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emilywemily6's reviews
259 reviews
A Love Beyond the Stars by Jennifer Chipman
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
I was gifted a ARC copy of this book by the author, thank you so much!
This book’s dedication says it all: if you watched the newer Star Trek for Chris Pine, you would like this book. It’s a sci-fi romance in the contemporary style but the sci-fi would not be satisfying for someone who enjoys sci-fi regularly. The sci-fi was unoriginal, simplistic, and lacked a lot of depth that you find in most sci-fi stories. For example, no ethical concerns were raised about interacting with an alien species on a new moon, and their overall 5 year mission was very vague. As a sci-fi lover, this book didn’t satisfy. This book started off pretty strong as I got to know the FMC and her hopes and dreams in starting her first commission. However, the romance in general felt insta-lovey and the characters didn’t have any kind of emotional chemistry. I think part of that was the lack of depth in the characters’ personalities. Even though they both had some trauma/personal struggles I didn’t see as much of it as I wanted in the story. I also didn’t like the bedroom talk, there was some cringey stuff that wasn’t to my taste. The high drama space challenges (like equipment failure, asteroid shower, etc.) resolved really quickly and lost some weight, and the main conflict in the relationship (captain and subordinate) ended up not being a big deal, which wasn’t a satisfying resolution. Lots of people really enjoyed this book, but I think the mediocre sci-fi elements combined with the shallow romance and cringey bedroom talk made this not a favorite for me. I would love more contemporary romances in the sci-fi genre though!
This book’s dedication says it all: if you watched the newer Star Trek for Chris Pine, you would like this book. It’s a sci-fi romance in the contemporary style but the sci-fi would not be satisfying for someone who enjoys sci-fi regularly. The sci-fi was unoriginal, simplistic, and lacked a lot of depth that you find in most sci-fi stories. For example, no ethical concerns were raised about interacting with an alien species on a new moon, and their overall 5 year mission was very vague. As a sci-fi lover, this book didn’t satisfy. This book started off pretty strong as I got to know the FMC and her hopes and dreams in starting her first commission. However, the romance in general felt insta-lovey and the characters didn’t have any kind of emotional chemistry. I think part of that was the lack of depth in the characters’ personalities. Even though they both had some trauma/personal struggles I didn’t see as much of it as I wanted in the story. I also didn’t like the bedroom talk, there was some cringey stuff that wasn’t to my taste. The high drama space challenges (like equipment failure, asteroid shower, etc.) resolved really quickly and lost some weight, and the main conflict in the relationship (captain and subordinate) ended up not being a big deal, which wasn’t a satisfying resolution. Lots of people really enjoyed this book, but I think the mediocre sci-fi elements combined with the shallow romance and cringey bedroom talk made this not a favorite for me. I would love more contemporary romances in the sci-fi genre though!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Riley Thorn and the Corpse in the Closet by Lucy Score
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
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? It's complicated
4.25
I love Riley and Nick and the whole cast of characters. This book is definitely more ridiculous than the last, which is not my favorite, but I still found it hilarious. I loved the continuation of multiple subplots within the story. I am excited to read the next book when I need a laugh out loud comfort read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Infidelity, Sexual content, Vomit, Murder, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Body horror, Gore, Gun violence, and Alcohol
Minor: Toxic relationship
When the Moon Hatched by Sarah A. Parker
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
This book is very long but it didn’t feel long to read. But overall, not a lot happened for the amount of pages this book is. The fantasy elements of this book are amazing though!! So much so that I kind of didn’t want the couple spicy scenes because I wanted to get back to the main story/plot lol. The cliff hanger at the end gave me more questions and confusion than excitement to read the next book, but I am still really excited to continue the series! I do wish that some terms/people from the second half of the book were still included in the glossary, though I feel like we’ll probably get more info about those things in the next book(s).
