Going Rogue - Review

Going Rogue (Stephanie Plum, # 29)

By: Janet Evanovich

Publication: November 1, 2022 by Atria Books

324 pages

Genre: Adult, Mystery, Humor

Source: Borrowed from the e-library

( Goodreads | Amazon )

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

Goodreads description--Stephanie Plum breaks the rules, flirts with disaster, and shows who’s boss in this “fast and fun” (Publishers Weekly) thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author Janet Evanovich.

Monday mornings aren’t supposed to be fun, but they should be predictable. However, on this particular Monday, Stephanie Plum knows that something is amiss when she turns up for work at Vinnie’s Bail Bonds to find that longtime office manager Connie Rosolli, who is as reliable as the tides in Atlantic City, hasn’t shown up.

Stephanie’s worst fears are confirmed when she gets a call from Connie’s abductor. He says he will only release her in exchange for a mysterious coin that a recently murdered man left as collateral for his bail. Unfortunately, this coin, which should be in the office—just like Connie—is nowhere to be found.

The quest to discover the coin, learn its value, and save Connie will require the help of Stephanie’s Grandma Mazur, her best pal Lula, her boyfriend Morelli, and hunky security expert Ranger. As they get closer to unraveling the reasons behind Connie’s kidnapping, Connie’s captor grows more threatening and soon Stephanie has no choice but to throw caution to the wind, follow her instincts, and go rogue.

Full of surprises, thrills, and humor, Going Rogue reveals a new side of Stephanie Plum, and shows Janet Evanovich at her scorching, riotous best.

The Stephanie Plum series is one that doesn't fit any of my normal standards. What I mean is that normally I can't stand not to finish something. I normally don't skip around in a series. I can't stand missing pieces of a puzzle or not reading a series from book one to the end. In this series, I started in book 15 I think. I haven't read books 2-14 at all. I've missed some between 24 and 29. Under usual circumstances, this would bug me to no end. But I'm not bugged because it's this series alone. I don't read these books to experience the next big literary masterpiece. Or even to advance the story. As a matter of fact, the overall storyline hasn't advanced...at all...in many books.

This book starts off with Connie being kidnapped pretty early. Stephanie is in charge of finding what the kidnappers want in order to get Connie returned safely. Ranger is helping her. Morelli is mostly working an off-book murder case for convenience's sake. Vinny is out of town for most of the book. So it's up to Stephanie with the help of Lula, of course, to keep the office running as well as get Connie back. I didn't have any laugh-out-loud moments.

I find this is pretty much all I have to say about the book. I enjoyed it. I'll hit up the next book since I actually have it for review. And I do continue to hope that there will be progress in the overall storyline, although I never expect it. Going Rogue gets 3 Stars. Lorelai King is one of the best audiobook narrators I've ever listened to. Have you read (or listened to) Going Rogue? What did you think? Let me know!

Sunday Post - 06/23/24

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.

Monday I started getting a sore throat. Little Girl had a scrimmage game Monday night. Tuesday, we went to the park with some friends before getting groceries. Little Boy had martial arts, and Little Girl had softball practice. Wednesday, Husband was off work for Juneteenth. We went for a walk and then he went swimming with the boys while I ran next door to help our elderly neighbor with something. Little Girl had batting pracitce Wednesday night. Then Thursday, we spent the day at my parent's house. We had to leave a little early because Little Girl's All Star tournament started and she had a pool game that night. They lost 22-0. If the team they played during that pool game didn't win the championship I would be surprised. Friday was my birthday. We woke up and got busy getting ready. I did open a few presents, but I had to take the kids to the tournament. Husband couldn't get off work for the first game of the day so I carted the kids off by myself. They lost the first game 15-1. That was another team that did really well, and I bet they won second or third in the tournament. We had a break between games so we ran to BK for lunch. My parents took the boys home with them so I could go back to the tournament and focus on Little Girl. Our second and last game of the day Friday we lost 19-11. That was a much closer game and more on our level. The girls just made a lot of bad throws that resulted in the other team getting to run the bases on them. They hit much better in that last game though. Little girl got several balls to her out in left field and she stopped them all (but 1). I was so proud of her. She hit pretty well too. Husband picked up Pizza Hut for us for dinner which I appreciated so I didn't have to cook on my birthday. Saturday, I wasn't feeling the best after being out in the sun all day Friday and being sick. The kids did go swimming, but they weren't behaving the best and didn't last long in the pool. I was torn between wanting to clean up the house and needing to rest.

