Get the Recap of My Recent #GiveItAWeek Challenges

Brit Morin
Jul 20, 2018

I’m proud to say that I’m nearly 25 weeks into my #GiveItAWeek challenge on Instagram — whoa! Time sure flies when you’re talking to strangers, learning Spanish, and raising money for a good cause — right? ;)

My seven-day journeys are still far from over, but I can say that having the support from all of you guys has been HUGE. I’m hoping you all will continue to share the love and advice with me over on IG @brit as I put more personal challenges to the test. I have about six months to go, and there are a LOT of fun adventures coming. But for now, here’s what I’ve been up to for the last few weeks…

WEEK 14: Cake Decorating

I went into this week with some previous decorating experience. I’ve always enjoyed cake, cupcake, and cookie decorating and for the past several years, I have made custom cakes for my kids’ birthdays. That said, I wanted to take my skills to the next level (think buttercream ranunculus, brushstroke icing ensembles, and fondant polka-dot accents). I used a few online tutorials, got my organic mixes and frostings from former B+C employee Sarah Jones (@missjonesbakes), and recruited the help of one of my favorite pastry entrepreneurs Melissa Ben-Ishay (owner of the cult cupcake brand @bakedbymelissa) to brush up on my piping, cake pop, and tie-dying skills. Throughout this delicious adventure, my takeaways were that tools matter and a lot of time is involved, especially if you’re baking AND decorating together at once. But ultimately, I loved the zen-like creative state and ability to share sweets with others throughout this process. Now excuse me while I go on a bit of a frosting detox for the next few weeks!

WEEK 15: Limited Hair Washing

I work out a lot, so I typically wash my hair every other day. That being said, I’ve always heard that limiting your sudsing time is actually better for your locks. So I decided to go seven days without washing — eek! The best part? I exceeded my goal and actually made it through EIGHT DAYS! (How was this possible!? I am still shocked.) Big props to everyone who gave me their best dirty hair tips and dry shampoo recommendations, which I definitely used. Ultimately, I found that by skipping my shampoo, I drastically improved my hair’s volume and saved about 20 minutes a day. Not too shabby of a life hack, eh?

WEEK 16: Intermittent Fasting

This one was a big challenge for me since I love my breakfast! Since I’ve heard there are so many great health benefits of eating intermittently throughout the day, I decided it was at least worth trying to forgo those a.m. pancakes. (Spoiler alert: I found out it really wasn’t for me!) Long story short, my stomach was RUMBLING by 10am. Thank goodness I could even make it that long, thanks to the ability to have coffee. And while I discovered that 14-hour fasts were wayyy easier than 16-hour fasts (and I learned that getting used to the process can take up to two weeks), I think I’m happiest sticking to my usual eating routines with the rest of my family. Pass the syrup, please!

WEEK 17: Meditation

Speaking from complete honesty, I never thought meditation was for me. When I would sit down to relax, I simply couldn’t keep my mind from wandering! I’m definitely a Type A person with schedules and to-do lists taking over my mind at all times. (Hence the reason I NEED meditation, ha.) However, after a week of embarking on this zen-filled experiment, I gained a new opinion of it. The entire experience was like having a best friend give you a pep talk and an abbreviated sermon at church all at once, if that makes sense! I most enjoyed myself during moving meditations, like those jogging meditation exercises found in the Nike Run Club app in partnership with Headspace. The good news is that I learned it’s perfectly fine to let your mind stray, as long as you can reel it at times (which I certainly did!). P.S. If you’re interested in kick-starting your own meditation journey, tune into my favorite apps, Headspace or Calm.

WEEK 18: Talking to Strangers

Yes, this sounds like a challenge your parents would convince you NOT to do. However, as someone who is more of an introvert, I decided to step outside of my comfort zone and talk to a different stranger for a few minutes every day. While the initial days were a bit rough (it was tough to come up with a great icebreaker!!), I finally found my groove and walked away having had amazing conversations with everyone from a cute Starbucks barista to a costume-clad doorman. Bonus: I got to attend an NYC Broadway show with a really awesome Instagram stranger-turned-friend, Colleen. How cool is that?

