All Things Halloween - These Twisted Bonds

These Twisted Bonds (These Hollow Vows, # 2)

By: Lexi Ryan

Publication: July 19, 2022 by HarperTeen

481 pages

Genre: New Adult, Fantasy

Source: Personal Kindle Library - On sale this week!

( Goodreads | Amazon )

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

Goodreads description--Brie finds herself caught between two princes and two destinies while the future of the fae realm hangs in the balance.

After Abriella's sister was sold to the fae, she thought life couldn't get any worse. But when she suddenly finds herself caught in a web of lies of her own making ­- loving two princes and trusting neither - things are not quite as clear as she once thought.

As civil war wages in the Court of Darkness, Brie finds herself unable to choose a side. How can she know where she stands when she doesn't even know herself anymore? In this darkly romantic thrill ride, the more Faerie is torn apart from the inside, the clearer it becomes that prophecies don't lie and Brie has a role to play in the fate of this magical realm - whether she likes it or not.

As I mentioned in my review of These Hollow Vows, I read the first book of the spinoff, Beneath These Cursed Stars. Reading out of order didn't seem to be such a big deal at first, but man it was frustrating to know how things end up but not know how they got from the ending of These Hollow Vows to the beginning of Beneath These Cursed Stars.

These Twisted Bonds starts almost immediately where These Hollow Vows ends. Abriella is escaping Sebastian and the Court of the Sun because he betrayed her by bonding with her while knowing that it would kill her and forcing her to drink the Potion of Life thereby turning fae. As she's escaping, she learns about a camp of children basically being used as slave labor by the Seelie Queen. She stops off to help them and makes a new friend in the process. 

I don't know how Sebastian could hope that Abriella would forgive such an utter betrayal simply because he claims to love her. And I do think he does in his own way. But she asks him later why he wouldn't have told her and given her the choice to make. His answer is that she wouldn't have chosen to do what he needed her to do. And so he removed the choice from her. I don't see how that can be love. She accuses Finn of betraying her as well. Finn, also, didn't give Abriella all the information that he could have for her to make an informed decision about her future. But his motives were purer than Sebastian's.

The Court of Shadows is now in chaos. Sebastian has the Crown, but he can't sit on the Throne because the power of the Throne didn't pass to him when he gave Abriella the Potion of Life. Finn has worked behind the scenes for the good of the court for 20 years. He worked to help the everyday commoner while his uncle Mordeus ruled with cruelty and horror. He has always planned to take the throne, but one thing after another comes up to distract him from that. So it's one brother pitted against another. Both are vying for the Kingship of the Court of Shadows. And both are vying for the girl, Abriella. 

Only the bond between Sebastian and Abriella kept Finn and Abriella from moving forward sooner than they did. I have to be honest and say that Abriella stayed bonded to Sebastian for much longer than I expected her to. And I wish more was available about Abriella and Finn being bonded together. That's an experience where the reader is really left wanting. Abriella and Finn do have a connection that draws the two together though. 

I found the world-building to be better in These Twisted Bonds than perhaps the other two books from this world. The story about the forming of the courts and the history behind them all was interesting and made a lot of motives and information make sense. Although, there was a lot of buildup to a coming war that didn't quite pan out. The resolution felt a little anticlimactic to me in this area. And some problems were so conveniently resolved that it felt too pretty. For example, These Twisted Bonds gives an idyllic impression that Jas is all honkey-dorey and sewing dresses and outfits left and right. She seems so perfectly fine. And this is completely at odds with the beginning of Beneath These Cursed Stars. I imagine this is because Lexi Ryan wasn't sure if she would publish another book when concluding this one she wanted things to feel wrapped up just in case. Or maybe she never intended to write another book. 

Favorite quotes:

-"None of us asks for the burdens we bear, but that doesn't make the way we handle them any less significant."

-But the vocal minority was behind him, and they had power and influence of their own. They supported Mordeus when he stole the throne from Oberon, because they knew Finn was dedicated to the commoners--his rule would've redistributed the power and privilege in their court.

Never underestimate the ones who don't want to give up their power, even if they're the minority, especially if they're the squeaky wheel.

-"I recognize a good soul when I meet one, and good souls are never alone for long."

-"I've had my fill of chasing emotionally unavailable females."

-"I don't think love is about what we deserve."

