Waiting on Wednesday ... The Heir Affair

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

This week's pick is The Heir Affair by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan

** Potential Spoilers For The Royal We **

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

Making it up the aisle was the easy part: After marrying the heir to the throne, Rebecca “Bex” Porter must survive her own scandals as she adjusts to life in the glamorous British royal family, in this “highly anticipated” follow-up to The Royal We, the “fun and dishy” bestseller and NYT Summer Reading List pick inspired by Will and Kate’s romance (People).

After a scandalous secret turns their fairy-tale wedding into a nightmare, Rebecca “Bex” Porter and her husband Prince Nicholas are in self-imposed exile. The public is angry. The Queen is even angrier. And the press is salivating. Cutting themselves off from friends and family, and escaping the world’s judgmental eyes, feels like the best way to protect their fragile, all-consuming romance.

But when a crisis forces the new Duke and Duchess back to London, the Band-Aid they’d placed over their problems starts to peel at the edges. Now, as old family secrets and new ones threaten to derail her new royal life, Bex has to face the emotional wreckage she and Nick left behind: with the Queen, with the world, and with Nick’s brother Freddie, whose sins may not be so easily forgotten — nor forgiven.

The Royal We was one of my favourite books the year it came out and I still recommend it to people whenever they ask me about books they should read. I was incredibly excited to find out that a sequel was going to released in 2020 and that it seems to be continuing right after the events of the first novel.

I loved the character of Freddie and am thrilled he will be back, but I am also very nervous about this secret that is being mentioned. Readers of the first book will know what it might be and if I am right I expect this book will be filled with plenty of angst.

It is going to make a great summer read and I anticipate it'll be spotted on beaches and airplanes everywhere as people bring it along on their summer vacations.

Expected release date - June 16, 2020

Epoch by Jewel E Ann

Epoch by Jewel E. Ann
Release Date - April 9, 2018
Author Website - Jewel E Ann

Author Media - Twitter
Pages -  283 pages
My Rating - 5/5
**borrowed from a friend**

** Spoilers for Transcend **

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

Some lives end unfinished, and some transcend time.

After a horrific incident, Swayze finds herself trapped between two lives. Patchy memories and fear for her own safety thrust her into a gut-wrenching journey to uncover the truth.

Will she let her dreams slip away to seek retribution and find the missing pieces to a puzzle that existed a lifetime ago?

“I’m not going to watch you self-destruct. I’m not going to watch you fall in love with another man.”

Or will she discover the only truth that matters?

Epoch pushes the boundaries of what we believe and what we know. It redefines fate and proves that the only thing separating the heart and the soul is an infinite timeline.

“I think a part of you will be mine to love in every life.”

Certain love stories sell us the idea that love is eternal. What could be more romantic than two souls gravitating to each other again and again throughout history no matter the circumstances. The Transcend Duet, and Epoch in particular, embraces that epic kind of love story and offers an incredibly romantic, thoughtful look at what it would mean, messiness and all, if we could remember those past lives.

I thought going into Epoch that it was going to be more of mystery. The events at the end of Transcend certainly set it up that way. The book, however, is more interested in the emotions of its characters and the connections being forged, broken, and mended between them. It is not that the events that close out the first book are not important to the events in this one, it is just that the book is much more interested in how those events impact the characters and their actions.

I still stand by my assessment that this is not really a love triangle. I think there are pretty distinct love stories going on that prevent it from being a true triangle. It is one in its own way but definitely not in the typical meaning of the word. It feels more complicated than that label. It was nice that both Griffin and Nate are decent men who truly do care for Swayze in their own ways. They both have their flaws but untimely want what they think is best for her. I also appreciated that there was no way this untypical triangle could end in the typical fashion of most triangles.

