emileereadsbooks's reviews
898 reviews
Have I Told You This Already?: Stories I Don't Want to Forget to Remember, by Lauren Graham
funny
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
4.25
Thanks to Libro.fm, PRH Audio and Ballantine Books for the gifted book.
Audio is the way to experience this one because who doesn't want Lauren Graham telling you stories from your life? With her trademark wit and frankness, she spills the tea on her experiences in the entertainment industry and what it's like to exist in an industry that wants a version of you to be frozen in time. These essays are funny and smart and oh so very entertaining.
Audio is the way to experience this one because who doesn't want Lauren Graham telling you stories from your life? With her trademark wit and frankness, she spills the tea on her experiences in the entertainment industry and what it's like to exist in an industry that wants a version of you to be frozen in time. These essays are funny and smart and oh so very entertaining.
Flight Risk, by Cherie Priest
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Thank you Simon Audio for the gifted audiobook.
Physic travel agent Leda Foley is still getting used to taking on clients who want her to solve their mysteries, the latest being a man wanting to find his missing sister. Seattle PD Detective Grady Merritt wants to find his lost dog, and gets more than he bargained for when his dog shows up carrying a severed leg. Thanks to DNA matching, Grady and Leda find out their cases overlap and they can hopefully work together to find out the mystery behind this missing husband and wife duo.
This series combines humor and whimsy with mystery and some light paranormal activity and all that together makes for an enjoyable read. Full of colorful characters and quirky situations, this series is just getting off the ground and I can't wait to see what is to come.
Physic travel agent Leda Foley is still getting used to taking on clients who want her to solve their mysteries, the latest being a man wanting to find his missing sister. Seattle PD Detective Grady Merritt wants to find his lost dog, and gets more than he bargained for when his dog shows up carrying a severed leg. Thanks to DNA matching, Grady and Leda find out their cases overlap and they can hopefully work together to find out the mystery behind this missing husband and wife duo.
This series combines humor and whimsy with mystery and some light paranormal activity and all that together makes for an enjoyable read. Full of colorful characters and quirky situations, this series is just getting off the ground and I can't wait to see what is to come.
Dead and Gondola, by Ann Claire
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Thanks to Netgalley and Bantam Books for the gifted book I read along with the library audio.
Ellie Christie is beginning a new chapter by returning to her Colorado hometown to help her sister run their family's historic bookshop. It's a picturesque bookish destination in a small town perched on a mountain side. But when a man is found dead on the gondola and a rockslide forces the town into lockdown, things start to get very questionable.
Charming is the key word to describe this book. A charming town, bookstore, and characters. You feel like you are in the tiny Colorado town, hunting with the Christie sisters for clues. I thought the way the mystery unfolded was very interesting and how the layers of characters and clues were revealed was quite satisfying.
This is a cozy mystery, so nothing too gruesome here.
Ellie Christie is beginning a new chapter by returning to her Colorado hometown to help her sister run their family's historic bookshop. It's a picturesque bookish destination in a small town perched on a mountain side. But when a man is found dead on the gondola and a rockslide forces the town into lockdown, things start to get very questionable.
Charming is the key word to describe this book. A charming town, bookstore, and characters. You feel like you are in the tiny Colorado town, hunting with the Christie sisters for clues. I thought the way the mystery unfolded was very interesting and how the layers of characters and clues were revealed was quite satisfying.
This is a cozy mystery, so nothing too gruesome here.
Scrooge and the Girls Next Door: A Holiday Rom Com, by Melanie Jacobson
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Thank you to Melanie Jacobson for a free copy of this book!
Paige is trying to make her life the one she has dreamed of for her and her daughter. And when she purchases a cottage that is a bit of a fixer-upper, she doesn't expect that on top of fixing her house, she will need to fix her neighbor's grumpy attitude as well.
I loved all the Christmas exuberance in this one. Paige, her daughter Evie, and the hottie Henry are all great characters, but the side characters just add that much more delight to the story. I like that the book also dealt with pain, grief, and how to handle yourself in the aftermath of both.
