emmreadsbooks's Reviews (1.28k)

This was an old fashioned reality show romp and I absolutely LOVED it. Taking a show like Making It or Craftopia and making it wedding focused added to the romcom atmosphere. The idea of taking a divorce lawyer and a DIY maven thrust together in love-filled ambiance, just beautiful. Adding in a hilarious cast of characters rounds out the book, but don't worry... SO SO SO much steam!

This is a fun suspense novel that subverts expectations. I loved following Sylvia, Riki, and Embry as they navigated adultery, revenge, and motherhood. While at some points it tended to drag, I felt that this was a realistic story that *could* actually happen in real life. I'd recommend this for people who feel a little too scared to read thrillers but love intrigue and female relationships.

This was such a fun book that kept me guessing and gasping - overall a great combo. Things did get a little bogged down in the middle, but the beginning and end more than made up for it. I loved the mentions of Stephen King's Misery and how twisty the book was.

Hi it's just me, feeling incredibly seen by the queerest romance book that I've ever read. As a former fan of the Bachelorette and a reality TV stan, the idea of a fairytale themed dating show with an emphasis on what happens behind the scenes was perfect! Add in the mental health representation and an organically grown relationship? Amazing!

As an asexual, I found the rep in this book to be so accurate. The theme of nonromantic love is presented frequently throughout the book and felt so authentic. Bravo!

*Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review*

This is a wholly immersive fantasy novel with all the worldbuilding a girl needs in a book. Competitive merchant families, a complex yet intuitive magic system, and heists galore? My kind of book.

But moreover it explores themes of autonomy, morality, and loyalty that I haven’t seen in fantasy novels before. Adding in a nuanced ensemble cast rounds it all out. Plus it’s a trilogy with 2 books already released?? Count me in!

I wish that I had DNFed this book, because I don't have many nice things to say. The plot was slow, the multimedia of the newspaper articles was lacking, and I didn't find myself engaging with the characters. Several of the twists didn't have enough build-up to make them seem foreshadowed, but others... I don't know. I felt like this book had a lot of potential in the plotlines, but we spent more time focusing on the theories about Heather.

*Thank you to Penguin and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review*

To preface this review - this is the first book I've read from in The Rajes series. Even from that perspective, it was still an excellent book. I did miss out on some of the experience that would've come with reading the 2 previous ones, but trust me I'll be going back for those! This book featured relevant political issues like affordable healthcare, gun control, and the Black Lives Matter movement, while also touching on holistic medicine and mental health. For those looking for steam, this may not be the book for you... But if you're a fan of a slow burn second chance romance? This is IT.

*Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review*

I thought this was an excellent book even without the Pride & Prejudice aspect. Uzma Jalaluddin has such a way of presenting Muslim culture that is so informative yet relatable. This has all the things - enemies to lovers, forced proximity, false identities, SCHEMING (oh the scheming), you name it. Ayesha and Khalid grow so beautifully throughout the novel, both as characters and (ultimately) with each other. There may have been a few too many plot points, but I'm willing to ignore that due to its great ending. Plus I find it absolutely hilarious that they discuss yellow & purple being a bad color scheme for a website, yet they're the colors of the book cover.

This was like a perfect episode of Sherlock. All of the clues to solve the mystery were there, lurking just out of sight, and we got to watch Stevie put it all together in a Holmesian montage. We've got thrills, romance, and (of course) CRAFTS! Adding in the element of a secluded summer camp with a small town atmosphere made it exponentially creepier (and more addictive!). To those who haven't read the first 3 books, you could easily start here as nothing from the previous series is spoiled. Will there be a book 5 or a new series entirely? Who knows? But I'll be there to read it if it happens!

There's something about a true crime audiobook that's just so captivating to listen to. My boyfriend is from the Bridgewater area, so hearing about the series of murders felt close to home. Throughout the book, they meld together the bloody history of Tony Costa with Liza Rodman's tale of growing up in his proximity. This book is not for the faint of heart, discussing his process of body disposal at length and discussing heavy topics like drug addiction and abuse. However, this is a great choice for those who enjoy true crime podcasts or learning about police procedures of yore.