The idea of reincarnation, and how much you retain from those past lives (and why you retain it) is very much the heart of this novel. It asks the question of how much of  Swayze is Daisy and what that ultimately means for her life in complex ways that do not have easy answers. It makes the book more thought provoking than I anticipated. I was constantly asking myself if she was Nate's Daisy and what it meant that she both was and wasn't in many ways. I think this would make a good book  club pick for the conversation that could stem just from this plot point.

Many readers will delight in the swooniness of Nate and Griffin. They, as mentioned, are both great characters. It is, however, Swayze that stood out to me. She goes through hell in this novel mentally and shows a strength that is incredibly satisfying. She isn't afraid to be vulnerable and doesn't handle things perfectly but she manages to still be standing in the end and that is impressive. I love that she is this mix of strong and weak. She is a mess but so driven and focused. It is a type of female character I want to see more of.

I found myself ugly sobbing while reading this without really knowing why. There is, obviously, the unfinished love story of Nate and Daisy, everything Swayze finds herself going through, and the impossible situation Griffin finds himself in. It is all of these things and none of them that is the cause of this book emotionally wrecking me. Bittersweet is the word I would use to describe this duet if I had to choose only one and it is that duality of the despair with the joyous that wreaks havoc on your emotions.

If you love your books to be thought provoking, emotionally impacting, and unputdownable, I highly recommend this duology. It has made me excited to pick up other books by this author and certainly has me anticipating whatever she writes next. 

2020 Most Anticipated - Kim from Pingwing's Bookshelf

Today's post continues the posts where others share what books they are anticipating in 2020. My friend Kim, who blogs over at Pingwing's Bookshelf, shares her list today to close out this year's event.

I'm already excited about 2020! I love thinking ahead to a new year, planning the things I want to do on the blog, the books I want to read, and the feeling of possibility and optimism that, to me, the new year signifies.

When it comes to books, there are so many 2020 releases that I'm excited about! Here are 10 2020 releases that I can't wait to read:

1. Harrow the Ninth (The Locked Tomb #2), Tamsyn Muir (out June 2, 2020) - I've already preordered this book, which is the sequel to  my favourite read of 2019, Gideon the Ninth. This book promises more necromancers and skeletons and murder, and as it focuses on my favourite character from book one, you can be certain that I'll be reading this as soon as it shows up at my door!

2. Deathless Divide (Dread Nation #2), Justina Ireland (out February 4, 2020) - I loved Dread Nation, and I've been eagerly waiting for this sequel!

3. The Return, Rachel Harrison (out March 24, 2020) - I am a big mystery/thriller reader, and I've already been hearing great things about this one.

4. Bridge of Souls (Cassidy Blake #3), Victoria Schwab (out February 1, 2020) - Victoria Schwab is my favourite author, and I've been really enjoying this middle grade series about a young girl who can see ghosts - and who's best friend is a ghost.

5. The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, Victoria Schwab (out in 2020) - We will be blessed with two Victoria Schwab books in 2020, and I absolutely cannot wait to read this one! I've been following Victoria on social media for a long time and she has discussed this book and the writing of it over the years, and I can't believe it will be a real book in the world soon! I know Kathy has already written an entire post about this one, so go read that so you can get excited for it too!

6. Home Before Dark, Riley Sager (out July 7, 2020) - I've enjoyed each of Riley Sager's previous books to varying degrees, so I knew I was going to read whatever he put out next, but when I read this premise, the book jumped up on my most-anticipated list. I love scary stories and books about stories, so this definitely sounds like my kind of read. And it makes me think of Marisha Pessl's Night Film, which I loved.

7. Girls Save the World in This One, Ash Parsons (out April 14, 2020) - I was already drawn in by that title, but Shaun of the Dead meets Clueless?? Yes please!

8. We Are the Wildcats, Siobhan Vivian (March 31, 2020) - I really like Siobhan Vivian's books, and this one sounds so intriguing.

9. Blood Countess, Lana Popovic (out January 28, 2020) - "A historical YA horror novel based on the infamous real-life inspiration for Countess Dracula" OK that sounds awesome!

