Homeschool Friday - The Giver

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 Giver (The Giver, # 1)

By: Lois Lowry

Publication: April 26, 1993

225 pages

Genre: Middle Grade, Science Fiction, Dystopian

( Goodreads | Amazon )

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

Goodreads description--Life in the community where Jonas lives is idyllic. Designated birthmothers produce new children, who are assigned to appropriate family units; one male, one female, to each. Citizens are assigned their partners and their jobs. No one thinks to ask questions. Everyone obeys. Their community is a precisely choreographed world without conflict, inequality, divorce, unemployment, injustice ... or choice.

Everyone is the same.

Except Jonas.

At the Ceremony of Twelve, the community's twelve-year-olds eagerly accept their predetermined Life Assignments. But Jonas is chosen for something special. He begins instruction in his life's work with a mysterious old man known only as The Giver. Gradually, Jonas learns that power lies in feelings. But when his own power is put to the test -- when he must try to save someone he loves -- he may not be ready. Is it too soon? Or too late?

At 38 years old, I've finally experienced Lois Lowry. I listened to The Giver on a family vacation while driving there and home. Middle Grade isn't my favorite, but I'm reading more in this age range to offer my kids suggestions when the time comes. 

I was easily hooked into this story of The Giver. I could easily see myself recommending this to my kids. As the story progressed, I questioned whether I would still recommend it. The world-building happened at just the right pace. At first, the reader doesn't notice much difference between the fantasy world The Giver is set in compared to the real world. Slowly, differences emerged. And the differences and Jonas's reaction to them propel the reader forward. 

Jonas begins the book at 11 years old. And he will soon participate in the Ceremony of Twelve where the kids his age will be given a job to help the community. Jonas is given a "special" job. And it's this job that the majority of the story is about. But I can't discuss it in detail because that would be spoilers. 

Parts of this story didn't feel appropriate for younger children. But I guess I am more of a sheltering parent than most. And if you really get analytical about some aspects of this world things do begin to break down. 

As someone who doesn't love ambiguity, I can't say I loved the ending. Yet the unique world and wanting to learn more propelled me to keep listening. At the same time, I'm not sure if I want to recommend this book to my kids or others. I guess I give The Giver 3 Stars. Have you read (or listened to) The Giver? What did you think? Let me know!

Cruel Winter With You - Review

Cruel Winter With You (Under the Mistletoe Collection, # 1)

By: Ali Hazelwood

Publication: November 12, 2024 by Amazon Original Stories

73 pages

Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Holiday, Christmas

( Goodreads | Amazon )

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

Goodreads description--For two former childhood friends, a blustery winter storm stirs some frosty—and scorching—memories in a delightful short story by #1 New York Times bestselling author Ali Hazelwood.

All newly minted pediatrician Jamie Malek wants is to borrow a roasting pan for Christmas dinner. Unfortunately, that requires her to interact with Marc—her best friend’s troublemaking brother, who’s now a tech billionaire. He’s the one who got away. She’s the one who broke his heart. Outside, a howling blizzard. Inside, a crackling fire. Suddenly, being snowbound with the man she never expected to see again might not be such a bad way to spend a winter’s night.

Ali Hazelwood’s Cruel Winter with You is part of Under the Mistletoe, a stirring collection of December romances that thrill and tingle all the way. They can be read or listened to in one swoony sitting.

I got the Under the Mistletoe short story collection from Amazon Prime. I love that I can both read these books and listen to the audio exactly where I left off reading. Love this technology. I was able to read a little, and then listen in the car going to pick my kid up from school. Now, I will say that this is only the second of this series that I've read. And I haven't read them in order. I read book 4, Merriment and Mayhem first and was disappointed in it. My biggest issue is that with a short story, the characters don't feel like they have adequate time to get to know each other before jumping to the spicy scenes that actually feel like the point of these books--based upon these two. 

That being said, Cruel Winter With You felt different. Because the characters have a history with each other, the chemistry between them felt realistic even though the page count was so low. And I say "so low" 72 pages is a good bit better than 50 like the other one of these I read. I can't help but continue to compare them since they are a collection.

Jamie shows up next door to her best friend's parent's house hoping to ask to borrow a roasting pan. However, the weather is ridiculous, and the only one home is Marc. Marc is Jamie's best friend's brother and her ex. These two have so much history, baggage, and tension. I really appreciated how much Ali Hazelwood accomplished in relationship building in such a short amount of pages. I was hooked. And I would have loved a full-length book for these two characters.

I don't read for the spicy stuff so be warned if that's an issue for you. Thankfully, it didn't take up 30% of the book as it did with Merriment and Mayhem.

Cruel Winter with You gets 4 Stars. I really appreciated the amount of development in the characters in such a short space of pages especially considering they were stuck in a house and the events happened basically in 24 hours (minus flashbacks). Have you read Cruel Winter with You? What did you think? Let me know!

