Posted on by tacklingtbr

February 7 – February 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 start sharing 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!

The Spinster and the Rake

Author: Eva Devon

Publication Day: February 9, 2021

Genre: Romance, Historical Romance, Regency

Thanks so much to the author, Entangled Publishing, and NetGalley for the complimentary advanced electronic copy of this current read.

Description from Goodreads:

The marriage game is afoot in this clever blend of My Fair Lady meets Pride and Prejudice with a twist!

Edward Stanhope, the icy Duke of Thornfield, likes his life in a certain order. Give him a strong drink, a good book, and his dog for company, and he’s content. But when he goes to his library and finds a woman sitting in his chair, petting his dog, what starts as a request for her to leave quickly turns to a fiery battle of wits, leading to a steamy kiss that could ruin them both if they were caught.

So of course, damn it all, that’s when Edward’s aunt walks in, and thereafter announces Miss Georgiana Bly is the future Duchess of Thornfield.

Georgiana was content to be a spinster, spending her days reading and working to keep her family out of debt. But now her days are spent locked away with a growly duke, learning how to be the perfect duchess, and her nights spent fighting the undeniable attraction to a man who was never meant for her.

As their wedding day approaches, the attraction between them burns hot and fierce, but is it enough to melt the duke’s chilly facade?

20% Review:

The scandal starts on page one, so I got sucked in to this one really quickly! I’m really enjoying the story and the main characters so far, and I’m hoping to finish it in the next day or two!

Check out my full review here!

Never Enough

Author: Mike Hayes

Publication Day: February 9, 2021

Genre: Nonfiction, Autobiography/memoir

Thanks so much to the author and Celadon Books for the complimentary advanced copy of this book! This one is definitely on my list for the next few weeks.

Description from Goodreads:

In Never Enough, Mike Hayes—former Commander of SEAL Team TWO—helps readers apply high-stakes lessons about excellence, agility, and meaning across their personal and professional lives.

Mike Hayes has lived a lifetime of once-in-a-lifetime experiences. He has been held at gunpoint and threatened with execution. He’s jumped out of a building rigged to explode, helped amputate a teammate’s leg, and made countless split-second life-and-death decisions. He’s written countless emails to his family, telling them how much he loves them, just in case those were the last words of his they’d ever read. Outside of the SEALs, he’s run meetings in the White House Situation Room, negotiated international arms treaties, and developed high-impact corporate strategies.

Over his many years of leadership, he has always strived to be better, to contribute more, and to put others first. That’s what makes him an effective leader, and it’s the quality that he’s identified in all of the great leaders he’s encountered. That continual striving to lift those around him has filled Mike’s life with meaning and purpose, has made him secure in the knowledge that he brings his best to everything he does, and has made him someone others can rely on.

In Never Enough, Mike Hayes recounts dramatic stories and offers battle- and boardroom-tested advice that will motivate readers to do work of value, live lives of purpose, and stretch themselves to reach their highest potential.

20% Review:

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

Check out my full review here:

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

Possession

Author: Katie Lowe

Publication day: February 9, 2021

Genre: Thriller, Mystery

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

Description from Goodreads:

The past haunts her. The present hunts her.

Conviction @ConvictionPod · 1m
The investigating officer: “I’ve seen a lot of homicides in the years since, but…that’s the one that keeps me up at night.”

The husband’s best man: “They had everybody fooled. Or at least, she did. But I always knew something was off.”

Hannah, the wife: “I told you. I don’t remember anything. I don’t know.”

