emmreadsbooks's Reviews (1.28k)

I love Tahira so much. I would read book after book about her, her sister, or Juniper. (Seriously, JUNIPER!! A book about a nerdy fantasy bookstagrammer? Yes please.)

This book is about Tahira blooming from within, both in her designs, her perspectives, and in her character. She's bratty at the beginning of this story, but has the depth to do better. She wants to be a fashion designer, but her motivation seems to be purely extrinsic. We get a glimpse into a slimy influencer world, full of users, abusers, and all-around jerks - and it's true! But Bakewell changes all of that for Tahira with its small town charm and obsession with flowers.

The way that Farah Heron describes the creative process translates across fields, but its truly gorgeous in the context of florals. I left this book wanting to buy gardening gloves, seriously. Add in a charming enemies to lovers romance and the thrill of a floral design competition and it's just perfect.

The best way I can describe this book is as perfectly fine. I liked the idea of a supernatural dating app that works by reintroducing you to 4 people from your past, but I didn't understand how it worked. For most people that would be fine, but I'm just particular. I loved Cori and her friend group, though the Act 3 conflict didn't make sense to me. I feel as though when characters are meant to be upset, it should be a sensible cause rather than something tiny. I did enjoy that the book was set up for a sequel though and would totally read it!

I'm not the biggest fan of horror, especially when it gets gory. I loved the writing style and the audiobook was just amazing, but I didn't feel like it was enough. I wanted to learn more about how their friendship dynamics developed, and potentially where they'd go in the future. Essentially I just wanted more. I would've loved to examine the culture in more detail and really spend time in the house. But it was too short and that just made it feel lacking.

I feel like this book kept stating that Gretchen was a sociopath, rather than subtly proving it to us through her thoughts and actions. The time and perspective switches were nice, especially giving us a view into the tenuous household of Reed and Claire. I kept thinking that the plot was going to twist, but it truly never does. Everything is laid out to us by the author if you're reading carefully enough, without much need for additional thought. If you're not into thrillers or like to see what's coming, you might still enjoy it. Despite its flaws, I still did find it compulsively readable.

Absolutely delightful. I'd had this on my TBR for awhile and finally pulled it out in a bout of depression. I'm so glad I did. Aru is desperate to fit in. She feels lonely amongst her fancy private school peers and invents stories to make herself feel better. When on a dare she accidentally sets free an evil demon, Aru is thrust into the world of Hindu gods and goddesses. I learned SO much from this book, be it the sanskrit numbers or details about the Hindu pantheon. The cast of characters are amazing, fitting within a Rick Riordan universe, and I can't wait to read more with them.

I absolutely love it when a sequel lives up to the first. We get to watch Aru grow throughout the story while also examining moral quandaries about existence and evil. The book flew by and the introduction of Brynne made a nice foil for Aru. There's more exploration of the Hindu pantheon and general galavanting across the astral sea and beyond. Overall I absolutely love this as a middle grade book and can't wait to read more.

Just UNREAL. This book was like nothing I've ever read before and I'm blown away. It feels so soft and cozy, but is steeped in Lipan culture. I feel like this book is a story about stories - how they grow and change over time. We get to see the stories that Nina's great grandmother tells, but also how she shares her tales on the Storyte11er app. I loved Oli and the coyote twins. There were just so many misadventures that will have you laughing and crying. This book also doesn't shy away from topics like the dangers of social media and animal extinction. While it was a bit confusing at the beginning, I promise you that this book comes together flawlessly. Run out and read it!!

Beware if you're not a fan of blood or bowel talk... But aside from that, this book will have you laugh-peeing through your panty liner. I loved hearing about Ali's journey through miscarriage, motherhood, and stand-up comedy, especially through the context of it being a letter to her daughters. This book is definitely best consumed via audiobook, as you get her comic narration and tone. It's perfectly raunchy and just a delightful listen.

I regret not reading this a year ago because it's just so dang good. We get a deep story full of nuance - 2 writers that double as star-crossed lovers, burdened by their own mutual trauma, who meet again after 15 years apart. The entire cast of characters had me alternating between tears of laughter and sadness, and just overall filled my heart with warmth. This book hits hard with discussions of self-harm, addiction, and foster care, but leaves you feeling hopeful. I can't wait to pick this book up again and hope that Tia continues writing stories in this universe.

I just... WHAT?

2021 was the year of crazy college reunion books, but this one takes the cake! A mysterious murder where everyone has a motive, all tied up with salacious greeklife and dark academia vibes. It's a slow burn, yet the pages flew by so quickly. I would find myself saying "just one more chapter" after each one. It's not perfect, but it feels real. It's difficult to know who to trust, though I loved Jack and Coop from the get go.

But the ENDING. It feels like the book has a real ending at 80% in, then a little bonus alternate ending for the "real fans" who stick it out until the end. And dang..... DAAAANG.