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Kinsey Owen's avatar

Holy crap that trailer for Project Hail Mary gave me chills. I'm so excited!!

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Kelly Witherbee's avatar

Gah, I want to read so many of the books on this list! I always try to balance reading light and fun books in the summer while also reading heavier/nonfiction books that I don’t have the bandwidth to read during the school year (I’m a school psychologist). I’ve already read It’s a Love Story by Annabel Monaghan and I loved it!

Does anyone else balk against some of their favorite books being adapted to screens? Project Hail Mary has a very special place in my heart for reasons I still can’t explain. Some things are really fun to see on the screen, but sometimes I just want to keep my own imaginative interpretation in my head without losing it to how others envision it for a movie screen.

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Becca Freeman's avatar

I'm always scared that the adaptation will not live up to my expectations if I love a book, but in this case, I gotta say... I'm pretty excited!

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Lauren Flanagan's avatar

I cannot wait for Heart the Lover!! Is it true there's a very loose connection to Writers & Lovers?

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Becca Freeman's avatar

Um... you have blown my mind. I can neither confirm or deny.

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Lauren Flanagan's avatar

Ahhhh even more excited now!

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Carson P.'s avatar

It’s the summer of FMCs named Alice! GBBL, One Golden Summer, These Summer Storms… 🤯

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Becca Freeman's avatar

Oh wow, you're so right. I read all of these early and not close together so hadn't put that together!!!

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Carson P.'s avatar

I know it’s just total coincidence, but curious if that would be frustrating to you as an author? I believe you’ve mentioned before on the podcast how much thought you put into your character names.

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Becca Freeman's avatar

Not at all! I think it's just a moment of multiple discovery (or not discovery, since I don't think anyone's discovering the name Alice here), but just something in the zeitgeist. Though I do have a kind of funny theory on this... maybe I'll make it one of the items in this week's Sunday Sundries.

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Rachel Reedy's avatar

I thought it was just me noticing this because my daughter is named Alice but apparently not! 😅

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SO!'s avatar

I read Heart the Lover earlier in June and it was so beautiful but heartbreaking ! I can’t remember the last time a book made me cry. It is also one of my top books this year. I’m hoping it’ll be a book club pick for bad on paper!

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Jessica Goodman's avatar

This was so good - I think it will be my very favorite book of the year!

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Denise Romero's avatar

I am so looking forward to the new Lily King! Also, not a Catherine Newman fan but still want to read the Maggie book. :)

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Lyriquediscorde's avatar

I'm so there for the Project Hail Mary movie. It's TOO LONG to wait! Added a lot of books to my TBR list from this post, especially Heart the Lover.

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Becca Freeman's avatar

I'm ready to go all in on evangelizing Heart the Lover like a second job. It was so so good.

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Lyriquediscorde's avatar

You've got me signed on from your evangelizing :)

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Olivia Scherzer's avatar

I read Problematic Summer Romance this past month and I also think it’s my favorite Ali Hazelwood! Def my favorite characters. Also, I am also a rare #1 PWMOV supporter, thank god you get it.

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Becca Freeman's avatar

Yes, I thought Maya was so different than other AH protagonists! Much more outgoing and wild? In a fun way! And our time as PWMOV stans is coming in Jan!

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Sydney Swain's avatar

Thank you for the problematic summer romance recommendation on the podcast. I probably wouldn't have picked it up otherwise but I adored it. It was soooooo good!!

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Maurene Goo's avatar

Summer reading twins! Felt exactly the same way about the new Ali, it was my fave of hers and I'm already a fan. Same with my Long Island queen Annabel. Jen is a friend of mine and I was blown away by how much I loved FFTWF! And I can't wait to read the new Sarah M! (Ok sorry I just listed all the books I read that you listed already lmao but I got excited)

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Becca Freeman's avatar

No, it's reading twin receipts and I love it!

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Anna Somers's avatar

I grabbed an ARC of These Summer Storms after seeing a few rave reviews of it, but your description has me even more excited to start it. It's next up on my TBR and I can't wait!

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Kristen Luiso's avatar

Earlier this year I read Father of The Rain. can’t wait for Lily King’s newest now!!

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Becca Freeman's avatar

I might need to loop back for her pre-Euphoria backlist. It might be a Lily King deep dive fall! I am still coming down from how much I loved this book.

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Kristen Luiso's avatar

She is exceptional!

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Kuleigh Baker's avatar

I loved Problematic Summer Romance and Fun for the Whole Family! I'm really looking forward to new July book releases.

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Jessica @anindigoday's avatar

You know I’m not big into movies but I also loved people we meet on vacation, can we go see it???

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Becca Freeman's avatar

Even better... it's on Netflix, so release party at my house!

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Kat's avatar

I want you to read Divine Rivals because I want to know if you like it. I was shocked by how much I disliked it compared to all of the rave reviews.

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Becca Freeman's avatar

This is not a ringing endorsement for bumping it up my list. "Here, read this book I hated." 😂😂

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Kat's avatar

no no no no no it's a compliment like I want to know if this person whose recommendations I highly respect also hates the things that I hate.

Being very serious though maybe consider permanently deleting it from your TBR

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Cori Schwabe's avatar

Wow, the Hail Mary trailer!🙌🏼 Thanks, as always, for sharing these💕

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Becca Freeman's avatar

Right? It definitely put me at ease! I'm still very curious about what Rocky will look and sound like which could be very make or break, but I feel in good hands.

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Cori Schwabe's avatar

100%! I also feel like films that do well only feature the first bit of the story in the teaser, which this one does. The ones that end up tanking, you realize scenes from the end were in the trailer!

Anyways, looks so, so good!

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Heidi's avatar

looks so good!!

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