Monday, August 31, 2015

Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between - Review

Hello, Goodbye, & Everything in Between

By: Jennifer E Smith

Expected Publication: September 1st 2015 by Poppy

256 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Realistic Fiction

( 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--On the night before they leave for college, Clare and Aidan only have one thing left to do: figure out whether they should stay together or break up. Over the course of twelve hours, they'll retrace the steps of their relationship, trying to find something in their past that might help them decide what their future should be. The night will lead them to friends and family, familiar landmarks and unexpected places, hard truths and surprising revelations. But as the clock winds down and morning approaches, so does their inevitable goodbye. The question is, will it be goodbye for now or goodbye forever?

This new must-read novel from Jennifer E. Smith, author of The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight, explores the difficult choices that must be made when life and love lead in different directions.

I’ve had Jennifer E Smith on my TBR list for years. I’ve always intended to read something by her, but nothing has stumbled into my lap. Considering the hype around some of her other books, I was excited about the opportunity to read and review her newest release Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between. Yet I was a little concerned about this book based off the description alone. While I’m not one of those readers that only wants to read books with a happily ever after and I can deal with the death of a beloved character, I also like to make sure that I don’t read books that don’t have a point. And that was my fear of Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between. Would I be okay with following these two characters around for an entire night of them reliving their relationship only to see it end in “goodbye?”

Let’s face it…TV, books, and various other forms of media has really pushed following your own path regardless of the relationships in your lives. Granted, making life long decisions based off your high school sweetheart isn’t always a sound decision. But I don’t like the idea that just because you found the one your heart loves in high school means that the relationship is doomed to failure. Plus what’s the point of achieving major career goals or traveling on really cool adventures if you have no one to share it with? What’s the point of surface level relationships when you could have something deeper and more meaningful? I realize that every person isn’t looking for the same thing out of life as everyone else. But these are the questions that I struggled with and the way I thought. In my life, I wanted love and companionship more than I wanted to go to an Ivy league school or climb the corporate ladder. And the best part…personally I feel like I have it all. So…my point being, that I don’t always like to read books where the characters value college and career above relationships.

Personal baggage aside, I had a little trouble connecting to Clare. She’s the one trying to be “logical” about their relationship. They’re traveling to different colleges…she to Dartmouth on the east coast and Aidan to UCLA on the west coast. They chose their colleges based on following their own paths, but now they have to decide if they’re going to try to do a long distance relationship or just give up and call it quits now. Aidan, I connected to more. He is the more romantic of the two of them. And he wants to make things work. He wants to just see how things go. To try. It’s no joke that long distance relationships are extremely difficult. And all of the scenarios that Clare pictures are possible. Yet, I couldn’t help feeling like she was working herself up over something that hadn’t even happened yet. She was trying to prevent those things from happening, but who’s to say that any of those scenarios would have happened anyway? Nothing is set in stone. I could understand her, but I didn’t quite agree with her.

Clare and Aidan both had histories that were pretty well flushed out. Flashbacks in a myriad of settings made me feel like I’d been a part of their personal relationship history as well as their separate family histories as well. The side characters obviously didn’t have as much time, but it didn’t take long at all for me to feel connected and even invested in their own side pieces, especially Stella and Scotty.

I will say that I found the narrative a bit distracting at times. It had an "all knowing eye in the sky" type of feel…where the narrator knows what all the characters are thinking and feeling and any particular character’s thoughts or feelings might be thrown into the mix at any given time. This sometimes pulls me out of the story because I’m so used to (and prefer) reading books that follow one main character’s thoughts and feelings even if it is a third person past tense voice. Or if the book follows multiple characters then they’re usually split into chapters or sections that follow each character individually.

My final rating of Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between is 4 stars. I got misty eyed a few times. Even though I didn’t connect to Clare as much, I did connect to their dilemma and their relationship as a whole. The side characters and experiences of the night really did bring everything to life. Have you read Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between? What did you think? Let me know!

Sunday, August 30, 2015

Sunday Post - 163 & Stacking the Shelves - 117

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 has been a good week. Tuesday was our last birthing class. Wednesday, we had a breastfeeding class. And we're officially done with classes. There were a few other classes that we could take, but at some point I think nature takes control. Plus we have a great support system around us to help if we need it. Thursday, I got wrapped up in the HarperCollins ARCs available on Edelweiss. I just love the HarperCollins/Edelweiss combo because 1) the releases get put out there way in advance which gives me plenty of time to read and review them before release date and 2) they're usually "read nows" and you don't actually have to be approved for them. Win win if you ask me. There were several others that I debated on downloading, but decided to stick with these for now. Friday, I tried my hand at couponing for the first time. Also, my nephew spent the night with us Friday night and most of the day Saturday. Shout out to my sister today because it's her birthday!

THIS PAST WEEK:

Monday: Review of Unbreakable (Unbreakable, # 1) by Rebecca Shea (4 Stars)
Tuesday: 2015 Series Enders Reading Challenge - August Wrap Up
Thursday: Review of My Life Next Door (My Life Next Door, # 1) by Huntley Fitzpatrick (4 Stars)

UPCOMING THIS WEEK:

Monday: Review of Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between by Jennifer E Smith
Tuesday: Top Ten Characters I Just Didn't Click With & August EOM Wrap Up
Wednesday: Waiting on Wednesday
Thursday: Review of Truest by Jackie Lea Sommers

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.

Burning Glass (Burning Glass, # 1)

By: Kathryn Purdie

Expected Publication: March 1st 2016 by HarperCollins

512 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

Source: Publisher via Edelweiss (Thank you!!)

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository )

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

Goodreads description--Sonya was born with the rare gift to feel what those around her feel—both physically and emotionally—a gift she’s kept hidden from the empire for seventeen long years. After a reckless mistake wipes out all the other girls with similar abilities, Sonya is hauled off to the palace and forced to serve the emperor as his sovereign Auraseer.

Tasked with sensing the intentions of would-be assassins, Sonya is under constant pressure to protect the emperor. One mistake, one small failure, will cost her own life and the lives of the few people left in the world who still trust her.

But Sonya’s power is untamed and reckless, her feelings easily usurped, and she sometimes can’t decipher when other people’s impulses end and her own begin. In a palace full of warring emotions and looming darkness, Sonya fears that the biggest danger to the empire may be herself.

As she struggles to wrangle her abilities, Sonya seeks refuge in her tenuous alliances with the volatile Emperor Valko and his idealistic younger brother, Anton, the crown prince. But when threats of revolution pit the two brothers against each other, Sonya must choose which brother to trust—and which to betray.

