Emma's bookshelf: all

Emma's bookshelf: all en-US Mon, 02 Sep 2024 21:55:17 -0700 60 Emma's bookshelf: all 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg <![CDATA[The Darkest Legacy (The Darkest Minds, #4)]]> 37688046
Determined to clear her name, Zu finds herself in an uncomfortable alliance with Roman and Priyanka, two mysterious Psi who could either help her prove her innocence or betray her before she gets the chance. But as they travel in search of safety and answers, and Zu grows closer to the people she knows she shouldn't trust, they uncover even darker things roiling beneath the veneer of the country's recovery. With her future-and the future of all Psi-on the line, Zu must use her powerful voice to fight back against forces that seek to drive the Psi into the shadows and save the friends who were once her protectors.

From #1 New York Times best-selling author Alexandra Bracken comes a harrowing story of resilience, resistance, and reckoning that will thrill loyal fans and new readers alike.]]> 569 Alexandra Bracken 136802324X Emma 0 to-read 4.09 2018 The Darkest Legacy (The Darkest Minds, #4)

The Darkest Legacy (The Darkest Minds, #4)

author: Alexandra Bracken
name: Emma
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/02
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Independent Study (The Testing, #2)]]> 17165932 320 Joelle Charbonneau 0547959206 Emma 5 3.94 2014

author: Joelle Charbonneau
name: Emma
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2014
rating: 5
read at: 2014/06/21
date added: 2024/08/07
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Crown of Midnight (Throne of Glass, #2)]]> 19549137 12 hrs 24 mins

She is the greatest assassin her world has ever known. But does she have the heart of a killer?

After a year of hard labor in the Salt Mines of Endovier, eighteen-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien has won the king's contest to become the new royal assassin. But Calaena is far from loyal to the crown. Keeping up the charade - while pretending to do the king's bidding - will test her skills in an entirely new way. And it certainly isn't the only point of confusion for the young girl. Because though she's made her choice between Dorian and Chaol, the ways of the heart are never simple...]]> 13 Sarah J. Maas Emma 5 audiobooks 4.16 2013 Crown of Midnight (Throne of Glass, #2)

author: Sarah J. Maas
name: Emma
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2013
rating: 5
read at: 2016/10/01
date added: 2024/06/10
shelves: audiobooks
review:

]]> Watching You 54435755
Lisa Jewell weaves another suspenseful thriller about a shocking murder in a picturesque and well-to-do English town, perfect for fans of Big Little Lies.

Melville Heights is one of the nicest neighborhoods in Bristol, England. It’s the sort of place where doctors and lawyers and old-money academics live. It’s not the sort of place where people get stabbed in the back thirty times with a kitchen knife in their own homes.

Someone must have seen something.

Newlywed Joey Mullen, for example, recently returned from four years working in Ibiza. She and her husband Alfie are eager to find a place of their own in her hometown. But Joey finds herself distracted by the man next door, Tom Fitzwilliam. He’s the principal of the local high school, twice her age, and devastatingly attractive. What starts as an innocent infatuation soon escalates into fixation, and before long, Joey can’t keep her eyes off of Tom.

Or the principal’s son, Freddie, who dreams of working as a spy, and has been developing his surveillance skills by keeping meticulous logs of the coming and goings in the area. And, as he approaches his fifteenth birthday, his attention—and his lens—are turning more and more towards the local women.

Or perhaps single mother Frances Tripp, who has long been convinced she is being stalked. Her teenage daughter Jenna is worried these delusions are signs of her mother’s deteriorating mental health, particularly now that her paranoia has found a specific target: Tom Fitzwilliam. Frances is determined to keep an eye on him until she can prove that he is behind her persecution.

Twenty years earlier, a schoolgirl writes in her diary, charting her doomed obsession with a handsome young English teacher named Mr. Fitzwilliam.

Nobody knows why this horrific murder was committed, but someone in Melville Heights knows who did it. As the community’s fearful eyes turn on each other, the question remains:

Who else is watching? ]]> 11 Lisa Jewell 1508266883 Emma 1 audiobooks
A misstep on my part may have been listening to the audio version but I strongly believe that is not the main reason why I didn’t like this book. I did listen to a sample of the audio a few months back and determined I didn’t like it. I have a thing with narrators who have really strong British accents �� they usually don’t vibe with me. I decided to give it another go because I really wanted to read this book and surprisingly, it barely peeved me throughout the story. Despite my grievances about the content of the book, I was shockingly engaged for most of it, listening for hours at a time uninterrupted. Therefore, I don’t believe this is one of those cases where the narrator ruined the story for me. I just genuinely didn’t like this book. I do think the audiobook would have been improved by a bigger cast as we have multiple perspectives from people of different ages and genders (a woman in her late 50’s is never the right choice to voice a teenage boy in my opinion), but that’s not exclusive to this performance.

The plot of Watching You develops incredibly slowly. We start the book with the knowledge that someone has been found dead in their home and spent the rest of the novel attempting to piece together “whodunnit.�� While many mysteries succeed in subtly place clues within a slow build up, this book was ridiculously dull. Half of the book was entirely uneventful with no action and no progress. It was very repetitive, going over the same events with different characters. I also did not like the switching back and forth between the past and police interviews. It felt very convoluted until the storylines began to match up. I expected there to be a lot of neighbors watching based on the title, but I didn’t realize I signed up to watch adults just freaking STARE at each other the whole time. Urban mysteries like this are typically my FAVORITE because I love the close-intimate nature of these stories in a bigger city, but it did not work here. I was under the impression that this book was a thriller, but the most thrilling part was when I could finally return the book to my library and start something new. A total, total bore.

I felt no attachment to any characters whatsoever. There are so many introduced all at once with very specific relationships to one another that it was hard to keep track of. I don’t think I should have to be reminding myself “Okay so X is their teacher and X is their son and X is who he’s watching and X is her sister�� so deep into the story. The only two I somewhat cared about were Jenna and Freddie (in the end). They absolutely did the most investigative work that propelled the story when most of the problems revolved around their parents/adult neighbors. They are the only reason the book gets half a star. As for the adults, Tom is a creep, Joey is dumb, Nicola is shady, and the rest of the adults get so little actual attention, I can’t remember much about them beyond how they connect to the aforementioned characters. I see many reviews mentioning development and I just want to ask . . . where?? Though there were some themes of mental health, I think they were explored really poorly. There’s also some Asperger’s rep that I felt could be viewed as alright, but also could be viewed as bad. Additionally, I picked out the murderer nearly as soon as they were introduced and once the main piece of evidence was uncovered, it was so glaringly obvious that the actual reveal had no impact. It was overall very disappointing.

The reason I initially picked up Watching You is because the cover was SO STRIKING! I could not stop thinking about it after eyeing it multiple times in bookstores. Since purchasing it, I’ve had the cover facing out of my bookshelf because I love it so much, and probably will keep it that way despite my thoughts because it is just so vibrant. That being said, this was probably the most prominent example of “Don’t judge a book by it’s cover�� that I’ve ever encountered as a reader . . . and not in a good way. I might pick up another book from Lisa Jewell as some of her other titles still intrigue me, but I will be going in with a cautious mind.

Content warning: [spoilers removed]]]> 3.63 2018 Watching You

author: Lisa Jewell
name: Emma
average rating: 3.63
book published: 2018
rating: 1
read at: 2019/09/18
date added: 2023/10/05
shelves: audiobooks
review:
1.5 Stars. Oh man, I really did not like this book. I was genuinely shocked come on to ŷ�� and see this novel had been mostly well received. It felt so objectively bland and boring to me, but I guess to each their own.

A misstep on my part may have been listening to the audio version but I strongly believe that is not the main reason why I didn’t like this book. I did listen to a sample of the audio a few months back and determined I didn’t like it. I have a thing with narrators who have really strong British accents �� they usually don’t vibe with me. I decided to give it another go because I really wanted to read this book and surprisingly, it barely peeved me throughout the story. Despite my grievances about the content of the book, I was shockingly engaged for most of it, listening for hours at a time uninterrupted. Therefore, I don’t believe this is one of those cases where the narrator ruined the story for me. I just genuinely didn’t like this book. I do think the audiobook would have been improved by a bigger cast as we have multiple perspectives from people of different ages and genders (a woman in her late 50’s is never the right choice to voice a teenage boy in my opinion), but that’s not exclusive to this performance.

The plot of Watching You develops incredibly slowly. We start the book with the knowledge that someone has been found dead in their home and spent the rest of the novel attempting to piece together “whodunnit.�� While many mysteries succeed in subtly place clues within a slow build up, this book was ridiculously dull. Half of the book was entirely uneventful with no action and no progress. It was very repetitive, going over the same events with different characters. I also did not like the switching back and forth between the past and police interviews. It felt very convoluted until the storylines began to match up. I expected there to be a lot of neighbors watching based on the title, but I didn’t realize I signed up to watch adults just freaking STARE at each other the whole time. Urban mysteries like this are typically my FAVORITE because I love the close-intimate nature of these stories in a bigger city, but it did not work here. I was under the impression that this book was a thriller, but the most thrilling part was when I could finally return the book to my library and start something new. A total, total bore.

I felt no attachment to any characters whatsoever. There are so many introduced all at once with very specific relationships to one another that it was hard to keep track of. I don’t think I should have to be reminding myself “Okay so X is their teacher and X is their son and X is who he’s watching and X is her sister�� so deep into the story. The only two I somewhat cared about were Jenna and Freddie (in the end). They absolutely did the most investigative work that propelled the story when most of the problems revolved around their parents/adult neighbors. They are the only reason the book gets half a star. As for the adults, Tom is a creep, Joey is dumb, Nicola is shady, and the rest of the adults get so little actual attention, I can’t remember much about them beyond how they connect to the aforementioned characters. I see many reviews mentioning development and I just want to ask . . . where?? Though there were some themes of mental health, I think they were explored really poorly. There’s also some Asperger’s rep that I felt could be viewed as alright, but also could be viewed as bad. Additionally, I picked out the murderer nearly as soon as they were introduced and once the main piece of evidence was uncovered, it was so glaringly obvious that the actual reveal had no impact. It was overall very disappointing.

The reason I initially picked up Watching You is because the cover was SO STRIKING! I could not stop thinking about it after eyeing it multiple times in bookstores. Since purchasing it, I’ve had the cover facing out of my bookshelf because I love it so much, and probably will keep it that way despite my thoughts because it is just so vibrant. That being said, this was probably the most prominent example of “Don’t judge a book by it’s cover�� that I’ve ever encountered as a reader . . . and not in a good way. I might pick up another book from Lisa Jewell as some of her other titles still intrigue me, but I will be going in with a cautious mind.

Content warning: [spoilers removed]
]]> Supernova (Renegades, #3) 42771754 All's fair in love and anarchy...

The epic conclusion to Marissa Meyer's thrilling Renegades Trilogy finds Nova and Adrian fighting to keep their identities secret. While the battle rages on between their alter egos and their allies, there is a darker threat shrouding Gatlon City.

The Renegades' worst enemy is back among them, threatening to reclaim Gatlon City. Nova and Adrian must brave lies and betrayal to protect those they love. Their greatest fears are about to come to life, and unless they can bridge the divide between heroes and villains, they stand to lose everything. Including each other.

Intrigue and action will leave readers on edge until the final, shocking secrets are revealed.]]> 549 Marissa Meyer 1250078385 Emma 4 4.38 2019 Supernova (Renegades, #3)

author: Marissa Meyer
name: Emma
average rating: 4.38
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2019/11/19
date added: 2023/07/05
shelves:
review:

]]> I'm Thinking of Ending Things 27274343 I’m thinking of ending things. Once this thought arrives, it stays. It sticks. It lingers. It’s always there. Always.

Jake once said, “Sometimes a thought is closer to truth, to reality, than an action. You can say anything, you can do anything, but you can’t fake a thought.��

And here’s what I’m thinking: I don’t want to be here.

In this smart and intense literary suspense novel, Iain Reid explores the depths of the human psyche, questioning consciousness, free will, the value of relationships, fear, and the limitations of solitude. Reminiscent of Jose Saramago’s early work, Michel Faber’s cult classic Under the Skin, and Lionel Shriver’s We Need to Talk about Kevin, *��*your dread and unease will mount with every passing page�� (Entertainment Weekly) of this edgy, haunting debut. Tense, gripping, and atmospheric, I’m Thinking of Ending Things pulls you in from the very first page…and never lets you go.]]> 224 Iain Reid 1501126962 Emma 1 1.5 Stars. 3.43 2016 I'm Thinking of Ending Things

author: Iain Reid
name: Emma
average rating: 3.43
book published: 2016
rating: 1
read at: 2020/08/07
date added: 2023/02/13
shelves:
review:
1.5 Stars.
]]> City of Girls 51918871
Beloved author Elizabeth Gilbert returns to fiction with a unique love story set in the New York City theater world during the 1940s. Told from the perspective of an older woman as she looks back on her youth with both pleasure and regret (but mostly pleasure), City of Girls explores themes of female sexuality and promiscuity, as well as the idiosyncrasies of true love.

In 1940, nineteen-year-old Vivian Morris has just been kicked out of Vassar College, owing to her lackluster freshman-year performance. Her affluent parents send her to Manhattan to live with her Aunt Peg, who owns a flamboyant, crumbling midtown theater called the Lily Playhouse. There Vivian is introduced to an entire cosmos of unconventional and charismatic characters, from the fun-chasing showgirls to a sexy male actor, a grand-dame actress, a lady-killer writer, and no-nonsense stage manager. But when Vivian makes a personal mistake that results in professional scandal, it turns her new world upside down in ways that it will take her years to fully understand. Ultimately, though, it leads her to a new understanding of the kind of life she craves - and the kind of freedom it takes to pursue it. It will also lead to the love of her life, a love that stands out from all the rest.

Now ninety-five years old and telling her story at last, Vivian recalls how the events of those years altered the course of her life - and the gusto and autonomy with which she approached it. "At some point in a woman's life, she just gets tired of being ashamed all the time," she muses. "After that, she is free to become whoever she truly is." Written with a powerful wisdom about human desire and connection, City of Girls is a love story like no other.]]> 470 Elizabeth Gilbert 1594634742 Emma 3 3.5 Stars. 4.01 2019

author: Elizabeth Gilbert
name: Emma
average rating: 4.01
book published: 2019
rating: 3
read at: 2020/05/31
date added: 2022/05/01
shelves:
review:
3.5 Stars.
]]> <![CDATA[The Sea of Monsters (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #2)]]> 22456248 Librarian's Note: An alternate cover for this ISBN can be found here.

Percy Jackson’s seventh-grade year has been surprisingly quiet. Not a single monster has set foot on his New York prep-school campus. But when an innocent game of dodgeball among Percy and his classmates turns into a death match against an ugly gang of cannibal giants, things get... well, ugly. And the unexpected arrival of Percy’s friend Annabeth brings more bad news: the magical borders that protect Camp Half-Blood have been poisoned by a mysterious enemy, and unless a cure is found, the only safe haven for demigods will be destroyed.

In this fresh, funny, and hugely anticipated follow up to The Lightning Thief, Percy and his friends must journey into the Sea of Monsters to save their beloved camp. But first, Percy will discover a stunning new secret about his family—one that makes him question whether being claimed as Poseidon’s son is an honor or simply a cruel joke.]]> 280 Rick Riordan 1423103343 Emma 5 4.18 2006 The Sea of Monsters (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #2)

The Sea of Monsters (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #2)

author: Rick Riordan
name: Emma
average rating: 4.18
book published: 2006
rating: 5
read at: 2014/08/20
date added: 2021/10/06
shelves:
review:

]]> We Should All Be Feminists 22738563 We Should All Be Feminists, a personal, eloquently-argued essay—adapted from her much-viewed TEDx talk of the same name—by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, the award-winning author of Americanah and Half of a Yellow Sun.

With humor and levity, here Adichie offers readers a unique definition of feminism for the twenty-first century—one rooted in inclusion and awareness. She shines a light not only on blatant discrimination, but also the more insidious, institutional behaviors that marginalize women around the world, in order to help readers of all walks of life better understand the often masked realities of sexual politics. Throughout, she draws extensively on her own experiences—in the U.S., in her native Nigeria, and abroad—offering an artfully nuanced explanation of why the gender divide is harmful for women and men, alike.

Argued in the same observant, witty and clever prose that has made Adichie a bestselling novelist, here is one remarkable author’s exploration of what it means to be a woman today—and an of-the-moment rallying cry for why we should all be feminists.]]> 65 Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Emma 2 4.42 2012

author: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
name: Emma
average rating: 4.42
book published: 2012
rating: 2
read at: 2020/11/01
date added: 2021/02/02
shelves:
review:

]]> The Afterlife of Holly Chase 33843251 Before I Fall meets “bah, humbug�� in this contemporary YA reimagining of A Christmas Carol from New York Times bestselling author Cynthia Hand.

On Christmas Eve five years ago, seventeen-year-old Holly Chase was visited by three Ghosts who showed her how selfish and spoiled she’d become. They tried to convince her to mend her ways. She didn’t. And then she died.

