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EmberIvyRose

EmberIvyRose

Joined October 2019

review
EmberIvyRose
Dearest | Jacquie Walters
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Mehso-so

This was a fairly good, fast thriller. My family is down with the flu this week, so our Thanksgiving plans were pretty much cancelled. I work tomorrow a half day (work from home), then probably another chill day at home. On the bright side, I will get some more reading in.

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EmberIvyRose
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Panpan

I loved the first novel, but not this one. It felt like a 300+ page lecture to “educate“ the reader. It was honestly a slog to get through and somehow the magic of the first story was lost. The villains fell flat. The saccharine family relationships felt overplayed. Boo.

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EmberIvyRose
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Mehso-so

This was definitely an unusual and disgusting horror novel. The beginning was a bit slow, but the end was oddly satisfying in a twisted way.

LiteraryinPA The cover alone gives me the creeps! 2mo
EmberIvyRose @LiteraryinPA most definitely! 2mo
Cvfrailing Going thru your books!! You‘re my kind of reader :) 2mo
42 likes1 stack add3 comments
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EmberIvyRose
Hum | Helen Phillips
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Pickpick

Set in the near future, people co-exist with AI bots in a very different world. A mother is being investigated for neglect of her children, after surveillance footage goes viral of a parenting mistake. This book also explores the crazy hold that technology has on society, where we are the product and the consumer. The scary thing is, that I can see many of the things in this book actually happening in my lifetime.

52 likes1 stack add
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EmberIvyRose
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Pickpick

This was a soft pick because it took a bit for me to really feel invested for some reason. It really took me WAY too long to read. Don't you hate when that happens?.... I was still mixing up characters at the end too. After a while the side characters were almost too many people to worry about. That can pull attention away from a good plot. Boo. The ending was interesting. So more than a meh...less than a yay.

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EmberIvyRose
The Drowning Woman | Robyn Harding
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Pickpick

Audiobook pick: If you're into domestic thrillers, this was really good. I usually am so-so about this genre but this was a solid pick. Two women's worlds collide and nothing is as it seems.

IMASLOWREADER i absolutely loved this one…she is one of my favorite authors 4mo
Yenya1954 Great book ❣️ 1mo
46 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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EmberIvyRose
Death Valley | Melissa Broder
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Mehso-so

This was an odd little book, which delves into anticipatory grief in such a unique way. It focuses on connection and meaning in a world that seems to often skip over the “important“ stuff of life.

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EmberIvyRose
The Twisted Ones | T. Kingfisher
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Pickpick

Loved this twisted horror novel. So creepy! This author always gets pretty bizarre but in all the best ways. Cleaning out a hoarded, deceased family member's house in the middle of nowhere would be a big NO for me.

52 likes3 stack adds
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EmberIvyRose
Wildcard | Marie Lu
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Pickpick

This was the sequel to Warcross and I actually liked the 2nd book even better. It's definitely YA vibes but has a solid sci-fi story with many layers. Overall it was a satisfying ending.

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EmberIvyRose
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Pickpick

Audiobook pick: This was funny and interesting at the same time. A candid look at how much is too much. This covered what made her decide to quit drinking and all that led up to it. It isn't preachy and the parts on parenting young children (sleep deprivation, stress) definitely ring true.

50 likes2 stack adds
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EmberIvyRose
Insane City | Dave Barry
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Pickpick

Audiobook pick: This is my second book from this author and I'm officially a fan. He is just really funny. The good thing about being late to the party in an author's popularity, is he has a lot of books out there. His books seem like they would translate well to movies and they are full of action and snarky/absurd humor.

KathyWheeler I always liked his essays. My favorite was years ago when he did a “bad song” survey, asking people to tell him what they thought were the worst songs ever. He turned that into a really short book: 6mo
EmberIvyRose @KathyWheeler he's definitely a talented writer! 6mo
53 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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EmberIvyRose
Middletide: A Novel | Sarah Crouch
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Mehso-so

This was definitely a so-so novel for me. A very slow build, so I kind of had to push through the first half. I didn't quite guess the ending and parts of it were pretty implausible as it was revealed. Overall, it was a decent read.

