emilyrosebooks's reviews
595 reviews

Tower of Dawn by Sarah J. Maas

emotional hopeful slow-paced

5.0

I am giving this 5 stars IN CONJUNCTION with Empire of Storms. The pace would be slow I think if you read it on its own, and it might actually get boring. But here is my review from EOS below since I really have to review them together to give it 5 stars. 

I did read this in tandem with Tower of Dawn, so this review sort of covers both. 
First of all, if you are wondering if you should try the tandem read, I think you really have to! The two books happen simultaneously in time, but follow different sets of characters. However, if you read the entirety of Empire of Storms before starting Tower of Dawn, I think you will hate Tower of Dawn. Empire of Storms is very action packed, many twists and turns. The development of a huge host of characters and ends on a mightly cliffhanger/call to action in the war. Tower of Dawn takes a while to ramp up in my opinion, and is much lighter on the action, so if you read it after I think you would get bored to tears until the last couple hundred pages. 

So in short, DEFINITELY do the tandem read, it almost feels like SJM wrote it together then divided the chapters to make 2 books that is how well it goes together. 

Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas

adventurous emotional tense medium-paced

5.0

I did read this in tandem with Tower of Dawn, so this review sort of covers both. 
First of all, if you are wondering if you should try the tandem read, I think you really have to! The two books happen simultaneously in time, but follow different sets of characters. However, if you read the entirety of Empire of Storms before starting Tower of Dawn, I think you will hate Tower of Dawn. Empire of Storms is very action packed, many twists and turns. The development of a huge host of characters and ends on a mightly cliffhanger/call to action in the war. Tower of Dawn takes a while to ramp up in my opinion, and is much lighter on the action, so if you read it after I think you would get bored to tears until the last couple hundred pages. 

So in short, DEFINITELY do the tandem read, it almost feels like SJM wrote it together then divided the chapters to make 2 books that is how well it goes together. 

The Waste Lands by Stephen King

adventurous dark mysterious tense

4.0

This book in the Dark Tower series is absolutely unhinged. I love the telling of Roland slowly going insane, and it really brings a new element of weird the way the worlds connect and the group as a ka-tet. I LOVE Oy. However I do not think this is the best book of the whole series. A diabolical pink monorail train who loves riddles like the troll under a bridge? Odd. But I cannot imagine having read this when it first came out, with it ending on a massive cliff hanger and having to wait for the next one to come out? Wild. 

The Earth and The Flame by R.D. Baker, R.D. Baker, Rihannon Baker

adventurous tense slow-paced

2.5

Ehhhhh this one lost me. I can no longer get past the constant "baby" and "my love" in all the weirdest times. It gives me the ick and I overlooked it in the first because I was intrigued by the story. This one though, while it is developing the story more, I just don't feel like the world building makes sense, and the plot twists just don't do it for me. Tal is the best character hands down, but even he starts to irritate me when Konstantine comes along, because same soul but reborn into a new man is bothering me. 

Anyway, I can absolutely see someone getting really hooked on this story, and it does end with a cliff hanger - but it is not one that makes me want to go on, unfortunately.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape

A Woman of No Importance: The Untold Story of the American Spy Who Helped Win World War II by Sonia Purnell

adventurous challenging emotional informative inspiring tense medium-paced

4.5

This book was phenomenal. Virginia Hall, an unsung hero of WWII was the ultimate underdog - a woman, AND an amputee, she was passed over so many times for all sorts of positions. When one person finally saw her potential and recruited her into the OSS (Office of Strategic Services) she finally had her chance. With that chance she proved her worth 10x over by becoming arguably the best secret agent there was, organizing and executing guerilla warfare that ultimately led to freeing many parts of France. Virginia sacrificed so much spending years behind enemy lines, giving up her vitality by living in ultimate stress and using uppers (as was custom) to stay alert all the time. She wanted no recognition besides acknowledging her worth in order to give her more tasks. A fiercely independent and strong willed, opinionated, and extremely competant woman, I think we could all use a little Virginia as inspiration. 

The Soulmate Equation by Christina Lauren

emotional hopeful fast-paced

• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

I loved this!! Very fast paced, but a slow burn romance which is important. I loved the science aspect of whether or not genetics could determine your soulmate!! River's grumpy introverted science type is so loveable in the end. Jess is such a realistic and relatable character - single mom in her 30s, intelligent and competent at her job, which I love, but not insecure in her worth. Her only insecurity that shows through really is wondering whether she is being a good mom, which I know is the sure fire sign of a good mom. I couldn't put this one down and I love a good happy ending!! 

Christmasland by Anne-Marie Meyer

hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

4.0

If you love Hallmark movies, you will love this book! It is simultaneously poking fun at the cliche's of hallmark movies, while also playing into them. I literally read this in one sitting, it would make an excellent Christmas Eve read! 

Holly by Stephen King

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

If you enjoyed the Bill Hodges trilogy, then you probably love the character Holly. I love that she has carried on, and developed into quite the private investigator in her own right. Holly is the perfect character to coincide with a COVID world, and I think it is done beautifully. Very gross murders though, cannibalism is never pretty, but it was a great read!! 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Cannibalism

The Regulators by Stephen King
Did not finish book. Stopped at 47%.

I just couldn’t get into this, too many characters, very confusing to follow the chain of events and locations. It gave me vibes like The Tommyknockers, which I also did not love, although I finished it. So I DNF’d because there are so many books and so little time!

The Drawing of the Three by Stephen King

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes

5.0

This second book of the Dark Tower series is the one that really hooks you in in my opinion. Introducing Eddie Dean, the somehow heroic heroin addict turned gunslinger, and Odetta Holmes/Detta Walker the schizophrenic wealthy, black, double-amputee, that is a whirlwind of a character all on her own. The drawing of the three draws together the trio that will move forward on their quest for the tower and it is very engaging!