“Nothing good will come of a cousin named Jack, fictional or otherwise.”
― Beth Brower, The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion, Vol. 1
Book Title: The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion: Vol 1
Author: Beth Brower
Length: 127 pages
Genre: Historical fiction, adult fiction, romance (just a smidge in this one)
My Rating: 5/5 stars
My Age Rating: 13+
Content Notes: No sex or strong language, grief and loss, prejudice, substance use, mentions of mild violence, one use of mild innuendo, abuse and mistreatment
“While there are many things beyond our control, I’ve always thought the cruellest is that we mortals are not told when our last glance is just that.”
― Beth Brower, The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion, Vol. 1
Book Synopsis:
The Year is 1883 and Emma M. Lion has returned to her London neighbourhood of St. Crispian’s. But Emma’s plans for a charmed and studious life are sabotaged by her eccentric Cousin Archibald, her formidable Aunt Eugenia, and the slightly odd denizens of St. Crispian’s.
Emma M. Lion offers up her Unselected Journals, however self-incriminating they may be. Armed with wit and a sideways amusement, Emma documents the curious realities of her life at Lapis Lazuli House.
My Review:
I had the best time reading this book! It was funny, sweet, and one of my new favourite comfort reads!
I loved the writing and plot of this book. It’s written as Emma’s diary, so it’s short entries that are her uncensored inner thoughts on her day. Each book covers two months, so it’s easy to keep track of the new developments in her life. I never felt lost. Each entry is unique because every day is different, and I adore the variety and spontaneous nature of them because it keeps you wanting to read the next chapter, and the next chapter, and the next chapter, until out of nowhere you are on the last entry and the book is done all too soon! I read it in one sitting, and I haven’t done that in a long time. I think the quick entries helped a lot!
I can’t get over how much I loved the main character in this book. I find that sometimes the main characters of a book annoy me, but I was obsessed with every one of the characters in this one! Emma is so funny, and her carefree nature is the best, not to mention that she gets into the most hilarious and crazy situations that you can’t help laughing out loud while reading! Even the characters that are meant to be annoying or mean are hard not to enjoy!
There were whispers of romance in this book, and it introduces a few of the potential love interests. Romance isn’t the main point of this one, but I have a feeling it’s going to get more prominent as the series goes on! And the little glimpses into what’s to come give me so much joy! I can’t wait!
Let’s talk about content notes for this book! It was almost perfectly clean. No sex and no language other than a handful of small profanities here and there. There is one part with a little bit of innuendo, but it’s small and honestly kinda passed over my head. Other than some emotional themes like grief, loss, injustice, and prejudice (which a lot of the story revolves around), it’s totally clean. I would say that this book would be best enjoyed by readers 13 and older!
I’m so happy I found another amazing comfort read! It was quick, sweet, and witty! I loved how it was written in diary entries and how easy that made it to read! Each character added some sunshine to my day. I haven’t laughed this much while reading in a long time!
Happy Reading,
Ava
For this fun and cozy read click this Link
Leave a Reply