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EmberIvyRose
The Husbands | Holly Gramazio
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Pickpick

First off, Happy Mother's Day to all the USA mommas! Hope you feel loved on today. 🌷

I adored this quirky book. It does get a bit repetitive, but that is literally the premise. When faced with a seemingly endless supply of husbands and different life outcomes, who/what will she pick? How does one even decide? I chuckled through much of this and thoroughly enjoyed it!

blurb
EmberIvyRose
No Title | None
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Current Saturday mood at my house.

Ruthiella ❤️🐶❤️🐶❤️ 7mo
IuliaC 😻 7mo
Soubhiville Now that‘s the good life! 🫶🏼 7mo
See All 6 Comments
dabbe If my GSDs did that, they'd fall off and break their legs! 🖤🐾🖤 7mo
Suet624 That‘s amazing. 7mo
EmberIvyRose This is Ember our 11 month old Border Collie. Two speeds: asleep and go-go-go. Still very much puppy. Lol 7mo
66 likes1 stack add6 comments
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EmberIvyRose
Warcross | Marie Lu
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Pickpick

Fast-paced Sci-Fi novel that has some Ready Player One vibes, but definitely is it's own beast. Emika Chen (hacker, gamer, bounty hunter) is a fun character to follow. I plan to start the sequel soon.

CatMS Loved Ready Player One, will need to check this one out. 7mo
57 likes1 stack add1 comment
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EmberIvyRose
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Pickpick

Audiobook pick:
This was a recollection of the horrific abuse suffered at the hands of his mother. It was so unbelievable and devastating to hear what he endured. What a survivor.

44 likes1 stack add
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EmberIvyRose
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Pickpick

Audiobook pick:
If you like character driven novels, you will likely enjoy this. I usually need more action, but this was actually well paced. The backstories were good. I got invested in all their broken stories and how they converged.

blurb
EmberIvyRose
No Title | None
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Solar eclipse as seen in Des Moines, Iowa today. About 84% coverage at it's peak. Pretty cool!

KadaGul In Barrington less than that and in brightness. But still pretty darn cool 8mo
AmyG We had about 50% by me-Rocky Mountains CO. Still cool to see. 8mo
Meshell1313 Awesome! 🤩 8mo
See All 8 Comments
shortsarahrose Cedar Rapids - pretty similar to you, but still very cool 8mo
dabbe 🤩🤩🤩 8mo
JenReadsAlot Nice! 8mo
IMASLOWREADER that is pretty cool 8mo
MaGoose Cool 😎 7mo
60 likes8 comments
review
EmberIvyRose
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Pickpick

This was a soft pick. The main characters and even their cat were unlikeable throughout this.
I will admit the cat did grow on me. Grumpy cats can be endearing.
It was one of those thrillers you speed through because you are so curious of what is going to happen. I didn't quite guess the ending.

miamorswife I 100% agree with you. The cat was the best character. And the ending was a bit of a surprise. 8mo
Yenya1954 I also liked the cat. The ending was not expected. 7mo
57 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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EmberIvyRose
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Pickpick

This was good. It's an overarching murder mystery with elements of substance abuse and PTSD. The characters were well fleshed-out and interesting. The setting was a small lake town in northern Wisconsin, which I loved as I grew up in northern Minnesota.

melissajayne It‘s the start of a series 8mo
55 likes1 comment
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EmberIvyRose
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Mehso-so

Loved the setting, but the characters/plot/reveals were just okay.

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EmberIvyRose
The Spite House: A Novel | Johnny Compton
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Panpan

Audiobook pick:
I think I may be in the minority, as I see some raving reviews on this one. I was bored for 75% of this. Later it did get a bit more interesting but not worth the slog to get there. Lots of telling vs showing in this novelist's writing. Not scary, just some moments of creepiness. I was overall very underwhelmed. The narrator was great though, loved his performance.