THE PAST WEEK

Monday: Review of Highcliffe House by Megan Walker (4.5 Stars)
Tuesday: Top Ten Summer 2024 TBR List
Wednesday: Can't Wait for No Match for Love by Karen Thornell
Friday: Homeschool Friday - Oops! I Made a Mistake

UPCOMING THIS WEEK:

Monday: Review of Going Rogue (Stephanie Plum, # 29) by Janet Evanovich
Tuesday: Top Ten Tuesday?
Wednesday: Can't Wait for Wednesday?
Friday: Homeschool Friday - Pup and Hound

Don’t forget to link up for the 2024 Series Enders Reading Challenge! You have until December 15th, 2024 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!

NEW BOOKS:

Vows & Ruins (The Legends of Thezmarr, # ) 2

By: Helen Scheuerer

Publication: September 21, 2023 by Alchemy

536 Pages

Genre: New Adult, Fantasy

Source: Personal Library (Thank you!!)

( Goodreads | Amazon )

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

Goodreads description--Against all odds, Althea Zoltaire emerged from her trials as a champion. Now, she must train even harder and prepare herself to become a true warrior of Thezmarr.

But Thea’s world is turned upside down as she struggles to navigate her newfound magic and uncover the secrets of her past. Slowly, she begins to untangle the truth about her family, her powers and the evil that threatens to engulf the kingdom.

When Wilder Hawthorne returns to be her official mentor, everything changes. Dark forces are gathering, and he will stop at nothing to prepare her for the challenges to come, even if it means breaking her.

As war looms and their quest for answers leads master and apprentice deeper into danger, the undeniable connection between them intensifies – defying all odds, but also threatening to tear them apart.

With secrets unravelling and evil closing in, Thea and Wilder fight to save the world, and each other. The fate of the realms rests in their hands – will they emerge victorious, or will the darkness consume them both?

Full of action, adventure and steamy romance, Vows & Ruins is the second book in the spellbinding epic romantic fantasy series, The Legends of Thezmarr and is perfect for fans of The Bridge Kingdom, From Blood and Ash and The Witcher.

Cursed (Gilded, # 2)

By: Marissa Meyer

Publication: November 8th 2022 by Feiwel & Friends

496 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Retellings, Fantasy

( 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--New York Times bestselling author Marissa Meyer concludes her young adult retelling of Rumpelstiltskin in Cursed, the sequel to Gilded.

Serilda and Gild attempt to break the curses that tether their spirits to Adalheid's haunted castle before the Endless Moon, when the Erlking means to capture one of the seven gods and make a wish to return his lover, Perchta, from the underworld. But as the story progresses, it becomes clear he doesn't want just one god—he wants to capture all seven, and force them to bring down the veil that keeps the Dark Ones separate from the land of the mortals. Serilda and Gild must try to thwart his plans, all while solving the mystery of Gild's forgotten name, freeing his younger sister who is trapped inside Gravenstone Castle, and trying to protect their unborn child.

Romance, adventure, and Serilda’s journey to finding her power as a woman, a mother, and a partner make this a retelling that Meyer fans—old and new—will treasure.

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!

Homeschool Friday - Oops! I Made a Mistake

Homeschool Friday is a feature here at Somewhere Only We Know that showcases books my family reads during homeschool and provides a mini-review for each.

Oops! I Made a Mistake

By: Susan Hood

Illustrated By: Dana Regan

Publication: September 13, 2011 by Studio Fun International

32 pages

Genre: Children's, First Readers

Source: Personal Library

( Goodreads | Amazon )

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

Goodreads description--Oops! A young girl tracks dirt inside, spills paint on the floor, then her dog runs out the door! She made a mistake, but dad does not yell. No one is perfect, he tells her, and mistakes can be fixed. They clean up the dirt, wipe up the paint, and bring back the pup. Then we see Dad make a mistake too! Includes a note to parents with tips on how to encourage reading and on how to help your child learn to read. Also included is a list of words to "point and read" to help young readers learn new words. As each word is read by a narrator words are highlighted on the screen. Sounds effects are also included.

Oops! I Made a Mistake follows a little girl who makes a series of 3 or 4 mistakes. She sees how her Dad handles mistakes without getting too worked up. And then she realizes that everyone makes mistakes. Even her dad.