That’s all to come, this season, on Conviction. Get ready for our most twisted season yet.

~~~

Ten years ago, Hannah’s husband was brutally murdered in their home, and she (conveniently) doesn’t remember a thing about that night. But the police charged someone else—a stranger—and put him away for life. And Hannah packed up her six-year-old daughter and left London behind.

But now her hard-won countryside peace is threatened. Conviction, a viral true crime podcast known for getting cases reopened and old verdicts overturned, has turned its attention to Hannah’s husband’s murder for its new season. They say police framed the man who was found guilty, and that Hannah has more suspicious secrets than just her memory loss: a history of volatility; citations at the clinic where she worked as a psychiatrist; dependencies on alcohol and pills; and a familicidal grandmother, locked away in a Gothic insane asylum until her death. As Hannah loses the trust of everyone she loves, the only person she feels she can confide in is a former colleague, Darcy, who’s come back into her life—but who may have motives of her own. But Hannah can’t tell even Darcy her deepest secret: that she’s still tormented by the memory of her husband and the crater he carved through her life.

20% Review:

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

Check out my full review here:

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

The Paris Library

Author: Janet Skeslien Charles

Publication day: February 9, 2021

Genre: Historical Fiction

Thanks so much to Libro.fm and Simon & Schuster Audio for the complimentary advanced audio copy of this book!

Description from Goodreads:

Based on the true World War II story of the heroic librarians at the American Library in Paris, this is an unforgettable story of romance, friendship, family, and the power of literature to bring us together, perfect for fans of The Lilac Girls and The Paris Wife.

Paris, 1939: Young and ambitious Odile Souchet has it all: her handsome police officer beau and a dream job at the American Library in Paris. When the Nazis march into Paris, Odile stands to lose everything she holds dear, including her beloved library. Together with her fellow librarians, Odile joins the Resistance with the best weapons she has: books. But when the war finally ends, instead of freedom, Odile tastes the bitter sting of unspeakable betrayal.

Montana, 1983: Lily is a lonely teenager looking for adventure in small-town Montana. Her interest is piqued by her solitary, elderly neighbor. As Lily uncovers more about her neighbor’s mysterious past, she finds that they share a love of language, the same longings, and the same intense jealousy, never suspecting that a dark secret from the past connects them.

A powerful novel that explores the consequences of our choices and the relationships that make us who we are—family, friends, and favorite authors—The Paris Library shows that extraordinary heroism can sometimes be found in the quietest of places.

20% Review:

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

Check out my full review here:

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

Posted on by tacklingtbr

January 24 – January 30

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 start sharing 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!

Shine Your Icy Crown

Author: Amanda Lovelace

Publication Day: January 26, 2021

Genre: Poetry

Thanks so much to Andrews McMeel Publishing and NetGalley for the complimentary advanced electronic copy of this book.

Description from Goodreads:

“Make them rue the day they underestimated you.”

This is a story about not letting society dictate the limits of your potential. it’s time to take back your power & realize that you don’t need a king in order to be a queen.

20% Review:

Since this is such a small book of poetry, it is a very quick read, so it’s easy to finish in one sitting! So I don’t have a 20% review for this one. But you can check out my full review through the link below!

Check out my full review here!
Posted on by tacklingtbr

January 10 – January 16

New Releases and Publications

Hello friends – happy Tuesday! And welcome to my first weekly (hopefully) post of the 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 start sharing 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!

The Lost Manuscript

Author: Cathy Bonidan; Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Publication Day: January 12, 2021

Thanks so much to the St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the advanced electronic copy of this #CurrentRead of mine!

Description from Goodreads:

The Lost Manuscript is a charming epistolary novel about the love of books and magical ability they have to bring people together.

Sometimes a book has the power to change your life…

When Anne-Lise Briard books a room at the Beau Rivage Hotel for her vacation on the Brittany coast, she has no idea this trip will start her on the path to unearthing a mystery. In search of something to read, she opens up her bedside table drawer in her hotel room, and inside she finds an abandoned manuscript. Halfway through the pages, an address is written. She sends pages to the address, in hopes of potentially hearing a response from the unknown author. But not before she reads the story and falls in love with it. The response, which she receives a few days later, astonishes her…

