Wednesday, September 28, 2016

Waiting on Always and Forever, Lara Jean

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Always and Forever, Lara Jean (To All the Boys I've Loved Before, # 3)

By: Jenny Han

Expected Publication: April 4th 2017 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

320 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository )

*Note: The above links to Amazon and Book Depository are affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--Lara Jean’s letter-writing days aren’t over in this surprise follow-up to the New York Times bestselling To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before and P.S. I Still Love You.

Lara Jean is having the best senior year a girl could ever hope for. She is head over heels in love with her boyfriend, Peter; her dad’s finally getting remarried to their next door neighbor, Ms. Rothschild; and Margot’s coming home for the summer just in time for the wedding.

But change is looming on the horizon. And while Lara Jean is having fun and keeping busy helping plan her father’s wedding, she can’t ignore the big life decisions she has to make. Most pressingly, where she wants to go to college and what that means for her relationship with Peter. She watched her sister Margot go through these growing pains. Now Lara Jean’s the one who’ll be graduating high school and leaving for college and leaving her family—and possibly the boy she loves—behind.

When your heart and your head are saying two different things, which one should you listen to?

Truth be told, I'm a little nervous about this one. PS I Still Love You was a little rocky for me. But I love the Song sisters, and I'm interested to see how Lara Jean handles the decision of going off to college. What are you waiting on this week? Let me know!

Tuesday, September 27, 2016

Top Ten Fall 2016 TBR List

Top 10 Tuesday is a post hosted by The Broke and the Bookish and this week's topic is Top Ten Fall 2016 TBR List.

  1. Like a River Glorious (The Gold Seer Trilogy, # 2) by Rae Carson
  2. Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake
  3. The Glittering Court (The Glittering Court, # 1) by Richelle Mead
  4. The Great Hunt (Eurona Duology, # 1) by Wendy Higgins
  5. The Raven King (The Raven Cycle, # 4) by Maggie Stiefvater
  6. The Last Star (The 5th Wave, # 3) by Rick Yancey
  7. What Light by Jay Asher
  8. Heartless by Marissa Meyer
  9. Half Bad (Half Bad Trilogy, # 1) by Sally Green
  10. Every Last Word by Tamara Ireland Stone

Some of these have been on my TBR list for way too long. And some of these have even been in my possession for way too long. I don't have TOO many new releases on my TBR list for this fall because I am trying to keep those to a minimum until I get some older ones read, but there are a couple on my list. What's on your fall 2016 TBR list? Let me know!

Monday, September 26, 2016

The Captive Heart - Review

The Captive Heart

By: Michelle Griep

Expected Publication: October 1st 2016 by Shiloh Run Press

320 pages

Genre: Adult, Historical Fiction

Source: Publisher via NetGalley (Thank you!!)

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository )

*Note: The above links to Amazon and Book Depository are affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--Proper English governess Eleanor Morgan flees to the colonies to escape the wrath of a an angry duke. When the Charles Town family she’s to work for never arrives to collect her from the dock, she is forced to settle for the only reputable choice remaining to her—marriage to a man she’s never met. Trapper and tracker Samuel Heath is a hardened survivor used to getting his own way by brain or by brawn, and he’s determined to find a mother for his young daughter. But finding a wife proves to be impossible. No upstanding woman wants to marry a murderer.

I don't know what it is about stories where the characters end up in a marriage that they didn't start off wanting that I love so much. Do you guys have any idea? Arranged marriages, Vegas sporadic marriages, marriage as a means to an end, fake marriages turned real. These stories intrigue me and pull me in just about every time. Think My Lady Jane, The Kiss of Deception, A Thousand Nights, Lick, Waking Up Married, and Redeeming Love. And The Captive Heart was no different. As a matter of fact, I think The Captive Heart and Redeeming Love have a lot of parts in common.

