Posted on by tacklingtbr

January 9 – January 15

New Releases and Publications

Hello, friends – and happy Tuesday! Welcome to another round of new releases that I was lucky enough to get an early copy of, and have either already read or are upcoming on my #TBR.

These books could be gifted from the publisher through sites like NetGalley or Edelweiss+, they could be electronic copies gifted directly to me from the publisher or the author, an early audiobook copy through the publisher or Libro.fm, or even a physical copy that has been sent to me from the author or publisher. I am so thankful for all of the reading opportunities that I am given through these various sources, and I am excited to share these new releases!

In these weekly posts I will include a 20% review if I am currently reading the book, as well as a link to my full review if I have already finished the book. And if I have not yet started the book by the time this is posted, I will leave those spots blank and edit the post to add them in later!

Bad Luck Bridesmaid

Author: Alison Rose Greenberg

Publication Date: January 11, 2022

Genre: Romance, Contemporary, Adult

Thanks so much to the author, Netgalley, and St. Martin’s Griffin for the gifted advanced e-copy of this book.

Description from Goodreads:

It’s official: Zoey Marks is the cursed bridesmaid that no engagement can survive. Ten years, three empire waist dresses, and ZERO brides have walked down the aisle.

After strike three, Zoey is left wondering if her own ambivalence towards marriage has rubbed off on those she loves. And when her building distrust of matrimony culminates in turning down a proposal from her perfect All-American boyfriend, Rylan Harper III, she and Rylan are both left heartbroken, leaving Zoey to wonder: what is it exactly about tying the knot that makes her want to run in the opposite direction?

Enter Hannah Green: Zoey’s best friend, who announces that she’s marrying a guy she just met (cue eye roll). At a castle. In gorgeous, romantic Ireland, where Rylan will be in attendance, and Zoey will be a bridesmaid. It’ll be fine.

Okay, the woman definition of fine (NOT FINE).

Determined to turn her luck around, Zoey accepts her role and vows to get Hannah down the aisle—all the while praying her best friend’s wedded bliss will allow her to embrace marriage and get Rylan back.

But as the weekend goes on, Zoey is plagued with more questions than answers. Can you be a free spirit, yet still want a certain future? Can you have love and be loved on your terms? And how DO you wrangle a bossy falcon into doing your bidding?

20% Review:

Okay, I got to the fifth chapter and already fell a bit in love with the male lead. So that’s got to be a new record, right? This book is seriously so much fun so far! So far it’s mostly been Zoey’s inner monologue kind of catching the audience up on the three weddings she’s almost been a part of and her relationships with those three ladies, and honestly it’s been a really charming read so far! I read about the first 25% in one sitting because I was having too much fun and didn’t want to put it down!

Check out my full review here!

Find Me

Author: Alafair Burke

Narrated By: Kathleen Early

Publication Date: January 11, 2022

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Adult

Length: 8 hours and 56 minutes

Thanks so much to Libro.fm and HarperAudio for the gifted advanced audio copy of this book.

Description from Goodreads:

The disappearance of a young woman leaves her closest friend reeling and an NYPD homicide detective digging into her own past in this thrilling mystery full of twists from the New York Times bestselling author of The Better Sister and The Wife.

Some pasts won’t stay forgotten . . .

She calls herself Hope Miller, but she has no idea who she actually is. Fifteen years ago, she was found in a small New Jersey town thrown from an overturned vehicle, with no clue to her identity. Doctors assumed her amnesia was a temporary side effect of her injuries, but she never regained her memory. Hope eventually started a new life with a new name in a new town that welcomed her, yet always wondered what she may have left behind—or been running from. Now, fifteen years later, she’s leaving New Jersey to start over once again.

Manhattan defense lawyer Lindsay Kelly, Hope’s best friend and the one who found her after the accident, understands why Hope wants a new beginning. But she worries how her friend will fare in her new East Hampton home, far away from everything familiar. Lindsay’s worst fears are confirmed when she discovers Hope has vanished without a trace—the only lead a drop of blood found where she was last seen. Even more ominously, the blood matches a DNA sample with a connection to a notorious Kansas murderer.

With nowhere else to turn, Lindsay calls NYPD homicide detective Ellie Hatcher, the daughter of the cop who dedicated his life to hunting the Kansas killer.  Ellie has always believed there was more to the story of her father’s death twenty years earlier—and she now fears that Hope’s recent disappearance could be related.

In pursuit of answers, three women search for the truth beneath long-buried secrets. And when their searches converge, what they find will upend everything they’ve ever known. 

20% Review:

(This will be added at a later date, once I start reading this book!)

Review:

(This will be added at a later date, once I have finished this book!)

Wahala

Author: Nikki May

Narrated By: Natalie Simpson

Publication Date: January 11, 2022

Genre: Fiction, Contemporary, Thriller, Adult

Length: 10 hours and 19 minutes

Thanks so much to Libro.fm and HarperAudio for the gifted advanced audio copy of this book.

Description from Goodreads:

An incisive and exhilarating debut novel of female friendship following three Anglo-Nigerian best friends and the lethally glamorous fourth woman who infiltrates their group—the most unforgettable girls since Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte, and Miranda.

Ronke wants happily ever after and 2.2. kids. She’s dating Kayode and wants him to be “the one” (perfect, like her dead father). Her friends think he’s just another in a long line of dodgy Nigerian boyfriends.

Boo has everything Ronke wants—a kind husband, gorgeous child. But she’s frustrated, unfulfilled, plagued by guilt, and desperate to remember who she used to be.