BURNING GLASS is debut author Kathryn Purdie’s stunning tale of dangerous magic, heart-rending romance, and the hard-won courage it takes to let go.

Flamecaster (Shattered Realms, # 1)

By: Cinda Williams Chima

Expected Publication: April 19th 2016 by HarperCollins

544 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

Source: Publisher via Edelweiss (Thank you!!)

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository )

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

Goodreads description--The first in a thrilling new four-book fantasy series from New York Times bestselling author Cinda Williams Chima, set in the same world as her beloved Seven Realms series, a generation later

Adrian sul’Han, known as Ash, is a trained healer with a powerful gift of magic—and a thirst for revenge. Ash is forced into hiding after a series of murders throws the queendom into chaos. Now Ash is closer than he’s ever been to killing the man responsible, the cruel king of Arden. As a healer, can Ash use his powers not to save a life but to take it?

Abandoned at birth, Jenna Bandelow was told that the mysterious magemark on the back of her neck would make her a target. But when the King’s Guard launches a relentless search for a girl with a mark like hers, Jenna assumes that it has more to do with her role as a saboteur than any birth-based curse. Though Jenna doesn’t know why she’s being hunted, she knows that she can’t get caught.

Eventually, Ash’s and Jenna’s paths will collide in Arden. Thrown together by chance and joined by their hatred of the king, they will come to rescue each other in ways they cannot yet imagine.

Set in the world of the acclaimed Seven Realms series a generation later, this is a thrilling story of dark magic, chilling threats, and two unforgettable characters walking a knife-sharp line between life and death.

Dreamology

By: Lucy Keating

Expected Publication: April 12th 2016 by HarperTeen

336 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

Source: Publisher via Edelweiss (Thank you!!)

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository )

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

Goodreads description--For as long as Alice can remember, she has dreamed of Max. Together they have traveled the world and fallen deliriously, hopelessly in love. Max is the boy of her dreams—and only her dreams. Because he doesn’t exist.

But when Alice walks into class on her first day at a new school, there he is. It turns out, though, that Real Max is nothing like Dream Max, and getting to know each other in reality isn’t as perfect as Alice always hoped.

When their dreams start to bleed dangerously into their waking hours, the pair realize that they might have to put an end to a lifetime of dreaming about each other. But when you fall in love in your dreams, can reality ever be enough?

Whimsical, romantic and utterly original, Lucy Keating’s debut novel will win readers’ hearts.

Assassin's Heart

By: Sarah Ahiers

Expected Publication: February 2nd 2016 by HarperTeen

400 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

Source: Publisher via Edelweiss (Thank you!!)

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository )

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

Goodreads description--In the kingdom of Lovero, nine rival Families of assassins lawfully kill people for a price. As a highly skilled member of one of these powerful clans, seventeen-year-old Lea Saldana has always trusted in the strength of her Family. Until she awakens to find them murdered and her home in flames. The Da Vias, the Saldanas’ biggest enemy, must be responsible—and Lea should have seen it coming. But her secret relationship with the Da Vias’ son, Val, has clouded her otherwise killer instinct—and given the Da Vias more reason than ever to take her Family down.

Racked with guilt and shattered over Val’s probable betrayal, Lea sets out to even the score, with her heart set on retaliation and only one thought clear in her mind: make the Da Vias pay.

With shades of The Godfather and Romeo and Juliet, this richly imagined fantasy from debut author Sarah Ahiers is a story of love, lies, and the ultimate vengeance.

Sword and Verse

By: Kathy MacMillan

Expected Publication: January 19th 2016 by HarperTeen

400 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

Source: Publisher via Edelweiss (Thank you!!)

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository )

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

Goodreads description--Raisa was only a child when she was kidnapped and enslaved in Qilara. Forced to serve in the palace of the king, she’s endured hunger, abuse, and the harrowing fear of discovery: everyone knows she is Arnath, but not that Raisa is a Learned One, a part of an Arnath group educated in higher order symbols. In Qilara, this language is so fiercely protected that only the King, the Prince, and Tutors are allowed to know it. So when the current Tutor-in-training is executed for sharing the guarded language with slaves, and Raisa is chosen to replace her, Raisa knows that—although she may have a privileged position among slaves—any slip-up could mean death.

That would be challenging enough, but training alongside Prince Mati could be her real undoing. And when a romance blossoms between them, she’s suddenly filled with a dangerous hope for something she never before thought possible: more. Then she’s propositioned by the Resistance—an underground army of slaves—to help liberate the Arnath people. Joining the rebellion could mean freeing her people…but she’d also be aiding in the war against her beloved—an honorable man that she knows wants to help the slaves.

Working against the one she loves—and a palace full of deadly political renegades—has some heady consequences. As Raisa struggles with what’s right, she unwittingly uncovers a secret that the Qilarites have long since buried…one that, unlocked, could bring the current world order to its knees.

And Raisa is the one holding the key.

The Great Hunt

By: Wendy Higgins

Expected Publication: March 8th 2016 by HarperTeen

416 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Fairy Tale, Retellings

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--Kill the beast. Win the girl.

A strange beast stirs fear in the kingdom of Lochlanach, terrorizing towns with its brutality and hunger. In an act of desperation, a proclamation is sent to all of Eurona—kill the creature and win the ultimate prize: the daughter of King Lochson’s hand in marriage.

Princess Aerity understands her duty to the kingdom though it pains her to imagine marrying a stranger. It would be foolish to set her sights on any particular man in the great hunt, but when a brooding local hunter, Paxton Seabolt, catches her attention, there’s no denying the unspoken lure between them…or his mysterious resentment.

Paxton is not keen on marriage. Nor does he care much for spoiled royals and their arcane laws. He’s determined to keep his focus on the task at hand—ridding the kingdom of the beast and protecting his family—yet Princess Aerity continues to challenge his notions with her unpredictability and charm. But as past secrets collide with present desires, dire choices threaten everything Paxton holds dear.

Inspired by the Grimm Brothers’ tale, “The Singing Bone,” New York Times bestselling author Wendy Higgins delivers a dark fantasy filled with rugged hunters, romantic tension, outlawed magic, and a princess willing to risk all to save her people.

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!

Thursday, August 27, 2015

My Life Next Door - Review

My Life Next Door (My Life Next Door, # 1)

By: Huntley Fitzpatrick

Published: June 14th 2012 by Dial Books For Young Readers

394 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Realistic Fiction

Source: Borrowed from the library

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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--"One thing my mother never knew, and would disapprove of most of all, was that I watched the Garretts. All the time."