Now she’s stuck working for the top-secret company Project Scrooge—as their latest Ghost of Christmas Past. So far, Holly’s afterlife has been miserable. But this year’s Scrooge is different. This year’s Scrooge might change everything��

The Afterlife of Holly Chase is a witty, poignant, and insightful novel about life, love, and seizing second (or third) chances, perfect for readers who loved Before I Fall or Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares.]]> 400 Cynthia Hand 0062318500 Emma 5 audiobooks
I really loved the concept of this book (the synopsis does not do it justice). 17 year old terrible girl is visited by three spirits who show her her past, present and future if she does not change her way (Yes, it is an A Christmas Carol retelling). She brushes it off, she dies, and now is recruited as The Ghost of Christmas Past for “Project Scrooge�� a company that takes on a new “Scrooge�� every year in the hopes of having them change their ways and make the world a better place. It was a very unique twist on a retelling, where the original tale is a central part of the story and is constantly referred to directly, but it made for a wonderful balance between a classic and new novel.

I especially loved the fact that we have two unlikeable main characters. Holly, being a ”failed Scrooge,�� is self-centered, obsessed with wealth and status, unbelievably cruel to those who are “beneath�� her, and is probably one of the most selfish characters I have ever read about. That being said, you can’t help but empathize with Holly and root for her happiness. Despite the fact that Holly exhibits so many behaviors I disagree with, I love her. Ethan, being this year’s “Scrooge,�� is arguably even more interesting. He is introduced to us as a “Scrooge�� yet in the majority of our encounters with him, he is charming, kind, and giving. Throughout the story, we are exposed to his worst moments and it leads to this interesting tug-of-war between “But he’s so great!�� and “But look at what he’s done.�� I thoroughly enjoyed how much this book challenged my perception of the characters and their true motivations.

Besides the plot completely captivating me all throughout the story to the point where putting my audiobook down was physically painful, the ending was also phenomenal. I made my guesses as to how things would be resolved, but I never would have imagined the truth. Again, this story takes a twist on typical young adult book endings. Though my heart partially wanted something different for the fate of the characters, I’m ultimately satisfied. I loved this book so much I had to force myself to refrain from restarting it the second I finished.

I seriously loved this book. 17/5 stars. Would highly recommend to anyone looking for a festive read, or a new paranormal YA story. I can assure you I will be rereading this one in the future!]]> 3.94 2017 The Afterlife of Holly Chase

author: Cynthia Hand
name: Emma
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2017
rating: 5
read at: 2020/12/31
date added: 2021/01/03
shelves: audiobooks
review:
I know Christmas was yesterday and a lot of y’all are probably not interested in just now starting a new Christmas story but you ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO. This book completely took me by surprised. I had no idea I would love it as much as I did, but it totally blew me away.

I really loved the concept of this book (the synopsis does not do it justice). 17 year old terrible girl is visited by three spirits who show her her past, present and future if she does not change her way (Yes, it is an A Christmas Carol retelling). She brushes it off, she dies, and now is recruited as The Ghost of Christmas Past for “Project Scrooge�� a company that takes on a new “Scrooge�� every year in the hopes of having them change their ways and make the world a better place. It was a very unique twist on a retelling, where the original tale is a central part of the story and is constantly referred to directly, but it made for a wonderful balance between a classic and new novel.

I especially loved the fact that we have two unlikeable main characters. Holly, being a ”failed Scrooge,�� is self-centered, obsessed with wealth and status, unbelievably cruel to those who are “beneath�� her, and is probably one of the most selfish characters I have ever read about. That being said, you can’t help but empathize with Holly and root for her happiness. Despite the fact that Holly exhibits so many behaviors I disagree with, I love her. Ethan, being this year’s “Scrooge,�� is arguably even more interesting. He is introduced to us as a “Scrooge�� yet in the majority of our encounters with him, he is charming, kind, and giving. Throughout the story, we are exposed to his worst moments and it leads to this interesting tug-of-war between “But he’s so great!�� and “But look at what he’s done.�� I thoroughly enjoyed how much this book challenged my perception of the characters and their true motivations.

Besides the plot completely captivating me all throughout the story to the point where putting my audiobook down was physically painful, the ending was also phenomenal. I made my guesses as to how things would be resolved, but I never would have imagined the truth. Again, this story takes a twist on typical young adult book endings. Though my heart partially wanted something different for the fate of the characters, I’m ultimately satisfied. I loved this book so much I had to force myself to refrain from restarting it the second I finished.

I seriously loved this book. 17/5 stars. Would highly recommend to anyone looking for a festive read, or a new paranormal YA story. I can assure you I will be rereading this one in the future!
]]> <![CDATA[Hollowpox: The Hunt for Morrigan Crow (Nevermoor, #3)]]> 46113778
But a strange and frightening illness has taken hold of Nevermoor, turning infected Wunimals into mindless, vicious Unnimals on the hunt. As victims of the Hollowpox multiply, panic spreads. And with the city she loves in a state of fear, Morrigan quickly realizes it's up to her to find a cure for the Hollowpox, even if it will put her - and everyone in Nevermoor - in more danger than she ever imagined.]]> 471 Jessica Townsend 1510105301 Emma 5 4.48 2020 Hollowpox: The Hunt for Morrigan Crow (Nevermoor, #3)

Hollowpox: The Hunt for Morrigan Crow (Nevermoor, #3)

author: Jessica Townsend
name: Emma
average rating: 4.48
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2020/12/31
date added: 2021/01/03
shelves:
review:

]]> The Vanishing Half 51791252
Weaving together multiple strands and generations of this family, from the Deep South to California, from the 1950s to the 1990s, Brit Bennett produces a story that is at once a riveting, emotional family story and a brilliant exploration of the American history of passing. Looking well beyond issues of race, The Vanishing Half considers the lasting influence of the past as it shapes a person's decisions, desires, and expectations, and explores some of the multiple reasons and realms in which people sometimes feel pulled to live as something other than their origins.]]> 343 Brit Bennett 0525536299 Emma 4 4.5 Stars 4.12 2020 The Vanishing Half

author: Brit Bennett
name: Emma
average rating: 4.12
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2020/12/01
date added: 2021/01/03
shelves:
review:
4.5 Stars
]]> <![CDATA[The Gift of Therapy: An Open Letter to a New Generation of Therapists and Their Patients]]> 36512474 The Gift of Therapy lays out simple suggestions that blend personal experience with professional objectivity. This is a book that will remind you why you entered the field in the first place. With tips on avoiding diagnosis (except for insurance purposes), when to disclose personal information, and why it's important to leave time between patient appointments, the recommendations are aimed at therapists, but they may be useful to patients who want to know what to expect from their counselors. Some references to the DSM-IV may be a little over the layperson's head, but in general the writing is clear and understandable for lay readers as well as professionals.

Each chapter is just a few pages long, a nice format for busy folks whose reading time occurs in snippets. A single topic is addressed in each chapter, and author Irvin Yalom doesn't waste any time in getting to the point. Many of the sections revolve around balancing the "magic, mystery, and authority" that come with the job of freeing your clients of their reliance on you.

From when to offer an occasional hug to finding the perfect time for deeper questioning, Yalom's experienced observations will help you achieve even greater professional effectiveness while avoiding some of the more obvious traps in this HMO-directed age of mental health care. --Jill Lightner

]]> 259 Irvin D. Yalom Emma 3 4.43 2001 The Gift of Therapy: An Open Letter to a New Generation of Therapists and Their Patients

author: Irvin D. Yalom
name: Emma
average rating: 4.43
book published: 2001
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 2021/01/03
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Truly, Devious (Truly Devious, #1)]]> 29589074
Shortly after the school opened, his wife and daughter were kidnapped. The only real clue was a mocking riddle listing methods of murder, signed with the frightening pseudonym “Truly, Devious.�� It became one of the great unsolved crimes of American history.

True-crime aficionado Stevie Bell is set to begin her first year at Ellingham Academy, and she has an ambitious plan: She will solve this cold case. That is, she will solve the case when she gets a grip on her demanding new school life and her housemates: the inventor, the novelist, the actor, the artist, and the jokester. But something strange is happening. Truly Devious makes a surprise return, and death revisits Ellingham Academy. The past has crawled out of its grave. Someone has gotten away with murder.

The two interwoven mysteries of this first book in the Truly Devious series dovetail brilliantly, and Stevie Bell will continue her relentless quest for the murderers in books two and three.

New York Times bestselling author Maureen Johnson weaves a delicate tale of murder and mystery in the first book of a striking new series, perfect for fans of Agatha Christie and E. Lockhart.]]> 416 Maureen Johnson Emma 5 Truly Devious totally took me by surprise. I had no idea I would love this book as much as I did!

Cw: murder

I loved our main character, Stevie. I wish this book existed in high school so that I could have had a female protagonist interested in true crime to relate to. I feel Stevie is extremely competent, self-aware, and has a really great head on her shoulders. I also loved her best friends, Janelle �� we need more black girls who like girls in STEM fields in media, and Nate �� he’s such an apathetic lil bean who I hope gets more development in the sequel. I wasn’t a crazy big fan of David (I guess he is considered the love interest? Truly Devious is FAR from a heavy romance story, but there is definite attraction). He just sort of weirded me out; Motives unclear half the time, sometimes annoying, sometimes charming. I can’t really feel out his character at this point, but I did enjoy him more towards the ending and I’m hopeful he’ll grown on me more in the future.

I am not a huge fan of dual timeline books where it jumps from present to past with a completely different set of characters, but it worked well for this book. The scenes set in 1936 do not overtake the present story, but are a great addition to the story. It does not feel “info-dumpy��, rather, it is like reading two mysteries unfolding at once.

I adore the mystery of the story. You truly CANNOT TELL who is “Truly Devious��, if the same killer has returned, or else how these two crimes are really connected! There are so many twists and turns and unanswered questions that you will be on the edge of your seat trying to figure out how everything fits together.

I will add, I do feel like the pacing was a bit slow at some points. There are not many significant plot points until about halfway through. That being said, I keep reminding myself that most thrillers are condensed into one book, whereas this will be a trilogy, so I understand the decision/need to have a more fleshed out beginning before diving into all the drama. I am anxiously anticipating book two and am extremely hopeful that things will be nonstop action from here.

Truly Devious is truly amazing. It is a MUST READ. Book #2 is already going to the top of my most anticipated releases for 2019.

This book was sent to me unsolicited and for free by Harper Collins. I had no obligation to review this book and all opinions are my own.]]> 3.90 2018 Truly, Devious (Truly Devious, #1)

author: Maureen Johnson
name: Emma
average rating: 3.90
book published: 2018
rating: 5
read at: 2020/12/01
date added: 2021/01/03
shelves:
review:
I LOVED THIS BOOK. If you need a new YA mystery novel, this is the one for you! Truly Devious totally took me by surprise. I had no idea I would love this book as much as I did!

Cw: murder

I loved our main character, Stevie. I wish this book existed in high school so that I could have had a female protagonist interested in true crime to relate to. I feel Stevie is extremely competent, self-aware, and has a really great head on her shoulders. I also loved her best friends, Janelle �� we need more black girls who like girls in STEM fields in media, and Nate �� he’s such an apathetic lil bean who I hope gets more development in the sequel. I wasn’t a crazy big fan of David (I guess he is considered the love interest? Truly Devious is FAR from a heavy romance story, but there is definite attraction). He just sort of weirded me out; Motives unclear half the time, sometimes annoying, sometimes charming. I can’t really feel out his character at this point, but I did enjoy him more towards the ending and I’m hopeful he’ll grown on me more in the future.

I am not a huge fan of dual timeline books where it jumps from present to past with a completely different set of characters, but it worked well for this book. The scenes set in 1936 do not overtake the present story, but are a great addition to the story. It does not feel “info-dumpy��, rather, it is like reading two mysteries unfolding at once.

I adore the mystery of the story. You truly CANNOT TELL who is “Truly Devious��, if the same killer has returned, or else how these two crimes are really connected! There are so many twists and turns and unanswered questions that you will be on the edge of your seat trying to figure out how everything fits together.

I will add, I do feel like the pacing was a bit slow at some points. There are not many significant plot points until about halfway through. That being said, I keep reminding myself that most thrillers are condensed into one book, whereas this will be a trilogy, so I understand the decision/need to have a more fleshed out beginning before diving into all the drama. I am anxiously anticipating book two and am extremely hopeful that things will be nonstop action from here.

Truly Devious is truly amazing. It is a MUST READ. Book #2 is already going to the top of my most anticipated releases for 2019.

This book was sent to me unsolicited and for free by Harper Collins. I had no obligation to review this book and all opinions are my own.
]]> Punching the Air 49151299 From award-winning, bestselling author Ibi Zoboi and prison reform activist Yusef Salaam of the Exonerated Five comes a powerful YA novel in verse about a boy who is wrongfully incarcerated. Perfect for fans of Jason Reynolds, Walter Dean Myers, and Elizabeth Acevedo.

The story that I thought

was my life

didn’t start on the day

I was born

Amal Shahid has always been an artist and a poet. But even in a diverse art school, he’s seen as disruptive and unmotivated by a biased system. Then one fateful night, an altercation in a gentrifying neighborhood escalates into tragedy. “Boys just being boys�� turns out to be true only when those boys are white.

The story that I think

will be my life

starts today

Suddenly, at just sixteen years old, Amal’s bright future is upended: he is convicted of a crime he didn’t commit and sent to prison. Despair and rage almost sink him until he turns to the refuge of his words, his art. This never should have been his story. But can he change it?

With spellbinding lyricism, award-winning author Ibi Zoboi and prison reform activist Yusef Salaam tell a moving and deeply profound story about how one boy is able to maintain his humanity and fight for the truth, in a system designed to strip him of both.]]> 400 Ibi Zoboi 0062996487 Emma 5 4.40 2020 Punching the Air

author: Ibi Zoboi
name: Emma
average rating: 4.40
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2020/11/01
date added: 2021/01/03
shelves:
review:

]]> Such a Fun Age 43923951 Such a Fun Age is a page-turning and big-hearted story about race and privilege, set around a young black babysitter, her well-intentioned employer, and a surprising connection that threatens to undo them both.

Alix Chamberlain is a woman who gets what she wants and has made a living, with her confidence-driven brand, showing other women how to do the same. So she is shocked when her babysitter, Emira Tucker, is confronted while watching the Chamberlains' toddler one night, walking the aisles of their local high-end supermarket. The store's security guard, seeing a young black woman out late with a white child, accuses Emira of kidnapping two-year-old Briar. A small crowd gathers, a bystander films everything, and Emira is furious and humiliated. Alix resolves to make things right.

But Emira herself is aimless, broke, and wary of Alix's desire to help. At twenty-five, she is about to lose her health insurance and has no idea what to do with her life. When the video of Emira unearths someone from Alix's past, both women find themselves on a crash course that will upend everything they think they know about themselves, and each other.

With empathy and piercing social commentary, Such a Fun Age explores the stickiness of transactional relationships, what it means to make someone family, and the complicated reality of being a grown up. It is a searing debut for our times.]]> 310 Kiley Reid 052554190X Emma 4 4.5 Stars 3.76 2019 Such a Fun Age

author: Kiley Reid
name: Emma
average rating: 3.76
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2020/12/01
date added: 2021/01/03
shelves:
review:
4.5 Stars
]]> The Voting Booth 48717633
Duke Crenshaw is so done with this election. He just wants to get voting over with so he can prepare for his band's first paying gig tonight. Only problem? Duke can't vote.

When Marva sees Duke turned away from their polling place, she takes it upon herself to make sure his vote is counted. She hasn't spent months doorbelling and registering voters just to see someone denied their right. And that's how their whirlwind day begins, rushing from precinct to precinct, cutting school, waiting in endless lines, turned away time and again, trying to do one simple thing: vote. They may have started out as strangers, but as Duke and Marva team up to beat a rigged system (and find Marva's missing cat), it's clear that there's more to their connection than a shared mission for democracy.

Romantic and triumphant, The Voting Booth is proof that you can't sit around waiting for the world to change, but some things are just meant to be.]]> 293 Brandy Colbert 1368053297 Emma 3 3.5 Stars 3.85 2020

author: Brandy Colbert
name: Emma
average rating: 3.85
book published: 2020
rating: 3
read at: 2020/11/01
date added: 2021/01/03
shelves:
review:
3.5 Stars
]]> You Are Not Alone 45046742
Until Shay meets the Moore sisters. Cassandra and Jane live a life of glamorous perfection, and always get what they desire. When they invite Shay into their circle, everything seems to get better. Shay would die for them to like her. She may have to.]]> 343 Greer Hendricks 1250202035 Emma 4 3.74 2020 You Are Not Alone

author: Greer Hendricks
name: Emma
average rating: 3.74
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2020/11/01
date added: 2021/01/03
shelves:
review:

]]> This Will Be Funny Someday 53240811
Sixteen-year-old Izzy is used to keeping her thoughts to herself—in school, where her boyfriend does the talking for her, and at home, where it’s impossible to compete with her older siblings and high-powered parents—but when she accidentally walks into a stand-up comedy club and performs, the experience is surprisingly cathartic. After the show, she meets Mo, an aspiring comic who’s everything Izzy’s not: bold, confident, comfortable in her skin. Mo invites Izzy to join her group of friends and introduces her to the Chicago open mic scene.

The only problem? Her new friends are college students—and Izzy tells them she’s one, too. Now Izzy, the dutiful daughter and model student, is sneaking out to perform stand-up with her comedy friends, and she can hardly remember all the lies she’s telling to keep her two lives separate.