Simi is the golden one with the perfect lifestyle. No one knows she’s crippled by impostor syndrome and tempted to pack it all in each time her boss mentions her “urban vibe.” Her husband thinks they’re trying for a baby. She’s not.

When the high-flying, charismatic Isobel explodes into the group, it seems at first she’s bringing out the best in each woman. (She gets Simi an interview in Hong Kong! Goes jogging with Boo!) But the more Isobel intervenes, the more chaos she sows, and Ronke, Simi, and Boo’s close friendship begins to crack.

A sharp, modern take on friendship, ambition, culture, and betrayal, Wahala (trouble) is an unforgettable novel from a brilliant new voice.

20% Review:

(This will be added at a later date, once I start reading this book!)

Review:

(This will be added at a later date, once I have finished this book!)

Posted on by tacklingtbr · 1 Comment

Reckless Girls by Rachel Hawkins

St. Martin’s Press – Review: 4 Stars

Publication Date: January 4, 2022

Thanks so much to the author, Netgalley, and St. Martin’s Press for the gifted advanced e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts. All opinions are entirely my own. All of my reviews can also be found on Instagram @Tackling_TBR and on my blog at tacklingtbr.home.blog

TW: death, murder, some violence/gore, mention of cannibalism, drunk driving, drug use, heavy drinking, misogyny

Oh my gosh, this book got WILD! It started a bit slower than I had expected – I listened to The Wife Upstairs on audio last year, and I seemed to remember it getting a bit of a quicker start into the thriller portion of the story, so that’s a bit more what I was expecting from this one as well. But the slow start really gave me time to deep dive into the characters (and get in my early predictions for who I think the guilty party or parties were going to be), and gave it a very Agatha Christie-on a deserted island vibe!

Let’s jump in to the characters. I do like Lux as a main character, I thought that she was written in an interesting way, and I found her a bit more relatable than heroines in thrillers often seem, but I didn’t want to jump head first into a story just about her and fully inside of her own head – so I was really glad there were so many other characters to get a taste of too! Even from the word go, I think the characters that intrigued me the most were Brittany and Eliza, because they were the ones that I was looking forward to getting more back story from in the Before chapters. I also liked Nico in a “love to hate him” type of way, which is always really fun to read! I would say that the characters are interesting and well written, and I love the diverse cast of characters on the island, but I think that it definitely benefits from having a good number of them instead of really focusing on one single person.

Story-wise this felt very reminiscent of And Then There Were None, and I am a sucker for a good Christie mystery! It didn’t really feel like it started leaning in to the thriller side of the story until about 2/3 of the way through the book, but it did have a few minutes of good suspense before then too, so I didn’t mind too much. However, I also really love a character-driven novel and the lack of concrete thriller or suspense meant I could lean heavily on those characters, so if that isn’t necessarily your jam maybe take that with a grain of salt.

Overall I would definitely recommend this book to friends and fellow readers, and honestly already have once or twice and it only came out today! Definitely a worthy first read of 2022 for me. I think that the perfect place to read this book would be sunbathing on a beach with a tropical drink (or two) in your hands! But, ya know, maybe a beach full of other people. Better not to feel like you’re too far into the world of a book sometimes, right?

Posted on by tacklingtbr

January 2 – January 8

New Releases and Publications

Hello, friends – and happy Tuesday! Welcome to another round of new releases that I was lucky enough to get an early copy of, and have either already read or are upcoming on my #TBR.

These books could be gifted from the publisher through sites like NetGalley or Edelweiss+, they could be electronic copies gifted directly to me from the publisher or the author, an early audiobook copy through the publisher or Libro.fm, or even a physical copy that has been sent to me from the author or publisher. I am so thankful for all of the reading opportunities that I am given through these various sources, and I am excited to share these new releases!

In these weekly posts I will include a 20% review if I am currently reading the book, as well as a link to my full review if I have already finished the book. And if I have not yet started the book by the time this is posted, I will leave those spots blank and edit the post to add them in later!

Reckless Girls

Author: Rachel Hawkins

Publication Date: January 4, 2022

Genre: Fiction, Thriller, Mystery, Adult

Thanks so much to the author, Netgalley, and St. Martin’s Press for the gifted advanced e-copy of this book.

Description from Goodreads:

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Wife Upstairs comes a deliciously wicked gothic suspense, set on an isolated Pacific island with a dark history, for fans of Lucy Foley and Ruth Ware.

When Lux McAllister and her boyfriend, Nico, are hired to sail two women to a remote island in the South Pacific, it seems like the opportunity of a lifetime. Stuck in a dead-end job in Hawaii, and longing to travel the world after a family tragedy, Lux is eager to climb on board The Susannah and set out on an adventure. She’s also quick to bond with their passengers, college best friends Brittany and Amma. The two women say they want to travel off the beaten path. But like Lux, they may have other reasons to be seeking an escape.

Shimmering on the horizon after days at sea, Meroe Island is every bit the paradise the foursome expects, despite a mysterious history of shipwrecks, cannibalism, and even rumors of murder. But what they don’t expect is to discover another boat already anchored off Meroe’s sandy beaches. The owners of the Azure Sky, Jake and Eliza, are a true golden couple: gorgeous, laidback, and if their sleek catamaran and well-stocked bar are any indication, rich. Now a party of six, the new friends settle in to experience life on an exotic island, and the serenity of being completely off the grid. Lux hasn’t felt like she truly belonged anywhere in years, yet here on Meroe, with these fellow free spirits, she finally has a sense of peace.