The Garretts are everything the Reeds are not. Loud, messy, affectionate. And every day from her rooftop perch, Samantha Reed wishes she was one of them . . . until one summer evening, Jase Garrett climbs up next to her and changes everything.

As the two fall fiercely for each other, stumbling through the awkwardness and awesomeness of first love, Jase's family embraces Samantha - even as she keeps him a secret from her own. Then something unthinkable happens, and the bottom drops out of Samantha's world. She's suddenly faced with an impossible decision. Which perfect family will save her? Or is it time she saved herself?

A transporting debut about family, friendship, first romance, and how to be true to one person you love without betraying another.

My Life Next Door wasn’t what I thought it would be. But that’s not a bad thing. Sam’s father left her mother when she was pregnant with Sam and Sam’s sister, Tracy, was 1 year old. Sam’s father came from a big family. When the Garretts move next door Sam’s mom, Grace, assumes the worst about them. They’ll be loud and messy. And she’s all about what she can control—neat and pristine and quiet. Grace was a pretty good mom for the most part, but she’s gotten distant lately due to running for political office. Grace has her shortcomings, that’s for sure. One of them is the prejudice she shows toward her next door neighbors. Because they don’t have the kind of life that she has (or wants) she looks down upon them.

But Sam is fascinated by the Garretts. Not only has her mom been distant but her older sister has as well. She’s either wrapped up in her boyfriend, off doing her own thing, or preparing for college. She’s basically just not there for Sam. Plus Grace has recently started dating a guy from her campaign. And this guy gives Sam the creeps in a way that she just can’t quite put her finger on. Regardless, the house that’s full of life has become an extreme fascination for Sam. Until one day, Jase Garrett climbs her trellis and opens her life to a whole new world—the world next door.

Jase is the third child out of eight. He loves his big family and resents those who remark on how bothersome a large family is. I loved the entire Garrett family. Joel, Duff and Harry we didn’t get as much from as Alice, Jase, Andy, George, and Patsy. But each and every one of the members has a great personality attributed to them. Alice is rough around the edges, but she has a soft spot deep down. She’s going to nursing school. Jase is great. He’s everything you hope for in a first love. He’s great at fixing things, and he dreams of going to college. It’s not so much that football is his dream as football is his means of getting a scholarship and thus going to college. Andy is fourteen and hitting her dramatic and boy crazy stage. George seems to be afraid of everything potentially harmful and boy does he have a vast knowledge of what all is harmful. But he’s still a very open kid. Just loveable. And poor Patsy just wants to be fed--breastfed.

A family of 10 has its financial burdens for sure. It doesn’t help that the hardware store Mr. Garrett owns isn’t doing so well either. Yet Sam has it made. Her mother’s family apparently had money and had a trust fund set up for her. Plus with her mother’s work in politics, Samantha has never really wanted for anything. But she doesn’t take that for granted either. Samantha works two jobs during the summer to make her own money and to stay busy.

The nature of the big conflict was not something I predicted in the least based off the description and the start of the book. Of course, some potential conflicts were obvious, but that big one kind of surprised me. How Samantha handled things right at the 80% mark was annoying to me as I felt like it was a bit of a cop out. But big things are at stake and real life would make the right thing to do very difficult. I loved how Jase responds when he learns the truth of what’s going on, and that almost redeems Sam’s stupidity.

Now that I’m typing my review for My Life Next Door I’m really seeing how many dynamics were going on with this book. Aside from the Garretts being great characters, Tim and Nan were great additions too. Nan truly annoyed the mess out of me. Utterly spoiled and self-centered. Tim, on the other hand, really worked hard to overcome who he used to be and change. It took him a while to get to that place though. Having just read My Life Next Door, I can’t say that I would be dying to read from Tim’s POV, but that’s what we’re getting with The Boy Most Likely To. And if that book is even remotely as layered as this one, I’m sure I’ll enjoy it. Tim, however, did contribute a large amount of f-bombs to My Life Next Door which I could have done without.

Favorite quotes:

-Our house contains all that’s high-end and high-tech and shiny clean. And three people who would rather be somewhere else.

-It’s so weird sitting there in the kitchen with this woman I’ve seen from a distance for ten years. Like finding yourself in an elevator with a celebrity. I repress the urge to say “I’m a huge fan.”

-“…This is not the time for your adolescent drama.” I cannot help but wonder if any parents ever actually schedule in adolescent drama on their day planners. Looks like a slow week, Sarah. I guess I can pencil in your eating disorder.

-“…, my Sam.”

I’d seen plenty of people say that they loved My Life Next Door, but it truly was better and deeper than I expected. The layers and the depth of each character was really well planned out and executed. And I truly can’t wait to read more from Huntley Fitzpatrick. My Life Next Door gets 4 Stars from me. Have you read My Life Next Door? What did you think? Let me know!

Tuesday, August 25, 2015

2015 Series Enders Reading Challenge - August Wrap Up

Time for our eighth 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 - July Wrap Up, I finished two series enders: Deliverance (Defiance, # 3) by CJ Redwine and Sweet (Contours of the Heart, # 3) by Tammara Webber. Holly didn't finish any series enders 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 August giveaway runs from August 25th - Septemer 25th. On September 25th we will use random.org and the linky entries to pull a winner.

Monday, August 24, 2015

Unbreakable - Review

Unbreakable (Unbreakable, # 1)

By: Rebecca Shea

Published: July 23rd 2013 by Rebecca Shea

343 pages

Genre: New Adult, Contemporary

Source: Personal Kindle Library (freebie)

( 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--Re-edited and updated as of September 7, 2013

USA Today Best Seller

*This book contains mature subject matter and is not intended for those under 17 years of age.*

Jessica Harper is the epitome of perfection. She's a good daughter, makes excellent grades, and always strays on the safe side of life. The last thing she thought would ever happen was falling in love with her best friend's brother. But sometimes fate just has a way of bringing two people together.

Wide receiver for the University of Arizona, Gabe Garcia, seems to have it all. When his feelings for Jessica come to surface, Gabe will give up everything to be with her.

But what happens when a tragedy abruptly changes the course of your life? For Jessica and Gabe, everything they thought they knew about each other will be questioned. Sometimes, there are scars in life that are cut too deep to completely heal.

Will their love prove to be unbreakable, or will it shatter and prove fate is just another lie?

