emmreadsbooks's Reviews (1.28k)

This is a glorious tale of parenthood, pride, and loss that will have you alternating between laughter and tears. Patrick is perfectly himself - sarcastic, sentimental, and full of bravado. And don’t get me started on the kids… they’re well-characterized without being stereotypical children, instead actually people with their own flaws and dreams. Pair this plot hook with the idyllic setting of Palm Springs and you have the perfect summer read.

As an avid reader of superhero novels, this was the perfect villainous counterpart. Anna was so human, her sarcasm and intellect constantly kept her interesting to follow. I loved the cast of henches, the lairs, and how diametrically opposed Supercollider and Leviathan were. If the idea of a temp agency for villains piques your interest, this is the book for you. Plus there MIGHT be a sequel in the works and I am here for it.

I’m not the hugest fan of cozy mysteries, but this was endearing. Listening to this on audiobook was great, as it topped out around 9 hours and the narrator was so expressive! Darby reminded me a bit of Stephanie Plum, which I feel was fully necessary to characterize her as an intrepid private eye. Plus I’m a sucker for a cat, especially a main coon!

Wow wow WOW! This is a captivating memoir full of humor and honesty that will leave you lost in thought. She discusses topics like sexuality, abuse, and love all throughout the essays. The format of the memoir as a series of essays helps with the noncontinuous flow of the piece and gives the reader bite-sized pieces to consume at their leisure. I loved her self-awareness as she looks back on her life, as she doesn't pull any punches in critiquing her actions as well as those of her conquests. If you want a sex-positive memoir that hits hard, this is the one for you.

*Thank you to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review*

I'm a bit conflicted on this one to be honest. While I couldn't put it down and flew through it faster than a Toyota Corolla in a high speed chase, I found the book as a whole to be a bit bittersweet. We don't get the perfect happy ending that we so desperately wanted, or even some kind of closure. That being said, I loved how we heard from Lena's blog, Cambry's perspective, and the live coverage of the bridge. The portions of this that I listened to on audio were so tense and perfectly suited to the situation. Like his previous books, this is full of gore and sinister characters that you'll hate. If you love suspense and want a high-octane read, this one's for you.

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

I'll be the first to admit that I read these in a weird order (namely 2-3-4-1)... But it was almost cathartic getting to see where it all began. I immediately fell for Gavin with his southern charm and general sweetness. This book is also the perfect amount of steam for me - mostly contained towards the end of the book when the plot is picking up the pace. The trials Gavin went through to win Thea back were laugh out loud hilarious at times, and at others quite bittersweet. Overall a great romance novel for the general reader.

Plus remember... You always run for grand gesture.

This is a gorgeously joyous romance novel that highlights love in the time of politics. I loved the juxtaposition of Alex and Henry's personalities, but also the vivid depictions of the side characters. Plus I found the plotline to be surprising, which for me is a huge compliment! Now you should go into this with the perspective of it being a romance novel - it's far-fetched, everything works out, and it ends up wrapped up in a neat little bow. But all that aside, it's a beautiful novel that I loved reading.

It's Emma reading a series out of order again... oops! I enjoyed the general nerddom in this book, especially the Odyssey card game which was reminiscent of Magic the Gathering. Plus Milo and Jasper were adorable together! The one problem I had was that the stakes felt too small for their reunion and that everything seemed to work out immediately (rather than having to work for it for a little bit). But this subverted the "3rd act romance falls apart and then comes the grand gesture" trope that I hate in romances, so good job! If you want a nerdy M/M romance, this is a solid contender.

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

HOOOOOOOOOLY COW. This is plotception - a plot within a plot within a plot. I had an inkling of the final outcome near the 30% mark, but I was so satisfied seeing it come to fruition. Being able to listen to it on audio made it so much easier to relate to Jake as he spiraled in paranoia. I was also so pleasantly happy for this to NOT be the stereotypical novel where an author murders someone and steals a book from them.

For me, a plotcentric reader, I absolutely loved this book. It definitely can stand on its own in the world of thrillers and I'll recommend it time and time again.

*Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest review*

This is a fun YA thriller for fans of Karen McManus and Sara Shepard. I personally couldn't put it down, even as it got crazier and crazier. I really enjoyed the AAPI and LGBT representation throughout, though I wish that the characters had been more developed. Was it far-fetched? Absolutely. Will I still read the sequel? Oh you know it.

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