Her controlling boyfriend is getting suspicious, and her former best friend knows there’s something going on. But Izzy loves comedy and this newfound freedom. As her two parallel lives collide—in the most hilarious of ways—Izzy must choose to either hide what she really wants and who she really is or, finally, truly stand up for herself.]]> 400 Katie Henry 0062955705 Emma 4 3.98 2021 This Will Be Funny Someday

author: Katie Henry
name: Emma
average rating: 3.98
book published: 2021
rating: 4
read at: 2020/11/01
date added: 2021/01/03
shelves:
review:

]]> Grown 49397758 384 Tiffany D. Jackson 0062840355 Emma 0 4.5 Stars 4.24 2020 Grown

author: Tiffany D. Jackson
name: Emma
average rating: 4.24
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at: 2020/11/01
date added: 2021/01/03
shelves:
review:
4.5 Stars
]]> <![CDATA[The Lost Book of the White (The Eldest Curses, #2)]]> 34605974 From #1 New York Times bestselling authors Cassandra Clare and Wesley Chu comes the second book in the Eldest Curses series and a thrilling new adventure for High Warlock Magnus Bane and Alec Lightwood, for whom a death-defying mission into the heart of evil is not just a job, it’s also a romantic getaway. The Lost Book of the White is a Shadowhunters novel.

Life is good for Magnus Bane and Alec Lightwood. They’re living together in a fabulous loft, their warlock son, Max, has started learning to walk, and the streets of New York are peaceful and quiet—as peaceful and quiet as they ever are, anyway.

Until the night that two old acquaintances break into Magnus’s apartment and steal the powerful Book of the White. Now Magnus and Alec will have to drop everything to get it back. They need to follow the thieves to Shanghai, they need to call some backup to accompany them, and they need a babysitter.

Also, someone has stabbed Magnus with a strange magical weapon and the wound is glowing, so they have that to worry about too.

Fortunately, their backup consists of Clary, Jace, Isabelle, and newly minted Shadowhunter Simon. In Shanghai, they learn that a much darker threat awaits them. Magnus’s magic is growing unstable, and if they can’t stop the demons flooding into the city, they might have to follow them all the way back to the source—to the very realm of the dead. Can they stop the threat to the world? Will they make it back home before their kid completely wears out Alec’s mom?]]> 365 Cassandra Clare 1471162095 Emma 3 3.5 Stars 3.97 2020 The Lost Book of the White (The Eldest Curses, #2)

The Lost Book of the White (The Eldest Curses, #2)

author: Cassandra Clare
name: Emma
average rating: 3.97
book published: 2020
rating: 3
read at: 2020/12/10
date added: 2021/01/03
shelves:
review:
3.5 Stars
]]> <![CDATA[City of Lost Souls (The Mortal Instruments, #5)]]> 8755776 New York Times bestselling Mortal Instruments continues—and so do the thrills and danger for Jace, Clary, and Simon.

What price is too high to pay, even for love? When Jace and Clary meet again, Clary is horrified to discover that the demon Lilith’s magic has bound her beloved Jace together with her evil brother Sebastian, and that Jace has become a servant of evil. The Clave is out to destroy Sebastian, but there is no way to harm one boy without destroying the other. As Alec, Magnus, Simon, and Isabelle wheedle and bargain with Seelies, demons, and the merciless Iron Sisters to try to save Jace, Clary plays a dangerous game of her own. The price of losing is not just her own life, but Jace’s soul. She’s willing to do anything for Jace, but can she still trust him? Or is he truly lost?

Love. Blood. Betrayal. Revenge. Darkness threatens to claim the Shadowhunters in the harrowing fifth book of the Mortal Instruments series.]]> 535 Cassandra Clare 1442416866 Emma 5 4.22 2012 City of Lost Souls (The Mortal Instruments, #5)

City of Lost Souls (The Mortal Instruments, #5)

author: Cassandra Clare
name: Emma
average rating: 4.22
book published: 2012
rating: 5
read at: 2020/12/07
date added: 2021/01/03
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Unraveling of Cassidy Holmes]]> 52163643 In vein of Daisy Jones & The Six and Everything I Never Told You, this debut novel probes the dark side of fame after a former pop star ends her own life.

Cassidy Holmes isn't just a celebrity.

She is “Sassy Gloss,�� the fourth member of the hottest pop group America has ever seen. Hotter than Britney dancing with a snake, hotter than Christina getting dirrty, Gloss was the pop act that everyone idolized. Fans couldn't get enough of them, their music, and the drama that followed them like moths to a flame—until the group’s sudden implosion in 2002. And at the center of it all was Sassy Cassy, the Texan with a signature smirk that had everyone falling for her.

But now she's dead. Suicide.

The world is reeling from this unexpected news, but no one is more shocked than the three remaining Glossies. Fifteen years ago, Rose, Merry, and Yumi had been the closest to Cassidy, and this loss is hitting them hard. Before the group split, they each had a special bond with Cassidy—truths they told, secrets they shared. But after years apart, each of them is wondering: what could they have done?

Told in multiple perspectives—including Cassidy herself—and different timelines, this is a behind-the-scenes look into the rise and fall of a pop icon, and a penetrating examination of the dark side of celebrity and the industry that profits from it.]]> 448 Elissa R. Sloan Emma 0 did-not-finish 3.46 2020 The Unraveling of Cassidy Holmes

author: Elissa R. Sloan
name: Emma
average rating: 3.46
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/01/03
shelves: did-not-finish
review:

]]> A Promised Land 55359022 In the stirring, highly anticipated first volume of his presidential memoirs, Barack Obama tells the story of his improbable odyssey from young man searching for his identity to leader of the free world, describing in strikingly personal detail both his political education and the landmark moments of the first term of his historic presidency—a time of dramatic transformation and turmoil.
Obama takes readers on a compelling journey from his earliest political aspirations to the pivotal Iowa caucus victory that demonstrated the power of grassroots activism to the watershed night of November 4, 2008, when he was elected 44th president of the United States, becoming the first African American to hold the nation’s highest office.
Reflecting on the presidency, he offers a unique and thoughtful exploration of both the awesome reach and the limits of presidential power, as well as singular insights into the dynamics of U.S. partisan politics and international diplomacy. Obama brings readers inside the Oval Office and the White House Situation Room, and to Moscow, Cairo, Beijing, and points beyond. We are privy to his thoughts as he assembles his cabinet, wrestles with a global financial crisis, takes the measure of Vladimir Putin, overcomes seemingly insurmountable odds to secure passage of the Affordable Care Act, clashes with generals about U.S. strategy in Afghanistan, tackles Wall Street reform, responds to the devastating Deepwater Horizon blowout, and authorizes Operation Neptune’s Spear, which leads to the death of Osama bin Laden.
A Promised Land is extraordinarily intimate and introspective—the story of one man’s bet with history, the faith of a community organizer tested on the world stage. Obama is candid about the balancing act of running for office as a Black American, bearing the expectations of a generation buoyed by messages of “hope and change,�� and meeting the moral challenges of high-stakes decision-making. He is frank about the forces that opposed him at home and abroad, open about how living in the White House affected his wife and daughters, and unafraid to reveal self-doubt and disappointment. Yet he never wavers from his belief that inside the great, ongoing American experiment, progress is always possible.
This beautifully written and powerful book captures Barack Obama’s conviction that democracy is not a gift from on high but something founded on empathy and common understanding and built together, day by day.]]> 701 Barack Obama 1524763160 Emma 0 to-read 4.40 2020 A Promised Land

author: Barack Obama
name: Emma
average rating: 4.40
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/11/23
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> A Little Life 22822858
Over the decades, their relationships deepen and darken, tinged by addiction, success, and pride. Yet their greatest challenge, each comes to realize, is Jude himself, by midlife a terrifyingly talented litigator yet an increasingly broken man, his mind and body scarred by an unspeakable childhood, and haunted by what he fears is a degree of trauma that he’ll not only be unable to overcome—but that will define his life forever.]]> 720 Hanya Yanagihara 0385539258 Emma 0 to-read 4.28 2015 A Little Life

author: Hanya Yanagihara
name: Emma
average rating: 4.28
book published: 2015
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/11/23
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[City of Fallen Angels (The Mortal Instruments, #4)]]> 6752378
But nothing comes without a price.

Someone is murdering Shadowhunters, provoking tensions between Downworlders and Shadowhunters that could lead to a second, bloody war. Clary’s best friend, Simon, can’t help her—his mother just found out that he’s a vampire, and now he’s homeless. When Jace begins to pull away from her without explaining why, Clary is forced to delve into the heart of a mystery whose solution reveals her worst nightmare: she herself has set in motion a terrible chain of events that could lead to her losing everything she loves. Even Jace.]]> 425 Cassandra Clare 1442403543 Emma 5 4.09 2011 City of Fallen Angels (The Mortal Instruments, #4)

City of Fallen Angels (The Mortal Instruments, #4)

author: Cassandra Clare
name: Emma
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2011
rating: 5
read at: 2020/01/01
date added: 2020/11/23
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Midnight Sun (The Twilight Saga, #5)]]> 53287484 When Edward Cullen and Bella Swan met in Twilight, an iconic love story was born. But until now, fans have heard only Bella’s side of the story. At last, readers can experience Edward’s version in the long-awaited companion novel, Midnight Sun.

This unforgettable tale as told through Edward’s eyes takes on a new and decidedly dark twist. Meeting beautiful, mysterious Bella is both the most intriguing and unnerving event he has experienced in his long life as a vampire. As we learn more fascinating details about Edward’s past and the complexity of his inner thoughts, we understand why this is the defining struggle of his life. How can he let himself fall in love with Bella when he knows that he is endangering her life?

In Midnight Sun, Stephenie Meyer transports us back to a world that has captivated millions of readers and, drawing on the classic myth of Hades and Persephone, brings us an epic novel about the profound pleasures and devastating consequences of immortal love.]]> 662 Stephenie Meyer 031670704X Emma 3 3.72 2020 Midnight Sun (The Twilight Saga, #5)

author: Stephenie Meyer
name: Emma
average rating: 3.72
book published: 2020
rating: 3
read at: 2020/09/04
date added: 2020/11/18
shelves:
review:

]]> Malibu Rising 55404546 Four famous siblings throw an epic party to celebrate the end of the summer. But over the course of twenty-four hours, their lives will change forever.

Malibu: August, 1983. It’s the day of Nina Riva’s annual end-of-summer party, and anticipation is at a fever pitch. Everyone wants to be around the famous Rivas: Nina, the talented surfer and supermodel; brothers Jay and Hud, one a championship surfer, the other a renowned photographer; and their adored baby sister, Kit. Together, the siblings are a source of fascination in Malibu and the world over—especially as the offspring of the legendary singer, Mick Riva.

The only person not looking forward to the party of the year is Nina herself, who never wanted to be the center of attention, and who has also just been very publicly abandoned by her pro tennis player husband. Oh, and maybe Hud—because it is long past time to confess something to the brother from whom he’s been inseparable since birth.

Jay, on the other hand, is counting the minutes until nightfall, when the girl he can’t stop thinking about promised she’ll be there.

And Kit has a couple secrets of her own—including a guest she invited without consulting anyone.

By midnight the party will be completely out of control. By morning, the Riva mansion will have gone up in flames. But before that first spark in the early hours before dawn, the alcohol will flow, the music will play, and the loves and secrets that shaped this family’s generations will all come bubbling to the surface.

Malibu Rising is a story about one unforgettable night in the life of a family: the night they each have to choose what they will keep from the people who made them... and what they will leave behind.]]> 369 Taylor Jenkins Reid 1524798657 Emma 0 to-read 4.02 2021 Malibu Rising

author: Taylor Jenkins Reid
name: Emma
average rating: 4.02
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/09/22
shelves: to-read
review:
*rising from the depths of my ŷ�� grave to add this to my TBR*
]]> <![CDATA[The House in the Cerulean Sea (Cerulean Chronicles, #1)]]> 45047384
Linus Baker leads a quiet, solitary life. At forty, he lives in a tiny house with a devious cat and his old records. As a Case Worker at the Department in Charge Of Magical Youth, he spends his days overseeing the well-being of children in government-sanctioned orphanages.

When Linus is unexpectedly summoned by Extremely Upper Management he's given a curious and highly classified assignment: travel to Marsyas Island Orphanage, where six dangerous children reside: a gnome, a sprite, a wyvern, an unidentifiable green blob, a were-Pomeranian, and the Antichrist. Linus must set aside his fears and determine whether or not they’re likely to bring about the end of days.

But the children aren’t the only secret the island keeps. Their caretaker is the charming and enigmatic Arthur Parnassus, who will do anything to keep his wards safe. As Arthur and Linus grow closer, long-held secrets are exposed, and Linus must make a choice: destroy a home or watch the world burn.

An enchanting story, masterfully told, The House in the Cerulean Sea is about the profound experience of discovering an unlikely family in an unexpected place—and realizing that family is yours.]]> 394 T.J. Klune Emma 5 4.37 2020

The House in the Cerulean Sea (Cerulean Chronicles, #1)

author: T.J. Klune
name: Emma
average rating: 4.37
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2020/09/21
date added: 2020/09/21
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[An Absolutely Remarkable Thing (The Carls, #1)]]> 24233708 343 Hank Green 1524743453 Emma 4 4.05 2018

An Absolutely Remarkable Thing (The Carls, #1)

author: Hank Green
name: Emma
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2018
rating: 4
read at: 2020/08/14
date added: 2020/09/21
shelves:
review:

]]> Spinning 33163388 Spinning, captures what it's like to come of age, come out, and come to terms with leaving behind everything you used to know.

It was the same every morning. Wake up, grab the ice skates, and head to the rink while the world was still dark.

Weekends were spent in glitter and tights at competitions. Perform. Smile. And do it again.

She was good. She won. And she hated it.

For ten years, figure skating was Tillie Walden's life. She woke before dawn for morning lessons, went straight to group practice after school, and spent weekends competing at ice rinks across the state. It was a central piece of her identity, her safe haven from the stress of school, bullies, and family. But over time, as she switched schools, got into art, and fell in love with her first girlfriend, she began to question how the close-minded world of figure skating fit in with the rest of her life, and whether all the work was worth it given the reality: that she, and her friends on the figure skating team, were nowhere close to Olympic hopefuls. It all led to one question: What was the point? The more Tillie thought about it, the more Tillie realized she'd outgrown her passion--and she finally needed to find her own voice.]]> 400 Tillie Walden 1626727724 Emma 3 3.90 2017 Spinning

author: Tillie Walden
name: Emma
average rating: 3.90
book published: 2017
rating: 3
read at: 2020/08/14
date added: 2020/09/21
shelves:
review:

]]> The Black Flamingo 54177977 I masquerade in makeup and feathers and I am applauded.

A boy comes to terms with his identity as a mixed-race gay teen - then at university he finds his wings as a drag artist, The Black Flamingo. A bold story about the power of embracing your uniqueness. Sometimes, we need to take charge, to stand up wearing pink feathers - to show ourselves to the world in bold colour.]]> 4 Dean Atta Emma 4 4.5 Stars. 4.23 2019 The Black Flamingo

author: Dean Atta
name: Emma
average rating: 4.23
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2020/08/13
date added: 2020/09/21
shelves:
review:
4.5 Stars.
]]> <![CDATA[City of Glass (The Mortal Instruments, #3)]]> 3777732 Also see: Alternate Cover Editions for this ISBN [ACE]
ACE #1

To save her mother's life, Clary must travel to the City of Glass, the ancestral home of the Shadowhunters - never mind that entering the city without permission is against the Law, and breaking the Law could mean death. To make things worse, she learns that Jace does not want her there, and Simon has been thrown in prison by the Shadowhunters, who are deeply suspicious of a vampire who can withstand sunlight.

As Clary uncovers more about her family's past, she finds an ally in mysterious Shadowhunter Sebastian. With Valentine mustering the full force of his power to destroy all Shadowhunters forever, their only chance to defeat him is to fight alongside their eternal enemies. But can Downworlders and Shadowhunters put aside their hatred to work together? While Jace realizes exactly how much he's willing to risk for Clary, can she harness her newfound powers to help save the Glass City - whatever the cost?

Love is a mortal sin and the secrets of the past prove deadly as Clary and Jace face down Valentine in the third installment of the New York Times bestselling series The Mortal Instruments.]]> 541 Cassandra Clare 1416914307 Emma 5 4.27 2009 City of Glass (The Mortal Instruments, #3)

City of Glass (The Mortal Instruments, #3)

author: Cassandra Clare
name: Emma
average rating: 4.27
book published: 2009
rating: 5
read at: 2020/08/16
date added: 2020/09/21
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[City of Ashes (The Mortal Instruments, #2)]]> 1582996 Also see: Alternate Cover Editions for this ISBN [ACE]
ACE #1

Clary Fray just wishes that her life would go back to normal. But what's normal when you're a demon-slaying Shadowhunter, your mother is in a magically induced coma, and you can suddenly see Downworlders like werewolves, vampires, and faeries? If Clary left the world of the Shadowhunters behind, it would mean more time with her best friend, Simon, who's becoming more than a friend. But the Shadowhunting world isn't ready to let her go �� especially her handsome, infuriating, newfound brother, Jace. And Clary's only chance to help her mother is to track down rogue Shadowhunter Valentine, who is probably insane, certainly evil �� and also her father.

