June Bookstagram Challenge • #AlltheBooksJune20

June is right around the corner, Bookworms... Which means it's time for a brand new book challenge! Are you looking for some inspiration to spice up your Instagram feed?? If so, this challenge is for you! Head over to Instagram to check out the full post for #AlltheBooksJune20, the June Book Challenge hosted by Loriimagination and me! It's going to be SO much fun, and we'd love for you to join us!!

•   •   •

Why join in a book challenge??

It's a great way to fill your feed with ALL the Bookish Things!!

The daily prompts give you ideas for daily posts!

You get to meet awesome fellow bookworms!

You will discover SO MANY new books!

It's so much fun!

I hope to see you on Monday when we officially start #AlltheBooksJune20!!

Waiting on Wednesday: I Was Told It Would Get Easier & Party of Two

I Was Told It Would Get Easier
by Abbi Waxman
Website | Twitter | Instagram

Publication Date: June 16th 2020
Publisher: Berkley Books
ISBN: 9780451491893

Add to Goodreads

Available for Pre-Order:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

Squashed among a bus full of strangers, mother-daughter duo Jessica and Emily Burnstein watch their carefully mapped-out college tour devolve into a series of off-roading misadventures, from the USA Today bestselling author of The Bookish Life of Nina Hill.

Jessica and Emily Burnstein have very different ideas of how this college tour should go.

For Emily, it’s a preview of freedom, exploring the possibility of her new and more exciting future. Not that she’s sure she even wants to go to college, but let’s ignore that for now. And maybe the other kids on the tour will like her more than the ones at school. . . . They have to, right?

For Jessica, it’s a chance to bond with the daughter she seems to have lost. They used to be so close, but then Goldfish crackers and Play-Doh were no longer enough of a draw. She isn’t even sure if Emily likes her anymore. To be honest, Jessica isn’t sure she likes herself.

Together with a dozen strangers–and two familiar enemies–Jessica and Emily travel the East Coast, meeting up with family and old friends along the way. Surprises and secrets threaten their relationship and, in the end, change it forever. (Goodreads)

I absolutely can't wait to read this book. 

I read The Bookish Life of Nina Hill last year, and enjoyed (related to) it SO much!
I hope this book is great as well!

Party of Two
(The Wedding Date #5)
by Jasmine Guillory
Website | Twitter | Instagram

Publication Date: June 23rd
Publisher: Berkley Books
ISBN: 9780593100820

Add to Goodreads

Available for Pre-Order:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

A chance meeting with a handsome stranger turns into a whirlwind affair that gets everyone talking.

Dating is the last thing on Olivia Monroe's mind when she moves to LA to start her own law firm. But when she meets a gorgeous man at a hotel bar and they spend the entire night flirting, she discovers too late that he is none other than hotshot junior senator Max Powell. Olivia has zero interest in dating a politician, but when a cake arrives at her office with the cutest message, she can't resist--it is chocolate cake, after all.

Olivia is surprised to find that Max is sweet, funny, and noble--not just some privileged white politician she assumed him to be. Because of Max's high-profile job, they start seeing each other secretly, which leads to clandestine dates and silly disguises. But when they finally go public, the intense media scrutiny means people are now digging up her rocky past and criticizing her job, even her suitability as a trophy girlfriend. Olivia knows what she has with Max is something special, but is it strong enough to survive the heat of the spotlight? (Goodreads)

OHHHH!
I am so excited that there is a new book out in this series!
AND It's Olivia's story!
YAYYYY!

**"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine,
that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.**

My Thoughts: The Happy Ever After Playlist by Abby Jiminez

The Happy Ever After Playlist
(The Friend Zone #2)
by Abby Jimenez
Website | Twitter | Instagram

Publication Date: April 14th 2020
Publisher: Forever
Pages: 400
ISBN: 9781538715642
Genre: Adult Fiction | Romance | Contemporary
Source: Netgalley Review Copy \ Own

Add to Goodreads

Available for Purchase:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

From the USA Today bestselling author of The Friend Zone comes an adorable and fresh romantic comedy about one trouble-making dog who brings together two perfect strangers.