Yellowface by R.F. Kuang
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This was so good, I listened to this entire audiobook in just one day. It’s cringey and realistic, with lots of micro aggressions and covert racism. It was a fascinating read, and as a white person, I could see the slippery slope of racism/appropriation. This is a book I will think about for a long time. I didn’t prefer the ending (this book almost felt like it would end up as a literary horror but it didn’t go quite that far). The main character kind of descends into madness but I wanted more. Such a good read that talks about the sins of the publishing industry and the impact of race. The author did a beautiful job making me both hate the main character and feel for her.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Racism, and Cultural appropriation
Moderate: Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Mental illness, Medical content, Alcohol, and Classism
The Last Murder at the End of the World by Stuart Turton
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
I really enjoy Turton’s mysteries; they are always intricate and interesting, and all unique from one another. This story is dystopian/sci fi and it leans more in that direction the more you learn about these characters and circumstances. I appreciated the characterization and how each character stood out from one another, as well as Abi, the pseudo narrator that threads everyone together. I still have some questions after finishing this book but overall I feel satisfied. This conclusion to this story isn’t as complicated as his first novel (I kind of guessed the whodunit early on, though had no idea for sure or the motivation) but the aspect of memory wipes impacting the evidence is fascinating. The short story at the end of the B&N edition was a fun addition too.
Powerful by Lauren Roberts
emotional
hopeful
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I genuinely liked reading this novella, but not as much as Powerless. I didn’t connect with the characters as well, and it took a bit longer than I expected to get behind their relationship; opposites attract is kind of hard to write well in such a short story in my opinion. But I was thoroughly invested and devastated by the ending. The author has some beautiful writing that is still easy to understand and feel. I wish there was less focus on the romance and more plot though- I would have loved to see the interaction between Adena and the king, or to hear more about the common people and their opinion of the Trials. If Mak isn’t reintroduced later in the series I’ll riot. This was his rebel origin story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Blood, Grief, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Cursing, Torture, Violence, and Police brutality
Minor: Ableism
What You Must Know About Hashimoto's Disease: Restoring Thyroid Health Through Traditional and Complementary Medicine by Allison Futterman, Brittany Henderson
informative
medium-paced
3.5
This book was a good introduction to Hashimoto’s, especially if you don’t have a medical background. Even if you do have healthcare knowledge, this book still will teach you something. It’s written in a familiar tone that makes it approachable. However, while they included a bibliography at the end of their research, there were ZERO FOOTNOTES throughout the book, so it was impossible to know what facts were associated with which articles. This book was alright as a start to research, but definitely not perfect.
An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
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? No
5.0
Wow. Just wow… this book was a lot emotionally. I found myself so invested that I couldn’t look away even if I was so scared for the fates of these characters. There are high stakes all over the place!! The writing is beautiful, the characters are dynamic and nuanced, and I just want more. While classified as a YA fantasy, it wasn’t written with immature characters or simplistic writing. Even if it was put in the adult section, I would still give this five stars. I cannot start the next book fast enough.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Child death, Cursing, Rape, Sexual assault, Kidnapping, Death of parent, and Gaslighting
Minor: Suicide, Vomit, Medical content, and Pregnancy
Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez
emotional
hopeful
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
4.5
This book was beautifully written, with tender moments and dynamic characters. I adore Jacob! I really appreciate the author’s efforts to write contemporary romances that aren’t tragic but still have emotional components and some trauma/personal growth required of the characters. Bri really bothered me though in the second half of the book because she was hyper fixating on one assumption she made and she disregarded everything else in front of her face. It made it harder to feel like she was still speaking Jacob’s language like she had earlier in the story. Overall, I loved this book, though parts of it ripped my heart out and I couldn’t get to the happy ending fast enough to recover emotionally.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Infidelity, Sexual content, Medical content, and Grief
Moderate: Bullying, Chronic illness, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Alcohol
Minor: Miscarriage
Thornhedge by T. Kingfisher
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-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? It's complicated
5.0
T. Kingfisher is a master at creating tales that feel both familiar and fresh. A great, atmospheric novella that warms your heart to these imperfect characters. There is depth in these characters that is subtle and stays with you a long time. I want more!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Kidnapping
Minor: Cursing