Paradise City - Review

Paradise City (Paradise, # 1)

By: CJ Duggan

Published: April 28th 2015 by Hachette Australia

336 pages

Genre: New Adult, Contemporary

Source: Publisher via NetGalley (Thank you!!)

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

Goodreads description--There's bound to be trouble in Paradise . . .

When her parents decide a change will be good for her, seventeen-year-old Lexie Atkinson never expected they'd send her all the way to Paradise City. Coming from a predictable life of home schooling on a rural Australian property, she's sure that Paradise will be amazing. But when she's thrust into a public school without a friendly face in sight, and forced to share a room with her insipid, hateful cousin Amanda, Lexie's not so sure.

Hanging out with the self-proclaimed beach bums of the city, sneaking out, late night parties and parking with boys are all things Lexie's never experienced, but all that's about to change. It's new, terrifying . . . and exciting. But when she meets Luke Ballantine, exciting doesn't even come close to describing her new life. Trouble with a capital T, Luke is impulsive, charming and answers to no one. The resident bad-boy leader of the group, he's sexier than any boy Lexie has ever known.

Amidst the stolen moments of knowing looks and heated touches, Lexie can't help but wonder if Luke is going to be good for her . . . or very, very bad?

My experience with CJ Duggan books up until Paradise City have all been very pleasant. I’ve read 3 of her books from the Summer series (The Boys of Summer, An Endless Summer, and That One Summer) and I cannot wait for the last book in the series to publish. So when I saw that she had a new series coming out, I knew that I wanted to jump on it.

The description of Paradise City had me thinking that Lexie was being sent off to boarding school. Maybe I assumed that because Amy from An Endless Summer was sent off to boarding school. But actually Lexie’s parents allow her to live with her aunt and uncle during the remainder of the school year. She’s a Junior (year eleven), and they wanted her to get acclimated and see if she likes the school before her senior year (year twelve). Amanda, her cousin, and Lexie used to be friends when they were younger, but when Lexie shows up and ends up sharing a room with Amanda, Lexie quickly sees that things aren’t as they used to be. Amanda thinks Lexie is going to cramp her style and so they start off with a rocky relationship.

Truthfully guys, I had a really hard time connecting in this book. I was 40, 50, maybe even 60% in before I really started getting hooked. The buildup and set up took a really long time, and for the first 40-50% nothing really happened. This was really disappointing to me considering my past experience with CJ Duggan’s books. Her other stories have all had a slow-burn romance, but none of them have waited so late for the action to begin.

On top of that, I had trouble connecting to Lexie herself. She pretty much develops a crush on Luke Ballantine immediately and based on looks alone. I mean she’s crushing major through 50% of the book with their biggest interaction being a few moments of eye contact and a borrowed pen. I told my sister that I remember being like that…..IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL! Granted, Lexie comes from being homeschooled in an extremely rural area so I imagine male interaction was at an extreme minimum for her. But this was painful at times to go through with her. And so I essentially felt like there was no real basis for her feelings for Luke other than the fact that he was cute. Luke eventually wins me over when it comes to personality the more I experience of him as a reader, but the things I focused on weren’t really the major things that Lexie focused on—at least not when it came to developing her feelings.

Some quotes to back me up:

-It was then I wondered what had me so desperate to want to be around him, what was it about him that intrigued me more than anyone else?

See Lexie doesn’t even know why she likes him.

-…there was a happiness inside of me that bubbled to the surface, a ridiculous satisfaction knowing that my pen was participating in some small way.

Seriously? How old is she? “He’s touching my pen. The same pen that I will touch again later! Oh my! *swoon*” I’m not even sure I can say that I’m exaggerating here.

-I had hoped beyond measure that Amanda would speak of Ballantine’s undying infatuation with me….

Maybe Lexie was just a bit dramatic for me. I did notice that Lexie’s inner voice was often very timid and scared and lacking confidence, but this was at odds with her behavior. She often spoke and acted bold and risky. I know there’s probably a level of overcompensation to be accounted for, but more than feeling like she was overcompensating, I ended up feeling like her character was inconsistent.

In an attempt to draw Ballantine in and make him jealous and thus spark him into action towards claiming Lexie as his own, Lexie and her friend Laura plant a spark of rumor about Lexie hooking up with another guy. But they picked the one and only guy who Ballantine could have possibly believed capable. This was two-fold. It did in fact spark Ballantine to action, but it also planted a seed of doubt that he truly had difficulty overcoming.

In the end, Paradise City had a bit of a cliffhanger. I wasn’t expecting book 2, Paradise Road, to follow up on Lexie and Luke’s story. I was expecting to swap to one of the other couples—Amanda and Boon or even Laura and someone—like the Summer series did. But it looks like book 2 will definitely be a continuation of Luke and Lexie’s story. I can’t say that I loved Paradise City, but I was left wanting to know how it all ends, so I’ll definitely continue the series with hopes that the CJ Duggan I really enjoyed from the Summer series will be back in full force. Paradise City gets 3.5 Stars. Have you read Paradise City? What did you think? Let me know!

Waiting on The End of Days

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

End of Days (Penryn & the End of Days, # 3)

By: Susan Ee

Expected Publication: May 12th 2015 by Skyscape

344 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, Angels, Science Fiction, Dystopian

( 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--End of Days is the explosive conclusion to Susan Ee’s bestselling Penryn & the End of Days trilogy.

After a daring escape from the angels, Penryn and Raffe are on the run. They’re both desperate to find a doctor who can reverse the twisted changes inflicted by the angels on Raffe and Penryn’s sister. As they set off in search of answers, a startling revelation about Raffe’s past unleashes dark forces that threaten them all.

When the angels release an apocalyptic nightmare onto humans, both sides are set on a path toward war. As unlikely alliances form and strategies shift, who will emerge victorious? Forced to pick sides in the fight for control of the earthly realm, Raffe and Penryn must choose: Their own kind, or each other?

I just posted my review of Angelfall this week. My review of World After is set to publish on May 7th. So it just made sense for End of Days to be my Waiting on Wednesday pick this week. What are you waiting on? Let me know!

Invincible - DNF Review

Invincible

By: Amy Reed

Expected Publication: April 28th 2015 by Katherine Tegen Books

336 pages

Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult

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--Evie is living on borrowed time. She was diagnosed with terminal cancer several months ago and told that by now she’d be dead. Evie is grateful for every extra day she gets, but she knows that soon this disease will kill her. Until, miraculously, she may have a second chance to live.

