Homeschool Friday - Noses Are Not for Picking

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

Noses Are Not for Picking

By: Elizabeth Verdick

Illustrated By: Marieka Heinlen

Publication: September 12, 2014 by Free Spirit Publishing

24 pages

Genre: Children's, Picture Books, Manners, Parenting

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.

Description--We’ve all seen it—the nose-picking habit starts as early as the toddler years, and no child is the exception. Young children pick their noses for a variety of reasons, from colds to allergies to curiosity or boredom. This board book for toddlers and preschoolers is the answer to the age-old question “How can I get my child not to pick, especially not in public?”

With gentle humor and kid-friendly support, this board book for toddlers and preschoolers helps guide little ones away from nose picking toward healthier habits, like using a tissue and washing their hands. Catchy words help children remember what to do; vibrant full-color illustrations bring the words to life. Throughout, the positive message shines through: noses are for breathing, sniffing, smelling . . . but not for picking!

Noses Are Not for Picking does have a rhyming scheme. The book starts with asking the question what are noses for. And a few options are given--breathing and smelling. Then instruction was given that noses are not for picking and fingers are not for licking. It goes on to give instructions for getting a tissue just in case the child did pick their noses because germs can make you sick. That's smart since kids will go ahead and pick their noses even if instructed not to. The phrase "wipe, toss, wash, dry" is repeated. Repetition helps solidify concepts for the child's brain. 

This is a quick and simple book. It spends more time talking about using a tissue for different tissue needs than focusing on simply not picking. The content is for younger children--probably under the age of four. 

Noses Are Not for Picking gets 3.5 Stars. Have you or your child read Noses Are Not for Picking? What did you think? Let me know!

Powerless - Review

Powerless (The Powerless Trilogy, # 1)

By: Lauren Roberts

Publication: November 7, 2023 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

523 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

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--She is the very thing he’s spent his whole life hunting.
He is the very thing she’s spent her whole live pretending to be.

Only the extraordinary belong in the kingdom of Ilya—the exceptional, the empowered, the Elites. The powers these Elites have possessed for decades were graciously gifted to them by the Plague, though not all were fortunate enough to both survive the sickness and reap the reward. Those born Ordinary are just that—ordinary. And when the king decreed that all Ordinaries be banished to preserve his Elite society, lacking an ability suddenly became a crime—making Paedyn Gray a felon by fate and a thief by necessity.

Surviving in the slums as an Ordinary is no simple task, and Paedyn knows this better than most. Having been trained by her father to be keenly observant since she was a child, Paedyn poses as a Psychic in the crowded city, blending in with the Elites as best she can to stay alive and out of trouble…easier said than done.

When Paeydn unsuspectingly saves one of Ilya’s princes, she finds herself thrown into the Purging Trials. The brutal competition exists to showcase the Elites’ powers—the very thing Paedyn lacks. If the Trials and the opponents within them don’t kill her, the prince she’s fighting feelings for certainly will if he discovers what she is…completely Ordinary.

I've heard conflicting reviews on Instagram about Powerless. Some loved it. Others didn't understand the hype. My niece, who is only recently becoming a reader, recommended this book to me at about the same time as my hold with the library became available. 

Paedyn is an Ordinary living in the slums. She's been pretending to be a Psychic since she was little. She's been trained by her father to notice all the tiny details about people that can give her a means of convincing them that she knows things she can't possibly know until he died 5 years ago. Ordinaries are considered to be diseased or cause disease among the Elites. So they've been outlawed. All known Ordinaries have been banished or killed. So Paedyn's secret is a matter of life and death. Living in the slums, thievery is her main source of income. Using the skills her father taught her, it's easy for her to choose a mark and then use her pretend gift to distract them. Only Paedyn accidentally steals from a prince. This prince is on track to be the next king's Enforcer. 

Prince Kai (short for Malakai) has the skill of taking on anyone else's skill around himself. He finds it odd that he can't feel Paedyn's skill. Prince Kai isn't the heir. That's his brother, Prince Kitt. Kai and Kitt have been raised differently. Kai's mother died, and their father is now married to Kitt's mother. Kai has basically been abused in the name of training. His father has forced him to injure himself and then turn around and heal himself using the abilities of a healer. He's been forced to be exposed to his greatest fear, heights, over and over until he, at the very least, showed no outward signs of fear. He's been made to kill others in the name of the king. And essentially, that's what his job will be when Kitt becomes king. But Paedyn intrigues him from their first meeting. He's drawn to her. The problem is that they are both thrown into a set of trials, and there can only be one winner. 

The trials were a little confusing. On the one hand, there can only be one winner. On the other hand, I couldn't figure out if all of the other candidates are supposed to die during the trials or just some do and some don't. It wasn't fleshed out. It did seem that Paedyn took her involvement in the trials to be a death sentence. The first trial was a little brutal compared to the other two. And I don't think I could have come up with a series of games that was better or more entertaining, yet I felt like this area might have been underutilized in the writing process.

Some things that didn't make sense: Kai is said to be the future Enforcer when his brother becomes king. Yet no mention is made of a current Enforcer. The way Kitt and Kai handled both being attracted to the same girl was so odd to me. The brothers seem extremely close. They both discuss Paedyn. Yet there's no discussion between them about staking a claim or feeling jealousy. Kai, obviously, feels jealous of Kitt's partnering Paedyn for all of the balls. And Kai seems to address it with Paedyn herself, but not with Kitt, which I found odd. Paedyn has a role to play in getting Kitt to open up a door for her, but I would have thought she would have been more cautious. Paedyn's joining of the rebellion happened so fast. And I just felt like the character all of a sudden became thoughtless in areas that didn't make sense, except to fill in a plot hole or to force the plot to go where it "needed" to go.

Things end with my least favorite type of cliffhanger. I like cliffhangers that have potential. When it feels like everything has gone to pot and all of the characters I like are either in danger or in terrible places, sometimes I don't even want to carry on with the series, or I feel no issue putting the series down and not coming back to it for a while. Unfortunately, I think that's what I might do with The Powerless Trilogy. This type of cliffhanger isn't making me want to come back to this series and finish it. Especially when mixed with the reviews I've heard about the series. (Hopeful cliffhangers do not have this effect on me.)

I read Powerless really quickly which is always a plus for me. I was rooting for Paedyn and Kai. Yet now that I've finished it, I find that it doesn't hold up to close analysis. And guys, I'm barely touching the surface with this review because it's been two weeks between finishing it and writing my review. Once I've looked at everything, I have to give Powerless 3.5 Stars due to things that didn't make sense to me and the cliffhanger ending. Have you read Powerless? What did you think? Let me know!

Homeschool Friday - Sharing Time

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

Sharing Time

By: Elizabeth Verdick

Illustrated By: Marieka Heinlen

Publication: August 1, 2009 by Free Spirit Publishing

24 pages

Genre: Children's, Picture Books, Manners, Parenting

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.

Description--Sometimes it’s fun to share, and sometimes it’s hard. This book offers toddlers simple choices (take turns, use the toy together, wait for another time) to make sharing easier, and shows them where to turn for help when sharing is difficult. Little ones learn that sharing can mean double the fun—and sharing a while can make someone smile! Includes tips for parents and caregivers.