PS. I haven't read any of the others in this series, but I'm not sure they're worth it. I think this might have been the best one of the entire collection, and I might decide to end on a high note. Have any of you read the others? Are they worth a read/listen? 

Can't Wait for Sunrise on the Reaping

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.

Sunrise on the Reaping (The Hunger Games, # 0.5)

By: Suzanne Collins

Expected Publication: March 18, 2025 by Scholastic Press

400 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Dystopian, Fantasy, Science 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--When you've been set up to lose everything you love, what is there left to fight for?

As the day dawns on the fiftieth annual Hunger Games, fear grips the districts of Panem. This year, in honor of the Quarter Quell, twice as many tributes will be taken from their homes.

Back in District 12, Haymitch Abernathy is trying not to think too hard about his chances. All he cares about is making it through the day and being with the girl he loves.

When Haymitch's name is called, he can feel all his dreams break. He's torn from his family and his love, shuttled to the Capitol with the three other District 12 tributes: a young friend who's nearly a sister to him, a compulsive oddsmaker, and the most stuck-up girl in town.

As the Games begin, Haymitch understands he's been set up to fail. But there's something in him that wants to fight . . . and have that fight reverberate far beyond the deadly arena.

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

Lets Call a Truce - Review

Let's Call a Truce

By: Amy Buchanan

Publication: January 14, 2025 by St. Martin's Griffin

336 pages

Genre: Adult, Contemporary

Source: Publisher via NetGalley (Thank you!!)

( Goodreads | Amazon )

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

Goodreads description--LET’S CALL A TRUCE is a sexy contemporary romance about second chances at life and love, bursting with humor and a touch of angst from debut author, Amy Buchanan.

After Juliana Ryan's husband dies unexpectedly, leaving her with two grieving kids and a stunted career from years as a stay-at-home mom, she has no choice but to make it work all on her own. But her confidence crashes around her when she overhears her condescending but infuriatingly attractive new colleague, Ben Thomas, talking about how her kids and inexperience are a liability the company can’t afford. This sets off a feud between the two, as Juliana vows to prove him wrong.

Two years later, their feud rages on, but it may be charged with something they aren't willing to admit. When they are forced onto a career-making project together, Juliana has no choice but to call a truce. As their lives become more intertwined in and out of the office, Juliana finds it hard to ignore Ben’s perpetual smile and charming determination. What started as a truce grows into more, as boardroom-clearing arguments turn to desk-clearing kisses. Could the man she deemed her nemesis understand her life–her stress and responsibilities–better than anyone?

But just when Juliana decides to open her heart again, Ben’s past threatens their newfound bliss, and she has to figure out whether this second chance at love is worth it after all.

I don't know how much more outside of the description listed for this book I can tell you without spoilers. This isn't the type of book where having spoilers would really kill the vibe or experience, but some things are best left unknown to the reader until the main character, Juliana learns about them or experiences them herself. 

I listened to the audio version of this book. Charlotte North narrates Let's Call a Truce and does a great job. 

Like the description says, Juliana's husband died suddenly and left her as a grieving widow with two grieving children. Her entire purpose has switched to making sure her kids are okay. And well that job just got harder as she has to take on roles that weren't meant to be hers. Most importantly, she needs to provide for their physical needs. And that means she needs this job. So when she overhears a co-worker blasting her on day 1, she feels justifiably irate. Who does this guy think he is? How can he judge her or her life or her kids on day 1 without knowing her or anything about her? She strikes out in a campaign against him. 

And well, as the description says, two years later the feud is still going strong. An added complication is that Juliana and Ben share a best friend. The best friend, I can't remember her name, doesn't want to play the middleman. She always indicates that she knows more than Juliana does, and Juliana ought to give Ben a break.

There are "on-page" scenes that are descriptive. It's been a month and a half between listening to this book and writing my review. So I don't remember it all clearly. I've stated frequently that I have a lower spice tolerance than most people. And well some of the scenes made me cringe a little if I remember correctly. However, audiobook versions of these scenes are always harder than paper because skipping ahead is a little more complicated. 

In the end, I decided that Let's Call a Truce gets 4 Stars. I enjoyed the relationship build-up and transition from enemies to lovers between Juliana and Ben. Their backstories and the resolution worked really well. Have you read (or listened to) Let's Call a Truce? What did you think? Let me know!

Sunday Post - 01/12/25

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.

This past week was a challenging parenting one. We just had a lot of whining, complaining, and sibling fighting. Monday was our last regular day of school break. Tuesday, I had to drop Scout off at the vet to be neutered. We didn't really want to have him neutered, but it was in our contract when we purchased him. Then I took Little Boy to my parents. And then the big kids had wellness checkups at the doctor's office. We spent the rest of the day with my parents until it was time to go pickup Scout. He did well and is recovering still. Only a few more days in the cone for him. Wednesday, we started school back. That went decently well. Thursday and Friday were a little odd because our co-op doesn't start until next week. And then Friday the public school was out for winter weather--even though it didn't even drop below freezing and we had zero snow or ice. That only affects me in that Little Boy's mother's day out program follows the public school's calendar and so they cancelled school for him that day. Saturday, Little Boy had a birthday party for some friends from school (a set of twins). He had a great time there, and it was one of the first opportunities that I've had to chat with other mom's from his class. I finally finished my first two books of 2025 this week also.

