Hi friends,
I’ve been in a funk these last days and I thought that getting back to my roots would help me get my blogger mojo back!
And what better way than to create a weekly series about my unicorn authors, the ones that I will one click the second I learn they have a new book coming?
What can you expect from these weekly posts?
First of course, to learn about my favorite authors (even if many of you know them already). But as I have different reading genres now (I evolved from the romance blogger to ….something else being influenced by you all) you will also have authors that could please many of you hopefully!
Second, you will always have my “top books” they wrote and why I love these ones so much.
Today is the fisrt post of this series and I chose to begin with one of my most beloved romance authors: Emma Scott!
I have read nearly all her books and so far she has published more than 20 books! I think 23 or more with anthologies. Everyone has been a 4 stars minimum. She writes deeply moving stories that always make me fall for her characters. Her writing is gorgeous and I take lots and lots of notes while reading just to remember these amazing quotes.
Whatever she writes, she always find the way to my heart and soul.
Here are my top 5 reads from her:
Full Tilt : you should read it if you love ugly cry books and artists
If I had a limited choice of words to encapsulate this book it would be: beautiful, fragile, terrible, tender, poetic and sad.
The main characters were beautiful inside and outside. Emma Scott has once more created very endearing heroes, people you can easily relate to because they have flaws. Their weaknesses make them human and real even if they are fictional characters. We can walk in their shoes.
I was constantly drifting between sadness and happiness.
What truly fascinated me was learning so many details about glass blowing. I love creating with my hands be it paintings, baking etc. and what Emma Scott told me about this unique art form was so interesting I googled Dale Chihuly. I had to know what he had created and what the Bellagioβs ceiling looks like. I discovered a universe full of vibrant colors and incredible glass creations. Iβm now officially in love with glass blowing and I want some of these flowers in my living room (if only I could have the budgetβ¦).
I cried buckets, smiled through tears when Kacey gave life and joy to Jonah. I swooned when he protected her. I had stars in my eyes when I imagined the glasses with sea life, gigantic glass waterfalls, colorful fragile flowersβ¦and cried some more because life was so unfair with this wonderful guy.
I was afraid to read this book but I donβt regret a single word from this incredible and poetic story.
Forever Right Now: you should read it if you love single dad stories and flawed but amazingly courageous and selfless heroines. It was my best book of 2018
βI found the book toppling Full Tilt off its pedestal and I never thought it would happen one day.Β Emma wrote something raw, emotional, gorgeous, brilliant in its shadows and deeply human battles.
Itβs been an endless emotional onslaughtβ¦
Emma gave us exceptional characters. I will speak of them aplenty. They would have been more than enough to make for a brilliant story but she put twists I never saw coming. This added to colorful and supportive side characters made for an outstanding story.
This is a tale about life and love.
About lows so low you donβt think youβll be up again one day.
Itβs about making mistakes and having second chances.
Accepting that the past will never disappear. Youβll always have to live with it so youβd better acknowledge it. Make your past errors your own and transcend your weaknesses.β
Aaaaand I gave it 6 stars kind of explains why I chose it as my favorite right?
Bring Down the Stars (and The Beautiful Hearts ): you should read it if you want an unforgettable hero who would sacrifice everything for his friend. One you’ll never be able to forget and fall instantly in love with. And if you love being moved to your core and are not afraid to ugly cry.
This epic love and friendship story will push you through your limits. It will frustrate you. It will hurt you. It will also fill you with so many beautiful emotions you wonβt be able to contain them. Read this with a survival kit composed of: ice cream, alcohol, tissues and punching bag. It is also best to protect your E-reader with the latest and bulkiest case or have a good insurance.
my emotions and reactions while reading the book
It went like this:
β30% in the book βEmma I HATE love triangle. I canβt do this this is pure torture!Β I want βhimβ to get the girl!β
β65% in the book β I get it now! This is a love story. Love like friendship and love like romance!β
β95% βoh no!, oh no! Donβt do this to me Emma Scottβ please this is inhuman! I curse you but it so beauuuuuutifulβ¦β
β100% in the book and past the sneak peekβ¦.βYou are killing me! And I am crying on the street now.Β And weeks is too long to wait for the next one. Andβ¦.I love you Emma even when you make me hurt and cry and curse you!β
Just know that this story is angsty, this story is difficult for the likes like me but this story is also incredibly beautiful. It shines through the pain. I am happy I trusted Emma Scott and read it even knowing about the love triangle because I would have missed an epic love and friendship story.
The Butterfly Project : you should read this if you love life giving a second chance when you’ve made a huge mistake. When you love stories about two people adrift in life but finding each other and falling in love.