I'm a little torn on Sharing Time. I like that it starts with sharing things like smiles, hugs, and laughs. And then it touches on some reasons we might find it hard to share. Worrying about others taking our things or worrying about others breaking them are two reasons. I like that the book acknowledges that some things are hard to share. I also like the focus on using sharing words like "may I play with that?" or "can I have a turn?". At the same time, the book does offer that sometimes the child will hear a no answer. Hearing a no answer isn't easy for children, and the younger they are, the harder it is to hear and accept. This is something that has to be taught repeatedly. In my experience, daily. The book tells the children to seek the help of an adult when someone refuses to share. Yet I didn't love the solutions the adult came up with. Well, I liked two out of the three. While some children might respond well to a timer, I don't think that's a feasible option to get the child accustomed to. I feel like that encourages the children to continue to involve the adult in their negotiation. At least until the child understands the concept of time. The book doesn't exactly support forced sharing, but setting a timer kind of is forced sharing. I encourage my children to ask if they may play with the object when the first child is finished. And then the rule in our house is that the answer is always "Yes." There's no reason why a sibling can't play with a toy when the other is finished with it.

The parent notes were almost more effective, in my opinion, than the book itself. The book is written for small children--0 to 3 years of age. So, lengthy books with elaborate situations aren't appropriate, but I also felt like much was left out of the book itself. I specifically liked the idea of parents setting up games or opportunities to either share with the child first. Regularly showing the child that if I hold something of yours and then return it everything is fine. And setting the example of sharing your food or items with the child is helpful as well. Children learn so much from simply watching their parents.

My children are 9, 7, and 4, but they still struggle with sharing. My oldest is worried about the younger two breaking her toys. My middle child tries to repossess toys that he's aged out of and hasn't cared about in many years. And my youngest feels like everything is his. So even though this book is written to younger children, it's a great lesson to constantly be re-exposing your children. Sharing Time gets 3.5 Stars. Have you or your child read Sharing Time? What did you think? Let me know!

Sanskari Sweetheart - Review

Sanskari Sweetheart

By: Ananya Devarajan

Publication: May 20, 2025 by HarperCollins

272 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary

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--Raina needs to win the National Bollywood Dance Circuit Scholarship. That will show her mother that dance can be a financially stable career and prove to her boyfriend and co-captain, Aditya, that they’re still the perfect couple, even if all they seem to do these days is fight. There’s only one problem—Aditya breaks up with her, their Nationals choreography crumbles on stage, and Raina, as well as her hopes of winning the scholarship, is taken right down with it.

All Raina wants is a do-over, so when she wakes up the next morning to a miracle—another chance at Nationals with Aditya by her side—she couldn’t be happier. But as the events of the day start repeating, Raina realizes she’s stuck in a time loop, cursed to humiliate herself at Nationals and then get dumped—over and over again.

Raina is certain that if she follows all the right steps, she can break out of the time loop, win Nationals, and earn back the heart of her one true love in the process. But what if perfection isn’t enough?

I've been on an adult romantasy kick for a while. So I needed a change of pace, and that usually means changing genres. I decided to pick up Sanskari Sweetheart. The description tells pretty much everything you need to know. But I will say some things were confusing or needed more fleshing out for me. I felt the author understood the missing pieces, but they were never fully spelled out to the reader. One of those things is Raina's mom being so kind of a prophetess. That was never explained. Mentioned in passing as though the reader should understand or accept it as fact and move on.

Raina starts the book showing up at Nationals with her mother, whom she just dropped the bomb on that she wants to pursue dance as a career. She doesn't really give her mother a chance to discuss things with her as she drops the bomb and rolls out of the car at the same time. As she's running away, she basically declares that if she wins the scholarship offered at Nationals, then she will choose dance. 

Raina and Aditya have been dating for four years. They're madly in love. Yet they fight all the time. Raina is obsessed with being the perfect girlfriend for him, but she refuses to have any conversation with him about any important topics. The initial breakup felt jarring. I suppose it was supposed to feel that way. The couple went from "we're so in love" to "we should break up" in 0 to 60. Only after exploring many of the loop days do you begin to piece together what's missing in their relationship. I guess that was because Raina needed to figure it out, and as the narrator, it would only be frustrating for the reader to fully understand the issues while Raina continually repeats the same day and the same mistakes over and over again.

Raina does change things up. It isn't like she can't change the day she experiences. But it doesn't matter. Every time she gets to the end of the day she and Aditya break up. Then the day starts over. 

I liked that these two have such an innocent relationship. There is passion between them, but things don't progress physically, and I respect that. It is counter-cultural (American culture at least). And I'm all about that. They have found their person so early in life, which also isn't normal. I can respect that as well. 

I did appreciate the lessons that Raina and even Aditya learned along the way. I don't think I would want to read many books that follow this same format, but overall, I enjoyed Sanskari Sweetheart. A few things were confusing, like Raina's mother's prophecies, why Raina had an obsession with being the perfect girlfriend, and a few other things. But overall, I read this book quickly and wanted to keep reading when I needed to stop. Sanskari Sweetheart gets 3.5 Stars. Have you read Sanskari Sweetheart? What did you think? Let me know!

Homeschool Friday - Cooking with the Cat

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

The Cat in the Hat the Movie!: Cooking with the Cat

By: Bonnie Worth

Illustrated By: Christopher Moroney

Publication: October 14, 2003 by Random House Books for Young Readers

32 pages

Genre: Children's, Picture Books, Level-1 Readers, Step-1 Readers, My First Reader

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.

Description--Look! Look! The Cat wants to cook!

Told with simple rhymes and rhythms, this jaunty illustrated tale gives very young readers a taste of the Cat in the Hat’s flamboyant cooking skills as he slaps on a Chef’s hat and whips up purple cupcakes using some truly odd ingredients! A cat-terrific spin-off based on Dr. Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat movie.

I hated The Cat in the Hat when I was a kid. I'm typically a rules-follower. Plus I don't like a mess. So these alien-looking creeps with no fingers terrorizing my house while my mother is gone sounds like a nightmare to me. That being said, Cooking with the Cat didn't make the little girl in me cringe.

Cooking with the Cat is 32 pages of rhyming and repetitive words and phrases. There's not much to it, and I'd say it falls on the easier side of level-1 readers. My son did like some of the nonsense that is typical of Dr. Seuss, but there's nothing too crazy.

Cooking with the Cat is a fine level-1 reader. It's fun for kids and anything that makes reading enjoyable is a win in my book. Cooking with the Cat gets 3.5 Stars. Has your early reader read Cooking with the Cat? What did you think? Let me know!

A Fire in the Sky - Review

A Fire in the Sky

By: Sophie Jordan

Expected Publication: September 24, 2024 by Avon

336 pages

Genre: Adult, Fantasy, Magic, Dragons

Source: Publisher via NetGalley (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--New York Times bestselling author Sophie Jordan returns to the high-stakes, sweeping world of dragons, romance, and drama first evoked in her bestselling young adult Firelight series, in a brand-new epic adult romantasy series.

Dragons are extinct. Witches are outcast. Magic is dying.

But human lust for power is immortal.

Dragon fire no longer blisters the skies over Penterra, but inside the lavish palace, life is still perilous…especially for Tamsyn. Raised in the glittering court alongside the princesses, it's her duty to be punished for their misdeeds. Treated as part of the royal family but also as the lowliest servant, Tamsyn fits nowhere. Her only friend is Stig, Captain of the Guard...though sometimes she thinks he wants more than friendship.

When Fell, the Beast of the Borderlands, descends on her home, Tamsyn’s world becomes even more dangerous. To save the pampered princesses from a fate worse than death, she is commanded to don a veil and marry the brutal warrior. She agrees to the deception even though it means leaving Stig, and the only life she’s ever known, behind.

