Thursday, August 31, 2017

August 2017 EOM Wrap Up

I have read 2 books this month (not including children's books). *These qualify for the 2017 Series Enders Reading Challenge.
Letting With Purpose: Creative techniques and prompts for making meaningful, inspirational hand-lettered art by Brittany Luiz
PS I Like You by Kasie West (re-read)
by

I have reviewed 5 books this month. *These qualify for the 2017 Series Enders Reading Challenge.
The Secret History of Us by Jessi Kirby
These Things I've Done by Rebecca Phillips
Three Dark Crowns (Three Dark Crowns, # 1) by Kendare Blake
After the Game (The Field Party, # 3) by Abbi Glines
The Butterfly Project by Emma Scott

Other Posts:
Sunday Post - 259 & Stacking the Shelves - 195
Sunday Post - 260 & Stacking the Shelves - 196
Sunday Post - 261 & Stacking the Shelves - 197
Sunday Post - 262 & Stacking the Shelves - 198
Top Ten Books for Back to School
Top Ten Hidden Gems
Can't Wait for The Afterlife of Holly Chase by Cynthia Hand
Can't Wait for Say You'll Remember Me by Katie McGarry
Can't Wait for More Than We Can Tell by Brigid Kemmerer
Can't Wait for The Heart's Appeal (London Beginnings, # 2) by Jennifer Delamere
Can't Wait for Keep Her Safe by KA Tucker
2017 Series Enders Reading Challenge - August Wrap Up
Problems Only We Know # 7 - Book Hangovers

Goals:
I'm like 8 days behind on my Bible reading plan. - Still behind, but catching up.
I've read 49 out of 52 books.
I've read 7 out of 10-12 series enders.

Wednesday, August 30, 2017

Can't Wait for Keep Her Safe

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings to spotlight and talk about the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they're books that have yet to be released as well. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous Jill at Breaking the Spine. Find out more here.

Keep Her Safe

By: KA Tucker

Expected Publication: January 2nd 2018 by Atria Books

448 pages

Genre: Adult, Romance, Suspense

( 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--Making a Murderer meets Scandal in this story of police corruption, family secrets, and illicit affairs from bestselling author K.A. Tucker, celebrated for her “propulsive plot twists and searing seduction” (USA TODAY).

Noah Marshall has known a privileged and comfortable life thanks to his mother, the highly decorated chief of the Austin Police Department. But all that changes the night she reveals a skeleton that's been rattling in her closet for years, and succumbs to the guilt of destroying an innocent family's life. Reeling with grief, Noah is forced to carry the burden of this shocking secret.

Gracie Richards wasn't born in a trailer park, but after fourteen years of learning how to survive in The Hollow, it's all she knows anymore. At least here people don't care that her dad was a corrupt Austin cop, murdered in a drug deal gone wrong. Here, she and her mother are just another family struggling to survive...until a man who clearly doesn't belong shows up on her doorstep.

Despite their differences, Noah and Gracie are searching for answers to the same questions, and together, they set out to uncover the truth about the Austin Police Department's dark and messy past. But the scandal that emerges is bigger than they bargained for, and goes far higher up than they ever imagined.

Complex, gritty, sexy, and thrilling, Keep Her Safe solidifies K.A. Tucker's reputation as one of today's most talented new voices in romantic suspense.

I've really enjoyed KA Tucker in the past, and I'm excited that she's branching out more and more into suspense. What are you guys waiting on this week? Let me know!

Tuesday, August 29, 2017

Top Ten Hidden Gems

Top 10 Tuesday is a post hosted by The Broke and the Bookish and this week's topic is Top Ten Hidden Gems in X Genre.

I'm just doing hidden gems period because I couldn't come up with 10 in any one genre, but I'll mention the genre for each.