But with the arrival of a skeevy stranger sailing alone in pursuit of a darker kind of good time, the balance of the group is disrupted. Soon, cracks begin to emerge: it seems that Brittany and Amma haven’t been completely honest with Lux about their pasts––and perhaps not even with each other. And though Jake and Eliza seem like the perfect pair, the rocky history of their relationship begins to resurface, and their reasons for sailing to Meroe might not be as innocent as they first appeared.

When it becomes clear that the group is even more cut off from civilization than they initially thought, it starts to feel like the island itself is closing in on them. And when one person goes missing, and another turns up dead, Lux begins to wonder if any of them are going to make it off the island alive.

20% Review:

I am really enjoying this book so far! It was a bit of a slower start than I had expected (I had listened to The Wife Upstairs on audiobook last year, and I seemed to remember it jumping in with a bit more of the tension pretty early on, but that could be due to reasons anywhere between faulty memory or a difference of visual versus audio), but now that I’m getting into more of the story I’m not minding that at all. I really like Lux as a main character, but I’m really glad that we’re starting to get more of a peak into Brittany and Amma’s back stories as well. But above all else now I just want to be reading it on a beach in Hawaii, rather than the rain-drenched PNW.

Check out my full review here!

It Will End Like This

Author: Kyra Leigh

Publication Date: January 4, 2022

Genre: Horror, Young Adult, Thriller, Mystery

Thanks so much to the author, Netgalley, and Random House Children’s for the gifted advanced e-copy of this book.

Description from Goodreads:

For fans of The Cheerleaders and Sadie comes a psychological thriller that reminds us that in real life, endings are rarely as neat as happily ever after. A contemporay take on the Lizzie Borden story that explores how grief can cut deep.

Charlotte lost her mother six months ago, and still no one will tell her exactly what happened the day she mysteriously died. They say her heart stopped, but Charlotte knows deep down that there’s more to the story.

The only person who gets it is Charlotte’s sister, Maddi. Maddi agrees—people’s hearts don’t just stop. There are too many questions left unanswered for the girls to move on.

But their father is moving on. With their mother’s personal assistant. And both girls are sure that she’s determined to take everything that’s theirs away for herself.

Now the only way to get their lives back is for Charlotte and Maddi to decide how this story ends, themselves.

20% Review:

(This will be added at a later date, once I start reading this book!)

Review:

(This will be added at a later date, once I have finished this book!)

When You Get the Chance

Author: Emma Lord

Publication Date: January 4, 2022

Genre: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Young Adult

Thanks so much to the author, Netgalley, and Wednesday Books for the gifted advanced e-copy of this book.

Description from Goodreads:

Nothing will get in the way of Millie Price’s dream to become a Broadway star. Not her lovable but super-introverted dad, who after raising Millie alone, doesn’t want to watch her leave home to pursue her dream. Not her pesky and ongoing drama club rival, Oliver, who is the very definition of Simmering Romantic Tension. And not the “Millie Moods,” the feelings of intense emotion that threaten to overwhelm, always at maddeningly inconvenient times. Millie needs an ally. And when a left-open browser brings Millie to her dad’s embarrassingly moody LiveJournal from 2003, Millie knows just what to do. She’s going to find her mom.

There’s Steph, a still-aspiring stage actress and receptionist at a talent agency. There’s Farrah, ethereal dance teacher who clearly doesn’t have the two left feet Millie has. And Beth, the chipper and sweet stage enthusiast with an equally exuberant fifteen-year-old daughter (A possible sister?! This is getting out of hand). But how can you find a new part of your life and expect it to fit into your old one, without leaving any marks? And why is it that when you go looking for the past, it somehow keeps bringing you back to what you’ve had all along?

20% Review:

(This will be added at a later date, once I start reading this book!)

Review:

(This will be added at a later date, once I have finished this book!)

The Sunny Nihilist

Author: Wendy Syfret

Narrated By: Jean Ann Douglass

Publication Date: January 4, 2022

Genre: Nonfiction, Philosophy

Thanks so much to Libro.fm and Chronicle Books for the gifted advanced audio copy of this book.

Description from Goodreads:

A positively rebellious take on a traditionally negative philosophy offers an antidote for our anxious times.

Career success, a beautiful life, a beautiful Instagram account—what’s the point? In a world where meaning has become twisted into a form of currency that everyone is very keen to cash in on, journalist Wendy Syfret invites you to change the way you think about the way you think.

In her seminal work, The Sunny Nihilist, Syfret presents the optimism in Nihilism, encouraging us to dismantle our self-care and self-centered way of living and accept a life more or less ordinary. Syfret re-examines the meaning of worth, value, time, happiness, success, and connection, and guides us towards the alternative path of pointless pleasure.

When you let go of the idea that everything must have purpose, you will find relief from stress, exhaustion, and anxiety. Most importantly, you can embrace the opportunity to enjoy the moment, the present, the chaos and luck of being alive at all. The Sunny Nihilist is an inspiring call to action and survival adaptation for modern life.

20% Review:

(This will be added at a later date, once I start reading this book!)

Review:

(This will be added at a later date, once I have finished this book!)

Posted on by tacklingtbr

December 26 – January 1

New Releases and Publications

Hello, friends – and happy Tuesday! Welcome to another round of new releases that I was lucky enough to get an early copy of, and have either already read or are upcoming on my #TBR.

