Can't-Wait Wednesday: Adult Assembly Required

Can't-Wait Wednesday is hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings and helps us spotlight upcoming releases we're eagerly anticipating!

 

Adult Assembly Required

Abbi Waxman

Expected publication date: May 17, 2022

A young woman arrives in Los Angeles determined to start over, and discovers she doesn’t need to leave everything behind after all, from Abbi Waxman, USA Today bestselling author of The Bookish Life of Nina Hill.

When Laura Costello moves to Los Angeles, trying to escape an overprotective family and the haunting memories of a terrible accident, she doesn’t expect to be homeless after a week. (She’s pretty sure she didn’t start that fire — right?) She also doesn't expect to find herself adopted by a rogue bookseller, installed in a lovely but completely illegal boardinghouse, or challenged to save a losing trivia team from ignominy…but that’s what happens. Add a regretful landlady, a gorgeous housemate and an ex-boyfriend determined to put himself back in the running and you’ll see why Laura isn’t really sure she’s cut out for this adulting thing. Luckily for her, her new friends Nina, Polly and Impossibly Handsome Bob aren't sure either, but maybe if they put their heads (and hearts) together they’ll be able to make it work for them. - from Goodreads

Abbi Waxman's books always seem to have a good mix of humor and heart, so I have high hopes for this one!

2022 Rereading Project: Update #1

One of my reading goals for 2022 is to reread from my own shelves, with the intention of pruning some books (making room for more, of course!).  I want my home library to be filled with books I absolutely love and would read again, so if there's a book there that would be a better fit with another reader, it's better for me to donate it.  Here are the results from my first two rereads!

Foolish Hearts by Emma Mills (2017)

 

My first reread of 2022!  I first picked up this book in 2018 and looking back at my review, I see that I really enjoyed it.  In this story, Claudia finds herself reluctantly working with Iris, a fellow classmate, on the school play, and they end up growing really close as friends.  Claudia also gets to know Gideon, who is one of the play leads.  I liked Mills' books because they felt so relatable, but I've found myself moving away from YA books in recent years because I just can't connect as much to the characters anymore.  While I still enjoyed the story, I found myself relating more to Claudia's older sister, who is expecting her first baby and anxious about what type of mother she'll be.

Verdict: Although I like this story and contemplated keeping this just for the beautiful cover alone, this book should find a new home.  Donate!

The Museum of Extraordinary Things by Alice Hoffman (2014)

I shelved this book on Goodreads back in late 2015, before I was giving a star rating to pretty much every book I read, so, given that I don't remember anything about this book, I can't even tell you if I enjoyed it!  I guess I must have, because it's been on my shelves for almost 7 years?  I think it's a bit love story, a bit mystery, and a bit magical.  I tried reading it again recently, but couldn't get into the writing; I DNFed it pretty quickly.

Verdict:  I don't remember anything about this book and couldn't get through a reread - donate!

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Can't-Wait Wednesday: Something Wilder

Can't-Wait Wednesday is hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings and helps us spotlight upcoming releases we're eagerly anticipating!

 

Something Wilder

Christina Lauren

Expected publication date: May 17, 2022

Growing up the daughter of notorious treasure hunter and absentee father Duke Wilder left Lily without much patience for the profession…or much money in the bank. But Lily is nothing if not resourceful, and now uses Duke’s coveted hand-drawn maps to guide tourists on fake treasure hunts through the red rock canyons of Utah. It pays the bills but doesn’t leave enough to fulfill her dream of buying back the beloved ranch her father sold years ago, and definitely not enough to deal with the sight of the man she once loved walking back into her life with a motley crew of friends ready to hit the trails. Frankly, Lily would like to take him out into the wilderness—and leave him there.

Leo Grady knew mirages were a thing in the desert, but they’d barely left civilization when the silhouette of his greatest regret comes into focus in the flickering light of the campfire. Ready to leave the past behind him, Leo wants nothing more than to reconnect with his first and only love. Unfortunately, Lily Wilder is all business, drawing a clear line in the sand: it’s never going to happen.

But when the trip goes horribly and hilariously wrong, the group wonders if maybe the legend of the hidden treasure wasn’t a gimmick after all. There’s a chance to right the wrongs—of Duke’s past and their own—but only if Leo and Lily can confront their history and work together. Alone under the stars in the isolated and dangerous mazes of the Canyonlands, Leo and Lily must decide whether they’ll risk their lives and hearts on the adventure of a lifetime. - from Goodreads

I always look forward to a new release from this writing duo!

Henry's Shelves #1

I have been buying books for our nieces and nephews for years, so when we find out we were having a baby, I immediately began to think about all the stories I wanted to read with him.  I've bought Henry a bunch of books, and our families and friends know how much I enjoy reading, so Henry's shelves are already rivaling mine and he's only 3 months old!  He's starting to show interest in books, concentrating on the pages and reaching for them, which makes me so happy!  I thought it would be fun to start sharing some of the books Henry and I have been reading together, so here are some of our recent favorites!

 

 

 Black & White // Hello, Animals! // I Kissed the Baby!

Biscuit's Valentine's Day // Llama Llama I Love You // Pop-Up Peekaboo! I Love You

You're My Little Cuddle Bug // Baby Touch and Feel: Animals // Winter

Have you read any of these with your littles?

* This post contains affiliate links; I earn a small commission on qualifying purchases, at no cost to you.