  1. PS I Like You by Kasie West Contemporary- I feel like Kasie West is fairly popular, but I also feel like her books are sometimes overlooked because the plot isn't always a new idea and her books are mostly clean with little to no language or physical scenes. PS I Like You is one of my favorite Kasie West books. (review coming soon)
  2. Shattered Realms series by Cinda Williams Chima Fantasy- I admit that the first book (Flamecaster) took some getting into, and personally I enjoyed book 2 (Shadowcaster) better, but looking at the number of ratings on Goodreads, this series is definitely under read and appreciated.
  3. Hawthorne House series by Kristi Ann Hunter Historical Christian Fiction - Christian fiction just isn't read by mainstream, and in some cases I can understand why. I've enjoyed this series because of the time period and unique situations that the characters find themselves in. Each book has a unique circumstance that I haven't ever seen with this genre before. (A Noble Masquerade, An Elegant Facade [review coming soon], An Uncommon Courtship, and novella A Lady of Esteem, with upcoming release An Inconvenient Beauty)
  4. The Captive Heart by Michelle Griep Historical Christian Fiction - Again, this is mostly featured because it is in the Christian genre which I feel is just under read in general, but I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
  5. True Reign series by Jennifer Anne Davis Fantasy - You guys this series consumed me. I read the first two books in almost 24 hours which is unheard of for me. Granted, I was trying to squeeze in all the reading I could before Little Girl was born, but I didn't want to put these books down. (The Key, Red, and War)
  6. Divided We Fall by Trent Reedy Dystopian - I never would have picked this book up had it not been that it was a freebie with Audiobook Sync one summer. But the book so closely paralleled events that were happening in real life at the time that I read this and similar events have continued to happen periodically since I read the book which was super scary. Plus I liked the characters.
  7. Push by Claire Wallis New Adult, Romance/Suspense - I can't say that I absolutely loved the sequel as much as this first book, but I hadn't read anything like this. It was hard to clarify a genre for this one as it fits in several categories. Do beware of language and scenes.
  8. Crossing Oceans by Gina Holmes Christian Contemporary - I don't mean to feature so many Christian books as I really don't read THAT much Christian fiction, but as I've said before these are just under read books. And the ones that I like don't beat you over the head with religion. They're just good stories with great messages. This one especially had my tearing up and I can't imagine trying to read it now that I'm a mother.
  9. Full Tilt by Emma Scott New Adult Contemporary - As the NA genre does have language and sexual scenes so does this book, but the story had me all up in tears. And the sequel, All In was good too.

Which books are hidden gems for you guys? Let me know!

Monday, August 28, 2017

The Butterfly Project - Review

The Butterfly Project

By: Emma Scott

Published: February 21, 2017 by Trillian

256 pages

Genre: New Adult, Contemporary

Source: Publisher via NetGalley (Thank you!!)

( Goodreads | Amazon )

*Note: The above link to Amazon Depository is an affiliate link. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--"Where you are is home..."

At age fourteen, Zelda Rossi witnessed the unthinkable, and has spent the last ten years hardening her heart against the guilt and grief. She channels her pain into her art: a dystopian graphic novel where vigilantes travel back in time to stop heinous crimes—like child abduction—before they happen. Zelda pitches her graphic novel to several big-time comic book publishers in New York City, only to have her hopes crash and burn. Circumstances leave her stranded in an unfamiliar city, and in an embarrassing moment of weakness, she meets a guarded young man with a past he’d do anything to change...

Beckett Copeland spent two years in prison for armed robbery, and is now struggling to keep his head above water. A bike messenger by day, he speeds around New York City, riding fast and hard but going nowhere, his criminal record holding him back almost as much as the guilt of his crime.

Zelda and Beckett form a grudging alliance of survival, and in between their stubborn clash of wills, they slowly begin to provide each other with the warmth of forgiveness, healing, and maybe even love. But when Zelda and Beckett come face to face with their pasts, they must choose to hold on to the guilt and regret that bind them, or let go and open their hearts for a shot at happiness.

The Butterfly Project is a novel that reveals the power of forgiveness, and how even the smallest decisions of the heart can—like the flutter of a butterfly’s wings—create currents that strengthen into gale winds, altering the course of a life forever.

#standalone

First off, I really dislike this cover. I feel like it gives off the impression of being a self-published book which might hinder some readers from looking into it deeper. The cover also felt a bit disconnected from the actual story for me.