All Evie had wanted was her life back, but now that she has it, she feels like there’s no place for her in it—at least, not for the girl she is now. Her friends and her parents still see her as Cancer Girl, and her boyfriend’s constant, doting attention is suddenly nothing short of suffocating.

Then Evie meets Marcus. She knows that he’s trouble, but she can’t help falling for him. Being near him makes her feel truly, fully alive. It’s better than a drug. His kiss makes her feel invincible—but she may be at the beginning of the biggest free fall of her life.

I made it slightly over 40% into Invincible when I decided to DNF it. DNFing is still not easy for me, and especially being 40% in made this a difficult decision. I’ve never had cancer. I can’t begin to say that I know by even the slightest stretch of my imagination what it would feel like to be diagnosed with cancer. So the description of this book drew me in. Yeah, it makes sense that having been through something as traumatic and life-changing as surviving cancer—especially miraculously when everyone included you didn’t think you would make it—would make it impossible to return to your prior life. The things you cared about before just don’t seem that important in the grand scheme of life and such. And having been through so much it would make sense that Evie needs to feel alive more now than ever before. I can see that causing her to do some risky things—including date a potentially dangerous guy or bad boy. That’s what pulled me in. But that’s not exactly what happened (at least up until the point I decided to DNF).

The beginning of Invincible is a period of time referred to as “then.” Evie’s recently broken her leg and discovered that her cancer has even made it into her bone marrow—not a good prognosis. Her doctors offer a 4-7% survival rate if she signs up for a clinical trial. So her situation is pretty dire. In the hospital she’s made friends with two other patients, Caleb & Stella. Caleb and Stella are the only ones in her life who can remotely relate to what she’s going through and what she’s been through. Her parents, her pre-cancer best friend, and her boyfriend just don’t get it. They hover. They care. But they don’t get it. This part I could relate to and I was interested in. But then something happens.

Evie is declared pretty much cancer-free just about the same time as a traumatic event takes place. I can’t begin to say that I know what the grief Evie feels is like. But Evie just turns into such a brat after this. The description says that Evie is grateful for every extra day that she gets, but that’s bull. Evie was the most ungrateful person. She even says: “I know I should be grateful I’m alive. I should be grateful for my mom and her car and the stupid hospital and doctors and their great medical training. I should care about the orphans. I should care about something, anything. But I don’t.” More than anything I was screaming at Evie to quit her whining. To snap out of it. To have a perspective change. Maybe I haven’t been through cancer, but my cousin has. And you guys I have never in my life seen someone go through something like she did and maintain such a positive attitude. I know there were times when she was down and depressed and overwhelmed. I know she had to fight the mental battles just as frequently as the physical ones. But I saw her time and time again be grateful for the little things. And in the end, my cousin didn't make it. Yet even in death she remains a symbol of hope to all who knew her. So I want to say that it’s a slap in the face to everyone who hasn’t been miraculously healed of their cancer, but then I remind myself that Evie isn’t a real person. As I said, I can understand how she would still be struggling mentally and emotionally. She’s been through a lot. But that doesn’t mean it was enjoyable for me to read.

When it got to the point where “DNF this book” first entered my mind, I thought that I’d come too far. So I tried to press on. I read some more. And the more I read the angrier I got. I kept telling myself that surely Evie learns all of these important and deep life lessons. There has to be a reason why Caleb has faith in God and Evie was “miraculously” healed other than for Evie to throw it back in God’s face. There has to be some redeeming elements of this book. So I decided to do something that I never do. I went to Goodreads to check out the reviews. And there weren’t many. But the ones I saw…well they offered me no real hope for Evie or Invincible to have a redeeming ending. With that being said, I decided to DNF, and the sigh of relief I felt upon making that decision was big enough to validate my decision.

Have you read Invincible? What did you think? Let me know!

Sunday Post - 146 & Stacking the Shelves - 104

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.

Another good week gone by. Tuesday was another dress down day at work. I always enjoy those. Friday, I had another ultrasound! I just love being able to see how much my little one has grown. I get to have another ultrasound in two weeks, and we MIGHT get to find out the gender then! I'm so excited to know one way or the other. Not much else to report here.

THIS PAST WEEK:

Monday: Review of 99 Days by Katie Cotugno (3 Stars)
Tuesday: Top Ten All-Time Favorite Authors
Wednesday: Waiting on Soundless by Richelle Mead
Thursday: Review of The Secrets of Attraction by Robin Constantine (4 Stars)
Friday: Review of Angelfall (Penryn & the End of Days, # 1) by Susan Ee (4 Stars)
Saturday: 2015 Series Enders Reading Challenge - April Wrap Up

UPCOMING THIS WEEK:

Monday: DNF Review of Invincible (Invincible, # 1) by Amy Reed
Tuesday: Top Ten Tuesday
Wednesday: Waiting on Wednesday
Thursday: Review of Paradise City (Paradise, # 1) by CJ Duggan
Friday: April EOM Wrap Up
Saturday: Discussions Only We Know: How Outspoken Is Too Outspoken?

Don’t forget to sign up for the 2015 Series Enders Reading Challenge! You have until December 15, 2015 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!

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews.

Asa (Marked Men, # 6)

By: Jay Crownover

Published: April 21st 2015 by Harper Collins

416 pages

Genre: New Adult, Contemporary

Source: Personal Kindle Library

( 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--Jay Crownover’s New York Times and USA Today bestselling Marked Men series continues with the much anticipated story of southern charmer and certified criminal Asa Cross.

Starting over in Denver with a whole new circle of friends and family, Asa Cross struggles with being the man he knows everyone wants him to be and the man he knows he really is. A leopard doesn’t it change its spots and Asa has always been a predator. He doesn’t want to hurt those who love and rely on him, especially one luscious arresting cop who suddenly seems to be interested in him for far more than his penchant for breaking the law. But letting go of old habits is hard, and it’s easy to hit bottom when it’s the place you know best.

Royal Hastings is quickly learning what the bottom looks like after a tragic situation at work threatens not only her career but her partner’s life. As a woman who has only ever had a few real friends she’s trying to muddle through her confusion and devastation all alone. Except she can’t stop thinking about the sexy southern bartender she locked up. Crushing on Asa is the last thing she needs but his allure is too strong to resist. His long criminal record can only hurt her already shaky career and chasing after a guy who has no respect for the law or himself can only end in heartbreak.