Honestly guys, despite my penchant for forced marriages, this book was really outside of my norm. I'm not normally a big fan of historical fiction even though I read it occasionally. While I always want my books to have some sort of love story in it, I'm also not usually into "romance novels". Even the book cover design isn't what I normally go for. I usually avoid books where someone's head or body seems to be floating in the clouds above some landscape scene. And what I didn't even know until I started reading this one is that this a Christian book as well. I don't usually avoid Christian fiction, but I don't always seek it out either. Even though I'm a Christian myself, sometimes the genre can be overly cheesy. But each one of those things added into a book that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Everything about this book pulled me in. Eleanor's found herself in an impossible situation. She was a governess for a wealthy family, but she finds herself married to a man to keep from being basically sold into slavery or sent to jail. She's immediately thrown into the role of caregiver (or mother) and wife even though she didn't choose either role. But she's tries to make the most of the hand she's been dealt. Samuel is a hardened man. His first wife is dead, he has this man set on destroying his life, and most everyone in town is afraid of him. He's lived a rough life for sure. Both lean on God to direct their paths.

Personally, I enjoyed the Christian aspects of this book. It wasn't a book that hit you over the head with a message like the author was trying to teach the reader as sometimes happens in this genre. I would recommend The Captive Heart both because of and despite of the religious parts. If this concerns you because you don't normally enjoy this in your books, I would encourage you to read The Captive Heart anyway. There was this one scene in particular that I would wager was just as hot if not more so than many steamy scenes in other books yet it was completely clean in language and action.

I feel like I'm not doing this review justice. My thoughts are all over the place, and I just have so much to say. I'll just include my favorite quotes and then wrap this up.

-"I am a man who's loyal to God alone."
-"Perhaps God is not calling you to live for peace, but rather to fight for it."
-He'd learned long ago that when a woman said nothing, she meant she'd die a bloody death before divulging what she thought he should already know.
-"Honor always comes at a price, else it would be worthless."

The Captive Heart is a book that is going to stick with me. I can see this being one that I'll want to re-read in the future. Fans of Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers will love this one. The Captive Heart proves that you don't need to dirty up a book with language or steamy bedroom scenes to make a book exciting or hot. The Captive Heart gets 4.5 Stars from me. Have you read The Captive Heart? What did you think? Let me know!

Sunday, September 25, 2016

2016 Series Enders Reading Challenge - September Wrap Up

Time for our ninth Monthly Wrap Up for the 2016 Series Enders Reading Challenge hosted by Sandy @ Somewhere Only We Know and Holly @ Words Fueled by Love!

Since the August Wrap Up, I haven't finished any series ender this month, but Holly was able to finished one: The Beauty of Darkness (The Remnant Chronicles, # 3) by Mary E Pearson.

Which series enders did you finish? Link the up below. Don't forget to include the title, your name, & your blog name (Ex: Requiem - Sandy @ Somewhere Only We Know) Also, the September giveaway runs from September 25th - October 25th. On October 25th we will use random.org and the linky entries to pull a winner.

Sunday Post - 214

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba @ The Caffeinated Book Reviewer ~this meme was inspired in part by ~ In My Mailbox~ It's a chance to share News. A post to recap the past week, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up for the week on our blog.

This has been a really fast week. Monday was about our only normal day. Tuesday was grocery store day. Wednesday my sister had her baby. She and Baby Girl were so close to being the exact same size. Baby Girl was 7 pounds 5 ounces and 19 1/2 inches long. Baby Niece was 7 pounds 2 ounces and 20 inches long. I'm so excited that they're 11 months apart. I hope they're always going to be good friends. Thursday Baby Girl and I made a trip back to the hospital to visit. And then Friday night Husband and I had our first date night. We've snuck in going to see a movie here or there, but this was our first real date night since she was born. It was much needed. We just went to eat and did some shopping at Hobby Lobby. I did borrow a couple of books from the library this week, but I haven't decided whether to feature them on the blog or not yet.

THIS PAST WEEK:

Monday: Review of Perfect Chemistry (Perfect Chemistry, # 1) by Simone Elkeles (4.5 Stars)
Tuesday: Top Ten Audiobooks
Wednesday: Waiting on RoseBlood by AG Howard

UPCOMING THIS WEEK:

Monday: Review of The Captive Heart by Michelle Griep
Tuesday: Top Ten Fall 2016 TBR List
Wednesday: Waiting on Wednesday
Saturday: September EOM Wrap Up

Don’t forget to sign up for the 2016 Series Enders Reading Challenge! You have until December 15, 2016 to sign up. Each month there will be a giveaway for those participating with an end of the year giveaway too! Click on the picture below or the link above to find out more!

