Something Wilder by Christina Lauren || Book Feature!

June 2, 2022June 2, 2022 ~ Genevieve

{Gallery Books #partner. Thank you for my gifted copies to read, review and share with you!}Something Wilder by Christina Lauren

Have you picked up the May 2022 #NewBookRelease Something Wilder yet?! This just might be my favorite Christina Lauren book yet! I absolutely loved this adventure fueled romance, most of which I read in a single sitting.

I enjoyed following the main characters on an unexpected treasure hunt, while at the same time rekindling their connection after then years apart. It really was the perfect escape-read contemporary romance that I didn’t know I needed.

This book kept me guessing as there were several moments I didn’t see coming, and I absolutely loved how it all came together in the end. This book took some intense thinking and research on the author’s part – and it was a totally fun and unique spring read! You can order your copy using my affiliate link HERE.

QOTD: Have you read a a book yet by the author duo Christina Lauren? What are your favorites? I am discussing this over on my Bookstagram account @genthebookworm and I would love to hear your thoughts!

Disclosure: Some of the links above are Amazon affiliate links. This means if you click through and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission that helps support this blog at no cost to you. Thank you!

Remarkably Bright Creatures // Five Star Read!

May 31, 2022May 31, 2022 ~ Genevieve

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⁣

What was your last five star read?

⁣You know those books that slowly make their way onto the reading scene and then they are absolutely everywhere?! ⁣

Remarkably Bright Creatures was recently this book…And when @Readwithjenna picked it as their May book club pick, the reading FOMO really hit me hard, and I knew I had to pick it up ASAP! ⁣

⁣At first I wasn’t sure I would enjoy a book that had a giant Pacific octopus as one of the narrators, but I shouldn’t haven’t worried because Marcellus ended up being the star of the show! This is a feel good book that also is deeply rooted in the realities (and challenges) of life….which is my kind of read.

⁣Its literary fiction that felt super readable and the characters are genuine and also completely unforgettable. This really was a remarkable book, and one I will hold in my reading memories forever.

In addition, it was absolutely amazing via audiobook, and I highly recommend it, as the narrators truly brought this story to life. ⁣

⁣Have you read this one yet and/or is it on your TBR list?! I am discussing this book today over on @genthebookworm and I would love to have you share your thoughts!

New Book Releases! // May 3rd, 2022!

May 4, 2022May 4, 2022 ~ Genevieve

{Thank you to the tagged publisher for my gifted review copies}

⁣May is off to a great start, at least in the book world! 📚📚📚⁣
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This morning, I am sharing this week’s new book releases releases that are on my reading radar! 📝
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✨Already Read & Loved:⁣
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Our Little World by Karen Winn
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Book Lovers by Emily Henry
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✨Really (surprisingly!) Enjoyed:⁣
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When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill
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✨Reading Now:⁣
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The Change by Kirsten Miller (my #BookOfTheMonth add-on!)⁣
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Seen and Unseen by Marc Lamont Hill and Todd Brewster

✨Coming Up Next:⁣
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Breathless by Amy McCulloch (#BOTM choice!)⁣

What We Do in The Dark by Michelle Hart
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🔆 Are you excited to read any of these new book release titles? Did we pick any of the same @bookofthemonth May selections?? I would love to hear! 💭

I am discussing this week’s new books over on my @genthebookworm account and I would love to chat with you there!

Disclosure: Some of the links above are Amazon affiliate links. This means if you click through and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission that helps support this blog at no cost to you. Thank you!

Our Little World by Karen Winn // New Book Release!

May 3, 2022May 3, 2022 ~ Genevieve

{@duttonbooks #partner. Thank you for my free copies to read & review}

Our Little World by Karen Winn

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⁣

I picked up Our Little World on a whim earlier this year. I hadn’t heard much about it yet, which also meant I was going into it with not a lot of expectations either way! And this book, it ended up blowing me away!!

