I generally enjoy books read by the author and this was no exception. Ruiz's excitement and joy over her more-than 12 trips in 12 months shone through her narration. I could truly envision the places she describes visiting from Italy to Argentina, from National Parks to Cuba. Not only was this book about traveling, but Ruiz freely shares her life experiences from that year covering relationship revelations and a career pivot. This book is an enjoyable listen for anyone interested in travel, city exploration, or real life stories.

I received a free Advanced Reading Copy via NetGalley in exchange for a complete and honest review.

This motivational guide encourages readers to embrace solo travel through detailed planning advice and inspiring personal anecdotes. 12 Trips in 12 Months is an empowering and practical roadmap for creating your own adventures. Ruiz's friendly, down-to-earth writing style makes the prospect of extended solo travel feel accessible and exciting. While some of the tips are geared towards those with flexible schedules and finances, her overarching messages about the transformative power of new experiences are universal. An energizing must-read for anyone looking to break out of their comfort zone and see the world on their own terms.

Travel blog/influencer Jen Ruiz narrated her journey from a cubicle to traveling the world. This juxtaposition could be presented as something truly inspirational but instead felt like a Kardashian recount. Nothing goes deep in her travel and her assessment of various cultures or lack of knowledge is presented as just that. Several troubling situations she wrote off as luck or using feminine attributes when another woman without her privilege would find herself far less fortunate. Were her trips interesting and somewhat entertaining? Yes. Beyond a mindless foray into travel and terrible relationships, do not expect anything amazing to transpire.

In this book Jen really takes you on a journey. The year she spent travelling shows so much on how the typical 9-5 isn’t for everyone, it’s filled with great stories/ memories, recommendations for food, activities and stays. She’s a very good writer and I really enjoyed the audiobook version

Jen Ruiz does a great job narrating her audiobook, 12 Trips in 12 Months; a memoir about her journey into travel blogging. I really enjoyed getting to know Jen along the way and even though we come from different worlds---tough both Floridians---I still found her relatable. I think it's smart to find a job where you're happy, even if it means forging your own path to make it happen. I also liked that Jen didn't gloss over her, well irresponsible decisions when it came to her frequent sick days. I do think there is a privilege Jen had, given her career choice, that provided her the ability to explore travel blogging before truly shifting over to it and I'm not sure Jen every acknowledges that within the story. This is less about the money, because Jen's goal is to do it on the cheap, and more about the average worker who would have been fired almost immediately if they called out multiple times in the same month. Also, a lot of people can't secure the type of credit card Jen used to earn points not would their bills/purchases wrack up the points as quickly. I'm not disparaging Jen for her successes, I just wished she named them when telling the story.

Thank you Blackstone for the gifted copy to review!

Enjoyed the stories. It’s always interesting to see what prompts someone to start traveling. I really enjoyed hearing about the locations and attractions she visited as well as the people she met.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this captivating eARC (in audiobook format).

In “12 Trips in 12 Months: Make Your Own Solo Travel Magic,” Jen Ruiz takes you on a whirlwind journey of self-discovery and adventure. This book is not just a travelogue; it’s a manifesto for the solo traveler seeking to explore the world on their own terms.

Ruiz’s narrative is engaging and empowering, as she recounts the highs and lows of her year-long quest to visit a new destination each month. Her voice, both in writing and narration, is authentic and relatable, making you feel like a trusted friend is sharing their best travel secrets with you.

Each chapter delves into a different trip, offering practical tips and heartfelt reflections. Ruiz doesn’t shy away from the challenges of solo travel; instead, she embraces them, showing how overcoming obstacles can lead to profound personal growth. Her stories are peppered with humor and vulnerability, ensuring that the reader is entertained and inspired.

The audiobook format adds an extra layer of intimacy to the experience, as Ruiz’s passion and enthusiasm for travel are palpable in her narration. It’s one thing to read about her adventures; it’s another to hear her recount them in her own voice, bringing the emotions and landscapes to life.

“12 Trips in 12 Months” is a guidebook for the soul. It encourages readers to step out of their comfort zones, to embrace the unknown, and to discover the magic that happens when you dare to journey alone.

Whether you’re a seasoned solo traveler or considering your first trip, Jen Ruiz’s book is a must-read. It’s a reminder that the world is vast, life is short, and there’s no time like the present to create your own magic.