That's it for my shelves and recaps of my past and upcoming week. What did you add to your shelves this week? Any bookish news you want to talk about? Let me know!

Wednesday, September 21, 2016

Waiting on RoseBlood

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

RoseBlood

By: AG Howard

Expected Publication: January 10th 2017 by Amulet Books

432 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Retellings

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository )

*Note: The above links to Amazon and Book Depository are affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--In this modern day spin on Leroux’s gothic tale of unrequited love turned to madness, seventeen-year-old Rune Germain has a mysterious affliction linked to her operatic talent, and a horrifying mistake she’s trying to hide. Hoping creative direction will help her, Rune’s mother sends her to a French arts conservatory for her senior year, located in an opera house rumored to have ties to The Phantom of the Opera.

At RoseBlood, Rune secretly befriends the masked Thorn—an elusive violinist who not only guides her musical transformation through dreams that seem more real than reality itself, but somehow knows who she is behind her own masks. As the two discover an otherworldly connection and a soul-deep romance blossoms, Thorn’s dark agenda comes to light and he’s forced to make a deadly choice: lead Rune to her destruction, or face the wrath of the phantom who has haunted the opera house for a century, and is the only father he’s ever known.

A. G. Howard brings the romantic storytelling that Splintered fans adore to France—and an entirely new world filled with lavish romance and intrigue—in a retelling inspired by a story that has captivated generations. Fans of both the Phantom of the Opera musical and novel, as well as YA retellings such as Marissa Meyer’s Cinder, will devour RoseBlood.

I haven't read any other AG Howard books yet. I love the covers, but to be honest I'm not the biggest fan of Alice in Wonderland. However, Phantom of the Opera is a different story. I'm so intrigued by this description. What are you waiting on this week? Let me know!

Tuesday, September 20, 2016

Top Ten Audiobooks

Top 10 Tuesday is a post hosted by The Broke and the Bookish and this week's topic is Top Ten Audio Freebie.

I decided to go with my top ten audiobooks. I can't believe I've never done this topic before. Honestly, I haven't listened to any audiobooks since Baby Girl was born. Even though I don't have a problem listening to audiobooks, I have only listened to about 80 out of the over 700 books that I know I've read. So I'm sure others have a much broader pool to draw from, but here are my favorites that I've listened to.

  1. Carter Finally Gets It (Carter Finally Gets It, # 1) by Brent Crawford - I know I've featured this book a dozen times, but it is HILARIOUS.The narrator (Nick Podehl) makes this book. I don't think I would like it outside of the audio version.
  2. The Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich - Again I really love the narrator (Lorelai King).
  3. The Harry Potter series by JK Rowling - HP is a classic and Jim Dale does a really good job. I love being able to go through these books on audio.
  4. 7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess by Jen Hatmaker - Rebecca Gallagher narrates this in such a way that she sounds like she wrote the book herself. And Jen Hatmaker is funny so that's one of my favorite things to look for in an audiobook.
  5. Delirium (Delirium, # 1) by Lauren Oliver - The poetic tone to the writing lends itself to being read aloud so beautifully. I fell in love with this book because of the writing and because Sarah Drew does such a beautiful job narrating.
  6. Matched by Ally Condie - This series didn't really pan out for me, but I did enjoy the first book and I really enjoyed the narration. Hearing Dylan Thomas's Do Not Go Gentle Into that Good Night out loud at least solidified my love for that poem.
  7. I Hunt Killers (Jasper Dent, # 1) by Barry Lyga - I wasn't sure what to expect, but this book and series turned out so much better than I expected. I read the last two in the series, but the audiobook for book 1 really hooked me.
  8. Captivating: Unveiling the Mystery of a Woman's Soul by John and Stasi Eldredge - I read this book and loved it. Then I saw the my library had the audio version and I LOVED going through it on audio too. If I remember correctly, Stasi Eldredge actually narrates this one herself.
  9. The Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead - VA is one of my all time favorite series ever so I love being able to go through the series without using my reading time to do a series re-read. I do hate how the narrator changes mid-series, but it isn't enough to deter me from adding the series to my favorites list.
  10. A Dance with Dragons (A Song of Ice and Fire, # 5) by George R R Martin - I've read all of the prior books, but I just wasn't making the progress that I wanted in the time frame that I wanted with this one. I was hoping to finish before Season 5 aired in 2015 so picking up the audiobook at 30ish % helped me finish in two weeks versus months that it normally takes me to read one of these books. If you're wanting to start this series but the length of these books holds you back then check out the audiobooks.

