Insider #12: 🌘 Eclipse Energy, Bookish Resets & a Soft Spring Catch-Up
Feeling the eclipse energy? Same. Let’s reset and catch up together.
The Weekly Insider is your weekly bookish roundup for romance, mystery and fantasy recs, plus all the bookish content you won’t want to miss.
Insider #12: 🌘 Eclipse Energy, Bookish Resets & a Soft Spring Catch-Up
Hey bookworms,
Today’s solar eclipse feels like the universe hitting ctrl+alt+delete—a big cosmic reset button. And honestly? I could use one.
This past week was one of those slow, low-energy, foggy-brain weeks where nothing goes to plan—and if you’ve ever stared blankly at your reading tracker wondering what month it is... same. If you also had a bit of a “just surviving is enough” week, I’m right there with you. ✨
So this week’s Insider is a cozy catch-up. A little slower, a little softer. We’re heading into April with spring vibes, a fresh batch of book releases, and full permission to reset your reading life however you need.
🌟 Eclipse Energy & the Bookish Reset Button
Eclipses are all about reflection, rest, and realignment. So what if we treated this one like a bookish new moon?
Here are five mini resets you can try this week:
Reset the book! DNF that book you’re forcing yourself through.
Swap out your TBR for something totally different (hello, spicy farmers! I got some recs for you this week).
Reorganize your Kindle with zero judgment. If you want to know how to organize your ebooks in collections, click here.
Start fresh with Romanceopoly prompts—it’s not too late! Click here for more reading challenge info.
Rewatch your favorite book adaptation and call it a win. Last week I had a rec for a series and today I have a rec for a movie. Keep reading.
You don’t have to do anything big. Sometimes the tiniest shift is enough to spark the reading joy again.
👉 What’s one thing you’re resetting this week—bookish or otherwise? Hit reply and let me know!
🗳️ Quick Poll: Mysterylandia or All-in-One?
I’ve been keeping all mystery/thriller/horror content over on Mysterylandia.com to give it its own little nook of the internet. But I’m wondering if you’d prefer everything—romance and mystery—in one place on Under the Covers.
What do you think?
What’s New This Week
Romanceopoly Challenge Recs
Cinderella Retellings (Crystal Lake)
Farmer Romance Books (Blooming Acres Farm)
April 2025 Releases Are Here
For even more books coming out in April, check out The Book Vault release calendar!
On the Podcast & YouTube
A full week of historical romance videos!
Spring Historical Romance Recs (mood: flowers and gardeners)
Based on Badass Women in History (heroines who’d 100% burn down the patriarchy)
Substack Extras You Might’ve Missed
Novel Hour After-Show Replays (finally uploaded!) I’m sharing my first impressions on Enchantra by Kaylie Smith and The Great and Terrible by Gena Showalter.
Plus, Suzanne’s top 10 shifter heroes and heroines if you’re looking for some must-read paranormal classics.
Join us every Thursday at 12PM EST for our regular Novel Hour show on Youtube. Every other Monday at 12PM EST for the Bookish Tea edition on Youtube. And after every show, come over to Substack live for the after show. The after show live is free for all Substack members.
Did you miss last week’s Insider? Check it out here:
📅 New Releases This Week: Mar 24 - March 30
A fresh stack of books just dropped! Whether you're craving romance, mysteries or paranormal, here's what hit the shelves this week.
Note: This newsletter contains affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting the community!
Featured New Releases (Mar 24 - Mar 30):
Just Our Luck by Denise Williams
Fake dating, a runaway lottery ticket, and late-night donuts? This one’s a warm, feel-good romance where chaos turns into love. Perfect if you're craving a sweet meet-cute with a side of carbs.
The Shadow Bride by Shelby Mahurin
The finale to the Scarlet Veil duology is here—and it’s deliciously dark. Vampires, revenants, and forbidden love collide in this gothic fantasy set in the Serpent & Dove world.
Black Moon Rising by Julie Ann Walker
Romantic suspense fans—this one’s for you! A broody covert operative, a no-nonsense FBI agent, and a fugitive on the run. Tension, bullets, and banter incoming.
Predator by Rebecca Zanetti
Fated mates, enemies-to-lovers, and wolf shifter pack politics? Yes, please. This one brings serious heat and heart with a fierce heroine and the alpha who refuses to let her go.
Our Dear Miss H is on the Case by Violet Marsh
Bridgerton meets Enola Holmes in this historical mystery rom-com. Smart heroine, reluctant partnership, and a conspiracy that could shake the monarchy? Sign me up.
Bonus: Summer in the City by Alex Aster
A screenwriter with writer’s block. A tech billionaire neighbor she once hooked up with. Forced proximity, fake dating, and NYC in the summer. Alex Aster’s adult debut is pure rom-com vibes.
💡 Looking for More? Our book database got a big April update this week. The Book Vault is a paid member feature.
A recommendation from Francesca: Fair Market Value by Hailey Edwards
This week’s recommendation is Fair Market Value by Hailey Edwards—and if you love urban fantasy with a slightly gritty, weirdly comforting underworld vibe, you’ll probably enjoy this one.
It gave me early Mercy Thompson energy—not because it’s the same (nothing compares to Patricia Briggs, let’s be real), but because it has that same blend of supernatural intrigue, strong-willed heroine, and "found myself in a mess and now I have to fix it" situation.
The heroine runs a literal body shop for the dead, and the worldbuilding pulls you in right away. It's dark-ish but not heavy, and it scratches that “urban fantasy” itch.
Definitely worth picking up if you’ve been craving something in that vein.
🎬 Netflix Movie Recommendation: The Life List
So this week I stumbled across The Life List on Netflix—it just premiered, and apparently it’s been in the works as a book adaptation for ten years. I’d never heard of the book (oops), but I hit play on a whim and ended up really enjoying it.
This romantic-drama stars Sofia Carson as Alex Rose, a woman who, following her mother's passing, must complete her childhood bucket list to receive her inheritance. The tasks range from performing stand-up comedy to finding true love, leading Alex on a journey of self-discovery and unexpected adventures.
It’s one of those soft, feel-good movies that’s totally predictable in the best way. Think: a little quirky, a little emotional, and very "you’ll smile at the end even if you saw it coming."
It just has that comforting, reset-my-brain energy that I needed this week. If you’re looking for something cozy to watch while folding laundry or winding down on Sunday night, this one’s a sweet choice.
That’s a wrap for this week!
Until next week, take it slow if you need to. The eclipse said it's okay.
And if all you did today was read a chapter or scroll new releases, that totally counts too.
xo,
Francesca
PS: Have you finished any good books lately? Any Romanceopoly reads? We’d love to share your favorites with the community. Simply reply to this email and let us know what your recommendations are. Or if you want to share a quick voice note click here.
Catch us on Substack live! Download the Substack app so you get instant notifications when we go live.
📣 Spread the word: Sharing this post helps keep the community growing—plus, it earns you points toward free access to the paid membership to our Substack! So hit that share button and spread the book love.
Great piece.
I was going to finish the Strike series by Robert Galbraith (J.K. Rowling) but I stopped being into it, so I switched to Dan Brown.