Two years after losing her fiancé, Sloan Monroe still can't seem to get her life back on track. But one trouble-making pup with a "take me home" look in his eyes is about to change everything. With her new pet by her side, Sloan finally starts to feel more like herself. Then, after weeks of unanswered texts, Tucker's owner reaches out. He's a musician on tour in Australia. And bottom line: He wants Tucker back.

Well, Sloan's not about to give up her dog without a fight. But what if this Jason guy really loves Tucker? As their flirty texts turn into long calls, Sloan can't deny a connection. Jason is hot and nice and funny. There's no telling what could happen when they meet in person. The question is: With his music career on the rise, how long will Jason really stick around? And is it possible for Sloan to survive another heartbreak? (Goodreads)

The Happy Ever After Playlist is the second book in The Friend Zone series by Abby Jiminez, and it is also a book that I was really looking forward to reading this spring. I was a little late to the party when reading The Friend Zone, but I absolutely couldn’t wait to get started on The Happy Ever After Playlist. I enjoyed it so much!

As I mentioned above, The Happy Ever Playlist is the second book in the series, and this book is all about Sloan. We originally met Sloan in The Friend Zone, where we watched as her life went from perfect to tragic. This new book picks up two years later, where Sloan is still grieving and is having a hard time moving on. That is until a dog literally jumps through the sunroof of her car and completely changes her life.

I loved so many things about this book. The characters were great, both old and new, including the dog, Tucker. I was super curious for Sloan’s story since I finished the first book, and I wanted nothing more than for her to get a Happy Ever Afte. Jason and Tucker do a wonderful job of helping Sloan to move on, and I very much enjoyed watching the relationship grow between them. It was also nice to have Kristen and Josh in the story as well!

I also really enjoyed the storyline for the book. It definitely had a much ‘lighter’ feel than the first book, which was nice. This book made me smile, (and swoon), so much, and I LOVE a book that can make me smile. We are living in a difficult time right now, so I’m all about the happy, light books at the moment. That’s not saying that the story did not have sad moments in it. It did. I could feel Sloan’s grief just like it was my own, but I loved that Jason, Tucker, Kristen and Josh were there to help her through it. It definitely made for a good read.

Overall; If you liked The Friend Zone, you will love The Happy Ever After Playlist! I am so thrilled to have this book in my collection, and I can't wait to read it over and over again. I’m also very much looking forward to the next book in the series, Life’s Too Short, which is currently set to release in 2021. (I need to know whose story it is!) I’ll definitely be keeping my eye out for more information on it!

12 Beach Books To Read On Your Summer Staycation

Summer is right around the corner, (one more month!), and when I think of summer, I think of the beach reads! Thanks to Covid19, our family will sadly not be making our beach trip this year, so that means no reading on the beach for me... BUT that doesn't mean I can't enjoy these books during my summer staycation, right?!

I absolutely love books that are set at the beach or the lake, or just set during summertime. I'm always on the lookout for book lists that have these themed books on them, but can never find a list with books I'm actually interested in, so I decided to make my own. I can't wait to read these books while I sit by the pool and pretend it's the ocean. lol!

Here are a whole bunch of brand new 2020 beach reads to check out if you're on a summer staycation like I am!

Beach Read by Emily Henry
(I am actually reading this book now, and it is SO good!)

Big Summer by Jennifer Weiner
(This is my first read EVER by Jennifer Weiner, and I'm so excited to read it.)



Hello, Summer by Mary Kay Andrews
(I started reading Mary's books a few summers ago, and I just enjoy them so much. I have more of hers on my summer tbr that I'm hoping to get to as well.)

Summer Longing by Jamie Brenner
(This was actually the first book to kick off my summer reading, and I loved it!)



The Friendship List by Susan Mallery
(I have been a huge fan of Susan's books for YEARS! I can't wait to read this newest book.)