These books could be gifted from the publisher through sites like NetGalley or Edelweiss+, they could be electronic copies gifted directly to me from the publisher or the author, an early audiobook copy through the publisher or Libro.fm, or even a physical copy that has been sent to me from the author or publisher. I am so thankful for all of the reading opportunities that I am given through these various sources, and I am excited to share these new releases!

In these weekly posts I will include a 20% review if I am currently reading the book, as well as a link to my full review if I have already finished the book. And if I have not yet started the book by the time this is posted, I will leave those spots blank and edit the post to add them in later!

Girls Before Earls

Author: Anna Bennett

Publication date: December 28, 2021

Genre: Romance, historical romance, regency

Thanks so much to the author, St. Martin’s Press, and Netgalley for the gifted e-copy of this book.

Description from Goodreads:

WHAT A GIRL WANTS

To survive her difficult childhood, Miss Hazel Lively relied on two things:a tough outer shell and a love of books. Now, at the age of twenty-eight, she’s finally realized her life-long dream of opening a school for girls. She’s hoping that the wealthy families who flock to the shore for the summer will entrust their daughters to Bellehaven Academy―and help pay the way for less fortunate students. All Hazel must do is maintain a flawless reputation and raise a good deal of money. It’s a foolproof plan…till a sinfully handsome earl strides into her office.

WHAT AN EARL NEEDS

Gabriel Beckett, Earl of Bladenton, has had a monstrous headache since the day his teenaged niece became his ward. She’s been expelled from two London boarding schools and is doing her damnedest to scare off his potential fiancée. But Blade has a plan of his own―enroll his niece at Bellehaven Academy, where she’ll be out of town and out of his hair. He just needs to convince the buttoned-up headmistress with the soulful brown eyes to take on his niece.

LEAD TO AN IRRESISTIBLE DEAL

When Blade makes a generous offer to the school, it’s impossible for Hazel to refuse. But she has one non-negotiable condition: the earl must visit his niece every other week. Soon, Blade discovers there’s much more to Hazel than meticulous lesson plans. In moonlit seaside coves and candlelit ballrooms, their sparring leads to flirtation…and something altogether deeper. But the passion that flares between them poses a threat to Hazel’s school and Blade’s battered heart. They say a good thing can’t last forever, but true love? Well, it just might…

20% Review:

Okay okay, so as I am writing this maybe I am a bit past 20% and maybe I’m a little bit closer to 50%, but this book is so much fun! I’m just really not wanting to put it down! I really love Hazel as a character (Sassy bookwork in a historical? You really can’t go wrong.) It has also been a pretty quick read when I’ve actually had the chance to sit down and read it, too, with short chapters and fun dialogue, which I always love! It really makes you feel accomplished when you read a book quickly, right? Maybe just me? Who knows, either way this sassy regency has been just what I was needing this week.

Check out my full review here!

Bake, Borrow, Steal

Author: Ellie Alexander

Publication date: December 28, 2021

Genre: Mystery, cozy mystery, adult

Thanks so much to the author, St. Martin’s Press, and Netgalley for the gifted advanced electronic copy of this book.

Description from Goodreads:

Ellie Alexander’s Bake, Borrow, and Steal, the most delicious installment yet in the Bakeshop Series set in Ashland, Oregon!

As the autumnal hues of November fall over the Shakespearean hamlet of Ashland, Oregon, Jules and her team at Torte are working on their biggest event ever. They’ve been invited to create chocolate showpieces for the gala opening of a new exhibit, Shakespeare’s Lost Pages at SOMA. The museum, located on the campus of Southern Oregon University, is getting ready to unveil the Bard’s lost manuscript, Double Falsehood, which is being touted as the greatest artistic discovery of modern times. In addition to molding luscious, silky chocolate into magnificent structures, Torte will be serving an authentic Elizabethan feast straight from the pages of a sixteenth century cookbook featuring Lardy cakes, Frangipane tarts, and jellies with chestnut cream.

Jules has underestimated the amount of work required to pull off such a culinary feat. She finds herself in the strange position of feeling frazzled and stressed as the day of the gala approaches. However, her team rallies around her and once the massive works of chocolate art are safely installed at the museum, she can finally let out a sigh of relief and revel in the excitement of the grand celebration. But her relief is short-lived. Right before the unveiling, news quickly begins to spread that Shakespeare’s lost manuscript is missing. Not only that, but the security guard tasked with keeping the priceless artifact safe has been killed. Is this a case of a heist gone terribly wrong? Or could it be that a killer is lurking in the museum archives?

20% Review:

This book is so much fun! Although reading it on an empty stomach is really proving to be a problem.. We are just barely starting to get into the mystery, but what we’ve really been diving into so far is all. Of. The. FOOD! It all sounds so good, and I want to eat all of it. I can’t wait to see where the story goes as I keep reading, but honestly part of me is just hoping that this turns into one of the cozies with recipes in the back!

Check out my full review here!
Posted on by tacklingtbr · 1 Comment

Bake, Borrow, and Steal (A Bakeshop Mystery #14) by Ellie Alexander

St. Martin’s Press – Review: 4 Stars

Thanks so much to the author, Netgalley, and St. Martin’s Press for the gifted advanced e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts. All of my opinions are entirely my own. All of my reviews can also be found on Instagram @Tackling_TBR and on my blog at tacklingtbr.home.blog.