These Twisted Bonds was what I needed to fill in the gaps. I appreciated how Misha came into the story and his contribution. I was a little surprised that he reached "best friend" status over someone like Pretha who Abriella knew longer. There was no salvaging the wreckage that Sebastian wreaked on Abriella's life and their relationship. Finn and Abriella spend most of the book working towards salvaging the Court of Shadows and figuring out how they could be together. I thought some of the conflict resolution was too easy, but overall, I give These Twisted Bonds a solid 4 Stars. Have you read These Twisted Bonds? 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.

Sunday Post - 10/13/24

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

Monday we had a day off school. Our county public school district had fall break so we mimicked that a little. And goodness, I was glad to have a few days off school to settle in with our new puppy. Scout is doing great. We're getting into a groove, but it is a bit like having a new baby. Not quite a newborn since he does sleep through the night, but yet very busy. The boys had hair cuts Monday morning. Tuesday, I totally blanked on an eye doctor appointment. I was supposed to let them check my trail contact, but I totally missed it. We did visit my parents for a bit and also go groceries. The kiddos had ball games Monday and Tuesday nights this week. Thankfully, they were both off the rest of the week. Wednesday, I had to run some errands after dropping Little Boy off at school. When I picked him up we went back to my parents for a bit. My mom watched the kids while I went to get a haircut. Thursday was Husband's birthday. We opened presents and had breakfast muffins. Then we went to co-op. And finally Friday was a pretty normal day and the last day in our first quarter of our homeschool year. Saturday, we had family pictures. The boys were pulling faces constantly. I'm always amazed to see if April gets any good shots, but she always pulls it off. We are halfway through our very very busy month and I'm beginning to feel like I can relax a little. The kids have two ball games each this week and then fall ball is over. We mostly only have a few more birthday celebrations, a family vacation, and Halloween left for the month. I have not been able to read much this month, and it's driving me nuts. But it'll work itself out, I'm sure.

THE PAST WEEK

Monday: All Things Halloween Review of These Hollow Vows (These Hollow Vows, # 1) by Lexi Ryan (4 Stars)
Wednesday: Can't Wait for The Serpent and the Wolf by Rebecca Robison
Thursday: All Things Halloween Review of Serpent Sea (The Spice Road Trilogy, # 2) by Maiya Ibrahim (4 Stars)
Friday: All Things Halloween/Homeschool Friday - The Wild Robot (The Wild Robot, # 1) by Peter Brown (4 Stars)

UPCOMING THIS WEEK:

Monday: All Things Halloween Review of These Twisted Bonds (These Hollow Vows, # 2) by Lexi Ryan
Tuesday: Top Ten Tuesday?
Wednesday: Can't Wait for Wednesday?
Thursday: All Things Halloween Review of Nymph Totems by Brittni Chenelle
Friday: All Things Halloween Review of The Court that Bleeds Gold (The Gold Weaver, # 1) by Zara Storm

My annual "All Things Halloween" event is going on. This is my month-long event where I feature reviews from Halloween-y genres (fantasy, paranormal, supernatural, sci-fi, horror, mystery, thriller, and suspense). Over the last few years I've had mostly fantasy books as I just haven't been in the mood for much horror, but still...these are books that can get you in the mood for Halloween.

Don’t forget to link up for the 2024 Series Enders Reading Challenge! You have until December 15th, 2024 to sign up. Each month there will be a giveaway for those participating with an end of the year giveaway too! Click on the picture below or the link above to find out more!

NEW BOOKS:

No new books this week.

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

All Things Halloween/Homeschool Friday - The Wild Robot

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

The Wild Robot (The Wild Robot, # 1)

By: Peter Brown

Publication: April 5, 2016

279 pages

Genre: Children's Fiction, Middle Grade, Fantasy, Science Fiction

Source: Personal Kindle Library (was on sale)

( Goodreads | Amazon )

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

Goodreads description--Can a robot survive in the wilderness?

When robot Roz opens her eyes for the first time, she discovers that she is all alone on a remote, wild island. She has no idea how she got there or what her purpose is--but she knows she needs to survive. After battling a violent storm and escaping a vicious bear attack, she realizes that her only hope for survival is to adapt to her surroundings and learn from the island's unwelcoming animal inhabitants.

As Roz slowly befriends the animals, the island starts to feel like home--until, one day, the robot's mysterious past comes back to haunt her.

From bestselling and award-winning author and illustrator Peter Brown comes a heartwarming and action-packed novel about what happens when nature and technology collide.

I got The Wild Robot a while back because I'm trying to increase the number of chapter books that I am reading aloud to my kids. My kids are currently 8, 6, and 3. We just finished Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire which is a massive book for the age of my kids. I wanted to take a break from the Harry Potter series before we started that one, but my daughter was determined to push forward. I am forcing a break before we move into book 5 though because the subject matter gets more mature and the plot gets more complex. But back to The Wild Robot. I might have an easier time convincing my kids to pick this one as our read-aloud option before bed if I were more familiar with it. So I get the audiobook from the e-library. 

