Most Anticipated Releases: June 2023

I have been meaning to make a 2023 most anticipated release blog post since January, so I am a bit late to this, but why not start now and do monthly lists for 2023 releases? I had a lot of Anticipated releases for the first half of the year like Happy Place by Emily Henry and The Spite House by Johnny Compton which I am getting to this month! Let me know if any of these books I am looking forward to are also on your radar.


June

“Lore Olympus” Volume 4 By Rachel Smythe

Release Date: June 6th, 2022

Main Genres: Fantasy, Romance

GoodReads Rating: 4.60

I am in love with this series and I will be picking up both volume 4 and 5 this year. There is no doubt in my mind!

Synopsis

The rumor mill of Olympus is constantly churning, but Persephone and Hades are all anyone can talk about. With the constant gossip creating intense pressure on the pair, they decide to slow down their budding romance and focus on sorting out their own issues first.

But that’s easier said than done.

Hades struggles to find support in his personal life, with Zeus trivializing his feelings and Minthe resorting to abusive patterns in their relationship. And while Hades tries to create healthier boundaries where he can–like finally putting a stop to his sporadic, revenge-fueled hookups with Hera–he still feels lonely and adrift.

Persephone feels equally ostracized as her classmates shun her for her connection to Hades, and she can find no refuge at home, with Apollo constantly dropping by unannounced and pushing his unwelcome advances. And on top of it all, the wrathful god of war, Ares, has returned to Olympus to dredge up his sordid history with the goddess of spring, threatening to surface Persephone’s dark and mysterious past and ruin her tenuous position in the land of the gods.

Despite agreeing to take it slow, Persephone and Hades find themselves inextricably drawn toward each other once more amid the chaos. The pull of fate cannot be denied.

This edition of Rachel Smythe’s original Eisner-nominated webcomic Lore Olympus features exclusive behind-the-scenes content and brings the Greek pantheon into the modern age in a sharply perceptive and romantic graphic novel.


“The Only One Left” By Riley Sager

Release Date: June 20th, 2022

Main Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Horror

GoodReads Rating: 4.15

I have read one Riley Sager all the way through and rated it 3 stars and DNF’d another. But here I am hoping this one brings all the good reading Vibes!

Synopsis

Now reduced to a schoolyard chant, the Hope family murders shocked the Maine coast one bloody night in 1929. While most people assume seventeen-year-old Lenora was responsible, the police were never able to prove it. Other than her denial after the killings, she has never spoken publicly about that night, nor has she set foot outside Hope’s End, the cliffside mansion where the massacre occurred.

Stabbed her father with a knife
Took her mother’s happy life

It’s now 1983, and home-health aide Kit McDeere arrives at a decaying Hope’s End to care for Lenora after her previous nurse fled in the middle of the night. In her seventies and confined to a wheelchair, Lenora was rendered mute by a series of strokes and can only communicate with Kit by tapping out sentences on an old typewriter. One night, Lenora uses it to make a tantalizing offer—I want to tell you everything.

“It wasn’t me,” Lenora said
But she’s the only one not dead

As Kit helps Lenora write about the events leading to the Hope family massacre, it becomes clear there’s more to the tale than people know. But when new details about her predecessor’s departure come to light, Kit starts to suspect Lenora might not be telling the complete truth—and that the seemingly harmless woman in her care could be far more dangerous than she first thought.


“Love Theoretically” By Ali Hazelwood

Release Date: June 13th, 2023

Main Genres: Romance, Contemporary

GoodReads Rating: 4.23

I have only read “The Love Hypothesis by this author but I am really hoping to read this one this year!

Synopsis

The many lives of theoretical physicist Elsie Hannaway have finally caught up with her. By day, she’s an adjunct professor, toiling away at grading labs and teaching thermodynamics in the hopes of landing tenure. By other day, Elsie makes up for her non-existent paycheck by offering her services as a fake girlfriend, tapping into her expertly honed people pleasing skills to embody whichever version of herself the client needs.