To complicate matters, someone in New York City is murdering Downworlder children. Is Valentine behind the killings �� and if he is, what is he trying to do? When the second of the Mortal Instruments, the Soul-Sword, is stolen, the terrifying Inquisitor arrives to investigate and zooms right in on Jace. How can Clary stop Valentine if Jace is willing to betray everything he believes in to help their father?

In this breathtaking sequel to City of Bones, Cassandra Clare lures her readers back into the dark grip of New York City's Downworld, where love is never safe and power becomes the deadliest temptation.]]> 453 Cassandra Clare 1416914293 Emma 5 City of Ashes to other books in the series. This reread, I viewed this story as an individual entity, which allowed me to better appreciate the complexities and conflicts that arise in this sequel. I had such a fabulous time rereading book two and cannot wait to continue rereading the rest of the series!]]> 4.12 2008 City of Ashes (The Mortal Instruments, #2)

City of Ashes (The Mortal Instruments, #2)

author: Cassandra Clare
name: Emma
average rating: 4.12
book published: 2008
rating: 5
read at: 2020/08/07
date added: 2020/09/21
shelves:
review:
I guess 9th times the charms because I loved this book way more than I ever had. I think in my adolescence, I spent a lot of my time comparing City of Ashes to other books in the series. This reread, I viewed this story as an individual entity, which allowed me to better appreciate the complexities and conflicts that arise in this sequel. I had such a fabulous time rereading book two and cannot wait to continue rereading the rest of the series!
]]> <![CDATA[City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments, #1)]]> 2261213
When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder—much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing—not even a smear of blood—to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?

This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know. . . .

Exotic and gritty, exhilarating and utterly gripping, Cassandra Clare's ferociously entertaining fantasy takes readers on a wild ride that they will never want to end.]]> Cassandra Clare 0743566580 Emma 5 3.62 2007 City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments, #1)

City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments, #1)

author: Cassandra Clare
name: Emma
average rating: 3.62
book published: 2007
rating: 5
read at: 2020/08/05
date added: 2020/09/21
shelves:
review:

]]> Heroine 40536342 An Amazon Best Book of the Month! A captivating and powerful exploration of the opioid crisis—the deadliest drug epidemic in American history—through the eyes of a college-bound softball star. Edgar Award-winning author Mindy McGinnis delivers a visceral and necessary novel about addiction, family, friendship, and hope.

When a car crash sidelines Mickey just before softball season, she has to find a way to hold on to her spot as the catcher for a team expected to make a historic tournament run. Behind the plate is the only place she’s ever felt comfortable, and the painkillers she’s been prescribed can help her get there.

The pills do more than take away pain; they make her feel good.

With a new circle of friends—fellow injured athletes, others with just time to kill—Mickey finds peaceful acceptance, and people with whom words come easily, even if it is just the pills loosening her tongue.

But as the pressure to be Mickey Catalan heightens, her need increases, and it becomes less about pain and more about want, something that could send her spiraling out of control.]]> 419 Mindy McGinnis 0062847198 Emma 5 4.28 2019 Heroine

author: Mindy McGinnis
name: Emma
average rating: 4.28
book published: 2019
rating: 5
read at: 2020/08/02
date added: 2020/09/21
shelves:
review:

]]> Clap When You Land 52516332 In a novel-in-verse that brims with grief and love, National Book Award-winning and New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth Acevedo writes about the devastation of loss, the difficulty of forgiveness, and the bittersweet bonds that shape our lives.

Camino Rios lives for the summers when her father visits her in the Dominican Republic. But this time, on the day when his plane is supposed to land, Camino arrives at the airport to see crowds of crying people��

In New York City, Yahaira Rios is called to the principal’s office, where her mother is waiting to tell her that her father, her hero, has died in a plane crash.

Separated by distance—and Papi’s secrets—the two girls are forced to face a new reality in which their father is dead and their lives are forever altered.

And then, when it seems like they’ve lost everything of their father, they learn of each other.]]> 432 Elizabeth Acevedo 0062882767 Emma 5 4.22 2020 Clap When You Land

author: Elizabeth Acevedo
name: Emma
average rating: 4.22
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2020/07/17
date added: 2020/09/17
shelves:
review:

]]> Shout 40519259 A searing poetic memoir and call to action from the bestselling and award-winning author of Speak, Laurie Halse Anderson!

Bestselling author Laurie Halse Anderson is known for the unflinching way she writes about, and advocates for, survivors of sexual assault. Now, inspired by her fans and enraged by how little in our culture has changed since her groundbreaking novel Speak was first published twenty years ago, she has written a poetry memoir that is as vulnerable as it is rallying, as timely as it is timeless. In free verse, Anderson shares reflections, rants, and calls to action woven between deeply personal stories from her life that she's never written about before. Searing and soul-searching, this important memoir is a denouncement of our society's failures and a love letter to all the people with the courage to say #metoo and #timesup, whether aloud, online, or only in their own hearts. SHOUT speaks truth to power in a loud, clear voice—and once you hear it, it is impossible to ignore.]]> 304 Laurie Halse Anderson 0670012106 Emma 3 4.20 2019 Shout

author: Laurie Halse Anderson
name: Emma
average rating: 4.20
book published: 2019
rating: 3
read at: 2020/07/15
date added: 2020/09/11
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (The Hunger Games, #0)]]> 51901147
The odds are against him. He's been given the humiliating assignment of mentoring the female tribute from District 12, the lowest of the low. Their fates are now completely intertwined -- every choice Coriolanus makes could lead to favor or failure, triumph or ruin. Inside the arena, it will be a fight to the death. Outside the arena, Coriolanus starts to feel for his doomed tribute... and must weigh his need to follow the rules against his desire to survive no matter what it takes.]]> 541 Suzanne Collins Emma 3 3.99 2020 The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (The Hunger Games, #0)

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (The Hunger Games, #0)

author: Suzanne Collins
name: Emma
average rating: 3.99
book published: 2020
rating: 3
read at: 2020/07/11
date added: 2020/09/11
shelves:
review:

]]> Long Way Down 22552026 A piece. A biscuit.
A burner. A heater.
A chopper. A gat.
A hammer
A tool
for RULE

Or, you can call it a gun. That’s what fifteen-year-old Will has shoved in the back waistband of his jeans. See, his brother Shawn was just murdered. And Will knows the rules. No crying. No snitching. Revenge. That’s where Will’s now heading, with that gun shoved in the back waistband of his jeans, the gun that was his brother’s gun. He gets on the elevator, seventh floor, stoked. He knows who he’s after. Or does he? As the elevator stops on the sixth floor, on comes Buck. Buck, Will finds out, is who gave Shawn the gun before Will took the gun. Buck tells Will to check that the gun is even loaded. And that’s when Will sees that one bullet is missing. And the only one who could have fired Shawn’s gun was Shawn. Huh. Will didn’t know that Shawn had ever actually USED his gun. Bigger huh. BUCK IS DEAD. But Buck’s in the elevator? Just as Will’s trying to think this through, the door to the next floor opens. A teenage girl gets on, waves away the smoke from Dead Buck’s cigarette. Will doesn’t know her, but she knew him. Knew. When they were eight. And stray bullets had cut through the playground, and Will had tried to cover her, but she was hit anyway, and so what she wants to know, on that fifth floor elevator stop, is, what if Will, Will with the gun shoved in the back waistband of his jeans, MISSES.

And so it goes, the whole long way down, as the elevator stops on each floor, and at each stop someone connected to his brother gets on to give Will a piece to a bigger story than the one he thinks he knows. A story that might never know an END…if WILL gets off that elevator.]]> 306 Jason Reynolds 1481438255 Emma 4 4.25 2017 Long Way Down

author: Jason Reynolds
name: Emma
average rating: 4.25
book published: 2017
rating: 4
read at: 2020/06/11
date added: 2020/09/11
shelves:
review:

]]> How to Be an Antiracist 40265832 How to be an Antiracist, Kendi asks us to think about what an antiracist society might look like, and how we can play an active role in building it.

In this book, Kendi weaves together an electrifying combination of ethics, history, law, and science, bringing it all together with an engaging personal narrative of his own awakening to antiracism. How to Be an Antiracist is an essential work for anyone who wants to go beyond an awareness of racism to the next step: contributing to the formation of a truly just and equitable society.]]> 305 Ibram X. Kendi 0525509283 Emma 5 4.36 2019 How to Be an Antiracist

author: Ibram X. Kendi
name: Emma
average rating: 4.36
book published: 2019
rating: 5
read at: 2020/06/30
date added: 2020/09/11
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue]]> 50623864
Thus begins the extraordinary life of Addie LaRue, and a dazzling adventure that will play out across centuries and continents, across history and art, as a young woman learns how far she will go to leave her mark on the world.

But everything changes when, after nearly 300 years, Addie stumbles across a young man in a hidden bookstore and he remembers her name.]]> 448 Victoria E. Schwab 0765387565 Emma 5 4.16 2020 The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue

author: Victoria E. Schwab
name: Emma
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2020/05/24
date added: 2020/09/11
shelves:
review:

]]> Little Fires Everywhere 34273236
In Shaker Heights, a placid, progressive suburb of Cleveland, everything is meticulously planned �� from the layout of the winding roads, to the colours of the houses, to the successful lives its residents will go on to lead. And no one embodies this spirit more than Elena Richardson, whose guiding principle is playing by the rules.

Enter Mia Warren �� an enigmatic artist and single mother �� who arrives in this idyllic bubble with her teenage daughter Pearl, and rents a house from the Richardsons. Soon Mia and Pearl become more than just tenants: all four Richardson children are drawn to the mother–daughter pair. But Mia carries with her a mysterious past, and a disregard for the rules that threatens to upend this carefully ordered community.

When old family friends attempt to adopt a Chinese-American baby, a custody battle erupts that dramatically divides the town �� and puts Mia and Elena on opposing sides. Suspicious of Mia and her motives, Elena is determined to uncover the secrets in Mia's past. But her obsession will come at an unexpected and devastating cost . . .]]> 338 Celeste Ng 0735224293 Emma 4 4.05 2017 Little Fires Everywhere

author: Celeste Ng
name: Emma
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2017
rating: 4
read at: 2020/05/25
date added: 2020/09/11
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The King of Crows (The Diviners, #4)]]> 25985242 The finale to The Diviners from author, Libba Bray.

After the horrifying explosion that claimed one of their own, the Diviners find themselves wanted by the US government, and on the brink of war with the King of Crows.

While Memphis and Isaiah run for their lives from the mysterious Shadow Men, Isaiah receives a startling vision of a girl, Sarah Beth Olson, who could shift the balance in their struggle for peace. Sarah Beth says she knows how to stop the King of Crows-but, she will need the Diviners' help to do it.

Elsewhere, Jericho has returned after his escape from Jake Marlowe's estate, where he has learned the shocking truth behind the King of Crow's plans. Now, the Diviners must travel to Bountiful, Nebraska, in hopes of joining forces with Sarah Beth and to stop the King of Crows and his army of the dead forever.

But as rumors of towns becoming ghost towns and the dead developing unprecedented powers begin to surface, all hope seems to be lost.

In this sweeping finale, The Diviners will be forced to confront their greatest fears and learn to rely on one another if they hope to save the nation, and world from catastrophe...]]> 560 Libba Bray 0316126098 Emma 4 3.94 2020 The King of Crows (The Diviners, #4)

author: Libba Bray
name: Emma
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2020/03/25
date added: 2020/05/19
shelves:
review:

]]> Where the Crawdads Sing 36809135
But Kya is not what they say. A born naturalist with just one day of school, she takes life's lessons from the land, learning the real ways of the world from the dishonest signals of fireflies. But while she has the skills to live in solitude forever, the time comes when she yearns to be touched and loved. Drawn to two young men from town, who are each intrigued by her wild beauty, Kya opens herself to a new and startling world—until the unthinkable happens.

In Where the Crawdads Sing, Owens juxtaposes an exquisite ode to the natural world against a profound coming of age story and haunting mystery. Thought-provoking, wise, and deeply moving, Owens’s debut novel reminds us that we are forever shaped by the child within us, while also subject to the beautiful and violent secrets that nature keeps.

The story asks how isolation influences the behavior of a young woman, who like all of us, has the genetic propensity to belong to a group. The clues to the mystery are brushed into the lush habitat and natural histories of its wild creatures.]]> 384 Delia Owens 0735219117 Emma 4 4.5 stars 4.35 2018 Where the Crawdads Sing

author: Delia Owens
name: Emma
average rating: 4.35
book published: 2018
rating: 4
read at: 2020/05/19
date added: 2020/05/19
shelves:
review:
4.5 stars
]]> They Went Left 52701968
Zofia's last words to her brother were a promise: Abek to Zofia, A to Z. When I find you again, we will fill our alphabet. Now her journey to fulfill that vow takes her through Poland and Germany, and into a displaced persons camp where everyone she meets is trying to piece together a future from a painful past: Miriam, desperately searching for the twin she was separated from after they survived medical experimentation. Breine, a former heiress, who now longs only for a simple wedding with her new fiancé. And Josef, who guards his past behind a wall of secrets, and is beautiful and strange and magnetic all at once.

But the deeper Zofia digs, the more impossible her search seems. How can she find one boy in a sea of the missing? In the rubble of a broken continent, Zofia must delve into a mystery whose answers could break her--or help her rebuild her world.]]> 364 Monica Hesse 0316490571 Emma 4 4.23 2020 They Went Left

author: Monica Hesse
name: Emma
average rating: 4.23
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2020/05/19
date added: 2020/05/19
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Heartstopper: Volume Three (Heartstopper, #3)]]> 43449920
Meanwhile Tao and Elle will face their feelings for each other, Tara and Darcy share more about their relationship origin story, and the teachers supervising the trip seem�� rather close��?]]> 384 Alice Oseman Emma 4 4.55 2020 Heartstopper: Volume Three (Heartstopper, #3)

Heartstopper: Volume Three (Heartstopper, #3)

author: Alice Oseman
name: Emma
average rating: 4.55
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2020/05/19
date added: 2020/05/19
shelves:
review:

]]> Girl in Pieces 29236380
Every new scar hardens Charlie’s heart just a little more, yet it still hurts so much. It hurts enough to not care anymore, which is sometimes what has to happen before you can find your way back from the edge.]]> 416 Kathleen Glasgow 1101934719 Emma 3 3.5 stars 3.94 2016 Girl in Pieces

author: Kathleen Glasgow
name: Emma
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2016
rating: 3
read at: 2020/05/05
date added: 2020/05/19
shelves:
review:
3.5 stars
]]> <![CDATA[Chain of Gold (The Last Hours, #1)]]> 17699853 An inheritance of shadows. A love in chains. An unconquerable foe.

Cordelia Carstairs is a Shadowhunter, a warrior trained since childhood to battle demons. When her father is accused of a terrible crime, she and her brother travel to London in hopes of preventing the family’s ruin. Cordelia’s mother wants to marry her off, but Cordelia is determined to be a hero rather than a bride. Soon Cordelia encounters childhood friends James and Lucie Herondale and is drawn into their world of glittering ballrooms, secret assignations, and supernatural salons, where vampires and warlocks mingle with mermaids and magicians. All the while, she must hide her secret love for James, who is sworn to marry someone else.

But Cordelia’s new life is blown apart when a shocking series of demon attacks devastate London. These monsters are nothing like those Shadowhunters have fought before—these demons walk in daylight, strike down the unwary with incurable poison, and seem impossible to kill. London is immediately quarantined. Trapped in the city, Cordelia's friends discover that a dark legacy has gifted them with incredible powers—and forced a brutal choice that will reveal the true cruel price of being a hero.]]> 582 Cassandra Clare 1481431870 Emma 5 4.38 2020 Chain of Gold (The Last Hours, #1)

author: Cassandra Clare
name: Emma
average rating: 4.38
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2020/03/01
date added: 2020/05/19
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me]]> 40864841 All Freddy Riley wants is for Laura Dean to stop breaking up with her.

The day they got together was the best one of Freddy's life, but nothing's made sense since. Laura Dean is popular, funny, and SO CUTE ... but she can be really thoughtless, even mean. Their on-again, off-again relationship has Freddy's head spinning �� and Freddy's friends can't understand why she keeps going back.

When Freddy consults the services of a local mystic, the mysterious Seek-Her, she isn't thrilled with the advice she receives. But something's got to give: Freddy's heart is breaking in slow motion, and she may be about to lose her very best friend as well as her last shred of self-respect. Fortunately for Freddy, there are new friends, and the insight of advice columnist Anna Vice, to help her through being a teenager in love.

Mariko Tamaki and Rosemary Valero-O'Connell bring to life a sweet and spirited tale of young love that asks us to consider what happens when we ditch the toxic relationships we crave to embrace the healthy ones we need.]]> 289 Mariko Tamaki 1250312841 Emma 2
CW: toxic relationships, [spoilers removed]

I appreciated the inclusion in the story and the detail in the art style, but not much else. I felt no connection to any of the characters as they didn't have much personality and only existed in their relationships to one another. I could empathize with their situations, but I don't feel I knew them at all. I picked up this graphic novel because I was looking for something entertaining, but it was more depressing and frustrating. 3/4 of the book was the main character being mistreated and miserable, and therefore mistreating her friends. (It might be realistic, but it was not pleasant to read about whatsoever.) The plot was very small-scale and predictable so there was little for me to be excited about besides the main (and only) storyline.