I picked up Unbreakable because Colleen Hoover said she read it and really enjoyed it. Plus it was a freebie! Can’t pass that up, right? I’ve had Unbreakable in my possession for months and just haven’t gotten around to it. Well I’ve been trying to make my way through Deliverance (Deception, # 3) by CJ Redwine and while I’m enjoying it, the progress is just slow. I wanted something I could pick up, get hooked, and not put down until I finished. So I decided it was time to crack open Unbreakable (see what I did there?).

Jess has grown up being more a part of the Garcia family than she has her own. Her mother passed away when she was child and her father hasn’t gotten over it. As a means of coping, he’s thrown himself into his work as a firefighter, working his way up the ladder to Chief. Jess is so close to the Garcia’s that she actually calls them Mom and Dad. So when she starts developing feelings for Gabe it’s a little awkward. And she’s unsure if he could ever see her as anything more than his almost little sister. But Jess and Gabe have a moment and after that time looks are passed, touches here and there, and a few hinting comments have them moving forward in an inevitable direction.

Jess and Gabe were a great couple. The progress quickly into a physical relationship which draws them even closer together. Gabe is thinking in his head things that he’s never thought before—marriage, kids, a future. Everything seems like it’s going just swimmingly. Except that it wouldn’t be much of a book if that happily ever after takes place 45% in. I was loving their relationship and how committed they both were, but I just felt this growing pit in my stomach. Something bad is coming. It had to. And well…it did.

Trauma strikes and leaves both Jess and Gabe reeling. Yet the two react a bit differently. Jess needs space. She needs time to wrap her head around things and that means escaping. She takes an internship and moves across the country leaving a very devastated Gabe behind. Gabe is trying to be open to giving Jess whatever she needs. If that’s space then he’ll give her space. If it’s time then he’ll give her time. But it is killing him in the process.

Unbreakable is told from alternating perspectives. About 60% in a new narrator joins Jess and Gabe and that threw me for a loop. A third party means the happily ever after that I dreamed of for Jess and Gabe may or may not be possible. They may or may not be able to overcome. What if the “happily ever after” is meant to come about in a different way than I expected? NO!!!!

Favorite quotes:

-“Don’t go,” I whisper. “Love me enough to stay.”

-“Live so that you may live.”

I was 100% hooked, but I won’t say I was as emotionally affected as I could have been. Jess made some decisions that weren’t my favorite even when I could understand why she made the choices that she did. Gabe had my heart as he stood loyal to Jess even through their time apart. I won’t say how things ended, but I’m definitely interested in checking out the other books in the series (which I didn’t know was a series until I finished Unbreakable). I will also say that Rebecca Shea definitely seemed like she knew her characters even when what she knew about them might not be clear to the reader. I can respect that. Ultimately Unbreakable gets 4 Stars from me. Have you read Unbreakable? What did you think? Let me know!

Sunday, August 23, 2015

Sunday Post - 162

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 was a super busy week. Monday night we had an infant CPR and safety class. With us having a pool, I've wanted to take a class on infant and child CPR anyway. So now was the perfect time to tackle at least the infant portion of that. Tuesday night was our regular birthing class. Only one more of those to go. Thursday, Husband and my Dad picked up our new recliner which will be used as a rocking chair. I love it! Friday and Saturday morning I spent the majority of that time cleaning for one last pool party at the house before baby gets here. We celebrated my sister's birthday. I have a feeling we'll be getting an early fall here, which as a pregnant lady is FINE BY ME! No new books this week.

THIS PAST WEEK:

Monday: Review of For the Love: Fighting for Grace in a World of Impossible Standards by Jen Hatmaker (3.5 Stars)
Tuesday: Top Ten Auto-Buy Authors
Wednesday: Waiting on Built (Saints of Denver, # 1) by Jay Crownover
Thursday: Review of PS I Still Love You (To All the Boys I've Loved Before, # 2) by Jenny Han (4 Stars)

UPCOMING THIS WEEK:

Monday: Review of Unbreakable (Unbreakable, # 1) by Rebecca Shea
Tuesday: 2015 Series Enders Reading Challenge - August Wrap Up
Wednesday: Waiting on Wednesday
Thursday: Review of My Life Next Door (My Life Next Door, # 1) by Huntley Fitzpatrick

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!

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!

Thursday, August 20, 2015

PS I Still Love You - Review

P.S. I Still Love You (To All the Boys I've Loved Before, # 2)

By: Jenny Han

Published: April 21st 2015 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

288 pages

Genre: Young 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--Lara Jean didn’t expect to really fall for Peter.

She and Peter were just pretending. Except suddenly they weren’t. Now Lara Jean is more confused than ever.

When another boy from her past returns to her life, Lara Jean’s feelings for him return too. Can a girl be in love with two boys at once?

In this charming and heartfelt sequel to the New York Times bestseller To All the Boys I've Loved Before, we see first love through the eyes of the unforgettable Lara Jean. Love is never easy, but maybe that’s part of makes it so amazing.

I wasn’t expecting To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before to end in a cliffhanger or to have a sequel. I thought it would be a standalone book. So when I got to the end, I was desperate to know what happens next. And I’m so glad that PS I Still Love You was released for me to find out. I was really liking the Peter/Lara Jean dynamic of transferring from a pretend relationship into something real. And so that cliffhanger ending mixed with the description of PS I Still Love You, which indicates a love triangle, I was a little nervous about starting this book.

One thing is for sure, PS I Still Love You took me on a roller coaster with my emotions. I believe I went through every feeling possible in this book. Love, hate, fear, jealousy, insecurity, confidence, frustration, sympathy, betrayal, regret, heartbreak…I’m sure there’s more. Lara Jean is so real. She’s a young sixteen/seventeen year old. She’s very inexperienced with boys. While she’s had crushes, all of them until now have been unrequited. And Peter’s a lot more experienced than she is. This leaves her feeling insecure. Sometimes her immaturity (for lack of a better word) wasn’t always easy to read. Yet at other times, I completely, 100% remember feeling the exact same way that Lara Jean felt. I could bounce from being frustrated with her to completely supportive in very little time.

Lara Jean’s not just insecure about Peter’s experience, but she also has a really hard time getting over his past relationship with Genevieve. Granted, Genevieve makes this almost impossible for her. On the one hand, Genevieve is going through some family drama that she really does need a friend to help her through—she picks Peter as that friend. On the other hand, you can easily see that Genevieve is manipulative and downright mean to Lara Jean. This is compounded by the fact that Lara Jean and Genevieve used to be friends. But I’ve been in this situation before. I’ve dated the guy who can’t stop being friends with the manipulative ex-girlfriend. I’ve felt like her needs where more important than my own. I could totally relate to Lara Jean. While I didn’t find myself as angry with Peter as I might have 5 years or so ago, I still struggled with his decisions in this area.