What are your favorite audiobooks? Let me know!

Monday, September 19, 2016

Perfect Chemistry - Review

Perfect Chemistry (Perfect Chemistry, # 1)

By: Simone Elkeles

Published: January 6th 2015 by Bloomsbury USA Childrens

359 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary

Source: Borrowed from the library

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository )

*Note: The above links to Amazon and Book Depository are affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--When Brittany Ellis walks into chemistry class on the first day of senior year, she has no clue that her carefully created "perfect" life is about to unravel before her eyes. She's forced to be lab partners with Alex Fuentes, a gang member from the other side of town, and he is about to threaten everything she's worked so hard for-her flawless reputation, her relationship with her boyfriend, and the secret that her home life is anything but perfect. Alex is a bad boy and he knows it. So when he makes a bet with his friends to lure Brittany into his life, he thinks nothing of it. But soon Alex realizes Brittany is a real person with real problems, and suddenly the bet he made in arrogance turns into something much more. In a passionate story about looking beneath the surface, Simone Elkeles breaks through the stereotypes and barriers that threaten to keep Brittany and Alex apart.

So I was reading Archer's Voice, and while I wasn't hating it...it just wasn't as good as I wanted it to be. I decided to put it down in favor of trying to find something I could read very quickly. So I went to the e-library to browse their "available now" collection. I saw Perfect Chemistry and considering how quickly I read Leaving Paradise, I thought it might be the perfect book to hook me quickly and hold my attention. And I was spot on.

Perfect Chemistry is another book I started without reading the description. I only knew that I'd really enjoyed several books by Simone Elkeles in the past. I was surprised and intrigued to find out that the leading male of the story belongs to a gang--Latino Blood. So I grew up in a small town (we had a caution light), and even though we didn't have an over abundance of gang activity like a big city, they were present. Simone Elkeles did a really good job incorporating this aspect of the story. Alex's gang affiliation fit with my limited personal knowledge of gangs. And I was interested to see how this hard-core character would translate into a romantic lead. Simone Elkeles did a great job. We all know that girls love a good bad-boy, and things don't get much "badder" than a guy in a gang. I have to say that I've seen this in TV and movies, but I don't think I've ever read a book where one of the main characters was in a gang.

I was worried that I would struggle with Brittany in the beginning of the book. She wants so much to portray this image of perfection, but I honestly felt like that was more a burden that was being placed on her by her mother than something she truly wanted for herself. That made her easier to relate to. It's one thing to have a character who is trying to live up to impossible standards, but it's another thing to have a character who is so shallow she wants everyone to think she's perfect. The prior made her more likeable, and I could easily respect and relate to her.

Of course, Brittany and Alex have more in common than the two could possibly expect. I loved how their relationship started out of antagonism rather than attraction. Neither one was really out to win the other even with the bet involved it seemed. Of course, Alex did move things along more than Brittany, but I always got the impression that he was having to remind himself of the bet rather than behaving in any specific way because of the bet.

I worried that Perfect Chemistry wouldn't have the hard core realities of being involved in a gang, but I felt like it did a good job. Alex was truly a tough guy without being unlikeable. I never felt like Simone Elkeles copped out of the true dangers of being involved in a lifestyle like this. She showed how often people get dragged into the life without truly wanting that for themselves or their families. And she showed how easily choices go from black and white to gray.

