emma_rreads's Reviews (183)

A police procedural set in Scarborough, I really enjoyed my time with Donna Morris.

Not only does A Wake of Crows focus on solving the case of the death of a homeless man, but if delves into both Donna’s backstory and her position as a woman of a certain age in what is a changing yet still male dominated environment. She’s a likeable character and her feelings of being torn between being a wife, a mother and her career created a well rounded woman. Strong and determined, yet also vulnerable she’s very relatable.

I especially enjoyed Donna’s backstory which takes the reader to Berlin, prior to the Berlin Wall coming down. A time and place I’ve not read much about in fiction. 

I’m very much looking forward to reading Donna’s next chapter in Drowning Not Waving

After the murder of an acclaimed doctor in his locked study, with no sign of a murder weapon or the murderer, magician Joseph Spector is brought in by Detective Flint to help bring the perpetrator to justice.
I absolutely flew through this! A classic styled mystery set in the 1930s, it had me gripped throughout, and I learned I’m a long way from earning my detective badge.
The only thing I was yearning for was more on Joseph Spector himself - however as this looks as if it may be the first in a series, I think I just need to practice patience!

I loved Vanity Fair, on my reading list at uni I was pretty intimidated by it, but what I discovered was a witty satire teeming energy thanks to the anti heroine, Becky Sharp.
And so I was drawn to Becky by Sarah May. And at first I loved it, the way it pulls on the threads of modern society, and I enjoyed Becky’s unapologetic rise through the social ranks. 
I became more uncomfortable when the lines of fiction became blurred and it moved from being a retelling of Vanity Fair to taking whole chunks of an actual persons reality. To me, it seemed obvious that Becky is modelled on Rebekah Brooks, the CEO of I think it was News International, who was heavily implicated in the phone hacking scandal. But that a child abduction mirroring Milly Dowler’s was also used as a central plot device left me with more than a bit of a bad taste that I struggled to get past. 

I’ll be honest, the first 100 pages were a real slog. I couldn’t figure out where things were going, connections etc. But then everything slid into place and what unfolded was this beautifully written story about love, loss, secrets and family, after which I fell in love with it.
My only issue was the ending - and this is personal, as I know many people love an open ending. I’m just not one of them! I always feel a bit cheated, I’ve invested all this time into this story the author is telling, to be left hanging. 
That aside, I loved it and Rachel Elliott is an author I’d definitely return to.

A novella classed as number 3.5 in the ongoing Wilde Investigations series, a series I love but have neglected!

In this Yannia is attending an aristocratic Mage wedding as a guest when two slaughtered doves and strange goings on make it clear someone is out to stop the wedding.

Assisted by the detective fiction loving groom, Robbert and hearth spirit Wishearth, Yannia once again is on the case.

Doves feels a little more traditional crime/detective than previous instalments but the fantasy elements still remain. As always, my favourite scenes involve the palpable chemistry between Yannia snd Wishearth, and any scene with Karrion - even when he is just at the end of the phone!

With a badass main character living with chronic illness, Doves also has fantastic #disabilityrepresentation extending this time with the groom being a wheelchair user. I love that Laura includes details of their lives in living with disability but without it becoming a plot point or defining them.

This series just continues to get better and better. A genre I wouldn’t normally read, it has really captured my attention from book one - with book four already nestled on my shelf, it’s jumped up my tbr as one I need to read as soon as I can!!

I’ve been keen to read Matt Cain for a while having read rave reviews for Albert Entwhistle.

I absolutely adored Becoming Ted. A story of accepting yourself for who you are and reaching for your dreams, I found it an inspiring read. I loved the characters, their flaws and all, but extra special love is reserved for Stanley who I think deserves his own book for being so flipping fabulous!
Whilst a wonderful read full of fun, it doesn’t shy from tough subjects. The treatment of gay men throughout history, and elsewhere in the world contrasts sharply with the sweet romance. How can love be wrong? I particularly enjoyed Ted’s ‘scene’ at the nursing home!!

I’m very excited to read more from Matt Cain in future, in the meantime I’m still enjoying the warm hug it feels as if he’s still giving me 

I was a huge Friends fan, and I loved Chandler’s wit and so I didn’t rush out to buy this for fear it would shade my love of the show. Having avidly watched the Reunion it was clear that Matthew is troubled.

However, curiosity got the better of me and I’m so glad it did. Easily the best memoir I’ve ever read (listened actually, on audio), my initial expectation of a ‘poor me’ rich boy story was proven wrong. Matthew is privileged, incredibly so having achieved fame and fortune the vast majority of people can only dream of. He is aware of how lucky he has been, but it is shadowed by his addiction. He speaks of it with honesty, reflecting on his own behaviours, taking accountability for his errors and mistakes. It’s full of regret, but also hope. Even on his darkest day, he’s always hopeful that this time sobriety will stick. The saddest parts are when he mulls over what could have been; a wife, children.

It’s brutally honest, raw and yet liberal with dark humour. I know this is one that I’ll end up buying in physical format too, it’s had quite a profound effect on me. Viewing addiction differently and having me reflect on how lucky I am.

On the whole this was an enjoyable read, easily finished in a day for book club. Although the print was tiny!! 
I had to mark it down however as I felt it didn’t live up to its promise. I did find myself disappointed at points and felt that it could have had much more depth, it felt at times that their being an Irish Catholic family was more a sales tool than at all centric to the plot. However, I did enjoy getting to know the Brennan family and unravelling their secrets. 

Not a genre I’d necessarily choose, but I’d heard so much about this I wanted to read for myself and so took part in a Buddy Read.

It took me a while to settle into the story. It’s a slow pace and very character driven, but it’s so full
of love and hope that it ended up completely charming me. 

The story is one of belonging. Of finding happiness and love. And it’s wonderfully told. The character of Linus, who at first I thought was a wet lettuce, grew on me to the point I wanted to cheer him on. 

A gorgeous, comforting story with a fantastic cast of very unusual characters! 

Absolutely loved this! The unique use of a case file to drive the narrative is right up my street and I enjoy trying to figure out what’s happened (nope, I didn’t guess!) I enjoyed The Twyford Code but this was a level up for me. One I’ve already been shouting about!!