The wedding night begins with unexpected passion—and ends in near violence when her trickery is exposed. Rather than start a war, Fell accepts Tamsyn as his bride...but can he accept the dark secrets she harbors—secrets buried so deep even she doesn’t know they exist? For Tamsyn is more than a royal whipping girl, more than the false wife of a man who now sees her as his enemy. And when those secrets emerge, they will ignite a flame bright enough to burn the entire kingdom to the bone.

Magic is not dead...it is only sleeping. And it will take one ordinary girl with an extraordinary destiny to awaken it.

The first thing you need to know is that A Fire in the Sky is not a standalone prequel to the Firelight series. I didn't know this until reading the acknowledgments after the book ended. That being said, the pacing of this book felt completely off for me. The closer I got to the end of the book, I felt like the plot should be wrapping up more than it was. A Fire in the Sky ended in a cliffhanger, but other parts were left open. Knowing more books are to come makes this make sense, but not knowing it affected my enjoyment as I was reading. I kept getting pulled out of the story because it didn't make sense that this was a standalone. It's not.

Tamsyn has been raised like a sibling to the princesses of Penterra. Well, except for one large difference, she has been the royal whipping child for the princesses and has taken all of their punishments upon herself. I hated this for Tamsyn, yet I liked this idea with some historical backing used to create a strong female lead character. She is used to keeping her behavior and feelings under wrap so she doesn't incur more punishments than she already received.

Fell has been fighting on the border to protect the kingdom. He demands to wed one of the princesses not because he wants power so much as he needs his voice heard. He needs the council and king to understand what's happening on the kingdom's border. But Fell is tricked into marrying Tamsyn. He isn't happy to have been tricked, but he doesn't want to annul the marriage either. 

I feel much more beyond that description enters into spoiler territory. The wedding night scene is the main spicy scene. I can't remember if there was more than that, but if there was I don't think it was much. However, cursing was abundant in A Fire in the Sky. 

I didn't highlight much. Only three things and none of them are anything I want to share. 

The cliffhanger and the characters kept me interested in reading more. And since finishing A Fire in the Sky, I did see A Scar in the Bone on Goodreads. But not knowing from the beginning that this was intended to be the first in a prequel series threw off my entire experience of the book. Coupled with a couple of plot points that fell a little short of great writing in my opinion leaves me giving A Fire in the Sky 3.5 Stars. I enjoyed it, but it also blows my mind to see it recommended so frequently by some reviewers and influencers on Instagram and such. Hopefully, as the series continues my rating for this book might raise. Have you read A Fire in the Sky? What did you think? Let me know!

A Lady of Conscience - Review

A Lady of Conscience (Somerset Stories, # 5)

By: Mimi Matthews

Publication: July 30, 2024 by Perfectly Proper Press

248 pages

Genre: Adult, Historical Fiction

Source: Personal Kindle 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--A Victorian bluestocking with a passion for lost causes attracts the unwilling attention of a frost-hearted viscount during her tumultuous debut season in Bath in USA Today bestselling author Mimi Matthews’s fifth book in her acclaimed Somerset Stories series.

West Country beauty Hannah Heywood may be quiet with fashionable strangers, but when it comes to animals in need, she has no trouble finding her voice. Newly arrived in Bath for her very first season, all she desires is to find one like-minded gentleman. A man of warmth and compassion, as sensitive to animals as he is to people. But if such a man exists, he dare not approach her. Not with the tall, blond, and menacing Viscount St. Clare standing in the way.

James Beresford, Viscount St. Clare has often been described as a sentient block of ice. A man so cold and dispassionate, he would never suit a young lady of Hannah’s disposition. And she would certainly never suit him. Focused on repairing his family’s infamous reputation, James requires a diamond of the first water. The daughter of a duke or a marquess, at least, not a simple country girl with a passion for four-legged creatures.

And yet, there’s something about conscience-driven young Hannah that draws James, first to Bath, and then into one increasingly hare-brained scheme after another. She confounds him at every turn, subverting his expectations and threatening to do what no lady has succeeded in doing before—thawing his ice-cold heart.

I wasn't sure how much I would enjoy A Lady of Conscience. I am a fan of Mimi Matthews, and I've read nearly all of her published books. But I wasn't sure if the vegan idea would be pushed at the reader or just part of Hannah's character. Of course, I don't have anything against someone choosing to be a vegan, but I didn't want there to be preaching at me through the character or storyline. If this is something you're worried about, don't worry. It's just part of Hannah's character. 

I'm struggling to find something to say about this book. It won't fall to be my least favorite Mimi Matthews book, but it certainly wasn't one of my favorites either. James and Hannah met because James's sister, Kate, and Hannah's brother Charles developed a relationship. Hannah seems to have attracted James's eye nearly immediately. Yet, she finds him to be cold and distant. He has spent much of his life trying his best to remain controlled and impervious to the thoughts and feelings of others as a result of their family's scandalous past. So it makes sense that Hannah wouldn't immediately feel like he is someone she could see herself with.

Hannah does thaw James as he desires for her hand yet he doesn't go about pursuing it in a way that Hannah can get on board with at first. It takes her some convincing that he isn't as cold and uncaring as he may seem. 

Ultimately, I felt like their problems were resolved a little too easily. I'm thankful that Mimi Matthews didn't force drama upon them that wasn't natural, but things were just a little quicker and easier than I expected. I, also, expected that James might fight his attraction to Hannah a little more than he did. Isn't it interesting how much our expectations influence how much we enjoy a book? I did feel like James pulled a similar move to our beloved Darcy when he initially voiced his intentions to Hannah. He did so in an almost insulting way.

Favorite quotes:

-"Marriage isn't a waltz," she said. "It's a partnership. I don't desire to be led. And I don't desire to change into something I'm not. When I marry, it will be to a gentleman who values me as I am."

-"I don't believe love is ever a burden."

-"I like what I see," James said, looking at her. Hannah's cheeks turned petal pink, just as he'd hoped they would. She bent her head, briefly shielding her face from his view behind the brim of her straw bonnet. "I don't know how to reply when you say such things." "Would you rather I didn't say them?" "No, but...I should like to better prepare myself." "Next time I compliment you," he said solemnly, "I'll take care to give you adequate warning."

-"I must caution you," James said. "A compliment is forthcoming."

James and Hannah had a sweet story. Theirs wasn't a terribly difficult journey even though it was somewhat different than I expected. I was thankful that even though Hannah has strong convictions about animals and her diet, I never felt preached to as if the author was trying to influence my opinion as the reader. I appreciate this a lot. Of course, I look forward to Jack's story to come. A Lady of Conscience gets 3.5 Stars. Have you read A Lady of Conscience? What did you think? Let me know!

There Goes the Groom - Review

There Goes the Groom (A Romance of Rank, # 1.5)

By: Esther Hatch

Publication: April 15, 2024 by Arbory Press

234 pages

Genre: Adult, Historical Fiction, Regency

Source: Personal Kindle Library

( Goodreads | Amazon )

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

Goodreads description--Catching a husband has never been so complicated.

Matthew Harrison has only one task in life: to marry money. After failing miserably in London, his family takes matters into their own hands by arranging his marriage to the wealthy Lucy Bateman. But when he meets Lucy for the first time, his resolve to save his family from ruin crumbles. Lucy looks to be nothing more than a child, and he cannot fathom going through with the union. Without a thought for the consequences of his actions, he runs away.

