emswantree's reviews
1289 reviews

Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons

funny inspiring lighthearted relaxing fast-paced

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

5.0

Iona Iverson's Rules for Commuting by Clare Pooley

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective medium-paced

4.0

The Last Remains by Elly Griffiths

5.0

This feels like the right ending but I am sad to say goodbye to these characters. 

The Favorites by Layne Fargo

challenging emotional reflective tense medium-paced

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

3.5

This book gets stars just for the creative Wuthering Heights retelling. That part was so well done. I listened to this book on audible and with the cast it made the book really enjoyable. I think I would have liked it less if I had read it.  
I loved the context of the book and the whole ice dancing focus.  Cutting Edge anyone? And the book had good pacing overall. 
I felt like there was a point where the book was repetitive and lost some momentum.  That said it was a solid 3.5 stars for me and just really enjoyable. 

A Killing Cold by Kate Alice Marshall

dark mysterious fast-paced

3.5

PS: I Hate You by Lauren Connolly

funny lighthearted sad medium-paced

2.5

This storyline is a good idea. But it becomes extremely repetitive - Maddie got her feelings hurt years ago everyone just in case you missed it.  And then the book goes completely off the rails in the second half.  Smut can be fun and great in books but this goes so far out of character really quickly and I just didn’t get it.  
And then the book just become extremely predictable and kind of boring 🤷🏻‍♀️

Code Name Hélène by Ariel Lawhon

adventurous emotional hopeful informative tense slow-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Genocide, Violence, and War

The Butcher by Jennifer Hillier

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

4.0

This book was a quick read and really a fun thriller.  Now yes, there was a lot of coincidence that was a stretch but honestly I enjoyed it enough to overlook it. 

College Girl, Missing: The True Story of How a Young Woman Disappeared in Plain Sight by Shawn Cohen

2.0

This book was pretty poorly written and gave no new information. That said it is an incredibly sad story and do wish her parents could have find out what happened so they could have some peace. 

The Cold Crematorium: Reporting from the Land of Auschwitz by József Debreczeni

5.0

I think what this memoir does well is really look at what happens to us when we are imprisoned and starving and constantly tortured.  It also explains a lot of the inner workings of the psychology behind how the camps worked from the SS to the prisoners who were forced to be in charge. It is harrowing and bleak.