Sunday Post & Stacking the Shelves - 01/19/20

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

Finally a pretty normal week! Hooray! We literally didn't do anything outside of the ordinary. It rained the first couple of days of the week and the last couple of days. So we did get outside for a walk and to play on Thursday, but other than that we have been stuck inside. I got sucked into a show on Netflix with Husband so I haven't read much this week, but that's okay because I'm already exceeding my pace for the year. I typically do very well in the winter months with reading and then slow down when Spring hits. I've acquired way too many books over the last month so I need to cut back on requesting. It's just so hard. Especially if any pop up that have been on my radar for quite some time. Thursday I had a major allergy attack and sneezed all day. That resulted in some sinus problems, and I'm still not feeling 100%. Oh and I used some Christmas and birthday (from last year) money to purchase a new vacuum cleaner that just came in Friday. I'm so excited about this!! The older I get the more I want to vacuum and tidy daily rather than weekly like I used to prefer. Saturday I took the kids to my mom's to visit my grandmother. We had a great time, and I love seeing my kids be loving and affectionate to Nanny.

THE PAST WEEK:

Monday: Review of Finding Mr. Better-Than-You by Shani Petroff (4 Stars)
Wednesday: Can't Wait for Chosen Ones (The Chosen Ones, # 1) by Veronica Roth
Thursday: Review of The Start of Me and You (The Start of Me and You, # 1) by Emery Lord (4 Stars)
Friday: Mountains Out of Molehills: Compassion vs. Ignorance

UPCOMING THIS WEEK:

Monday: Blog Tour Review of Tweet Cute by Emma Lord
Tuesday: Top Ten Tuesday?
Wednesday: Can't Wait for Wednesday
Thursday: Review of The Map from Here to There (The Start of Me and You, # 2) by Emery Lord

Don’t forget to link up for the 2020 Series Enders Reading Challenge! You have until December 15th, 2020 to sing up. Each month there will be a giveaway for those participating with an end of the year giveaway too! Click on the picture below or the link above to find out more!

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews.

Where the Lost Wander

By: Amy Harmon

Expected Publication: April 28th 2020 by Lake Union Publishing

348 pages

Genre: New Adult, Historical Fiction

Source: Publisher via NetGalley (Thank you!!)

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository )

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

Goodreads description--In this epic and haunting love story set on the Oregon Trail, a family and their unlikely protector find their way through peril, uncertainty, and loss.

The Overland Trail, 1853: Naomi May never expected to be widowed at twenty. Eager to leave her grief behind, she sets off with her family for a life out West. On the trail, she forms an instant connection with John Lowry, a half-Pawnee man straddling two worlds and a stranger in both.

But life in a wagon train is fraught with hardship, fear, and death. Even as John and Naomi are drawn to each other, the trials of the journey and their disparate pasts work to keep them apart. John’s heritage gains them safe passage through hostile territory only to come between them as they seek to build a life together.

When a horrific tragedy strikes, decimating Naomi’s family and separating her from John, the promises they made are all they have left. Ripped apart, they can’t turn back, they can’t go on, and they can’t let go. Both will have to make terrible sacrifices to find each other, save each other, and eventually…make peace with who they are.

Not Another Love Song

By: Olivia Wildenstein

Expected Publication: July 7th 2020 by Swoon Reads

320 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary

Source: Publisher via Edelweiss (Thank you!!)

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository )

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

Goodreads description--Angie gets thrown into the deep end of the music industry and goes head to head with a sexy new boy.

Success requires sacrifice.

No one understands this better than high school senior Angie, who’s worked her entire life toward her dream of making it onto Nashville’s music scene. When her idol, Mona Stone, launches a songwriting competition, her dream suddenly feels within reach. Against her mother’s wishes, Angie pours her heart and soul into creating a song worthy of Mona.

But soon it isn’t only her mother who stands in the way of her dream. Reedwood High’s newest transfer student, Ten, becomes a major roadblock in Angie’s path to success. With his endless collection of graphic tees, his infuriating attitude, smoldering good looks, and endearing little sister, Ten toys with the rhythm of Angie’s heart.

She’s never desired anything but success until Ten mauled her with his big black car. Now she wants him and Mona Stone, but she can’t have both.

And picking one means losing the other.

Against the glittery backdrop of Nashville’s music scene unfolds a story of betrayal and abandonment, of first love and acceptance, and of ties that go far beyond those made of blood.

The Betrothed (The Betrothed, # 1)

By: Kiera Cass

Expected Publication: May 5th 2020 by HarperCollins Children's Books

400 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

Source: Publisher via Edelweiss (Thank you!!)

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository )

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

Goodreads description--When King Jameson declares his love for Lady Hollis Brite, Hollis is shocked—and thrilled. After all, she’s grown up at Keresken Castle, vying for the king’s attention alongside other daughters of the nobility. Capturing his heart is a dream come true.