Lucy Bateman didn’t like the idea of an arranged marriage, but she agreed in order to save her sister from suffering the same fate. However, when she played a trick on her groom-to-be by sending her younger sister to meet him in her place, he fled without a word. Now, three years later, Lucy stumbles upon her long-lost fiance working as a cart driver. Fate has given her a second chance and this time there will be no tricks… other than pretending to be someone else entirely in order to convince him to come home and marry her.

The description of There Goes the Groom tells you pretty much everything you need to know. Matthew's family needs him to marry for money to save their family. Lucy's family wants her to marry into a title. An arranged marriage isn't what either of them wants, but Lucy agrees so that her sister will be able to choose her own husband one day. Matthew agrees against his better judgment. Yet, when Matthew meets his betrothed, he is struck by how young she is. And nothing is going to entice him to marry a child. He thus runs away. 

Lucy wanted to get the measure of her husband-to-be and that's why she sent her younger sister to pretend to be her. Yet she didn't expect him to flee. The fact that he did says a lot about him, but it's been three years, and she hasn't broken the engagement. I'm not 100% sure why, but Lucy has been living with Matthew's parents since he disappeared. So Lucy stumbles upon him one day while shopping with his mother. She doesn't introduce herself. But she does concoct another scheme. This time, she will go undercover and get to know Matthew herself. 

Stories like this are fun to read about when I don't take them too seriously. Yet, I have a hard time believing them to be realistic at all. When the show Catfish was popular, nearly all the couples on the show couldn't get over the fact that the other person lied to them repeatedly about who they were. Even when they were told that the person was being real and their pictures were the only thing that was fake. Trust, once broken, is hard to build back up. And relationships that start out with deception don't tend to stand very well in the end. But I try not to think too deeply about books like this, and instead, enjoy the journey. 

Favorite quotes:

-What was it about accents that made him want to mimic them?

-"Don't wonder where your work comes from. Just be grateful you have it."

-"Tis a strange thing to be very different from one's parents. What will make them happy could have made me very unhappy. And yet, I was still willing to do it when I didn't think I had another choice."

-"My husband didn't understand subtlety. So I knew I was going to have to tell him outright I was interested in him, or kiss him. He wouldn't have understood anything less." "Really?" Lucy smiled as Mrs. Tucker, with her mob cap and no-nonsense precision, ladled their breakfasts into the bowls. "Which of those did you decide to do?" Mrs. Tucker smiled with a twinkle in her eye. "Both, naturally."

There Goes the Groom was a fast book for me. Changing genres and book length often helps me stay out of a reading slump. And I needed a change from the romantacy genre. I can't take a book like this too seriously. And it isn't meant to be. It's just a fun story to entertain you. I liked the characters. But I don't analyze books like this too closely. There Goes the Groom gets 3.5 Stars. Have you read There Goes the Groom? What did you think? Let me know!

All Things Halloween Review - Knight of the Goddess - Review

Knight of the Goddess (Blood of a Fae, # 4)

By: Briar Boleyn

Publication: March 31, 2024 by Starwater Press

410 pages

Genre: Adult, Fantasy

Source: Publisher via NetGalley (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--The fourth and final book in the bestselling Blood of a Fae series…

“I see forever with you by my side. Because long after these scars have faded away to nothing, I'll still be standing beside you. You and I? We're eternal.”

Beware the dread curse of Three…

In the aftermath of the war between Pendrath and its neighbors, peace has finally come to Camelot. But for Morgan Le Fay and her friends, the calm is short-lived. A storm grows on the horizon. As a terrible evil that has been waiting hundreds of years begins to sweep through the land, Morgan and Draven must race to the aid of their allies, leaving their youngest and most vulnerable new family member in the care of trusted friends.

The sword, the spear, the grail’s mystery…

As the tide of war takes them across kingdoms and into greater peril, Morgan and Draven embark on a quest to destroy the three objects of untold power–the grail, the sword, and the spear. Together, the pair will find answers to questions lost in the mists of time. Answers to questions so terrible, they never even thought to ask.

Blood calls to blood, the dark shall rise,

Forged by the gods under sacred skies.

For the love between these bonded mates is not just an everlasting one forged in blood.

You might even call it divine.

I said in my review of Empress of Fae that so much felt wrapped up to me with the storyline of the overall series. Of course, Morgan still needs to deal with her father. Like many other fantasy series, the evil villain has increased in might and severity with each book. And maybe that was the problem. Morgan's brother was built up as the big bad for most of the series, and he was dealt with in book 3, now we have to deal with Morgan's father. And he's an even bigger big bad than her brother was. Actually, her brother was nothing compared to her father. Sometimes series that follow this path can be frustrating. 

Knight of the Goddess starts off with a battle with Morgan's blood siblings that seems like all hope is lost. Automatically losing a battle with no hope of winning mixed with feeling a sense of completion after the previous book left me struggling to feel invested in Knight of the Goddess. And I kept putting it down in favor of reading other things. But of course, there must be hope. There's no point in a book with zero hope. Once things began to turn around, I was finally invested enough to want to finish this book.

-But an Ursidaur mates for a purpose, and when that purpose is over, they are solitary once more. We prefer it that way.”

How exactly does mating work with a they/them non-binary bear creature?

The inclusion of Morgan's niece narrating, Medra, was okay. I had a feeling where it was all leading to in the end. She's a confused kid who grew up way too quickly with the people she needed most not able to be close by her. But if they'd been there, the outcome likely wouldn't have gone as it did.

-"You should hate me." "But I don't," she snapped. "Stop trying to make me. It won't work." I looked away. "It worked with everyone else." "Is that what you think? That you succeeded?" I wouldn't face her. "They left, didn't they?" "Your aunt? Draven? They left to save you, Medra. Not because they didn't care."

-"You don't have to consider me your family," Odessa said quietly. If she was hurt, I couldn't tell. "I can still consider you mine."

One of the biggest pet peeves that I had with Knight of the Goddess was the transformations that Morgan goes through without the reader being aware of it. She's keeping some secrets from Draven, so we know there's something up. But it felt so jarring. I can't discuss it in detail because it would be spoilers, but who Morgan ends up being, and her relation to her father and sisters were confusing, didn't feel like it was planned out the entire series but felt like it was a convenient direction to conclude what had come to be a mess. Pull in the entire system of gods in this world and it just didn't add up to me the way it was supposed to. 

-I prayed that they would suffer no further losses along the way to Camelot.

Prayed to who? Morgan didn't believe in or respect the gods in this world. And yet not greater beings were ever offered as a true God. 

Ultimately, I found that I was a little disappointed with Knight of the Goddess. I would have been completely fine if the series had stopped after book 3. The entire book felt a little forced to me. I still liked the main characters, Draven and Morgan. But the rest of the cast of characters checked too many diversity boxes to be real. As a matter of fact, more of the secondary characters fall into the LGBT boxes than not. And I don't like to feel like plot, characters, religion, politics, or anything is being forced upon me as a reader. In the end, Knight of the Goddess gets 3.5 Stars. Not terrible, but not great either. Have you read Knight of the Goddess? What did you think? Let me know!

This review is part of my All Things Halloween event--a month of fantasy, paranormal, supernatural, mystery/thriller, etc reviews and books.

All Things Halloween Review - The Kingdom Cold

Kingdom Cold (Kingdom Cold, # 1)

By: Brittni Chenelle

Publication: January 25, 2021 by Brittni Chenelle

276 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

Source: YouTube Audiobooks

( Goodreads | Amazon )

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

Goodreads description--Attempted murder , that's how sixteen-year-old Princess Charlotte's engagement starts.