Another quick aside before I get into the meat of the story is that The Butterfly Project has a small crossover from the Full Tilt series. Zelda was a side character in that series and now she's the leading lady. Theo is mentioned and has an extremely short phone call with Zelda, and that's about it. But I personally appreciated the fan service of tying these two together.

So Zelda left Las Vegas with the dream is getting her graphic novel published. While I've read books in the past that feature authors or aspiring authors, I've never read one who focused on graphic novels so I liked this aspect. It was interesting to see more about her art and process of creating. And of course, it makes sense because Zelda was a tattoo artist in Vegas. While I can see her wanting to pursue a different avenue career-wise, when you're strapped for cash, I find it hard to believe that Zelda could make near the amount of money from waiting tables as she could from tattooing. When things are desperate you tend to go for practical. Or at least, I do. But Zelda's struggling with a traumatic event from her past. She witnessed a terrible crime and it has shaped her in many ways.

As the description says, Beckett served two years in prison for armed robbery. And he's currently on parole. He's spent every day since feeling regret and guilt over the entire situation because a man died. And despite Beckett's attempts to atone by doing good where he can, he doesn't feel that he deserves anything good in his life. He doesn't deserve to be happy. So when Zelda walks into his life he's reluctant to allow the light she brings to lift him up.

Zelda and Beckett have a slow building relationship. They become roommates out of desperate necessity. Then they become friends. Beckett ends up helping Zelda on her graphic novel to the point where they become partners. And eventually it turns into more. And really this slow building relationship is what drew me into this story.

Beyond Zelda and Beckett's relationship, these two both have pasts that they have to work through. They both harbor guilt over things that they couldn't control and didn't directly cause to happen. Zelda's situation was more innocent than Beckett's in that nothing she did caused the pain she feels. Beckett's the opposite. His decisions indirectly contributed to a man's death. Both have to grieve, forgive themselves, and let go in order to move forward. And stories about true forgiveness are usually among some of my favorites because we've all made mistakes. We all need forgiveness, but so often people and characters truly struggle with forgiving ourselves and others for the hurts we've caused and experienced.

The new adult genre almost always brings with it extensive language as well as graphic scenes. This was true for The Butterfly Project. The physical scenes weren't present really until about 70%, but after that they were fairly frequent. There's also child violence touched on. Prison and death penalty also if these things bother or concern you.

I enjoyed The Butterfly Project. I appreciated the crossovers from the Full Tilt series. Zelda and Beckett were easy to like and root for. And more than anything I enjoyed the message of forgiveness woven throughout. The language and physical scenes are always something I find myself mentioning with this genre. but also there were some cheesy lines. In the end, I feel like The Butterfly Project deserves 4 Stars. Have you read The Butterfly Project? What did you think? Let me know!

Sunday, August 27, 2017

Sunday Post - 262 & Stacking the Shelves - 198

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.

Finally a week with not so much going on. Tuesday was normal grocery day. Thursday I got on the cleaning bandwagon for the week and did a few chores that I've been putting off. We did get to walk on Thursday so that was nice. And I filled Little Girl's little pool for her to play in. She's so funny because she would rather stand outside the pool and scoop the water out than get in this week for some reason. Saturday we celebrated my sister's birthday by going out to lunch as a family. Then some came over to swim after. The pressure is starting to hit for all that we have left to do and buy before Baby Boy arrives. Most everything isn't crucial in that we can survive without buying those things or getting those chores done, but that doesn't mean I want them done/bought any less. Sigh. God's taken care of us and blessed us this far. I know He'll carry us through.

THIS PAST WEEK:

Monday: Review of After the Game (The Field Party, # 3) by Abbi Glines
Tuesday: Top Ten Books for Back to School
Wednesday: Can't Wait for The Heart's Appeal (London Beginnings, # 2) by Jennifer Delamere
Friday: 2017 Series Enders Reading Challenge - August Wrap Up

UPCOMING THIS WEEK:

Monday: Review of The Butterfly Project by Emma Scott
Tuesday: Top Ten Hidden Gems
Wednesday: Can't Wait for Wednesday
Thursday: August 2017 EOM Wrap Up
Friday: Review of Lettering With Purpose by Brittany Luiz

Don’t forget to sign up for the 2017 Series Enders Reading Challenge! You have until December 15, 2017 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!