This spring 2022 release atmospheric and totally compelling. It’s a coming of age story set in a cul-de-sac in the 1980s. It’s a small town mystery but it’s also a character driven novel focused on relationships, especially sisterhood, after a young girl named Sally goes missing. The story is told through the adolescent eyes of Bee, and the angst, worries and emotional ups and downs are totally spot on. Our Little World is not exactly a past paced page turner, but it’s no less intriguing because of it. It totally has #NowAndThen movie vibes and was just exactly the kind of book I didn’t know I needed!! I loved this book and highly recommend it!

I highly recommend adding this one to your spring reading list, and then coming back to tell me your thoughts when you read it!! 📝

Our Little World hit bookstore shelves today (5.3.22!) and you can grab your copy using my Amazon affiliate link HERE.

✨QOTD: Do you like reading hyped books or do you prefer to go into a new read with less expectations overall? I discussed this book over on my Bookstagram feed @genthebookworm and I would love to hear your thoughts!

Take My Hand by Dolen Perkins-Valdez // Mood Reading & Book Club Recommendation!

April 25, 2022 ~ Genevieve

{@BerkleyPub #gifted. Thank you for my free copy to read and share}⁣

Take My Hand by Dolen Perkins-Valde

⁣Are you a book planner or a mood reader?

I am absolutely a mood reader, but I also have a general idea of what I want to read during the next month or so. I am easily tempted by a shiny #NewBookReleases (and also like to share them here!) and I also have to be in the right mood for certain genres. 🔮⁣
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My overall reading during the last couple of years has not included many historical fiction novels, I just could not get into them. And so when I kept seeing some of my trusted book recommendation sources proclaiming this was a five start read, I knew Take My Hand would be my next read.

Given that this is a fictionalized account of actual events, this book proved to be a deeply powerful (and sometimes quite uncomfortable) look at inequality and the rights of reproductive consent. Books like this are so important, because as we all know too well, “…history repeats what we don’t remember”.

⁣Take My Hand is deeply empathetic but also a blunt reminder of how we may feel like we know what’s best for someone else, when we haven’t ever walked a day in their shoes. It explores responsibility, the power of CHOICE and is a raw and unfiltered look at human rights.⁣
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I finished this book last week and I know it will truly be a book I will never forget. It would also make an incredibly powerful book club discussion. Is this new release on your TBR list yet? I discussed this over on @genthebookworm and would love to hear your thoughts.

Book Lovers by Emily Henry // Book Review & Discussion

April 25, 2022 ~ Genevieve

{@berkleypub #partner. Thank you for my #gifted copy to read and review!} ⁣

Book Lovers by Emily Henry

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⁣

I had been anxiously awaiting getting my hands on this book for SO many months and let me tell you, it did not disappoint!
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Author Emily Henry has a way of creating such likable and relatable characters- ones you quickly must find out more about. 💜⁣
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I really loved this small town romance as well as the focus on sisterhood, becoming our true selves, and a peek into the lives of book editors and agents.
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I’m sure the author drew these parts of the stories based on her own experiences and it was really entertaining to read about that side of the books we all love and enjoy. ✍️⁣⁣

Emily Henry has officially become a must read author for me and I can’t wait to see what she writes next! Book Lovers publishes on May 3rd and I highly recommend adding it to your spring reading list! You can also order it through my affiliate link HERE.

As always, I discussed this book over on @genthebookworm and I would love it if you joined in on the conversation!

⁣Disclosure: Some of the links above are Amazon affiliate links. This means if you click through and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission that helps support this blog at no cost to you. Thank you!

What Was Your Last Five Star Read? // #LessonsInChemistry by Bonnie Garmus {Doubleday Books}

April 8, 2022April 8, 2022 ~ Genevieve

{@Doubledaybooks #partner. Thank you for my free copy to read and and review}

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⁣

I have been on a roll lately with some great reads, anyone else? Lessons In Chemistry was a surprise hit for me and was totally unique and multi-faceted. This was one published earlier this week and is already taking readers by storm!