Honestly, it’s a pretty sweet gig—until her carefully constructed Elsie-verse comes crashing down. Because Jack Smith, the annoyingly attractive and broody older brother of her favorite client, turns out to be the cold-hearted experimental physicist who ruined her mentor’s career and undermined the reputation of theorists everywhere. And that same Jack who now sits on the hiring committee at MIT, right between Elsie and her dream job.

Elsie is prepared for an all-out war of scholarly sabotage but…those long, penetrating looks? Not having to be anything other than her true self when she’s with him? Will falling into an experimentalist’s orbit finally tempt her to put her most guarded theories on love into practice?


“All The Sinners Bleed” By S.A. Cosby

Release Date: Juse 6th, 2023

Main Genres: Mystery, Thriller

GoodReads Rating: 4.39

I read “Razorblade Tears” by this author almost two years ago now and I am still thinking about that book till this day! I have plans to read more of his books soon so I for sure have this one on my radar.

Synopsis

Titus Crowne is the first Black sheriff in the history of Charon County. A former FBI agent and security expert, Titus came home to take care of his father and look out for his troubled younger brother. He ran for Sheriff to make a difference, especially in the Black community, which has so often been treated unfairly by the police.

But a year to the day after his election, a school shooting rocks the town. A beloved teacher is killed by a former student, and as Titus attempts to deescalate and get the boy to surrender, his deputies fire a fatal shot.

In the investigation, it becomes clear that the student they shot had been abused by the dead teacher, as well as by unidentified perpetrators. The trail leads to buried bodies—and secrets. While Titus tries to track down a killer hiding in plain sight, while balancing daily duties like protecting Confederate pride marchers, he must face what it means to be a Black man wearing a police uniform in the American South.


I am super excited for June’s releases even if I know I wont actually get to these books next month. I will be adding these to my shelves as soon as I can and will be posting reviews as I get to them.

QOTD: What is a most anticipated 2023 release for you?

Book Review: “Happy Place” By Emily Henry

I am a huge Emily Henry Fan. I have read all four of her romance books now that “Happy Place” Has came out. Looking back at my ratings for all her book I have given all of them five stars but if I am honest with you I think I would probably rate “People We Meet on Vacation” A four star read now as I honestly thought that was the true rating I gave it and it is for sure my least favorite of her books but it was still a great read.

“In every universe, it’s you for me. Even if it’s not me for you.”

Emily Henry, Happy Place

About The Book

Author: Emily Henry

Publisher: Berkley

Published Date: April 25th, 2023

Page Count: 400 Pages

Main Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Fiction

GoodReads Rating: 4.40

Format: Physical Book

“Like even when something beautiful breaks, the making of it still matters.”

Emily Henry, Happy Place

Synopsis

Harriet and Wyn have been the perfect couple since they met in college—they go together like salt and pepper, honey and tea, lobster and rolls. Except, now—for reasons they’re still not discussing—they don’t.

They broke up six months ago. And still haven’t told their best friends.

Which is how they find themselves sharing the largest bedroom at the Maine cottage that has been their friend group’s yearly getaway for the last decade. Their annual respite from the world, where for one vibrant, blue week they leave behind their daily lives; have copious amounts of cheese, wine, and seafood; and soak up the salty coastal air with the people who understand them most.

Only this year, Harriet and Wyn are lying through their teeth while trying not to notice how desperately they still want each other. Because the cottage is for sale and this is the last week they’ll all have together in this place. They can’t stand to break their friends’ hearts, and so they’ll play their parts. Harriet will be the driven surgical resident who never starts a fight, and Wyn will be the laid-back charmer who never lets the cracks show. It’s a flawless plan (if you look at it from a great distance and through a pair of sunscreen-smeared sunglasses). After years of being in love, how hard can it be to fake it for one week… in front of those who know you best?

Synopsis From GoodReads

“Things change, but we stretch and grow and make room for one another.

