emmreadsbooks's reviews
1143 reviews

Painted Devils by Margaret Owen

adventurous tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Oh she a trilogy? Me likey.

Margaret Owen delivers yet again with an epic YA fantasy that will confound and astonish. I had previously thought that these were standalone novels, just with the same characters and universe, but I was happily mistaken. Between Vanja accidentally creating a cult and being thrust on a quest for a 7 part macguffin, there's no shortage of action and adventure. I enjoyed the dialog on cycles of abuse, sacrifice, and family. At the beginning I was a bit confused, as things seemed to lose continuity from the first book, but it all made sense in the end. Ultimately a lovely chonk of a book that I'll be recommending for ages.

*Thank you to Henry Holt & Co Books for Young Readers and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review*

Drowning by T.J. Newman

adventurous challenging tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

Some days you need a fast-paced thriller that reminds you that at least you aren't on a crashed airplane sinking in the Pacific. It's the little things, right?

From the get go, everything goes wrong for Flight 1421. We get alternate PoVs from inside the plane and the rescue effort, as well as a few flashbacks to Will's life before. This book gave me LOST vibes mixed with The Martian, but somehow more suspenseful. Clocking in at 288 pages, it goes by so quickly. The narration is tense and snappy, but perfectly engaging at the same time.

*Thank you to Simon Audio for an ALC in exchange for my honest review*

The Celebrants by Steven Rowley

emotional funny hopeful reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Get your tissues ready and prepare your feels, because you're going to be all up in them. Told in alternating timelines, we watch a friend group come together again and again to host living funerals for each other. If that premise alone doesn't catch your attention, I don't know what to tell you.

This is as much a book about life as it is about death. Rooted in showing your loved ones what they truly mean to you before they're gone, this is a poignant novel that will leave you changed. I found myself highlighting quotes left and right and bracing myself for the end. While you know how the book will end, it's the journey to that ending that makes it all meaningful. And Steven Rowley makes it really damn meaningful.

*Thank you to G.P. Putnam's Sons and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review*

Famous for a Living by Melissa Ferguson

adventurous funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Sometimes you just need an easy breezy romcom to get you through a day of chores, and this was it for me. While definitely light on the rom and heavy on the com, I seriously enjoyed the book. Temper your expectations though - it should absolutely be marketed as a contemporary or women's fiction.

I listened to this on audio and it just FLEW by. The narration was stellar, with subtle changes in her voice for different characters. Watching Cat's fall from fame was fascinating, especially as she learns to change her spoiled ways. Having all of this set against the lush backdrop of Montana was delightful, especially considering the focus on national parks. As a content creator myself, the dialogue about putting your phone down and just enjoying your life as it is.... It hit me right in the feels. Some areas could've been fleshed out more - like seeing how Cat's antics were helping the park or her relationship with Zaiah - but it's overall just a super cute book.

*Thank you to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review and to Uplit Reads for a gifted copy*

The Night in Question by Liz Lawson, Kathleen Glasgow

mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Am I finally too old for YA mysteries? Because I predicted damn near everything about this book from the beginning. That being said, it was still an EXCELLENT plot and a very fun take on old Hollywood mysteries. A family full of enemies, a traumatic assault, and a timeline that just doesn't add up? I love to see it. We also get to see more of the AV club in this book and my favorites Raf and Spike. I was hoping to see a bit more character development with Alice in this book, but I think we finally got some by the end. If there isn't a third book in the pipeline, I'll be so sad because it was set up perfectly with the ending.

*Thank you to Delacorte Press and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review*

The Comeback by Lily Chu

lighthearted slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

I love me some Lily Chu, I really do. This one just didn't hit the mark though. It was so hard to empathize with Ari as she pushes everyone away and refuses to live her life. Jihoon was pretty hot though.

Overall the plot was pretty standard for a celebrity romance, just with a nice kpop spin. As proud ARMY, it was consistent with my expectations for rabid kpop fans. I just wish we'd gotten to focus more on her travel planning than all of the family and law firm drama.

*Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review*

Talk Flirty to Me by Livy Hart

funny lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

A hot firefighter, a mayoral candidate, and an audiobook narrator walk into a bar and sit on a stool. One stool, because they're all the same person!! It's a brother's best friend second chance romance for the ages, especially when you mix in their unique family dynamic. They intrinsically need each other to make ends meet - Piper needs a male lead for an audition and Sam needs Piper's mom to endorse his campaign. Add in the chaos of viral videos reemerging and recording steamy scenes with your ex, and it's a recipe for disaster of the best kind. The dual narration on the audiobook is fabulous as well! I'd recommend this to fans of Thank You for Listening and Cheaper by the Dozen.

The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo

emotional hopeful reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

There are just no words, this book is perfection.

Feels Like Home by Melissa Grace

emotional funny hopeful inspiring fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

The wait for Katie and Dallas was killer, but it was absolutely worth it. Between the invisible illness rep, the friends to lovers romance, and Emilia, this book truly feels like HOME. Asking for help can be so difficult, especially when you don't want to feel pitied for needing it. And Katie is stubbornnnnnn. She's contrasted so nicely with Dallas, he's sweet and doting to a fault. I also loved how we get a bit of a flashback to before the ending of book 3, just to get a glimpse of how it really went down. In typical Melissa Grace fashion, I was alternating between guffawing and tearing up as I raced through the pages. I absolutely cannot WAIT for Luca's book and I think we're finally getting it next!! (If we don't, I'll riot)

*Thank you to Melissa for an ARC in exchange for my honest review*

Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak

adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

As Gwen Stefani would say... B-A-N-A-N-A-S!! I didn't see ANY of the twists coming, I was too focused on the creepy ass drawings (which for the record were artfully drawn in both childlike and photorealistic styles). It toes the line between thriller and horror, but isn't *too* creepy for us scaredy cats. Jason Rekulak does an amazing job of painting Mallory as an unreliable narrator and making us truly question what could be causing all of this mayhem. I honestly wish I'd read it sooner!