My Weekly Pull [161] & Can't-Wait Wednesday [136]

 

My Weekly Pull is something I do every Wednesday to show which comics I had pulled for me that week! If you're into comics, or you're looking to start, please join me! If you decide to do your own post, there's a link-up at the bottom. I would love to stop by and check it out!

Shadecraft #1 by Joe Henderson, Lee Garbett, Antonio Fabela

Jacob's comics for the week!

Department of Truth #7 by James Tynion IV, Tyler Boss, Martin Simmonds

Transformers #28 by Brian Ruckley, Anna Malkova, Casey W. Coller

Spawn #316 by Todd McFarlane, Carlo Barberi, Francesco Mattina

Symbiote Spider-Man King in Black #5 by Peter David, Greg Land

Usagi Yojimbo Wanderer's Road #5 by Stan Sakai

Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly feature that's hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings. It highlights the upcoming releases we're really excited about reading! CWW is a spinoff of the feature Waiting on Wednesday (WoW), that was started by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

The Rehearsals by Annette Christie 

Expected publication: July 13th 2021

Synopsis (via Goodreads): Fans of Josie Silver and Rebecca Serle will delight in this romantic debut novel--that has a Groundhog Day twist--about a couple who call off their wedding after a disastrous rehearsal dinner, only to wake up the next morning trapped in a time loop. Together.

Two people. One wedding. No end in sight.

Megan Givens and Tom Prescott are heading into what is supposed to be their magical wedding weekend on beautiful San Juan Island. But with two difficult families, ten years of history, and all too many secrets, things quickly go wrong. After a disastrous rehearsal dinner they vow to call the whole thing off—only to wake up the next morning stuck together in a time loop. Are they really destined to relive the worst day of their lives, over and over? And what happens if their wedding day does arrive?

A funny, romantic, and big-hearted debut novel, The Rehearsals imagines what we might do if given a second chance at life and at love—and what it means to finally get it right.

*Share your My Weekly Pull post! Please leave the direct link to your My Weekly Pull post and not just your blog's URL. Thank you for participating and happy reading!

My Weekly Pull [160] & Can't-Wait Wednesday [135]

 

My Weekly Pull is something I do every Wednesday to show which comics I had pulled for me that week! If you're into comics, or you're looking to start, please join me! If you decide to do your own post, there's a link-up at the bottom. I would love to stop by and check it out!

Guardians of the Galaxy #12 by Al Ewing, Juan Cabal, Rafael Albuquerque 

Miles Morales Spider-Man #24 by Saladin Ahmed, Carmen Nunez Carnero, Taurin Clarke

Once & Future #17 by Kieron Gillen, Dan Mora

Jacob's comics for the week!

Usagi Yojimbo #17 by Stan Sakai

The Amazing Spider-Man #62 by Nick Spencer, Patrick Gleason

Carnage Black, White & Blood #1 by Various Artists

King in Black Scream One Shot by Clay McLeod Chapman, Garry Brown, Inhyuk Lee

Savage Avengers #19 by Gerry Duggan, Kev Walker, Valerio Giangiordano

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Best of Michelangelo by Various Artists

Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly feature that's hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings. It highlights the upcoming releases we're really excited about reading! CWW is a spinoff of the feature Waiting on Wednesday (WoW), that was started by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

The Summer Job by Lizzy Dent

Expected publication: May 18th 2021 by G.P. Putnam's Sons

Synopsis (via Goodreads): Beach Read meets Sweetbitter in this laugh-out-loud and ultimately heartwarming debut of a good friend's very bad decision and the summer job that stands to ruin or make her life.

What if you could be someone else? Just for the summer...

Birdy has made a mistake. Everyone imagines running away from their life at some point. But Birdy has actually done it. And the life she's run into is her best friend Heather's. The only problem is, she hasn't told Heather.

The summer job at the highland Scottish hotel that her world class wine-expert friend ditched turns out to be a lot more than Birdy bargained for. Can she survive a summer pretending to be her best friend? And can Birdy stop herself from falling for the first man she's ever actually liked, but who thinks she's someone else?

One good friend's very bad decision is at the heart of this laugh-out-loud love story and unexpected tale of a woman finally finding herself in the strangest of places.

*Share your My Weekly Pull post! Please leave the direct link to your My Weekly Pull post and not just your blog's URL. Thank you for participating and happy reading!

The Girl Least Likely by Katy Loutzenhiser

Synopsis (via Goodreads): To All the Boys meets The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (with a dash of Dumplin’) in this funny, romantic, and heartfelt coming of age story about a teen stand-up comic learning how to be her truest self, from the author of If You’re Out There.

Gretchen has always been more of a “least likely” than a “most likely” kind of girl. So how does she somehow find herself living out every trope from her favorite rom-coms…?

