Scan barcode
emmreadsbooks's reviews
1152 reviews
Per My Last Email by Juliana Smith
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? No
3.75
Oh hello there, you sweet slow burn friends to lovers romance. This is mutual pining from Pam & Jim shit - yes PLEASE. Do I wish that it was full on open door? Yeah. But I'll settle for no 3rd act breakup, so overall a good compromise. And even though we don't see much on page action, what we do get is still pretty steamy all things considered! I loved watching these two Star Wars nerds fumble around each other and how it sets up the rest of the series. I'm already dying for Adam's book, but am happy that Calla is next up.
*Thank you to Juliana Smith and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.*
*Thank you to Juliana Smith and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.*
Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Another day, another road trip audiobook... Full of easter eggs for the TJR universe, we follow Mick Riva's brood and the messy lives of LA celebrities. Everything converges at Nina Riva's annual party, for better or for worse. I enjoyed transitioning through time and PoVs between chapters, as it helped me get to know the characters better. The down side of this was that there were SO many character chapters - even just tertiary ones. But I loved seeing the Riva siblings grow up and grow closer over the years. Ultimately it'd be awesome to see Kit get her own book, but I doubt it'll happen. Great for fans of rich people behaving badly, 80's house party movies, and surfing.
*Thank you to PRH Audio for a gifted copy in exchange for my honest review*
*Thank you to PRH Audio for a gifted copy in exchange for my honest review*
The Kingmaker by Kennedy Ryan
adventurous
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
This is a slow burn romance between two unlikely lovers. The chemistry is palpable, even before she's of age. Then when they meet in Amsterdam, it's fireworks. I felt like most of the conflict was due to not communicating, even as this romance spans years. It made Lennix seem immature, but Maxim also becomes hugely entitled. The story just goes from one bang to another, with some fun politicking and conservation subplots in the middle.
How the real plot only starts 90% of the way into the book, I'll never understand. But I want to read the next one already, so... If it works, it works.
*Thank you to Bloom Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review*
How the real plot only starts 90% of the way into the book, I'll never understand. But I want to read the next one already, so... If it works, it works.
*Thank you to Bloom Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review*
The Sweet Spot by Amy Poeppel
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
For fans of Full House and Clare Pooley, this one's for you. It was the perfect road trip audiobook - having a full cast kept me engaged and switching PoVs every 3 chapters or so kept it fresh. Between a creative type struggling to meet orders, a scorned wife bent on revenge, and a millenial having a quarter life crisis after being fired, each part of this interconnected story is intriguing. The story itself wraps up so nicely, the characters are lovably human, and I just want to pet the pupper. If you need a break from all of the extremely tough reads out there, try this cozy one on for size.
*Thank you to Simon Audio for an ALC in exchange for my honest review*
*Thank you to Simon Audio for an ALC in exchange for my honest review*
This Is the Way the World Ends by Jen Wilde
mysterious
tense
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
2.0
I'm honestly sad that I didn't like this book. Gossip girl? Good. Apocalyptic thriller? Good. LGBTQIA+ and autism rep? Great! But somehow when it was all mixed together, things fell apart. I think part of it was that we spend the entire time trapped in a sewing factory, when all of the really interesting things are happening outside of it. It's possible that this was trying to set up a sequel in some form, but I can't be sure. I did like the female friendships throughout, though we maybe could've done with 1 less. The plot itself felt too fantastical for me to get really invested in it though.
*Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review*
*Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review*
Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I'd liken this to Funny You Should Ask, except with a lot more build up. Here we get a full on meet cute, epistolary romance, and adult conflict resolution. My HEART. Kristen Sieh has a phenomenal man voice and made me laugh so hard, some of my coworkers were concerned for my well-being. I loved the play on SNL, especially with the Pete Davidson parallels, but Sally and Noah were the big winners overall. I love a romance that builds, where the characters clearly communicate and have problems that a real human would have. The only downside is that it isn't *really* a romantic comedy? So the title's a bit deceiving.
*Thank you to PRH Audio for an ALC in exchange for my honest review*
*Thank you to PRH Audio for an ALC in exchange for my honest review*
A Flicker in the Dark by Stacy Willingham
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-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
MASTERFUL. Hoooooly cow! I'd heard people saying that All the Dangerous Things was better than Flicker, but I'm honestly unsure.
The plot was all over the place between the disassociating and random time skips, just sheer perfection on audio. It felt like you'd been daydreaming and then snapped back to the present. I thought I had the twist down for sure, and then she got me TWICE! Stacy Willingham is officially one of my favorite domestic thriller authors now. Between the chaotic plot and the highly suspicious characters, it'll keep you guessing throughout. Dare I say unputdownable??