Simone Elkeles did a great job of getting me invested in both of these characters. I wanted to know if they could bridge the gap of their extremely different worlds to come together. I couldn't stop thinking about Alex and Brittany when I had to put the book down. Even though I'm not fluent in Spanish, I found myself throwing in a few Spanish words or phrases into my daily thoughts while I was reading this which I found hilarious any time it happened. I was impressed with the lack of description when it came to any physical scenes, but language was definitely present.

Overall, I was really impressed with Perfect Chemistry. I was hooked and invested in the characters and story. I was impressed with the lack of physical description. I enjoyed the originality of the leading male being involved in a gang. I can't remember ever reading a book where this was the case. And the true test, I couldn't stop thinking about Perfect Chemistry any time I needed to put it down. Perfect Chemistry gets 4.5 Stars. Have you read Perfect Chemistry? What did you think? Let me know!

Sunday, September 18, 2016

Sunday Post - 213

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba @ The Caffeinated Book Reviewer ~this meme was inspired in part by ~ In My Mailbox~ It's a chance to share News. A post to recap the past week, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up for the week on our blog.

This week has been pretty normal. Tuesday I had a hair appointment, and so my mom came to babysit and spent the rest of the day with us. That was nice. There's really no other news to report. I haven't made much reading progress this week, and because of that, I haven't gotten any new books either. I missed my Waiting on Wednesday post this week because honestly I have been selective on the books I'm adding to my want to read list. There are plenty of books that I want to add my list, but I'm holding back. I don't like adding book 2s when I haven't read book 1s, and I don't like featuring books on my post that don't have covers or enough information released.

THIS PAST WEEK:

Monday: Review of The Crown (The Selection, # 5) by Kiera Cass (3 Stars)
Tuesday: Top Ten All Time Favorite Fantasy Books

UPCOMING THIS WEEK:

Monday: Review of Perfect Chemistry (Perfect Chemistry, # 1) by Simone Elkeles
Tuesday: Top Ten Tuesday
Wednesday: Waiting on Wednesday

Don’t forget to sign up for the 2016 Series Enders Reading Challenge! You have until December 15, 2016 to sign up. Each month there will be a giveaway for those participating with an end of the year giveaway too! Click on the picture below or the link above to find out more!

That's it for my shelves and recaps of my past and upcoming week. What did you add to your shelves this week? Any bookish news you want to talk about? Let me know!

Tuesday, September 13, 2016

Top Ten All-Time Favorite Fantasy Books

Top 10 Tuesday is a post hosted by The Broke and the Bookish and this week's topic is Top Ten All-Time Favorite Books in X Genre.

  1. The Dead-Tossed Waves (The Forest of Hands and Teeth, # 2) by Carrie Ryan
  2. Last Sacrifice (Vampire Academy, # 6) by Richelle Mead
  3. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Harry Potter, # 6) by JK Rowling
  4. Return of the King (The Lord of the Rings, # 3) by J R R Tolkein
  5. The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games, # 1) by Suzanne Collins
  6. A Storm of Swords (A Song of Ice and Fire, # 3) by George R R Martin
  7. Clockwork Prince (The Infernal Devices, # 2) by Cassandra Clare
  8. Morning Star (Red Rising Trilogy, # 3) by Pierce Brown
  9. Mortal Heart (His Fair Assassin, # 3) by Robin LaFevers
  10. The 5th Wave (The 5th Wave, # 1) by Rick Yancey

I've been in such a contemporary mood lately that I really wanted to feature some of my all-time favorite fantasy books. If you're a long time follower of my blog then none of these picks will be a surprise. What are your favorite fantasy books? Let me know!

Monday, September 12, 2016

The Crown - Review

The Crown (The Selection, # 5)

By: Kiera Cass

Published: May 3rd 2016 by HarperTeen

279 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Dystopian

Source: Borrowed from library

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository )

*Note: The above links to Amazon and Book Depository are affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--When Eadlyn became the first princess of Illéa to hold her own Selection, she didn’t think she would fall in love with any of her thirty-five suitors. She spent the first few weeks of the competition counting down the days until she could send them all home. But as events at the palace force Eadlyn even further into the spotlight, she realizes that she might not be content remaining alone.