Recommended for: Travel enthusiasts, solo adventurers, and anyone looking for inspiration to embark on their own journey of self-discovery. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

12 Trips in 12 Months is a cute travel memoir by Jen Ruiz. I enjoyed the quick look at each of the trips she had taken and some of the stories that were presented. It was an easy and quick read. That being said, I feel like it didn't reach the depths I was hoping for. If it's meant to be a self help book, it misses the mark by not getting deep enough and mentioning anything more than surface level platitudes you can find on a pinterest board. If it's a travel memoir, the author skirts over so many locations, failing to bring about their vibrancy. It lacks atmosphere and charm. If it's meant to motivate single women to travel, it hits this mark slightly more, although it really failed to galvanize me to *want* to go, any more than I already do. Being a travel enthusiast, I didn't need this push, and felt like I could say more thoughtful things about solo travels. It's not comprehensive enough to be a travel advice book. I guess what I'm saying is that it does a good job on the surface of a lot of things, but nothing to add depth to any of these topics. I may not be this book's target audience as I'm already someone who loves traveling, spontaneous adventures, and finding myself through new places and I'm also slightly older than the author.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review from Netgalley.

We've all heard the stories of how turning a key age can have an impact on you. This motivating and positive story of "Jen on a Jet Plane" took that familiar tale and gave it such an inspiring twist!

The year before her thirtieth birthday, Jen Ruiz decided to change everything. Despite being professionally accomplished and contributing to the world as an attorney at a nonprofit, she had yet to achieve the most important goal, according to society: becoming a wife and mother. So Jen embarked on an epic challenge to send her twenties out in style: twelve months, twelve trips, no excuses.

She started booking flights instead of swiping right, teaching English online to cover costs. Over the course of the year, Jen descended into a volcano in Iceland, volunteered at an elephant sanctuary in Thailand, called in sick to fly in a hot air balloon, and went scuba diving at an underwater museum in Mexico.

This was a wonderful story of how everyone has their own opportunities to make their dreams a reality. I have always loved travel, but have done so much less of it than I'd hoped. This was an inspirational and encouraging challenge to live fully and really experience different places and cultures. It's not just about museums and seeing the sights, but about living the moments and experiences that help you really feel alive! I'm definitely going to follow Jen's other writings and I look forward to my adventures to come!

Thanks to Blackstone Publishing - Audiobooks and Netgalley for this Advance Listening Copy, in return for my honest opinions.

As a fellow frequent solo traveler and a wanderlust aficionado, I really enjoyed Jen’s descriptions of the different locations she traveled to and experiences she had in each place. It expanded my personal travel bucket list and inspired me to brainstorm how I could do my own travel challenge. However, I was slightly put off by the constant “needing to find a man” vibes; even once she was supposedly beyond the idea of needing a partner, it was still such a strong theme to the point that it felt like a self-serving purge of dating woes. I support catharsis but maybe in a journal or at least a book on that topic. It distracted at times from the travel theme, which was the main draw for me. That said, I enjoyed the travel content and have followed Jen online to keep up with more of her holidays.

This book wasn’t quite what I was expecting! I was expecting more about travel, instead I got more about Jen and her personal struggles with being 30 and single. Her relationship struggles are a huge portion of the book. The book is supposed to showcase solo travel, but she spent the whole time trying to chase after various men. It didn’t feel like she really truly enjoyed the solo part of her trips.

The travel part was really interesting. Jen went to some fantastic places. I would have loved to read more about those details! The book is short and could have definitely been longer.

Overall, an interesting look into Jen’s life as a traveler. I’m sure a lot of readers will be able to relate to her struggles to find herself. If you grab this book, I recommend the audiobook! Jen Ruiz narrates it herself. It really feels like she’s telling her story to a friend.

A fun, light quick read to satisfy your wanderlust and take you on a journey (or, indeed, many), but the voice/ writing didn't quite work for me personally.

Thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the advanced audio book.

I usually like memoirs like this, that challenge the author in how they'd been living their life and how they are going to live it after their experience. Maybe this book would've worked better for me in hardcopy, but the audiobook narrator felt a bit scattered.

12 Trips in 12 Months by Jen Ruiz was not only a tour around the world with so many amazing reccommendations for activities, food, and transportation, it was also a heartfelt memoir about leaving the path you think is "right" for you to follow what you love and realizing that romance is not the end all be all - you can be happy and single, even at 30. At 22, I am seeing old and new friends get married and start families and it can feel a little suffocating when all i'm focused on is finally finishing college so I was extremely touched by the sentiments of this book. I specifically reccommend the audiobook edition because at several points, Ruiz speaks directly to the reader and I loved hearing her encouragements out loud.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Blackstone Publishing, and Jen Ruiz for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review (unpaid).