A longtime criminal and a cop together just seems so wrong . . . but for Asa and Royal, being wrong together is the only right choice to make.

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!

2015 Series Enders Reading Challenge - April Wrap Up

It's time for our fourth Monthly Wrap Up for the 2015 Series Enders Reading Challenge hosted by Sandy @ Somewhere Only We Know and Holly @ Words Fueled by Love!

Since posting the 2015 Series Enders Reading Challenge - March Wrap Up, I finished two series enders: Ignite Me (Shatter Me, # 3) by Tahereh Mafi & Asa (Marked Men, # 6) by Jay Crownover. Holly didn't get any series enders finished this month.

Which series enders did you finish? Link the up below. Don't forget to include the title, your name, & your blog name (Ex: Requiem - Sandy @ Somewhere Only We Know) Also, the April giveaway runs from April 25th - May 25th. On May 25th we will use random.org and the linky entries to pull a winner.

Angelfall - Review

Angelfall (Penryn & the End of Days, # 1)

By: Susan Ee

Published: May 23rd 2013 by Hodder and Stoughton (first published May 21st 2011)

326 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal, Angels, Dystopian

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--It's been six weeks since the angels of the apocalypse destroyed the world as we know it. Only pockets of humanity remain.

Savage street gangs rule the day while fear and superstition rule the night.

When angels fly away with a helpless girl, her seventeen-year-old sister Penryn will do anything to get her back...

Angelfall has been on my TBR list for years. Due to the release of End of Days, Angelfall and World After were both available for review through NetGalley, and I snatched them both up. And I’m so glad that I did. I hate that I didn’t get End of Days, but you know how that goes.

Angelfall starts out with Penryn, her sister Paige, and their mother. The world has been taken over by angels. The angels have caused a lot of destruction and a whole lot of death. So when Penryn & family witness an angel’s wings being cut off by some other angels, it surprises everyone that Penryn jumps in to save the angel. Really she’s hoping to cause a distraction so her mother and sister can escape. While Penryn is trying to save her family, Paige is trying to save Penryn which results in Paige getting kidnapped by one of the angels responsible for cutting the wings off the other angel. What happens is that Penryn ends up with this dying angel on her hands, her sister is kidnapped, and her mother is missing.

Angelfall reminded me a lot of Under the Never Sky. For one, Penryn and Raffe would consider themselves enemies—or at the very least, not on the same side at all. Yet, they end up on this journey together. Penryn is trying to find her sister, and Raffe needs to get his wings sewn back on. Enemies become unlikely, temporary allies. Having someone’s back on a journey because you need them for some task or end result leads into some gray territory. And when someone saves your life (multiple times), I imagine that you can’t help but form some kind of trust in them.

Raffe and Penryn run into a camp of resistors trying to organize the remaining human race into a unified attack against the angels. Raffe has to keep his angel identity a secret, but it’s hard not to root for this camp at the same time.

I loved the slow build to Penryn and Raffe’s relationship. Penryn isn’t sure where they stand for the majority of the book. They have this tenuous relationship. Trust isn’t solidified. And I loved it. The uncertainty of how the other person feels makes for one of my favorite story dynamics. Raffe knows what happens to angels who fall in love with humans, and even more than that, he’s witnessed what happens to the humans who fall in love with angels. So now you add forbidden to the potential romance mix. Raffe can’t let anything happen between them no matter what either of them thinks or feels.

Of course there’s more going on beyond the romance in the story. What’s happened to Paige? Is she still alive? And if she is, will she ever be the same? Why did another angel cut Raffe’s wings? And why are the angels the bad guys? Will the Resistance make any headway?

I will say that I don’t love the idea of angels being the enemy. There’s a difference between angels and demons and for an angel to be agnostic is just beyond incomprehensible for me. So I found that to be slightly annoying. And then similar to the direction of Supernatural, it seems like God is MIA. I realize that this is a fictional story, but I’ve been less and less tolerant to anything that feels irreverent to me lately.

Favorite quotes:

-Forget plans. I don't have enough information to formulate a plan. My instincts will have to do. And my instincts tell me that Raffe is mine.

-"My friends call me Wrath," says Raffe. "My enemies call me Please Have Mercy."

-I just want to be an ordinary girl living an ordinary life.

-It seems to be our fate to continually pass our debt back and forth.

Angelfall was such an enjoyable read for me. In the middle of the biggest reading slump I’ve experienced since I started blogging, Angelfall was a light in the dark. It was easy to get through and a quick finish for me. I enjoyed the slow build of Penryn and Raffe’s relationship and that they even still have much further to go. I enjoyed the other mysteries going on as well. I look forward to continuing the series and will be picking up World After as soon as possible. Angelfall gets 4 Stars. Have you read Angelfall? What did you think? Let me know!

The Secrets of Attraction - Review

The Secrets of Attraction

By: Robin Constantine

Expected Publication: April 28th 2015 by Balzer + Bray

384 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--Set in the same world as The Promise of Amazing, this smart, surprising, and romantic follow-up to Robin Constantine's debut novel follows two New Jersey teens as they become friends and fall in love. Perfect for fans of Stephanie Perkins, Sarah Mlynowski, and Jennifer E. Smith.

Madison Pryce thinks she's got everything figured out—she's working on a portfolio for a summer art program and hanging with her friends. Plus she has her hot boyfriend, Zach. But then a visit from a family friend turns Maddie's life upside down.

Jesse McMann is still reeling from a breakup that shattered his heart and his band. Then pride (and some goading from his bass player and fellow barista) forces him to find a new drummer—and the inspiration to write music again.

Kismet arrives in the unlikely form of Grayson Barrett, who tries out for Jesse's band, and whose girlfriend is BFFs with the cute girl who orders a chai latte after yoga every Thursday: Maddie. What Jesse and Maddie thought they knew about the secrets of attraction and the rules of romance changes once they start falling for each other.

The Secrets of Attraction has just about everything I’m looking for in a young adult contemporary read. I feel like the description was a bit misleading even if pretty much everything it says is true. Isn’t it weird how the way facts are presents can change your perspective? Makes me worry about our justice system, but that’s a topic for a whole other corner of the internet.

