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emmas_bookshelf's reviews
688 reviews
Ne'er Duke Well by Alexandra Vasti
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
This was a really fun regency romp featuring an American duke, oh my! If you listen on audiobook, the accents are fantastic!
Hate to Fake It to You by Amanda Sellet
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This book takes place in Hawaii and had me dreaming of warmer weather! In HATE TO FAKE IT TO YOU by Amanda Sellet, three friends, each struggling in their careers - journalism, art, and becoming a head chef - have combined their talents to cultivate one online persona of an over the top perfect life. They go all in on the lie when a media heiress high on life after a near death experience comes to meet her favorite influencer - who doesn’t really exist. This is a romcom heavy on the comedy and it works so well. It’s nonsensical but that’s what makes it fun! Would recommend if you love a caper and a warm weather setting.
Off the Air by Christina Estes
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I thought this was an excellent mystery novel. Easy to read, hard to figure out, just the right amount of puzzling.
Dashed by Amanda Quain
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This is a really fun contemporary retelling of Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen, starring the youngest Dashwood sister, Margaret. When all three Dashwood sisters go on a summer long cruise, they are forced to face love and heartbreak and their misconceptions about their sisters’ strengths and weaknesses. I thought this was a really fun read on audio.
Attached At The Hip by Christine Riccio
emotional
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
This is an excellent book if you enjoy watching Survivor, and maybe Bachelor in Paradise. In this hilarious romantic adventure, Orie thinks she has signed up to be on Survivor, but it turns out she’s on a Survivor spin-off show that has a romantic pairing element (a la Bachelor in Paradise). As she fights to win the prize to help her family, and prove to everyone that she’s an Adult who can handle herself, she has to navigate tricky alliances between: the one who got away in high school; a parkour star who turns out to love books as much as she does; and the new friend who wants her to stay loyal to the women on the show. It’s a fun story and I really enjoyed the audiobook.
Hedging Your Bets by Jayne Denker
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
This is a fun romcom with a quirky cast of characters. The enemies to lovers arc centers around a neighborly dispute over hedges and a small town garden competition. There are elderly busybodies (the best kind) and great plus size rep in the pharmacist main character. I really enjoyed the audiobook!
Catalina by Karla Cornejo Villavicencio
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
This is a poignant coming of age story about a senior at Harvard who is undocumented, grappling with the tragedies in her family and the truths of her childhood, while also grappling with the unknown: what comes next, after graduation? It was really interesting and a quick read.
The Worst Duke in London by Amalie Howard
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Whew. *fans face* Amalie Howard popped off with the slow burn that went full throttle in this one. I *loved* main characters Evangeline and Gage. It was so refreshing seeing how true to herself Evangeline was, and how Gage admired her for it and never tried to change her or make her something different. 100/10 would recommend this book!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Murder
The Knife Before Christmas by Kate Carlisle
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
I loved this latest installment of Kate Carlisle's fixer-upper cozy mystery series. If there's one thing that makes a cozy mystery even cozier, it's a holiday setting! A Victorian-style holiday carnival? Sign me up to go! Like all of Kate's books, you are drawn in by Shannon Hammer and her friends and family. You'll be wondering who did it while also being enchanted by Lighthouse Cove and wondering if you should move to California. Highly recommend!
Till There Was You by Lindsay Hameroff
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
This was a really fun read and I really enjoyed listening to it on audiobook. It’s a little bit of a famous person/regular person romance, a little bit of a second chance romance, and it was so heartwarming. I was cheering for Jake and Lexi to make it work because they were so obviously meant for each other!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Death of parent, and Abandonment