TW: death (accidental death, murder), theft

Oh my gosh, this book was such a delight! I mean, let’s be honest, I LOVE a cozy mystery, so I am pretty easy to please in that sense. Honestly it’s kind of hard for a cozy mystery to go wrong, in my eyes. So I had no doubt that I would really enjoy this read, and I am glad to say that I was right.

Let’s start with what really might be the most important part – the FOOD! Jules, our main character in this story, runs a bakeshop, a winery, and an ice cream parlor, so it comes as no surprise that there are some really tasty sounding recipes mentioned throughout the story. Talking about and thinking about the food basically dominated my 20% review for this book, that’s how much it was on my mind as I was reading. And I’ve got to be honest, part of me is crushed that this isn’t one of the many cozies that includes a handful of it’s recipes in the back of the book. This is a story where the setting is definitely it’s own character, but the food is really playing a character as well in a really delicious way. And now I want to eat my weight in baked goods.

Speaking of the setting, Ashland, OR made such a lovely setting for this story! Like I said earlier, the small town feel really plays an important role in the story. Plus, as a PNW girl myself, I always enjoy getting to read books set along the west coast! And something about finishing up this story about the snowy little west coast town while I’m sitting in Seattle and looking out the window at all of the snow falling, it felt like I was really a part of it for a little bit. Like I could go across the street and get one of Andy’s cups of coffee.

Now getting back to more important things, like the colorful cast of characters. There were so many characters that played their roles in the story, that in the beginning I did have some trouble keeping everything and everyone straight in my head while reading. Now to be fair, this is book #14 in a serious of cozies. I always say that reading a series in order doesn’t tend to matter quite as much with a series of cozies as much as it might for a different genre, but I’m betting that had I read the other books that lead up to this one then I wouldn’t have had as many issues with remembering which character was which. So, you know, take that with a grain of salt. But overall I really loved the characters. Some of them were fairly cartoon-y, especially the two more villainous men who Jules is butting heads with throughout the story, but I didn’t mind that too much. The almost campy aspects felt like they belonged in a really fun way. Maybe that comes from the very theatrical town of Ashland (home of the famous Oregon Shakespeare Festival), but either way it worked for me.

Overall I would definitely recommend this book to my friends! I think that everyone needs a genre that they can read through easily without having to necessarily put their entire heart and soul into it, and (especially when it gets cold out) I think that a cozy mystery fits the bill perfectly! I think that the best way to read this book would be inside and under a blanket while you’re listening to the rain, or watching the snow outside your window. And also with lots of baked goods. Obviously. No, seriously. Give me the cakes, the hand pies, the cookies, the pastries, everything!

Posted on by tacklingtbr · 1 Comment

Girls Before Earls (Rogues to Lovers #1) by Anna Bennett

St. Martin’s Press – Review: 5 Stars

Thanks so much to the author, St. Martin’s, and Netgalley for the gifted advanced e-copy of this book. All opinions are entirely my own. My reviews can also be found on Instagram @Tackling_TBR and on my blog at tacklingtbr.home.blog.

Publication Date: December 28, 2021

TW: death, orphaned children, infidelity

Oh my gosh, this book was so much fun! I go through phases in my reading life and I am DEFINITELY in a big regency phase right now, where I just can’t get enough of it. So this book was everything that I was wanting, and I enjoyed the heck out of it.

I really loved Hazel as a character – and while it did take me a little while to come around to Blade the girls of Bellehaven Academy really made up for that lost time! The girls were so fun and sweet and I wanted to adopt every one of them, honestly. I thought that the setting of a finishing school was a fun way to differentiate this story from the other enemies-to-lovers regency novels out there (not that I ever seem to get tired of those anyway) by having such fun characters in the girls but also having the school acting as a character in itself. It almost feels like the true third in Hazel and Blade’s love triangle, and I really loved it!

Overall I would definitely recommend this book to my friends who are looking for a fairly fast (and quite steamy!) read. But I’m not kidding, if you’re picking this one up you need to be prepared for the steam. Do not read at work. Do not read in company. Maybe try reading it in a bubble bath with a large glass of wine and nobody around to ask you why you’re still in the bath. You’ll thank me later.

Check out the author’s website here!
Posted on by tacklingtbr

December 5 – December 11

New Releases and Publications

Hello, friends – and happy Tuesday! Welcome to another round of new releases that I was lucky enough to get an early copy of, and have either already read or are upcoming on my #TBR.

These books could be gifted from the publisher through sites like NetGalley or Edelweiss+, they could be electronic copies gifted directly to me from the publisher or the author, an early audiobook copy through the publisher or Libro.fm, or even a physical copy that has been sent to me from the author or publisher. I am so thankful for all of the reading opportunities that I am given through these various sources, and I am excited to share these new releases!

In these weekly posts I will include a 20% review if I am currently reading the book, as well as a link to my full review if I have already finished the book. And if I have not yet started the book by the time this is posted, I will leave those spots blank and edit the post to add them in later!

If This Gets Out

Author: Sophie Gonzales and Cale Dietrich

Publication date: December 7, 2021

Genre: LGBTQIA+, Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult

Thanks so much to the author, St. Martin’s Press and Wednesday Books, and Netgalley for the gifted advanced e-copy of this book.

Description from Goodreads:

Eighteen-year-olds Ruben Montez and Zach Knight are two members of the boy-band Saturday, one of the biggest acts in America. Along with their bandmates, Angel Phan and Jon Braxton, the four are teen heartbreakers in front of the cameras and best friends backstage. But privately, cracks are starting to form: their once-easy rapport is straining under the pressures of fame, and Ruben confides in Zach that he’s feeling smothered by management’s pressure to stay in the closet.