Madison is a smart girl. She’s totally into art in an amazing way. Despite having a couple of mediums that she’s more interested in, I loved that Madison really looked at and picked up any opportunity she could to express herself through art. She’s done models, sketching, painting, graphics, hair, makeup, fashion, photography. I loved how passionate she was about her art. And as the description says she’s working to put together and expand her portfolio in order to get into a summer art program. She did have focus, but unlike the description, I wouldn’t say she has it all figured out. She’s actually a little on the confused and lost side of things. She has a boyfriend but she knows that her feelings aren't all-encompassing like she sees with her best friend Wren and her boyfriend Gray. And she has a close relationship with her mother but knows nothing about who or where her father is. I felt like a bit of her reluctance to commit came from her background with her mother and missing father.

Side note, Madison takes yoga classes and man if The Secrets of Attraction didn’t make me want to sign up to take classes myself.

Jesse is seriously everything you can want in a young adult leading male character. He’s in a rock band. He’s uber-talented. He plays guitar like only a natural can, and he even writes his own songs. He works a part-time job at a coffee shop. And he’s had his heartbroken. Jesse’s ex-girlfriend, Hannah, slept with his best friend and fellow bandmate, Duncan. Now Hannah & Duncan are an item and Jesse is trying to recover from the betrayal all around. But Jesse’s desire to get Hannah back in the beginning of this book really bothered me. Don’t get me wrong, I love a story about forgiveness, and I really admire and praise when a character can rise above and offer that grace and mercy to someone else. But Hannah wasn’t seeking his forgiveness—only his acceptance. So how Jesse thought and felt about Hannah was sometimes hard for me to get behind.

Jesse and Madison have a slow building relationship. They both bring a bit of baggage to the table—but in real life, who doesn’t? I also liked how Madison doesn’t agonize over being away from Jesse for the summer. She still plans on doing her summer art program no matter what. I did find it a bit odd that there really wasn’t any thought put into what Jesse will be doing in the future. I guess he’s aiming for a band/music related future, but it was never specifically stated.

If I had to complain about one thing, I’d really have to tackle the slang modern-day speech. It wasn’t all the time or so much that I just had to roll my eyes, but there were a few times when it bugged me. This was just something I mentally noted and moved on. Oh and Madison’s mom was really annoying to me. Her reasons behind her actions were NOT justified. She felt almost more immature to me than Madison did. I don’t want to say too much around that because I don’t want to spoil anything.

Favorite quotes:

-Money. The Grim Reaper of dreams.

-“Have to see a girl about a logo.”

-“I feel so small—like when I’m sitting here and looking up, I realize that nothing is ever still, those stars are constantly imploding and dying and new ones are born, and we’re on some spinning hunk of rock in the middle of the galaxy and when you look at it that way, […], you realize how insignificant we really are, and it’s scary, but then you wonder, how can we be alone? It’s pure arrogance to think we’re all alone in the universe, and it’s a nice thought—the not being alone” {I realize he’s talking about aliens, but I related this to God.} … “Well, when I’m playing…when I close my eyes, it’s like for a split second, just a sip of time, I understand stuff and I’m part of everything. And I know there’s something more—can physically feel connected to it, can feel it going through me. So that’s it, that’s where I go…”

The Secrets of Attraction was more than I was expecting. It was more than I was hoping for. I didn’t want to put it down and thankfully I was in a place where I could keep reading. I had no major issues. The Secrets of Attractions gets 4 Stars from me. I obviously missed the “Set in the same world as The Promise of Amazing” from the description, and now I want to go back and read that. Have you read The Secrets of Attraction? What did you think? Let me know!

Waiting on Soundless

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Soundless

By: Richelle Mead

Expected Publication: November 17th 2015 by Razorbill

368 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Myhtology

( 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--From Richelle Mead, the #1 internationally bestselling author of Vampire Academy and Bloodlines, comes a breathtaking new fantasy steeped in Chinese folklore.

For as long as Fei can remember, there has been no sound in her village, where rocky terrain and frequent avalanches prevent residents from self-sustaining. Fei and her people are at the mercy of a zipline that carries food up the treacherous cliffs from Beiguo, a mysterious faraway kingdom.

When villagers begin to lose their sight, deliveries from the zipline shrink and many go hungry. Fei’s home, the people she loves, and her entire existence is plunged into crisis, under threat of darkness and starvation.

But soon Fei is awoken in the night by a searing noise, and sound becomes her weapon.

Richelle Mead takes readers on a triumphant journey from the peak of Fei’s jagged mountain village to the valley of Beiugo, where a startling truth and an unlikely romance will change her life forever...

I love Richelle Mead. She's one of my favorite authors, and she's definitely on my auto-read list. I've got check this one out. What are you waiting on this week? Let me know!

Top Ten All-Time Favorite Authors

Top 10 Tuesday is a post hosted by The Broke and the Bookish and this week's topic is Top Ten All-Time Favorite Authors.

1. Jane Austen - I’ve read 4 out of her 6 published novels. I still plan to read the other two, but so far Jane Austen will always be a favorite.
2. Lurlene McDaniel - I mostly read Lurlene McDaniel from the age of 10/11 to 13/14 years old. I can’t even tell you how many of her books I’ve read. She will always be one of my lifetime favorite authors.
3. Colleen Hoover - I’ve read every published work by Colleen Hoover (10 thus far, I believe). She hasn’t been doing this book thing for too terribly long, but I’ve devoured every single one of her books.
4. Richelle Mead - I haven’t read most of Richelle Mead’s adult books, but I’ve read 16 books by her total at this point so I think that’s enough to clue her into my lifelong favorites.
5. Katie McGarry - Again, Katie McGarry is another author that hasn’t been doing this book thing for too long, but like Colleen Hoover, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed every single book that I’ve read by her (5 in total so far).
6. JK Rowling - While I haven’t read Casual Vacancy or any of her books published under her pseudonym (Robert Galbraith), I will never ever forget the place that Harry Potter has in my heart. JK Rowling will forever be a literary genius in my mind for that alone.
7. Maggie Stiefvater - I’ve read 10 books so far by Maggie Stiefvater. I struggled through The Raven Boys, but every other one has been nothing but enjoyable.
8. Kasie West - I’ve only read 3 books by Kasie West so far. But I love how what I have read has crossed genres. Not all authors are able to do that successfully. Even though I don’t have many Kasie West books behind me, I still know that I’ll enjoy pretty much anything she publishes.
9. Tahereh Mafi - I hesitated to put Tahereh Mafi on this list because I’ve only read one series by her and I don’t know that one series really makes a standout author. Sometimes you can have a brilliant series but then bomb on your other stuff. But I adored the strike method she used, and I highlighted huge chunks of her books at one time. Her writing style is beautiful enough to make this cut. (I’ve read 3 books & 1 novella by her.)
10. Michelle Hodkin - Ok just like Tahereh Mafi, I really hesitate to put Michelle Hodkin on this list. I’ve only read 2 books by her so far, and since I haven’t finished the Mara Dyer series, there’s a chance that she could totally bomb the last book for me and be kicked off the list immediately. But as of now, in this moment, Michelle Hodkin’s writing also qualifies because of its beauty. I might have to re-evaluate at the end of the series, but we’ll see.