The Best Friend Crush: Why is it suddenly so hard to act normal around her childhood BFF, Samuel? Must be time for a—

Makeover(!): Black leather pants and some red lipstick are apparently enough to lend Gretchen the bravado to do an impromptu set at a comedy club, and catch the eye of—

The Roguish Bad Boy: Jeremy, the alluring young comic who thinks her name is Sabrina. It might just be—

The Perfect Cover: A funny-girl alter-ego that frees Gretchen to explore who she really is—and what she really wants. But as rom-coms have taught her, leading a double life can only last so long.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Any quotes I use are from an unpublished copy and may not reflect the finished product.

I absolutely loved The Girl Least Likely! I devoured the audiobook despite the synthetic voice (which weirdly worked for me this time), and cannot wait to purchase a physical copy for my shelves. Also, if I enjoyed a computer-generated narrator, then I can only image how good the actual audiobook is going to be (which says a lot about the story itself)! Loutzenhiser has created a remarkable story with relatable characters that I would love to be friends with. Gretchen and Sam, Jeremy and the rest of the comedians, Ethan and Natalie - all of them were wonderfully well-written and left lasting impressions.

Gretchen had a seemingly predictable teenage experience... pretended to be someone else while waiting for the other shoe to drop. However, Loutzenhiser adds a few unexpected twists to the story that I did not see coming, and those small additions completely changed the story for me. Gretchen knew her secret identity couldn't last forever, but she enjoyed the anonymity while doing stand-up comedy. She could be anyone - say anything - and it wouldn't directly affect Gretchen. She was wrong of course, because pretending to be someone else was bound to backfire eventually, but she also learned a lot about herself along the way. I really enjoyed following Gretchen's journey and felt like I was a part of her story. I also liked seeing how her character evolved over the course of the book - everything felt authentic and sincere.

While there are multiple love interests in The Girl Least Likely, it never felt like a love triangle. One is an unrequited love, while the other is new and unpredictable. Gretchen uses comedy to sort through her thoughts and feelings - making jokes about her life and those involved - and learns a lot about her family, friendships, and her own pessimistic perspective. Stand-up gave her an opportunity to say her thoughts out loud and express emotions she would normally bury. She didn't feel the need to hide when she was behind a microphone or in front of strangers in an audience, and I thought it was a clever outlet for her fears and insecurities. It was wonderfully unique and so interesting to read about. I love comedy and stand-up specifically, so it was fun to see a character explore those in a YA book. 

I'm 85% sure all of the comedians mentioned in this book (the ones that were characters themselves and not just references) were fictional, but I really wish they weren't. Loutzenhiser manages to be funny and write jokes for multiple people. We don't just see Gretchen being funny on and off the stage, but the other comedians participating in the competition, as well as a famous comedian that Gretchen loves. The author manages to write unique stories for each secondary character, while also making them funny in their own way. I loved how diverse their material was, and that each person had a different way of doing comedy. Really, really well done. 

I thought I knew how this story was going to play out, but I was happy to be wrong! The conflict was wholly believable and not at all cringey (no annoying tropes here). I hate when a story unfolds in a cookie cutter way, so I was pleasantly surprised when Loutzenhiser veered off course and made Gretchen's experience something totally new and completely unforgettable. If you're looking for a book that will make you laugh, keep a perpetual smile on your face, and has characters you'll love to root for - definitely add The Girl Least Likely to your TBR! 

Side note: I loved the references to Samantha Bee (Full Frontal) and Parks & Rec. 

My Weekly Pull [159] & Can't-Wait Wednesday [134]

 

My Weekly Pull is something I do every Wednesday to show which comics I had pulled for me that week! If you're into comics, or you're looking to start, please join me! If you decide to do your own post, there's a link-up at the bottom. I would love to stop by and check it out!

Champions #5 by Danny Lore, Eve Ewing, Luciana Vecchio, Bob Quinn, Toni Infante

Spider-Woman #10 by Karla Pacheco, Pere Perez, Ron Lim

Jacob's comics for the week!

Kick-Ass vs Hit-Girl #5 by Steve Niles, Marcelo Frusin, John Romita Jr.

Transformers Back to the Future #3 by Cavan Scott, Juan Samu, Phil Murphy

King in Black Spider-Man One Shot by Jed MacKay, Michele Bandini, Carlos Gomez

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles The Last Ronin Director's Cut #1 by Kevin Eastman & Various

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #115 by Sophie Campbell, Kevin Eastman

Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly feature that's hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings. It highlights the upcoming releases we're really excited about reading! CWW is a spinoff of the feature Waiting on Wednesday (WoW), that was started by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

A Million Things by Emily Spurr

Expected publication: August 24th 2021 by Berkely Penguin Random House

Synopsis (via Goodreads): A bursting, heartfelt, debut following fifty-five days in the life of ten-year-old Rae, who must look after herself and her dog when her mother disappears.

For as long as Rae can remember, it’s been her and Mum, and their dog, Splinter; a small, deliberately unremarkable, family. They have their walks, their cooking routines, their home. Sometimes Mum disappears for a while to clear her head but Rae is okay with this, because Mum always comes back.