On a whirlwind tour through Europe, with both an unrelenting schedule and minimal supervision, Ruben and Zach come to rely on each other more and more, and their already close friendship evolves into a romance. But when they decide they’re ready to tell their fans and live freely, Zach and Ruben start to truly realize that they will never have the support of their management. How can they hold tight to each other when the whole world seems to want to come between them?

“If This Gets Out is an absolute showstopper! Equal parts edgy and adorable, this bright, joyful book has everything I look for in a queer YA romance.” —Phil Stamper, bestselling author of The Gravity of Us

20% Review:

(This will be added at a later date, once I start reading this book!)

Review:

(This will be added at a later date, once I have finished this book!)

The Ballerinas

Author: Rachel Kapelke-Dale

Publication date: December 7, 2021

Genre: Fiction, Thriller, Mystery

Thanks so much to the author, St. Martin’s Press, and Netgalley for the gifted advanced electronic copy of this book.

Description from Goodreads:

Dare Me meets Black Swan and Luckiest Girl Alive in a captivating, voice-driven debut novel about a trio of ballerinas who meet as students at the Paris Opera Ballet School.

Fourteen years ago, Delphine abandoned her prestigious soloist spot at the Paris Opera Ballet for a new life in St. Petersburg––taking with her a secret that could upend the lives of her best friends, fellow dancers Lindsay and Margaux. Now 36 years old, Delphine has returned to her former home and to the legendary Palais Garnier Opera House, to choreograph the ballet that will kickstart the next phase of her career––and, she hopes, finally make things right with her former friends. But Delphine quickly discovers that things have changed while she’s been away…and some secrets can’t stay buried forever.

Moving between the trio’s adolescent years and the present day, The Ballerinas explores the complexities of female friendship, the dark drive towards physical perfection in the name of artistic expression, the double-edged sword of ambition and passion, and the sublimated rage that so many women hold inside––all culminating in a twist you won’t see coming, with magnetic characters you won’t soon forget.

20% Review:

(This will be added at a later date, once I start reading this book!)

Review:

(This will be added at a later date, once I have finished this book!)

I am Arcana

Author: Kristy Nicolle

Publication Date: December 7. 2021

Genre: Poetry

Thanks so much to the author for the gifted advanced copy of this collection.

Description from Goodreads:

THE CARDS KNOW ALL…

From the Author of Award-Winning fantasy romance “simply dripping with poetic justice” comes a debut poetry collection inspired by the enthralling world of tarot.

Divided into the 22 Major Arcana cards of the traditional tarot deck, Kristy Nicolle presents a brand new poetry collection with fresh insight into the multiple interpretations of each legendary icon.

From The High Priestess to The Fool, jump into a lyrical, poetic world of painful truth and natural beauty. A searing indictment of the world we know today, discover how the very mysticism which runs deep through our collective history is relevant now more than ever.

Simple, evocative, and thought-provoking, the world of tarot has never seemed so tangible.

Perfect for poetry fans of Nikita Gill, Julie Anne Addicott, Atticus, and  Kate Baer.

20% Review:

Since this is such a short poetry collection, I was able to read it in one sitting and didn’t write a 20% review. But check out my full thoughts at the link below!

Check out my full review here!
Posted on by tacklingtbr

November 7 – November 13

New Releases and Publications

Hello, friends – and happy Tuesday! Welcome to another round of new releases that I was lucky enough to get an early copy of, and have either already read or are upcoming on my #TBR.

These books could be gifted from the publisher through sites like NetGalley or Edelweiss+, they could be electronic copies gifted directly to me from the publisher or the author, an early audiobook copy through the publisher or Libro.fm, or even a physical copy that has been sent to me from the author or publisher. I am so thankful for all of the reading opportunities that I am given through these various sources, and I am excited to share these new releases!

In these weekly posts I will include a 20% review if I am currently reading the book, as well as a link to my full review if I have already finished the book. And if I have not yet started the book by the time this is posted, I will leave those spots blank and edit the post to add them in later!

Murder Most Actual

Author: Alexis Hall

Publication Day: November 9, 2021

Genre: Mystery, LGBT, Contemporary Romance, Cozy Mystery

Thanks so much to the author, Valentine PR, and Netgalley for the gifted advanced e-copy of this book.

Description from Goodreads:

From the author of Boyfriend Material and Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake comes a cozy mystery that revisits the Golden Age of detective fiction, starring a heroine who’s more podcaster than private eye and topped with a lethal dose of parody — perfect for fans of Clue, Knives Out, and Only Murders in the Building!

When up-and-coming true crime podcaster Liza and her corporate financier wife Hanna head to a luxurious hotel in the Scottish Highlands, they’re hoping for a chance to rekindle their marriage – not to find themselves trapped in the middle of an Agatha Christie-esque murder mystery with no way home. But who better to take on the case than someone whose entire profession relies on an obsession with all things mysterious and macabre? Though some of her fellow guests may consider her an interfering new media hack, Liza knows a thing or two about crime and – despite Hanna’s preference for waiting out the chaos behind a locked door – might be the only one capable of discovering the killer. As the bodies rack up and the stakes rise, can they save their marriage — and their lives?