Despite my frustrations with how Peter handled Genevieve, I was still rooting for Lara Jean to choose him. I wanted those two to work things out so bad. When John Ambrose McLaren shows back up on the scene and begins his pursuit of Lara Jean’s affections, I was not happy at all. I could just see this turning into one of those stories about the girl who falls in love but realizes that first loves usually don’t last and moves on to a second, more suitable love. While I usually am a fan of these stories, I just wasn’t rooting for that to be that case in this instance. John Ambrose was nice enough, and he probably would have been a decent boyfriend for Lara Jean, but my heart was still with Peter. I won’t tell you how this plays out. I will say that around the 70% mark I had no idea how this book could end in a way that I would be the least bit satisfied with, but by the time everything wrapped up I was satisfied.

One of my favorite aspects of To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before was the sister relationships that are explored. Lara Jean is the middle child so we see both an older sibling and younger sibling relationship. While the sister-love was present in PS I Still Love You, the dynamics weren’t as complex as Lara Jean is no longer in love with her older sister’s ex-boyfriend and Kitty is not acting out against Lara Jean. Things were much more simple for the trio. We don’t get to see Margot very much, but I think that’s essential for Lara Jean’s growth and progression. Kitty is just as adorable as before. She’s spunky. She loves her sister, but she is completely her own person. And I really enjoyed the two of them. While things might not have been as complex as the previous book, Kitty did complicate matters by being extremely close to Peter and thereby truly affected by the ups and downs of his and Lara Jean’s relationship. This reminded me of myself as well as I tended to get attached to my older sister’s boyfriends growing up as well.

Favorite quotes:

-What I really want to say is Peter will always pick Lara Jean over Genevieve.

-People say absence makes the heart grow fonder, but I think they’re wrong: Proximity makes the heart grow fonder.

-Is a boy’s ego really such a fragile, breakable thing? It must be so.

-He doesn’t get it. Girls understand each other in a way boys never will.

-“I deserve better than that, you know? I deserve…I deserve to be someone’s number one girl.”

-I know now that I don’t want to love or be loved in half measures. I want it all, and to have it all, you have to risk it all.

PS I Still Love You was a book that had me hooked. I wanted to know what was going to happen and how it was going to end. But boy did it send me on a roller coaster. I think I felt every emotion possible while reading this book. The entire gambit. In the end, I was happy with what happened, the lessons that needed to be learned, and the end result. Yet, I feel like PS I Still Love is a better book to reflect upon than it was to read. Does that even make sense? I definitely enjoyed it, but I didn’t enjoy it quite as much as To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before. PS I Still Love You gets 4 Stars from me. Have you read PS I Still Love You? What did you think? Let me know!

Wednesday, August 19, 2015

Waiting on Built

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

Built (Saints of Denver, # 1)

By: Jay Crownover

Expected Publication: January 5th 2016

400 pages

Genre: New Adult, Contemporary

( 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 the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Marked Men books comes an electrifying new spin-off series,Saints of Denver, featuring all the characters fans have been dying to read about.

Sayer Cole and Zeb Fuller couldn’t be more different. She’s country club and fine-dining, he’s cell-block and sawdust. Sayer spends her days in litigation, while Zeb spends his working with his hands. She’s French silk, he’s all denim and flannel.

Zeb’s wanted the stunning blonde since the moment he laid eyes on her. It doesn't matter how many smooth moves he makes, the reserved lawyer seems determinedly oblivious to his interest—either that or she doesn't return it. Sayer is certain the rough, hard, hot-as-hell Zeb could never want someone as closed off and restrained as she is, which is a shame because something tells her he might be the guy to finally melt her icy exterior.

But just as things start to heat up, Zeb is blindsided by a life altering moment from his past. He needs Sayer’s professional help to right a wrong and to save more than himself. He can’t risk what’s at stake just because his attraction to Sayer feels all consuming. But as these opposites dig in for the fight of their lives, battling together to save a family, the steam created when fire and ice collide can no longer be ignored.

I really enjoyed the Marked Men series. I can't wait to pick back up with some of the background characters that intrigued me. What are you waiting on this week? Let me know!

Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Top Ten Auto-Buy Authors

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

Ok so I don't COMPLETELY have auto buy authors where the description of the book doesn't matter. Even though there are authors that I've loved every single book I've read that they've written, I still know my reading preferences well enough to know that some subjects are just not enjoyable for me. And so barring any crazy jumps into these territories, here's a list of authors that come closest to being considered "auto-buy" authors for me.

  1. Colleen Hoover
  2. Richelle Mead
  3. Maggie Stiefvater
  4. Katie McGarry
  5. Jamie McGuire
  6. KA Tucker
  7. Francis Chan
  8. Stormie Omartian

There are a few other authors that I contemplated adding to the list, but I thought these were really the closest to a true auto-buy author list. What about you guys? Who are your auto-buy authors? Let me know!

Monday, August 17, 2015

For the Love - Review

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.

You guys, I’m not even sure what to say about For the Love. I read listened to 7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess several months ago and loved it. Everything from the message to the voice to the audio narrator was inviting. When I saw that Jen Hatmaker had a new book coming out, I jumped on it. I hesitate when requesting religious books for review because while I do read these type of books regularly, I don’t read them frequently enough or fast enough to really feel good about being able to review them by the release date. However, For the Love’s release date was so far in advance from when I requested it and the book so short (only right at 200 pages) that I thought I could make it work. Little did I know that I would read this one just as quickly as a fiction book. That just doesn’t happen to me very often. After reading several books recently that either felt irreverent as a whole or at least partially irreverent I felt like I needed a good dose of some reaffirming religious content. Jen Hatmaker seemed like a good bet.

The first twenty to thirty percent of For the Love had me highlighting large sections of text a time, emailing them to my friend Kay (the one who suggested I read 7 to begin with), and generally laughing out loud. This lady is hilarious. And on point. Only Jen Hatmaker could write an entire chapter dedicated to “Leggings are not pants” and “Tights are not leggings.” But there were serious subjects too, about the pressure we put on ourselves to be not a jack of all trades but a master of all trades—especially in the mom category. Even being an expected mother, I can totally see myself already placing these burdensome standards on myself that she discusses. Plus the first section of “thank you notes” in the style of Jimmy Fallon were also hilarious. I found myself nodding my head and “amening” throughout almost all of the first half of this book.