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EmberIvyRose
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Pickpick

A very honest glimpse into the life of Tyrus. I've been a fan for some time and it was interesting to learn more about his background. This was fascinating and a quick read.

Crazeedi I really like him 9mo
audraelizabeth Love tyrus. He hosted the only new years eve show i watched 9mo
48 likes2 comments
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EmberIvyRose
You're Invited | Amanda Jayatissa
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Pickpick

This book actually started out a bit...weird. But I gave it a chance and am glad I did. I loved the way this murder mystery unfolded at just the right pace. Told in a series of flashbacks and present day interviews, the multiple POVs reveal things bit by bit. It's set in Sri Lanka several days leading to a lavish wedding. The Instagram-perfect bride is missing and feared dead.

5feet.of.fury It was weird. I liked the reveals though! 10mo
66 likes1 comment
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EmberIvyRose
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Pickpick

This is my 3rd book by this author and she continues to spin a sweet and complex love story each time.

bookandbedandtea I started this a few weeks ago but got interrupted and haven't picked it back up; need to get back to it. 😊 10mo
67 likes1 comment
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EmberIvyRose
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Mehso-so

This was pretty slow for a thriller, lots of repetitive scenes and waiting for anything to just happen. The ending was okay, but not worth the wait.

tpixie Agree I gave that a pic, but it just did not do what I hoped it would do. 10mo
40 likes1 comment
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EmberIvyRose
Starter Villain | John Scalzi
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Pickpick

This was a fun ride, full of unpredictable turns with villains pitted against villains.

47 likes1 stack add
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EmberIvyRose
The Woman in Me | Britney Spears
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Pickpick

I didnt really have a lot of opinions about this artist going into this audiobook. I've seen her in and out of headlines. As I've grown older I've definitely learned not to believe what the headlines report. The most interesting point she made was-if she was too unwell to manage her life, why was she well enough to work?...that really calls out her family and their greed.

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EmberIvyRose
The Many Lives of Mama Love | Lara Love Hardin
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Pickpick

Audiobook pick: I really alternated between being disgusted with the author and then being inspired. There's a lot of hard things to digest in this one, especially concerning her kids. Overall it touches on her redemption. I wish the author and her family the best. This had to be tough to write.

22 likes1 stack add
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EmberIvyRose
My Murder | Katie Williams
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Pickpick

This was more of a mystery than thriller and so uniquely different than anything I have read before. I liked it overall and definitely did not guess the twist, which is always a plus!

29 likes1 stack add
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EmberIvyRose
One Word Kill | Mark Lawrence
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Mehso-so

This started out very promising, but I wanted more. The ending felt abrupt. Loved the characters. It was described as Stranger Things meets Ready Player One; I can appreciate the comparison of genre.

EmberIvyRose Now I see it's part of a series, I totally didn't realize. That explains the ending. Lol! 1y
14 likes1 comment
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EmberIvyRose
How Can I Help You | Laura Sims
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Pickpick

This was really good. I couldn't put this one down. Such a creepy main character too. 😳

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EmberIvyRose
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Panpan

Audiobook pick:
This was pretty bad. It spent way too much time building up some ridiculous hallmark-type romance. The last 30 minutes finally had a twist and some horror. It just couldn't make up for the rest of the book. Lame.

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EmberIvyRose
Memory of Animals | Claire Fuller
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Mehso-so

This was interesting and had some good parts, but overall it left me kind of feeling like it could have been much better.

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EmberIvyRose
Fierce Kingdom | Gin Phillips
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Pickpick

Another excellent thriller! I started this last night and could not put it down.

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EmberIvyRose
What Lies in the Woods | Kate Alice Marshall
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Pickpick

This is one of the better thrillers I have read lately. Almost until the end I kept second-guessing what I thought was happening.

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EmberIvyRose
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Bailedbailed

I made it through the first short story and it was problematic at best. It contained a brief but completely inappropriate conversation with her high school class (she was a teacher). Just yuck. I'm not a prude, but that was just too high on the creep factor for me.

