emmreadsbooks's Reviews (1.28k)

Y'all... This is an adorable interior design romance with all the HGTV vibes. I loved Rita as a character, especially when she got to talking about her design process. This book makes me want to redecorate my entire apartment, so that says a lot. I also thought that the love interests in this book were quite compelling and initially kept me guessing on who she'd end up picking. Plus there were even some surprise twists that I didn't see coming. Overall a stunning romance!

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

I'm a huge fan of Andrew McMahon's music as it definitively changed the course of my life. His words in this are so powerful and it shows in his writing. There were some elements that didn't translate from his songwriting background, but it was amazing to hear about his journey through addiction and the music industry. I also loved how he wrote directly to his pianos and how they followed him through his life.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Princeton Architectural Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review*

I'm so disappointed with this book because I wanted so badly to love it. It had so many things that I usually enjoy in a book - mixed martial arts, a female protagonist devoted to her dreams, and a thriller subplot - but something about it just fell short for me. It's possible that it was just due to the length, as 272 pages is fairly short to accomplish all of these elements, but it's more likely due to the disordered eating that such a sport involves. For me personally, that's a trigger and I wouldn't have read it if I'd known it would be treated in this way.

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

Hooooooooboy, this was a wild ride. We've got an unreliable narrator expelled from an ivy league school, a sleepy midwestern town rocked by a sudden disappearance, and SO SO much drama!! I literally blinked and was halfway through this book. It's that compulsively readable. One small complaint I have is that I don't feel that there was enough foreshadowing for the final twist, but that's just because I like to Sherlock it out myself. However overall, still a solid thriller.

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

There is so much promise in a book with a premise like this. A missing persons case, a mysterious "community" (it's a cult, we all know it's a cult) in the woods, and interludes from an uber-creepy children's book? It's like the book was made for me. But parts of it felt rushed and many of the twists weren't really twisty. Essentially I didn't find myself thrilled, and that's fully necessary for a thriller. However if you want an atmospheric mystery that will leave you feeling gaslit in the best of ways, this could be for you.

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

I expected this book to be a dark brooding thriller centered around a ballet school, and that's not what I got. It's definitely more of a drama, though there are dark themes. That being said, I couldn't put it down! I loved the cast of characters, especially when we got to follow them in an dual timeline from when they're in school to the present. This is a female-focused book, specifically on how a friendship can evolve over time and on the strength of relationships.I just wish that it hadn't been marketed as Black Swan meets Dare Me, as it skewed my expectations of the book.

*Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review*

This is an adorable collection of interconnected short stories focusing on relationships, and I just LOVED it. The narrators for this audiobook were phenomenal and truly brought the stories to life. The idea of a blackout as a bonding experience isn't new, but it was so well done in this book. If I *had* to pick a favorite, I'd probably pick All the Great Love Stories just because I'm a sucker for best friends to lovers but the stories are seriously all SO well done.

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

AHHHHHHHH!!!

I was initially on the fence about this book, since everyone and their mom wants to be the new Hunger Games these days. But MAN does this meet (and consequently BEAT) that hype. This book gives me all the A Darker Shade of Magic vibes, especially with the worldbuilding, magic system, and Schwabesque cover color scheme. We follow Alistair, Briony, Gavin, and Isobel as they prepare for the Blood Veil and cope with their grief about it, and I never felt overwhelmed with all the perspective switching. I loved each of them as characters and can't wait to see how they grow This book has action, romance, betrayal, you name it! My only qualm now is that I have to wait for the next one...

The Trojan War was horrific and that same brutality is present in the aftermath. This book pulls no punches with the tragedies and atrocities committed during wartime, but focuses on the women of the story rather than the men. It's devastating watching women be raped, ostracized, and enslaved. This is definitely a book for history buffs rather than those who prefer the fantasy of mythology, but I still enjoyed it.

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

This book is an ode to musical theatre, family, and the glorious Mamma Mia and if none of that interests you, then just stop reading this review. For me, this book was sheer perfection. I was laughing from the first line, texting my boyfriend about references (seriously, the flipper dance is something he does IRL to make me laugh), and recommending the book to friends before I even finished. Millie is charismatic through and through and an absolute force to be reckoned with. You can't help but root for her as she tries to track down through leads from her dad's LiveJournal account. (Yes, LiveJournal. Us 90's babies are DYING with laughter) If you need a pick-me-up, this is the book for you.

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