WEEK 19: Learning Spanish

This was a fun one! I grew up taking Spanish classes but hadn’t practiced in forever, so I wanted to motivate myself to use it every day with the goal of holding an entire convo with someone en español. To me, the trickiest part of Spanish is always the conjugations, but the daily practice of listening, reading, and even writing (to many of YOU in my IG messages!) made it much easier by the end. Pro tip: Converting your phone settings to Spanish forces you to spend hours a day reading it. SUPER HELPFUL to me. By day seven, I held a lengthier discussion with a willing IG fan which really surprised me (in the best way, of course!) ;). I give major credit to Duolingo, which was an immensely helpful tool (along with tuning into some v. entertaining telenovelas on YouTube… everyone should do a search on there for Miramar; it’s quite cheesy in the best way possible!).

WEEK 20: Zero Waste

If we’re being honest, I was mostly inspired by @trashisfortossers — as well as many, many requests by all of you — to do a no waste challenge for a week. So for seven days, I attempted to fit all of my trash into a mason jar. Crazy, huh!? I will say that kids, a hectic travel schedule, and an affinity for La Croix proved to make this harder than I planned for. BUT, I legitimately made some progress and learned new products, tips, and insights about how to live with less emissions. I will forever judge myself for using a plastic straw, and I now have converted all of my plastic water bottles at home to glass, plus swapped out plastic baggies for cloth or paper. Even weeks later, I’m still so conscious of how I can reduce my own waste. I wish everyone would try this challenge for a week! Think of the collective good we could do for this world.

WEEK 21: Making $1,000

For these seven days, I was inspired to raise $1,000 for a cause that’s near (it’s in my hometown) and dear to my heart — @raciestexas. With some crafty thinking, I was able to review websites, write poems, and sell dresses on Instagram to hit my goal (and then some!) of $5,000. By the time the week was over, I walked away with some serious cash for a worthy cause and gained some new rhyming skills in the process. I’d consider that a win-win! The bigger takeaway was learning about all the random ways it’s now possible to make some money on the side. I’ve already seen many women try them out for themselves for added income. Love it!

WEEK 22: Wearing Braids

You guys, I love braids. But because I haven’t yet mastered all of the techniques (there are SO many types of braids these days!), I decided to embark on a week-long mission to sharpen my skillset. With expert tips from online tutorials (Brit + Co has a helpful braid how-to here!), I experimented with milk-maid braids, fish tails, dutch braids, and of course, the ever classic French braid. Weeks later and I’m still rocking a braid every few days, now with WAY more confidence. Here’s to switching up my hair game more!

WEEK 23: Going Vegetarian

Believe it or not, this Texas gal has considered converting to a veggie lifestyle before. So this challenge felt like the perfect time to officially try it! My thoughts? I had a travel-heavy week, which was incredibly frustrating for this challenge. Trying to find nutritious vegetarian meals in airports is near-impossible! You end up eating almonds or terrible salads. During other parts of the week, I leaned on lots of eggs, cheese, rice, and beans to get me through, which didn’t always feel super healthy. I also experienced a rather, um, unwanted side effect of intestinal gas, which I was reassured by all of you was perfectly normal during this new eating phase. (Still SO awkward.) All things said, I gained respect for all vegetarians out there who have to navigate their diets in a meat-heavy world. It isn’t easy, and it’s always uncomfortable being “that girl” asking for the substitutes. Veggie eaters, I feel you! (PS One of our editors captured her own foray into being vegetarian here that’s definitely worth watching!)

Have you been following along with my #GiveItAWeek challenges? Share your feedback with me @brit!

I Took On 52 Fitness Challenges For A Year And Here’s What Happened

In 2019, I took a chance on fitness: I set out to try a different kind of fitness each week of the year. That's 52 different kinds of fitness. I was inspired by Brit + Co Founder and CEO Brit Morin and her #GiveItAWeek challenges. (You can check out Brit's full year of weekly challenges @brit on Instagram.)


I've been a runner for almost 10 years now. Being a runner is part of my identity, it's part of who I am. I can't tell you the number of times people have said to me, "I could never be a runner!!" And the number of times I've responded "Yes, you can!!"

Or, they'd say, "I hate running, but I want to be a runner!"

It hit me one day, when I was talking to someone who loved dance fitness as much as I loved running: there are SO MANY types of fitness out there. There are so many different ways to be active. And I wanted to try more of them.

That's what inspired #fitforsevens.