Our love is a place we can always come back to, and it will be waiting, the same as it ever was.

You belong here. 

Emily Henry, Happy Place

Rating

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

“I imagined them all thinking it was worth it. Telling me how much they loved me. All my life, when I thought of my future, that was what I pictured. Not a career. The things I thought would come with it. Happiness, love, safety. And that dream had been enough for a long time. What was school if not a chance to earn your worth? To prove, again and again, that you were measurably good. One more deal I struck with a disinterested universe: If I’m good enough, I’ll be happy. I’ll be loved. I’ll be safe.”

Emily Henry, Happy Place

Review

I was of course very Hyped for this book as Emily Henry can do no wrong in my mind. However, in the beginning of this book I was a little worried I wouldn’t enjoy this one nearly as much as the rest of her books as it was more of an enemies to lovers type vibe but also not really. I just really struggle with any kind of enemy to lovers books as I really hate constant tension between two characters I am supposed to be rooting for. And much like “People We Meet On Vacation” it had a lot of miscommunication in it that I did struggle with.

What really sucked me in and ultimately the real reason it has a pretty high rating is because of the mental health representation in the book. It discusses how hard it is to love someone else when you can barely love yourself. I mean how can you expect someone to be able to be by your side cheering you on when they have a lot of internal battles going on? My big take away from this book is in relationships it is so important to have open communication about your mental space for both romantic and friend relationships. The people who truly care about you will understand if you are struggling and need some distance but they will be there no matter what when you are ready to reach out. A great example of this would be me and my friend, we both struggle with our mental health and some days we talk non stop and then we go a week or two with hardly any communication because it is emotionally exhausting to respond sometimes and maybe we just need sometime to heal ourselves and we just let each other know “Hey, my mental health needs some work I won’t be as responsive for a bit but I still love you, talk when I can.”

Besides mental health it also discussed a lot about friendships and how they change over years. As you move on from school and start families and careers you don’t always have the same amount of time to be with your friends but you should cherish the moments you do have. It is a beautiful thing getting to watch your friends lives grow and how you will fit in with that ever changing life. You won’t always be the same person you were in high school/college, it is normal to go your separate ways but when you do get back together it will be as if no time has passed. This is something that I really struggle with though, friends moving states and having kids when you are still in your childhood home makes you feel stuck and kind of lonely but the nice thing about this day and age is just because someone lives thousands of miles away they are only a text or facetime away. You can still keep these connections strong!

So, yes overall I loved this book! If you like romance books with minimal spicey levels then Emily Henry is your gal! I highly recommend all of her books so do yourself a favor and pick one or all of them up!

“My best friends taught me a new kind of quiet, the peaceful stillness of knowing one another so well you don’t need to fill the space. And a new kind of loud: noise as a celebration, as the overflow of joy at being alive, here, now.”

Emily Henry, Happy Place

QOTD: What Emily Henry Book is your favorite?

“They all do, I think. You are in all of my happiest places. You are where my mind goes when it needs to be soothed.”

Emily Henry, Happy Place

May Hopefuls 2023

I am really hoping to read a good chunk of books this month. Last Month I mostly read only Graphic Novels so I would like to read at least 2 regular chunky books. I feel like I am going to lean more towards Spring Vibes for my books just because as a mood reader that sounds ideal to me.


Hopefuls

Legendary has bene on every Hopefuls list since January…. I am technically almost done with it so I am really hoping I finish it this month.

April Wrap Up

All I have to say is that I am in my Graphic Novel Era! I read seven books this last month and 6/7 were graphic novels. Honestly I was a little sad that I only finished one big book this month but I should still be proud of myself for reaching out of my comfort zone. After all reading is reading no matter the format!


