emilyrosebooks's reviews
595 reviews

Life of Pi by Yann Martel

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring medium-paced

5.0

This feels like the modern day Old Man and the Sea (although different themes!) but far more readable. I'm inclined to believe the animal story, over the vicious alternative tale explained at the end. I think that this story will go down for generations as one of the greatest ever told. 

Lost and Wanted by Nell Freudenberger
Did not finish book. Stopped at 0%.

Ugh I just wanted this to be so much better. I got nearly 3/4 through the book and I still wasn't into it. DNF

The Female Persuasion by Meg Wolitzer

emotional sad medium-paced

2.5

I did not enjoy this book, the characters are flawed in a way that makes them irritating, and the point of view changes and time hops make it flow terribly. This is a book of feminine rage, which I understand, but do not find profound or moving in any way in this book. 

Practical Demonkeeping by Christopher Moore

funny lighthearted medium-paced

3.5

This is a very funny little comedy about a handsome young man (now 100 years old) and his unwanted companion, a people-eating, invisible demon from hell, and their journey to Pine Cove that brings in a bunch of characters and is quite entertaining. 

Mom & Me & Mom by Maya Angelou

emotional inspiring sad fast-paced

5.0

I have to give this 5 stars because I just love Maya Angelou and I feel like this part of her autobiography gives so much insight on the relationship with her mother in her adult life and it is absolutely heartwarming. After "I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings" it is hard to appreciate Vivian Baxter as a mother, because she wasn't a good one. But I loved seeing her parent Maya as an adult, and it brought so much light to the importance of a mother's love in your young adult and even older adulthood. As a mother myself, of a small toddler, it is powerful to see the impact I can have on my daughter throughout her life, if I do a good job loving her. 

Funny Story by Emily Henry

emotional hopeful medium-paced

5.0

Emily Henry does it again, with adult characters, with real lives, lots of baggage and something that feels like it could be real. I love when the supporting characters have depth to them as well, and there was not one single "ick" for me in this romance. Certainly, we get what we hope for in the end, and there aren't really surprises, but I still love Daphne and Miles and all of their flaws. 

Song of Susannah by Stephen King

adventurous challenging dark tense medium-paced

4.5

One of the best of the Dark Tower series, Susannah takes the spotlight and her character development is so big it really takes over. The ka-tet is separated and spread out among worlds, but through this, we discover many of the connections that hold this series together. It does leave you on a cliff hanger, of course, but it is all queued up for the finale in the next book. 

An American Marriage by Tayari Jones

emotional fast-paced

4.0

This is such a heartbreaking story about a newlywed couple whose marriage is challenged by the false accusation, and subsequent conviction, of the husband, Roy, a fictionalized story about a very real statistic of black men being targeted and wrongly convicted in America.  The story evolves and shows that no one is left unscathed by this, although arguably Roy, spending his prime in prison, has it the worst. But who is at fault when things fall apart when everyone is innocent? What is Celestial, the wife left behind, to do with HER prime? Wait for more than a decade for a marriage that was in its infancy? I also loved the depiction of Big Roy and Roy's mother's marriage. A contrast to that of the crumbling marriage at the center of the story, it shows what true devotion and life partners means. 

Whisper Network by Chandler Baker

mysterious tense medium-paced

3.75

A novel about the realities of being a woman, a woman with a career, and motherhood. It is about female friendships, trust, support, betrayal. It is about speaking up, because when we whisper, it is only protecting those who harm us.  This was a great tribute to the lives of women with a little mystery to tie it together. 

The Poison Tree by Erin Kelly

dark mysterious slow-paced

3.0

If you are looking for a really suspenseful and thrilling book, this is not it. This IS however a great psychological family drama that really makes you squirm at times. Biba is the WORST kind of villain, because she seems so innocent, and Karen is as unlikely as they come. Definitely enjoyable, but not a high tension thriller at all.