It seems like the only thing she has in common with Prince Young of Vires is their mutual discontent.

When her kingdom's attacked, Charlotte's parents renegotiate her hand in marriage to a handsome stranger with a sinister plan. With the people Charlotte loves dying around her, and her kingdom's future at stake, the only person she can turn to is the prince she betrayed. But, should she save her kingdom or her heart? One must fall. Diverse Fantasy, YA Fantasy Romance, Enemies-To-Lovers, Multi-POV

BRITTNI CHENELLE is a USA Today Bestselling Author who specializes in angsty multicultural fantasy romances. She loves the enemies-to-lovers trope and her favorite genres to read and write are Young Adult Fantasy Romance, New Adult Urban Fantasy, Fairytale Retellings , Steamy Paranormal Romance, and African American Paranormal Romance with plenty of Black Girl Magic. She's very passionate about equal representation and makes a point to include characters from different backgrounds and cultures in her fantasy stories.

I listened to Kingdom Cold on audiobook through YouTube Audiobooks for free. I find that books I might find long or frustrating in print aren't as difficult for me in audio for some reason. I think a large part of this is the ability to multitask while listening to the book. I can wash the dishes, cook dinner, clean the house, fold clothes--all tasks I would have to do anyway--while listening to a book. And since I'm not using "valuable reading time" to do so I find that I don't get as annoyed if a book is slower to hook my attention or overall not one that might qualify for that coveted reading time. So I say all that to say that I think listening to this book helped me enjoy it more. There are three narrators: Lessa Lamb, Matthew H. Longoria, & Jake McAskill. These three did a good job narrating, and I appreciated being able to easily detect which character POV I was listening to.

Princess Charlotte is sixteen years old. Her parents inform her that it is time for her to marry. She thinks she's too young and wants to wait a few more years, but their country is nearing war and a political marriage will be a stabilizing factor. Charlotte begins quite selfishly. All she can think about is herself. She's not opposed to marriage, but she doesn't want to marry now. She also has never wanted to rule her country. When Prince Young arrives, she shoots an arrow at him. Thankfully, she misses, but it doesn't start things off on the right foot. It doesn't help that when she gets her first close-up she mistakes Prince Young for his older brother Prince Minseo. She showed obvious attraction to Prince Minseo in that first meeting. And I was secondhand embarrassed while listening to this scene.

Prince Young remembers meeting Charlotte previously and he was intrigued by her then--granted intrigued by her appearance alone it seemed. But at least he was somewhat hopeful going into this political marriage. I don't think he expected Charlotte to be thrilled with marrying a stranger, but he didn't expect the level of animosity or direct opposition he would receive from her. 

The kingdom of Besmium (I'm unsure about the spelling since I listened to the audiobook) was attacked on what was supposed to be Charlotte and Young's wedding day. Young helps Charlotte and her maid/friend Millie escape and that helps to tip him into the ally category. Charlotte and Young have many twists and turns to endure through this book. And I can understand if the book faces criticism due to there being too many. Characters are thought to be dead yet repeatedly aren't. Characters you think are good are actually bad, oh wait, just kidding they're still good. Characters that are supposed to be morally upright, represent faith, and believe in things bigger than themselves (like fate or God) end up being the weakest moral characters in the book. I think Emmett was supposed to be a narcissist. And if so, I thought that was decently done even though he is a despicable character. There's betrayal from those who are loved most. There are political alliances some gone wrong, and others not. This book just tried to squeeze a little too much in. Mostly, I see these things in hindsight, in the analysis of the book, and not as much while I was listening to it.

At this point, I do think I'll check out book 2 on audio as well. If I were reading this in print I probably wouldn't dedicate the time to finishing the series. But audiobooks are not as serious for me as print versions. I think Prince Young was the best thing about this book, and I did enjoy Charlotte's transformation from spoiled princess to well...I'll leave that for you to find out if you decide to read (or listen to) this book. Have you read (or listened to) Kingdom Cold? I'm giving it 3.5 Stars. What did you think? Let me know!

This review is part of my All Things Halloween event--a month of fantasy, paranormal, supernatural, mystery/thriller, etc reviews and books.

All Things Halloween Review - The Court that Bleeds Gold

The Court that Bleeds Gold (The Gold Weaver, # 1)

By: Zara Storm

Publication: March 24, 2024 by Independently published

314 pages

Genre: Adult, Fantasy

Source: Publisher via NetGalley (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--An action-packed dark fantasy romance perfect for fans of Raven Kennedy, Krista Street, and Sarah J. Maas.

Desperate to escape marrying a brutal king, I make a deal with a Fae Prince...

“I can spin gold,” I lie.

With my life at stake, I have no other choice.

I get one chance to turn my lie into truth, and I’m shocked when I succeed.

But now the cruel human king demands I become his wife—passing between his bed and being locked away in a tower, spinning gold until my last breath.

My only way out is to summon him.

A brutal Fae prince.

The deal we strike is sickening, but it’s the only way I’ll live after I’m caught escaping. My new captor drags me back to his realm.

A place of profound beauty and savage cruelties.

As wicked fairies play sadistic games, the prince is my sole protector.

He’s not just protecting me, though. He’s guarding his own secrets.

I should hate him. But our pact shows me a side his court never sees.

There is more behind his monstrous mask.

I can’t stop myself from looking.

Especially when I learn what he really wants with me.

The Court that Bleeds Gold is the first book in a dark fantasy romance trilogy. This enemies to lovers series has shades of Rumpelstiltskin and Beauty and the Beast, with a dark hero who will absolutely burn this damned world to the ground for our sharp-tongued heroine. Expect steam, violence and plenty of barbed exchanges.

I've only read one other Rumpelstiltskin retelling before. That was Gilded by Marissa Meyer. I still haven't finished book 2Cursed yet. But so far, The Court that Bleeds Gold wasn't exactly a Rumpelstiltskin retelling. There are some similarities in the two stories though. 

Eleanor is a metallurgist. Eleanor transformed something that wasn't gold (I couldn't tell you what that metal was) into gold one time. She hopes to be able to reproduce her experiment, but she doesn't have an opportunity to do so. Her mother passed away some time ago, and Eleanor has been taking care of her father who has almost given up on life since. Times are tough and Eleanor has to make ends meet by making jewelry for the fae and humans who can afford it to sell at the market. Only, what's his face side character who thinks she's going to marry him for no other reason than because he's the most eligible man in the town tells the human king that she can spin gold. The human king decides to marry her himself. But before they can get married, Eleanor calls on the scariest fae known to make a deal to save her life. She'll spin gold for him in exchange for removing her from her prison and upcoming marriage. He takes her to Faerie instead. Only to basically lock her up there.

Ruskin's reputation for making deals where humans don't get the good end of the stick. In truth, he only comes when they call him, and the only thing they usually have to offer him that's worth anything to him is some of their life force. Eleanor easily paints him as evil. But it doesn't take long to discover that he's more than meets the eye. He may have locked her away in his castle. But maybe that's for her own protection. He might need her help, but helping him may also benefit many others. Even though he has certainly done many things he feels guilty about, he also knows he is the ruler his court needs after everything his family has attempted. Ruskin is facing a time crunch. He and his kingdom are being attacked by an unknown source. And he needs Eleanor's ability to spin gold to help him figure things out. 