Below are some of the lessons learned during my 52 weeks of different kinds of fitness:

  1. There are so many ways to sweat and be active. I didn't even make it through my entire list of different kinds of fitness — which included way more than 52 — that I wanted to try!
  2. The fitness industry capitalizes on body shaming, insecurities and diet culture. Unfortunately the majority of the gyms or new workout regimens I tried had a weight loss focus. One trainer even asked me during an introductory assessment, "How long have you hated your body?"
  3. Fitness culture is real and can be hard to break into. It can take a couple visits to know if you fit with the community of a particular gym or fitness space. Be brave and be patient.
  4. You have to do it for you, not anyone else. When I would invite someone to join me on one of the weeks, often they wouldn't show up or would cancel right beforehand. I think that fitness is one of those things that people choose to bail on — it's just too much of a commitment for some — so you can't rely on other people to help you reach your goals. You have to do it for you.

My favorites workouts

A few of my favorites were honestly surprising to me! I did not expect to love axe throwing (Week 13) as much as I did. If you haven't tried it yet, you need to!! I also loved Bar Method (Week 6) and pilates (Week 39) — both were such different kinds of fitness and movement. I was so sore from Bar Method!

My all-time favorite week though was visiting a women-owned CrossFit gym (Week 42) that is new to Fresno/Clovis. It was so different than any other CrossFit gym I've ever visited and the environment that the coaches and members created made me feel at home instantly. It confirmed one of the biggest lessons that I learned all year: that environment and community matters so much to a fitness experience.

Least favorite workouts

I don't love big box gyms (the ones that just have rows and rows of equipment and machines). I need more structure than those spaces offer for me and I need a greater sense of community. The price point for these gyms usually make them more accessible but for me they don't provide the accountability and community that I want and need.

I also had a really disappointing experience at a boot camp gym where I experienced an unfortunate amount of body shaming and weight-loss-only focused goal setting. Fitness is not always about weight loss, and it was disheartening to see some gyms capitalize on body shaming as a marketing technique.

What I learned about my fitness language

I need community. I care much more about how a place makes me feel than the kind of workout that I'm getting. Ideally, you'll find a place or a kind of fitness that makes you feel both. Because I work from home, I appreciate the community that my gym now brings me. It helps me to have somewhere to go and something to schedule my days around.

Would I do #fitforsevens again?

Maybe someday, but not someday soon, haha. It was so fun and I'm so proud of myself for completing the challenge, but I'm ready to focus more on my fitness in CrossFit, swimming, biking and running. There are still so many kinds of fitness that I did not get to try though, so overall, I think this challenge encouraged me to be more adventurous with my fitness.

Looking ahead

As a long-time runner, I never thought I'd find another kind of fitness that I love as much as running. Running is still my greatest fitness love, but I learned that there are so many ways to move your body out there. My #fitforsevens challenge made me realize that I'm stronger than I think I am and inspired me to quit my full-time job to chase a huge dream: training for an Ironman!

THE LIST

Below are all of the 52 kinds of fitness that I tried. You can find videos and more @sweatytearsofjoy on my highlights:

1. Weighted vest workouts

2. Burpees and SUP

3. Yoga

4. CycleBar Fresno

5. Run 5 miles 5x

6. Bar Method

7. Fit Body Boot Camp

8. Blue Moon Yoga

9. Double Unders

10. EmPack

11. TRX Suspension Training

12. Biking

13. Axe Throwing

14. Hip Circle

15. Resistance Bands

16. Juggling and Lunastix

17. Plank

18. Old Town Yoga (online)

19. Old Town Yoga (class)

20. Weight Vest Running

21. Orange Theory Fitness

22. Rollerblading

23. Fitness Social - TRX focus

24. Fit Body Boot Camp

25. Aerial Yoga

26. Swimming

27. 9Round Fitness

28. Driving Range

29. Night Running

30. Stretching

31. Tai chi

32. Dance fitness

33. Esports

34. Hiking solo

35. Peloton

36. Garmin

37. Kettlebells

38. Trail running

39. Pilates

40. Pumpkin workout

41. High altitude running

42. Uncaged CrossFit

43. Fitness Social - Kettlebell focus

44. Park workouts

45. Tennis

46. Step aerobics

47. Body pump

48. Tabata fitness

49. Open-water swimming

50. Open gym

51. Fitness apps

52. MURPH/Hero workouts

I hope that you spend 2020 trying things that you're afraid to try. I hope that you try things that you might be bad at. And I hope you get sweaty.

