emma_rreads's Reviews (183)

I think, at this point Lisa Jewell is my new found author of the year! Having read The Family Upstairs, Remains and now None of This is True this year, all of which have just made me want to dive deeper into her back catalogue.

I absolutely loved this book, Lisa Jewell has an intangible way of grabbing me early on, throwing me bite size portions of intrigue that leave me starving for me. And this one really delivered - a book I was desperate to get to the end of, yet equally trying to eek out reading the end because then my time with it would be over. Twisted, dark and addictive….whatever I choose to read next is going to have quite the shoes to fill! 

What a gorgeous read! A story of friendship and community, and as a bookseller I could very easily identify with the customers and conversations Jo had in the stationery shop she was managing on behalf of her ailing uncle. Had me in tears of joy by the end and that is a very rare feat. Glorious!

I really enjoyed The List. Exploring the dark side of social media it tracks the implosion of events for golden couple Michael and Ola when Michael is named on a list of abusers. Told from both Ola and Michael’s point of view it feels authentic even if at times you want to scream at them both as they make continually poor decisions (or even no decisions at all!)
Ideal for book clubs, The List offers an abundance of relevant and thought provoking themes to discuss.

This is the kind of book I pick up when I’m looking to fall into a story. And I really fell for this story. 

With a dual timeline spanning WWII and the mid 1960s, The Hidden Years follows Imogen, a war time nurse and Belle, a university student experiencing first love. 
I really enjoyed The Hidden Years and will not hesitate to pick up another book from Rachel Hore.

Mae works in ‘black bag’ PR keeping the seedier side of Hollywood hidden as she ensures stories get buried. Until her boss is murdered and she investigates, becoming embroiled in a situation which leaves a trail of murders in its path. A tense, entertaining read which exposes a not at all unbelievable seedy underbelly to Tinseltown.

This book has been the binge listen that has seen my kitchen be the cleanest it’s probably ever been!

A beautifully written novella, it focuses on four characters, Kate and her son, their neighbour and a mountain rescue team member.

Set during the Covid lockdown, it’s a reminder (if we needed it!) just how high emotions were running. The loneliness, the helplessness, the feeling of being out of control of your own life and not being able to do the simple every day things that we took for granted.

It’s a tense read, often emotional and it also made me feel anger. With everything that has come to
light since, just how ridiculous some ‘rules’ were and just how damaging it was to so many people.

Fabulous insights into the characters and wonderfully written. I think after a few hours of hearing Sarah Moss’ words in my head, I’d  read her shopping list at this point. Eagerly looking into my next read from her!

An enjoyable read that’s more about motherhood, womanhood and friendship than I first thought.  

Initially I thought they’d dropped a clanger revealing the ‘secret wife’ element however knowing this up front meant I focused much more on other elements of Elle and Jen’s journey and it wasn’t all wiped away with a huge twist.

His Secret Wife did cause me some issues in terms of belief at times, especially with how trusting both women were. However I did enjoy  and I was happy to suspend belief and receive that warming book hug you get from an emotional read that’s ultimately uplifting.

I’ve never read RF Kuang before, although I know so many have loved Babel, fantasy is not a genre I tend to read often. I’d heard so many rave reviews about Yellowface however, and with it being a deep dive into publishing, it was one I was drawn to.

Following the shock death of frenemy and successful novelist, Athena Liu, struggling author June Hayward, steals her manuscript publishing it herself under the name, Juniper Song.

Filled with unlikeable, morally deficient characters it was a completely enthralling listen. It explores racism in publishing, and society at large. The impact of social media and cancel culture. The idea of power, money and ‘spin’. It’s wonderfully compelling and thought provoking with plenty of bite. I loved it!

Lesley Pearse is my ultimate comfort author, one I’ve returned to time and time again since I was a teenager because her stories pull me in at lightning speed and I am rarely disappointed.

Betrayal is another fine addition to my collection and I, as per usual, raced through it at a great pace. With themes of domestic violence, abuse and rape, it’s by no means an easy read. But that’s what I love about Lesley Pearse. Her ability to weave substance and tough themes in amongst characters you love (or love to hate).

There was a time of my life where I exclusively read historical fiction based on Tudor. It’s an era which has always fascinated me, and so I was very excited to read Henry VIII: The Heart and the Crown.

All told from Henry’s pov it follows him from his youth shortly after his brother, Prince Arthur’s, death. The reader gets a front row seat to all his loves and dalliances, as well as the monstrous acts of beheading two of his wives.

I went into this with very little sympathy for him, but what Weir has done here is brilliant. She shows us Henry, the man. The good, the bad and all the shades between. A man with great, almost unimaginable power, but because of it, is vulnerable to manipulation and increasing paranoia.

His actions changed the path of this country for all time, and while this book does not condone or excuse his actions, it does give an insight into the background and why he behaved the way he did.

It’s been my bedtime book over the last few weeks, and I’ve loved every moment of it.