Paige is trying to make her life the one she has dreamed of for her and her daughter. And when she purchases a cottage that is a bit of a fixer-upper, she doesn't expect that on top of fixing her house, she will need to fix her neighbor's grumpy attitude as well.
I loved all the Christmas exuberance in this one. Paige, her daughter Evie, and the hottie Henry are all great characters, but the side characters just add that much more delight to the story. I like that the book also dealt with pain, grief, and how to handle yourself in the aftermath of both.
Stay Awake, by Megan Goldin
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Thank you Netgalley, Macmillan Audio, and St. Martin's Press for the gifted book.
Liv wakes up in the back of a taxi with no idea how she got there. And when she goes to her apartment, evidently she doesn't live there anymore. Then she realizes she's missing her phone and in it's place is a bloody knife, and there is writing on her skin that says "stay awake." New York doesn't feel like the city she knows, but she can't place why it feels so off. Then she gets a glimpse at the news reporting a bloody murder where there was a message left at the scene, the same that's on her arms, "stay awake".
I will start off my review by saying one of my least favorite tropes in books is the groundhog day trope. And while this book doesn't exactly follow the premise of that trope, it is close enough that it definitely taints how I feel about it. But once I got past the repetitive nature of this book, the premise is interesting and the twists and turns were enough to keep me engaged from beginning to end. I also appreciated that I did not peg the bad guy correctly and the police officers in the book seemed mostly realistic.
Liv wakes up in the back of a taxi with no idea how she got there. And when she goes to her apartment, evidently she doesn't live there anymore. Then she realizes she's missing her phone and in it's place is a bloody knife, and there is writing on her skin that says "stay awake." New York doesn't feel like the city she knows, but she can't place why it feels so off. Then she gets a glimpse at the news reporting a bloody murder where there was a message left at the scene, the same that's on her arms, "stay awake".
I will start off my review by saying one of my least favorite tropes in books is the groundhog day trope. And while this book doesn't exactly follow the premise of that trope, it is close enough that it definitely taints how I feel about it. But once I got past the repetitive nature of this book, the premise is interesting and the twists and turns were enough to keep me engaged from beginning to end. I also appreciated that I did not peg the bad guy correctly and the police officers in the book seemed mostly realistic.
Blessed Are the Bank Robbers: The True Adventures of an Evangelical Outlaw, by Chas Smith, Chas Smith
slow-paced
2.0
Thank you Abrams Books for the gifted book I read along with the library audio.
Chas Smith grew up fully immersed in the evangelic Christian bubble. His family included famous missionaries and megachurch pastors. But his Cousin Danny was the apple of his grandmother's eye. However, when Danny took a hard pivot from his picture perfect life to become an illustrious bank robber, Chas was not only shocked, but intrigued.
With that premise I expected this book to be a wild ride as we figured out the why and how behind Cousin Danny's criminal pursuits, but it was just Melba toast. Nothing was too exciting or captivating. I kept reading waiting for the big hook of story to grab me, but unfortunately the book ended and I still wanted so much more.
Chas Smith grew up fully immersed in the evangelic Christian bubble. His family included famous missionaries and megachurch pastors. But his Cousin Danny was the apple of his grandmother's eye. However, when Danny took a hard pivot from his picture perfect life to become an illustrious bank robber, Chas was not only shocked, but intrigued.
With that premise I expected this book to be a wild ride as we figured out the why and how behind Cousin Danny's criminal pursuits, but it was just Melba toast. Nothing was too exciting or captivating. I kept reading waiting for the big hook of story to grab me, but unfortunately the book ended and I still wanted so much more.
The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle, by Jennifer Ryan
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Thanks to Netgalley and Ballantine Books for the gifted book that I read along with the library audio.
Cressida Westcott is a clothes designer, forced back to her family manor she hasn't been to in years after her home and design house are lost in the London Blitz.
Violet Westcott is a socialite who is thrilled her aunt is coming to stay in this dreary village. Things have gotten quite dull with all the men gone and the parties cancelled.