What child cannot relate to making mistakes? The mistakes the little girls makes are all ones that a typical child might make and mostly result from not paying attention. They aren't intentional. It's good to see how adults handle mistakes without getting too upset. And then it's a nice reminder to know that even adults sometimes make mistakes too. I liked the phonics repetition in this book. Kids need to see each word over and over until it becomes memorized and not just sounded out. Frequent repetition helps words to become memorized and not have to be sounded out each time.

Oops! I Made a Mistake is a book any kid can relate to. Especially if you have a child that makes frequent inattention mistakes, this might help them to feel understood. I loved the phonics repetition with specific words being repeated and then specific phonetic blends being used multiple times. This helps to build reading vocabulary and mastery plus builds the child's reading confidence. Oops! I Made a Mistake gets 5 Stars. Have you or your child read Oops! I Made a Mistake!? What did you think? Let me know!

Can't Wait for No Match for Love

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.

No Match for Love

By: Karen Thornell

Expected Publication: September 2, 2024 by Covenant Communications

304 pages

Genre: Adult, Historical Fiction

( Goodreads | Amazon )

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

Goodreads description--Lucas Berkeley has a secret—one he cannot risk anyone discovering. After all, a future marquess belongs in drawing rooms, not underground boxing circles. Yet with a painful past and a need to control every aspect of his life, it is his only outlet. And when his brother begins to court the one woman who could ruin everything, Lucas needs the secret diversion more than ever.

Lydia Faraday is exhausted from living a life in which she has no say. When her taciturn guardian drags her to London intent on marrying her off, she determines to thwart his plans. If she is to have freedom in any aspect of her existence, it ought to be with whom she marries. And when a solicitor turns up with new information, she thinks that just might be possible. Or it may complicate her future further.

When Lucas and Lydia become entangled in a dangerous scheme, they cannot help but become closer, even as the obstacles between them grow. The last thing either is looking for is love. But their hearts have different plans.

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

Top Ten Summer 2024 TBR List

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. This week's topic is Top Ten Summer 2024 TBR List

1. A Drop of Venom by Sajni Patel
2. Dirty Thirty (Stephanie Plum, # 30) by Janet Evanovich
3. Tree. Table. Book. by Lois Lowry
4. The Outlaw Noble Salt by Amy Harmon
5. Fairest of Heart (Texas Ever After, #1) by Karen Witemeyer
6. Love, Just In by Natalie Murray
7. The Lady Glass by Anneka Walker
8. Cursed (Gilded, # 2) by Marissa Meyer
9. Knight of the Goddess (Blood of a Fae, # 4) by Briar Boleyn
10. The Wild Robot (The Wild Robot, # 1) by Peter Brown

Which books are you hoping to get to this summer? Let me know!

Highcliffe House - Review

Highcliffe House

By: Megan Walker

Publication: May 7, 2024 by Shadow Mountain

320 pages

Genre: Adult, Historical Fiction, Regency

Source: Publisher via Edelweiss (Thank you!!)

( Goodreads | Amazon )

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

Goodreads description--Love ignites when two rivals vie to secure a possible fortune at the seaside town of Brighton.

Brighton, England, 1813

When a romantic entanglement leaves her humiliated and reeling, Anna Lane wants nothing more than for her father to whisk her away from the gossip of the ton. Unfortunately, he has obligations elsewhere, leaving her stuck in London.

Graham Everett’s financial security depends on an investment with Mr. Lane, his long-time friend and business partner. He’ll do just about anything to secure it for his family, even if it means fighting spoiled, embittered Anna for her father’s attention.

Luckily, Mr. Lane concocts a plan that will give everyone what they wat, with one stipulation: Anna must accompany Graham to Brighton in her father’s stead and make a decision to invest—or not—based on a thorough report.

But it will take more than a day at the beach for these two headstrong hearts to admit that they’ve been wrong about each other. If they are willing to invest a little time working out their differences, they might have a chance at real love.

Highcliffe House reminds me of Jane Austen's unpublished novel Sanditon. Granted, I haven't read her unpublished book, but I did see the PBS Masterpiece Classic version. Anna and Graham are at odds. In Anna's view, Graham has taken all her father's attention away. When they should be having family dinners, Graham arrives to discuss business deals with Anna's father, leaving her to eat dinner alone. While her father was supposed to be chaperoning her around London during her Season, she's left with an aunt who isn't at all who Anna would like to be spending her time with. Especially after being humiliated and at the center of a near scandal, Anna needs her father more than ever, but once again, Graham shows up with some investment opportunity.