Who are your all-time favorite authors? Let me know!

99 Days - Review

99 Days

By: Katie Cotugno

Expected Publication: April 21st 2015 by Balzer + Bray

384 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--Day 1: Julia Donnelly eggs my house my first night back in Star Lake, and that’s how I know everyone still remembers everything—how I destroyed my relationship with Patrick the night everything happened with his brother, Gabe. How I wrecked their whole family. Now I’m serving out my summer like a jail sentence: Just ninety-nine days till I can leave for college, and be done.

Day 4: A nasty note on my windshield makes it clear Julia isn’t finished. I’m expecting a fight when someone taps me on the shoulder, but it’s just Gabe, home from college and actually happy to see me. “For what it’s worth, Molly Barlow,” he says, “I’m really glad you’re back.”

Day 12: Gabe got me to come to this party, and I’m actually having fun. I think he’s about to kiss me—and that’s when I see Patrick. My Patrick, who’s supposed to be clear across the country. My Patrick, who’s never going to forgive me.

I wasn’t sure when I requested 99 Days. "Love triangle" glares from the description. Granted at least there’s a heads up about that. And brothers no less. But love triangles can go either way for me. Some people out and out hate them. I don’t. They just have to be done right for me to enjoy them. So that leads to the question of whether or not 99 Days had a love triangle done right or not. Well…I’ll tell you.

Everything about 99 Days had me flip-flopping. From “this book is better than I expected” to “this book is disappointing me.” Let me start with Molly. Molly messed up, right? She hooked up with her boyfriend’s brother. It doesn’t get much worse than that. Especially when you’re really close to the entire family and have been your entire life. So Molly feels all this guilt over what happened. She feels like she deserves to be treated badly and punished for her part in the fiasco, but at the same time Molly has a victim mentality. All she can see is how she’s being treated. She can’t open her eyes to see past herself to see how she’s treated and is still treating others. Her constant victim thought process was extremely draining for me. Yet, who hasn’t done something that they feel guilty about and wish they could take back? I know I have. But the worst thing that annoyed me about Molly was that this entire book was about her repeating her mistakes. It didn’t seem like she learned very much from them the first time through.

I flip-flopped on which guy I was rooting for. On one hand, the description and even most parts of the book seem to indicate that Molly and Patrick have a really deep connection that has spanned years and years. One of those star-crossed-lovers-no-one-else-will-ever-come-close relationships. I understand that Patrick’s hurt. He’s been betrayed twice. Not just by Molly, but by his brother as well. No one can blame him for feeling the way that he does. At the same time Patrick lashes out in retaliation. He wants Molly to hurt like he’s hurting. But there’s a part of him that wants her back too. I just couldn’t condone his behavior even when I understood it. At the same time, there’s Gabe. He’s the only person who is nice to Molly when she gets back to town. It’s obvious that he still has feelings for her—or that new ones are developing. But there’s something off there as well. Molly keeps describing his kisses as “warm and friendly.” It’s hard for me to root for “warm and friendly”. I mean those are good traits, but they also seem to be lacking as well. There’s an additional aspect having to do with Patrick and Gabe and brotherly love competition that kept me from rooting for Gabe at the same time.

It didn’t take me long to realize that there would be no ending to 99 Days that I would be happy with. Ultimately, this is one of those “coming of age” stories where when I’m finished reading it, I ask myself “what was the point of this book?” and the only thing I can come up with is that Molly learned a lesson. These are not my favorite kind of stories.

99 Days drew me in more than I expected it to. I wanted to keep reading. But I had frustrations with it as well. Aside from flip-flopping on how I felt about the major events and characters, there were also things like name dropping (Ex: J. Crew, Game of Thrones, Kings of Leon, etc). 99 Days also had at least two phrases that I think should be banned from YA literature for overuse—one of which was used three times. It’s the little things, right? But here’s a little thing that’s a positive: after everything went down with Molly and Gabe and Molly leaves for boarding school, she gains weight. Weight gain is a typical sign of depression, which I would say Molly was definitely experiencing, and I loved how this was weaved into the story.

Ultimately, I’m up in the air about how I feel about this story. There were aspects that I liked better than I was expecting, and there were aspects where I was disappointed. I can’t say that I would really go about recommending 99 Days though since I ended up feeling like “what was the point?” after all was said and done. I’d give 99 Days 3 Stars, but I can’t say I’d recommend it to others. Have you read 99 Days? What did you think? Let me know!

Sunday Post - 145 & Stacking the Shelves - 103

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 week was a little bit of a roller coaster. The hormones are kicking up. You guys, I've cried three times this week! And I'm not a cryer! Two of these were from frustration over a training class I'm in. (We're learning C#.) And another one was over a span of two One Tree Hill episodes that were just really sad. Reading wise, I finished two books this week which is my goal for the year (2 books per week), but I'm still not where I should be. I'm not going to be too hard on myself though because I'm making progress in the right direction. Overall, I'm feeling pretty good about this past week. And look at all the beauties I received this week!