Pieces of The Court that Bleeds Gold felt unpolished for me. I could tell this was a debut author because of that. It's hard for me to explain and put my finger on exactly why. I need to slow down my reading and analyze more as I go, but where's the fun in that? Maybe it was the relationship buildup. Eleanor and Ruskin have no real reason to like each other in my opinion. At least not at first. He's beautiful. Okay. I get that. But she spends so much time being angry at him that when they have a few moments of chemistry it almost feels jarring. He especially doesn't seem to have much reason to feel anything for her beyond needing her help. But it was obvious that the relationship wasn't simply based upon need. I don't usually appreciate characters who go against what's smart or logical or moral for what they're feeling in the moment. Feelings are not greater than logic. 

Some quotes I highlighted:

-"A ruler must often do things he'd rather not,"...

-This is a bad idea. I'm only doing this because I'm angry. And because I want to. Desperately.

-There's strength in being underestimated.

-"There's more than one way to set a trap,"...

The Court that Bleeds Gold was better than I was expecting it to be yet lacking some polish that often comes with experience. I wanted to keep reading, yet I found myself rolling my eyes a good bit. I was rooting for the relationship, yet I wasn't exactly sure why. Overall, I feel The Court that Bleeds Gold deserves 3.5 Stars. I'll definitely check out book 2 when I can. Have you read The Court that Bleeds Gold? What did you think? Let me know!

This review is part of my All Things Halloween event--a month of fantasy, paranormal, supernatural, mystery/thriller, etc reviews and books.

Haunted Ever After - Review

Haunted Ever After (Boneyard Key, # 1)

By: Jen DeLuca

Publication: August 13, 2024 by Berkley

352 pages

Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Paranormal

Source: Publisher via NetGalley (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--It's love at first haunting in a seaside town that raises everyone’s spirits in this new series from USA Today bestselling author Jen DeLuca.

Small Florida coastal towns often find themselves scrambling for the tourism dollars that the Orlando theme parks leave behind. And within the town limits of Boneyard Key, the residents decided long ago to lean into its ghostliness. Nick Royer, owner of the Hallowed Grounds coffee shop, embraces the ghost tourism that keeps the local economy afloat, as well as his spectral roommate. At least he doesn’t have to run air-conditioning.

Cassie Rutherford possibly overreacted to all her friends getting married and having kids by leaving Orlando and buying a flipped historic cottage in Boneyard Key. Though there’s something unusual with her new home (her laptop won’t charge in any outlets, and the poetry magnets on her fridge definitely didn’t read “WRONG” and “MY HOUSE” when she put them up), she’s charmed by the colorful history surrounding her. And she's catching a certain vibe from the grumpy coffee shop owner whenever he slips her a free slice of banana bread along with her coffee order.

As Nick takes her on a ghost tour, sharing town gossip that tourists don't get to hear, and they spend nights side-by-side looking into the former owners of her haunted cottage, their connection solidifies into something very real and enticing. But Cassie's worried she’s in too deep with this whole (haunted) home ownership thing…and Nick's afraid to get too close in case Cassie gets scared away for good.

I really enjoyed Jen DeLuca's book Well Met, and I was disappointed to be denied review copies for the other books in the series. That being said, I saw Haunted Ever After, and I got excited about a new book by her. Unfortunately, I struggle a little with magical realism as a genre. So I firmly placed Haunted Ever After in the fantasy column in my mind, which I don't have any issues reading. This might not make sense to anyone else, but that's what works for me.

Cassie buys a house in Boneyard Key, Florida, because she works remotely. The price for a recently renovated beachside condo was too good to pass up, and she realized the cost was likely due to some unseen issues associated with the house. Likely a ghost. Boneyard Key is a town where ghosts stick around instead of passing on when they die. Cassie thought this was a tourist attraction, but she learned it was real. 

Nick grew up in Boneyard Key. His family is one of the original families in the town. And well, he knows the ghosts are real because he lives with one. He owns the coffee shop Hallowed Grounds, which Cassie often comes to plug in her dead laptop. They get to know each other, and of course, there is attraction.

The drama comes when Cassie learns that her house is haunted. She didn't grow up with ghosts, and she's unsure if she wants to continue to share her home with a ghost. Nick has been hurt by others leaving him in the past, so he's worried about getting too close to Cassie only for her to leave. I have to say I didn't get why Cassie and Nick were "in love." Attraction, sure. But I didn't feel they shared enough to have reached the love stage. 

One thing I wasn't expecting to like as much as I did was the subtle lesson about seasons in life. Cassie used to fit into her friend group before she moved. But now, most of her friends are in a different season of life. They're married and have kids now. Everyone can relate to friendships growing apart. People are often only in our lives for a season. We grieve when the season is over, but trying to force the season to stay usually does more damage than moving forward. It doesn't work any better than trying to hold onto summer as the weather transitions into fall and then winter. 

Haunted Ever After was entertaining once I placed it in the fantasy genre in my mind. I wasn't surprised by the "twists." I did find Haunted Ever After a little predictable. But in this case, I didn't mind. Cassie and Nick had a quick relationship for me that went a little too fast, but I rooted for them all the same. I liked the history Jen DeLuca gave to the town and its residents and ghosts. Haunted Ever After gets 3.5 Stars. Have you read Haunted Ever After? What did you think? Let me know!

Fate of the Sun King - Review

Fate of the Sun King (Artefacts of Ouranos, # 3)

By: Nisha J Tuli

Publication: June 4, 2024 by Forever

556 pages

Genre: Adult, Fantasy, Fae

Source: Publisher via NetGalley (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--The highly anticipated third installment of the steamy Artefacts of Ouranos series journeys deeper into the glittering fae world as Lor puts both her life and her heart on the line in this enemies-to-lovers fantasy romance.

With the Heart Crown now in her possession, Lor must navigate the dangers of being an heir on the run, knowing more than one power-hungry ruler is after her blood. When she returns to Aphelion to unlock her magic and recover her family's legacy, it becomes clearer than ever that all that’s gold doesn’t sparkle. No stranger to battles, she continues to fight her attraction to the Aurora Prince, understanding this might be the one she finally loses.

As the past mixes with the present, Lor uncovers the truth about the Artefacts and their role in shaping her destiny. Now, her future hangs in the balance, leaving her closer than ever to getting everything she's ever wanted... or losing it all forever.

I did it again. I finished Fate of the Sun King nearly two months before writing my review. So sorry guys. I've got to find a better system for getting in front of the computer regularly.

Anyway, Fate of the Sun King starts with tension between Lor and Nadir. They had a moment in the previous book and Lor freaked out. She's determined that she will never "belong" to another man. And Nadir has to back off his pursuit of her until she's ready. In the meantime, they're trying to find the crown of Heart and then return to the mirror of Aphelion. But the mirror is in the Aphelion throne room and Atlas is still searching for Lor. Even though the mirror rejected her as the next queen of Aphelion, he hasn't given up the idea of bonding with her and tapping into her power.

We have some additional narrators in Fate of the Sun King that we didn't have in the previous two books. We still have Lor and Nadir. But now we also have Gabriel, Cloris Payne, Zerra the Sun Queen (flashback), and King Herric (flashback). Cloris Payne's storyline ties into Lor's grandmother's storyline. And then Zerra and Herric go back to the formation of the "world" that the books are set in. Cloris's storyline makes sense in connection with what we've been exposed to previously. Zerra and Herric were confusing and left me wondering how exactly their stories were connected to the future events of the series. I'm sure we'll find out, but I didn't enjoy their pieces or storylines. I have some critiques of the storyline, but at this point, those would be spoilers, so I won't address them beyond saying that it reminds me of my previous complaints about this series.