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews.

Devils Unto Dust

By: Emma Berquist

Published: April 10th 2018 by Greenwillow

416 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Dystopian, Post-Apacolyptic

Source: Publisher via Edelweiss (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--Ten years ago, a horrifying disease began spreading across the West Texas desert. Infected people—shakes—attacked the living and created havoc and destruction. No one has ever survived the infection. Daisy Wilcox, known as Willie, has been protecting her siblings within the relatively safe walls of Glory, Texas. When Willie’s good-for-nothing father steals a fortune from one of the most dangerous shake-hunters in town, she finds herself on the hook for his debt. With two hunters, including the gruff and handsome Ben, to accompany her, she sets out across the desert in search of her father. But the desert is not kind to travelers, and not everyone will pass through alive.

Western meets horror for this riveting story about survival, family, and inner strength. Tense, short chapters propel readers from one action-packed scene to the next, while Willie’s distinctive, introspective voice deepens the emotional stakes with every turn of the page. High concept and character-driven, Emma Berquist’s debut will satisfy fans of The Magnificent Seven, Rae Carson’s Walk on Earth a Stranger, and HBO’s Westworld.

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!

Friday, August 25, 2017

2017 Series Enders Reading Challenge - August Wrap Up

Time for our seventh Monthly Wrap Up for the 2017 Series Enders Reading Challenge hosted by Sandy @ Somewhere Only We Know and Holly @ Words Fueled by Love!

Since the July Wrap Up, Holly hasn't finished any series enders this month. Sandy hasn't finished any either.

Announcements/Reminders:

  1. Please make sure we have a valid email address or other means of contacting you if you choose to participate. Linking up to Goodreads is perfectly fine, but we have found that Goodreads is not a reliable source for contacting someone should you be selected as one of the monthly giveaway winners. This could be due to your Goodreads notification settings or Goodreads themselves could be at fault. We're not sure which. And since we want to make sure that everyone who is eligible for one of the giveaways will receive their prize should they win one month or the grand prize at the end of the year, it is up to you to ensure that we can contact you and that you respond within a reasonable amount of time (usually stated in the email notifying you of your winning).
  2. While the challenge and giveaways are open internationally, please make sure that you can receive e-gift cards via Amazon.com or BarnesandNoble.com. Again, we want to make sure everyone has an equal opportunity to participate and to receive the prizes. Please remember that Holly and I are funding the giveaways out of our own pockets as something that we want to do, and we would like to continue to do so.

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 August giveaway runs from August 25th - September 25th. On September 25th we will use random.org and the linky entries to pull a winner.

Wednesday, August 23, 2017

Can't Wait for The Heart's Appeal

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings to spotlight and talk about the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they're books that have yet to be released as well. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous Jill at Breaking the Spine. Find out more here.

The Heart's Appeal (London Beginnings, # 2)

By: Jennifer Delamere

Expected Publication: March 6th 2018 by Bethany House Publishers

368 pages

Genre: Christian Fiction, Historical Fiction

( 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.

Amazon description--Strong-minded and independent Julia Bernay comes to London to study medicine and become a doctor--a profession that has only just opened up to women. She witnesses a serious accident, and through her quick actions saves the life of an ambitious young barrister named Michael Stephenson.

Coming from a family that long ago lost its money and its respectability, Michael Stephenson has achieved what many would have thought was impossible. Hard work and an aptitude for the law have enabled him to rise above his family's stigma and set him on the path to wealth and recognition. But his well-laid plans are upended when the accident brings Julia into his life.

Michael soon discovers he's met a woman every bit as stubborn and determined to make her mark on the world as he is. Sparks fly--but will they find common ground?

I enjoyed the first book in this series so I'm definitely planning to continue with this sequel. What are you guys waiting on this week? Let me know!

Tuesday, August 22, 2017

Top Ten Books for Back to School

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

I decided to go for books that I've read recently (within the last two years) that focused on a school setting (high school and college).