So, when Rae wakes to Splinter’s nose in her face, the back door open, and no Mum, she does as she’s always done and carries on. She takes care of the house, goes to school, walks Splinter, and minds her own business—all the while pushing down the truth she isn’t ready to face.

That is, until her grumpy, lonely neighbor Lettie—with her own secrets and sadness—falls one night and needs Rae’s help. As the two begin to rely on each other, Rae’s anxiety intensifies as she wonders what will happen to her when her mother’s absence is finally noticed and her fragile world bursts open.

A Million Things transforms a gut-wrenching story of abandonment and what it’s like to grow up in a house that doesn’t feel safe into an astonishing portrait of resilience, mental health, and the families we make and how they make us in return.

*Share your My Weekly Pull post! Please leave the direct link to your My Weekly Pull post and not just your blog's URL. Thank you for participating and happy reading!

My Weekly Pull [158] & Can't-Wait Wednesday [133]

 

My Weekly Pull is something I do every Wednesday to show which comics I had pulled for me that week! If you're into comics, or you're looking to start, please join me! If you decide to do your own post, there's a link-up at the bottom. I would love to stop by and check it out!

Daredevil #28 by Chip Zdarsky, Marco Checchetto

Last Witch #3 by Conor McCreery, V.V. Glass, Jorge Corona

Proctor Valley Road #1 by Alex Child, Grant Morrison, Naomi Franquiz

Spector Inspectors #2 by Bowen McCurdy, Kaitlyn Musto 

Jacob's comics for the week!

Deadpool Nerdy 30 One Shot by Various Artists

Non-Stop Spider-Man #1 by Joe Kelly, Chris Bachalo, Dale Eaglesham, David Finch

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Jennika II #5 by Ronda Pattison, Jodie Nishijima

Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly feature that's hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings. It highlights the upcoming releases we're really excited about reading! CWW is a spinoff of the feature Waiting on Wednesday (WoW), that was started by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Never Saw You Coming by Erin Hahn

Expected publication: September 7th 2021 by Wednesday Books

Synopsis (via Goodreads): Raised by conservative parents, 18-year-old Meg Hennessey just found out her entire childhood was a lie. Instead of taking a gap year before college to find herself, she ends up traveling north to meet what’s left of the family she never knew existed.

While there, she meets Micah Allen, a former pastor’s kid whose dad ended up in prison, leaving Micah with his own complicated relationship about the church. The clock is ticking on Pastor Allen’s probation hearing and Micah, now 19, feels the pressure to forgive - even when he can’t possibly forget.

As Meg and Micah grow closer, they are confronted with the heavy flutterings of first love and all the complications it brings. Together, they must navigate the sometimes-painful process of cutting ties with childhood beliefs as they build toward something truer and straight from the heart.

In Erin Hahn’s Never Saw You Coming, sometimes it takes a leap of faith to find yourself.

*Share your My Weekly Pull post! Please leave the direct link to your My Weekly Pull post and not just your blog's URL. Thank you for participating and happy reading!

My Weekly Pull [157] & Can't-Wait Wednesday [132]

 

My Weekly Pull is something I do every Wednesday to show which comics I had pulled for me that week! If you're into comics, or you're looking to start, please join me! If you decide to do your own post, there's a link-up at the bottom. I would love to stop by and check it out!

King in Black Gwenom vs Carnage #3 by Seanan McGuire, Flaviano, David Lafuente

Jacob's comics for the week!

Transformers Beast Wars #2 by Erik Burnham, Josh Burcham, Dan Schoening

Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly feature that's hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings. It highlights the upcoming releases we're really excited about reading! CWW is a spinoff of the feature Waiting on Wednesday (WoW), that was started by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

The Girl Least Likely by Katy Loutzenhiser 

Expected publication: June 29th 2021

Synopsis (via Goodreads): To All the Boys meets The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (with a dash of Dumplin’) in this funny, romantic, and heartfelt coming of age story about a teen stand-up comic learning how to be her truest self, from the author of If You’re Out There.

Gretchen has always been more of a “least likely” than a “most likely” kind of girl. So how does she somehow find herself living out every trope from her favorite rom-coms…?

The Best Friend Crush: Why is it suddenly so hard to act normal around her childhood BFF, Samuel? Must be time for a—

Makeover(!): Black leather pants and some red lipstick are apparently enough to lend Gretchen the bravado to do an impromptu set at a comedy club, and catch the eye of—

The Roguish Bad Boy: Jeremy, the alluring young comic who thinks her name is Sabrina. It might just be—

The Perfect Cover: A funny-girl alter-ego that frees Gretchen to explore who she really is—and what she really wants. But as rom-coms have taught her, leading a double life can only last so long.

I'm actually reading this one right now and really loving it! I can totally relate to Gretchen and what she's going through, and the stand-up comedy makes this one a blast to read. Lots of  "LOL" moments for sure!

*Share your My Weekly Pull post! Please leave the direct link to your My Weekly Pull post and not just your blog's URL. Thank you for participating and happy reading!