10. Chosen Ones, Veronica Roth (out April 7, 2020) - Veronica Roth's first adult novel sounds incredible. It follows a group of five people who, as teens, defeated an enemy called The Dark One, and became heroes. But years later, one of them dies and when the rest of them come together to mourn, it turns out The Dark One might not really be gone...I cannot wait to get my hands on this one!

So there you have it - ten of my most anticipated 2020 releases. I'm fortunate to have some of them in ARC format, so I'll be reading a few of these over my Christmas holidays.

It was so hard to keep this list to ten, but writing this has made me even more hyped up to read these books. Thank you Kathy for giving me the chance to flail with excitement about books!!!

A huge thank you to Kim for participating in this. There are so many amazing sounding books on her list as well. 

That's a wrap on my 2020 most anticipated event this year! Let me know what books you're looking forward to in the comments. 

2020 Most Anticipated - Something To Talk About

The next book on my 2020 most anticipated list is one that seems poised to give romance readers something to talk about, and get a certain song stuck in their head.

Rumours start to fly when a moment between two women on a red carpet gets taken out of context. Rumours that kick off the slowest of slow burn romances.

I am excited to include Something To Talk About by Meryl Wilsner in this year's most anticipated event.

The Goodreads synopsis pretty much ensures that romance readers will be desperate to read it.

A showrunner and her assistant give the world something to talk about when they accidentally fuel a ridiculous rumor in this debut romance.

Hollywood powerhouse Jo is photographed making her assistant Emma laugh on the red carpet, and just like that, the tabloids declare them a couple. The so-called scandal couldn't come at a worse time—threatening Emma's promotion and Jo's new movie.

As the gossip spreads, it starts to affect all areas of their lives. Paparazzi are following them outside the office, coworkers are treating them differently, and a “source” is feeding information to the media. But their only comment is “no comment”.

With the launch of Jo’s film project fast approaching, the two women begin to spend even more time together, getting along famously. Emma seems to have a sixth sense for knowing what Jo needs. And Jo, known for being aloof and outwardly cold, opens up to Emma in a way neither of them expects. They begin to realize the rumor might not be so off base after all…but is acting on the spark between them worth fanning the gossip flames? 

Emma and Jo's story sounds swoon worthy and I am already eager to fan cast the movie I hope gets made for Netflix.

Meryl graciously took some time to answer my questions about the book and made me want to blast a little Bonnie Raitt and get my hands on this book immediately.

1. What gif do you think describes Something To Talk About?

I actually just joined some other 2020 debuts in describing our books with multiple gifs. You can find the post here. If I had to pick only one, it’d be this one:

2. If someone were to make a signature drink in honour of your book, what might be included?

A signature drink for Something to Talk About would have to be sweet (but not sickly sweet). It would have more alcohol in it than you could taste, so the effect would sneak up on the drinker—just like feelings sneak up on Jo and Emma! 

3. What is your favourite rom-com trope? 

In case you missed it with the gif to describe Something to Talk About, I’m a sucker for a slow burn.

4. I cannot be the only one who immediately starts signing Bonnie Raitt's song when I see the title of your book. Name a song you listed to for inspiration while writing this novel.

I definitely did listen to the Bonnie Raitt song while writing. But I think my top artist for this book was Hayley Kiyoko. I kept trying to pick what song of hers I’d want in a movie version of my book, and I think I eventually settled on Cliff’s Edge.

5. If you could travel to anywhere, in any time period, when and where would you want travel?

I really like the idea of being able to see the world when people had less of an effect on it. I don’t even care about any particular place or landscape, just lots of unspoiled wilderness.

6. What 2020 release are you most anticipating?

I always say The Roommate by Rosie Danan, because I’m lucky enough to have already read it, so I know exactly how good it is. But as for books I haven’t read, I’m really looking forward to Who I Was With Her by Nita Tyndall.

