emmreadsbooks's Reviews (1.28k)

I'm a HUGE escape room fan so when I realized that this book would center around a puzzling murder in one, I was invested. Add in Olivia Blacke's quick prose and the book just flew by. Here we get to watch Odessa navigate the New York real estate market, which can be deadly enough itself, and fight to stay in the city. I wished that this book focused a little more on Untapped but, if you loved Killer Content, you'll definitely love this one too.

*Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review*

I'd never read anything from The Kiss Quotient series before, but I'll definitely be going back for the first two. This is more than a romance, leaning more towards a drama towards the end, but that doesn't detract from the steamy scenes at all. One thing that detracted from the experience for me was the constant referral to genitalia as sex, but that's definitely a personal problem. I felt like I learned so much about ASD through this book and how it pertains to multiple aspects of daily life. The steamy scenes also resonated with me as an asexual, as Anna has issues being intimate with her partners. This is a beautiful book that will hit you hard, then give you a warm hug.

A girl turning into jewels, a shapeshifting bestie, and a plot that keeps turning the screws? You had me at jewels! For a 500+ page fantasy book, I never felt as though the book was slow or dragging and that's mostly due to the characters. Vanja is selfish, conniving, and clever as all get out, and it's a joy to watch her struggle with her greed. Though rooted in German folklore, this was no fairytale. We're presented with moments of rape, abuse, and PTSD, but through a lens that doesn't mean to retraumatize the reader. There's so much care in the crafting of this story and it really shows. It's rare that I find a book where there's nothing I would change, but Little Thieves is it.

*Thank you to Henry, Holt & Co and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review*

Let me be clear, this book was good. The topics covered were so interesting and the descriptions so visceral that I couldn't put it down. But I'm left feeling like I didn't truly *get* it. It's truly a descent into strangeness that I'd like to revisit in written form. While the narrator was phenomenal, I got lost in all of the names and stream of consciousness transitions.

*Thank you to Blackstone Publishing for the ALC in exchange for my honest review*

I loved the premise of this book! In a post-apocalyptic society that has begun to rebuild, we examine an expansion of a meditation technique - the watercolor quiet. Journeying into this world, one can rewire their neural pathways. To take things further, people begin to adopt this practice... and abuse it. But if you know me, you know that I hate footnotes... For this book, I almost tolerated it. But I don't think it worked. Presented with an unreliable narrator, I knew from the get-go that we could only trust so much of what she said. I felt like the interludes from the "publisher" were more useful in introducing the conflicting accounts. But if footnotes are for you, definitely try this one on for size.

*Thank you to Harper Perennial and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review*

This was like a rollercoaster on fire going through a ring of sharks, just WILD!! What was supposed to be a simple deposit at the bank quickly devolves into a hostage negotiation. Pair it with the flashbacks to Nora's life as a grifter, and it's a ride that you won't want to get off. This book also doesn't shy away from tough topics like endometriosis and abuse and gives them the treatment they deserve. Through the alternating timelines, we get to see how the hostage crisis is resolved and how Nora became the girl we see in the bank. I'd love to see a sequel, but this book is also perfectly self-contained. Just wow.

*Thank you to Penguin Random House Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest review*

This book is just FUN! If you're down to read a book about a girl chasing down Keanu Reeves and falling in love with her best friend on the journey there, this one's for you. It's pure ridiculousness at every turn, we're talking friends to lovers, one bed, miscommunications galore, and the CELEBRITY SIGHTINGS, dear god so many celebrities. I loved how Lu found herself as the book progressed and enjoyed True's chapters as well. Will there be a Dawn book next? Who knows! But if you want a book that will make you laugh, steam up the mirrors a little bit, and leave you elated, pick this one up in November.

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

I was blessed enough to get a code for this BEAUTY from the author, Lily Chu. This audio masterpiece narrated by *the* Philippa Soo is an amazing mix of Crazy Rich Asians and The Prince & The Pauper that doesn't pull any punches. Throughout we discuss topics like Alzheimer's, depression, racism, and sexual harassment, but it still remains an overall positive-trending novel. Soo's narration really helped me get into Gracie's mind, making her more relatable than some other reviews would imply. I especially loved the idea of Epi, as a planner babe myself. Some of the twists were predictable for me, but I think they might surprise some other readers. Overall a really fun audiobook!

This one was a struggle for me, as I'd had it on my TBR list for so long. On one hand, I wanted to love it so badly... but on the other, I was listening to the audio and finding myself zoning out. I loved the premise of a girl who wanted to hear her mom, but she was hurtling through space. This story is less about the universe and more about the connection between two young girls. While the portrayal of high school was less than realistic, I enjoyed the diversity of characters and the struggles that they went through. Plus any book with LGBTQIA+ rep is a win for me.