I do think this book is valuable for teens and young adults who may need comfort and guidance in recognizing and leaving toxic relationships, but I don't think it added much to the overall conversation. I really wished I enjoyed this book more than I did! I'm not unhappy that I read it, but I am glad I did not have to invest a lot of time into it.]]> 3.86 2019 Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me

author: Mariko Tamaki
name: Emma
average rating: 3.86
book published: 2019
rating: 2
read at: 2020/03/02
date added: 2020/05/12
shelves:
review:
I finished this book in one sitting, but I did not enjoy it as much as I hoped. I think I may have set my expectations a bit high and somewhere this book did not intend to go.

CW: toxic relationships, [spoilers removed]

I appreciated the inclusion in the story and the detail in the art style, but not much else. I felt no connection to any of the characters as they didn't have much personality and only existed in their relationships to one another. I could empathize with their situations, but I don't feel I knew them at all. I picked up this graphic novel because I was looking for something entertaining, but it was more depressing and frustrating. 3/4 of the book was the main character being mistreated and miserable, and therefore mistreating her friends. (It might be realistic, but it was not pleasant to read about whatsoever.) The plot was very small-scale and predictable so there was little for me to be excited about besides the main (and only) storyline.

I do think this book is valuable for teens and young adults who may need comfort and guidance in recognizing and leaving toxic relationships, but I don't think it added much to the overall conversation. I really wished I enjoyed this book more than I did! I'm not unhappy that I read it, but I am glad I did not have to invest a lot of time into it.
]]> <![CDATA[Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Harry Potter, #3)]]> 49116
Now he has escaped, leaving only two clues as to where he might be headed: Harry Potter's defeat of You-Know-Who was Black's downfall as well. And the Azkaban guards heard Black muttering in his sleep, "He's at Hogwarts...he's at Hogwarts."

Harry Potter isn't safe, not even within the walls of his magical school, surrounded by his friends. because on top of it all, there may well be a traitor in their midst.

(front flap)]]> 435 J.K. Rowling Emma 5 4.57 1999 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Harry Potter, #3)

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Harry Potter, #3)

author: J.K. Rowling
name: Emma
average rating: 4.57
book published: 1999
rating: 5
read at: 2015/10/24
date added: 2020/04/25
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness]]> 33113683
My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness is an honest and heartfelt look at one young woman’s exploration of her sexuality, mental well-being, and growing up in our modern age. Told using expressive artwork that invokes both laughter and tears, this moving and highly entertaining single volume depicts not only the artist’s burgeoning sexuality, but many other personal aspects of her life that will resonate with readers.]]> 144 Kabi Nagata 1626926034 Emma 4 4.11 2016 My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness

author: Kabi Nagata
name: Emma
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2016
rating: 4
read at: 2020/01/26
date added: 2020/02/24
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Hand on the Wall (Truly Devious, #3)]]> 45240918
She knows who Truly Devious is. She’s solved it. The greatest case of the century.

At least, she thinks she has. With this latest tragedy, it’s hard to concentrate on the past. Not only has someone died in town, but David disappeared of his own free will and is up to something. Stevie is sure that somehow—somehow—all these things connect. The three deaths in the present. The deaths in the past. The missing Alice Ellingham and the missing David Eastman. Somewhere in this place of riddles and puzzles there must be answers.

Then another accident occurs as a massive storm heads toward Vermont. This is too much for the parents and administrators. Ellingham Academy is evacuated. Obviously, it’s time for Stevie to do something stupid. It’s time to stay on the mountain and face the storm—and a murderer.

In the tantalizing finale to the Truly Devious trilogy, New York Times bestselling author Maureen Johnson expertly tangles her dual narrative threads and ignites an explosive end for all who’ve walked through Ellingham Academy.

New York Times bestselling author Maureen Johnson delivers the witty and pulse-pounding conclusion to the Truly Devious series as Stevie Bell solves the mystery that has haunted Ellingham Academy for over 75 years.]]> 369 Maureen Johnson 0062338110 Emma 5 4.12 2020 The Hand on the Wall (Truly Devious, #3)

The Hand on the Wall (Truly Devious, #3)

author: Maureen Johnson
name: Emma
average rating: 4.12
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2020/01/24
date added: 2020/02/24
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Before the Devil Breaks You (The Diviners, #3)]]> 25985241 New York City.
1927.
Lights are bright.
Jazz is king.
Parties are wild.
And the dead are coming...

After battling a supernatural sleeping sickness that claimed two of their own, the Diviners have had enough lies. They're more determined than ever to uncover the mystery behind their extraordinary powers, even as they face off against an all-new terror. Out on Ward's Island, far from the city's bustle, sits a mental hospital haunted by the lost souls of people long forgotten--ghosts who have unusual and dangerous ties to the man in the stovepipe hat, also known as the King of Crows.

With terrible accounts of murder and possession flooding in from all over and New York City on the verge of panic, the Diviners must band together and brave the sinister ghosts invading the asylum, a fight that will bring them face-to-face with the King of Crows. But as the explosive secrets of the past come to light, loyalties and friendships will be tested, love will hang in the balance, and the Diviners will question all that they've ever known. All the while, malevolent forces gather from every corner in a battle for the very soul of a nation--a fight that could claim the Diviners themselves.]]> 552 Libba Bray 0316126063 Emma 5 audiobooks
I seriously love The Diviners series so much and Before The Devil Breaks You was no exception. Libba Bray is genuinely one of the most talented young adults authors to ever exist. I'm blown away by her ability to masterfully create an ever-expanding, historically accurate, well developed world with complete, well-rounded interesting characters.

I am DYING for book four.]]> 4.26 2017 Before the Devil Breaks You (The Diviners, #3)

Before the Devil Breaks You (The Diviners, #3)

author: Libba Bray
name: Emma
average rating: 4.26
book published: 2017
rating: 5
read at: 2020/02/13
date added: 2020/02/24
shelves: audiobooks
review:
AMAZING FANTASTIC WONDERFUL SPECTACULAR

I seriously love The Diviners series so much and Before The Devil Breaks You was no exception. Libba Bray is genuinely one of the most talented young adults authors to ever exist. I'm blown away by her ability to masterfully create an ever-expanding, historically accurate, well developed world with complete, well-rounded interesting characters.

I am DYING for book four.
]]> <![CDATA[Loveboat, Taipei (Loveboat, Taipei, #1)]]> 23559994
Unbeknownst to her parents, however, the program is actually an infamous teen meet-market nicknamed Loveboat, where the kids are more into clubbing than calligraphy and drinking snake-blood sake than touring sacred shrines.

Free for the first time, Ever sets out to break all her parents�� uber-strict rules—but how far can she go before she breaks her own heart?]]> 432 Abigail Hing Wen 1471192857 Emma 4 3.67 2020 Loveboat, Taipei (Loveboat, Taipei, #1)

author: Abigail Hing Wen
name: Emma
average rating: 3.67
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2020/02/05
date added: 2020/02/09
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[A Good Girl's Guide to Murder (A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, #1)]]> 40916679
Pretty and popular high school senior Andie Bell was murdered by her boyfriend, Sal Singh, who then killed himself. It was all anyone could talk about. And five years later, Pip sees how the tragedy still haunts her town.

But she can't shake the feeling that there was more to what happened that day. She knew Sal when she was a child, and he was always so kind to her. How could he possibly have been a killer?

Now a senior herself, Pip decides to reexamine the closed case for her final project, at first just to cast doubt on the original investigation. But soon she discovers a trail of dark secrets that might actually prove Sal innocent . . . and the line between past and present begins to blur. Someone in Fairview doesn't want Pip digging around for answers, and now her own life might be in danger.]]> 433 Holly Jackson 1405293187 Emma 3 4.30 2019 A Good Girl's Guide to Murder (A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, #1)

A Good Girl's Guide to Murder (A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, #1)

author: Holly Jackson
name: Emma
average rating: 4.30
book published: 2019
rating: 3
read at: 2020/01/26
date added: 2020/02/09
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Lair of Dreams (The Diviners, #2)]]> 16060716 The longing of dreams draws the dead, and this city holds many dreams.

After a supernatural showdown with a serial killer, Evie O’Neill has outed herself as a Diviner. With her uncanny ability to read people’s secrets, she’s become a media darling, earning the title “America’s Sweetheart Seer.�� Everyone’s in love with the city’s newest It Girl…everyone except the other Diviners.

Piano-playing Henry DuBois and Chinatown resident Ling Chan are two Diviners struggling to keep their powers a secret—for they can walk in dreams. And while Evie is living the high life, victims of a mysterious sleeping sickness are turning up across New York City.

As Henry searches for a lost love and Ling strives to succeed in a world that shuns her, a malevolent force infects their dreams. And at the edges of it all lurks a man in a stovepipe hat who has plans that extend farther than anyone can guess…As the sickness spreads, can the Diviners descend into the dreamworld to save the city?

In this heart-stopping sequel to The Diviners, Printz Award-winning and New York Times bestselling author Libba Bray takes readers deeper into the mystical underbelly of New York City.]]> 613 Libba Bray 0316126047 Emma 5 audiobooks
Here's a quick list of reasons you are sleeping on The Diviners series:
-Black mc
-Irish-Chinese, disabled, asexual mc interested in women (last two pieces of info are revealed in book 3)
-Gay mc
-Jewish mc
-1920's New York City setting
-Ghosts, supernatural abilities, murder mysteries
-Extremely lovable, well developed characters

I'm continually more and more blown away by The Diviners series. It's very rare that I enjoy a sequel more than the first installment, but Lair of Dreams really takes the cake. I genuinely cannot recommend this series enough.]]> 4.10 2015 Lair of Dreams (The Diviners, #2)

author: Libba Bray
name: Emma
average rating: 4.10
book published: 2015
rating: 5
read at: 2020/01/17
date added: 2020/02/09
shelves: audiobooks
review:
5 STARS. AMAZING. FANTASTIC. WONDROUS. WOW.

Here's a quick list of reasons you are sleeping on The Diviners series:
-Black mc
-Irish-Chinese, disabled, asexual mc interested in women (last two pieces of info are revealed in book 3)
-Gay mc
-Jewish mc
-1920's New York City setting
-Ghosts, supernatural abilities, murder mysteries
-Extremely lovable, well developed characters

I'm continually more and more blown away by The Diviners series. It's very rare that I enjoy a sequel more than the first installment, but Lair of Dreams really takes the cake. I genuinely cannot recommend this series enough.
]]> Winterspell (Winterspell, #1) 18475593 The clock chimes midnight, a curse breaks, and a girl meets a prince…but what follows is not all sweetness and sugarplums.

New York City, 1899. Clara Stole, the mayor’s ever-proper daughter, leads a double life. Since her mother’s murder, she has secretly trained in self-defense with the mysterious Drosselmeyer.

Then, on Christmas Eve, disaster strikes.

Her home is destroyed, her father abducted—by beings distinctly not human. To find him, Clara journeys to the war-ravaged land of Cane. Her only companion is the dethroned prince Nicholas, bound by a wicked curse. If they’re to survive, Clara has no choice but to trust him, but his haunted eyes burn with secrets—and a need she can’t define. With the dangerous, seductive faery queen Anise hunting them, Clara soon realizes she won’t leave Cane unscathed—if she leaves at all.

Inspired by The Nutcracker, Winterspell is a dark, timeless fairy tale about love and war, longing and loneliness, and a girl who must learn to live without fear.]]> 454 Claire Legrand 1442465980 Emma 3 3.59 2014 Winterspell (Winterspell, #1)

author: Claire Legrand
name: Emma
average rating: 3.59
book published: 2014
rating: 3
read at: 2019/12/30
date added: 2020/02/09
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Diviners (The Diviners, #1)]]> 17899351 A young woman discovers her mysterious powers could help catch a killer in the first book in The Diviners series--a stunning supernatural historical mystery set in 1920s New York City, from Printz Award-winning and New York Times bestselling author Libba Bray.

Evangeline O'Neill has been exiled from her boring old hometown and shipped off to the bustling streets of New York City--and she is ecstatic. It's 1926, and New York is filled with speakeasies, Ziegfeld girls, and rakish pickpockets. The only catch is that she has to live with her uncle Will and his unhealthy obsession with the occult. Evie worries he'll discover her darkest secret: a supernatural power that has only brought her trouble so far.

When the police find a murdered girl branded with a cryptic symbol and Will is called to the scene, Evie realizes her gift could help catch a serial killer. As Evie jumps headlong into a dance with a murderer, other stories unfurl in the city that never sleeps. And unknown to all, something dark and evil has awakened....

]]> 578 Libba Bray 0316126101 Emma 5 The Diviner's is absolutely one of my favorite series of all time. I am so excited to continue rereading the series in anticipation for the finale with the #DivinersClub readalong!

4.5 stars]]> 4.02 2012 The Diviners (The Diviners, #1)

author: Libba Bray
name: Emma
average rating: 4.02
book published: 2012
rating: 5
read at: 2019/12/20
date added: 2020/02/09
shelves:
review:
Update 12/2/2019 - Raising my rating to 5 stars! The Diviner's is absolutely one of my favorite series of all time. I am so excited to continue rereading the series in anticipation for the finale with the #DivinersClub readalong!

4.5 stars
]]> My Dark Vanessa 44890081
2000. Bright, ambitious, and yearning for adulthood, fifteen-year-old Vanessa Wye becomes entangled in an affair with Jacob Strane, her magnetic and guileful forty-two-year-old English teacher.

2017. Amid the rising wave of allegations against powerful men, a reckoning is coming due. Strane has been accused of sexual abuse by a former student, who reaches out to Vanessa, and now Vanessa suddenly finds herself facing an impossible choice: remain silent, firm in the belief that her teenage self willingly engaged in this relationship, or redefine herself and the events of her past. But how can Vanessa reject her first love, the man who fundamentally transformed her and has been a persistent presence in her life? Is it possible that the man she loved as a teenager—and who professed to worship only her—may be far different from what she has always believed?

Alternating between Vanessa’s present and her past, My Dark Vanessa juxtaposes memory and trauma with the breathless excitement of a teenage girl discovering the power her own body can wield. Thought-provoking and impossible to put down, this is a masterful portrayal of troubled adolescence and its repercussions that raises vital questions about agency, consent, complicity, and victimhood. Written with the haunting intimacy of The Girls and the creeping intensity of Room, My Dark Vanessa is an era-defining novel that brilliantly captures and reflects the shifting cultural mores transforming our relationships and society itself.]]> 373 Kate Elizabeth Russell 006294150X Emma 5 4.09 2020

author: Kate Elizabeth Russell
name: Emma
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2019/12/13
date added: 2020/02/09
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Queen of Nothing (The Folk of the Air, #3)]]> 26032912 He will be destruction of the crown and the ruination of the throne.

Power is much easier to acquire than it is to hold onto. Jude learned this lesson when she released her control over the wicked king, Cardan, in exchange for immeasurable power.

Now as the exiled mortal Queen of Faerie, Jude is powerless and left reeling from Cardan’s betrayal. She bides her time determined to reclaim everything he took from her. Opportunity arrives in the form of her deceptive twin sister, Taryn, whose mortal life is in peril.

Jude must risk venturing back into the treacherous Faerie Court, and confront her lingering feelings for Cardan, if she wishes to save her sister. But Elfhame is not as she left it. War is brewing. As Jude slips deep within enemy lines she becomes ensnared in the conflict’s bloody politics.

And, when a dormant yet powerful curse is unleashed, panic spreads throughout the land, forcing her to choose between her ambition and her humanity��

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author Holly Black, comes the highly anticipated and jaw-dropping finale to The Folk of the Air trilogy.]]> 321 Holly Black 0316310409 Emma 0 audiobooks, to-read 4.33 2019 The Queen of Nothing (The Folk of the Air, #3)

The Queen of Nothing (The Folk of the Air, #3)

author: Holly Black
name: Emma
average rating: 4.33
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/02/09
shelves: audiobooks, to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Toll (Arc of a Scythe, #3)]]> 43822024
In this pulse-pounding conclusion to New York Times bestselling author Neal Shusterman’s Arc of a Scythe trilogy, constitutions are tested and old friends are brought back from the dead.]]> 625 Neal Shusterman 1481497065 Emma 0 to-read
(y'all i posted this in january, i know when the book is coming out now lol)]]> 4.16 2019 The Toll (Arc of a Scythe, #3)

author: Neal Shusterman
name: Emma
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/02/09
shelves: to-read
review:
um hello where is this book??????????

(y'all i posted this in january, i know when the book is coming out now lol)
]]> 99 Percent Mine 35068759 Crush: a strong and often short-lived infatuation, particularly for someone beyond your reach��

Darcy Barrett has undertaken a global survey of men. She’s travelled the world, and can categorically say that no one measures up to Tom Valeska, whose only flaw is that Darcy’s twin brother Jamie saw him first and claimed him forever as his best friend. Despite Darcy’s best efforts, Tom’s off limits and loyal to her brother, 99%. That’s the problem with finding her dream man at age eight and peaking in her photography career at age twenty—ever since, she’s had to learn to settle for good enough.