7. If not too spoilery, can you share the first line of Something To Talk About. 

I know there’s a big emphasis on great first sentences, but for me, first pages as a whole are such an experience. When you’re first being exposed to the world and characters—I love that too much to just share the first sentence!

I now want to read that first page even more than I did before. I am already thinking of a wine to pair with this when I get to read it.

Something To Talk About releases May 26, 2020 but you can pre-order it right now from any retailer so that it arrives in time for summer reading.

Chapters // Amazon // Barnes and Noble // BAM

You can find out more about Meryl by following them on Twitter and visiting their website. You can also find out more about Something To Talk About on the publisher website. 

Do you love romance novels as much as I do? How do you feel about books with really catchy titles that get a song stuck in your head? Let me know in the comments.

Be sure to stop by tomorrow for the last post in this year's event.

2020 Most Anticipated - More Than Maybe

The next book in my 2020 Most Anticipated event is one that incorporates both a character's love of music and blogging about something you love. It also happens to be written by an author whose debut novel I really enjoyed.

More Than Maybe by Erin Hahn seems poised to be one of 2020's must read young adult contemporary novels. It also happens to have an adorable cover.

The Goodreads synopsis seems to promise a fun, contemporary young adult read, but if Erin's first book is anything to go by we can also expect some angst. 

Growing up under his punk rocker dad’s spotlight, eighteen-year-old Luke Greenly knows fame and wants nothing to do with it. His real love isn’t in front of a crowd, it’s on the page. Hiding his gift and secretly hoarding songs in his bedroom at night, he prefers the anonymous comfort of the locally popular podcast he co-hosts with his outgoing and meddling, far-too-jealousy-inspiringly-happy-with-his-long-term-boyfriend twin brother, Cullen. But that’s not Luke’s only secret. He also has a major un-requited crush on music blogger, Vada Carsewell.

Vada’s got a five year plan: secure a job at the Loud Lizard to learn from local legend (and her mom’s boyfriend) Phil Josephs (check), take over Phil’s music blog (double check), get accepted into Berkeley’s prestigious music journalism program (check, check, check), manage Ann Arbor’s summer concert series and secure a Rolling Stone internship. Luke Greenly is most definitely NOT on the list. So what if his self-deprecating charm and out-of-this-world music knowledge makes her dizzy? Or his brother just released a bootleg recording of Luke singing about some mystery girl on their podcast and she really, really wishes it was her?

I cannot wait to see the music playlist for this, and what details get worked into the story. Does Vada get that Rolling Stone internship? Is the song really about her (of course it is!)? All things that make me want to read this as soon as I can.

My top three reasons for wanting to read More Than Maybe:

1. I really enjoyed You'd Be Mine and have been eagerly anticipating whatever Erin wrote next. 

2. Music. Music. Music. I hope there is an awesome playlist for this. I cannot wait to see all of the different ways music is incorporated into not only the plot but the romance that is sure to develop.

3. The characters are a blogger and a podcaster. I am looking forward to seeing how that manifests itself into their personalities and the overall plot of the story. I do hope it is a prominent part of who these characters are, and from the synopsis it certainly seems like it is.

More Than Maybe releases May 12, 2020 but you can pre-order it right now from any retailer (or get it with those holiday gift cards).

Chapters // Amazon // Barnes and Noble // BAM

You can find out more about Erin by following her on Twitter, and by visiting her her website. You can also find out more about her books on the publisher website.

Do you love books that incorporate music in some way into the plot? Let me know what you think in the comments.

Be sure to stop by tomorrow to for the next book on my 2020 most anticipated list. 

2020 Most Anticipated - Darling

The next book on my 2020 most anticipated list is inspired by one of my favourite Disney movies, and one of my favourite children's books. I am, of course, talking about Peter Pan.

Darling by K. Ancrum is all about embracing the darker parts of the Peter Pan story .. particularly when it comes to the boy who wouldn't grow up.