Physical Book

“Tomorrow, And Tomorrow, And Tomorrow” By Gabrielle Zevin

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

On a bitter-cold day, in the December of his junior year at Harvard, Sam Masur exits a subway car and sees, amid the hordes of people waiting on the platform, Sadie Green. He calls her name. For a moment, she pretends she hasn’t heard him, but then, she turns, and a game begins: a legendary collaboration that will launch them to stardom.

These friends, intimates since childhood, borrow money, beg favors, and, before even graduating college, they have created their first blockbuster, Ichigo. Overnight, the world is theirs. Not even twenty-five years old, Sam and Sadie are brilliant, successful, and rich, but these qualities won’t protect them from their own creative ambitions or the betrayals of their hearts.

Spanning thirty years, from Cambridge, Massachusetts, to Venice Beach, California, and lands in between and far beyond, Gabrielle Zevin’s Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow is a dazzling and intricately imagined novel that examines the multifarious nature of identity, disability, failure, the redemptive possibilities in play, and above all, our need to connect: to be loved and to love. Yes, it is a love story, but it is not one you have read before.


Graphic Novels

“Lore Olympus” Volumes 2 & 3

Rating: 4 out of 5.

I would rate this series so far 4 stars. I really love the art style of these but I feel as if I am missing some of the story line. I am very excited for the next volume to come out in June!


“Spy Family” Volume 9

Rating: 5 out of 5.

I am in love with this series so far and this volume was no exception! This was the only book I rated five stars to this month which blows my mind! I can not wait for the next volume to come out, but in the mean time maybe I will start watching the TV Series.


“I Think Our Son Is Gay”

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

So far this series has been super cute and I love that the perspective is from the mom. I think it has a really sweet message behind it. I need to get my hands on the rest of these ASAP!


“Delicates”

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

This is the second book in the Sheets Graphic Novel Series and I am absolutely hooked! This one had a lot of teenage drama but did a really good job discussing the reality of bullying. Trigger Warning for Depression and Suicidal Thoughts.


Overall I had a really good reading month where I read books that I truly enjoyed but heavy on the trigger warnings! Let me know if you decide to pick any of these up!

Book Review: “Tomorrow, And Tomorrow, And Tomorrow” By Gabrielle Zevin

This was my Book Club pick for April and if I am completely honest with you I probably wouldn’t have ever picked this book up if it wasn’t for my Co-Host Picking this out for April’s Book Club Pick. Also If you are interested in the book club check out this previous post for more information.

“If this were a game, he could hit pause. He could restart, say different things, the right ones this time. He could search his inventory for the item that would make Sadie not leave.”

Gabrielle Zevin, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow

About The Book

Author: Gabrielle Zevin

Publisher: Knopf

Published Date: July 5th, 2022

Page Count: 416 Pages

Main Genres: Fiction, Contemporary, Romance

GoodReads Rating: 4,26

Format: Physical Book

“How much of your life had been happenstance? How much of your life had been a roll of the big polyhedral die in the sky? But then, weren’t all lives that way? Who could say, in the end, that they had chosen any of it?”

Gabrielle Zevin, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow

Synopsis

On a bitter-cold day, in the December of his junior year at Harvard, Sam Masur exits a subway car and sees, amid the hordes of people waiting on the platform, Sadie Green. He calls her name. For a moment, she pretends she hasn’t heard him, but then, she turns, and a game begins: a legendary collaboration that will launch them to stardom. These friends, intimates since childhood, borrow money, beg favors, and, before even graduating college, they have created their first blockbuster, Ichigo. Overnight, the world is theirs. Not even twenty-five years old, Sam and Sadie are brilliant, successful, and rich, but these qualities won’t protect them from their own creative ambitions or the betrayals of their hearts.

Spanning thirty years, from Cambridge, Massachusetts, to Venice Beach, California, and lands in between and far beyond, Gabrielle Zevin’s Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow is a dazzling and intricately imagined novel that examines the multifarious nature of identity, disability, failure, the redemptive possibilities in play, and above all, our need to connect: to be loved and to love. Yes, it is a love story, but it is not one you have read before.