THE PAST WEEK

Monday: Review of Beneath the Crescent Sky (The Balkan Legends, # 2) by AL Sowards (4.5 Stars)
Tuesday: Top Ten Most Anticipated Book Releases of Q1/Q2 2025
Wednesday: Can't Wait for Watch Me (Shatter Me: The New Republic, # 1) by Tahereh Mafi
Thursday: Review of Better Than Revenge by Kasie West
Friday: Homeschool Friday - Cool Down and Work Through Anger

UPCOMING THIS WEEK:

Monday: Review of Let's Call a Truce by Amy Buchanan
Tuesday: Top Ten Tuesday?
Wednesday: Can't Wait Wednesday?
Thursday: Review of Cruel Winter with You (Under the Mistletoe, # 1) by Ali Hazelwood
Friday: Homeschool Friday - The Giver

NEW BOOKS:

Risking It All (Pushing the Limits: The Next Generation, # 1)

By: Katie McGarry

Publication: October 21, 2024 by Katie McGarry LLC

271 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary

( Goodreads | Amazon )

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

Goodreads description--From Award Winning, Critically Acclaimed Author Katie McGarry comes the Next Generation of Pushing the Limits characters.

Her life has been shattered. His life was never whole. Can one summer change everything?

After a violent carjacking left her bleeding in the street, Macie Hutchins fears she’ll never be the same. She’s not the girl she once was—even if she puts up a good front.

Head down, she tries to survive the sweltering summer—and group therapy sessions—with secrets intact and scars hidden. Both those on the outside and inside.

But Relic Aslanov has always been trouble. Complicated trouble. Dangerous trouble. And his presence in therapy is making Macie’s plan to lie low and cope on her own trickier than her life has already become.

She can’t seem to hide from him, though. And he can’t seem to stay away from her—even when the long-standing rivalry between their families should keep them apart.

But as the summer simmers on, so do the looks, the touches—and the kisses that were never supposed to happen.

As things heat up between Macie and Relic, her white-picket-fence world collides with his wrong-side-of-the-tracks hell, and the truth about the carjacking bubbles to the surface.

When the dust settles and the truth is revealed, will the risk they took be worth it? Or have their pasts already doomed their future?

Illusion of Stars (The Enmity of Hearts Duet, # 1)

By: Sarah Marie Page

Expected Publication: July 16, 2024 by Shadow Forge Publishing

452 pages

Genre: Young 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--From award-winning author Sarah Marie Page comes a stunning new adult enemies-to-lovers romantasy featuring a simmering slow-burn romance between a vengeful spy and an enemy general's alluring second-in-command on opposite sides of a pending war.

SHE'S STEALING MORE THAN SECRETS.

As the royal physician of a tiny, windswept island, eighteen-year-old Isabel spends her days trying to keep the queen from dying and the mad king from streaking naked down the halls. But when her best friend is found murdered on the beaches, her world is ripped apart. Desperate for answers, she discovers a stash of letters that reveal a terrifying truth: the neighboring kingdom of Volgaard possesses a kingdom-shattering weapon and is ready to conquer everything in its path.

Seeking vengeance, Isabel infiltrates the enemy. Her mission? Woo Erik Lothgarson, the general’s steamy, illusion-magic wielding son. Steal the dangerous weapon. She can bring Volgaard to its knees—if she isn’t caught.

But as Isabel dances along the knife edge of deception, the lines between truth and fiction blur, and she must wrestle her quest for vengeance against her undeniable attraction to the enemy.

Please note the spice level is a steamy fade-to-black, meaning there's some foreplay and build-up, but no on-page sex.

Between These Broken Hearts (These Hollow Vows, # 4)

By: Lexi Ryan

Publication: July 22, 2025 by Storytide

464 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Fae

( Goodreads | Amazon )

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

Goodreads description--Forbidden romance, mysterious prophecies, and the battle to save the fae realm come to a captivating conclusion in the #1 New York Times bestselling saga begun with Abriella in the These Hollow Vows duology and continued with Jas and Felicity in Beneath These Cursed Stars.

Princess Jasalyn has eleven days to live.

Jasalyn is facing the repercussions of a deadly bargain. Her life, and the future of the shadow court, are forfeit on her birthday unless she can stop the evil fae king Mordeus. She needs to face her greatest fears and find him before she runs out of time, but even after everything, Kendrick won’t let her face this alone.

Shape-shifter Felicity has vanished.

Felicity disappeared from King Misha’s dungeons, and her friends have been searching for her to no avail. But even if she’s found, Felicity will never be able to escape the oracle’s tragic prophecy for her and her family. In her lonely battle with fate, Misha is the last person she can ask to stand by her side, but the first one she’ll need.

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!