Eadlyn still isn’t sure she’ll find the fairytale ending her parents did twenty years ago. But sometimes the heart has a way of surprising you…and soon Eadlyn must make a choice that feels more impossible—and more important—than she ever imagined.

So The Heir left off with Eadlyn saying that she knew which of the Selection that she should focus on. That left me thinking that she'd pretty much picked her candidate even though there were three characters that I felt were frontrunners. I had one that I was rooting for and I have to say that she didn't pick who I wanted. Yet I did see who she picked from a mile away and not just from The Crown but all the way back to The Heir.

Eadlyn has quite a lot on her shoulders when The Crown starts. Her twin brother has just run off to elope. Her mother has suffered a heart attack. She's thrown into the role of regent while her father takes over seeing to the care of America. And then of course there's the Selection. Not to mention that Eadlyn doesn't have the best public image. And so we begin with another mass elimination where Eadlyn cuts the Selection candidates down to the Elite. She can't do much to help her mother except to try to alleviate responsibilities from her father so that he can be by America's side the whole time. As for the public, Eadlyn is sure that choosing a husband will fix what everyone sees wrong with her.

I struggled with The Crown in some ways. I felt like Eadlyn got off easy when it came to eliminating contestants from the Selection. For the most part, when things got sticky candidates seemed to eliminate themselves rather than wait to be asked to leave. I don't know. This didn't feel right to me sometimes. Other times it did. I really thought things with Hale were a cop out and a total stereotype. I never could understand why Henri was such a front runner in her mind because there was no way she'd be able to have any meaningful conversation with him. This was pointed out multiple times, and I never really felt like there was a legit answer given. Of course, with the way things worked out in the end, the answer is a bit obvious, but I felt like it might not have been handled in the best way. And then there's also the fact that Eadlyn abruptly makes a huge governmental decision in a spur of the moment situation that would have cizmic repercussions. You can't just make those changes without major thought. And while the character could have been thinking about those things for a while, there's truly no indication that she had been. It all felt a bit "tidy" and quick for me.

Ultimately, I felt like The Crown fell a little bit short of what I hoped. I went into The Heir with low expectations and was impressed overall. That led me into starting The Crown with elevated expectations which resulted in me being disappointed. I was disappointed most of all with how easy things worked out in the end. I think I remember this being a complaint that I had with The One too, so maybe I shouldn't have been surprised. I guess in the end, I just felt like it was neither a really good nor a really bad book. The Crown gets 3 Stars from me. Have you read The Crown? What did you think? Let me know!

Sunday, September 11, 2016

Sunday Post - 212

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba @ The Caffeinated Book Reviewer ~this meme was inspired in part by ~ In My Mailbox~ It's a chance to share News. A post to recap the past week, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up for the week on our blog.

You guys Baby Girl is officially walking. Last Sunday night she took more independent steps than the 2 or 3 that she's done prior. And she didn't want to stop. She was walking all the way across the room from daddy to me and back again. She's 10 1/2 months old. And of course she's not stopped walking since. Monday we spent the day with family for Labor Day. Tuesday things were back to normal. Wednesday night I had to order Baby Girl's next car seat. She's graduating from her infant seat as she's just getting too long for it. Thursday we went for a walk and at some point she threw her hat out of the stroller and I had to retrace our steps. Our normal 40 minute walk turned into an hour and 20 minutes. I was quite worn out by the time we got home for good. Friday my sister had a false alarm and went to the hospital only to be sent home. I can't wait to meet my niece. No new books this week!