When Darcy and Jamie inherit a tumble-down cottage from their grandmother, they’re left with strict instructions to bring it back to its former glory and sell the property. Darcy plans to be in an aisle seat halfway across the ocean as soon as the renovations start, but before she can cut and run, she finds a familiar face on her porch: house-flipper extraordinaire Tom’s arrived, he’s bearing power tools, and he’s single for the first time in almost a decade.

Suddenly Darcy’s considering sticking around to make sure her twin doesn’t ruin the cottage’s inherent magic with his penchant for grey and chrome. She’s definitely not staying because of her new business partner’s tight t-shirts, or that perfect face that's inspiring her to pick up her camera again. Soon sparks are flying—and it’s not the faulty wiring. It turns out one percent of Tom’s heart might not be enough for Darcy anymore. This time around, she’s switching things up. She’s going to make Tom Valeska 99 percent hers.]]> 12 Sally Thorne 0062682164 Emma 1 audiobooks 3.14 2019 99 Percent Mine

author: Sally Thorne
name: Emma
average rating: 3.14
book published: 2019
rating: 1
read at: 2019/08/01
date added: 2019/12/21
shelves: audiobooks
review:
Update 12/21 - Dropping my rating to 1 star because I can't remember a single thing I genuinely liked about this book
]]> <![CDATA[The Golden Tower (Magisterium, #5)]]> 13612970
A generation ago, powerful mage Constantine Madden came close to achieving what no magician had ever achieved: the ability to bring back the dead. He didn't succeed... but he did find a way to keep himself alive, inside a young child named Callum Hunt.

Facing up to what he is, Callum has battled chaos and evil across four years of magical training at the Magisterium, eventually defeating the armies of chaos in an epic battle.

It came at a cost.

Now, triumphant and heartbroken, Callum Hunt has just about had enough, and is ready to complete his training. But the evil Callum faced has not given up just yet...]]> 256 Holly Black 0545522420 Emma 2 audiobooks
2.5 Stars. Unfortunately, this book was a big let down for me. It was one of those situations where I was not *super* bothered while reading but the more I think about it after the fact, the more frustrated I become. The plot was very weak and the characters were immensely watered down. Though much of the series was endearing despite not being my favorite, the final installment was truly a drag. I really wish the conclusion was more impactful, but it was pretty disappointing and my least favorite of the series.]]> 4.02 2018 The Golden Tower (Magisterium, #5)

author: Holly Black
name: Emma
average rating: 4.02
book published: 2018
rating: 2
read at: 2019/05/25
date added: 2019/12/21
shelves: audiobooks
review:
Update 12/21 - Dropping my rating to 2 stars

2.5 Stars. Unfortunately, this book was a big let down for me. It was one of those situations where I was not *super* bothered while reading but the more I think about it after the fact, the more frustrated I become. The plot was very weak and the characters were immensely watered down. Though much of the series was endearing despite not being my favorite, the final installment was truly a drag. I really wish the conclusion was more impactful, but it was pretty disappointing and my least favorite of the series.
]]> <![CDATA[Heartstopper: Volume Two (Heartstopper, #2)]]> 43307358
But love works in surprising ways, and Nick is discovering all kinds of things about his friends, his family ... and himself.]]> 320 Alice Oseman 1444951408 Emma 5 4.52 2019 Heartstopper: Volume Two (Heartstopper, #2)

Heartstopper: Volume Two (Heartstopper, #2)

author: Alice Oseman
name: Emma
average rating: 4.52
book published: 2019
rating: 5
read at: 2019/11/10
date added: 2019/12/02
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Heartstopper: Volume One (Heartstopper, #1)]]> 40495957
Charlie Spring is in Year 10 at Truham Grammar School for Boys. The past year hasn't been too great, but at least he's not being bullied anymore. Nick Nelson is in Year 11 and on the school rugby team. He's heard a little about Charlie - the kid who was outed last year and bullied for a few months - but he's never had the opportunity to talk to him.

They quickly become friends, and soon Charlie is falling hard for Nick, even though he doesn't think he has a chance. But love works in surprising ways, and sometimes good things are waiting just around the corner...]]> 288 Alice Oseman 152722533X Emma 4 4.5 Stars! 4.43 2018 Heartstopper: Volume One (Heartstopper, #1)

Heartstopper: Volume One (Heartstopper, #1)

author: Alice Oseman
name: Emma
average rating: 4.43
book published: 2018
rating: 4
read at: 2019/10/20
date added: 2019/12/02
shelves:
review:
4.5 Stars!
]]> Ninth House (Alex Stern, #1) 43263680
Still searching for answers to this herself, Alex arrives in New Haven tasked by her mysterious benefactors with monitoring the activities of Yale’s secret societies. These eight windowless “tombs�� are well-known to be haunts of the future rich and powerful, from high-ranking politicos to Wall Street and Hollywood’s biggest players. But their occult activities are revealed to be more sinister and more extraordinary than any paranoid imagination might conceive.]]> 461 Leigh Bardugo 1250313074 Emma 5 audiobooks Review to come! 4.00 2019 Ninth House (Alex Stern, #1)

author: Leigh Bardugo
name: Emma
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2019
rating: 5
read at: 2019/11/22
date added: 2019/11/22
shelves: audiobooks
review:
Review to come!
]]> The Turn of the Key 42080142
What she doesn’t know is that she’s stepping into a nightmare—one that will end with a child dead and herself in prison awaiting trial for murder.

Writing to her lawyer from prison, she struggles to explain the unravelling events that led to her incarceration. It wasn’t just the constant surveillance from the cameras installed around the house, or the malfunctioning technology that woke the household with booming music, or turned the lights off at the worst possible time. It wasn’t just the girls, who turned out to be a far cry from the immaculately behaved model children she met at her interview. It wasn’t even the way she was left alone for weeks at a time, with no adults around apart from the enigmatic handyman, Jack Grant.

It was everything.

She knows she’s made mistakes. She admits that she lied to obtain the post, and that her behavior toward the children wasn’t always ideal. She’s not innocent, by any means. But, she maintains, she’s not guilty—at least not of murder. Which means someone else is.

Full of spellbinding menace and told in Ruth Ware’s signature suspenseful style, The Turn of the Key is an unputdownable thriller from the Agatha Christie of our time.]]> 337 Ruth Ware 1501188771 Emma 3 audiobooks 3.91 2019

author: Ruth Ware
name: Emma
average rating: 3.91
book published: 2019
rating: 3
read at: 2019/11/22
date added: 2019/11/22
shelves: audiobooks
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Beautiful (The Beautiful, #1)]]> 42265183
When more bodies are discovered, each crime more gruesome than the last, Celine and New Orleans become gripped by the terror of a serial killer on the loose—one Celine is sure has set her in his sights... and who may even be the young man who has stolen her heart. As the murders continue to go unsolved, Celine takes matters into her own hands and soon uncovers something even more shocking: an age-old feud from the darkest creatures of the underworld reveals a truth about Celine she always suspected simmered just beneath the surface.

At once a sultry romance and a thrilling murder mystery, master storyteller Renée Ahdieh embarks on her most potent fantasy series yet: The Beautiful.]]> 425 Renée Ahdieh 1524738174 Emma 4 3.65 2019 The Beautiful (The Beautiful, #1)

author: Renée Ahdieh
name: Emma
average rating: 3.65
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2019/11/22
date added: 2019/11/22
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Lost Hero (The Heroes of Olympus, #1)]]> 7736182 JASON HAS A PROBLEM. He doesn’t remember anything before waking up in a bus full of kids on a field trip. Apparently he has a girlfriend named Piper, and his best friend is a guy named Leo. They’re all students at the Wilderness School, a boarding school for “bad kids," as Leo puts it. What did Jason do to end up here? And where is here, exactly? Jason doesn't know anything—except that everything seems very wrong.

PIPER HAS A SECRET. Her father has been missing for three days, ever since she had that terrifying nightmare about his being in trouble. Piper doesn’t understand her dream, or why her boyfriend suddenly doesn’t recognize her. When a freak storm hits during the school trip, unleashing strange creatures and whisking her, Jason, and Leo away to someplace called Camp Half-Blood, she has a feeling she’s going to find out, whether she wants to or not.

LEO HAS A WAY WITH TOOLS. When he sees his cabin at Camp Half-Blood, filled with power tools and machine parts, he feels right at home. But there’s weird stuff, too—like the curse everyone keeps talking about, and some camper who's gone missing. Weirdest of all, his bunkmates insist that each of them—including Leo—is related to a god. Does this have anything to do with Jason's amnesia, or the fact that Leo keeps seeing ghosts?

Join new and old friends from Camp Half-Blood in this thrilling first book in The Heroes of Olympus series. Best-selling author Rick Riordan has pumped up the action, humor, suspense, and mystery in an epic adventure that will leave readers panting for the next installment.]]> 576 Rick Riordan 142311339X Emma 5 audiobooks
I'm so happy to be back in Rick Riordan's magical worlds and cannot wait to continue with this series.]]> 4.28 2010 The Lost Hero (The Heroes of Olympus, #1)

The Lost Hero (The Heroes of Olympus, #1)

author: Rick Riordan
name: Emma
average rating: 4.28
book published: 2010
rating: 5
read at: 2019/10/10
date added: 2019/10/10
shelves: audiobooks
review:
Tell me why it took me NINE years to read this lmao

I'm so happy to be back in Rick Riordan's magical worlds and cannot wait to continue with this series.
]]> <![CDATA[Never Fade (The Darkest Minds, #2)]]> 16150830
When Ruby is entrusted with an explosive secret, she must embark on her most dangerous mission yet: leaving the Children’s League behind. Crucial information about the disease that killed most of America’s children—and turned Ruby and the others who lived into feared and hated outcasts—has survived every attempt to destroy it. But the truth is only saved in one place: a flashdrive in the hands of Liam Stewart, the boy Ruby once believed was her future—and who now wouldn’t recognize her.

As Ruby sets out across a desperate, lawless country to find Liam—and answers about the catastrophe that has ripped both her life and America apart—she is torn between old friends and the promise she made to serve the League. Ruby will do anything to protect the people she loves. But what if winning the war means losing herself?]]> 507 Alexandra Bracken 1423157516 Emma 4
Dropping my rating to 4 stars to reflect my more recent thoughts. It did drag a bit more than the first installment and I was not *as* invested, but I adore the new characters and increased political intrigue. It's a satisfying sequel I managed to enjoy five years after the first time I read it :)]]> 4.21 2013 Never Fade (The Darkest Minds, #2)

author: Alexandra Bracken
name: Emma
average rating: 4.21
book published: 2013
rating: 4
read at: 2019/07/10
date added: 2019/10/01
shelves:
review:
Update 8/11/2019

Dropping my rating to 4 stars to reflect my more recent thoughts. It did drag a bit more than the first installment and I was not *as* invested, but I adore the new characters and increased political intrigue. It's a satisfying sequel I managed to enjoy five years after the first time I read it :)
]]> <![CDATA[The Truth About Keeping Secrets]]> 39091679
He is also unexpectedly dead.

Is Sydney crazy, or is it kind of weird that her dad-a guy whose entire job revolved around other peoples' secrets-crashed alone, with no explanation?

And why is June Copeland, homecoming queen and the town's golden child, at his funeral?

As the two girls grow closer in the wake of the accident, it's clear that not everyone is happy about their new friendship.

But what is picture perfect June still hiding? And does Sydney even want to know?

THE TRUTH ABOUT KEEPING SECRETS is a page-turning, voice led, high school thriller.]]> 336 Savannah Brown 0241346304 Emma 4 3.80 2019

author: Savannah Brown
name: Emma
average rating: 3.80
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2019/09/24
date added: 2019/09/28
shelves:
review:

]]> The Wife Between Us 34189556 You will assume you are reading about a jealous ex-wife.
You will assume she is obsessed with her replacement �� a beautiful, younger woman who is about to marry the man they both love.
You will assume you know the anatomy of this tangled love triangle.
Assume nothing.

Twisted and deliciously chilling, Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen's The Wife Between Us exposes the secret complexities of an enviable marriage - and the dangerous truths we ignore in the name of love.

Read between the lies. ]]> 432 Greer Hendricks 1250130921 Emma 4 audiobooks 3.82 2018 The Wife Between Us

author: Greer Hendricks
name: Emma
average rating: 3.82
book published: 2018
rating: 4
read at: 2019/09/25
date added: 2019/09/28
shelves: audiobooks
review:
Somewhere between 3.5 and 4 stars!
]]> <![CDATA[Gideon the Ninth (The Locked Tomb, #1)]]> 42036538
The Ninth Necromancer needs a swordswoman.

Gideon has a sword, some dirty magazines, and no more time for undead bullshit.

Brought up by unfriendly, ossifying nuns, ancient retainers, and countless skeletons, Gideon is ready to abandon a life of servitude and an afterlife as a reanimated corpse. She packs up her sword, her shoes, and her dirty magazines, and prepares to launch her daring escape. But her childhood nemesis won't set her free without a service.

Harrowhark Nonagesimus, Reverend Daughter of the Ninth House and bone witch extraordinaire, has been summoned into action. The Emperor has invited the heirs to each of his loyal Houses to a deadly trial of wits and skill. If Harrowhark succeeds she will become an immortal, all-powerful servant of the Resurrection, but no necromancer can ascend without their cavalier. Without Gideon's sword, Harrow will fail, and the Ninth House will die.

Of course, some things are better left dead.]]> 448 Tamsyn Muir 1250313198 Emma 0 to-read 4.20 2019 Gideon the Ninth (The Locked Tomb, #1)

author: Tamsyn Muir
name: Emma
average rating: 4.20
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2019/09/20
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Daisy Jones & The Six 40597810 Everyone knows DAISY JONES & THE SIX, but nobody knows the reason behind their split at the absolute height of their popularity . . . until now.

Daisy is a girl coming of age in L.A. in the late sixties, sneaking into clubs on the Sunset Strip, sleeping with rock stars, and dreaming of singing at the Whisky a Go Go. The sex and drugs are thrilling, but it’s the rock ’n�� roll she loves most. By the time she’s twenty, her voice is getting noticed, and she has the kind of heedless beauty that makes people do crazy things.

Also getting noticed is The Six, a band led by the brooding Billy Dunne. On the eve of their first tour, his girlfriend Camila finds out she’s pregnant, and with the pressure of impending fatherhood and fame, Billy goes a little wild on the road.

Daisy and Billy cross paths when a producer realizes that the key to supercharged success is to put the two together. What happens next will become the stuff of legend.

The making of that legend is chronicled in this riveting and unforgettable novel, written as an oral history of one of the biggest bands of the seventies. Taylor Jenkins Reid is a talented writer who takes her work to a new level with Daisy Jones & The Six, brilliantly capturing a place and time in an utterly distinctive voice.]]> 368 Taylor Jenkins Reid 1524798622 Emma 5 audiobooks Daisy Jones & the Six is a masterpiece. Incredible. Intoxicating. Unforgettable. Truly one of the most remarkable stories I have ever had the pleasure of reading. The moment I finished, I had to immediately start from the beginning again. I refused to let go. And yes, I did read it twice in a row.

CW: substance abuse/addiction, abortion

Set in the mid sixties �� late seventies, Daisy Jones & The Six transports readers to the most iconic age of rock n�� roll. The atmosphere and story composition create and authentic tale that I almost refuse to believe isn’t real! Taylor Jenkins Reid is a master of fiction �� her characters possess an uncanny ability to charm readers and settle into their hearts. Her novels are multi-faceted and unlike any other books I’ve read, especially due to the oral history storytelling of Daisy Jones. (Side note �� the audiobook? SPECTACULAR. If you have access to the audio version, you will not want to miss this experience) Full of timeless quotes, glamourous scandals, and heart-breaking loss, Daisy Jones & The Six has absolutely climbed to the top as one of my favorite books of all time.

FUCK! THIS BOOK IS SO FEMINIST! The women in this book are all so powerful and dynamic. There are so many strong messages about women empowerment, taking no one’s shit, supporting other women, and demanding credit where it’s due. Even the smaller side characters are them much more layered than most supporting characters, as we explore their own storylines. Plus the relationships between all of the women, (Karen & Daisy, Karen & Camila, Camila & Daisy �� even Daisy and little Julia made my heart swell!) are wholesome, unique, and authentic. Especially for a story with a bit of a love triangle, I could not be happier with the superb study of the experience of women.

I also was left so touched by the exploration of addiction. It’s a disease very close to my heart and I’m so, so pleased with how Taylor Jenkins Reid captured the dark, devastating nature of it. The story of both Billy and Daisy’s respective addictions bring light to the glamorization of drugs of this time, while not glamorizing it themselves. This book exposes the truth about substance abuse while simultaneously carrying an air of hope and recovery for those who may be in a similar situation. I’ll stand by this novel my grave as one of the greatest fictional stories of addiction ever told.

And oh gosh, THE MUSIC! I just have to give a shout out to the author for writing so many superb original songs with their own distinct voice and sound. I cannot WAIT for the series to come out so I can finally hear these marvelous lyrics sung the way they should be. Again, I REFUSE to believe this isn’t a real band.

