Tag: The Truth According to Ember

August 2024 Reads

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I read this book as an ARC and gave a full review here.

This was a pretty fun book. Of course it took me until about three quarters of the way through to realize it was a riff on Thelma and Louise… I thought the premise was original, and I found it plausible enough to enjoy. The twist at the end made the book for me.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

It was like this book was written specifically for me. There was nothing I didn’t love about it. The premise of the town from a beloved series being real was like a dream come true. How many of us wish we could go into the setting of our favorite book and meet all the characters?! And the love story was…*chef’s kiss*. I loved this book so much, and I can’t wait to read more of this author’s books.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Easily one of my favorite books of the year, The Frozen River read almost more like a crime thriller than historical fiction. The frustration I felt throughout the book, the anxiety about figuring out whodunit, the end…I actually cheered out loud in my car at the events leading to the end of the book.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Read to complete a prompt for a summer reading challenge, this was not my favorite read. I had a lot of high expectations going into it after I read Slaughterhouse Five last year. While the book had an interesting commentary, it was very slow moving and felt very meh.

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Pull out the tissues, you’re going to need them for this one. While the book felt a little slow in the beginning, as soon as Lenni and Margot met, the book really picked up. I loved the characters and their stories. I loved the concept, and I didn’t even mind all the crying I did along the way.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Check out my books, Mistaken Identity and Be My Little Baby both available now!

Book Review: The Truth According to Ember by Danica Nava

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Book Review

The Truth According to Ember by Danica Nava

Release Date: August 6, 2024

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Thank you Berkley and NetGalley for the ARC. This is an honest review.

Whenever I see a Native author with a mainstream published book, I go out of my way to read it. The fact that this time it’s a Rom Com?! My favorite genre?! Score. I’m so lucky that I could read an early copy of Nava’s debut novel. The book was funny, hit all the romance beats nicely, and even though it was a tad predictable, was a very enjoyable read.

Ember wants to be an accountant and to bring herself out of poverty, so she tells a few lies to get a well-paying job. At her new job, she meets sexy IT Guy Danuwoa. The two instantly hit it off, but Ember can’t seem to stop telling little white lies. As their romance blooms, and she advances at her job, Ember has to juggle the lies she told with the truth she wants to live.

The romance in this book was top-notch. You could feel the chemistry between Danuwoa and Ember immediately. Rooting for them was easy. The tension at Ember’s work as she navigated the lies she told in order to get the job was uncomfortable, and I think it was meant that way. The side characters were great, and I actually wish we got to see a few of them more than we did. I would have liked more interactions between Joanna and Ember and even between Sage and Ember. Native culture was prominent and Nava really could give social commentary almost subtly. I loved the way she wove in the racism and misogyny into the storyline.

The book has a lot of miscommunication between Danuwoa and Ember, which is my least favorite romance trope, which is the reason my rating was brought down a little. Plus, I was able to call out some of the book’s end game fairly early on. But really, if you don’t mind the miscommunication trope, this book was nearly perfect. This was a spectacular debut novel. I look forward to reading more from Nava in the future.