THIS PAST WEEK:

Monday: DNF Review of Vanishing Girls by Lauren Oliver
Tuesday: Discussions Only We Know: Announcement
Wednesday: Waiting on Six of Crows (The Dregs, # 1) by Leigh Bardugo
Thursday: Review of Things We Know by Heart by Jessi Kirby (4 Stars)

UPCOMING THIS WEEK:

Monday: Review of 99 Days by Katie Cotugno
Tuesday: Top Ten Tuesday
Wednesday: Waiting on Wednesday
Thursday: Review of The Secrets of Attraction by Robin Constantine
Friday: Review of Angelfall (Penryn & the End of Days, # 1) by Susan Ee
Saturday: 2015 Series Enders Reading Challenge - April Wrap Up

Don’t forget to sign up for the 2015 Series Enders Reading Challenge! You have until December 15, 2015 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!

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews.

Walk on Earth a Stranger (The Gold Seer Trilogy, # 1)

By: Rae Carson

Expected Publication: September 22nd 2015 by Greenwillow Books

432 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Historical Fiction, 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--The first book in a new trilogy from acclaimed New York Times bestselling author Rae Carson. A young woman with the magical ability to sense the presence of gold must flee her home, taking her on a sweeping and dangerous journey across Gold Rush–era America.

Lee Westfall has a secret. She can sense the presence of gold in the world around her. Veins deep beneath the earth, pebbles in the river, nuggets dug up from the forest floor. The buzz of gold means warmth and life and home—until everything is ripped away by a man who wants to control her. Left with nothing, Lee disguises herself as a boy and takes to the trail across the country. Gold was discovered in California, and where else could such a magical girl find herself, find safety? Rae Carson, author of the acclaimed Girl of Fire and Thorns trilogy, dazzles with this new fantasy that subverts both our own history and familiar fantasy tropes.

Walk on Earth a Stranger, the first book in this new trilogy, introduces—as only Rae Carson can—a strong heroine, a perilous road, a fantastical twist, and a slow-burning romance. Includes a map and author’s note on historical research.

Unraveling You (Unraveling You, # 1)

By: Jessica Sorensen

Published: November 25th 2014 by CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform

252 pages

Genre: New Adult, Contemporary

Source: Personal Kindle Library (currently free on Amazon)

( 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--Lyric Scott has always had a good life. Outgoing, spunky, and musically talented, she’s constantly surrounded by family and friends, yet she still feels there’s something missing.

Then she meets her new next-door neighbor Ayden Gregory. Mysterious, sweet, and sad, Ayden is the exact opposite of Lyric and exactly what she needs to fill the void in her life.

Ayden has been through more than most people and believes his life is always going to be rocky, so when he’s suddenly adopted by the Gregorys, he’s thrown for a turn. But even with a new, loving family, he still finds himself haunted by the memories of his old life. The only true breath of fresh air is when he’s with his best friend, Lyric Scott.

As Lyric and Ayden grow closer, the lines of their friendship start to blur. But when Ayden's past unexpectedly pushes its way into his new life, their friendship and newfound attraction will be tested.

**A novel about Ella and Micha's daughter and Lila and Ethan's son from The Secret Series. However, this series can be read on its own.**

Raveling You (Unraveling You, # 2)

By: Jessica Sorensen

Published: January 13th 2015 by CreateSpace Independent Publishing

256 pages

Genre: New Adult, Contemporary

Source: Personal Kindle Library ($0.99 @ Amazon)

( 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--Ayden Gregory may want to keep running from his nightmares, but he no longer has a choice. His past is catching up with him. And fast. He relies on one person to keep him from crumbling. His best friend Lyric Scott.

Lyric feels helpless watching her best friend’s world turn upside down. But she does her best to remain positive and upbeat. She gets their band their first gig and even with everything going on, her relationship with Ayden starts to heat up.

But when danger enters Ayden’s life again, even Lyric might not be able to help him.

Awakening You (Unraveling You, # 3)

By: Jessica Sorensen

Published: March 27th 2015 by Smashwords Edition

264 pages

Genre: New Adult, Contemporary

Source: Personal Kindle Library ($0.99 @ Amazon)

( 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--Lately, life has been going well for Ayden. His relationship with Lyric is starting to heat up and his career in music is taking off. But the disappearance of his sister still weighs heavily on his mind.

Desperate to find out where his sister is, Ayden decides to take drastic measures. But his dangerous risk leads to the unraveling of secrets, and he’s left facing a darker past then he ever could have imagined.

Truest

By: Jackie Lea Sommers

Expected Publication: September 1st 2015 by Katherine Tegen Books

384 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--Silas Hart has seriously shaken up Westlin Beck's small-town life. Brand new to town, Silas is different than the guys in Green Lake. He's curious, poetic, philosophical, maddening-- and really, really cute. But Silas has a sister-- and she has a secret. And West has a boyfriend. And life in Green Lake is about to change forever.

Truest is a stunning, addictive debut. Romantic, fun, tender, and satisfying, it asks as many questions as it answers.

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!

Things We Know By Heart - Review

Things We Know By Heart

By: Jessi Kirby

Expected Publication: April 21st 2015 by HarperTeen

304 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--When Quinn Sullivan meets the recipient of her boyfriend’s donated heart, the two form an unexpected connection.

After Quinn loses her boyfriend, Trent, in an accident their junior year, she reaches out to the recipients of his donated organs in hopes of picking up the pieces of her now-unrecognizable life. She hears back from some of them, but the person who received Trent’s heart has remained silent. The essence of a person, she has always believed, is in the heart. If she finds Trent’s, then maybe she can have peace once and for all.

Risking everything in order to finally lay her memories to rest, Quinn goes outside the system to track down nineteen-year-old Colton Thomas—a guy whose life has been forever changed by this priceless gift. But what starts as an accidental run-in quickly develops into more, sparking an undeniable attraction. She doesn't want to give in to it—especially since he has no idea how they're connected—but their time together has made Quinn feel alive again. No matter how hard she’s falling for Colton, each beat of his heart reminds her of all she’s lost…and all that remains at stake.

Things We Know By Heart was so enjoyable. I was looking for a contemporary read with all the feels and that’s what I got. Jessi Kirby’s been on my TBR list for a while, but this is my first book by her, and I’m glad that it was.

As the description says, Quinn’s boyfriend, Trent, died in a car accident. The events of the accident were a little blurry, but that didn’t really bother me. His organs were donated, and Quinn has hoped that meeting the recipients will help her move forward. She’s not quite ready to move on. Colton—the recipient of Trent’s heart hasn’t responded to her letter requesting to meet. As the description states, Quinn decides to take matters into her own hands. She does some research and ultimately finds Colton. She doesn’t plan on talking to him—she just wants to see him. But of course, that’s not how things go.