20% Review:

20% in to the book, and we’ve had our first murder! So far we’ve met the cast of characters, which has been a lot of fun. I was trying to tie some fun Clue references out of it in the beginning (Mrs. White, a Colonel wearing yellow, a professor wearing purple, another young man wearing green, an eccentric older woman with lots of money? I mean, come on! I can’t be making this up!), but hey maybe that’s just me.

Check out my full blog tour and review here!

Heard it in a Love Song

Author: Tracey Garvis Graves

Publication Date: November 9, 2021

Genre: Romance, Contemporary Fiction, Adult

Thanks so much to the author, St. Martin’s Press, and Netgalley for the gifted advanced e-copy of this book.

Description from Goodreads:

Layla Hilding is thirty-five and recently divorced. Struggling to break free from the past—her glory days as the lead singer in a band and a ten-year marriage to a man who never put her first—Layla’s newly found independence feels a lot like loneliness.

Then there’s Josh, the single dad whose daughter attends the elementary school where Layla teaches music. Recently separated, he’s still processing the end of his twenty-year marriage to his high school sweetheart. He chats with Layla every morning at school and finds himself thinking about her more and more.

Equally cautious and confused about dating in a world that favors apps over meeting organically, Layla and Josh decide to be friends with the potential for something more. Sounds sensible and way too simple—but when two people are on the rebound, is it heartbreak or happiness that’s a love song away?

From the bestselling author of The Girl He Used to Know comes a love song of a story about starting over and second chances.

20% Review:

(This will be added at a later date, once I start reading this book!)

Review:

(This will be added at a later date, once I have finished this book!)

Five Tuesdays in Winter

Author: Lily King

Narrated by: Stacey Glemboski, various narrators, Mark Bramhall, Christa Lewis, Cassandra Campbell & Bronson Pinchot

Audio Publication Day: November 9, 2021

Genre: Short Stories, Fiction, Literary Fiction, Adult

Thanks so much to Blackstone Publishing and Libro.fm for the gifted advanced audio copy of this book.

Description from Goodreads:

By the award-winning, New York Times bestselling author of Writers & Lovers, Lily King’s first-ever collection of exceptional and innovative short stories

Told in the intimate voices of unique and endearing characters of all ages, these tales explore desire and heartache, loss and discovery, moments of jolting violence and the inexorable tug toward love at all costs. A bookseller’s unspoken love for his employee rises to the surface, a neglected teenage boy finds much-needed nurturing from an unlikely pair of college students hired to housesit, a girl’s loss of innocence at the hands of her employer’s son becomes a catalyst for strength and confidence, and a proud nonagenarian rages helplessly in his granddaughter’s hospital room. Romantic, hopeful, brutally raw, and unsparingly honest, some even slipping into the surreal, these stories are, above all, about King’s enduring subject of love.

20% Review:

(This will be added at a later date, once I start reading this book!)

Review:

(This will be added at a later date, once I have finished reading this book!)

Posted on by tacklingtbr · 1 Comment

Murder Most Actual by Alexis Hall

Review and Blog Tour courtesy of Valentine PR

Thanks so much to the author, Valentine PR, and Netgalley for the complimentary advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts and participation in this blog tour. { partner } All opinions are entirely my own. All of my reviews can also be found on Instagram @Tackling_TBR and on Goodreads.

Publication Date: November 9, 2021
Genre: Mystery, LGBT, Contemporary, Romance, Cozy Mystery

Book Description from Goodreads:

From the author of Boyfriend Material and Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake comes a cozy mystery that revisits the Golden Age of detective fiction, starring a heroine who’s more podcaster than private eye and topped with a lethal dose of parody — perfect for fans of Clue, Knives Out, and Only Murders in the Building!

When up-and-coming true crime podcaster Liza and her corporate financier wife Hanna head to a luxurious hotel in the Scottish Highlands, they’re hoping for a chance to rekindle their marriage – not to find themselves trapped in the middle of an Agatha Christie-esque murder mystery with no way home. But who better to take on the case than someone whose entire profession relies on an obsession with all things mysterious and macabre? Though some of her fellow guests may consider her an interfering new media hack, Liza knows a thing or two about crime and – despite Hanna’s preference for waiting out the chaos behind a locked door – might be the only one capable of discovering the killer. As the bodies rack up and the stakes rise, can they save their marriage — and their lives?

Review (5 Stars) :

Thanks so much to the author, Kobo Books, Netgalley, and Valentine PR for the gifted advanced e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts and participation in the blog tour. All opinions are entirely my own. All of my reviews nd blog tours can also be found on Instagram @Tackling_TBR and my blog tacklingtbr.home.blog.

TW: death/murder, description of violence, description of crime scenes

This book was seriously so much fun! I didn’t want to put it down while I was reading, and I was very mad any time I actually had to. Darn work and life getting in the way of my reading!

If you like Clue then you’ll enjoy this book. The big mansion where people keep mysteriously passing away, the kooky and colorful cast of characters, the sense of humor of a serious story that isn’t taking itself too seriously (although we can mostly thank Ruby for that mindset), it really had it all for me. And wrap it all up with an adorable queer couple bow? Yes please.

I will say that I guessed some bits of the ending before we got to it, but there were still some fun surprises for me along the way, so I wasn’t too mad about the few things I saw coming. And I think using Liza’s podcast as the reasoning for the detective work brought a fun, modern twist. Plus, sassy podcaster solving a crime with her adorable wife playing Watson? It was just so much fun.

I would absolutely recommend this book to my friends and family – in fact, my mom has already tried to steal my kindle so that she can read it next! I think that the perfect setting for reading this book would be inside in bed or on the couch under a couple of blankets with snow falling outside. And in honor of Murder Most Actual, the podcast within the book, a glass of wine is a necessity!