Kate Atwater does a wonderful job with the narration. She is robotic when Roz speaks without being too over the top. And her voices for the other characters were just enough to distinguish them without making it feel like too much either. I think my kids would enjoy the audiobook version as well, since I have the Kindle version, I will probably just read this aloud to them when convenient. Kate did give me a great jumping-off point to guide my own inflection while reading aloud.

The book description tells you about all that I can when it comes to plot. Roz is a robot that wakes up on an island. Some robot pieces were scattered around where she wakes up, and she realizes that she's the only robot who survived. And survival is exactly what Roz needs. I love this concept. That's what most of us humans are doing as well. We're surviving. We have to survive in the basic sense of feeding and clothing ourselves. Of course, our society is more advanced in technology so we have many of our survival needs almost on autopilot. But there's still more we have to survive. We need other humans for survival. We need relationships. And so we have to manage, navigate, and sometimes survive our relationships. And how we survive becomes learned and ingrained. Roz does the same thing. She has to adapt to her environment to survive. She doesn't have basic needs as far as eating or sleeping. She can rest, but many of her instincts are about helping her not to die rather than needing xyz to survive. Either way, she sees that she needs to learn from the animals on the island if she's going to survive.

But life should go beyond mere survival. Of course, if we don't have our basic needs met, we can't look beyond that to relationships. But once we have the basics we can move from surviving to thriving. Roz shows us that the most satisfying "survival" we can have is to be helpful to others. We can create better relationships that allow us to both survive and thrive when we're living a life that helps and serves those around us. Roz goes from being viewed as a monster in the eyes of the animals on the island to being family. 

I'm always on the lookout for books with strong moral values--especially if those can be taught in a way that doesn't cram the message down the reader's throat. The Wild Robot succeeded in that area. When we get to the end of the book, the stakes are raised, and the adventure peaks. Some sensitive readers might find this to be too intense for them, but I think my kids would be just fine. They survived Cedric Diggory's murder as well as Charlotte's self-sacrifice from Charlotte's Web. So I think they will handle The Wild Robot without any issues. I'm not sure if we'll continue the series as I've heard less than stellar opinions about the subsequent books in this series. But for now, The Wild Robot gets 4 Stars. Have you read (or listened to) The Wild Robot? 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 - Serpent Sea

Serpent Sea (The Spice Road Trilogy, # 2)

By: Maiya Ibrahim

Publication: September 17, 2024 by Delacorte Press

512 pages

Genre: Young 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--As a Shield Immani is sworn to protect her land from the monsters across the city but as the Harrowlanders begin preparing supplies, horses and their greatest weapon—spice magic—she knows it is only a matter of time before the invasion begins…and it will be a losing battle. But Immani also knows that the only true way to fight magic is with monsters. If she can restore Qayn’s stolen powers, together they can summon an army to save Sahir. Forming an alliance with a former King turned monster might seem like the riskiest thing she can do but things are made even more dangerous by the fact that his magic is in the form of three jewels that once were encrusted in his crown but are now hidden beyond the dessert.

A forbidden quest to find the jewels might be the only way to combat the Harrowlanders but as Immani journeys across the sea, she will discover serpentines and other scaled creatures warriors have only heard about in myths…and that can strike at any moment. One wrong move could cost her life—and everyone she loves. But Immani may find there is more than meets the eye crossing the serpent sea…and betrayal cuts deeper than any dagger.

Imani and her crew are trying to make it home with the knowledge that the King of Harrowland is coming to the Sahir to take over the Spice Tree which is what gives people magic in this world. Harrowlanders have been given a taste of magic, and they want more. Unlike Imani's people, the Harrowlanders didn't grow up being preached about the harmful effects of taking too much spice. And their greed is beginning to take control of them. Unfortunately, Imani's crew suffers a terrible blow early on which separates the crew. Taha and Amira, Imani's sister, get captured, Atheer gets injured, and Imani and Qayn have a lead that he might be able to get his magic back nearby. They have to follow that lead to its end. 