Anyone who has read the book (and not just seen the Disney movie) will know how dark the book actually is. I am curious to read an adaptation that uses that darkness, and sets the story in modern times.

There isn't an official synopsis for this one yet. The  Goodreads blurb currently describes it as the following:

A retelling of Peter Pan in modern day Chicago, in which Wendy Darling follows Peter and his Lost Boys through the city's nightlife and underbelly, only to discover that Peter isn't what he seems...and the Lost Boys are in more trouble than they realize.

I cannot wait for a full synopsis and cover to be revealed. I am also really excited about the Chicago setting. I think it is going to be a great backdrop for this story.

Kayla kindly answered some of my questions and definitely made the wait for this book even harder in the process.

1. What gif do you think best describes Darling?

Wendy Darling, specifically lmao. 

The Lost Boys: 

Tinkerbelle at Peter:

"Tiger Lily" at Peter

2. If someone were to make a signature drink in honour of your book, what might be included?

Something that starts out sweet but has a very sour syrup at the bottom. So you think you're drinking one thing, but slowly the drink gets more and more bitter until its completely intollerable.

3. This sounds like it'll be a darker (and more modern) take on the classic Peter Pan tale. What about it inspired Darling to be the novel it is?

I was head over heels in love with the idea of taking everything that already existed within the book and just giving it modern context.  The original book is dark enough, I didn't need to embellish it much.  Most of it is just direct equivalencies. Captain Hook = Police Inspector Hook, Tinker Bell  "a fairy who mended pots and kettles"  = Tinkerbelle a whiz at engineering who Wendy suggests take a few classes at the local college. Peter Pan, a serial killer who is literally described as murdering lost boys when they got too old and well = Peter pan a serial killer who murders lost boys when they get too old.

I reread the original book when I was in college and its such a different experience from the Disney movie. I couldn't believe how many small nuances of terror they glossed over regarding Peter's character. They kept most of the plot but completely reworked everyone's feelings about Peter: he was magical and cunning and beautiful but he was also terrifying and had little to no humanity left.  I think, honestly, that keeping it so close to a direct translation of the text actually makes DARLING scarier because I can say things like "the only part of the book that isn't a direct translation is the justice for his actions at the very end."

4. Name a song you listed to for inspiration while writing this novel

I was really into songs that sound happy but are actually sad or threatening. My favorite was Hot Chip's  "The Warning". I really love the indie-dance-pop vibe accompanied by threatening lyrics like:  "Hot Chip with break your legs, snap off your head, Hot Chip will put you down, under the ground" .  

When I was writing some of the more romantic scenes I would listen to a lot of 6lack because its such an urban vibe during all the romantic scenes. Just really cool "one-night-only-romance" feelings to all of them, not mushy at all.

5. If you could travel to anywhere, in any time period, when and where would you want travel?

The future! or the moon during the space-race. Im a bit obsessed with space and love looking forward instead of back.

6. What 2020 release are you most anticipating?

CEMETARY BOYS i am O B S E S S E D with ghosts romances so Im head over heels for the concept of this. Also Aiden Thomas is such a darling, one of the coolest guys. Definitely follow him on twitter:  https://twitter.com/aidenschmaiden

7. If not too spoilery, can you share the first line of Darling:

The first line of DARLING is: “I said no.” but the first piece of text in the book is actually a quote from the original 1904 book and it is:

The boys on the island vary, of course, in numbers, according to as they get killed and so on;

 and when they seem to be growing up, which is against the rules, Peter thins them out

Darling does not have an official release date but it will be sometime in fall of 2020.  Preorder links are not available just yet, but I urge you to add it to your Goodreads to be read list so that you'll be updated when those become available.

You can find out more about Kayla by following her on Twitter or by visiting her website. You can also find out more about her books on the publisher website. 

Do you enjoy different/unique twists on beloved stories? Let me know in the comments.

Be sure to stop by tomorrow to for the next book on my 2020 most anticipated list. 