April 5th, 2022 (Amazing!!) New Book Releases:

{Bittersweet, Cover Story, Lessons in Chemistry, Memphis, The Sign For Home & True Biz.}

So, I went into this book without knowing much about it, and it wasn’t at all what I expected. The main character, Elizabeth, was such a dynamic and quirky character- I absolutely loved her. Ultimately, this was a story about the societal expectations and norms of women in the 1960s.

Elizabeth, a female scientist in a “male’s profession,” pushed back against all societal expectations, truly not caring what others thought of her career and personal choices. When she’s pushed out of the lab, she ends up the star of a cooking show- a new type of show at the time.

As she uses her platform to spark change and empower women, the story of her short lived romance unfolds as well. I really loved this book- such a powerful and totally unique and impactful read!

This book is now getting a lot of buzz now and for good reason! It was also chosen for the @gmabookclub April selection and was one of the @bookofthemonth add on choices! {You can join using my referral link HERE}

Is Lessons in Chemistry on your reading list yet? I am discussing this brand new release over on my Bookstagram page @genthebookworm and I would love to hear your thoughts!

Home or Away by Kathleen West {Publication Day Blog Tour!}

March 29, 2022March 29, 2022 ~ Genevieve

{Berkley Publishing #Partner. Thank you for my gifted copy of Home or Away and for inviting me to be a part of this blog tour. }

Home or Away by Kathleen West

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫⁣

I was first introduced to author Kathleen West’s writing style when I read her 2020 novel Minor Dramas and Catastrophes. One of the sub-genres of #ContemporaryFiction I have come to so enjoy is #ParentingFiction. 🙌⁣

Maybe it is because I am smack dab in this stage, but I love books that take on the intricacies to a season of life. The worries, the relationships and the daily struggles that we all can relate to, even if our stories look really different from the outside. And this book takes on competitive youth sports, in particular, hockey! 🏒⁣

Book Synopsis:

Two friends, one Olympic dream, and the choice that stood in the way.

Once Leigh and Susy were close friends and teammates bound for Olympic hockey gold, but when Leigh’s sure-fire plan to make the final roster backfired, she left everything behind to start over, including the one person who knew her secret.

Two decades later, Leigh’s a successful investment banker, happily married, and the mom of a hockey prodigy, so when a career opportunity lands the family back in Minnesota, Leigh takes the shot for her kid. Back in the ultra-competitive world she left behind, the move puts her in Susy’s orbit, a daily reminder of how Leigh watched from the sidelines as her former teammate went on to Olympic glory.

Despite the coldness between them, Susy can’t help but hope that Leigh might lace up her skates and join her in the coaches’ box – after all Leigh knows better than anyone how hard it is to be a woman in this world. Susy knows soon her daughter, Georgie, will be seen as a “girl athlete,” relegated to the B team, with less support and opportunity to advance.

But Leigh believes keeping Susy at arms’ length is the only way to hide her history with her former coach Jeff Carlson. When he hints of new favors in exchange for her son’s ice time, Leigh is caught in the ultimate bind: Come clean about what happened when she was an Olympic hopeful and risk her marriage or play Jeff’s game. In a moment of desperation, Leigh realizes the one person she thought was her biggest competitor – her former teammate – might turn out to be her biggest ally.”

You can purchase your copy HERE. (affiliate link)

Growing up, I was on the swim team, played field hockey and participated in track and field. And while I was not particularly great at any of them (and also, you didn’t have to be then…🙃) I do have the best memories of being a part of these teams. 👯‍♀️⁣

⁣And one of the most unexpected joys of this stage of parenting is being a part of these communities once again…I may just be counting down the days until baseball season officially begins! But as we have progressed further into these sports (our oldest is in middle school) there also comes the very real competitive edge, and the lengths families (parents?) go to to be “the best”…🏆🤯⁣

⁣”Told with Kathleen West’s trademark wit and compassion, Home or Away is a story about overcoming our pasts, confronting our futures, and the sustaining bonds of female friendship.”