Not only does the author write back, but he confesses that he lost the manuscript 30 years prior on a flight to Montreal. And then he reveals something even more shocking—that he was not the author of the second half of the book.

Anne-Lise can’t rest until she discovers who this second mystery author is, and in doing so tracks down every person who has held this manuscript in their hands. Through the letters exchanged by the people whose lives the manuscript has touched, she discovers long-lost love stories and intimate secrets. Romances blossom and new friends are made. Everyone’s lives are made better by this book—and isn’t that the point of reading? And finally, with a plot twist you don’t see coming, she uncovers the astonishing identity of the author who finished the story.

20% Review:

I am only a few chapters in to this book, but it is already so sweet! So far the story is being told entirely through letters and written correspondence, which I think just adds such a heartfelt glow to a story. And I love the idea that it is the story of these people becoming friends based off of this book that just happens to pass through their hands at various points in their lives. Who hasn’t ever found a book in a secondhand shop and wanted it to lead them to their new best friend, right?

Check out my full review here:

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

Gone to the Woods

Author: Gary Paulsen; Publisher: Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group

Publication Day: January 12, 2021

Thanks so much to Macmillan for inviting me to read this book through NetGalley.

Description from Goodreads:

A middle grade memoir, giving readers a new perspective on the origins of Gary Paulsen’s famed survival stories.

His name is synonymous with high-stakes wilderness survival stories. Now, author Gary Paulsen portrays a series of life-altering moments from his turbulent childhood as his own original survival story. If not for his summer escape from a shockingly neglectful Chicago upbringing to a North Woods homestead at age five, there never would have been a Hatchet. Without the encouragement of the librarian who handed him his first book at age thirteen, he may never have become a reader. And without his desperate teenage enlistment in the Army, he would not have discovered his true calling as a storyteller.

20% Review:

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

Check out my full review here:

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

The Listening Path

Author: Julia Cameron; Publisher: MacMillan Audio

Audiobook Narrated by: Eliza Foss & Julia Cameron

Publication Day: January 12, 2021

Thanks so much to Macmillan Audio and Libro.fm for the complimentary advanced audio copy of this book!

Description from Goodreads:

A 6-week Artist’s Way Program from legendary author Julia Cameron

The newest book from beloved author Julia Cameron, The Listening Path is a transformational journey to deeper, more profound listening and creativity. Over six weeks, readers will be given the tools to become better listeners—to their environment, the people around them, and themselves. The reward for learning to truly listen is immense. As we learn to listen, our attention is heightened and we gain healing, insight, clarity. But above all, listening creates connections and ignites a creativity that will resonate through every aspect of our lives.

Julia Cameron is the author of the explosively successful book The Artist’s Way, which has transformed the creative lives of millions of readers since it was first published. Incorporating tools from The Artist’s Way, The Listening Path offers a new method of creative and personal transformation.

Each week, readers will be challenged to expand their ability to listen in a new way, beginning by listening to their environment and culminating in learning to listen to silence. These weekly practices open up a new world of connection and fulfillment. In a culture of bustle and constant sound, The Listening Path is a deeply necessary reminder of the power of truly hearing.

20% Review:

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

Check out my full review here:

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

Murder on the Menu

Author: Fiona Leitch; Publisher: One More Chapter (HarperCollins UK)

Publication Day: January 15, 2021

Thanks so much to One More Chapter and NetGalley for the gifted electronic copy of this book!

Description from Goodreads:

The first book in a NEW cosy mystery series!
Still spinning from the hustle and bustle of city life, Jodie ‘Nosey’ Parker is glad to be back in the Cornish village she calls home. Having quit the Met Police in search of something less dangerous, the change of pace means she can finally start her dream catering company and raise her daughter, Daisy, somewhere safer.