2020 Most Anticipated - Mayhem

The next book on my 2020 most anticipated list has a lot of 80s inspiration and is a mix of some of my favourite movies with some true crime thrown in. It's pitch is that it is a mix of The Craft and The Lost Boys with some Manson family thrown in and is set in the 80s.

I already feel like I am going to love this book. It hits so many of my specific interest points that is basically made to appeal directly to me.

I am excited to feature Mayhem by Estelle Laure as part of the books I am looking foward to in 2020.

The Goodreads synopsis for this novel is pretty much tailor made to make you want to read this novel. It offers enough teases while still making you desperate to pick up the novel to find out more.

Mayhem Brayburn and her mother are on the run, not away from home, but back to it: Santa Maria, California, a beach town that looks like paradise, like carnival rides and street food and bikinis under the hot sun.

It’s where Mayhem has always wanted to be. It’s where generations of Brayburns have lived and thrived, and she has never understood what made her mother leave Santa Maria in favor of the arms of her abusive stepfather.

But when she befriends her aunt’s foster kids and they take her to their hideout, decades of secrets unravel, and Mayhem is thrust into a world of chaotic magic, a serial killer’s mind, and finally, even the answers to her own past.

Set in 1987, MAYHEM is a mashup of The Lost Boys and The Craft with a bit of the Manson family thrown in for good measure. It’s original, compelling, and a little bit rock-’n’-roll, and reading it will leave you feeling deliciously wicked.

The boardwalk vibe screams The Lost Boys to me and I am really looking forward to the California setting.

Estelle graciously took some time to answer my questions about her book, and made me want to rewatch both The Craft and The Lost Boys before the book comes out.

1. What gif do you feel represents Mayhem?

2. If someone were to make a signature cocktail in honour of your book, what might be included?

Jalapeños, vodka, lime, on the rocks, with smoke.

3. Your book is described as having a lot of 80s influence. Why do you think 80s nostalgia is so popular right now?

 The world was slower then, sillier in many ways (the fashion the fashion), filled with cliques,  and it was all sort of goofy with this undercurrent of the truly threatening. I’m nostalgic for the stories that were told then, like The Lost Boys and Stand by Me, but not for the actual time. Serial killers ran amok, misogyny and racism were so rampant they were accepted, not to mention homophobia, but it was still fun to go back because….FASHION!

4. Name a song you listed to for inspiration while writing this novel (if you didn't listen to music let me know and I can quickly send another question)

You Should See Me in a Crown by Billie Eilish. That was one I listened to before writing just to get me in the head space.

5. If you could travel to anywhere, in any time period, when and where would you want travel?

I would definitely go ahead ten years to see if we make it that far. I would never want to go back. Things have been bad for women, always. And I would definitely not want to be in any time period before plumbing, electricity, heating and medicine.

6. What 2019 release are you most anticipating?

I LOVED Wilder Girls by Rory Power. Died. It was so good. I’m about to start The Wicked King by Holly Black. I’m obsessed with her. And with fairies. But mostly her.

7. If not too spoilery, can you share the first line of Mayhem.

All I ever do anymore is swim. I like how the world is muffled underwater. I float.

The gif Estelle chose, while from The Craft, also has The Lost Boys vibes. It could be the way the girls walk reminds me of David and the rest of the 'lost boys' slinking around the merry-go-round. It could be the beach, and the secluded areas that are part of both movies. Either way, I am here for that being an indicator of the story and its setting.

Mayhem releases July 14, 2020 but you can pre-order it right now from any retailer so that it arrives to be perfectly timed for your summer reading.

Chapters // Amazon // Barnes and Noble // BAM

You can find out more about Estelle by following her on Twitter or by visiting her website. You can also find out more about her books on the publisher website. 

Do you enjoy books or other entertainment set in the 80s? Are you as excited about this book as I am? Let me know in the comments.

Be sure to stop by tomorrow to for the next book on my 2020 most anticipated list.