THIS PAST WEEK:

Monday: No Blog Posts
Tuesday: Ten Fall TV Shows I'm Ready to Watch
Wednesday: Waiting on Bloom by Estée Lalonde
Thursday: Review of Me Before You by Jojo Moyes w/ Movie Commentary (4.5 Stars)

UPCOMING THIS WEEK:

Monday: Review of The Crown (The Selection, # 5) by Kiera Cass
Tuesday: Top Ten Tuesday
Wednesday: Waiting on Wednesday

Don’t forget to sign up for the 2016 Series Enders Reading Challenge! You have until December 15, 2016 to sign up. Each month there will be a giveaway for those participating with an end of the year giveaway too! Click on the picture below or the link above to find out more!

That's it for my shelves and recaps of my past and upcoming week. What did you add to your shelves this week? Any bookish news you want to talk about? Let me know!

Thursday, September 8, 2016

Me Before You - Review (w/ Movie Commentary)

Me Before You (Me Before You, # 1)

By: Jojo Moyes

Published: December 31st 2012 by Pamela Dorman Books/Viking (first published January 5th 2012)

481 pages

Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Realistic Fiction

Source: Borrowed from the library

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository )

*Note: The above links to Amazon and Book Depository are affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--Lou Clark knows lots of things. She knows how many footsteps there are between the bus stop and home. She knows she likes working in The Buttered Bun tea shop and she knows she might not love her boyfriend Patrick.

What Lou doesn't know is she's about to lose her job or that knowing what's coming is what keeps her sane.

Will Traynor knows his motorcycle accident took away his desire to live. He knows everything feels very small and rather joyless now and he knows exactly how he's going to put a stop to that.

What Will doesn't know is that Lou is about to burst into his world in a riot of colour. And neither of them knows they're going to change the other for all time.

I rarely do this, but I saw Me Before You (the movie) before I read the book. It was more of a timing issue really. I had the book on hold at the library, but it wasn't available to me to read yet, and I really wanted to see the movie in the theater with my friend Paula. I knew I still planned to read it so I wasn't too worried about seeing the movie first.

So as the description says, Lou's been working at a local cafe for several years. And she's been dating the same guy for 6 years. Even though she might not categorize her life as exceptional, she is comfortable, and even content for the most part. But The Buttered Bun closes and Lou loses her job. However, her family depends on her income. She must find another job as soon as possible. After trying everything that Job Center has available for her, she ends up on a job interview to take care of a quadriplegic man.

Will was the definition of a physical man before his accident. He went skiing and skydiving. He climbed mountains. So when an accident with a motorcycle injures him to the point of having only minimal ability to use one arm (he pretty much doesn't have the use of his body or limbs from the chest down), he doesn't see how he can live a life stuck in a wheelchair. But it's more than that. There's constant pain and humiliation, extra infections and illnesses. There are many new changes to his life and body that have turned Will into a bitter, angry man.

Lou is determined to continue her job as Will's caretaker despite his horrible attitude for the sake of her family. They need the money and this is the most well-paying job she's ever had. But Lou stumbles upon some secrets that the Traynor family meant to keep, and that changes everything for Lou. She becomes a woman on a mission. Her mission: show Will that life can be worth living even if it isn't the way that he used to live it. Will's mission: show Lou that every moment of life needs to be lived. It needs to be experienced because you never know when your life might be changed in the most important ways. I believe it would be pretty much impossible to spend as much time with someone as Lou and Will do without developing some kind of bond. These two open up to each other and an unlikely relationship begins to develop.

There are so many questions that Me Before You causes the reader to ask. Will Lou be able to change Will's mind about his new life? Will these two find some way that they can be together? How would you feel if you were Will? Would you be able to stand by a loved one if they made a choice that you couldn't understand or that broke your heart? Does support mean agreement? Will you choose to live your life in the moment or will you take what you have and the time you have for granted?

The first section of the book I remember thinking that the movie pretty much matched up event for event pretty spot on. But by the time you get to the chapter narrated by Camilla things start to change a little. For the most part, the movie was right along with the book. Obviously there are some changes. The biggest ones I noted were familial. Will doesn't have a sister in the movie--probably because they didn't want to pay another actress. They solved this by merging a bit of the sister's traits in with Camilla. They also made Camilla and Steven closer in the movie than they were in the book. Lou's family was a bit different too. I felt like even though they joked on Lou in the movie, they were a bit more critical of her in the book. Also, Lou's relationship with Treena was definitely more strained in the book whereas the movie makes them seem like besties. I also liked the slight change in the movie of the necklace that Patrick gives Lou for her birthday. That made me laugh out loud.