Reading The Butterfly Project was like watching the movie Love Actually: deeply moving, in technicolor with faultless cast.
Emma Scott has used many common romance tropes: two lost people who will help each other after a random but fateful encounter. Life has taken its toll on them. Theyβre broken and riddled with guilt. Β Itβs filled with romantic moments and good feelings. It could have been too cheesy and eye roll inducing but Emma Scott never fell in the trap of overdoing it. On the contrary it was beautiful, moving, inspiring β¦ just right.
Thatβs the trademark of a very gifted author and I would die to meet her as I bet the woman must be an incredible lady as well.
She just ripped my heart and I still want to thank her.
I loved her writing. I was IN the moment, walking in the characterβs shoes. I was not reading about Zelda or Beckett. I was them.
βLie down with me on the ice again. Look up at the tree. All the lights in the branches, straight up over your head. Be there.β βYouβre there, too?β βRight here.β A long, breathing silence. βHow do you do that, Beckett?β βDo what?β βI called you feeling so goddamn lost, but your voiceβ¦ Itβs like a searchlight in the fog.β βIβm right here,β I said. β
Β
Someday, Someday : you should read it if you love MM romance stories, the key word being ROMANCE or even better, if you are afraid to read MM romance stories but would like to try. I swear you’ll fall head over heels in love with max and Silas’s story. And it’s just been voted bets LGBTQ on UTOPIA.con
This story was headed to 4,5 stars until I reached the 80 percent mark⦠when hell broke loose and hearts were torn open.
The stand Silas had to make simply undid him. It melted the last layer of ice that kept him away from my soul. Itβs when hearts are shattered and spirits damaged that Emma does her best job and steal the last remnant of MY heart. In these moments of truth, where the soul is bare, when the heroes have to really choose to live, not merely survive a bond is forged forever between them and me.
That scene, that moment sealed the deal for me an pushed this story from the βI really like itβ to the βI am in love with itβ.
This is a MM romance story. TheΒ romanceΒ part being very important as love is universal and we love a person, not a gender.
But this is MORE.
In her authorβs note (which is one of the bests I have read) Emma Scott writes: βMaxβs story has real-world reflections as well, as homelessness among LGBTQ youth are higher than the national average by a margin of 120%, and LGBTQ youth are reported to have attempted suicide at a rate five times higher than their straight peers.β
This story emphasizes the difficulties homosexuals face at being accepted for who they really are.
And when I read that story and that note, I thought that stories like this do more for LGBTQ and drug addicts than any medical journal or TV news. Because Emma, speaks to our hearts and opens our eyes and minds.
This romance story is epic and I would love to conclude with one of my favorite quote, coming from one of the best heroines I have read about and that I would marry if I was lesbian and she was not a fictional character: Darlene from βForever Right Nowβ :Β βFling away, Max! Darlene whispered in my mind. Grab happy and run like hell.β
And thatβs me telling you to βRead away. Grab happy and read like hell.β
I hope you liked this post and that I maybe convinced you to try some of her books!
Thanks for reading and see you next week for the next unicorn author.
Absolutely adored Girl in the Love Song and all her books. My funk is because I have read all of them, some twice, so waiting for new one.
I know how you feel!
Love Emma Scott! Think I’ll start Someday, Someday soon! Great choice Sophie!
Oh wow, you definitely do love her books! I am glad there’s an author you can adore so much. I have heard such good things about her books and cannot wait to try one… especially one of the ones about grief.
I adore Emma Scott! I love that I still have so many of her back list books still to enjoy.
“Full Tilt” was my 1st book of hers and after that I became a huge fan! She is truly amazing. <3
These all look so great, and you know I still have yet to read this author here. And you are tempting me with all of these goodies, I have no clue where to start with her.
Yay for fave authors!!! π
Sorry to hear you’ve been in a funk, but I love your new unicorn author series. I’ve actually never read an Emma Scott book so it’s good to hear which are your faves. I definitely love a good ugly cry book so I’ll have to check out some of hers.
Full Tilt and Bring Down the Stars left me a puddle. The tears!
I have only read the Butterfly Project from your list and I remember loving it so soooo much!!! The rest of these books are definitely going to my tbr! Such a great post!
You had such a great idea!!! I love this kind of posts and now I discovered a new author!
You have convinced me! I have 1 of her books now!
Been in a funk myself. Thank you for your post! Emma Scott is a new one to me π
I can see why Emma Scott has become one of your unicorn authors- she’s amazing! I haven’t read too many of her books yet, but have to place In Harmony and Someday, Someday in my top spots!