But Hollis soon realizes that falling in love with a king and being crowned queen may not be the happily ever after she thought it would be. And when she meets a commoner with the mysterious power to see right into her heart, she finds that the future she really wants is one that she never thought to imagine.

Beach Read

By: Emily Henry

Expected Publication: May 19th 2020 by Berkley

384 pages

Genre: Adult, Contemporary

Source: Publisher via Edelweiss (Thank you!!)

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository )

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

Goodreads description--A romance writer who no longer believes in love and a literary writer stuck in a rut engage in a summer-long challenge that may just upend everything they believe about happily ever afters.

Augustus Everett is an acclaimed author of literary fiction. January Andrews writes bestselling romance. When she pens a happily ever after, he kills off his entire cast.

They're polar opposites.

In fact, the only thing they have in common is that for the next three months, they're living in neighboring beach houses, broke, and bogged down with writer's block.

Until, one hazy evening, one thing leads to another and they strike a deal designed to force them out of their creative ruts: Augustus will spend the summer writing something happy, and January will pen the next Great American Novel. She'll take him on field trips worthy of any rom-com montage, and he'll take her to interview surviving members of a backwoods death cult (obviously). Everyone will finish a book and no one will fall in love. Really.

The Marriage Game

By: Sara Desai

Expected Publication: June 9th 2020 by Berkley

304 pages

Genre: Adult, Contemporary

Source: Publisher via Edelweiss (Thank you!!)

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository )

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

Goodreads description--It's a clash of culture in this romantic comedy about arranged marriages from Sara Desai.

Layla Santos is the child of first-generation immigrants from India. Her parents run a Michelin-starred Indian restaurant in San Francisco and are very traditional in their ways, including a firm belief in the benefit of arranged marriages. Her father, thinking he knows best, signs Layla up for IndianGirlMatch.com and sets up a series of dates without telling her....

Sam Mehta is the self-made CEO of a corporate consultancy specializing in downsizing. Also the child of first-generation immigrants with traditional beliefs, his famly treated him like a prince and saw him as a symbol of their social and economic strength. But his sister's marital experience has taught him that parents don't always know what's best for their children, and arranged marriages don't always end in a happily ever after.

When life throws Layla and Sam into close quarters, Sam finds himself unexpectedly chaperoning Layla on her dates. But neither can deny the chemistry building between them, and they wonder if perhaps they should make an arrangement of their own...

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!

Mountains Out of Molehills: Compassion vs. Ignorance

Mountains Out of Molehills is a feature here at Somewhere Only We Know that zeroes in on political, religious, etc statements made by authors, publishers, etc that really don't have anything to do with the overall story, plot, or character growth of a book (or other medium).

I introduced this feature concept in this Discussions Only We Know post.

In Let Me List the Ways by Sarah White, main character Mackenzie has Type I Diabetes. While I very much enjoyed this as a conflict and major story point because I'm not very familiar with the disease, I had a few issues with Mackenzie's attitude and comments/thoughts that she made throughout the book. Here goes.

It is impossible for every human to have an awareness and knowledge of every disease, condition, disorder, etc. Typically, unless you've gone to medical school and become a doctor, you likely don't know most conditions, diseases, cancers, or disorders even exists. Yet in today's society of awareness, everyone wants everyone else to "be more aware" of XYZ condition/illness/etc. Well I hate to tell you guys, but this just isn't possible.

Don't get me wrong. Being compassionate towards others, trying to put yourself in their shoes, and wanting to understand are great. We need to be this way. When we come across someone who has a condition, illness, etc that we do not know much about we should do what we can to be kind and compassionate toward them. But isn't this the way we should just generally treat people anyway?

But if we find ourselves in the situation where we have the illness, condition, situation, disease, etc that others know nothing about, it isn't their responsibility to avoid frustrating us with their ignorance. Our responsibility is to manage our reactions to others and handle our emotions appropriately. We cannot control others. We can only control ourselves. We cannot keep them from knowing what might or might not be offensive to us. We cannot download them with all of the information concerning our experience and situation. As a matter of fact, even if we could it would still only be our experience and someone else who might have the exact condition that we do has processed their feelings in an entirely different way and an entirely different set of questions or statements sets them off.

This goes beyond medical conditions. I specifically remember reading a blog post by an acquaintance of mine who lost her 6 week old son to SIDS. Her post was essentially about what not to say to her. And my own brother made this comment concerning some "advice" he's been routinely given for his current job situation. Feeling this way isn't uncommon. We all have things that others say to us periodically that just don't make sense or are offensive. But the point is, this is our responsibility to handle. It isn't the job of others to never offend us. To never frustrate us. To never say things that might hurt our feelings. No. Because that's just not possible. No one else in this world has ever had the exact same experiences that you've had while matched with your own personal way of thinking. So it is each our own duty to manage our emotions about the comments made about us, to us, or concerning our illness, circumstances in life, or struggles that we may or may not being going through.