Graham's father abandoned his family. Graham has two younger sisters and a mother who is now his responsibility to take care of. And he's done so. Slowly. One investment opportunity at a time. Thankfully, he's had a mentor and father figure in the form of Mr. Lane, Anna's father. He can't figure out why Anna can't seem to stand him. But he can't let her stand in the way of providing for his family.

Anna's father also once made her a promise that he wouldn't look at getting remarried until she finds a husband first. But he's finding it hard to keep that promise since he's developed feelings for someone. When he's faced with a much-needed trip to Bath to visit his sweetheart and an investment opportunity that needs to be researched, Mr. Lane decides to send Anna to investigate the opportunity on his behalf. She is determined to shoot down the proposal and get back to some alone time with her father, but of course, Graham can't let that happen.

Graham's family is wonderful. It was easy to fall in love with both of his sisters and his mother as well as him. Anna has sorely missed having a mother figure in her life as her mother died giving birth to her. But things can't be easy. Graham may have worked his way up, but that doesn't mean he's in a position to take on the care of another dependent. 

I highly enjoyed Highcliffe House. It hooked me very quickly, which has been a struggle lately. I could easily root for both characters. Their motivations were so easy to understand and agree with. The secondary characters made the story come to life. Highcliffe House gets 4.5 Stars. Have you read Highcliffe House? If so, what do you think? Let me know!

Sunday Post - 06/16/24

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.

I can't remember much about two weeks ago. I know Little Girl had softball practice every night. Little Boy started back martial arts. It's been a bit of running around and stumbling around to get back into the swing of things. We've done a lot of walking and a lot of swimming. This past Wednesday we spent the day with my parents. Littlest Boy spent the night with them. Thursday morning, the bigger kids and I got up early and met up with some friends to head to St. Andrews, Florida to go to the beach. We had a good trip. It was my first time at that beach, and we would definitely go back. We didn't get home until after 11 pm. Friday, I spent the day cleaning house. Saturday, we had a family birthday and swim party to celebrate my brother's birthday, my birthday, and Father's Day with my dad.

THE PAST TWO WEEKS

Monday 6/3: Review of To Love the Brooding Baron by Jentry Flint (3.5 Stars)
Friday 6/7: Homeschool Friday - I Can Help
Monday 6/10: Review of Trial of the Sun Queen (Artefacts of Ouranos, # 1) by Nisha J Tuli (3 Stars)
Wednesday 6/12: Can't Wait for Lady Anna's Favor by Karen Tuft
Friday 6/14: Homeschool Friday - No Kisses, Please!

UPCOMING THIS WEEK:

Monday: Review of Highcliffe House by Megan Walker
Tuesday: Top Ten Tuesday?
Wednesday: Can't Wait for Wednesday?
Friday: Homeschool Friday - Oops! I Made a Mistake

Don’t forget to link up for the 2024 Series Enders Reading Challenge! You have until December 15th, 2024 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!

NEW BOOKS:

No new books this week!

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!

Homeschool Friday - No Kisses, Please!

Homeschool Friday is a feature here at Somewhere Only We Know that showcases books my family reads during homeschool and provides a mini-review for each.

No Kisses, Please!

By: Hans Wilhelm

Publication: January 1, 2004

32 pages

Genre: Children's, First Readers

Source: Personal Library

( Goodreads | Amazon )

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

Goodreads description--Noodles the puppy faces a new kind of problem. Auntie Judy has arrived for a visit, and he is determined to avoid getting a kiss! When his attempt to hide in the garden fails, Noodles comes up with a hilarious and messy plan. This funny Level 1 story is perfect for beginning readers.

In No Kisses, Please! we follow a dog whose aunt is coming to visit. The aunt always gives him kisses which he doesn't like. He tries hiding, but that doesn't work. Eventually, he finds something that works. In the end, he gets something better than kisses.

This story appealed to my 6-year-old son because he isn't always a fan of kisses either. He can understand wanting to get away and hide from people who want to smother you with kisses. Even though this wasn't laugh-out-loud funny, it was funny enough for him to appreciate the story and relate.

No Kisses, Please! gets 4 Stars. I have no complaints with it, but I'm a firm believer of not giving everything 5 Stars because then you have nothing to rate the exceptional. Have you or your child read No Kisses, Please!? What did you think? Let me know!