Girls of Summer by Nancy Thayer
(I have only read one book by Nancy so far, but I'm excited to check out this book as well.)



28 Summers by Elin Hilderbrand
(Elin is another favorite author of summer-themed books, and I can't wait to dive into this year's release.)

The View From Here by Hannah McKinnon
(I've only read one of Hannah's books so far, but this new book sounds awesome, and I can't wait for it to arrive.)



East Coast Girls by Kerry Kletter
(My first read by this author, but I'm excited to get started on it.)

Feels Like Falling by Kristy Woodson Harvey
(This book drew me in by its gorgeous cover!)



One Perfect Summer by Brenda Novak
(This will be my first read by Brenda as well!)

The Somerset Girls by Lori Foster
(First read by this author as well!)

•   •   •

Do these books look awesome, or what? I am not sure if they are all summer or beach/lake themed, but the covers really grabbed me, and I am super excited to check them out!

I also have a list of previously released beach books that I am hoping to tackle this year as well, and I will share a post with this later in the Spring.

Are there any beach books that you're planning to read this summer?? If so, feel free to share in the comments so I can check them out as well!

Waiting on Wednesday: 10 Things I Hate About Pinky & You Say It First

10 Things I Hate About Pinky
(Dimple and Rishi #3)
by Sandhya Menon
Website | Twitter | Instagram

Publication Date: July 21st 2020
Publisher: Simon Pulse
ISBN: 9781534416819

Add to Goodreads

Available for Pre-Order:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

The follow-up to When Dimple Met Rishi and There’s Something about Sweetie follows Pinky and Samir as they pretend to date—with disastrous and hilarious results.

Pinky Kumar wears the social justice warrior badge with pride. From raccoon hospitals to persecuted rock stars, no cause is too esoteric for her to champion. But a teeny-tiny part of her also really enjoys making her conservative, buttoned-up corporate lawyer parents cringe.

Samir Jha might have a few . . . quirks remaining from the time he had to take care of his sick mother, like the endless lists he makes in his planner and the way he schedules every minute of every day, but those are good things. They make life predictable and steady.

Pinky loves lazy summers at her parents’ Cape Cod lake house, but after listening to them harangue her about the poor decisions (aka boyfriends) she’s made, she hatches a plan. Get her sorta-friend-sorta-enemy, Samir—who is a total Harvard-bound Mama’s boy—to pose as her perfect boyfriend for the summer. As they bicker their way through lighthouses and butterfly habitats, sparks fly, and they both realize this will be a summer they'll never forget. (Goodreads)

I absolutely LOVE the Dimple & Rishi series, and I am SO excited for this third book!
I still need to read the novellas as well, so I'm hoping to read all of these together!

You Say It First
by Katie Cotugno
Website | Twitter | Instagram

Publication Date: June 16th 2020
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
ISBN: 9780062674128

Add to Goodreads

Available for Pre-Order:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

Meg has her entire life set up perfectly: her boyfriend Mason is sweet and supportive, she and her best friend Emily plan to head to Cornell together in the fall, and she even finds time to clock shifts phonebanking at a voter registration call center in her Philadelphia suburb. But everything changes when one of those calls connects her to a stranger from small-town Ohio, who gets under her skin from the moment he picks up the phone.

Colby is stuck in a rut, reeling from a family tragedy and working a dead-end job—unsure what his future holds, or if he even cares. The last thing he has time for is some privileged rich girl preaching the sanctity of the political process. So he says the worst thing he can think of and hangs up.

But things don’t end there.…

That night on the phone winds up being the first in a series of candid, sometimes heated, always surprising conversations that lead to a long-distance friendship and then—slowly—to something more. Across state lines and phone lines, Meg and Colby form a once-in-a-lifetime connection. But in the end, are they just too different to make it work?
You Say It First is a propulsive, layered novel about how sometimes the person who has the least in common with us can be the one who changes us most. (Goodreads)

I think it has been a while since I read a book by Katie, so I'm super excited to check this new book out. It sounds like it's going to be a very interesting read, so I'm super curious to check it out.