In an ideal world, none of us would ever be hurt or offended by the things others say to us or about us. But I hate to break it to you, but this is not an ideal world. And pretending it to be so isn't helping anyone. Instead of pointing the blame on others to treat us better, perhaps we need to accept responsibility for casting aside the negative, offensive, or ignorant comments from others. (I say this as someone who has suffered miscarriages and difficulty conceiving children and have had others ask me questions or make comments about pregnancy or having children or growing our family.)

I'll never forget being at work one day when I was in my early twenties and telling a co-worker that he was being a jerk. He not so politely told me that my opinion of him didn't matter to him in the slightest because I wasn't in his inner circle. I wasn't someone that he cared about on a personal level so why should he care about what I thought of him. This blew my mind. I couldn't imagine someone not caring about my opinion...not because my opinion is so special, but because I cared about everyone's opinion of me. Once I really processed his thoughts, I felt this weight lifted off of me. Of course, I don't set out to purposefully offend others, but ultimately what others think of me doesn't define me. Now if my close friends and family think I'm being a jerk or that I need to change my attitude or the way I'm behaving then I seriously need to reconsider myself.

Remember that famous Gandhi quote about being the change you wish to see? That's the approach we have to take in situations like this. When we can't change others, the person we can change is ourselves. We can refuse to be offended by other's ignorance and lack of knowledge of our circumstances, and we can be the example of showing kindness and compassion to others in situations that we do not understand.

What do you guys think? Are you over how quickly everyone is offended? And over the most ridiculous, impossible to control things? Or do you think everyone should try to have all knowledge of all situation and diseases, and potential circumstances that someone might find themselves in? Let me know!

The Start of Me and You - Review

The Start of Me and You (The Start of Me and You, # 1)

By: Emery Lord

Publication: March 31st 2015 by Bloomsbury

376 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary

Source: Personal Kindle Library (Christmas gift)

( 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--It’s been a year since it happened—when Paige Hancock’s first boyfriend died in an accident. After shutting out the world for two years, Paige is finally ready for a second chance at high school . . . and she has a plan. First: Get her old crush, Ryan Chase, to date her—the perfect way to convince everyone she’s back to normal. Next: Join a club—simple, it’s high school after all. But when Ryan’s sweet, nerdy cousin, Max, moves to town and recruits Paige for the Quiz Bowl team (of all things!) her perfect plan is thrown for a serious loop. Will Paige be able to face her fears and finally open herself up to the life she was meant to live?

I have long seen Emery Lord's books publish and receive high ratings. Yet I have only now had the pleasure of reading one of her books. I actually requested and was approved for The Map from Here to There without realizing it was the 2nd in a series. So, of course, I had to come back and read the first in the series before picking it up. I am so glad that I did.

I read The Start of Me and You really quickly... even staying up late to read. I didn't want to put it down.

The Start of Me and You is a bit emotionally heavy. Paige is dealing with a lot. Her boyfriend of two months died a year ago and people are still treating her as a widow. Her divorced parents have started dating and she fears she's going to have to endure their separation again. And her grandmother is dealing with Alzheimer's. Lots of heavy things.

One of my pet peeves is people who have a disdain for sympathy or what they view as pity. How are people supposed to treat you when someone you're close to dies? Would you rather they ignore your grief? Would you rather they act apathetic? Why is it so surprising that not everyone knows how to approach you or what to say? And why is it such a bad thing for others to feel bad for the sadness that you're experiencing? Thankfully Paige does work through some of her feelings about this subject. But it is just one of those things that frustrate me to no end when I see it come up. If random people can celebrate your successes with you then why is it so difficult to believe they might also grieve your losses with you and for you?

I LOVED Paige's group of friends. Kayleigh, Tessa, and Morgan. Each warmed my heart in their own ways and for their support and relationships with each other. These girls were true family, and I wish everyone could have 3 close friends like these girls. I also loved Paige's grandmother. Even with Alzheimer's, she was wise and supportive.

I was a little frustrated with Paige's obsession with Ryan. Granted she had a good reason for having a crush on him, but I felt like she ignored so many clues as to his feelings as well as her own. Of course, this was really just needed for the plot.

Paige herself was easy to like and root for even if she missed the obvious a bit.

But Max...Max was awesome. He is so completely at ease with himself. He is happy and comfortable being who he is. Unapologetic. I loved this about him. He's trustworthy. He's thoughtful. And he's smart. Plus he's right, Firefly is one of the best TV shows to exist, especially since it was only one season.

Favorite quotes:

-“In books, sometimes the foreshadowing is so obvious that you know what’s going to happen. But knowing what happens isn’t the same as knowing how it happens. Getting there is the best part.”