Gabriel was the best new narrator. He shared a lot more information about what was going on in the Sun court with Atlas, and his own limitations due to the bonds placed upon him. I can't say I love everything about his storyline or character, but I'm intrigued to see more.

I mentioned in my review of Rule of the Aurora King that I was somewhat reminded of the A Court of Thorns and Roses series. There was one line in this book that I thought could have been a nod to that series as well, but I might have been reading too much into things.

I also mentioned in my previous reviews that weak writing presents easy conflict or conflict resolution in this series. I found myself questioning the same when the characters show up at The Woodlands on the run but decide to participate in a big party being celebrated. How does this make any sense?

Fate of the Sun King gets 3.5 Stars from me. I do think this was a better installment in the series overall. I have a few irritations and a couple of things I'm uncertain of where they are going. But overall, I read this book quickly. I wanted to keep reading, and I enjoyed the characters' development. Overall, I am looking forward to continuing the series. Have you read Fate of the Sun King? What did you think? Let me know!

Rule of the Aurora King - Review

Rule of the Aurora King (Artefacts of Ouranos, # 2)

By: Nisha J. Tuli

Expected Publication: March 19, 2023 by NJT Author

272 pages

Genre: New Adult, Fantasy, Fae

Source: Publisher via NetGalley (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--“ I am not his conquest. I am not his to claim. I am my own castle.” Freed from the golden clutches of the Sun King, Lor now finds herself in the hands of Nadir, the Aurora Prince. Convinced she’s hiding something, he’s willing to do whatever it takes to make her talk. But Lor knows the value of secrets—she’s been keeping them her entire life—and she’s not letting hers go without a fight. When Lor and Nadir team up to search for a lost item that holds the key to her past and her future, she isn’t sure if she can trust him. All she knows is she won’t fall for his promises and make the same mistakes again. Lor also hasn’t forgotten her vow to destroy the Aurora King. As Atlas hunts her across Ouranos, Lor plots to bring down the Imperial Fae who took everything. But she soon realizes that the future of the continent is about so much more than just her shattered legacy. The Rule of the Aurora King is the second book in the Artefacts of Ouranos series and combines romance, intrigue, action, and adventure. If you love enemies to lovers, fated mates, and fake dating, don’t miss this exciting next installment!

I jumped right into Rule of the Aurora King after finishing Trial of the Sun Queen. Lor rejected Atlas, the Sun King, and was thrown in the dungeon. But Nadir came to rescue her and held her prisoner himself until he could figure out what his father wanted with her. That's where we pick up. Lor refused to talk until Nadir brought her Tristan and Willow. And that's where things start.

I was almost immediately annoyed that Nadir and Gabriel's behavior toward Lor was similar. Gabriel used to call her Tribute as a means of putting her in her place, and Nadir called her Inmate. Maybe this is meant to be funny or attractive in the bad-boy sense. But I think it's the author trying to make Lor stand up for herself. 

Lor and Nadir are at a standoff. He finally gives a little by bringing Tristan and Willow to her and so she decides to trust him with some of her secrets. She is the long-lost descendant of the ruined Heart Queendom. The three siblings have been hiding their Fae bodies by appearing human. Willow only has enough magic to do that, but Tristan has a little more. Lor has a lot of magic, but it's locked deep inside her. She can no longer access it. She can still feel it, and it responds to Nadir in a way that no one else has ever triggered in her. That leads me to believe the two might be mates, but none of that is revealed in this book.

Regardless, Nadir and Lor share a common enemy: Rion, the Aurora King, Nadir's father. Nadir hates him for being a terrible ruler and most of all for the trauma and abuse he's put Nadir's mother through leaving her a shell of herself. Lor hates him because he killed her parents and had her and her siblings thrown into prison as children and everything they have suffered since has been his fault. He also abused Lor to get her to reveal her magic to him...which she did not.

But that reminds me, Lor blames Nadir and Amaya, and basically anyone and everyone else, for the trauma that she experienced being in prison for no reason. She claims that Nadir doing nothing to stop the imprisonment of people who have done nothing wrong is unforgivable. She specifically states she can never forgive him for his part. This was starting to bug the snot out of me. You don't know what you don't know. And you can't be held accountable for something you don't know. You can't even ask the right questions when you don't know there are questions to be asked. How could he have known? Perhaps if he'd chanced upon the right question? But even still. We should all do the best we can with whatever information we have and when we know better then we can do better. But no one can be held accountable for what they don't know. This was a character flaw that I was beginning to think should be attributed to the author more than to the character. 

Almost all of my highlights were frustrations or incongruencies I noticed. How can someone who has been locked in prison for twelve years and has fought over a bar of soap know how to do their own makeup? The random LGBTQ comments that weren't as common in this book, but still existed with zero plot enhancement. And what? Does the main character believe in socialism? Or should I say, does the author believe in socialism? That seems to be a common theme. How can anyone possibly be rich when they are poor people suffering? How can someone sleep in a soft bed when others don't have a bed at all? How can someone have jewels and go to parties when others are being tortured for no reason? It isn't the purpose of my book review to actually answer all of these questions, but I noted this as an annoyance. Also, she comments about Nadir needing to work through his issues by himself without offering him comfort when he needs it. Of course, we all are responsible for working out our own issues, but none of us exists in a vacuum. We can be plenty influenced (and helped...aka encouraged) by the comfort and a kind word from others whether they can empathize or not. 

One of my biggest complaints about Trial of the Sun Queen is that Lor abruptly turned on Atlas after the last challenge. She did such a 180 from where she was that it felt jarring. She went from pursuing a relationship to "I never want to see you again." And she did the same thing with Nadir in Rule of the Aurora King. So maybe this is supposed to represent a character flaw...impulsiveness? But it feels more like a writing flaw--like a quick and easy way to create conflict or even conflict resolution. More polished writing could make the necessary transitions without feeling so jerky. It's like being a passenger in a car where the driver has never driven a manual transmission before. The shifts are jerky and rough, but an experienced driver can make the transitions between gears seamlessly so the passenger might not even notice what is happening. 

I also have to note the trigger warnings. There's sexual assault and trauma--not specifically written on the page, 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. And I already mentioned the random LGBTQ scenes that were brief but unnecessary. 

There's an additional narrator, Serce, who is Lor's grandmother. Her parts were interesting, although I can't say that I looked forward to reading any of her chapters. 

All of that being said, I plan to continue the series to find out what's going to happen next. I want to find out if Nadir and Lor are mates as I'm predicting. I have enjoyed these two books and read them both quickly. But I don't think the writing is as smooth or polished as I would like. I had some glimpses of similarity to A Court of Thorns and Roses, but nowhere near the quality of writing as Sarah J Maas. Rule of the Aurora King gets 3.5 Stars. Have you read Rule of the Aurora King? 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!

All's Fair in Love and War - Review

All's Fair in Love and War (Miss Prentice's Protegees, # 1)

By: Virginia Heath

Expected Publication: May 28, 2024 by St. Martin's Griffin

384 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--A new Regency romp of a series, about governess who believes in cultivating joy in her charges, clashes with the children's uncle who hired her, only to find herself falling in love.