**"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine,
that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.**

My Thoughts: Summer Longing by Jamie Brenner

Summer Longing
by Jamie Brenner
Website | Goodreads | Instagram

Publication Date: May 5th 2020
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Pages: 384
ISBN: 9780316476850
Genre: Women's Fiction | Contemporary
Source: Netgalley Review Copy

Add to Goodreads

Available for Purchase:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

When a baby is left on the doorstep of a Cape Cod beach house, an unlikely group of women risks all they hold dear to harbor and protect her in this "touching, nuanced summer yarn" (Publisher's Weekly).

Ruth Cooperman arrives in beautiful beachside Provincetown for her retirement, renting the perfect waterfront cottage while she searches for her forever home. After years of hard work and making peace with life's compromises, Ruth is looking forward to a carefree summer of solitude. But when she finds a baby girl abandoned on her doorstep, Ruth turns to her new neighbors for help and is drawn into the drama of the close-knit community.

The appearance of the mystery baby has an emotional ripple effect through the women in town, including Amelia Cabral, the matriarch who lost her own child decades earlier; Elise Douglas, owner of the tea shop who gave up her dream of becoming a mother; and teenage local Jaci Barros who feels trapped by her parents' expectations. Ruth, caring for a baby for the first time in thirty years, even reaches out to her own estranged daughter, Olivia, summoning her to Provincetown in hopes of a reconciliation.

As summer unfolds and friends and family care for the infant, alliances are made, relationships are tested, and secrets are uncovered. But the unconditional love for a child in need just might bring Ruth and the women of Provincetown exactly what they have been longing for themselves.

With heartfelt storytelling, Summer Longing is Jamie Brenner's eagerly anticipated return to Provincetown; another unforgettable tale about motherhood, friendship, and finding your way home.

"Welcome to the gold standard of summertime escapism."
---Elin Hilderbrand, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Summer of '69 (Goodreads)

Is summer even summer without reading a Jamie Brenner novel? For me, it’s not, at least for the past few years! For the past four years I have kicked off summer, (and late spring), with a summer titled novel from Jamie, and it’s definitely one of the highlights of my summer. This year’s book was Summer Longing, which made me want to rent a house at the beach! And since I can’t make it to the beach this year, this book was a nice alternative.

Confession: The very first thing that drew me to the first book I read by Jamie was the cover. I LOVE the summer feels to these covers! And since I can’t resist a book with a pretty cover, I found all of these books to be irresistible.

One of the things that I loved about this book was getting to see some of the characters from a few of Jamie’s previous books. That’s always something that I enjoy, as it lets us get a little glimpse of what the characters have been up to since we last met them. I definitely enjoyed meeting them all again! AND we get to meet a lot of awesome new characters as well! I love that there was a various age range for all of the ladies in the book, yet I still managed to find them all relatable in some form or another. I love it when that happens!

I very much enjoyed the storyline for the book as well, especially the way it brought all of the women together. The baby that was left on the doorstep was definitely interesting, and I love how all of the women bonded over her. I was also super curious to discover who left her in the first place. Another favorite part of the book was the setting. Thanks to Covid19, we are not going to make it to the beach this year, so I wanted to read as many books as I can that are set at the beach. This book definitely had a great beach setting, and I could picture myself there perfectly!

Overall; Summer Longing was another great edition to Jamie’s summer-themed collection and I’m so thrilled that this was the first book to kick off my summer reading! The book had a great storyline and great characters, and definitely put me in the mood to read more summer books. If you’re looking for a great summer read, do check this out!

Top Ten Tuesday: Reasons Why I Love... ROMANCE!

May 19: Reasons Why I Love [insert your favorite book title, genre, author, etc. here]

Happy Tuesday, Bookworms! It's been a while since I've done a Top Ten post, and I was definitely intrigued by today's prompt! I decided to go with ROMANCE, because I just love it SO much right now. It's about the only genre I can focus on at the moment, and they are seriously getting me through this difficult time. Below are a few of the romance books that I've read recently, and the reasons why I LOVED them!