The book description seems to indicate that there’s some almost supernatural aspect present—like because it was Trent’s heart and Trent loved Quinn that perhaps supernaturally Colton will love Quinn too. And there were a few moments that were coincidence, but while reading the book, I never really got the vibe that there was something special about Trent’s heart previously having loved Quinn that causes Colton to love her too. I don’t think that’s spoiler…but I think potential readers need to know. I feel like some readers would be turned off if that were the case and so I was thankful that it wasn’t.

That being said, I actually enjoyed Colton and Quinn’s relationship build. They end up enjoying each other’s company because of a few things. They both have pasts they don’t really want to talk about. They recognize that in each other and so they’re not defined by their pasts. They also find reasons to come alive when around each other. To look around at the beauty of creation and enjoy the ocean and sand and caves and waterfalls. One of the best things I liked about their relationship was when they actually talked to each other about what they liked about the other. Often times in life and in books a relationship starts because of physical attraction and that becomes one of the only things that maintains a relationship. But that’s not what happens for Quinn and Colton.

Of course, a bit predictable and also not a spoiler, the major conflict is that Quinn knows who Colton is and that he received Trent’s heart. Colton has been keeping secrets from her, but it almost doesn’t matter because she already knows what his secrets are. Quinn on the other hand…well she’s going to have to deal with the secrets she’s kept from Colton more. He didn’t respond to her letter for a reason. Granted I wasn’t 100% happy with what went down there (felt a little too easy), but I didn’t completely roll my eyes or anything.

While Things We Know By Heart might have been a bit predictable, that’s one of the reasons why I picked it up. And I didn’t enjoy it any less for that. I actually really enjoyed this one. No actual tears fell, but I did get a bit choked up at one part. Also, let me say that I loved the quotes about the heart that began each chapter. I thought that was a nice added bonus to the book.

My favorite quote from Things We Know By Heart:

-Today feels different because yesterday was different.

Things We Know By Heart was a very enjoyable read for me. It had all the feels you hope for from a contemporary read. I’m giving this one 4 Stars. Have you read Things We Know By Heart? What did you think? Let me know!

Waiting on Six of Crows

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Six of Crows (The Dregs, # 1)

By: Leigh Bardugo

Expected Publication: September 29th 2015 by Henry Holt and Company

320 pages

Genre: Young Adult, 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--Game of Thrones meets Ocean's Eleven in this brand-book in the world of the Grisha by New York Times-bestselling author Leigh Bardugo.

Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price—and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can't pull it off alone...

A convict with a thirst for revenge.

A sharpshooter who can't walk away from a wager.

A runaway with a privileged past.

A spy known as the Wraith.

A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums.

A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes.

Six dangerous outcasts. One impossible heist. Kaz's crew is the only thing that might stand between the world and destruction—if they don't kill each other first.

I really enjoyed The Grisha series by Leigh Bardugo, and I love the description of Game of Thrones meets Ocean's Eleven. I just hope it lives up to it. What are you waiting on this week? Let me know!

Discussions Only We Know: Announcement

Discussions Only We Know

I'm Pregnant

After eighteen months of prayer and trying, Husband and I can finally announce that we are expecting an addition to our family in October 2015. We are beyond excited to start this new journey. Some people have no problems getting pregnant. But that's not the story for all. Having been on the side of trying month after month and seeing friends and family announcing their good news, I know that there is a good chance that someone may be reading this that is in the same place I've been. There are a lot of stars that have to align for this miracle to occur no matter how quick/easy or long/hard the process may seem. Don't give up hope. God is good, all the time--even when the answer is "no" or "not right now." We still have many weeks to go, but I am trying to be anxious for nothing, but take everything to God in prayer with thanksgiving so that His peace which passes all understanding will guard my heart and mind in Christ Jesus. I'm so thankful that God led Husband and I to each other because there's no one else I'd rather be going on this journey with.

That being said...will this affect my blog? Well...Initially I'd say "of course not!" But it's already started to affect me. For one, I've been SO TIRED! It has not been uncommon for me to sleep 11-13 hours at a time within the last twelve weeks. So that's not really conducive to reading. I'll pick up a book, and in minutes I'm passed out. Plus, I've mentioned the reading slump that I've been in over the last three months, and now maybe it'll make a little bit more sense why. I can't stay awake, and while I'm slightly more emotional, I think I'm more irritable than prone to tears. This leaks into my reading, too, making the little things become more annoying, bigger things.

Ideally, I'll get back on track. Now that I'm pretty much out of the first trimester, I hope to get some energy back soon. I don't foresee Somewhere Only We Know suffering too much. I might be more accepting of needing a break every now and then in the future, but I've been trying to pay attention to that in order to avoid burn out for a while now.

I know I posted this announcement in the form of a Discussion Only We Know post, but I don't guess there's much to discuss as I don't really have any questions for you guys. I'm just really excited to share this news with you all!

DNF Review - Vanishing Girls

Vanishing Girls

By: Lauren Oliver

Published: March 3rd 2015 by HarperCollins

358 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Mystery, Suspense

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--New York Times bestselling author Lauren Oliver delivers a gripping story about two sisters inexorably altered by a terrible accident.

Dara and Nick used to be inseparable, but that was before the accident that left Dara's beautiful face scarred and the two sisters totally estranged. When Dara vanishes on her birthday, Nick thinks Dara is just playing around. But another girl, nine-year-old Madeline Snow, has vanished, too, and Nick becomes increasingly convinced that the two disappearances are linked. Now Nick has to find her sister, before it's too late.

In this edgy and compelling novel, Lauren Oliver creates a world of intrigue, loss, and suspicion as two sisters search to find themselves, and each other.

DNF’d @ 25%

Let me start this DNF review by saying up front that I have been in a reading slump. February was a slow reading month for me, and March was too. So far, April has been better, but not off to the best start. I started reading Vanishing Girls in February. By February 9th I’d read roughly 12%. At this point, I just wasn’t “hooked” into the story so I put it aside for a while. I loved Delirium. I really enjoyed Before I Fall. But my other experiences with Lauren Oliver’s writing have all been mediocre. I wasn’t blown away with Pandemonium or Requiem, and my experience with Panic was that the idea for the story was better in theory than execution. So while I’ve really enjoyed some of Lauren Oliver’s past work, I’ve also had some experiences that were underwhelming as well. I wanted to like this book, and I don’t think my mood contributed too much to my initial impression of Vanishing Girls because I feel like this book is part of what started my reading slump rather than the slump really affecting my feelings toward the book.