Synopsis From GoodReads

“If you’re always aiming for perfection, you won’t make anything at all.”

Gabrielle Zevin, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow

Rating

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Review

Before I dive deep into this review I have a few things I would like to mention. One, If this was not for MY Book Club I would have DNF’d this book real quick. Two, I should have looked up trigger warnings for this before having my book club pick this up as it has practically every trigger warning under the sun. Three, Because this was for MY Book Club I think it’s the only reason I actually had any enjoyment for it as I really dove deep to understand all the little things so I can provide a good discussion for the book club .

This book starts off extremally slow and probably doesn’t pick up till around page 200 but I personally think it was worth my time and I am so happy I went forward with this book and finished it. If you go into this book knowing that this is not truly a romance book and more of a slow burn friendship I think you will have more enjoyment while reading.

As mentioned above this book has so many trigger warnings such as; Suicide, General Depression/Anxiety, Gun Violence, abortion, and more. So please take care of yourself if you decide to read this. Because of all of these trigger warnings this was a really difficult book to read but honestly left such a powerful message that really reflects on our day to day life and I applaud the author for bringing awareness to these things.

One Issue with this book I would like to bring up was the formatting of the chapters and the overall timeline. This was broken up into many different parts each with their own separate chapters so when discussing this book with others I couldn’t say oh yeah I am on chapter 5 because their were multiple chapter 5’s which is not a big deal but a bit inconvenient. But the big thing was all the timeline jumps out of no where, it felt like I was constantly guessing what age these characters were and it did take me out of the book several times because it felt weird. Again this isn’t a huge issue and overall it ended up making sense in the end of the book but I struggle with things like this I suppose.

Overall I am glad I read this book but I can’t say that it is a book for everyone so check the trigger warnings and other reviews before committing to this one.

“She had once read in a book about consciousness that over the years, the human brain makes an AI version of your loved ones. The brain collects data, and within your brain, you host a virtual version of that person. Upon the person’s death, your brain still believes the virtual person exists, because, in a sense, the person still does. After a while, though, the memory fades, and each year, you are left with an increasingly diminished version of the AI you had made when the person was alive.”

Gabrielle Zevin, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow

QOTD: Have you read this book? I need to know if you think the same way I do!

“Long relationships might be richer, but relatively brief, relatively uncomplicated encounters with interesting people could be lovely as well. Every person you knew, every person you loved even, did not have to consume you for the time to have been worthwhile.”

Gabrielle Zevin, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow

Book Club Announcement

Did you know that I have a Book Club? No? Well, that is probably because we are just getting started! We almost have one month under our belt and now that we have worked out some of the kinks we are hoping to grow by adding even more members!

For all updates please follow Bais.Reading.Corner on Instagram and also our Discord Server

About Us

  • Looking for anyone who enjoys reading (We are an All-inclusive Book Club)
  • A Mix of Genres
  • One Book a Month
  • Giveaways
  • Co-Hosts
  • Live Reading Sprints
  • Live Book Discussions
  • Discord
  • New Releases (Released in the past Two Years)
  • Some Back List reads (Books Released before 2020)

For the Month of April we have been Reading “Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow” by Gabrielle Zevin. This is an Award winning book for both Book Of The Month Club and The GoodReads Choice Awards for 2022 so we thought it would be the perfect book to kick off the start of this book club.

I will also post the list of all the upcoming picks and Co-hosts down below. July’s Pick will be announced during our first Live Book Discussion all I can tell you for now is that it is a sapphic romance! Also if you have any interest in Co-Hosted a monthly book please reach out Via Instagram and we can discuss details!


We also have a Giveaway going on right now to help us grow! Please see this Instagram Post to learn how to enter!

Also we will be doing a giveaway during our live discussion for the book for anyone who attends! More Details to come.


We would love to see you in our reading sprints that we host typically once a week and we absolutely can’t wait to discuss these books and more with you! See you there!