Yet again, I have a few issues with this book. Without giving too much away, I felt Taha's response to Harrowland's takeover of the Sahir was weak. I understand he's a captive and he doesn't want to see unnecessary murder. I also know there was no way for the citizens of Qalia since they had no chance of winning. I guess there is a time and a place for biding your time to have a thought-out plan of attack. Yet, the surrender of village after village at Taha's urging didn't sit right with me. I also struggled with his feelings toward Imani. Taha deals with an extreme amount of guilt. He treated Imani poorly. He's lost members of his team to capture and even death. He takes both of those upon himself as personal failures. He disagreed with Atheer's desire to help the nations outside of the Sahir. Thus he wasted time and resources taking his time to come to the same conclusion that Atheer came to. And then, of course, the villages he's watched lay down their arms because he couldn't get home before being captured. He's a complex character with a lot going on below the surface.

One of the most successful parts of Spice Road for me was not knowing who to trust. And Maiya Ibrahim did a great job doing the same with Serpent Sea yet mostly different characters. Instead of unsure whether Qayn was trustworthy, I wondered if Taha was trustworthy. I pondered a little whether Qayn would switch sides when he got his magic back, but his stance solidified more and more as the book went on. 

A bonus for Maiya Ibrahim and Serpent Sea was the timing. I didn't love switching POVs in this case, but telling Taha's story and Imani's the way she chose played out well.

The ultimate conflict felt a little anticlimactic for me. Actually, a good portion of the conflict seemed to be handled way too easily overall. If I have a big complaint, that's probably it. Some pieces of the puzzle seemed to happen too easily for our characters who had been struggling for so long.

Favorite quotes:

-This is how you become strong: by knowing where you are weak first.

-"Hasty decisions hasten ruin."

-"...being afraid to make mistakes is petrifying. If you obey that fear, you never get anything done."

-"It's easier to dismiss those who hurt us as being senselessly evil than it is to accept that all our actions are trees, and all trees stem from roots, and all roots stem from seeds. No living being in any land propagates unaided."

-"My father loves me," he whispers; the words sound so hollow in his ears. A tear rolls down Reza's face. "Let someone else love you, Taha, the real you, as I always have."

-"It's an opportunity to foster trust between us..."

-"You cannot kill what doesn't die."

-"We make quite the alliance, wouldn't you agree?" "Enthusiastically." ... "What other clever lessons do you have hidden away, hmm?" His black eyes gleam; his smile widens. "The likes of which you can only dream of. Then again, anything that you dream of having, I could give you. And anything that you dream of becoming, I could make you."

-"And who knows--I suppose you could win my heart if you put in some effort."

-The sea is an excellent liar.

-"Don't send me away after you return my magic..."

-"I am a reasonable man by choice, not nature. Choose carefully which face of mine you wish to confront."

-"I see I've impressed you," I say, not bothering to hide my self-satisfaction. "You've left me wanting more."

-Remember to swing with your heart.

-"Better to die than to bow."

-"It's love, not loss, that endures forever."

-"There is no justice in seeking retribution on people who didn't wrong me,"...

Serpent Sea gets 4 Stars from me. I had a few issues with things, but overall, I enjoyed the messages. There's still plenty to come for a book 3, which I'm here for. Have you read Serpent Sea? 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.

Can't Wait for The Serpent and the Wolf

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

The Serpent and the Wolf

By: Rebecca Robinson

Expected Publication: November 19, 2024 by S&S/Saga Press

352 pages

Genre: New Adult, Fantasy, Magic

( Goodreads | Amazon )

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

Goodreads description--Perfect for fans of Raven Kennedy and Thea Guanzon, Rebecca Robinson’s thrilling romantasy debut combines high-stakes political intrigue and a steamy, slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers romance.

All her life, Vaasa Kozár has been sharpened into a blade.

After losing her mother—her only remaining parent—to a mysterious dark magic that has since awakened within her, Vaasa is certain death looms. So is her merciless brother, who aims to eliminate Vaasa as a threat to his crown. In one last political scheme, he marries her off to Reid of Mireh, a ruthless foreign ruler, in hopes that he can use her death as a rallying cry to finally invade Reid’s nation. All Vaasa has to do is die.

But she is desperate to live. Vaasa enters her new marriage with every intent to escape it, wielding the hard-won political prowess and combat abilities her late father instilled in her. But to her surprise, Reid offers her a deal: help him win the votes to rise in power, and she can walk free. In exchange, he will share his knowledge about the dark magic running through her veins—and help keep it at bay.

This proposal may be too good to refuse, yet Vaasa and Reid’s undeniable attraction threatens to break the rules of their arrangement. As her brother’s lethal machinations take form, everything is at stake: Vaasa must learn to trust her new husband, but how can she, especially when their perfect political marriage begins to feel like the real thing?

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