  1. PS I Like You by Kasie West (high school) - review coming soon
  2. Bright Side (Bright Side, # 1) by Kim Holden (college) - review coming soon
  3. Punk 57 by Penelope Davis (high school)
  4. These Things I've Done by Rebecca Phillips (high school)
  5. Coming Up for Air (Hundred Oaks, # 8) by Miranda Kenneally (high school)
  6. Love and First Sight by Josh Sundquist (high school)
  7. By Your Side by Kasie West (high school)
  8. Perfect Chemistry (Perfect Chemistry, # 1) by Simone Elkeles (high school)
  9. Rules of Attraction (Perfect Chemistry, # 2) by Simone Elkeles (high school)
  10. Walk the Edge (Thunder Road, # 2) by Katie McGarry (high school)

This was harder than I expected when I looked at how many books aren't set in school at all (mostly fantasy) and how many might have mentioned school but it wasn't really a focus. What books are your favorites that really focus on a high school or college setting? Let me know!

Monday, August 21, 2017

After the Game - Review

After the Game (The Field Party, # 3)

By: Abbi Glines

Expected Publication: August 22nd 2017 by Simon Pulse

320 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Sports

Source: Publisher via Edelweiss (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--The third book in the #1 New York Times bestselling Field Party series—a southern soap opera with football, cute boys, and pick-up trucks—from USA TODAY bestselling author Abbi Glines.

Two years ago, Riley Young fled from Lawton, Alabama. After accusing the oldest Lawton son, Rhett, of rape, everyone called her a liar and she had no option but to leave. Now she’s back, but she’s not at Lawton High finishing up her senior year. She’s at home raising the little girl that no one believed was Rhett’s.

Rhett is off at college living the life he was afraid he’d lose with Riley’s accusation, so Riley agrees to move back to Lawton so she and her parents could take care of her grandmother, who is suffering from Alzheimer’s. But the town still hasn’t forgotten their hate for her, and she hasn’t forgotten the way they turned on her when she needed them most.

When town golden boy Brady Higgens finds Riley and her daughter, Bryony, stranded on the side of the road in a storm, he pulls over and gives them a ride. Not because he cares about Riley, of course, but because of the kid.

But after the simple car ride, he begins to question everything he thought he knew. Could Brady believe Riley and risk losing everything?

After reading several fantasy books, I needed a genre switch. So when I saw After the Game available on Edelweiss I snatched it up and started reading it pretty much immediately. I knew based on past experience with Abbi Glines in combination with the number of pages for this one that I could read it quickly which was exactly what I needed. And that's exactly what happened.

As the description says, Riley was raped two years ago and no one believed her--except her parents. As a matter of fact, people were even angry with Riley because they decided that she was lying about the town golden boy. Riley's gone through counselling, and she's worked through many of her feelings over the experiences. She's come out on the other side stronger and wiser. But mostly that's because she now has a daughter to take care of. You would think that Riley's experience and rape would dominate the emotional conflict and drama. Yet that wasn't the case. Brady had some things going on with his family that filled that role.

And speaking of, the conflict revolving around Brady's family was something that I predicted from the beginning of the book, but it was also one of the pieces that I connected with the most. Having been touched by this subject in my own life, I felt for him and his family for having to go through all of that.

As I've come to expect from Abbi Glines, the couple had some easy to overcome bumps toward the end of the book. We were so close to the end before these issues really even came up at all so I was semi-hoping that the conflict for the sake of conflict could be avoided. It was not. Thankfully, this wasn't drawn out. I mean it couldn't have been since it was so close to the end of the book.

I probably shouldn't even mention this since I read an uncorrected advanced copy of this book, but there was an entire page where Abbi Glines kept using the wrong character's name. I'm sure this will be fixed before publication, and it didn't keep me from enjoying the book.

The only quotes I highlighted revolve around the issues going on with Brady's family. Because none of that is shared or hinted at in the description, I'm going to keep those quotes to myself.

I do think I should mention that physical scenes were pretty non-existent in this book which I appreciated. But there were several f-bombs if you care to know about that.