When the flighty older sister of former naval captain, Henry Kincaid, decides on a whim to accompany her explorer husband on an expedition to Egypt, he finds himself unwittingly left in the lurch with her three unruly children and her giant, mad dog. With no clue how to manage the little rascals, a busy career at the Admiralty that requires all of his attention, and no idea when his sister is coming back, Harry has to hire an emergency governess to ensure that everything in his ordered house continues to run shipshape. In desperation, he goes to Miss Prentice’s School for Girls prepared to pay whatever it takes to get a governess quick sharp to bring order to the chaos.

Thanks to her miserable, strict upbringing, fledgling governess Georgina Rowe does not subscribe to the ethos that children should be seen and not heard. She believes childhood should be everything that hers wasn’t, filled with laughter, adventure, and discovery. Thankfully, the three Pendleton children she has been tasked with looking after are already delightfully bohemian and instantly embrace her unconventional educational ethos. Their staid, stickler-for-the-rules uncle, however, is another matter entirely…

Georgina's parents died when she was young. Her father died first in a carriage accident, and her mother died several years later from smallpox. Before her mother died, she remarried a Colonel. Georgina's stepfather took care of her until she was sixteen and sent to Miss Prentice's school to learn how to be a governess. Georgina has chaffed against rules and regulations and has a difficult time biting her tongue. She might have been practiced at doing so, having lived most of her formidable years with the Colonel. But she can't seem to keep quiet during interviews and thus far hasn't landed a job yet despite thirty-three interviews. She's desperate. 

Harry grew up in a chaotic house. His parents loved him, but his grandfather was an Admiral in the navy and took Harry under his wing. The rules and structure of the navy seemed to suit Harry well. And he followed his grandfather's path from then on. His sister, Flora followed after their parents, and she now lives a much more free lifestyle. So free that Flora and her husband leave on a trip to Egypt without their children without even discussing the particulars of it with Harry. Doesn't seem too odd until you factor in that they plan to leave their children under Harry's care. Given Harry's background managing men in the navy, I find it odd that the children could manipulate him so easily, but I suppose emotions often blind us. And I'm 100% sure my own children emotionally manipulate me as well. 

Harry freaks out because he has no time to watch his nieces and nephew, and he doesn't know what to do with them. So he goes to Miss Prentice to find a temporary governess. Being desperate himself, he takes Georgie on without a second thought. Only Georgie isn't really following what he expects a governess to do. The description makes it seem that these two are constantly bickering over the way the children are taught, but truthfully, that takes very little of the plot of this book. Harry is drawn to Georgie physically from early on. He knows he must maintain his distance. Georgie doesn't even like Harry at first. So this isn't an instalove story. Her feelings soften and change over time.

I do have to say that this is the fourth book I've read by Virginia Heath. I found it to be completely predictable given the other books I've read by her. It seems she might have a pattern. But I would have preferred some unpredictability. Surprise me dagnabit! However, 'twas not to be. 

The predictability played a big role in my enjoyment of this book. It was exactly as I was expecting. And sometimes a book meeting your expectations is a wonderful thing. In this case, I was left wanting (not in a good way). Harry and Georgie were likable. I found a few things in their characters to be odd, considering the backgrounds of both. But humans aren't robots and just because we expect a certain outcome doesn't mean we always get it. So maybe those things could be explained away. I will say that Virginia Heath is good at getting me to feel invested in the characters, so I do want to keep reading her future books to see how the secondary characters' stories play out. But at this point, I expect those to be a little predictable, too. All's Fair in Love and War gets 3.5 Stars. Have you read All's Fair in Love and War? What did you think? Let me know!

A Regrettable Proposal - Review

A Regrettable Proposal (Memorable Proposal, # 1)

By: Jennie Goutet

Publication: July 1, 2021 by Cedar Fort, Inc

349 pages

Genre: Adult, Historical Fiction, Regency

( Goodreads | Amazon )

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

Goodreads description--Orphaned at a young age, Eleanor wants nothing more than to settle in a home of her own. Stratford, having met once with betrayal, desires a woman who will be true. When a complicated inheritance forces them together, they little expect this to be the answer to their innermost desires.

Eleanor Daventry has come into money, but the inheritance comes with a condition: she must marry to have it. Steadfast and independent, she would rather become a schoolmistress than take a husband she does not love.

Stratford Tunstall has just discovered his predecessor willed the estate’s unentailed land to Miss Daventry. Although cynical regarding love, the man recognizes a practical solution when he sees one. He and Miss Daventry must marry, and Stratford wastes no time in pressing his suit—with disastrous results.

In the face of such an insulting proposal, Eleanor flees to London where she lands unwittingly in the home of Stratford’s closest friends. Now thrown together constantly, Eleanor can't help admiring his masterful apologies, never mind how often he must deliver them. Stratford concedes that, against all his predictions, Eleanor enjoys success with the ton. How fortunate. Now, if only her suitors didn’t feel the need to apply to him for advice.

When combined forces threaten Eleanor’s reputation, Stratford realizes it's more than her land he cares about. Somehow, he'll have to convince Eleanor that his coming to her rescue is a deed inspired by love.

I listened to this one on audiobook and finished it over a month before writing this review.

Stratford has recently come into his title. If I remember correctly, this wasn't a title he was expecting to inherit in the first place. He's taken some time to adjust to his new role, and now it's time for the estate business to be handled. Stratford finds out that his uncle (I think) entailed the most profitable part of his land to an orphan. But he left it on the condition that she marry. Stratford is a practical man, and he's also had his heart broken. Once secretly engaged, his previous fiance broke off the engagement for another man when he went to war . The problem is, she never ended up marrying the other man either, and now she has her sights set back in Stratford. He isn't interested anymore now that he's seen her true colors.

Eleanor never expected to marry. She has always imagined that she would become a governess or school mistress. The fact that she has some land to inherit isn't moving her toward marriage as one might expect. Instead, she sees the land as being the only thing many of the men who seem interested in her want. They don't want her. They want her potential land. Stratford, himself, is one of them. He proposed to her almost immediately upon finding out the situation....only he was drunk and insulting while he did it.

Stratford realizes quickly that he needs to apologize, and he is interested in Eleanor for more than the land. The trouble is that he keeps making mistakes that he needs to apologized for. I suppose I've just restated the description. So I'll say that I laughed at Stratford and wanted to shake him a little for his missteps. Eleanor was a little obtuse when it came to Stratford's feelings. But I'm thankful she didn't show much interest in the other gentlemen who attempted to court her. Although giving up security isn't easy, Eleanor knew she would rather marry for love than for convenience.

The side characters are wonderful. Eleanor's friend, Lydia, had her own story. Lydia is a bit silly, and she has a journey to find her own match in this book as well. I do love when I get a two for one. Lydia's story might have been the more romantic of the two. I won't give too much away, but multiple gentlemen are interested in her. One of which seems to have no shot at winning her. He is more serious, but Lydia realizes that his regard for her is genuine. Their story was a wonderful addition to this book. Phoebe and Anna are twins, and they lead the next two books in the series. Lydia's brother is also Stratford's best friend so we learn about him in this book.

I definitely saw the nods to Jane Austen. I can't remember all of them, but I feel like the opening line or sequence of this one was basically a direct reference. And then there were others throughout as well. I like these little bits of fan service and honoring of the authors who have come before and so many lovers of historical fiction adore.

A Regrettable Proposal gets 3.5 Stars. I enjoyed the audiobook narrator, Annadee Morgan, did a great job as well. A good story with a two for one romance. The side characters are enjoyable which is great since the series continues on with them. Have you read or listened to A Regrettable Proposal by Jennie Goutet? What did you think? Let me know!