Can't Wait for Lady Anna's Favor

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.

Lady Anna's Favor

By: Karen Tuft

Expected Publication: November 26, 2024 by Shadow Mountain

272 pages

Genre: Adult, Historical Fiction

( Goodreads | Amazon )

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

Goodreads description--London, England, 1814

Lady Anna Clifton will stop at nothing to find her missing brother—even if it means working alongside the dashingly handsome but sometimes infuriating Mr. Jennings, who just might steal her heart.

Lady Anna Clifton has arrived in London with a purpose known only to a few. Her soldier brother has been reported wounded and missing in France, and if he is dead, his title and their family’s estate will go to a horrible distant cousin, and Lady Anna will be homeless. Desperate to find her brother alive, she contacts old family friends, the Bledsoes, who vow to help her in any way they can. However, Lord Bledsoe’s efforts come up empty, except from the Duke of Aylesham, who offers his yacht to carry her to France when Anna decides she must look for her brother there herself.

James cannot board the Duke of Aylesham’s yacht to take him to France fast enough. After his sister’s rushed marriage to the duke himself, James wants nothing more than to enjoy a relaxing journey back to Paris before rejoining England’s diplomatic war efforts against Napoleon. When he boards the ship, he cannot deny his instant attraction to the strikingly beautiful young woman who will be joining him across the sea. But when he receives only a cold reception from her, James dismisses her outright—until he learns the tragic reason she has set out on such a perilous journey. As infuriating as Lady Anna’s brash behavior and indifference to him is, her search seems much too dangerous for a young lady of the ton to undertake alone, so James reluctantly offers to assist her in her quest.

Together, they embark on a search that will take them across the sea and through France to uncover the truth all while trying to reconcile their differences and the preconceived notions they have about each other. With every step, they come closer to solving the mystery surrounding Lady Anna’s brother’s disappearance—but each step also pushes their hearts closer together.

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

Trial of the Sun Queen - Review

Trial of the Sun Queen (Artefacts of Ouranos, # 1)

By: Nisha J. Tuli

Publication: November 15, 2022

400 pages

Genre: New Adult, Fantasy, Fae

( Goodreads | Amazon )

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

Goodreads description--Ten women. A deadly contest. Only one can win the Sun King's heart.

Lor has endured twelve long years of torment under the Aurora King’s rule. Her only desire is to escape and pay him back for every moment of misery she's endured.

When a surprise release finds her in the hands of the rival Sun King, Lor is thrust into the spotlight as she competes against nine other Tributes for the role of queen. If she wins his heart, she'll earn her freedom and finally get her revenge.

But Lor doesn't belong in the Sun Queen Trials. Not only does she not understand why she was freed, she isn’t a citizen of the Sun King’s court. The other Tributes resent her presence and will stop at nothing to ensure Lor is removed from the competition, permanently.

Now Lor must win, because if she loses, she dies. Or worse, she'll be returned to the evil—and now vengeful—Aurora King.

Trial of the Sun Queen has a slow start. Lor and her two siblings have been prisoners since they were children. Lor is the youngest sibling; she was twelve when imprisoned. Tristan, the oldest, and Lor, the youngest, have endured the most. Lor most of all. They are keeping their family bonds a secret. And Lor has done just about everything to survive. She's thrown into a pit outside, which is a form of solitary confinement when she's taken by the Sun King's court to participate in the Trial of the Sun Queen, which will determine who will be the next queen. Atlas, the Sun King, is interested in Lor from the beginning. She's the final tribute--usually a human from the slums, instead has been pulled from the Aurora Kingdom. Atlas promises Lor if she wins he will bring her "friends" Willow and Tristan to her. If she loses, she will go straight back to prison. 

Atlas appears to be kind, and he seems to have an attraction to Lor from the beginning. Her spirit and determination interest him. She shows herself to have queenly characteristics both from the trials she's conquered and their conversations. Atlas also makes it clear that he wants her. Even with all this, I didn't feel the connection between these two like you expect from two main characters in a romantic relationship. Plus there's Nadir, prince of Aurora, who also narrates. His narration had me thinking that Atlas is not a long-lasting love interest in this series. 

So even though I rarely seek out spoilers for a book, I've learned that occasionally spoilers do help me. That being said, I decided Trial of the Sun Queen was one I wanted immediate answers to some of my questions. Of course, since only book 2 (out of 4?) is available now, I didn't get too many answers. Just enough to continue moving forward.

