emmreadsbooks's Reviews (1.28k)

The wait for Katie and Dallas was killer, but it was absolutely worth it. Between the invisible illness rep, the friends to lovers romance, and Emilia, this book truly feels like HOME. Asking for help can be so difficult, especially when you don't want to feel pitied for needing it. And Katie is stubbornnnnnn. She's contrasted so nicely with Dallas, he's sweet and doting to a fault. I also loved how we get a bit of a flashback to before the ending of book 3, just to get a glimpse of how it really went down. In typical Melissa Grace fashion, I was alternating between guffawing and tearing up as I raced through the pages. I absolutely cannot WAIT for Luca's book and I think we're finally getting it next!! (If we don't, I'll riot)

*Thank you to Melissa for an ARC in exchange for my honest review*

As Gwen Stefani would say... B-A-N-A-N-A-S!! I didn't see ANY of the twists coming, I was too focused on the creepy ass drawings (which for the record were artfully drawn in both childlike and photorealistic styles). It toes the line between thriller and horror, but isn't *too* creepy for us scaredy cats. Jason Rekulak does an amazing job of painting Mallory as an unreliable narrator and making us truly question what could be causing all of this mayhem. I honestly wish I'd read it sooner!

I freaking love Tarah Dewitt! Taking a second chance forced proximity novel and turning it on its head by setting it amidst a home renovation? Genius. It flew by on audio and simultaneously made me want to makeover our home and buy an airstream. They argue nonstop and get up to a LOT of sexy business, but are also just so sensitive. While the strong Boston accent was a little weird and hard to understand at times, I enjoyed the french interspersed and how the languages came out when they were upset. Adding in the marriage of convenience plot and shared property really just made it extra fun. If you want a quick romance read full of music and laughter, try this one on for size!

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.*

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*

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*

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* 

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*

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*

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.