I have so few complaints about this book, and honestly, they are so minuscule compared to the novel’s countless strengths. I felt the main plot twist wasn’t all that shocking and the ending could have been stronger compared to the rock-solid build up, but I’m so enchanted by this book that I’m totally unbothered.

In sum, read Daisy Jones & The Six. Prepare to have your mind rocked by the story of a band that wanted to change the world, so they did.]]> 4.20 2019

author: Taylor Jenkins Reid
name: Emma
average rating: 4.20
book published: 2019
rating: 5
read at: 2019/09/20
date added: 2019/09/20
shelves: audiobooks
review:
Daisy Jones & the Six is a masterpiece. Incredible. Intoxicating. Unforgettable. Truly one of the most remarkable stories I have ever had the pleasure of reading. The moment I finished, I had to immediately start from the beginning again. I refused to let go. And yes, I did read it twice in a row.

CW: substance abuse/addiction, abortion

Set in the mid sixties �� late seventies, Daisy Jones & The Six transports readers to the most iconic age of rock n�� roll. The atmosphere and story composition create and authentic tale that I almost refuse to believe isn’t real! Taylor Jenkins Reid is a master of fiction �� her characters possess an uncanny ability to charm readers and settle into their hearts. Her novels are multi-faceted and unlike any other books I’ve read, especially due to the oral history storytelling of Daisy Jones. (Side note �� the audiobook? SPECTACULAR. If you have access to the audio version, you will not want to miss this experience) Full of timeless quotes, glamourous scandals, and heart-breaking loss, Daisy Jones & The Six has absolutely climbed to the top as one of my favorite books of all time.

FUCK! THIS BOOK IS SO FEMINIST! The women in this book are all so powerful and dynamic. There are so many strong messages about women empowerment, taking no one’s shit, supporting other women, and demanding credit where it’s due. Even the smaller side characters are them much more layered than most supporting characters, as we explore their own storylines. Plus the relationships between all of the women, (Karen & Daisy, Karen & Camila, Camila & Daisy �� even Daisy and little Julia made my heart swell!) are wholesome, unique, and authentic. Especially for a story with a bit of a love triangle, I could not be happier with the superb study of the experience of women.

I also was left so touched by the exploration of addiction. It’s a disease very close to my heart and I’m so, so pleased with how Taylor Jenkins Reid captured the dark, devastating nature of it. The story of both Billy and Daisy’s respective addictions bring light to the glamorization of drugs of this time, while not glamorizing it themselves. This book exposes the truth about substance abuse while simultaneously carrying an air of hope and recovery for those who may be in a similar situation. I’ll stand by this novel my grave as one of the greatest fictional stories of addiction ever told.

And oh gosh, THE MUSIC! I just have to give a shout out to the author for writing so many superb original songs with their own distinct voice and sound. I cannot WAIT for the series to come out so I can finally hear these marvelous lyrics sung the way they should be. Again, I REFUSE to believe this isn’t a real band.

I have so few complaints about this book, and honestly, they are so minuscule compared to the novel’s countless strengths. I felt the main plot twist wasn’t all that shocking and the ending could have been stronger compared to the rock-solid build up, but I’m so enchanted by this book that I’m totally unbothered.

In sum, read Daisy Jones & The Six. Prepare to have your mind rocked by the story of a band that wanted to change the world, so they did.
]]> Let's Call It a Doomsday 40942619
Despite Ellis’s anxiety �� about what others think of her, about what she’s doing wrong, about the safety of her loved ones �� the two girls become fast friends. As Ellis tries to help Hannah decipher the details of her doomsday premonition, she learns there are secrets Hannah isn’t telling her. But with time ticking down, the search for answers only raises more questions. When does it happen? Who will believe them? How do you prepare for the end of the world when it feels like your life is just getting started?

Katie Henry, the author of Heretics Anonymous, delivers an engrossing and thoughtful tale about how people survive �� with some faith in family, friends, and maybe a few prepper forums.]]> 393 Katie Henry 0062698923 Emma 4 3.65 2019 Let's Call It a Doomsday

author: Katie Henry
name: Emma
average rating: 3.65
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2019/07/01
date added: 2019/09/17
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[In the Country We Love: My Family Divided]]> 25666051 The star of Orange is the New Black and Jane the Virgin presents her personal story of the real plight of undocumented immigrants in this country.

Diane Guerrero, the television actress from the megahit Orange is the New Black and Jane the Virgin, was just fourteen years old on the day her parents and brother were arrested and deported while she was at school. Born in the U.S., Guerrero was able to remain in the country and continue her education, depending on the kindness of family friends who took her in and helped her build a life and a successful acting career for herself, without the support system of her family.

In the Country We Love is a moving, heartbreaking story of one woman's extraordinary resilience in the face of the nightmarish struggles of undocumented residents in this country. There are over 11 million undocumented immigrants living in the US, many of whom have citizen children, whose lives here are just as precarious, and whose stories haven't been told. Written with Michelle Burford, this memoir is a tale of personal triumph that also casts a much-needed light on the fears that haunt the daily existence of families likes the author's and on a system that fails them over and over.]]> 259 Diane Guerrero 1627795278 Emma 5 audiobooks 4.16 2016 In the Country We Love: My Family Divided

In the Country We Love: My Family Divided

author: Diane Guerrero
name: Emma
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2016
rating: 5
read at: 2019/09/01
date added: 2019/09/17
shelves: audiobooks
review:

]]> Hello Girls 36596442
Winona has been starving for life in the seemingly perfect home that she shares with her seemingly perfect father, celebrity weatherman Stormy Olsen. No one knows that he locks the pantry door to control her eating and leaves bruises where no one can see them.

Lucille has been suffocating beneath the needs of her mother and her drug-dealing brother, wondering if there’s more out there for her than disappearing waitress tips and generations of barely getting by.

One harrowing night, Winona and Lucille realize they can’t wait until graduation to start their new lives. They need out. Now. All they need is three grand, fast. And really, a stolen convertible to take them from Michigan to Las Vegas can’t hurt.]]> 325 Brittany Cavallaro Emma 4 audiobooks 3.41 2019 Hello Girls

author: Brittany Cavallaro
name: Emma
average rating: 3.41
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2019/09/01
date added: 2019/09/17
shelves: audiobooks
review:

]]> Becoming 38746485
In her memoir, a work of deep reflection and mesmerizing storytelling, Michelle Obama invites readers into her world, chronicling the experiences that have shaped her—from her childhood on the South Side of Chicago to her years as an executive balancing the demands of motherhood and work, to her time spent at the world’s most famous address. With unerring honesty and lively wit, she describes her triumphs and her disappointments, both public and private, telling her full story as she has lived it—in her own words and on her own terms. Warm, wise, and revelatory, Becoming is the deeply personal reckoning of a woman of soul and substance who has steadily defied expectations—and whose story inspires us to do the same.]]> 426 Michelle Obama 1524763136 Emma 5 audiobooks 4.42 2018

author: Michelle Obama
name: Emma
average rating: 4.42
book published: 2018
rating: 5
read at: 2019/09/01
date added: 2019/09/17
shelves: audiobooks
review:

]]> Somewhere Only We Know 36992163 10 00 p.m.: Lucky is the biggest K-pop star on the scene, and she's just performed her hit song "Heartbeat" in Hong Kong to thousands of adoring fans. She's about to debut on The Tonight Show in America, hopefully a breakout performance for her career. But right now? She's in her fancy hotel, trying to fall asleep but dying for a hamburger.

11 00 p.m.: Jack is sneaking into a fancy hotel, on assignment for his tabloid job that he keeps secret from his parents. On his way out of the hotel, he runs into a girl wearing slippers, a girl who is single-mindedly determined to find a hamburger. She looks kind of familiar. She's very cute. He's maybe curious.

12:00 a.m.: Nothing will ever be the same.]]> 320 Maurene Goo 0374310599 Emma 3 3.68 2019 Somewhere Only We Know

author: Maurene Goo
name: Emma
average rating: 3.68
book published: 2019
rating: 3
read at: 2019/08/01
date added: 2019/09/17
shelves:
review:

]]> Something Like Gravity 41139667 For fans of Love, Simon and Eleanor and Park, a romantic and sweet novel about a transgender boy who falls in love for the first time—and how first love changes us all—from New York Times bestselling author Amber Smith.

Chris and Maia aren’t off to a great start.

A near-fatal car accident first brings them together, and their next encounters don’t fare much better. Chris’s good intentions backfire. Maia’s temper gets the best of her.

But they’re neighbors, at least for the summer, and despite their best efforts, they just can’t seem to stay away from each other.

The path forward isn’t easy. Chris has come out as transgender, but he’s still processing a frightening assault he survived the year before. Maia is grieving the loss of her older sister and trying to find her place in the world without her. Falling in love was the last thing on either of their minds.

But would it be so bad if it happened anyway?]]> 391 Amber Smith Emma 3 3.65 2019 Something Like Gravity

author: Amber Smith
name: Emma
average rating: 3.65
book published: 2019
rating: 3
read at: 2019/08/01
date added: 2019/09/17
shelves:
review:

]]> Frankly in Love 39847584
Frank Li has two names. There's Frank Li, his American name. Then there's Sung-Min Li, his Korean name. No one uses his Korean name, not even his parents. Frank barely speaks any Korean. He was born and raised in Southern California.

Even so, his parents still expect him to end up with a nice Korean girl--which is a problem, since Frank is finally dating the girl of his dreams: Brit Means. Brit, who is funny and nerdy just like him. Brit, who makes him laugh like no one else. Brit . . . who is white.

As Frank falls in love for the very first time, he's forced to confront the fact that while his parents sacrificed everything to raise him in the land of opportunity, their traditional expectations don't leave a lot of room for him to be a regular American teen. Desperate to be with Brit without his parents finding out, Frank turns to family friend Joy Song, who is in a similar bind. Together, they come up with a plan to help each other and keep their parents off their backs. Frank thinks he's found the solution to all his problems, but when life throws him a curveball, he's left wondering whether he ever really knew anything about love—or himself—at all.]]> 432 David Yoon 1984812203 Emma 4 3.72 2019 Frankly in Love

author: David Yoon
name: Emma
average rating: 3.72
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2019/08/01
date added: 2019/09/17
shelves:
review:

]]> Royals (Royals, #1) 35997816
While the dashing young Miles has been appointed to teach Daisy the ropes of being regal, the prince’s roguish younger brother kicks up scandal wherever he goes, and tries his best to take Daisy along for the ride. The crown–and the intriguing Miles–might be trying to make Daisy into a lady . . . but Daisy may just rewrite the royal rulebook to suit herself.]]> 296 Rachel Hawkins 1524738239 Emma 3 audiobooks 3.74 2018 Royals (Royals, #1)

author: Rachel Hawkins
name: Emma
average rating: 3.74
book published: 2018
rating: 3
read at: 2019/08/01
date added: 2019/09/17
shelves: audiobooks
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Wolfhunter River (Stillhouse Lake, #3)]]> 36565384
She can’t ignore a cry for help. But in this remote hunting town, it’s open season.

Gwen Proctor escaped her serial-killer husband and saved her family. What she can’t seem to outrun is his notoriety. Or the sick internet vigilantes still seeking to avenge his crimes. For Gwen, hiding isn’t an option. Not when her only mission is to create a normal life for her kids.

But now, a threatened woman has reached out. Marlene Crockett, from the remote town of Wolfhunter, is panicked for herself and her daughter. When Gwen arrives in the small, isolated rural community, Marlene is already dead—her own daughter blamed for the murder. Except that’s not the person Marlene feared at all. And Gwen isn’t leaving until she finds out who that was.

But it may already be too late. A trap has been set. And it’s poised to snap shut on everyone Gwen loves. Her stalkers are closing in. And in a town as dark as Wolfhunter, it’s so easy for them to hide…]]> 330 Rachel Caine 1503957314 Emma 3 audiobooks 4.13 2019 Wolfhunter River (Stillhouse Lake, #3)

author: Rachel Caine
name: Emma
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2019
rating: 3
read at: 2019/08/01
date added: 2019/09/17
shelves: audiobooks
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Killman Creek (Stillhouse Lake, #2)]]> 35329101 Every time Gwen closed her eyes, she saw him in her nightmares. Now her eyes are open, and he’s not going away.

Gwen Proctor won the battle to save her kids from her ex-husband, serial killer Melvin Royal, and his league of psychotic accomplices. But the war isn’t over. Not since Melvin broke out of prison. Not since she received a chilling text��

You’re not safe anywhere now.

Her refuge at Stillhouse Lake has become a trap. Gwen leaves her children in the protective custody of a fortified, well-armed neighbor. Now, with the help of Sam Cade, brother of one of Melvin’s victims, Gwen is going hunting. She’s learned how from one of the sickest killers alive.

But what she’s up against is beyond anything she feared—a sophisticated and savage mind game calculated to destroy her. As trust beyond her small circle of friends begins to vanish, Gwen has only fury and vengeance to believe in as she closes in on her prey. And sure as the night, one of them will die.]]> 349 Rachel Caine 1542096413 Emma 3 audiobooks 4.25 2017 Killman Creek (Stillhouse Lake, #2)

author: Rachel Caine
name: Emma
average rating: 4.25
book published: 2017
rating: 3
read at: 2019/07/01
date added: 2019/09/17
shelves: audiobooks
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Stillhouse Lake (Stillhouse Lake, #1)]]> 33128934 An Amazon Charts and USA Today bestseller.

Gina Royal is the definition of average—a shy Midwestern housewife with a happy marriage and two adorable children. But when a car accident reveals her husband’s secret life as a serial killer, she must remake herself as Gwen Proctor—the ultimate warrior mom.

With her ex now in prison, Gwen has finally found refuge in a new home on remote Stillhouse Lake. Though still the target of stalkers and Internet trolls who think she had something to do with her husband’s crimes, Gwen dares to think her kids can finally grow up in peace.

But just when she’s starting to feel at ease in her new identity, a body turns up in the lake—and threatening letters start arriving from an all-too-familiar address. Gwen Proctor must keep friends close and enemies at bay to avoid being exposed—or watch her kids fall victim to a killer who takes pleasure in tormenting her. One thing is she’s learned how to fight evil. And she’ll never stop.

]]> 301 Rachel Caine 1477821554 Emma 4 audiobooks 4.12 2017 Stillhouse Lake (Stillhouse Lake, #1)

author: Rachel Caine
name: Emma
average rating: 4.12
book published: 2017
rating: 4
read at: 2019/07/01
date added: 2019/09/17
shelves: audiobooks
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Aurora Rising (The Aurora Cycle, #1)]]> 30075662 From the internationally bestselling authors of THE ILLUMINAE FILES comes an epic new science fiction adventure.

The year is 2380, and the graduating cadets of Aurora Academy are being assigned their first missions. Star pupil Tyler Jones is ready to recruit the squad of his dreams, but his own boneheaded heroism sees him stuck with the dregs nobody else in the Academy would touch��

A cocky diplomat with a black belt in sarcasm
A sociopath scientist with a fondness for shooting her bunkmates
A smart-ass techwiz with the galaxy’s biggest chip on his shoulder
An alien warrior with anger management issues
A tomboy pilot who’s totally not into him, in case you were wondering

And Ty’s squad isn’t even his biggest problem—that’d be Aurora Jie-Lin O’Malley, the girl he’s just rescued from interdimensional space. Trapped in cryo-sleep for two centuries, Auri is a girl out of time and out of her depth. But she could be the catalyst that starts a war millions of years in the making, and Tyler’s squad of losers, discipline-cases and misfits might just be the last hope for the entire galaxy.

They're not the heroes we deserve. They're just the ones we could find. Nobody panic. ]]> 473 Amie Kaufman 1524720968 Emma 3 audiobooks 4.08 2019 Aurora Rising (The Aurora Cycle, #1)

author: Amie Kaufman
name: Emma
average rating: 4.08
book published: 2019
rating: 3
read at: 2019/07/01
date added: 2019/09/17
shelves: audiobooks
review:

]]> Unwind (Unwind, #1) 764347 Connor, Risa, and Lev are running for their lives.

The Second Civil War was fought over reproductive rights. The chilling resolution: Life is inviolable from the moment of conception until age thirteen. Between the ages of thirteen and eighteen, however, parents can have their child "unwound," whereby all of the child's organs are transplanted into different donors, so life doesn't technically end. Connor is too difficult for his parents to control. Risa, a ward of the state, is not enough to be kept alive. And Lev is a tithe, a child conceived and raised to be unwound. Together, they may have a chance to escape and to survive.]]> 337 Neal Shusterman Emma 2 4.17 2007 Unwind (Unwind, #1)

author: Neal Shusterman
name: Emma
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2007
rating: 2
read at: 2019/07/01
date added: 2019/09/17
shelves:
review:

]]> Red, White & Royal Blue 41150487
As President Claremont kicks off her reelection bid, Alex finds himself hurtling into a secret relationship with Henry that could derail the campaign and upend two nations. What is worth the sacrifice? How do you do all the good you can do? And, most importantly, how will history remember you?]]> 448 Casey McQuiston 1250316774 Emma 4 audiobooks 4.06 2019 Red, White & Royal Blue

author: Casey McQuiston
name: Emma
average rating: 4.06
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2019/06/01
date added: 2019/09/17
shelves: audiobooks
review:

]]> Wilder Girls 42505366
It started slow. First the teachers died one by one. Then it began to infect the students, turning their bodies strange and foreign. Now, cut off from the rest of the world and left to fend for themselves on their island home, the girls don't dare wander outside the school's fence, where the Tox has made the woods wild and dangerous. They wait for the cure they were promised as the Tox seeps into everything.