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Glen Powell & Sydney Sweeney Already Have Ideas For "Anyone But You 2"

Rom-coms are SO back, and after the flop-turned-viral Anyone But You gave us Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney onscreen, audiences are begging to see them together again. Glen's latest Vanity Fair profile (ahead of this year's summer moviesHit Man andTwisters) confirms "ideas are being batted around" for an Anyone But You 2, which I need in theaters, like, yesterday. Here's everything you need to know about the potential sequel — and which Shakespeare adaptation the duo should tackle next.

Will there be a second movie for Anyone But You?

Image via Sony Pictures

Both Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney have teased a potential Anyone But You 2. "I'm just so thankful that everybody is loving [Anyone But You]...a little love, a little romance," Sydney told Jimmy Fallonthere's "a high nine chance" for a sequel, while Glen confirms to Variety that the duo is "definitely trying to find the next thing...We’re reading everything and just trying to see what makes sense, what we can turn into something that audiences are going to respond to.”

Which Shakespeare story will Anyone But You 2 adapt?

Image via Sony Entertainment

There's nothing like a Shakespeare adaptation, and Anyone But You is actually loosely inspired by William Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing (similar to how 10 Things I Hate About You is inspired by The Taming of the Shrew!). I think they should totally continue this theme for all future sequels. Glen and Sydney would do phenomenal with the hilarity of A Midsummer Night's Dream — maybe instead of an enchanted forest, they take on a busy and colorful local fair, with Claudia and Halle of course. Think about all the possibilities! Nothing says confusion and chaos like fun houses, carnival food, and dead cell phone batteries.

How old is Bea in Anyone But You?

Image via Eddy Chen/Sony Pictures

Bea is a law student at the beginning of Anyone But You, meaning she's in her mid-20s. Considering Sydney Sweeney is 26, this is the perfect fit!

What do you want to see from Anyone But You 2? Check out our TikTok for more pop culture news, and read up on Our Dream Sydney Sweeney & Billie Eilish Sister Movie!

Lead image via Sony Pictures

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Casting Call: We Want You to Model for Us!

At Brit + Co, we believe that courage, curiosity, creativity, and confidence are contagious. The more we encourage these qualities in women, the more empowered they’ll feel to empower other women, and the better the world will be. We celebrate all folks from all walks of life, and representation is important to us. That’s why we’re reaching out to you, our community, in search of diverse faces that represent our audience and the world. If you or someone you know is interested in joining our modeling team, we’re holding an open casting call! Join us:

WHEN: Friday, March 29, from 11am-3pm and

Saturday, March 30, from 10am-2pm

WHERE:Brit + Co Headquarters, 550 Sutter Street, San Francisco, CA 94102

WHO: We are looking for all different types of people! Bring your moms, your pals, your partners, and your kiddos!

(Local to Bay Area only)

HOW: Please fill out this questionnaire!

EXPECT: To spend about an hour of your time.

We can't wait to meet you!

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The 'Bridgerton' Cast Is “Obsessed” With Claudia Jessie

When I sit down with Bridgerton's Claudia Jessie, Jessica Madsen, and Hannah Dodd over Zoom, it's immediately clear that they LOVE each other. The three women talk so quickly and overlap so much that it's easy to believe they play friends and sisters onscreen. And when I ask for their go-to confidence boosters, Claudia can barely explain why she's "just accepted that it's probably not gonna happen" before Jessica and Hannah jump in.

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‘Bridgerton’ Stars Claudia Jessie, Jessica Madsen, and Hannah Dodd On Keeping Secrets & Season 4

"Ultimately I could love myself, or I could just be like, 'Here I am,'" Claudia Jessie says. "Most of the time, none of us know what we're really doing anyway. So I think I'm just letting go of any attachment of trying to feel confident."

"You should be confident because everybody loves you," Hannah Dodd counters. "Everybody's obsessed with you! I think, if you surround yourself with the right people as well, like my friends give me confidence, the right people, like your team and you guys."

"'How are you so confident to be so different?' I say at one point to Eloise," Jessica Madsen says. "And when I read that in the script, it was just like [how] I feel about you, and I really mean it...I remember saying it and really feeling like that was 100 percent true from me to you, [Claudia]."

