to start off by saying that Laurah Norton is my new superhero! She is a “Writer and former academic with 15 years in the fields of literary fiction, creative nonfiction, and archival and primary research.Practiced podcast showrunner and host with experience in serial and single-episode formats. Work includes creation, writing, research, and hosting of podcasts One Strange Thing and The Fall Line” (Laurah Norton). She has collaborated on many of these projects with top-ranking scientists, artists, and forensic anthropologists.
By Kristen Barenthaler11 months ago in BookClub
“Cross the Line” by Simone Soltani (4 stars)
I’d never read a formula one romance before, but when I saw this on Audible, I thought “what the heck” and I’m so glad I did! Who knew racing was such a sexy sport? Friends-to-lovers is also an automatic win in my book (pun intended), so I knew immediately that I was going to adore the hidden romantic shenanigans of Willow and Dev. I now have quite a few racing romances being suggested on my feed and I wasn’t aware it was such a big part of the sports romance genre.
By Kristen Barenthaler11 months ago in Geeks
“Temple of Swoon” by Jo Segura (5 stars)
To be fair, I’ve loved both of Jo Segura’s books so far, so I’m a tiny bit biased in saying that this was a five star read. However, it’s a great romance read that is quick and easy for any fans looking for a romantic rendezvous in the Amazon rainforest. Might seem a bit niche maybe, but it’s also completely perfect for a lazy afternoon read. If you’re a fan of enemies-to-lovers, hidden agendas, third act plot twists, or even just enjoy some searing sexual tension, this is the book for you.
By Kristen Barenthaler11 months ago in Geeks
"The Road to Jonestown" by Jeff Guinn. Content Warning.
In the 1950s, a young Indianapolis minister named Jim Jones preached a curious blend of the gospel and Marxism. His congregation was racially integrated, and he was a much-lauded leader in the contemporary civil rights movement. Eventually, Jones moved his church, Peoples Temple, to northern California. He became involved in electoral politics, and soon was a prominent Bay Area leader. In this riveting narrative, Jeff Guinn examines Jones's life, from his extramarital affairs, drug use, and fraudulent faith healing to the fraught decision to move almost a thousand of his followers to a settlement in the jungles of Guyana in South America. Guinn provides stunning new details of the events leading to the fatal day in November, 1978 when more than nine hundred people died--including almost three hundred infants and children--after being ordered to swallow a cyanide-laced drink. Guinn examined thousands of pages of FBI files on the case, including material released during the course of his research. He traveled to Jones's Indiana hometown, where he spoke to people never previously interviewed, and uncovered fresh information from Jonestown survivors. He even visited the Jonestown site with the same pilot who flew there the day that Congressman Leo Ryan was murdered on Jones's orders. The Road to Jonestown is the definitive book about Jim Jones and the events that led to the tragedy at Jonestown.
By Kristen Barenthalerabout a year ago in BookClub