Blog Tour + Review - Never Give Up: My Life in the Wild

Thank you to Trish Collins at TLC Book Tours for inviting me to be a part of the blog tour for Never Give Up: My Life in the Wild by Bear Grylls!  I was provided with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. 

 

Never Give Up: My Life in the Wild

Bear Grylls

Published March 1, 2022

Admired by millions as the star of Man vs. Wild and the acclaimed NGC series Running Wild, global adventurer Bear Grylls has explored places few would dare to go. Now, he shares time-honored lessons for leading an adventurous life through stories drawn from his personal experiences, as well as encounters with a diverse group of celebrities who have participated in his wildly popular television shows.

In these inspiring pages, Grylls chronicles his life since stepping onto the small screen, taking readers on his most famous adventures, sharing stories from his favorite expeditions, and capturing his hairiest survival challenges. The follow-up to the internationally best-selling Mud, Sweat and Tears, this new autobiography goes behind the scenes on infamous Man vs. Wild shoots and provides an insight into what it's really like to “Run Wild” with guests including President Obama, Roger Federer, and Julia Roberts.

Along the way, Bear explores the valuable lessons he's learned in the wild, opens up about his most personal challenges and achievements, and celebrates the true value of adventure and the enduring importance of courage, kindness, and resilience. Written for outdoor enthusiasts and armchair adventurers alike, Never Give Up offers an inspiring path to help readers live their best lives. - from Goodreads

I've been a fan of Bear Grylls for awhile, so I was very excited to be asked to review an early copy of his newest autobiography, Never Give Up.  I haven't read his first memoir, but this one focuses on how he got started in TV, the adventures he's had over multiple shows, and what his life is like today, and since I know him best from his show Running Wild, I thought this seemed like a great place to start!

 

The best part about this book is how Bear's voice really comes through.  He has a pretty distinctive way of speaking, and having watched him on TV so many times, I definitely felt like I could hear him in my head as I read.  His humble, charming, spirited, and positive personality came through each word.  I think Bear does an admirable job detailing how his various TV shows came about and how he has been able to forge his own path in an industry that doesn't often allow for independence like that.  Even when a venture wasn't a success, he appreciated the opportunity and learned from it for the next one. 

 

The chapters are fairly short, each one practically its own story or answer to a frequently asked question.  I really enjoyed his stories about the celebrities he has taken into the wild and how each of those adventures is set up.  Bear also takes some chapters to delve into more personal thoughts on things like fear, faith, and family, and his words are often very inspiring.  His family is so important to him, and it was really nice to get to know them better and see how he makes family time a priority, even with his booming career.

Overall, this would be an interesting read for adventure seekers and reality TV junkies alike, and even more so if you're already a fan of Bear Grylls!

4 stars

Purchase Links: IndieBound | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Author Links: website, Instagram, and Twitter

 

Can't-Wait Wednesday: The Lost Summers of Newport

Can't-Wait Wednesday is hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings and helps us spotlight upcoming releases we're eagerly anticipating!

 

The Lost Summers of Newport

Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig and Karen White

Expected publication date: May 17, 2022

From the New York Times bestselling team of Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig, and Karen White: a beachy historical novel of romance and intrigue set among the famous summer mansions of Newport, Rhode Island, spanning over a century from the Gilded Age to present-day.

2019: Andie Figuero has just landed her dream job as a producer of Mansion Makeover, a popular reality show about restoring America’s most lavish historic houses. Andie has high hopes for her latest project: the once glorious but gently crumbling Sprague Hall in Newport, Rhode Island, the beach town of the ultra-wealthy, famous for the historic, over-the-top “summer cottages” of Vanderbilts and Rockefellers. But Andie runs into trouble: the reclusive heiress who still lives in the mansion, Lucia Sprague, will only allow the show to go forward on two conditions: One: that no one speaks to her. Two: that no one go near the mansion’s ruined boathouse.

1899: Ellen O’Donnell has been hired to give singing lessons to Maybelle Sprague, a naive young heiress from out West whose brother John has poured their new money into buying a place among Newport’s elite. John is determined to see Maybelle married off to a fortune-hunting Italian prince, and Ellen is supposed to polish up the girl for her launch into society. But the demure-seeming Ellen has her own checkered past, and she’s hiding in plain sight at Sprague Hall.

1958: Lucia di Conti has always felt like an outsider at Sprague Hall. When her family fled Mussolini, it seemed natural to go back to the imposing Newport house her grandmother owned but hadn’t seen since her marriage in 1899. Over the years, she’s lost her Italian accent and found a place for herself among the yachting set, even acquiring a suitably blue-blooded husband, but one fateful night in the mansion’s old boathouse will roil the waters...and change everything.

As the cameras roll on Mansion Makeover, the house begins to yield up the dark secrets the Spragues thought would stay hidden forever…. - from Goodreads

When Team W gets together, it's always a hit - and the setting of Newport, Rhode Island is always a draw for me!

Top Ten Tuesday: My Spring TBR

 

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by Jana at That Artsy Reader Girl.  This week's topic is our spring TBR.  I managed to read the six books I chose for my winter TBR, so I'm happy about that.  Honestly, this quarter's TBR is filled with books I chose almost completely at random.  My reading is in a weird (but good) place lately (which I might talk about in a discussion post soon...), and I'm just trying to keep things fun and easy for myself!

What will you be reading this spring?