The love is totally reciprocated, and when I ask what the three women would write in their own Lady Whistledown column, Claudia hypes up Jessica's love of music.

"I love music. I love making playlists," Jessica says. "I went through a little stage where Spotify was my everything. I wanted to be a DJ."

"You'd look great as a DJ," Claudia adds. "I don't know your DJ'ing skills yet, but you'd look amazing behind the deck like that."

Hannah adds that they talk a lot about their dogs, and books. "I do love books," Claudia, who just finished Travis Baldree's Legends & Lattes, agrees. "I'm a big reader. Basically I like things that don't mean I have to leave the house. I could talk about the inside of my flat thoroughly. I could write about that, my four walls."

Image via Netflix

Bridgerton season 3 opens after Eloise's discovery that Lady Whistledown is actually her best friend Penelope Featherington. The middle Bridgerton child has had to keep it a secret all this time, and Claudia Jessie admits she's a good secret keeper, just for a different reason: "I'm good because I forget them immediately," she says.

"I'm like the grave," Jessica Madsen promises.

"I wouldn't say I'm a grave," Hannah Dodd adds. "I just have a group of people that I'm like, 'They don't count.' I will not tell anybody. But like, except for these...one or two very trustworthy people."

In the show, multiple characters' trust in one another is threatened — learning about Penelope's secret identity challenges Eloise's trust in Penelope, and Colin's remarks that he'd never court Pen threaten her trust in him. While we see these relationships evolve in unexpected ways, we also see new sides to characters we thought we knew. Namely, Cresside Cowper.

"Other than, obviously the really sad passing of the Bridgerton dad, Eloise comes from an incredibly sheltered, privileged, happy, nourishing environment where they can all be themselves," Claudia says. "So I think it is really important to see just how different it is [from the Cowper household], cause it also informs us a bit more about how difficult the situation is for Cressida and why she might be colder or a bit closed off."

"[She's] very lonely as well," Jessica adds. "She's got nobody. Not her mum, and definitely not her dad. It's opposite ends of the spectrum."

Image via Netflix

And while season 3 of Bridgerton is just about to debut, Jessica Madsen, Hannah Dodd, and Claudia Jessie already have dreams for Bridgerton season 4.

"I'd love for Eloise to get political, do you know what I mean?" Claudia says. "I'd love that because there's so much room for Eloise to go there."

"She could be the first Prime Minister!" Jessica chimes in.

"I don't know for Francesca," Hannah says. "I'm so excited to see what the writers come up with. I just hope she steps into herself a little bit more and kind of goes after things that make her happy, and knows that she's deserving of that. But I'm new here. So, like anything they give me, I'm gonna be happy with."

Brit + Co Rapid Fire With The Bridgerton Cast

Image via Netflix

Brit + Co: We've talked so much about books, what are you all reading?

Claudia Jessie: I just finished a book called Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree. And it literally says on the cover "Low stakes, high cozy vibes"...It was beautiful. Really comforting. It was like a big hug.

Hannah Dodd: I'm reading Yellowface at the moment, and I just finished Lessons in Chemistry. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo [was] good. And that really took me a while to find another book that filled that hole.

Jessica Madsen: I have Dopamine Nation...I love audio books. So I actually have Viola Davis reading to me every night her autobiography, which is amazing.

B+C: What music is on repeat for you at the moment?

CJ: I'm listening to a band called Say She She. They're like three sexy, beautiful girls doing like funk, disco pop. Beautiful, cool stuff. And they're really, really cool.

HD: I'm less cool and very generic. Beyonce's new album and Ariana Grande's new album, and I'm obsessed with Noah Kahan at the moment as well.

JM: I'm a mixed bag. I've got a lot of different stuff that I love. Yeah, I've, I've been listening to a lot of Fat Freddy's Drop cause they've got a great summer vibe. Two Feet I really enjoy...I like jazz. Disco.

Image via Netflix

B+C: Bridgerton is our next watch, what's the last thing you binge watched?

CJ:Barry, which I think is the best comedy that's ever been written, ever. I know I'm gonna re-watch it as well cause it's just unbelievable. The amount of respect they show that comedy is so beautiful.