-In friendship, we are all debtors. We all owe each other for a thousand small kindnesses, for little moments of grace in the chaos.

-you are allowed to be sad, but you are not allowed to be a defeatist.

The Start of Me and You was worth all of the ratings I saw come through when it originally published. Emery Lord dealt with a lot of heavy and emotional issues through this book and she did them all justice. I hated to see where Tessa ended up in the bonus content mostly because I was rooting for Ryan, but also because it felt political. The Start of Me and You gets 4 Stars. And I really feel that this review hasn't done it justice. Have you read The Start of Me and You? What did you think? Let me know!

Can't Wait for Chosen Ones

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.

Chosen Ones (The Chosen Ones, # 1)

By: Veronica Roth

Expected Publication: April 7th 2020 by John Joseph Adams/Houghton Mifflin

304 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction, 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--The first novel written for an adult audience by the mega-selling author of the Divergent franchise: five twenty-something heroes famous for saving the world when they were teenagers must face even greater demons—and reconsider what it means to be a hero . . . by destiny or by choice.

A decade ago near Chicago, five teenagers defeated the otherworldly enemy known as the Dark One, whose reign of terror brought widespread destruction and death. The seemingly un-extraordinary teens—Sloane, Matt, Ines, Albie, and Esther—had been brought together by a clandestine government agency because one of them was fated to be the “Chosen One,” prophesized to save the world. With the goal achieved, humankind celebrated the victors and began to mourn their lost loved ones.

Ten years later, though the champions remain celebrities, the world has moved forward and a whole, younger generation doesn’t seem to recall the days of endless fear. But Sloane remembers. It’s impossible for her to forget when the paparazzi haunt her every step just as the Dark One still haunts her dreams. Unlike everyone else, she hasn’t moved on; she’s adrift—no direction, no goals, no purpose. On the eve of the Ten Year Celebration of Peace, a new trauma hits the Chosen: the death of one of their own. And when they gather for the funeral at the enshrined site of their triumph, they discover to their horror that the Dark One’s reign never really ended.

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

Finding Mr. Better-Than-You - Review

Finding Mr. Better-Than-You

By: Shani Petroff

Publication: January 14th 2020 by Swoon Reads

256 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary

Source: Publisher via NetGalley (Thank you!!)

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository )

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

Goodreads description--Camryn has been dating Marc FOREVER—since freshman year! She dropped out of volleyball to go to all his games, switched her schedule around to be in his favorite class, and has been busting her butt to get into Columbia so they can go to the same college. So when Marc suddenly, and very publically, breaks up with her a week into their senior year so that he can date the new transfer student, she’s absolutely devastated.

But why be sad, when you can get even? Inspired by her favorite movies, Camryn decides that the best revenge is a Senior Year well lived, starring a boy who is ever so much better than her ex. With a little help from her friends, Cam is going to have the Best. Senior. Year. Ever.

Finding Mr. Better-Than-You both was and wasn't what I was expecting. I was expecting a fun, fast, cute read about a girl who gets her heartbroken, goes on a search for a rebound-to-more guy to heal her heart and finds him. A bit too literal of me? Definitely. What I got was a fun, fast, cute read about a girl who gets her heartbroken, forces some seriously awkward situations in hopes of finding a rebound-to-more guy to heal her heart, but finds herself instead. Is there anything wrong with that? No. Was I a little disappointed? Yes, but not overly so. Was it still enjoyable? Certainly.

Cam loves books and movies. All things rom-com. I liked her, but boy was she naive. Everyone knows that life isn't like the books. And even if it was, the heroines featured in her favorite books don't force the stories to happen. And usually when that character tried some big scheme or plan it backfires at worst and simply doesn't go according to plan at best. Cam has a lot to learn about herself, her tendencies when it comes to being in a relationship, her friends, and life in general. In a lot of situations, I felt like she too easily got her way when it came to the adults in her life.

More than anything else, Finding Mr. Better-Than-You was a story about friendship and female empowerment in a way that I can get behind. Friends before boyfriends. How the ex's new girlfriend isn't the enemy. How to be a true friend and be supportive of the other's problems while still having your own life. Not being afraid to go up to a guy and start a conversation even if you fail miserably. And then when you do fail miserably still being able to see it as a win. And standing up for your own opinions and how relationships shouldn't be only one person giving all of the time. I can't find fault with any of that.

Yet still...I love love stories. If you're looking for that here, you're not going to find it. But if you've read enough of those and just need a feel-good book about a great group of friends then this is a real winner.

Finding Mr. Better-Than-You wasn't what I was expecting. It didn't have a real romance or love story which is something I'm typically looking for in my books, but honestly, I enjoyed it nonetheless. I still read it quickly and didn't want to put it down. Finding Mr. Better-Than-You gets 4 Stars. Have you read Finding Mr. Better-Than-You? What did you think? Let me know!