And then we get to the second half of the book. I won’t say the book took on a more serious tone as there were some rather serious topics discussed in the first half of the book, but I guess the humor was dialed back a notch with this second half. Perhaps that’s because this section was about how to deal with yourself. The remaining sections of the book were about dealing with people who live in your house, friends, neighbors, strangers, enemies, church, church people, not-church people, and God. It’s easy to laugh at ourselves I guess, but throw other people into the mix and waters can get muddy. For the Love still had plenty toward the second half of the book that had me nodding my head and amening. It gave me some good ideas on things I’d like to try when dealing with others and some things to think about. But I also found myself annoyed and confused about a few things.

There were a few references to the gay community which is a huge topic in our culture today, but mostly I came away from that subject unsure about Jen Hatmaker’s thoughts or convictions on the subject. I feel like she addressed this in the way that she did on purpose. It wasn’t the purpose of this book to discuss this subject in detail, but I wasn’t sure what the message was that she was trying to relay about this either. I was also unclear about her thoughts/definition of the church. This feels like semantics because there’s the biblical definition of the word “church”, what it means, and what all is entailed in it, and then there’s the 21st century American definition of the word. Why the difference matters isn’t always clear to everyone, but it does. And in the end, I wasn’t sure whether Jen Hatmaker was using the word in the biblical way or in the American 21st century way. Sometimes I felt one way and then others times I felt the opposite. One last complaint is that while it’s apparent that Jen Hatmaker is familiar with the Bible and what it says, For the Love was a little full of shoulds and shouldn’ts with very little actual Scripture used. Let me clarify, I don’t think this book was meant to be some big instructional manual (which I actually liked). It ended up feeling like a bunch of thoughts and realizations that Jen Hatmaker has had throughout her life. Conclusions that she’s come to. Etc.

At times, the overall message of For the Love felt like it was missing and some of the chapters felt disconnected. When I got finished I had to stop and really think back over the book to see if I could even recognize a common theme. It wasn’t really until I went back to the table of contents while writing this review that some of it made sense. I don’t know if that’s one of those “pregnancy brain” things that I’ve struggled with or if the lack of cohesion was an actual issue in execution.

Favorite quotes:

-Folks who thrive in God’s grace give grace easily, but the self-critical person becomes others-critical.

-We need to quit trying to be awesome and instead be wise.

-There’s a difference between humility and insecurity, and self-effacement does no one any favors.

-How many trot out that tired cliché—“I’m waiting for God to open a door”—and He’s all, “I love you, but get going, Pumpkin,” because usually chasing the dream in your heart looks surprisingly like work.

-A good parent prepares the child for the path, not the path for the child.

-I worry we consider “success” to be a product of the parent’s diligence more than the child’s.

-Lean honestly into every hard place, each tender spot, because truthfulness hurts for a minute, but silence is the kill shot.

-Married tongues should be shredded with the amount of ugly words bitten back.

-Loneliness can be a prison, but we have keys. You needn’t wait for someone to open the bars.

-You can’t pour antidote into poison forever and expect it to transform into something safe, something healthy.

In the end, For the Love is definitely a book that I enjoyed and got something out of. I enjoyed the first section the most. And while I find myself wanting to recommend this book to others, I also want to advise caution. I always direct readers to the Bible itself for any “how tos” or “should/shouldn’ts”. If there’s anything you read in For the Love that you just aren’t sure about, the best thing is to bounce what it says against what the Bible says. The Bible always win. The parts that had me laughing out loud made me want to give this book 4 Stars, but the parts that left me confused or concerned knocked that rating down to 3.5 Stars. Have you read For the Love? What did you think? Let me know!

Sunday, August 16, 2015

Sunday Post - 161 & Stacking the Shelves - 116

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. Not much happened outside of our normal routine. Tuesday we went to our second birthing class. Part of the class was being able to tour the labor and delivery area of the hospital that I'll be delivering at. That night I proceeded to have the most vivid dream about delivery and labor. My dream basically touched on everything we'd talked about in class. Friday I had another doctor's check up. Everything looks great. My weight wasn't as high as I feared. Baby's heartrate was great. I passed my glucose test ("with flying colors" my doctor's words) from my last appointment. And I go back again in 3 weeks. Saturday, we did end up having to call the AC people to come take a look.

THIS PAST WEEK:

Monday: Review of The Elite (The Selection, # 2) by Kiera Cass (3.5 Stars)
Tuesday: Top Ten Authors I've Read The Most
Wednesday: Waiting Until Friday Night (The Field Party, # 1) by Abbi Glines
Thursday: Review of All Played Out (Rusk University, # 3) by Cora Carmack (4 Stars)
Saturday: Discussions Only We Know: 14 Words/Phrases that Should be Banned

UPCOMING THIS WEEK:

Monday: Review of For the Love: Fighting for Grace in a World of Impossible Standards by Jen Hatmaker
Tuesday: Top Ten Auto Buy Authors
Wednesday: Waiting on Wednesday
Thursday: Review of P. S. I Still Love You (To All the Boys I've Loved Before, # 2) by Jenny Han

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.

Sweet (Contours of the Heart, # 3)

By: Tammara Webber

Published: April 27th 2015

340 pages

Genre: Young Adult, New Adult, Contemporary

Source: Personal Kindle Library

( Goodreads | Amazon )

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

Goodreads description--He’s the love of her life, but he doesn’t know it.
She’s his one moment of sacrifice in a lifetime of survival.

He was damaged and wild, but resilient.
She’s always been obedient. Now she’s restless.

Home for the summer between college and med school, Pearl Torres Frank knows two things: Boyce Wynn is the embodiment of everything she should run from, and everything she wants to run to. Rebellious and loud. Unconcerned with society’s opinion of him. Passionate. Strong. Dangerous.

And one more trait he hides from everyone but her:
Sweet.

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!

Saturday, August 15, 2015

Discussions Only We Know: 14 Words/Phrases that Should be Banned

Discussions Only We Know

14 Words/Phrases that Should be Banned

I was taught in English/Lit classes throughout school to avoid clichés. And I talk a lot about clichés here at Somewhere Only We Know. Most of the time what I’m complaining about revolves around repetitive plot lines, conflict devices, and characters. Today, what I really want to talk about is phrases and situations that seem really minor but are terribly overused…especially in modern YA literature (in my opinion). I’d be perfectly happy if these phrases were never used again. Ever.

