emmreadsbooks's Reviews (1.28k)

I'm not sure if I read the same book as everyone else because I'm just lost.. A story where secrets are never truly laid to rest sounds great. But the thing is that most of these secrets are completely innocuous... and it ultimately comes down to punishing the children for the sins of their parents. It just didn't feel well-foreshadowed at all and there was little to no tension throughout. Maybe it just wasn't for me.

*Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review*

Wow, just wow. It gives such Verity vibes, if it was better written, had a concrete ending, and featured a Lizzie Bordenesque character. Are any of the characters likable? Not really. But in a thriller, I don't feel like that's a requirement. I didn't see any of the twists coming, which is a bit rare for me. It's fast paced, alternating between the 1920's and the 1980's. I'd never been so excited to see the historical portion of a book!

Honestly, clear your evening for this one. Even if you hate it, you won't be able to put it down. 

*Thank you to Dutton and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review*

I freaking love Murdle and this encapsulates all of the daily puzzle fun in book form. They also add some elements of story to the mix with Detective Logico's past. Plus the time trial for the Elementary section? BANANAS! I definitely want a physical copy so I can try out a speed-run and the "all in the mind" challenge. They also add fun elements like the Astrological Primer, decoder ring, and even an over-arching mystery. Plus hints and quick solutions in the back, where you have to actually seek them out. Looooooove.

*Thank you to St Martin's Griffin and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review*

I'll be honest - I got a widget for this book because of my glowing review of Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow.... which is really confusing given how dramatically different the books are. The Rachel Incident is a literary fiction account of the life of Rachel Murray as she struggles to break into the publishing industry. It focuses a lot on life in Ireland and the abortion ban there. I definitely went in expecting a salacious relationship with a teacher, and it's not that. Instead we watch Rachel self-sabotage until she's near rock bottom. The narrator did a phenomenal job with the book, I just wanted more tension and plot rather than all the character-motivated business.

*Thank you to Knopf and NetGalley for the eARC and PRH Audio for the gifted ALC in exchange for my honest review*

Going in, I definitely thought this would be a fantasy book akin to The Hearts We Sold. It's definitely more of a supernatural mystery instead - tracking down those marked by the devil, as uncertainty grows about the nature of this organization. Matt is on his first solo assignment, but he quickly begins to lose objectivity when he meets Rachel. To be fair - who would assign a cute teenager as a "project" to a young boy? There are some chilling twists thrown in, but overall it's a pretty straightforward supernatural thriller.

*Thank you to Razorbill and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review*

God this book was fun. While I called the perpetrator almost immediately, I still really enjoyed it. It also felt realistic as far as YA thrillers go - well-rationalized as to why the cops aren't being involved, characters' actions make sense, etc. The audio made it feel extra intense, just because of how much emotion the narrator put into it. The ending was a little weird, but I still bought it. So far I've been reading her books in reverse publication order and they just keep getting better and better. Love me some Diana Urban.

Relationships are complicated, and Nada and Baz's is no exception. Uzma Jalaluddin continues her Jane Austen retellings, though the title is a bit deceptive. Between a tech start-up, the premiere Muslim conference, and a hot boy band, there's a lot going on. Add in the alternating timelines and all of the family drama, and it definitely takes a keen eye to keep everything straight. I loved the references to her previous books in the Golden Crescent, as well as all of the business ideas that Nada spawns. This felt decidedly less romantic than the previous books, but it's certainly a great contemporary novel.

*Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review*

BLERRRRRRGH. This book had been so hyped for me, but it just didn't land for me. The narrators were phenomenal, but they couldn't make up for what happens after the halfway mark of the book. The ending was wholly unsatisfactory in my eyes. Like..... what the actual fuck?

What a majesty of a book. This is nothing like R.F. Kuang's previous books, but she shows that she can really write any genre. Pivoting from fantasy to a literary fiction thriller, we follow Juniper as she commits publishing crime after publishing crime with little to no consequence. This book critiques so many aspects of the book industry, especially that of author toxicity and the effect of publicity. The best part of it all? That no one in this story is "good". These are predominantly morally gray characters, only looking out for their best interest. There are a few allusions to Kuang's own life, with all of Yale references and notes on translations. Some critiques mention it being a bit on the nose which is true. But I'd rather have it be on the nose than indecipherable. And honestly, watching Juniper descend into madness was delectable.