Connect with the Author:

Alexis Hall is an English author of urban fantasy, science fiction, and m/m romance. His novels include Murder Most Actual, Boyfriend Material, Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake, For Real, Glitterland, Iron & Velvet, Looking for Group, and Pansies.

His work has been nominated for to the 26th Lambda Literary Awards, 28th Lambda Literary Awards, and 29th Lambda Literary Awards in the category of Gay Romance.

Website: https://quicunquevult.com/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/alexishall

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/quicunquevult

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/quicunquevult/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/quicunquevult

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/alexis-hall

More by Alexis Hall:

Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake

Boyfriend Material (check out my review here!)

Husband Material (Publication date: August 2, 2022)

the Arden St Ives series

the Spires series

Something Fabulous (Publication date: January 25, 2022)

A Lady for a Duke (Publication date: May 24, 2022)

the Kate Kane Paranormal Investigator series

The Affair of the Mysterious Letter

Download your copy from Kobo here!

Check out more of my recent blog tours here:

The Book of Hope by Dr. Jane Goodall

Anarchy in High Heels by Denise Larson

A Fate of Wrath and Flame by K A Tucker

Posted on by tacklingtbr · 1 Comment

The Book of Hope + Little Free Pantry

Share The Hope Event and Blog Tour courtesy of Celadon Books

“Hope is contagious. Your actions will inspire others. It is my sincere desire that this book will help you find solace in a time of anguish, direction in a time of uncertainty, courage in a time of fear. We invite you to join us on this journey toward hope.”

Jane Goodall, Ph. D., DBE, UN Messenger of Peace, from “The Book of Hope”

Thank you so much to Celadon Books for the gifted advanced copies of this book, and for the invitation to participate in this day of Sharing the Hope event!

In honor of the release of this exciting new book, “The Book of Hope: A Survival Guide for Trying Times” by Dr. Jane Goodall and Douglas Abrams with Gail Hudson, Celadon Books has invited myself and other readers across the US to Share the Hope! Today we all made small donations of food and a finished copy of “The Book of Hope” to Little Free Pantry locations near us.

Learn more about Little Free Pantries

Learn more about Little Free Pantry, and take a look at the map to find on near you here!

Or, take a look at this map by Celadon Books of all the Little Free Pantry locations that received a copy of “The Book of Hope” today!

Learn more about “The Book of Hope”

Description from Goodreads:

In a world that seems so troubled, how do we hold on to hope?

Looking at the headlines—the worsening climate crisis, a global pandemic, loss of biodiversity, political upheaval—it can be hard to feel optimistic. And yet hope has never been more desperately needed.

In this urgent book, Jane Goodall, the world’s most famous living naturalist, and Douglas Abrams, the internationally bestselling co-author of The Book of Joy, explore through intimate and thought-provoking dialogue one of the most sought after and least understood elements of human nature: hope. In The Book of Hope, Jane focuses on her “Four Reasons for Hope”: The Amazing Human Intellect, The Resilience of Nature, The Power of Young People, and The Indomitable Human Spirit.

Drawing on decades of work that has helped expand our understanding of what it means to be human and what we all need to do to help build a better world, The Book of Hope touches on vital questions, including: How do we stay hopeful when everything seems hopeless? How do we cultivate hope in our children? What is the relationship between hope and action? Filled with moving and inspirational stories and photographs from Jane’s remarkable career, The Book of Hope is a deeply personal conversation with one of the most beloved figures in the world today.

While discussing the experiences that shaped her discoveries and beliefs, Jane tells the story of how she became a messenger of hope, from living through World War II to her years in Gombe to realizing she had to leave the forest to travel the world in her role as an advocate for environmental justice. And for the first time, she shares her profound revelations about her next, and perhaps final, adventure.

The second book in the Global Icons Series—which launched with the instant classic The Book of Joy with His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu—The Book of Hope is a rare and intimate look not only at the nature of hope but also into the heart and mind of a woman who revolutionized how we view the world around us and has spent a lifetime fighting for our future.

There is still hope, and this book will help guide us to it.

Dr. Goodall’s author bio from Goodreads:

Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE, Founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and UN Messenger of Peace is a world-renowned ethologist and activist inspiring greater understanding and action on behalf of the natural world every single day.

Dr. Goodall is best known for groundbreaking studies of wild chimpanzees in Gombe Stream National Park, Tanzania, transformative research that continues to this day as the longest-running wild chimpanzee study in the world. Dr. Goodall is the founder of the Jane Goodall Institute, a global conservation, advocacy, animal welfare, research, and youth empowerment organization, including her global Roots & Shoots program.

Dr. Goodall has worked extensively on climate action, human rights, conservation, and animal welfare issues for decades, and continues to be a central voice in the work to advance environmental progress.

Today, she is a global phenomenon spreading hope and turning it into meaningful positive impact to create a better world for people, other animals, and the planet we share.

Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE, U.N. Messenger of Peace

My thoughts during and after reading

(This will be added at a later date, once I have finished reading this book!)

Links

Learn more about a Little Free Pantry near you here.

Learn more about the Jane Goodall Institute, and make a donation, here.

Learn more about Celadon Books, and some of their other new releases, here.

Purchase “The Book of Hope: A Survival Guide for Trying Times” here.

Purchase “The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World” (Book 1 in the Global Icon Series) here.