Cliché

  • a phrase or opinion that is overused and betrays a lack of original thought.
  • Some of these are really just personal pet peeves. Most of them just sound super cheesy to me, which isn’t a real reason for other people not to use them. Yet I’ll always end up rolling my eyes when I come across them. Either way, I thought it might be fun/funny to list a bunch of them here and see if any of you guys are tired of these too? Here they are:

    1. Meet cute - Wikipedia defines meet cute as "a scene in film, television, etc. in which a future romantic couple meets for the first time in a way that is considered adorable, entertaining, or amusing. The term has existed since at least the early 1940s." And in my opinion…should never be used again.
    2. Romcom - A combination of the words “romantic” and “comedy”. CHEESY
    3. Trifecta - Google defines this as a bet in which the person betting forecasts the first three finishers in a race in the correct order, or a run of three wins or grand events. Today in YA literature, “trifecta” is often used to describe a character who has it all: looks, popularity, and the perfect boyfriend. Or some combination of three qualities to be envied. Anytime I see this word I cringe.
    4. Holding court - Holding court is what used to happen when subjects would come before the supreme authority (king/queen/etc) for an audience. The authority would hand down a directive and the subjects did their bidding, whatever that might be. Today this is often referring to the popular group of kids at school—specifically at lunch or break—where everyone who wants to be popular or is slightly popular will seek the approval of those who already are. It’s an overdone cliché, especially in this high school setting.
    5. Queen bee - Similar to “holding court”, Queen Bee is in reference to the queen of a bee hive. All of the other bees are subject to the queen and live and breathe and function to serve the queen. This is also usually only used in reference to a character that is also intolerable and mean. I realize that this cliché is as old as nature, but seriously, is there no other way to describe a character like this other than this phrase? I’m over it.
    6. Ice queen - Again, similar to “queen bee” this refers to a mean girl. Someone “as cold as ice.” Bleh.
    7. Cocking one eyebrow - How many times have you read a book and character A cocks one eyebrow and character B thinks “oh that’s so cool, I wish I could do that” Ten too many???? Yeah, me too. Cocking one eyebrow is fine. I don’t mind when a book references that in and of itself, but when the next character goes so far as to discuss how they wish they could do it too then I begin to roll my eyes.
    8. Sea of bodies - Used in describing a large crowd….especially when one tries to walk through the crowd and “parting the sea of bodies” can be used. Meh.
    9. Green eyed monster - Used in reference to jealousy. Corny. Enough said.
    10. Worship the ground he/she walks on - We get it. Some character is really fond of another character. If this one doesn’t betray a lack of original thought then I don’t know what does.
    11. Didn’t realize I was crying/let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding/heard an awful scream that I realized was coming from me - Seriously? I guess I’ve never truly been in shock to be so completely outside of myself that I don’t realize what my bodily functions are doing. I’ve never not realized I was crying. I’ve never not known it was me who was screaming. I HAVE held my breath and didn’t really realize it (stress can 100% cause this), but it’s used and used and over used. This isn’t a plot device. It moves the story along in no way. And it really doesn’t even serve to connect me to the characters emotions either. So…pointless.
    12. He looks like Adonis - My smirking, sarcastic face really comes out with this one. Is this the only description available for a really hot looking guy? NO!!!! Don’t use it. Ever again.
    13. Smile that makes a girl throw their panties - So this one is usually reserved for new adult….but really? No matter how hot a guy is, I’ve never had an inkling to throw my panties at him. Now, I know some girls actually do this as it happens at like music concerts…or so I’ve heard. BUT…surely there’s another way to describe a guy who has a really attractive smile?
    14. If he/she knew, XYZ about me they would run in the opposite direction. - How many books (especially new adult) have some character that has some history/baggage that causes them to think that they’re the worst person in the world and if anyone else knew their baggage then they would want nothing to do with them? All of them? Well maybe not but close. Too many. That’s for sure.

    So…are any of these words/phrases that you stumble upon and have you rolling your eyes? Do you ever think “do people really think this way?” or “do people really use these words?” Have you ever wanted to shout out loud “CHEESY!!!!” when you come across any of these? What do you think? Let me know!

    Thursday, August 13, 2015

    All Played Out - Review

    All Played Out (Rusk University, # 3)

    By: Cora Carmack

    Published: May 12th 2015 by William Morrow & Company

    320 pages

    Genre: New Adult, Contemporary, Sports

    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--First person in her family to go to college? CHECK.
    Straight A’s? CHECK.
    On track to graduate early? CHECK.
    Social life? …..yeah, about that….

    With just a few weeks until she graduates, Antonella DeLuca’s beginning to worry that maybe she hasn’t had the full college experience. (Okay... Scratch that. She knows she hasn't had the full college experience).

    So Nell does what a smart, dedicated girl like herself does best. She makes a "to do" list of normal college activities.

    Item #1? Hook up with a jock.

    Rusk University wide receiver Mateo Torres practically wrote the playbook for normal college living. When he’s not on the field, he excels at partying, girls, and more partying. As long as he keeps things light and easy, it's impossible to get hurt... again. But something about the quiet, shy, sexy-as-hell Nell gets under his skin, and when he learns about her list, he makes it his mission to help her complete it.

    Torres is the definition of confident (And sexy. And wild), and he opens up a side of Nell that she's never known. But as they begin to check off each crazy, exciting, normal item, Nell finds that her frivolous list leads to something more serious than she bargained for. And while Torres is used to taking risks on the field, he has to decide if he's willing to take the chance when it's more than just a game.

    Together they will have to decide if what they have is just part of the experiment or a chance at something real.

    I feel like the description gives a slightly wrong impression about All Played Out and Nell. First off, Nell is completely happy with her plans and her life. It isn’t until her roommate, Dylan from All Broke Down, points out that Nell hasn’t exactly approached college as she would any other science experiment that Nell starts to do some re-evaluation. Dylan tells Nell that Nell basically chose a course for herself and went down it headlong with no thought to exploring other options…choice of career or social life. Dylan herself recently re-evaluated what was important to her and so she can understand that Nell might be making the same mistake. Nell realizes she’s right. From a purely scientific approach she would never just pick an outcome and then put all of her efforts behind that outcome without first experimenting to see if other possible outcomes might fit as well or better. I hate to even use the word experiment because when I think of college and experimentation I usually think weird sexual experiences or drug use. That wasn’t really the case. But Nell does start a list of things that would be considered “normal” college experiences and we go from there.

    Not the first item on her list, but very close to top is “make new friends.” And this is what leads Nell to Mateo. Dylan brings Nell along to an Ultimate Frisbee game that her group of friends is having and things progress from there. Mateo is known by his friends as being shameless, a comedian, rarely taking anything too seriously. But that’s really just the face he puts on to help him deal with heartbreak from his past. It’s a distraction for him. He realizes almost immediately that if he were to pursue anything with Nell it wouldn’t (couldn’t) be a casual hookup like he’s used to doing. And surprisingly he seems okay with that from the beginning even if he’s not really seeking to form an established relationship with her either. But one thing is for certain, he wants to help Nell cross off all of the items on her list.

