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emmas_bookshelf's reviews
662 reviews
The Wedding People by Alison Espach
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I really really enjoyed reading this book and I have a feeling it will stay with me for a while. I will say - in case any of you have begun or do begin reading it - the beginning really threw me and wasn’t what I expected. But eventually it shifts, the tone changes, and things come into focus and I was turning the pages to see how exactly we would get to where I could see it was going. On the surface it’s about a 40 year old divorcee in crisis; more deeply it’s about love, friendship, what it is to know someone and what it is to know yourself. A smart book in a beautiful setting, slow at times but with an ending that in my opinion is worth it. I’ll leave you with this quote I loved: “She is so good at predicting what will happen in books, so bad at predicting what will happen in life. That is why she has always preferred books - because to be alive is much harder.” Check CWs!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infertility, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent
Finding Mr. Write by Kelley Armstrong
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A comedy of errors ensues when a writer decides to use a male pen name to sell her book, but then is caught in a web of lies when the book is a bestseller and she pays an accountant pretending to be an actor to pretend to be the author. Chris and Daphne were hilarious together. I listened to the book on audio and that format worked well. I love a romcom like this full of relatively low stakes (but feel high stakes) hijinks. Would recommend!
Content Warnings
Minor: Death of parent
Love You, Mean It by Jilly Gagnon
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
This is such a fun romantic comedy of a book. Imagine You’ve Got Mail but in 2024, it’s a family deli instead of a bookstore, and there’s my favorite trope - fake dating. Ellie Greco runs her big Italian family’s deli in the suburbs outside Boston. Theo Taylor is the heir to their town’s wealthiest family, but he rarely agrees with his dad or his ruthless business decisions. The two of them team up to stop his dad from bringing in an Eataly-esque enterprise, which would surely put Ellie’s family deli out of business. There are hijinks, steamy moments, and plenty of family drama - good and bad. I really enjoyed reading it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Sexual content, and Alcohol
Summer Romance by Annabel Monaghan
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
This is such an excellent summer book that deals really well with tough topics - grieving a parent, going through a divorce - while also seeing all the beauty in life: connections with neighbors, chosen family, standing up for yourself, realizing love is possible. I really enjoyed reading it!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Death of parent
Sandwich by Catherine Newman
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This is a book about motherhood, menopause, and cape cod. It takes place over the course of a family’s annual vacation to Sandwich, a town on the cape. It centers on a family: mom and dad, their two adult kids, the kids’ girlfriends, and the mom’s elderly parents. As they venture to and from the beach, we get snippets of their relationships: the anger of menopause directed from wife to husband, the passing down of anxiety from mother to daughter, a pregnant 24 year old looking for advice, and more. I enjoy this type of family centered lit fic and enjoyed the audiobook.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abortion and Pregnancy
Moderate: Genocide and Alcohol
Pardon My Frenchie by Farrah Rochon
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This was such a fun read! I listened to the audiobook and really enjoyed it. This is an enemies to lovers romance featuring lots of dogs and a hilarious matchmaking grandma. The main characters’ chemistry is off the charts and there’s plenty of funny family antics as well.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent
Find Me At The Disco by Diahanna Aurora Hampton
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
It’s a coming-of-age story set in late 70s NYC. The main character Liza is 18, mixed race, largely alone in the world, struggling with relationships with her absent father, roommate, and boyfriends. The book follows Liza as she navigates adulthood and yes, goes to the disco. Thank you to the author for an early copy to review!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Biphobia, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Homophobia, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Alcohol
One Of Our Kind by Nicola Yoon
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I would definitely recommend this book for fans of the movies Get Out or Don’t Worry Darling. I don’t want to reveal too much but I enjoyed the audiobook and was definitely fascinated to see where it would go. Check CWs!
Love at First Book by Jenn McKinlay
emotional
funny
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Check CWs. Full of literary references, great book for book lovers.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship and Death of parent
Swift River by Essie Chambers
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I listened to the audiobook and really enjoyed this multigenerational family story. I love a story from a teenage girl’s point of view. Teenage grievances mixed with familial ones, with race and society, and more. I was glued to the page right up until the end.