But there’s nothing like having your first job back at home to be catering an ex-boyfriend’s wedding to remind you of just how small your village is. And when the bride, Cheryl, vanishes Jodie is drawn into the investigation, realising that life in the countryside might not be as quaint as she remembers…

With a missing bride on their hands, there is murder and mayhem around every corner but surely saving the day will be a piece of cake for this not-so-amateur sleuth?

The first book in the Murder on the Menu cosy mystery series. Can be read as a standalone. A humorous cosy mystery with a British female sleuth in a small village. Includes one of Jodie’s Tried and Tested Recipes! Written in British English. Mild profanity and peril.

20% Review:

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

Check out my full review here:

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

Posted on by tacklingtbr · 1 Comment

Lindsey Love Loves (LLL Book 1) by Sophie Sinclair

Review and Blog Tour courtesy of the author

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

Book Description from Goodreads:

Lindsey Love’s career as a food critic is suddenly taking off when she’s approached by Food and Travel to take her show to Europe. What could be more fun than to travel with her best friend Patrick, eat amazing food, and see the sights? What she doesn’t bargain for is the surly, egotistical producer with the icy glare, dimples, and a penchant for questioning her every move.

Nick Elliot, ex-Navy SEAL turned producer, finds himself suddenly thrown into a project he doesn’t want to take on. Producing a snotty food critic’s show over in Europe is not at the top of his agenda. She’s stubborn, sassy, and he finds himself inextricably drawn to her.

When things go awry abroad, Nick has to make the decision to save his own future or give up everything to protect Lindsey.

Review: (5 Stars)

TW : mild violence, explosions

You guys, this was SUCH a cute read! A whole lot of contemporary romance with just a sprinkling of suspense just sprinkled on top for flavor. I have Coffee Girl from this author, and I’ve been so excited to read it but somehow it keeps getting pushed down towards the end of my TBR (can anyone explain how that keeps happening without my knowledge? Very frustrating). I think reading Lindsey Love Loves gave me just enough of a taste of Sophie Sinclair that now I have to finally get around to Coffee Girl as well, while I wait around for the next LLL story!

Let’s talk about the characters. Y’all know how much I love a character driven novel, and in that regard this one did not disappoint. There were a few really fun secondary and background characters that I would really love to invite to a party (I think that Nick’s sisters and I would get along just fine), but I’m going to focus on Lindsey Love, our female lead. She was so sweet, and so much fun to read about! Along with character driven novels, and a good glass of wine at the end of the night, I also LOVE to eat. All food. And so I always enjoy foodie characters, like this super sassy food vlogger/TV personality. She is so feisty, and just slightly clumsy and embarrassing, so you know that I got plenty of that banter between she and Nick that I just eat up in a contemporary romance.

I found her to for the most part be really relatable (although now I’m sad I can’t just travel the world and eat delicious food), and her inner dialogue was just really funny. I found myself laughing out loud multiple times and having to explain myself to my poor husband. Wow, what a good sport that guy is. Also named Nick. Maybe not a coincidence? Nah, it’s probably a coincidence.

I will say some parts of the story, once the suspense starting dipping it’s toe into the story, is pretty unbelievable and wild seeming. But who picks up this type of contemporary romance to feel like they are reading real life stories? Not me, so it didn’t bug me too much. But I will say that the very first chapter is a preview chapter of events that happen later on in the story, and so that bit of the suspense comes at you right from the word go, which you might not be prepared for just from reading the description. But hey, it’s all fun, and for the most part it doesn’t take itself too seriously.

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this book! As you can tell from the above paragraphs my word for this book is “fun.” A fun, simple read, with fun, sassy characters – and honestly I ate it up as fast and easily as Lindsey gobbles up a piece of chocolate cake! I didn’t want to put this one down, and I would definitely recommend it to my friends who are looking for a sassy and fast-paced contemporary. I think that the perfect way to read this book would be sitting outside on the deck with a glass of a deep, beautiful red wine, and a very large piece of that chocolate cake! Okay, so maybe this book just really made me want chocolate cake. But hey, I think Lovie would approve.

Link to Purchase on Amazon:

Other Books by Sophie Sinclair:

The Coffee Book Series :

Coffee Girl – Coffee Book 1

The Makeup Artist – Coffee Book 2

The Social Hour – Coffee Book 3