HD: I haven't binged anything in a while, but I'm really excited to watch Ripley. And I think the last thing I binged was One Day as well, which left me heartbroken.

JM: I just binge watched — I say binge gently — Yellowstone, so I want to be a cowgirl now, really badly. I want to live in denim for the rest of my life, in cowboy boots, badly. And then I just I always put Schitt's Creek on. I've watched it 10 times now, which is embarrassing. I love it. We need laughter. We need fun.

B+C: What's on your summer 2024 bucket list?

JM: I would love to get on a beach. I wanna be on a beach for a bit and just feel the sand and the sea.

HD: I'd just like to get through this part of my life, which is quite exciting and new for me and I don't know. I wouldn't say no to a beach either.

CJ: Just a load of iced coffees. That's great when that season comes around, you can have iced coffee. That's like my favorite cause I kid myself into thinking it's not the same amount of caffeine as a hot coffee, so I'm like 'I can have three!' and then I'm rattling.

What are you most excited to see in Bridgerton season 3? Check out Bridgerton’s Nicola Coughlan & Luke Newton Got The Best Advice From Their Co-Stars for more!

Lead image via Netflix

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Get 20 Beach Reads For Up To 80% Off During Amazon's Book Sale

Calling all BookTok, bookstagrammers, and leisurely readers: the Amazon Book Sale has landed! I can barely contain myself because there’s so many great titles — including more than a few picks from Reese Witherspoon’s book club — that Amazon is discounting for it’s special reading crowd.

I know I’ve been stuck on romantasy books for a while (sorry, not sorry!), but there’s so many other great picks you’ll be able to snag on sale. And if you’re a Kindle type of woman, you’re not being left out.

Amazon isn’t leaving any stone unturned with this sale so let’s jump right into what to expect and which books are on sale right now!

When is the Amazon Book Sale?

Image via Amazon

The Amazon Book Sale runs from today until May 20, so you’ll have six full days to plan your (very discounted) TBR list.

What should I expect from the Amazon Book Sale?

Image via Amazon

The Amazon Book Sale will feature titles from different genres that you can save up to 50% on. Not only that, but Kindle users can save up to 80% on books! In case you’re wondering, you're not dreaming — this is really, really good.

The best news about the sale is that you can start shopping deals NOW. So, what are you waiting for! Take a peek at our picks!

Are Kindle books included in the Amazon Book Sale?

Image via Amazon

Yes! You'll be able to find a plethora of discounted kindle books during the Amazon Book Sale. The best news is that you can access three months of Kindle Unlimitedfor $0!

Shop Book Editors' Picks During the Amazon Sale

None of This Is True by Lisa Jewell

Alix Summer and Josie Fair quickly become friends after a chance meeting on their birthdays. They seem to have things in common which leads Alix to feature Josie on her podcast. But the closer they get, the more Alix feels conflicted about her new friend.

Before she can piece together her concerns, Josie has found her way into every part of Alix's life and it's only after she disappears that Alix realizes how much danger she's in.

Bad Summer People by Emma Rosenblum

Jen Weinstein and her friend Lauren Parker are ever popular in Salcombe, Fire Island during the summer season. They seem to have a hold on anyone that comes in contact with them, including their husbands. However, there's no denying that grudges have been steadily building over the years due to things unspoken. And Rachel Woolf? Well, she's just there to have a great time even if it's at someone else's expense.

However, who knows more than they're willing to share and who would be so angry that they'd commit a murder?

Weyward by Emilia Hart

Weyward is a moving novel that alternates between various timelines and involves a family's mystical powers.

In the present time of 2019, Kate takes refuge at her great-aunt's cottage that's worlds away from the person she's afraid of. She's not entirely sure, but she can't shake the feeling that there was more to her great-aunt than was outwardly presented.

The timeline of 1619 is then introduced and readers get to know Altha, a woman who's accused of having something to do with a farmer's death. The thing is Altha truly does know magic associated with the world around her, but people are on edge and will do anything to have a witch trial.

Then in 1942, we meet young Violet who feels trapped in more ways than one. She wants nothing more than to live a life that's not confined by hiding behind society's expectations of women. Her only connection to her mother and her past is finding the word 'weyward' in her bedroom, thus setting off a chain of events that lead back to 2019.