After the Game was one of the better Abbi Glines books that I've read. The conflict was real. I appreciated Riley's attitude given the trauma she's experienced in her life. Brady's family drama had my tearing up multiple times. After the Game gets 4 Stars from me. Have you read After the Game? What did you think? Let me know!

Sunday, August 20, 2017

Sunday Post - 261 & Stacking the Shelves - 197

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.

Little Girl is feeling better and so are Husband and I. Thanks for all of the well-wishes last week. Monday we went for a walk. It was humid so we didn't go the entire two miles we normally do. I'm so looking forward to fall weather for walking (assuming I can continue to waddle my way through it). Tuesday was grocery day. Wednesday we had the 4D Ultrasound for Baby Boy. He is adorable! He was awake (we could see his eyes opening and closing), but he wasn't moving around much except to put his hand over his face and snuggle in. I guess he was getting ready for a nap. It's a shame we can't do those about 10:30 pm as that seems to be when he's most active. Thursday and Friday we had absolutely nothing going on. So I took that time to try to finish painting the trim in our hallway. We did end up going to get Mexican food for dinner Friday night, and then we stopped by the park on the way home for Little Girl to experience the playground. Saturday we spent some time in the pool as our time to do so is winding down. I only snagged one book this week. I've not read this author before, but I've seen her books around the blogosphere a good bit.

THIS PAST WEEK:

Monday: Review of Three Dark Crowns (Three Dark Crowns, # 1) by Kendare Blake (3.5 Stars)
Wednesday: Can't Wait for More Than We Can Tell by Brigid Kemmerer

UPCOMING THIS WEEK:

Monday: Review After the Game (The Field Party, # 3) by Abbi Glines
Tuesday: Top Ten Books for Back to School
Wednesday: Can't Wait for Wednesday
Friday: 2017 Series Enders Reading Challenge - August Wrap Up

Don’t forget to sign up for the 2017 Series Enders Reading Challenge! You have until December 15, 2017 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!

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews.

Healed by Love (The Bradens at Peaceful Harbor, # 1) (The Braden's, # 13) (Love in Bloom, # 32)

By: Melissa Foster

Published: June 11th 2015 by World Literary Press

275 pages

Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Source: Personal Kindle Library (Kindle Freebie)

( 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--HEALED BY LOVE is a USA TODAY BESTSELLER

In HEALED BY LOVE...
Nate Braden has loved his best friend's younger sister Jewel for as long as he can remember, but between their age difference and his respect for Rick, he's always kept his feelings at bay. Now he's back in Peaceful Harbor, and Jewel is no longer sixteen years old--but there's an even bigger obstacle standing in his way. Nate and Rick joined the military together eight years earlier. Nate came home a hero, but Rick didn't make it out alive.

All Braden novels may be enjoyed as stand-alone books or enjoyed as part of the series.

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, August 16, 2017

Can't Wait for More Than We Can Tell

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings to spotlight and talk about the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they're books that have yet to be released as well. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous Jill at Breaking the Spine. Find out more here.

More Than We Can Tell

By: Brigid Kemmerer

Expected Publication: March 6th 2018 by Bloomsbury Children's

304 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--From the author of Letters to the Lost comes a heart-wrenching story of two teens with big secrets and a love that could set them free.

Rev Fletcher is battling the demons of his past. But with loving adoptive parents by his side, he’s managed to keep them at bay...until he gets a letter from his abusive father and the trauma of his childhood comes hurtling back.

Emma Blue spends her time perfecting the computer game she built from scratch, rather than facing her parents’ crumbling marriage. She can solve any problem with the right code, but when an online troll’s harassment escalates, she’s truly afraid.

When Rev and Emma meet, they both long to lift the burden of their secrets and bond instantly over their shared turmoil. But when their situations turn dangerous, their trust in each other will be tested in ways they never expected. This must-read story will once again have readers falling for Brigid Kemmerer’s emotional storytelling.

What are you guys waiting on this week? Let me know!