Book Club Recommendation!

⁣West shines at character building and sharing the gray areas of life..which also means this book would make for a great #BookClubRead! This book packs a punch and also kept me turning the pages until the very end. This title hits book store shelves today (3.29.22!) and highly recommend adding this book to your spring reading list!

In A New York Minute by Kate Spencer {New Book Release 3.15.22!}

March 15, 2022March 29, 2022 ~ Genevieve

{Thank you to Forever, Hachette Audio and NetGalley for my review copies.}

In A New York Minute by Kate Spencer

Have Your Reading Choices Shifted At All During The Last Two Years?

While some things have stayed the same, I have found I am less likely to pick up a historical fiction book and much more excited about contemporary romance reads! This was a big shift for me and I am really enjoying it!

You see, I live with both feet firmly planted in reality, and I think I was a little “judgey” about the contemporary romance genre as a whole. But really, what I didn’t realize was that you just have to find your type!

This Is What I Like…

I love when women support other women, when they are just as much about finding themselves as a partner, and when real life issues intersect within the more “Happily Ever After” plot-line. And there are so many of those titles!!

And one of the ones I really enjoyed is In A New York Minute by the absolutely delightful Forever 35 podcast host and author @KateSpencer and it publishes TODAY! And how adorable is this amazing book mail?! {thank you @readforeverpub!!}

{You can use my affiliate link to order your copy HERE.}

My Thoughts…

I had the pleasure of both reading this and listening to it on #audiobook and it was an absolutely perfect rom-com! I loved the main characters, Franny and Hayes, who after an awkward meeting on the subway go viral on the internet together. This book was perfectly predictable, adorable, and entertaining and I loved the focus on friendship as well.

I appreciated that the characters felt real and authentic and the sub stories and smaller characters were equally cute and relatable, and added some laughs throughout. This isn’t a super steamy read but this meet-cute storyline was just delightful and endearing.

Author Kate Spencer has such an engaging writing style that kept me turning the pages until the very end. For anyone looking for a perfect weekend read, this is a great and super charming choice!

I discussed this book and topic more over on my @genthebookworm Instagram feed and I would love it if you joined in on the conversation!

The Golden Couple by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen {Book Thoughts & Trailer!}

March 1, 2022 ~ Genevieve

{Thank you to @stmartinspress and @librofm for my gifted review copies}⁣ The Golden Couple by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen

Sometimes all you need is a 20 minute reset and that is how I get a lot of my reading these days…and #DomesticThrillers are most definitely my favorite brain candy kind of read.

The Golden Couple {affiliate link} s by the amazing author duo @sarahpekkanen & @greerhendricks, who know how to write a book that has dynamic and multifaceted characters and a slow build that keeps those pages turning from start to finish. 👏⁣

⁣I had the pleasure of alternating reading and listening to this upcoming book release and I had a hard time putting it down. 🎧📚⁣

The Golden Couple Book Trailer:

So, we all know one of those “Golden Couples”, the ones that look like they have it all figured out but when you pull back the shiny curtain, they are normal and flawed, just like everyone else! Pekkanen and Hendricks take us there…enter Marissa and Matthew. We also meet Avery, a therapist who definitely isn’t’ following the rules, but desperate times call for desperate measures! 🤯⁣

⁣Not only are Avery’s techniques on the “unconventional side” but she is also quite the detective! This story is unpredictable, clever and full of all kinds of juicy secrets. This one publishes on March 8th, and I highly recommend adding it to your late winter reading list! you can grab your copy HERE.

⁣✨Have you read any books by Pekkanen and Hendricks? Is this one on your list? I am discussing this over on @genthebookworm and I would love it if you joined in on there conversation there!