Waiting on Wednesday .... Carrie Soto is Back

 My hiatus is over! I have taken some time and am excited to be back. I hope to post more regularly and I am excited to start with a Waiting on Wednesday pick.

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 Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Here is the Goodreads synopsis 

In this powerful novel about the cost of greatness, a legendary athlete attempts a comeback when the world considers her past her prime—from the New York Times bestselling author of Malibu Rising.

Carrie Soto is fierce, and her determination to win at any cost has not made her popular. But by the time she retires from tennis, she is the best player the world has ever seen. She has shattered every record and claimed twenty Grand Slam titles. And if you ask Carrie, she is entitled to every one. She sacrificed nearly everything to become the best, with her father, Javier, as her coach. A former champion himself, Javier has trained her since the age of two.

But six years after her retirement, Carrie finds herself sitting in the stands of the 1994 US Open, watching her record be taken from her by a brutal, stunning player named Nicki Chan.

At thirty-seven years old, Carrie makes the monumental decision to come out of retirement and be coached by her father for one last year in an attempt to reclaim her record. Even if the sports media says that they never liked “the Battle-Axe” anyway. Even if her body doesn’t move as fast as it did. And even if it means swallowing her pride to train with a man she once almost opened her heart to: Bowe Huntley. Like her, he has something to prove before he gives up the game forever.

In spite of it all, Carrie Soto is back, for one epic final season. In this riveting and unforgettable novel, Taylor Jenkins Reid tells her most vulnerable, emotional story yet.

Taylor Jenkins Reid is a favourite author of mine. I have some of her books on my all time favourite list and am always eager to have a new release to look forward to.

Her next book is set in the 90s and follows Carrie Soto who we briefly met in Malibu Rising. It seems like this will be sports focused, but I think that the character stuff is going to be what really shine (as usual).

Expected release date - August 30, 2022

Monthly Wrap Up and TBR

I took a break at the end of May and I am not attempting to get back in to the swing of things. I am actually excited to start blogging again and am looking forward to hopefully incorporating some changes in to the blog.

Work is still a bit of an adjustment and I am hoping to get things almost back to normal by the end of June. 

Before I talk about what June will bring for me reading wise I have to recap May. 

The books that were on my list are:

Anatomy by Dana Schwartz  (goodreads)

I Kissed Shara Wheeler by Casey McQuiston (goodreads)

I also had some ebooks that I hoped to read:

Birds of California by Katie Cotugno (goodreads)

Groupies by Sarah Priscus (goodreads)

How to Fake it in Hollywood by Ava Wilder (goodreads)

Here is what I managed to read in March:

Absolutely nothing. Yup, I read no books. It felt strange, but I think I needed to take the month off.

My #PopCultureResolution book for May was Monstress, Vol. 1: Awakening by Marjorie M. Liu, Sana Takeda, which I managed to read and will review soon. The movie was Funny Girl. I am hoping to get caught up on all my #PopCultureResolution posts this month.

Here is what I hope to read in June:

Anatomy by Dana Schwartz  (goodreads)

I Kissed Shara Wheeler by Casey McQuiston (goodreads)

I also have some ebooks that I am hoping to get to:

Birds of California by Katie Cotugno (goodreads)

Groupies by Sarah Priscus (goodreads)

How to Fake it in Hollywood by Ava Wilder (goodreads)

My #PopCultureResolution picks for this month are Nimona by Noelle Stevenson. I have already read it and will be reviewing soon! My movie is Sing Street. I am excited to watch it soon! 

Next up is an update on my two reading challenges:

I am not doing any new reading challenges this year. My goal is to finish the one from last year so I am posting what I have left to read here. I have made no progress, but hopefully I can scratch these off this summer.

Jan - The Seven Husband's of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid (Kelly)

Feb - The Birthday List by Deveny Perry (Emilie)

Mar - Mouthful of Forevers by Clementine Von Radics (Ciara)

April - Marriage for One by Ella Maise (Katie)

May - Written In The Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur (Christy)

June -  The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M Danforth (Christa)

July - The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller (Jess)

August -  The Grace Year by Kim Leggitt (Christa)

Sept - Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi (Meaghan)

Oct -   Among the Beasts and Briars by Ashley Poston (Katrina)

Nov - Give Me Your Hand by Megan Abbott (Kim)

Dec - Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk by Kathleen Rooney (Julia)

As for the reading challenge inspired by The Bachelor. No progress to report this month, but i am hoping to sneak in one this month. We'll see how it goes. 

1. Happily Ever Afters by Elise Bryant

2. If The Shoe Fits by Julie Murphy

3. Kate in Waiting by Becky Albertalli

4. Further to Fall by Catherine Cowles

5. One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston

6. Isn't it Bromantic? by Lyssa Kay Adams

7. My Favorite Souvenir by Penelope Ward and Vi Keeland

8. Kate in Waiting by Becky Albertalli

9. Marriage for One by Ella Maise

10. Exit Plans for Teenage Freaks by Nathan Burgoine

11. Realm Breaker by Victoria Aveyard

12. Open Book by Jessica Simpson

13. Isn't it Bromantic? by Lyssa Kay Adams

What books are you reading this month? Have you read any of the ones on my list? If so, let me know what you thought in the comments.

Waiting on Wednesday ... Misfit

My hiatus is over! I have taken some time and am excited to be back. I hope to post more regularly and I am excited to start with a Waiting on Wednesday pick.

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 Misfit by Elle Kennedy

Here is the Goodreads synopsis 

Finding out your mom is marrying some rich dude you’ve never met is enough to make any eighteen-year-old guy’s head spin. But for RJ SHAW, it only gets worse: he’s being sent to Sandover Prep for senior year. If there’s one place a misfit hacker like RJ doesn’t belong, it’s an ivy-covered all-boys boarding school for rich delinquents.

RJ knows his stay at Sandover will be temporary. Which means there’s no point making friends or trying to fit in. But the plan to remain antisocial goes awry when he meets a gorgeous girl in the woods on campus. SLOANE TRESSCOTT is pure temptation, with a sharp tongue and an ice princess attitude RJ’s determined to crack. Except there’s a catch. Sloane is the one girl he is forbidden from touching.

The headmaster’s daughter.

Good thing RJ doesn’t believe in rules. Sure, Sloane insists she’s swearing off guys this year, but their connection is impossible to deny. He wants her bad, and he’s going to win her over if it kills him.

Unless her ex-boyfriend kills him first.

DUKE, the ruling king of Sandover, will stop at nothing to get rid of his competition. Luckily, RJ’s unwittingly made some friends—his new stepbrother FENN, a pretty boy with a self-destructive streak; LAWSON, self-proclaimed agent of chaos; and SILAS, the All-American Good Guy who can’t actually be as nice as he seems.

If RJ wants to survive prep school and win Sloane’s heart, he’ll need to adapt—and fast. 

I've enjoyed most of the books that I have read by Elle Kennedy. They're typically a really fun read. I am especially interested in this one as it is set in an prep school. I cannot wait to see the chemistry between Sloane and RJ. I also cannot wait to meet the rest of the cast of characters as many of them sound intriguing. 

It is summer reading time and this just feels like a summer book and we don't even have that long to wait for this one.

Expected release date - July 26, 2022