Monday, August 14, 2017

Three Dark Crowns - Review

Three Dark Crowns (Untitled, # 1)

By: Kendare Blake

Published: September 20th 2016 by HarperTeen

416 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Magic

Source: Publisher via Edelweiss (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--Every generation on the island of Fennbirn, a set of triplets is born: three queens, all equal heirs to the crown and each possessor of a coveted magic. Mirabella is a fierce elemental, able to spark hungry flames or vicious storms at the snap of her fingers. Katharine is a poisoner, one who can ingest the deadliest poisons without so much as a stomachache. Arsinoe, a naturalist, is said to have the ability to bloom the reddest rose and control the fiercest of lions.

But becoming the Queen Crowned isn’t solely a matter of royal birth. Each sister has to fight for it. And it’s not just a game of win or lose…it’s life or death. The night the sisters turn sixteen, the battle begins. The last queen standing gets the crown.

If only it was that simple. Katharine is unable to tolerate the weakest poison, and Arsinoe, no matter how hard she tries, can’t make even a weed grow. The two queens have been shamefully faking their powers, taking care to keep each other, the island, and their powerful sister Mirabella none the wiser. But with alliances being formed, betrayals taking shape, and ruthless revenge haunting the queens’ every move, one thing is certain: the last queen standing might not be the strongest…but she may be the darkest.

I was instantly intrigued by the description of Three Dark Crowns. Three sisters with magical powers fight until only one is left standing to claim the crown and the throne. I was pulled in immediately. But once approved, I didn't pick this book up immediately due to the publication date being a few months in the future. As the publication date approached, I started seeing ratings come through and they weren't very high. My excitement level dropped immensely and I put off reading Three Dark Crowns. I did pick it up but only read a page or two before deciding that it wasn't pulling me in enough and putting it back down. I realize that's not enough time really to allow a book to pull me in or not, but I'm such a mood reader. I featured Three Dark Crowns in a couple of posts mentioning that I still needed to get around to reading it, and every person that commented on it told me that it had a slow start but that the book ends in a place where you want to know more. And that's exactly my experience with it.

Since several advised me to push through the beginning, I figured that I should do just that and give Three Dark Crowns another try. I don't think it helped that chapter 1 is about Katherine (the poisoner) who turned out to be my least favorite of the three sisters. Yet, it wasn't too long before I found myself interested in what was going on and how things would progress. Three Dark Crowns was interesting but not devouring. The book swaps between the three sisters. I feel like it was written in a way that perhaps Kendare Blake is trying to lead the reader to root for Arsinoe, but Mirabella ended up being my favorite I think.

Side note: Arsinoe...I kept reading this as Arisnoe. Ugh. I'm all about unique names, but I don't like when a name is so unique that I can't pronounce it correctly. I told Husband that I don't know if I struggle with a little bit of dyslexia or if I'm just trying to read too fast to stop and parse out names that I'm unfamiliar with. As such, I knew I was pronouncing her name wrong, yet I couldn't stop myself. And this took me out of the story so frequently while reading this book which I find entirely frustrating. So just a personal pet peeve.

Back to what I was saying, I could be wrong, but I felt like there were more chapters dedicated to Arsinoe than the other queens. I struggled with figuring out who to root for because I felt sorry for each of these characters. Katherine and Arsinoe are both powerless, although they and the families they're living with are both trying to keep that a secret from the rest of the island. Katherine should be a poisoner--meaning she should be immune to poisons--so she's regularly submitted to a multitude of poisons in hopes of bringing out her gift or at least developing a tolerance or immunity to them. She was subjected to cruelty often. Arsinoe is supposed to be a naturalist which means that she can make plants grow as well as have an animal familiar with some level of control over most other animals. But no familiar has ever show up and she's never made anything grow. Yet the family fostering her seems to genuinely love her and accept her as part of them despite not having a gift. Mirabella is the only sister who actually manages to access her gift. She's an elemental. She also seems to have been gifted to a fairly warm environment with her foster family. She has close friends. At the same time, the temple and the priestesses have chosen her as their queen over her sisters. Never before has the temple been so sided before. Yet the temple isn't as they appear. They have an agenda and Mirabella is a pawn. So you can see that each has something rooting against them which makes them endearing on some level. None of the sisters relish having to kill the others. Katherine is the one that might lean towards it the most, but that isn't surprising given the cruelty that she's been subjected to. None of the sisters seem inherently evil. So all that to say that choosing a side was difficult.