Grace Carlisle is the vicar's daughter and is engaged to a man of the cloth. Her whole identity is wrapped up in the work she does to support the men in her life.
These three women's stories become interconnected as they each face what clothes rationing means for their lives and they interact through a wedding dress sewing circle which repurposes old garments to those worthy of celebration.
I loved this book. It fits into what my friend @FortWords has dubbed "uplifting WWII fiction." Despite being set in a horrible time period, it celebrates the tenacity and resilience of humanity and the good that can be found when you have to dig a little deeper. Each of these three main characters is loveable in their own way while not being without fault. And the side characters add such vibrance to the plot that they should be celebrated as well. What a delight of a reading experience.
Cressida Westcott is a clothes designer, forced back to her family manor she hasn't been to in years after her home and design house are lost in the London Blitz.
Violet Westcott is a socialite who is thrilled her aunt is coming to stay in this dreary village. Things have gotten quite dull with all the men gone and the parties cancelled.
Grace Carlisle is the vicar's daughter and is engaged to a man of the cloth. Her whole identity is wrapped up in the work she does to support the men in her life.
These three women's stories become interconnected as they each face what clothes rationing means for their lives and they interact through a wedding dress sewing circle which repurposes old garments to those worthy of celebration.
I loved this book. It fits into what my friend @FortWords has dubbed "uplifting WWII fiction." Despite being set in a horrible time period, it celebrates the tenacity and resilience of humanity and the good that can be found when you have to dig a little deeper. Each of these three main characters is loveable in their own way while not being without fault. And the side characters add such vibrance to the plot that they should be celebrated as well. What a delight of a reading experience.
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, by John Berendt
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
4.0
Reading more like a fiction novel than a nonfiction true crime tale, this book tells the story of one of Savannah's most polarizing residents and the events that made him that way. I read this book just after my trip to Savannah where I toured the house this murder took place in and I enjoyed how it immediately took me back to the sights, sounds, and smells of that great city. Brimming with fascinating characters and interesting situations, this book will have you intrigued from cover to cover.
Content warning: This books does contain cursing as well as descriptions of sexual acts, drug and alcohol use, racism, and murder.
Eloise and the Grump Next Door, by Jenny Proctor, Emma St. Clair
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Thank you to Jenny Proctor and Emma St. Clair for a free copy of this book!
Eloise was headed to an uncertain future post college, then her grandmother passed away and now she's stuck on an island renovating her grandmother's home as a condition of her inheritance and stuck next door to her grandmother's very attractive and very grumpy lawyer.
I loved the influencer angle in this one as well as the grumpy sunshine dynamic. The chemistry in this one was so fun. One thing that both of these authors do well aside from greeting great chemistry is writing great side characters (the nephew was so good!) and really preparing you for further books in a series without being too heavy handed. I can't wait to see what happens next on Oakley Island!
This is a closed door, kisses only romance.
I loved the influencer angle in this one as well as the grumpy sunshine dynamic. The chemistry in this one was so fun. One thing that both of these authors do well aside from greeting great chemistry is writing great side characters (the nephew was so good!) and really preparing you for further books in a series without being too heavy handed. I can't wait to see what happens next on Oakley Island!
This is a closed door, kisses only romance.
The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters, by Priya Parker
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
5.0
We constantly find ourselves in gatherings. Dinner parties, business meetings, weddings, church small groups, book clubs, and more. And we know when we've been to a good gathering and when we haven't, but we don't necessarily know what makes a gathering good or bad. Until now. Priya Parker has studied the art of gathering and she shares all the tips in tricks from how to set up a space to conversation dos and don'ts.
I listened to this book on audio and 30% in I ordered a physical copy to own. It's that good. I knew that I needed to reread this immediately and highlight and mark passages and pages and tables. This book is the guidance you didn't know you needed to host the best gatherings. Parker shared applicable knowledge that can be applied from small dinner parties to large conferences and every where in between. I think that everyone could benefit from reading this book.