Both the movie and the book made me tear up, but they didn't actually fall. I'm not an easy one to make cry--especially since I'm not pregnant anymore. But both were definitely emotional. I think you pretty much expect them to be sad though.

Me Before You gets 4.5 Stars. I think had I read the book before watching the movie then I might have given it 5 Stars, but since I knew how it all ended that kept me from enjoying the book as much as I would have had I been blind to the story. But had I read the book before, I likely would have been more critical of the movie. Either way, Me Before You is extremely well written and will make you ask all kinds of questions and feel all kinds of emotions. I highly recommend it. Have you read Me Before You? Let me know!

Wednesday, September 7, 2016

Waiting on Bloom

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Bloom: Navigating Life and Style

By: Estée Lalonde

Expected Publication: October 4th 2016 by Appetite by Random House

256 pages

Genre: Nonfiction, Lifestyle

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository )

*Note: The above links to Amazon and Book Depository are affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--From rising YouTube star Estée Lalonde comes a book that's about more than just living the perfect lifestyle; it's about giving readers the confidence to live the lifestyle that's perfect for you.

What makes you happy? What makes you you? What defines your style?

In Bloom, YouTube personality Estée Lalonde shares the moments, people and things that have made her who she is today. She reveals her life lessons, and offers her tips for surviving life and finding yourself. With the same charming and friendly voice and advice that has made her a global star, Estee guides readers in discovering their own bloom story and celebrating what makes them unique.

Life * People * Work * Beauty * Fashion * Home * Travel * Food

I've been a subscriber to Estée's YouTube channel for a couple of years now. She's pretty funny, and I like how her makeup style has become more natural recently. I'm so happy for her that she's publishing a book, and I'm interested to see how it turns out. What are you waiting on this week? Let me know!

Tuesday, September 6, 2016

Ten Fall TV Shows I'm Ready to Watch

Top 10 Tuesday is a post hosted by The Broke and the Bookish and this week's topic is Top Ten Fall TV Shows.

Honestly you guys, I really like TV, but I'm not one of those people who needs the TV on ALL THE TIME. That person is my husband. If he's home, the TV is on. That's not to say he's just sitting there all the time, but the TV will be on at least. And he knows about all the new shows premiering and usually wants to sample several. I'm usually trying NOT to add shows to my list of things I don't want to miss because I feel like we already have too many shows. But these are the ones I'm excited about returning for the fall and a new one.

  1. The Walking Dead - The # 1 show that I cannot miss...ever.
  2. Talking Dead - Because of how much it enriches TWD.
  3. The Voice - This is a show that I can read while watching, but I'm interested to see what kind of judges Alicia Keys and Miley Cyrus make.
  4. Chicago Med - I finally branched into the Chicago franchise with this one. It's filling my ER gap but totally not as good.
  5. Chicago PD - Since starting Chicago Med, I decided to give PD and Fire a try. Fire didn't match well with me as I didn't feel connected to any of the characters on a personal level, but PD was the complete opposite. And I think I might be looking forward to this one more than Med.
  6. Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life - HELLO! YES PLEASE! November can't get here fast enough, and I know that I'm going to blow through these episodes too quickly.
  7. Nashville - I don't think this one is coming back until January but normally it is a fall show. I only just started Nashville on Hulu earlier this year and Season 4 ended in a cliffhanger so I need to know what's going to happen.
  8. Game of Thrones - Okay I'm totally cheating here especially because the next season won't air until Summer 2017 but I'm already counting it down.
  9. Heartland - OK so this is a Canadian show. Only the first 6 seasons are on Netflix. My mom has seasons 7 & 8 on DVD. But I need season 9, and Season 10 will be airing in Canada in October.
  10. This is Us - The only really new show I'm thinking of adding to my watch list this year. I'll check out the first couple of episodes and see what I think.

Which TV shows are you dying to return this fall? Let me know!