One of my favorite parts of any book is the hope that the main character will find love. And well...this wasn't a large part of Three Dark Crowns. Even though romance isn't required for me to enjoy a book, it does help immensely. Katherine is presented with Pietyr as a tutor to help her learn how to flirt with the potential suitors (all three sisters face the same suitors). Katherine can't help but fall for Pietyr and it appears that he feels the same way. Yet these two aren't supposed to be together. Knowing this up front kept me from connecting to the two as a couple. Arsinoe meets one of the potential suitors very early on and the two develop a definite friendship, but at this point it appears to be nothing more than that. And Mirabella meets and feels an insta-connection with a friend of Arsinoe who happens to be in love with Arsinoe's best friend, Jules. This was the relationship that I felt the most spark and connection to. However, moving forward for these two will be messy, and I'm not sure how much I can support it given that Joseph chooses to move forward with Jules. This area left me wanting a bit more. I hope that One Dark Throne pursues the romances a bit more.

Without discussing the actual events of the book in any more detail as I'm afraid I've probably given too much away as it is, I will say that there was one twist (betrayal) that I didn't see coming, and there was one twist that was supposed to be pretty substantial that I did see from early on. That left me with yes being intrigued and interested to see how things continue to play out, but perhaps not quite as dying for book 2 as I could have been. I do hope that One Dark Throne has a much better pacing and not such a slow start. Three Dark Crowns was enjoyable. I want to know more. But I wasn't dying to keep reading or to jump immediately into book 2 (although I did choose to go ahead and start One Dark Crown upon finishing this one). I liked the characters for the most part but struggled with deciding who to root for. In the end, Three Dark Crowns gets 3.5 Stars from me. Have you read Three Dark Crowns? What did you think? Let me know!

Sunday, August 13, 2017

Sunday Post - 260 & Stacking the Shelves - 196

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.

On the one hand, I feel like we just can't catch a break. Little Girl started getting sick on Monday so that made for not the best week. Thankfully she's pretty much well now. On the other hand, I know things can always get worse. I thought she was better by Friday but when I picked her up after my doctor's appointment she seemed to have had a setback. AND of course Husband and I couldn't come out completely unscathed. Both of us seem to be struggling with something also. My throat and his nose. I got Succubus Shadows (Georgina Kincaid, # 5) by Richelle Mead on sale this week. I have only read the first book in the series, but since this one went on sale, I couldn't resist snagging it.

THIS PAST WEEK:

Monday: Review of These Things I've Done by Rebecca Phillips (3.5 Stars)
Wednesday: Can't Wait for Say You'll Remember Me by Katie McGarry

UPCOMING THIS WEEK:

Monday: Review of Three Dark Crowns (Three Dark Crowns, # 1) by Kendare Blake
Tuesday: Top Ten Tuesday
Wednesday: Can't Wait for Wednesday

Don’t forget to sign up for the 2017 Series Enders Reading Challenge! You have until December 15, 2017 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!

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews.

Succubus Shadows (Georgina Kincaid, # 5)

By: Richelle Mead

Published: March 30th 2010 by Kensington

281 pages

Genre: Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal

Source: Personal Kindle Library (on sale $1.99)

( 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--Georgina Kincaid has formidable powers. Immortality, seduction, shape-shifting into any human form she desires, walking in heels that would cripple mere mortals -- all child's play to a succubus like her.

Helping to plan her ex-boyfriend's wedding is a different story. Georgina isn't sure which is worse -- that Seth is marrying another woman, or that Georgina has to run all over Seattle trying on bridesmaid dresses. Still, there are distractions. Georgina's roommate, Roman, is cluttering her apartment with sexual tension. Then there's Simone, the new succubus in town, who's intent on corrupting Seth.

But the real danger lies in the mysterious force that's visiting her thoughts, trying to draw her into a dark, otherworldly realm. Sooner or later, Georgina knows she'll be too weak to resist. And when that happens, she'll discover who she can trust, who she can't -- and that Hell is far from the worst place to spend eternity...

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!