Stock Up On #BookTok Favorites

It Ends With Us & It Starts With Us Box Set by Colleen Hoover

For the first time ever, get your hands on the limited edition box set of Colleen Hoover's finest, It Ends With Us and It Starts With Us!

It Ends With Us begins with Lily believing that Ryle couldn't be more perfect for her despite his tendency to be rough around the edges. There's also the fact that he's not 100% open to dating. But, they somehow form a sort of love dance that becomes a romantic relationship. However, this is challenged when her first love Atlas comes back into her life.

It Starts With Us finds Lily and Ryle divorced, but they still communicate on friendly terms. But when Atlas comes into the picture again, Lily doesn't hesitate to let him into her world. It shouldn't feel complicated, but she knows that Atlas is the last man Ryle wants around. The ending is just as shocking, poignant, and beautiful as It Ends With Us.

Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

Still excited that the movie adaptation of Red, White & Royal Blue is getting a sequel that'll premiere on Amazon Prime? Me too, but we'll have to wait for more news to drop about it! Until then, we can revisit our favorite couple by Casey McQuiston's book that's on sale for $15!

House of Ash and Shadow by Leia Stone

Fallon Bane spends a great deal of her life being untouched because of a lethal curse she was born with. Despite her acceptance, she still yearns for intimacy. To make matters worse, her father's own health becomes comprised which leads her to seek out help from a healer fae — Ariyon Madden.

He not only begins helping her, but he always touches her in a way she's never experienced before. Fallon is shocked that she's still ver much alive and things finally seem to look bright for her. That is until Ariyon tells other powerful fae about her.

From there, Fallon learns the truth about who her family is and why her curse exists..

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

Young Feyre commits an offense agains the immortal and very powerful fae that sends her to their magical world. Though she's away from a life of poverty and tension, she misses her family.

Still, she resides in the home of the 'beast' who allows her to live in his home — Tamlin. What she quickly realizes is that he's actually one of the powerful faes and that she's not the kind of prisoner she thinks she is. Even more, she begins questioning everything she'd learned about the Fae world because it's not quite like what mortals say it is.

As the hostility between Feyre and Tamlin dies down, an ancient evil continues spreading through his world and it'll be up to Feyre to help stop it.

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The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn

Anna Fox has agoraphobia so she spends time by herself at home by herself and fills her days with drinking, watching comfort movies, and being a nosy neighbor. That's how she knows a new family — The Russells — have moved across from her.

She continues her usually nosy activities and finds herself witnessing something that seems horribly wrong. As she frantically tries to piece together the mystery of what happened, it becomes clear that the lines of her imagination and reality have become blurred.

Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah

Kate Mularkey was never the popular girl until she met her best friend Tully. Their lives are polar opposite, but there's no denying how tight their bond is. Over time we learn that Tully has abandonment issues and looks for anyone — especially men — to love her. Her journey takes her to the big apple where she achieves all the glitz and glamour that life has to offer.

Kate goes on to become a wife and mother, two things she believes she wants, but it becomes clear that she's missing something. That something is what begins to burn a hole in her being and the more she watches her best friend Tully live a successful life, the more she wants that for herself too.

Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng

Elena Richardson and Mia Warren go to warn in this moving novel about classism. It dares to ask readers who deserves to be seen as a shining example of a mother as both women eventually face how far they're willing to go to protect those they love.

For Elena, Shaker Heights is all she's ever known. She's married, has four children, and is well-loved in her community. She believes that she's been able to achieve everything she has because she knows how to be the woman who doesn't color outside of the lines.

On the other hand, Mia is an artist who knows all about creating masterpieces with elements that are otherwise seen as messy. She and her daughter Pearl become a little too close to the Richardsons, finding their lives dangerously intertwined with them.

When a custody battle ensues that involves the young daughter of Mia co-worker, she finds herself willing to dismantle the pretty facade of not only Shaker Heights, but Elena as well.

Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed (Only 2 Left in Stock)

Cheryl Strayed has spent over 10 years dishing out advice as 'Dear Sugar' has touched people with her columns, podcast Dear Sugars, and Substack. Deciding to compile all of the best things she's ever told people, Cheryl Strayed pieced together Tiny Beautiful Things so that readers around the world won't have to look far for her empathetic wisdom.