Trial of the Sun Queen takes a very sudden turn at the climax of the story. Lor u-turns so suddenly that it feels jarring. I take this as a sign of weak writing. She was full-speed ahead on her course until what seemed like a small thing made her derail completely. It was necessary for the overall story of the series, but I think better writing could have made this feel more natural and less out of the blue. It wasn't a plot twist. I could see it coming, but it didn't feel authentic to the character or the story. It's hard to describe, especially without spoilers.

There are trigger warnings at the beginning of the book. There's sexual assault and trauma--not specifically stated, but implied and discussed in the past tense. There's also physical abuse and trauma. Sexual content is present in the book, as well as quite a lot of language. Add in the random LGBTQ scenes that were brief and unnecessary. 

Trial of the Sun Queen reminded me a good bit of The Selection series by Kiera Cass. It wasn't exactly the same, but moments felt very similar. The girls competing to become queen, having these trials, Atlas having to spend time one-on-one with each of the girls, and the jealousy that sparks between the contestants or tributes. 

Trial of the Sun Queen kept me interested only after I sought out some spoilers. I immediately picked up book # 2, Rule of the Aurora King. I didn't buy the relationship between Atlas and Lor exactly. Their interactions always fell short of what they should have in a way that's hard to describe. Plus Nadir's narrations indicated a piece of the puzzle still to come. Lor has bitterness towards just about everyone because she suffered for no reason, and either they didn't suffer, or they didn't stop her suffering. Illogical if you ask me. Trial of the Sun Queen gets 3 Stars. Have you read Trial of the Sun Queen? What did you think? Let me know!

Homeschool Friday - I Can Help

Homeschool Friday is a feature here at Somewhere Only We Know that showcases books my family reads during homeschool and provides a mini-review for each.

I Can Help

By: Hans Wilhelm

Publication: September 1, 2005 by Turtleback

35 pages

Genre: Children's, First Readers

Source: Personal Library

( Goodreads | Amazon )

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

Goodreads description--Full of energy and good will, Puppy attempts to be a helpful addition to the family, but after a few accidents and mistakes, such as knocking over a flowerpot and dumping the garbage can, Puppy begins to wonder if he will ever be able to get anything right.

I'm making my six-year-old read daily through the summer to build his reading skills. We don't read for long, but I figure a little every day will help build his confidence and skills. I actually had a friend pass down a stack of level 1 readers, and I'm so thankful. The stories for level 1 readers aren't always the most interesting. It can be challenging to build an engaging story with such a limited vocubulary. But I Can Help was a great choice.

I Can Help follows a dog trying to help a baby. And the poor dog keeps making mistakes. He knocks down the baby's block tower. He tries to clean but only makes a bigger mess. He tries to plant flowers but gets sent away. He wonders how grown-ups do such a good job, and then he realizes that grown-ups must have made many mistakes along the way also. He comes to the realization that grown-ups must not have given up and therefore, he won't also. Not only was I Can Help on a level that my child could read without help, but it was an engaging short story that any child could relate to. Young children naturally want to help their parents and even their siblings. And of course, they also make many mistakes. So I loved the "never give up" moral to this level 1 reader also. I Can Help gets 5 Stars. Have you read I Can Help? What did you think? Let me know!

To Love the Brooding Baron - Review

To Love the Brooding Baron

By: Jentry Flint

Publication: June 4, 2024 by Shadow Mountain

256 pages

Genre: Adult, Historical Fiction

Source: Publisher via Edelweiss (Thank you!!)

( Goodreads | Amazon )

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

Goodreads description--Opposites attract and sparks fly when the vivacious Arabella falls for a baron who lives under the shadow of a scandalous family secret.

Arabella Latham is a free spirit who longs to feel the spark of true love, but few men can match her passion for Shakespeare or her zest for life. Though her prospects seem slim, Arabella knows she can always count on the handsome but stoic Lord Henry Northcott, dubbed “The Brooding Baron” by the ton, to be willing to engage in intelligent conversation and even share a congenial dance with her at almost every ball. His quiet demeanor is the opposite of her vivacious personality, and she finds herself drawn to him, despite their differences.

Lord Northcott has quietly admired Arabella for years, grateful that his friendship with her brother has allowed him to share in her company. But he knows he cannot pursue a romantic relationship with any woman—let alone someone as bright and beautiful as Arabella—because of the shadow that an old family scandal has cast over his life. He has vowed to preserve what is left of his family’s reputation by holding himself above reproach apart from society and focusing the majority of his efforts at Parliament.