(Click the covers for info on the books!)



Addictive Storylines
(Great for keeping me distracted!)



The Kissy Stuff
(Which is *also* a great distraction!)



They Make Me Laugh
(And we could all use a good laugh right about now!)



Quick Reads
(That help pass the time!)



The KISSY Stuff
(Oh, did I already mention this?! Sorry!)



The STEAMY Reads
(Excellent distractions caused by lots of kissy stuff.)



Relatable Reads
(And because sometimes you can't help but relate!)



Historical Reads
(And because sometimes you can get a history lesson in the mix as well!)



MORE Steamy Stuff
And I totally have to mention the steamy stuff again. ;)

 

The Happy Ever After
(Even when it takes a while to get to it, I love the HEA at the end.)

•       •       •

Haha, this post was too much fun! As I said above, I really love romance, especially right now, and those are the reasons why!

Waiting on Wednesday: My Calamity Jane & Truel1f3

My Calamity Jane
(The Lady Janies #3)
by Cynthia Hand
Website | Twitter | Instagram
Jodi Meadows
Website | Twitter | Instagram
Brodi Ashton
Website | Twitter | Instagram

Publication Date: June 2nd 2020
Publisher: HarperTeen
ISBN: 9780062652812

Add to Goodreads

Available for Pre-Order:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

Welcome ​to 1876 and a rootin’-tootin’ America bursting with gunslingers, outlaws, and garou.

JANE (a genuine hero-eene)

Calamity’s her name, and garou hunting’s her game—when she’s not starring in Wild Bill’s Traveling Show, that is. She reckons that if a girl wants to be a legend, she should just go ahead and be one.

FRANK (*wolf whistle*)
Frank “the Pistol Prince” Butler is the Wild West’s #1 bachelor. He’s also the best sharpshooter on both sides of the Mississippi, but he’s about to meet his match. . . .

ANNIE (get your gun!)
Annie Oakley (yep, that Annie) is lookin’ for a job, not a romance, but she can’t deny there’s something about Frank she likes. Really likes. Still, she’s pretty sure that anything he can do, she can do better.

A HAIRY SITUATION
After a garou hunt goes south and Jane finds a suspicious-like bite on her arm, she turns tail for Deadwood, where there’s been talk of a garou cure. But things ain’t always what they seem—meaning the gang better hightail it after her before they’re a day late and a Jane short. (Goodreads)

I am so excited to get my hands on this book! I have read both My Lady Jane and My Plain Jane, so I'm very excited to see what's next in the Lady Janie's series!

TRUEL1f3
(Lifelike #3)
by Jay Kristoff
Website | Twitter | Instagram

Publication Date: June 30th 2020
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
ISBN: 9781524714017

Add to Goodreads

Available for Pre-Order:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

From the bestselling co-author of the Illuminae Files comes the thrilling finale in the LIFEL1K3 trilogy--hailed by Marie Lu as "a breathless, action-packed exploration of what humanity really means."

Best friends have become enemies. Lovers have become strangers. And deciding whose side you're on could be the difference between life and death. For Eve and Lemon, discovering the truth about themselves--and each other--was too much for their friendship to take. But with the country on the brink of a new world war--this time between the BioMaas swarm at CityHive and Daedalus's army at Megopolis, loyalties will be pushed to the brink, unlikely alliances will form and with them, betrayals. But the threat doesn't stop there, because the lifelikes are determined to access the program that will set every robot free, a task requiring both Eve and Ana, the girl she was created to replace. In the end, violent clashes and heartbreaking choices reveal the true heroes . . . and they may not be who you think they are. (Goodreads)

So I'm definitely going to have to do a refresher course on this series before this next book is released, but I am super curious to see what's going to happen next in this series!

•     •     •

Those are my WOW picks for this week! What about you??

**"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine,
that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.**