Georgie, All Along by Kate Clayborn

Georgia Mulcahy is the ultimate people-pleaser and her career is the epitome of it. She'd probably always be that way had it not been for a unexpected career change that sends her packing back home. Begrudgingly, she goes and soon discovers a diary where she once wrote down all of her heart's desires.

This inspires her to start checking things off her life's to-do list so that she can really start living. It's just that Levi Fanning is somehow her unexpected roommate while she's at her parents' home and his offer to help her complete her list feels like something she didn't know she'd encounter.

The more they spend time together, the more Georgie feels like there's more to life than checking off things on a list.

The Mitford Affair by Marie Benedict

The Mitford sisters have always been the talk of the town, but nothing is as shocking as when one of the sisters decides she'd rather devote herself to a fascist leader. Another sister decides it's worth following her and this leads people to whisper salacious things about her alleged relationship with Hitler.

As the war between Great Britain and Germany threaten to spill over, their sister Nancy can't help but wonder what her sisters have gotten themselves into. She'll have to decide where her own allegiance lies.

Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle

Daphne Bell has always known how long she'll be with a man before moving on to the next one. It's not that she's flighty, but more so that the universe literally tells her what to expect. These little nudges have been in her life for over two decades and it's something she's learned to accept.

However, the universe decides to be cryptic by only clueing her in on the name of the next man she'll spend time with. It's odd because if Jake knew the things she did, there's a chance he could walk away from her forever and that's the last thing Daphne wants.

On a Quiet Street by Seraphina Nova Glass

Brighton Hills appears to be a picturesque place to live. It's a community that beautifully blends luxurious living with the gorgeous nature that surrounds it and the neighbors always have their eyes on each other.

However, Cora's desire to find out if her husband is having an affair leads her to form a partnership with Paige. She's the one neighbor that Cora knows keeps a watchful eye on what's going on in Brighton Hills after her son died.

The two women work together to discover what Cora's husband is really up to, but what they may stumble across will send a shockwave through Brighton Hills.

Discounted Kindle Book Deals

Throne of the Fallen by Kerri Maniscalo

The Prince of Envy is struggling to save his demon court in Throne of the Fallen, but he's determined to find a way to do so. He's not afraid of the magic and mysterious people that keep crossing his path because nothing can stop his fierce desire to regain the control he once has.

Things are seemingly no different from Miss Camilla Antonius because she's facing blackmail by someone who literally makes her skin crawl. In order to change her fate, she reluctantly joins forces with The Prince of Envy and thus begins their dangerous journey through the Underworld.

It's the one place that may pull them together in more ways than one.

The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy by Megan Bannen

Hart spends most of his time patrolling Tanria, but the loneliness does nothing to keep him company. Things couldn't be any different for Mercy though. She's tasked with making sure things are running properly at Birdsall & Son Undertakers and doesn't have time for anyone's foolery.

Ironically, Hart and Mercy both have taken up writing mysterious letters to strangers who have become their friends. The thing is they're not aware they've been communicating with each other.

It's a classic enemies-to-loves fantasy novel that'll make you smile with glee.

The Mystery Guest by Nita Prose

Molly Gray is the Head Maid at the prestigious Regency Grand Hotel and runs a tight ship that makes sure the hotel maintains a flair that guests have become accustomed to. All is going well until successful author J.D. Grimthorpe suddenly collapses and is pronounced dead.

This lands Detective Stark — someone Molly doesn't exactly get along with — back on the scene as it's realized there's something terribly wrong going on. Anyone could be a suspect, including Molly. It'll be up to her to revisit things she's kept secret — like the trip she took to Grimthorpe's property long ago.

Happy Place by Emily Henry

Emily Henry knows exactly what it takes to write a moving novel that's filled with friendship, laughter, and romance. That's why it's not surprising that Happy Place is well loved by #BookTok and #Bookstagram.

It's all about how a once happy couple — Harriet and Wyn — find themselves embroiled in an interesting ruse so their friends don't suspect something's wrong with them. The fact is that they're no longer together and can barely stand being in the same room anymore.

It would be find if they weren't expected to happily show up to the cottage that's become the yearly hub for them and their friends. Still, they begrudgingly decide to make an appearance.

What's the worst that could happen?

For the first time, you'll be able to read Happy Place on Kindle for $5!

We can't wait to see what you snag during the Amazon Book Sale! Check out our storefront for more reading recs!

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This post has been updated.

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