But Arabella is determined to show Lord Northcott that life is meant to be enjoyed, and she sets out to see what is behind the walls the Brooding Baron has built around himself. Could the spark of true love be enough to drive away the shadows holding Henry back?

I finished To Love the Brooding Baron about two months before I wrote my review of it. So I don't remember all of the details exactly. And I actually had a hard time recalling what this book was about just based on the Goodreads description and my highlights. That might tell you something you need to know. Or it might not. I will say that this book wasn't listed on Goodreads as the 2nd in a series, but it follows secondary characters from the book Games in a Ballroom by Jentry Flint. So it's at least a companion book, but I would label it as book 2. Book 1 isn't essential to understand or enjoy To Love the Brooding Baron, but it would be helpful as there are references to events from the previous book.

If I remember correctly, Arabella is Emerson's sister from the previous book. Emerson and Olivia married. Olivia and Arabella were best friends. Emerson has a group of friends which include Henry and Bradbury (I can't remember his first name). Henry has always been interested in Arabella. But he's a bit worried that he might be crazy. See Henry's big family secret revolves around mental health issues. I can't dive into them to discuss them because they're all supposed to be spoilers. Or at least secrets that need to be exposed at just the right time.

Because To Love the Brooding Baron touches on mental health issues during a time when so much was unknown and misunderstood about these issues at the time, we have some glimpses into the insane asylums. This was so sad and disturbing. I mean just about everyone knows of the horror stories that went on in the insane asylums throughout history. And To Love the Brooding Baron touched on anyone's nightmare of being trapped somewhere like that you don't belong.

Arabella was a little challenging for me. She isn't happy with the status quo. She isn't one to stay within the confines of society's role for women. She's going to go and do whatever she wants to do. This grates on me. And she has to learn that sometimes the rules are there for our protection and not just to keep us from having the fun that we might have. Thankfully, Arabella is blessed with many who care about her and would do anything to protect her or get her out of the messes she creates for herself.

There were twists concerning Henry. And like the mental health issues, I can't discuss them without spoiling anything. I will say that I was a little frustrated with him too. I can't say too much about why though.

To Love the Brooding Baron gets 3.5 Stars. I had some frustrations with the main characters. I don't love stories about mental health--mostly because I like to read happy and light stories and mental health stories are often weighty and sometimes dark. I will be looking out for Bradbury to get his own book in the future, and I would love to read it when the time comes. Have you read To Love the Brooding Baron? If so, what did you think? Let me know!

Sunday Post - 06/02/24

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.

Monday we had Big Girl's friend over about lunch time. They kids went swimming, and then we took her home after dinner. Tuesday, we went to the park and met some friends. It was so hot that the kids didn't play long. It's only going to get worse as the summer goes on though. Then we got groceries. I let the kids swim after lunch. Little Girl had ball practice for All Stars, and I took her to that. Wednesday we went for a walk and then came home and swam. The whole family went to ball practice, and the boys were getting into all kinds of trouble. Thursday, we spent the day with my parents. Then we had a practice game against the 6U All Star team. I was a little sad for Big Girl. She didn't get much play time, but that's okay. It's all experience. And even sitting the bench and cheering on your team is playing the part you're given to play. Character building if nothing else. Friday, we went for a walk and invited some neighborhood friends to swim with us after lunch. The kids all played really well together. Saturday morning, Big Girl and I went to a ladies' Bible devotion that we do quarterly. I haven't done much reading this week. I did finish an audiobook, but Netflix has been calling my name again. As I say yearly, I can't believe it's June already.

Monday: No blog post - Memorial Day (US)
Wednesday: Can't Wait for So True a Love by Joanna Barker
Thursday: Review of Indescribable: 100 Devotions About God and Science by Louie Giglio (5 Stars)
Friday: April & May 2024 EOM Wrap Up

UPCOMING THIS WEEK:

Monday: Review of To Love the Brooding Baron (Games in a Ballroom, # 2) by Jentry Flint
Tuesday: Top Ten Tuesday?
Wednesday: Can't Wait for Wednesday?
Friday: Homeschool Friday - I Can Help by Hans Wilhelm

Don’t forget to link up for the 2024 Series Enders Reading Challenge! You have until December 15th, 2024 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!

NEW BOOKS:

No new books this week!

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!