But when Byatt goes missing, Hetty will do anything to find her, even if it means breaking quarantine and braving the horrors that lie beyond the fence. And when she does, Hetty learns that there's more to their story, to their life at Raxter, than she could have ever thought true.]]> 357 Rory Power 0525645586 Emma 3 3.46 2019 Wilder Girls

author: Rory Power
name: Emma
average rating: 3.46
book published: 2019
rating: 3
read at: 2019/06/01
date added: 2019/09/17
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[In the Afterlight (The Darkest Minds, #3)]]> 16150831
They are armed only with a volatile secret: proof of a government conspiracy to cover up the real cause of IAAN, the disease that has killed most of America's children and left Ruby and others like her with powers the government will kill to keep contained. But internal strife may destroy their only chance to free the "rehabilitation camps" housing thousands of other Psi kids.

Meanwhile, reunited with Liam, the boy she would-and did-sacrifice everything for to keep alive, Ruby must face the painful repercussions of having tampered with his memories of her. She turns to Cole, his older brother, to provide the intense training she knows she will need to take down Gray and the government. But Cole has demons of his own, and one fatal mistake may be the spark that sets the world on fire.]]> 535 Alexandra Bracken 1423157524 Emma 5
Dropping my rating to 3 stars to reflect my more recent thoughts. It's clear to me I did not enjoy this book as much as my 18 year old self! I found the pacing significantly slower and the plot much less entertaining. It really did not compare to the previous two installments in those respects. I do think there was a ton of fabulous character/relationship development! I also felt the ending was well done and it made me very excited to read the recently released sequel, The Darkest Legacy!

Original Review:
YEAH I'LL LET YOU GUYS KNOW HOW I FEEL ABOUT THIS BOOK WHEN I CAN ACTUALLY PROCESS IF IM SAD OR HAPPY OR SATISFIED OR NOT BUT BASICALLY IT WAS FREAKING AMAZING

Spoiler Filled Video Review: ]]> 4.25 2014 In the Afterlight (The Darkest Minds, #3)

In the Afterlight (The Darkest Minds, #3)

author: Alexandra Bracken
name: Emma
average rating: 4.25
book published: 2014
rating: 5
read at: 2019/07/27
date added: 2019/08/11
shelves:
review:
Update 8/11/2019

Dropping my rating to 3 stars to reflect my more recent thoughts. It's clear to me I did not enjoy this book as much as my 18 year old self! I found the pacing significantly slower and the plot much less entertaining. It really did not compare to the previous two installments in those respects. I do think there was a ton of fabulous character/relationship development! I also felt the ending was well done and it made me very excited to read the recently released sequel, The Darkest Legacy!

Original Review:
YEAH I'LL LET YOU GUYS KNOW HOW I FEEL ABOUT THIS BOOK WHEN I CAN ACTUALLY PROCESS IF IM SAD OR HAPPY OR SATISFIED OR NOT BUT BASICALLY IT WAS FREAKING AMAZING

Spoiler Filled Video Review:
]]> <![CDATA[There Will Come a Darkness (The Age of Darkness, #1)]]> 41823536 The Age of Darkness approaches.
Five lives stand in its way.
Who will stop it... or unleash it?

For generations, the Seven Prophets guided humanity. Using their visions of the future, they ended wars and united nations―until the day, one hundred years ago, when the Prophets disappeared.

All they left behind was one final, secret prophecy, foretelling an Age of Darkness and the birth of a new Prophet who could be the world’s salvation . . . or the cause of its destruction. As chaos takes hold, five souls are set on a collision course:

A prince exiled from his kingdom.
A ruthless killer known as the Pale Hand.
A once-faithful leader torn between his duty and his heart.
A reckless gambler with the power to find anything or anyone.
And a dying girl on the verge of giving up.

One of them―or all of them―could break the world. Will they be savior or destroyer? Perfect for fans of Throne of Glass, Children of Blood and Bone, and An Ember in the Ashes. ]]> 496 Katy Rose Pool Emma 0 did-not-finish
This is an unfortunate situation as I REALLY was enjoying this book. I adored the diverse characters, the unique magic system, and the direction of the story. Sadly, in the middle of reading I had a lot going on in my personal life and couldn't focus on such a dense fantasy so I decided to put it down for now.

I'd love to pick it up again and continue when I'm in the right mood for a story like this because I do want to see it through to the end :)

I received a copy of this book for free from Macmillan. I had no obligation to read or review this book and all opinions are my own.]]> 3.76 2019 There Will Come a Darkness (The Age of Darkness, #1)

There Will Come a Darkness (The Age of Darkness, #1)

author: Katy Rose Pool
name: Emma
average rating: 3.76
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at: 2019/06/30
date added: 2019/08/11
shelves: did-not-finish
review:
DNF at roughly 250 pages in.

This is an unfortunate situation as I REALLY was enjoying this book. I adored the diverse characters, the unique magic system, and the direction of the story. Sadly, in the middle of reading I had a lot going on in my personal life and couldn't focus on such a dense fantasy so I decided to put it down for now.

I'd love to pick it up again and continue when I'm in the right mood for a story like this because I do want to see it through to the end :)

I received a copy of this book for free from Macmillan. I had no obligation to read or review this book and all opinions are my own.
]]> The Starless Sea 42730332
Zachary Ezra Rawlins is searching for his door, though he does not know it. He follows a silent siren song, an inexplicable knowledge that he is meant for another place. When he discovers a mysterious book in the stacks of his campus library he begins to read, entranced by tales of lovelorn prisoners, lost cities, and nameless acolytes. Suddenly a turn of the page brings Zachary to a story from his own childhood impossibly written in this book that is older than he is.

A bee, a key, and a sword emblazoned on the book lead Zachary to two people who will change the course of his life: Mirabel, a fierce, pink-haired painter, and Dorian, a handsome, barefoot man with shifting alliances. These strangers guide Zachary through masquerade party dances and whispered back room stories to the headquarters of a secret society where doorknobs hang from ribbons, and finally through a door conjured from paint to the place he has always yearned for. Amid twisting tunnels filled with books, gilded ballrooms, and wine-dark shores Zachary falls into an intoxicating world soaked in romance and mystery. But a battle is raging over the fate of this place and though there are those who would willingly sacrifice everything to protect it, there are just as many intent on its destruction. As Zachary, Mirabel, and Dorian venture deeper into the space and its histories and myths, searching for answers and each other, a timeless love story unspools, casting a spell of pirates, painters, lovers, liars, and ships that sail upon a Starless Sea.]]> 498 Erin Morgenstern 1910701459 Emma 0 to-read 4.00 2019 The Starless Sea

author: Erin Morgenstern
name: Emma
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2019/06/17
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Revolution of Birdie Randolph]]> 38097294
Dove "Birdie" Randolph works hard to be the perfect daughter and follow the path her parents have laid out for her: She quit playing her beloved soccer, she keeps her nose buried in textbooks, and she's on track to finish high school at the top of her class. But then Birdie falls hard for Booker, a sweet boy with a troubled past...whom she knows her parents will never approve of.

When her estranged aunt Carlene returns to Chicago and moves into the family's apartment above their hair salon, Birdie notices the tension building at home. Carlene is sweet, friendly, and open-minded--she's also spent decades in and out of treatment facilities for addiction. As Birdie becomes closer to both Booker and Carlene, she yearns to spread her wings. But when long-buried secrets rise to the surface, everything she's known to be true is turned upside down.]]> 336 Brandy Colbert 0316448567 Emma 0 to-read 4.00 2019 The Revolution of Birdie Randolph

author: Brandy Colbert
name: Emma
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2019/06/17
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Ghosts of the Shadow Market 36314220
Follow Brother Zachariah and see, against the backdrop of the Shadow Market’s dark dealings and festive celebrations, Anna Lightwood’s first romance, Matthew Fairchild’s great sin and Tessa Gray plunged into a world war. Valentine Morgenstern buys a soul at the Market and a young Jace Wayland’s soul finds safe harbor. In the Market is hidden a lost heir and a beloved ghost, and no one can save you once you have traded away your heart. Not even Brother Zachariah...

Ghosts of the Shadow Market will be co-written with Maureen Johnson, Robin Wasserman, Sarah Rees Brennan and Pulitzer finalist Kelly Link and will initially be available digitally.

The first eight stories will be published as e-books from around March 2018 monthly, with the final two available in a print bind-up of all the stories, to be published in 2019.]]> 617 Cassandra Clare 1406385379 Emma 4 Son of the Dawn 4 Stars
Cast Long Shadows 4.5 Stars
Every Exquisite Things 5 Stars
Learn About Loss 3 Stars
A Deeper Love 3 Stars
The Wicked Ones 5 Stars
The Land I Lost 5 Stars
Through Blood, Through Fire 4.5 Stars
The Lost World 4.5 Stars
Forever Fallen 4 Stars

Average rating for entire novella bind up - 4 Stars

I received a copy of this book from Simon & Schuster. I had no obligation to read or review this book and all opinions are my own.]]> 4.26 2019 Ghosts of the Shadow Market

author: Cassandra Clare
name: Emma
average rating: 4.26
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2019/06/10
date added: 2019/06/16
shelves:
review:
Check out my individual novella reviews here:
Son of the Dawn 4 Stars
Cast Long Shadows 4.5 Stars
Every Exquisite Things 5 Stars
Learn About Loss 3 Stars
A Deeper Love 3 Stars
The Wicked Ones 5 Stars
The Land I Lost 5 Stars
Through Blood, Through Fire 4.5 Stars
The Lost World 4.5 Stars
Forever Fallen 4 Stars

Average rating for entire novella bind up - 4 Stars

I received a copy of this book from Simon & Schuster. I had no obligation to read or review this book and all opinions are my own.
]]> <![CDATA[The Darkest Minds (The Darkest Minds, #1)]]> 10576365
Now sixteen, Ruby is one of the dangerous ones.

When the truth comes out, Ruby barely escapes Thurmond with her life. Now she’s on the run, desperate to find the one safe haven left for kids like her—East River. She joins a group of kids who escaped their own camp. Liam, their brave leader, is falling hard for Ruby. But no matter how much she aches for him, Ruby can’t risk getting close. Not after what happened to her parents.

When they arrive at East River, nothing is as it seems, least of all its mysterious leader. But there are other forces at work, people who will stop at nothing to use Ruby in their fight against the government. Ruby will be faced with a terrible choice, one that may mean giving up her only chance at a life worth living.]]> 488 Alexandra Bracken 1423157370 Emma 5 audiobooks 4.17 2012 The Darkest Minds (The Darkest Minds, #1)

The Darkest Minds (The Darkest Minds, #1)

author: Alexandra Bracken
name: Emma
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2012
rating: 5
read at: 2019/06/11
date added: 2019/06/16
shelves: audiobooks
review:
WOW this book REALLY holds up over the years! I'm SO pleased I decided to reread this series :)
]]> With the Fire on High 38739562
Still, she knows she doesn’t have enough time for her school’s new culinary arts class, doesn’t have the money for the class’s trip to Spain—and shouldn’t still be dreaming of someday working in a real kitchen. But even with all the rules she has for her life—and all the rules everyone expects her to play by—once Emoni starts cooking, her only real choice is to let her talent break free.]]> 395 Elizabeth Acevedo 0062662856 Emma 5 audiobooks 4.18 2019 With the Fire on High

author: Elizabeth Acevedo
name: Emma
average rating: 4.18
book published: 2019
rating: 5
read at: 2019/05/26
date added: 2019/06/16
shelves: audiobooks
review:

]]> The List 33846933
On the death of her master, Letta is suddenly promoted to Wordsmith, charged with collecting and saving words. But when she uncovers a sinister plan to suppress language and rob Ark’s citizens of their power of speech, she realizes that it’s up to her to save not only words, but culture itself.]]> 336 Patricia Forde Emma 3
I have reread & completed The List and am settling on a rating of 3 stars. Though I adored the writing and structure of the world, the plot and characters ended up being a letdown. I wish the story had more development in almost all aspects (characterization, environmentalist themes, plot) and the ending felt rushed and unfinished. I really thought I had the potential to LOVE this book, but it was just okay!

DNF at 73%

Ultimately, I made a bad choice to listen to the audiobook with this novel. The audiobook narrator isn't bad, but the story in the audio format did not fit with me. I tried restarting the novel once and restarting chapters multiple times, but I could not grasp the full scope of the story. (Life has also been very chaotic at the moment so that also created bad timing for a tricky audiobook.) I feel I'd be doing a real disservice to this book by pushing to finish and giving a mediocre rating/review that was heavily influenced by factors other than the content of the story.

That said, I SERIOUSLY enjoyed what I read of this book and am completely intent on rereading it in a physical format. There were so many themes I adored and the concept truly stole my heart. I read many reviews that reinforced my belief that I could REALLY love this novel, so I plan to pick it up again in the physical format ASAP.

From what I've retained of the story, I would *definitely* recommend despite my choice to discontinue reading it at the moment, but I would not listen to the audio version.]]> 3.63 2015 The List

author: Patricia Forde
name: Emma
average rating: 3.63
book published: 2015
rating: 3
read at: 2019/05/19
date added: 2019/06/16
shelves:
review:
Update: May 19, 2019

I have reread & completed The List and am settling on a rating of 3 stars. Though I adored the writing and structure of the world, the plot and characters ended up being a letdown. I wish the story had more development in almost all aspects (characterization, environmentalist themes, plot) and the ending felt rushed and unfinished. I really thought I had the potential to LOVE this book, but it was just okay!

DNF at 73%

Ultimately, I made a bad choice to listen to the audiobook with this novel. The audiobook narrator isn't bad, but the story in the audio format did not fit with me. I tried restarting the novel once and restarting chapters multiple times, but I could not grasp the full scope of the story. (Life has also been very chaotic at the moment so that also created bad timing for a tricky audiobook.) I feel I'd be doing a real disservice to this book by pushing to finish and giving a mediocre rating/review that was heavily influenced by factors other than the content of the story.

That said, I SERIOUSLY enjoyed what I read of this book and am completely intent on rereading it in a physical format. There were so many themes I adored and the concept truly stole my heart. I read many reviews that reinforced my belief that I could REALLY love this novel, so I plan to pick it up again in the physical format ASAP.

From what I've retained of the story, I would *definitely* recommend despite my choice to discontinue reading it at the moment, but I would not listen to the audio version.
]]> Girl Gone Viral 41485133
But she can't code her dad back into her life. When he disappeared after her tenth birthday, leaving only a cryptic note, Opal tried desperately to find him. And when he never turned up, she enrolled at a boarding school for technical prodigies and tried to forget.

Until now. Because WAVE, the world's biggest virtual reality platform, has announced a contest where the winner gets to meet its billionaire founder. The same billionaire who worked closely with Opal's dad. The one she always believed might know where he went. The one who maybe even murdered him.

What begins as a small data hack to win the contest spirals out of control when Opal goes viral, digging her deeper into a hole of lies, hacks, and manipulation. How far will Opal go for the answers--or is it the attention--she's wanted for years?]]> 402 Arvin Ahmadi 0425289907 Emma 4 I received a copy of this book from Penguin Teen. I had no obligation to read or review this book and all opinions are my own.]]> 3.29 2019 Girl Gone Viral

author: Arvin Ahmadi
name: Emma
average rating: 3.29
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2019/05/28
date added: 2019/06/16
shelves:
review:
I received a copy of this book from Penguin Teen. I had no obligation to read or review this book and all opinions are my own.
]]> <![CDATA[King of Fools (The Shadow Game, #2)]]> 37545571 Indulge your vices in the City of Sin, where a sinister street war is brewing and fame is the deadliest killer of them all...

On the quest to find her missing mother, prim and proper Enne Salta became reluctant allies with Levi Glaisyer, the city’s most famous con man. Saving his life in the Shadow Game forced Enne to assume the identity of Seance, a mysterious underworld figure. Now, with the Chancellor of the Republic dead and bounties on both their heads, she and Levi must play a dangerous game of crime and politics…with the very fate of New Reynes at stake.

Thirsting for his freedom and the chance to build an empire, Levi enters an unlikely partnership with Vianca Augustine’s estranged son. Meanwhile, Enne remains trapped by the mafia donna’s binding oath, playing the roles of both darling lady and cunning street lord, unsure which side of herself reflects the truth.

As Enne and Levi walk a path of unimaginable wealth and opportunity, new relationships and deadly secrets could quickly lead them into ruin. And when unforeseen players enter the game, they must each make an impossible choice: To sacrifice everything they’ve earned in order to survive...

Or die as legends.]]> 602 Amanda Foody 1335661344 Emma 4
I received a copy of this book from Inkyard Press. I had no obligation to read or review this book and all opinions are my own.]]> 3.99 2019 King of Fools (The Shadow Game, #2)

author: Amanda Foody
name: Emma
average rating: 3.99
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2019/05/23
date added: 2019/06/16
shelves:
review:
4.5 Stars!

I received a copy of this book from Inkyard Press. I had no obligation to read or review this book and all opinions are my own.
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