    I liked how Nell and Mateo’s relationship had a slower build than Dylan and Silas’s. They do have several physical encounters throughout the book and the language was there, but it wasn’t near as bad as the Stage Dive series that I finished up recently. I definitely appreciate not being bombarded with the f-bomb every other page. Yet I probably wouldn’t label Nell and Mateo in the epic romance column either. I did enjoy All Played Out more than book 2. And I will say that I actually enjoyed the conflict for All Played Out. It wasn’t exactly what I was expecting, and while it did serve as a hurtle that the couple had to overcome, I didn’t feel like it was completely blown out of proportion or over-exaggerated either.

    Favorite quotes:

    -I wanted a catalyst. He’s more like an atom bomb.

    -I need someone to believe with me. To believe for me when I can’t believe myself.

    All Played Out might not go down in my epic romance category, but I did enjoyed it and finished it in one day. The characters were likable and I enjoyed the buildup of their relationship from friends to more. And specifically, I enjoyed that the conflict didn’t feel like too much or overly dramatic as can be common with the new adult genre. All Played Out gets 4 Stars from me. Have you read All Played Out? What did you think? Let me know!

    Wednesday, August 12, 2015

    Waiting on Until Friday Night

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

    Until Friday Night (The Field Party, # 1)

    By: Abbi Glines

    Expected Publication: August 25th 2015 by Simon Pulse

    352 pages

    Genre: New Adult, Contemporary, Sports

    ( 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--To everyone who knows him, West Ashby has always been that guy: the cocky, popular, way-too-handsome-for-his-own-good football god who led Lawton High to the state championships. But while West may be Big Man on Campus on the outside, on the inside he’s battling the grief that comes with watching his father slowly die of cancer.

    Two years ago, Maggie Carleton’s life fell apart when her father murdered her mother. And after she told the police what happened, she stopped speaking and hasn’t spoken since. Even the move to Lawton, Alabama, couldn’t draw Maggie back out. So she stayed quiet, keeping her sorrow and her fractured heart hidden away.

    As West’s pain becomes too much to handle, he knows he needs to talk to someone about his father—so in the dark shadows of a post-game party, he opens up to the one girl who he knows won’t tell anyone else.

    West expected that talking about his dad would bring some relief, or at least a flood of emotions he couldn’t control. But he never expected the quiet new girl to reply, to reveal a pain even deeper than his own—or for them to form a connection so strong that he couldn’t ever let her go…

    Waiting are you waiting on this week? Let me know!

    Tuesday, August 11, 2015

    Top Ten Authors I've Read the Most

    Top 10 Tuesday is a post hosted by The Broke and the Bookish and this week's topic is Top Ten Authors I've Read the Most.

    I expected this ask to be rather daunting, but it really wasn’t. Figuring out which authors I’ve read the most was pretty easy. Here they are…

    1. Richelle Mead – (16) Vampire Academy, Frostbite, Shadow Kiss, Blood Promise, Spirit Bound, Last Sacrifice, Bloodlines, The Golden Lily, The Indigo Spell, The Fiery Heart, Silver Shadows, The Ruby Circle, Storm Born, Succubus Blues, Gameboard of the Gods, The Immortal Crown
    2. Jessica Sorensen – (16) The Coincidence of Callie and Kayden, The Redemption of Callie and Kayden, The Destiny of Violet & Luke, The Probability of Violet & Luke, The Secret of Ella and Micha, The Forever of Ella and Micha, The Temptation of Lila and Ethan, The Ever After of Ella and Micha, Lila & Ethan: Forever and Always, Breaking Nova, Saving Quinton, Nova & Quinton: No Regrets, Wreck Me, Ruin Me, Tristan: Finding Hope, Delilah: The Making of Red
    3. Abbi Glines – (16) Fallen Too Far, Never Too Far, Forever Too Far, Existence, The Vincent Boys, The Vincent Brothers, Twisted Perfection, Breathe, Because of Low, While It Lasts, Just For Now, Sometimes It Lasts, Misbehaving, Bad for You, Hold On Tight, Until the End
    4. Colleen Hoover – (12) Slammed, Point of Retreat, This Girl, Hopeless, Losing Hope, Finding Cinderella, Maybe Someday, Maybe Not, Ugly Love, Confess, Never Never, Never Never Pt 2
    5. Janet Evanovich – (10) One for the Money, Plum Lovin’, Finger Lickin’ Fifteen, Sizzling Sixteen, Smokin’ Seventeen, Explosive Eighteen, Notorious Nineteen, Takedown Twenty, Top Secret Twenty One
    6. Maggie Stiefvater – (10) Lament, Ballad, Shiver, Linger, Forever, Sinner, The Scorpio Races, The Raven Boys, The Dream Thieves, Blue Lily, Lily Blue
    7. Amanda Hocking – (9) Switched, Torn, Ascend, My Blood Approves, Fate, Flutter, Wisdom, Hollowland, Hollowmen
    8. Cassandra Clare – (9) City of Bones, City of Ashes, City of Glass, City of Fallen Angels, City of Lost Souls, City of Heavenly Fire, Clockwork Angel, Clockwork Prince, Clockwork Princess
    9. Katie McGarry – (9) Pushing the Limits, Crossing the Line, Dare You To, Crash Into You, Take Me On, Breaking the Rules, Chasing Impossible, Nowhere But Here, Red at Night
    10. KA Tucker – (8) Ten Tiny Breaths, One Tiny Lie, Four Seconds to Lose, Five Ways to Fall, In Her Wake, Burying Water, Becoming Rain, Chasing River

    I’m pretty sure Lois Duncan and Lurlene McDaniel have to fit into this category too, but as these are both authors I read in my early teens and I wasn’t keeping up with my books read on Goodreads way back when, I can’t really remember which books I’ve read by them and which I haven’t. I KNOW Lurlene McDaniel surpasses 10 books read though. The ones I can remember reading for sure by her are: Six Months to Live, I Want to Live, So Much to Live For, No Time to Cry, To Live Again, Angels Watching Over Me, Lifted Up by Angels, Until Angels Close My Eyes, Till Death Do Us Part, For Better, For Worse. I know I read a few of the One Last Wish series and a few others. I just can’t remember which.

    What about you guys? Which authors have you read the most? Let me know!