Also the fireflies on the cover? SO GOOD. I love it when a cover subtly references a theme from the book.
The plot was all over the place between the disassociating and random time skips, just sheer perfection on audio. It felt like you'd been daydreaming and then snapped back to the present. I thought I had the twist down for sure, and then she got me TWICE! Stacy Willingham is officially one of my favorite domestic thriller authors now. Between the chaotic plot and the highly suspicious characters, it'll keep you guessing throughout. Dare I say unputdownable??
Also the fireflies on the cover? SO GOOD. I love it when a cover subtly references a theme from the book.
Every Rule Worth Breaking by Amanda Chaperon
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Am I officially in my hockey romance era? Because I am INTO it. I'm so excited to go into her backlist to read Brent and Mitch's stories, but I'm even more hyped for the books to come in the Pregame series. I have a sneaking suspicion that Jack, Luke, and Asher will be the male leads in future books and I can't wait to see how their romances unfold. Aiden and Kenzie have instant chemistry, but their preconceived notions about the other definitely cause some chaos at first. That and an unfortunate dare... (I would PAY to see the video of it, for the record)
What I loved most about this story was how they grow into their relationship. There was a lot of will they or won't they, but I feel like that's the general trend of college romances. And even when there were miscommunications, we got to see them resolved on screen like 2 real humans would. It doesn't just naturally fall into place, but they don't necessarily hold a grudge either. Also it's H O T HOT HOT steamy - indoor, outdoor, public spaces, you name it. Basically if you want some steam, some realistic characters, and the feel of a Midwest university in the fall, check this one out.
*Thank you to Victory Editing and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review*
What I loved most about this story was how they grow into their relationship. There was a lot of will they or won't they, but I feel like that's the general trend of college romances. And even when there were miscommunications, we got to see them resolved on screen like 2 real humans would. It doesn't just naturally fall into place, but they don't necessarily hold a grudge either. Also it's H O T HOT HOT steamy - indoor, outdoor, public spaces, you name it. Basically if you want some steam, some realistic characters, and the feel of a Midwest university in the fall, check this one out.
*Thank you to Victory Editing and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review*
In the Lives of Puppets by TJ Klune
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
So pure, so funny, and just so touching. This is like a mix of Pinocchio and The Brave Little Toaster, with a bit of The Wizard of Oz tossed in. I was a bit intimidated with a 15 hour audiobook, but it just flew by! Rambo had me laughing the whole time, easily my favorite character. We get this intricate society of machines, juxtaposed with their hidden family, and all of this adventure and chaos. It absolutely punched me in the feels though, so be ready with tissues for the ending.
Also we NEED to talk about what a phenomenal job Daniel Henning does. Each of the robots and characters had such distinctive voices and really brought character to the story. I tried switching back to the ebook so I could finish it faster, but it felt incomplete without him!
*Thank you to Tor and NetGalley for an ARC and Macmillan Audio for an ALC in exchange for my honest review*
Also we NEED to talk about what a phenomenal job Daniel Henning does. Each of the robots and characters had such distinctive voices and really brought character to the story. I tried switching back to the ebook so I could finish it faster, but it felt incomplete without him!
*Thank you to Tor and NetGalley for an ARC and Macmillan Audio for an ALC in exchange for my honest review*
Trapper Road by Carrie Ryan, Rachel Caine
This series is so close to my heart, as it's what really got me back into reading. The book itself is bittersweet, being the last book that Rachel Caine worked on, but I think Carrie Ryan did a good job of carrying on the torch. Small town thrillers are a true guilty pleasure of mine, especially now that I live in the south. It was truly delectable and SO hard to put down. We get so many PoVs which really helped enhance the tension. So many plates are spinning and each character is in crisis. By splitting up the Proctor clan, everything feels deadlier. I did think that some of the twists were a little rushed, but the ending left me wanting the next book.
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This series is so close to my heart, as it's what really got me back into reading. The book itself is bittersweet, being the last book that Rachel Caine worked on, but I think Carrie Ryan did a good job of carrying on the torch. Small town thrillers are a true guilty pleasure of mine, especially now that I live in the south. It was truly delectable and SO hard to put down. We get so many PoVs which really helped enhance the tension. So many plates are spinning and each character is in crisis. By splitting up the Proctor clan, everything feels deadlier. I did think that some of the twists were a little rushed, but the ending left me wanting the next book.