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EmberIvyRose
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Pickpick

Audiobook pick:
This was pretty good. Picture a combination of The Grudge, I Know What You Did Last Summer, and throw in some HP Lovecraftian Horror. Loved all the 90s references, including the music. I graduated in 1996 and this book captured the time period well. Only issue, a lot of POV changes which can get to be a bit much...

15 likes1 stack add
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EmberIvyRose
No Title | None
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Mehso-so

This was a weird but interesting novel, with elements of horror and science fiction. At points I loved it, but overall, I think the execution was lacking.

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EmberIvyRose
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Pickpick

This is a story that is centered around death, but manages to be quite hopeful and sweet. There is an unexpected love story which really lifts your heart in the end.
I worked as a hospice nurse for many years and it brought up a lot of memories for me (though clearly a death doula is a different profession).

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EmberIvyRose
A House With Good Bones | T. Kingfisher
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Pickpick

Audiobook pick:
Creepy horror with a slow build that leads to a truly bizarre and scary ending. At one point I wasn't a fan of the direction of things, but then another twist redeemed the storyline for me. Overall, I love this writer's style.
The narrator was okay. I think I just prefer male narrators, I'm finding.

17 likes1 stack add
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EmberIvyRose
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Pickpick

EXCELLENT book from start to finish. If you loved House in the Cerulean Sea, this was comparably good (same author). A unique (loose) retelling of Pinocchio with AI thrown in. The banter between the robots was so well written. This author just wins my heart every time.

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EmberIvyRose
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Pickpick

This novel was funny, violent, and so wonderfully bizarre. Loved the humor. When a plot comes crashing together with such a cast of crazy characters, you can't put it down.

paper.reveries Interesting! Adding to TBR, thanks for sharing :) 2y
20 likes1 stack add1 comment
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EmberIvyRose
The Last Word: A Novel | Taylor Adams
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Pickpick

This was a soft pick, a pretty good twisty thriller. I will admit I couldn't put this one down and flew through it.

tapgurl Reading it now but left it at work! Can‘t wait to get back to it! 2y
19 likes1 stack add1 comment
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EmberIvyRose
What Moves the Dead | T. Kingfisher
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Pickpick

This was a retelling of The Fall of the House of Usher by Poe. Loved this Gothic horror novel. So unsettling and creepy. This author has an incredible way of making horror whimsical somehow. Hard to explain, but it works.

21 likes1 stack add
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EmberIvyRose
Death of a Bookseller | Alice Slater
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Pickpick

This book was like watching a screaming train hit a stalled semi...in slow motion. You are compelled keep reading to find out how the heck this will finish. Slow burn. Creepy ending! Great writing and a strong debut. 🐌

LoverOfLearning I've not heard of this one before! 2y
LoverOfLearning Thanks for sharing! Added to my tbr! 2y
19 likes1 stack add2 comments
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EmberIvyRose
Carrie | Stephen King
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Pickpick

Audiobook pick:
I enjoyed this classic horror novel. It is interesting to compare earlier SK writing to his current novels. I actually have preferred his newer works in writing style, which has notably evolved over time.

CSeydel Definitely agree that while Carrie is a classic, I appreciate how his voice matured in later books! 2y
20 likes1 comment
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EmberIvyRose
No Title | None
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Pickpick

This book is spot on funny and thought provoking. Free speech and the ways we cope through humor are the dominating theme. This books takes equal digs on all political views and discusses cancel culture in all its current glory. These are strange times people!

11 likes1 stack add
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EmberIvyRose
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Mehso-so

This was just okay. It felt more mystery than thriller and I just kept waiting for something (anything...) to happen. The locale was my favorite part of this story.

23 likes1 stack add
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EmberIvyRose
Dead Lake | Darcy Coates
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Pickpick

This was a classic collection of horror stories that was just the right amount of spooky. The Mannequin was my favorite.