I liked that the description of Vanishing Girls gave this book a more mysterious and suspenseful air than I normally read. And I really loved the letter from Lauren Oliver at the beginning of the copy I received discussing how this book was the first time she’d ever really explored the sibling dynamic. Having a sister myself I thought that this story might be one that I would be able to connect to easily.

That being said, April rolls around and I haven’t made much progress on Vanishing Girls, but I feel the pressure because it’s a review book and I'm already outside of 30 days of the publication date. I need to get this read and reviewed. So I decide to just try to force myself. I’ll do it 5 or 10% at a time if I have to. Read 5-10% in Vanishing Girls, if I’m still not feeling it then put it down and read something else. But the further I prodded along, the more frustrated I found myself.

Here are my issues. First of all, this story isn’t told chronologically. It’s flips to the past and back to the present and there are dates thrown in at chapter headings that I’m sure I was supposed to keep up with that were meaningful, but I couldn’t keep track. Though occasionally I’ll find a book that jumps around chronologically that I still enjoy, typically this is a source of frustration for me because I feel like I’m following one storyline only to get yanked from it and put into a different storyline.

Second, Vanishing Girls doesn’t only jump around chronologically, but it also swaps narrators. Normally multiple narrators aren’t an issue for me. I usually enjoy being able to get inside multiple heads and see the story from different angles (as long as there are too many narrators). But in this case it did. I didn’t enjoy Dara’s narrations which leads me into my next point.

Lauren Oliver said she delved deep into the sibling dynamic. Well that may be true, but so far all I saw was sibling rivalry (I’m sure this changes some as Nick seeks to find Dara, but I just couldn’t get there). Nick is what both sister would describe as being a good girl. She’s a rules follower. She worries about Dara because Dara’s well…not. And you can see that there’s some resentment on her side because Dara starts dating Nick’s best friend and various other issues. Dara is the wild sibling. She wears lots of makeup and skimpy clothes. She drinks. She swears. And she generally rebels when possible. Dara, of course, has resentment for Nick too because Nick is “the perfect” sister. I just didn’t enjoy this dynamic. While that’s authentic and real, it put me in a situation of really not liking Dara very much. Maybe because I relate more to Nick. But I just found myself resenting Dara as Nick does—especially since Nick had more narrations within the 25% that I read—which made reading Dara’s narrations even more painful/frustrating.

Also, the description mentions an accident that leaves Dara and Nick estranged. Apparently before the accident they did everything together—even though they are such different people and already had some resentment towards each other. So this accident is hinted at and mentioned, but even at 25% you don’t really have any information about what happened. I know that this was intended to build suspense and curiosity and get the reader interested and invested. But for me…it just didn’t. Because of the other frustrations I already mentioned, the things that were supposed to make me curious and want to dig deeper just ended up frustrating me and had me wanting to put this one down. Eventually, at 25% that’s what I decided to do.

So all in all, I feel like Vanishing Girls started my reading slump. I didn’t enjoy the jumps on chronology. Even though I typically like multiple narrations, I struggled with connecting to Dara’s character and therefore struggled through her narrations. And the events intended to create suspense only served to further my frustration. I truly hated to DNF this one because I’ve enjoyed Lauren Oliver’s writing in the past, but I can’t tell you the relief and the weight off my shoulders that I felt once I made the decision to do so. This just wasn't the book for me. Have you read Vanishing Girls? What did you think? Let me know!

Sunday Post - 144 & Stacking the Shelves - 102

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 week was really busy. I had an all day training event on Tuesday. Husband got hit with an extraordinarily painful toothache this week. It started bothering him Wednesday night. Thursday, he was in a good bit of pain, and by Friday he was vomiting. We got some antibiotics and pain medication from the dentist, but he's still been having a hard time. Friday night we celebrated my oldest nephew's 13th birthday! I can't believe all of my nephews and nieces are getting this old. And then Saturday, we spent celebrating my in-law's 50th Anniversary. It was an all around good week. Oh and Thursday I listened to an entire audiobook plus read 50% in a book later that night. I won't say I'm completely out of my reading slump, but it felt so good to get that much progress made in one day. Also, stay tuned for an announcement coming up this week.

THIS PAST WEEK:

Monday: Review of Wreck Me (Nova, # 4) by Jessica Sorensen (4 Stars)
Tuesday: Top Ten Characters I'd Like to Check In With
Wednesday: Waiting on Chasing River (Burying Water, # 3) by KA Tucker
Thursday: Review of Ruin Me (Nova, # 5) by Jessica Sorensen (3 Stars)
Friday: Discussions Only we Know: Audiobooks

UPCOMING THIS WEEK:

Monday: DNF Review of Vanishing Girls by Lauren Oliver
Tuesday: Top Ten Tuesday
Wednesday: Waiting on Wednesday
Thursday: Review of Things We Know By Heart by Jessi Kirby

Don’t forget to sign up for the 2015 Series Enders Reading Challenge! You have until December 15, 2015 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!

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews.

For the Love: Fighting for Grace in a World of Impossible Standards

By: Jen Hatmaker

Expected Publication: August 18, 2015 by Nelson Books

224 pages

Genre: Religious, Spiritual, Christian, Inspirational

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.

NetGalley description--The popular writer, blogger, and television personality reveals with humor and style how Jesus' extravagant grace is the key to dealing with life's biggest challenge: people.

The majority of our joys, struggles, thrills, and heartbreaks relate to people, beginning first with ourselves and then the people we came from, married, birthed, live by, live for, go to church with, don't like, don't understand, fear, struggle with, compare ourselves to, and judge. People are the best and worst thing about the human life.

Jen Hatmaker knows this all too well, and so she reveals how to practice kindness, grace, truthfulness, vision, and love to ourselves and those around us. By doing this, For the Love leads our generation to reimagine Jesus' grace as a way of life, and it does it in a funny yet profound manner that Christian readers will love. Along the way, Hatmaker shows readers how to reclaim their prophetic voices and become Good News again to a hurting, polarized world.

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!