emmirosereads's reviews
401 reviews

Defend the Dawn by Brigid Kemmerer

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

5.0

This book was a little slow for me in the beginning but I loved it! The tension between all the characters was so fun to read and it's been awhile since I've been shocked by a plot twist. I love seeing the relationship between Tessa and Corrick develope and the banter between Corrick and the captain was incredible. I'm also so happy to read more about Harristan and get his POV this book. I'm so excited to read the third and final book and see what happens! 
Lesbian Billionaire by Kitty Jones

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 12%.
Way too insta lovey right off the bat. Characters felt like there were no distinction between the two. 
Stupid Cupid by Maeve Black

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

3.75

This was a fun and enjoyable novella! Nothing show-stopping or spectacular but I enjoyed the story and the characters. The spice was well done! I think my biggest gripe with this was the pacing and the time frame it took place in. Everything felt very rushed and quick and some things didn't entirely make sense but also I can't complain too much with this being a novella under 200 pages. I would have probably loved this so much more if it was a full novel. I enjoyed the first book but I enjoyed this one more and would love to read more from Val and Pyro's perspective. I think I was also annoyed by the miscommunication trope, as I always am, but also didn't take away too much of my enjoyment. 
Dear Monster Claus by Maeve Black

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

3.5

This was exactly as I expected it to be, A ridiculous and fun little smutty romance. Sure some parts were a little cringy, and it took place over a week so was a little insta lovey but I'm not complaining. I think the spice was well written, I enjoyed the characters, and the little bit of world-building we got was interesting to read about! It definitely was no literary artwork but it was very fun and enjoyable, even in March. 
The Hurricane Wars by Thea Guanzon

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 20%.
I just mostly lost interest in reading. Very info dumpy and hard to get into. 
Outdrawn by Deanna Grey

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emotional lighthearted medium-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

Loved this book so much! So perfectly and beautifully written and executed. The main characters were realistic, relatable and lovable. The relationship was realistic and progressed at a great pace. It never felt rushed or insta lovey but at the same time didn't feel too painstakingly slow. The little bit of spice was written fantastically. One of my new favorite romances for sure! 
Defy the Night by Brigid Kemmerer

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

5.0

I have enjoyed every book I've read by Brigid Kemmerer yet I was still surprised by how much I enjoyed this one! It felt very classic YA but not in a negative way. It was familiar and felt nostalgic while being fresh and still taking me by surprise. 

Seeing the author's improvements from her first fantasy series was amazing. There was a lot more worldbuilding in this and I loved seeing that. I also adored our characters and seeing their relationships throughout the book. While Tessa got on my nerves ever so slightly, she grew on me throughout the book and I loved seeing her relationship with Corrick and how that developed. I also adored seeing the sibling relationship between Corrick and his brother. It made me very emotional. I was not expecting to tab and annotate this book but I ended up doing so and it was a lovely experience. 

I can't believe I didn't think about the ties and similarities to Robin Hood until the author mentioned it in her acknowledgments. I've always loved those themes and I loved seeing how they were done in this story. The concept that not everything is so black and white and the moral greyness of people's actions and the characters throughout this whole book. 

I think my only real complaint with this book was that the ending felt a little flat and anticlimactic but also I'm not gonna put too much weight on that since it's the first of a trilogy. 
As I mentioned before I loved this and cannot wait to read the rest of the series and see where it goes! 
Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer

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adventurous funny lighthearted medium-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? Yes

4.0

I genuinely had so much more fun with this book than I thought I would. I had preordered this and got it when it originally came out but was putting it off because I kept hearing negative reviews but picked it up for a buddy read. I can totally understand why someone wouldn't love this book. It was a little hard for me to get into at first. I was having fun but the funny rom-com feel of this fantasy was throwing me off a bit, but honestly, as the book kept going I was enjoying it more and more.

I ended up really liking our main characters and seeing the development of their relationship and the development of them individually. Especially Evie. It was very slow-burn but honestly, I was vibing with that. I've read too many books recently where it's very insta-love or goes from 0-100 real quick.

I didn't see the ending coming really at all or the big reveal. I think some things didn't entirely line up or make sense but overall I think it was well done. It's been a while since I was taken by surprise by the ending of a book. I also realized a big chunk into this book that the vibes reminded me of Galavant the tv show. Not necessarily the plot line but just both of these give off the same energy. Like if this was to be a movie or a TV show I would not be shocked if it was turned into a musical. Both are completely ridiculous but deep down were really good and had substance underneath. 

Overall really enjoyed this and had fun and really excited to read the sequel!
Hell Bent by Leigh Bardugo

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 12%.
Not bad necessarily. Just the first book was a lot and I'm not exactly in the mood for this. Not sure if it's something I'll jump back into. 
The Tea Dragon Tapestry by K. O'Neill

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adventurous emotional hopeful lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

This was definitely my favorite installment of this series. It was so lovely to see the characters from the first book again in a bit of an older version of themselves. This was heartwarming, precious and so, so sweet. I once again want nothing more than a little tea dragon of my own. I loved the underlying messages of found family and being happy with where you are in life, even if it's not what you wanted or what you originally thought it was going to be like. Also, the art in this series is once again so stunning.