Waiting on By Your Side

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

By Your Side

By: Kasie West

Expected Publication: February 14th 2017 by HarperTeen

352 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary

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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--In this irresistible story, Kasie West explores the timeless question of what to do when you fall for the person you least expect. Witty and romantic, this paperback original from a fan favorite is perfect for fans of Stephanie Perkins and Morgan Matson.

When Autumn Collins finds herself accidentally locked in the library for an entire weekend, she doesn’t think things could get any worse. But that’s before she realizes that Dax Miller is locked in with her. Autumn doesn’t know much about Dax except that he’s trouble. Between the rumors about the fight he was in (and that brief stint in juvie that followed it) and his reputation as a loner, he’s not exactly the ideal person to be stuck with. Still, she just keeps reminding herself that it is only a matter of time before Jeff, her almost-boyfriend, realizes he left her in the library and comes to rescue her.

Only he doesn’t come. No one does.

Instead it becomes clear that Autumn is going to have to spend the next couple of days living off vending-machine food and making conversation with a boy who clearly wants nothing to do with her. Except there is more to Dax than meets the eye. As he and Autumn first grudgingly, and then not so grudgingly, open up to each other, Autumn is struck by their surprising connection. But can their feelings for each other survive once the weekend is over and Autumn’s old life, and old love interest, threaten to pull her from Dax’s side?

I love Kasie West. Her books always hook me. And this one sounds right up my alley. What are you waiting on this week? Let me know!

Ten Books for Back to School

Top 10 Tuesday is a post hosted by The Broke and the Bookish and this week's topic is Top Ten Books for Back to School.

Ok so it's been twelve years since I graduated high school. (I know I'm totally giving away my age here.) I guess college can qualify here too, but that wasn't really my college experience as once I started I never stopped until I finished. And even then I graduated from college more than 5 years ago. Point being, it's been a while since I did the back to school thing. But I'm including my favorite books with high school and college settings here.

1. Perfect Chemistry (Perfect Chemistry, # 1) by Simone Elkeles (review coming soon)
2. Catching Jordan (Hundred Oaks, # 1) by Miranda Kenneally
3. Slammed (Slammed, # 1) by Colleen Hoover
4. Easy (Contours of the Heart, # 1) by Tammara Webber
5. All Lined Up (Rusk University, # 1) by Cora Carmack
6. Reason to Breathe (Breathing, # 1) by Rebecca Donovan
7. Pushing the Limits (Pushing the Limits, # 1) by Katie McGarry
8. To All the Boys I've Loved Before (To All the Boys I've Loved Before, # 1) by Jenny Han
9. Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
10. Vampire Academy (Vampire Academy, # 1) by Richelle Mead

What are your favorite back to school books? Let me know!

Under the Lights - Review

Under the Lights (The Field Party, # 2)

By: Abbi Glines

Published: August 23rd 2016 by Simon Pulse

320 pages

Genre: Young Adult, New Adult, Contemporary, Sports

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--In the follow-up to Abbi Glines’s #1 New York Times bestseller Until Friday Night—which bestselling author Kami Garcia called “tender, honest, and achingly real”—three teens from a small southern town are stuck in a dramatic love triangle.

Willa can’t erase the bad decisions of her past that led her down the path she’s on now. But she can fight for forgiveness from her family. And she can protect herself by refusing to let anyone else get close to her.

High school quarterback and town golden boy Brady used to be the best of friends with Willa—she even had a crush on him when they were kids. But that’s all changed now: her life choices have made her a different person from the girl he used to know.

Gunner used to be friends with Willa and Brady, too. He too is larger than life and a high school football star—not to mention that his family basically owns the town of Lawton. He loves his life, and doesn’t care about anyone except himself. But Willa is the exception—and he understands the girl she’s become in a way no one else can.

As secrets come to light and hearts are broken, these former childhood friends must face the truth about growing up and falling in love…even if it means losing each other forever.

I feel like that book description isn't really accurate. Here's what you need to know. Willa used to live with her grandmother until her mother decided to bring her into her finally stable family in Arkansas. But Willa made some bad decisions that ended with her mother kicking her back out so she's back to live with her grandmother again. She's permanently changed as a result of her decisions, and she carries a lot of pain, guilt, and grief around with her as a result. Brady, Gunner, and Willa were a best friend trio before Willa moved to Arkansas. Brady and Gunner as still friends but not as close as they once were. Both boys are interested in the grown up Willa, and she has to decide which one she wants.

Brady has gotten himself into a situation where the girl he's dating is altogether attached to him, but he's not feeling it. He's been with her because it was easier than not being with her. While Gunner has been the guy always looking for a sure thing that will be over before it's really begun. Brady is surrounded with a good and loving family. He's the star quarterback. He has it all. And to top it all off, he's a good guy. Except I personally find it completely annoying that he's only with Ivy because he "doesn't want to hurt her." Man up, grow a pair, and realize that you're not saving her any pain by remaining with her. Ugh. Pet peeve.

Gunner, like I said, has been the kind of guy who doesn't commit. He doesn't do relationships. Part of that is because his family life is so messed up. He's the younger son that doesn't feel wanted at all. And truth be told, he's not off base for thinking such things. His family life was even more messed up than I could have imagined and was just as bad as an episode of Days of Our Lives. Gunner's has precious few people in his life that have really cared for him and that's affected him deeply.

I thought Abbi Glines did a pretty good job keeping me guessing in the beginning over who Willa would choose. I thought she now had more in common with Gunner, but Brady was the one she was crushing on from childhood and those kinds of crushes can be hard to kill. I did predict who her choice was, and I was happy about that.

Abbi Glines has a few things that are pretty common in all of her books that tend to annoy me. While they all mostly seemed present in Under the Lights as well, I felt they were minimized in comparison to many of her other books. I really appreciated how tame this book was which is a completely opposite of almost every book by Abbi Glines that I've read since Breathe. Kudos man.

I do have a few small complaints. I felt like the last chapter--the "six years earlier" chapter--could have been completely left out. It felt a bit cheesy to me after everything that the characters had been through. And even though it never really came out and said "I've been in love with you all along" that was essentially the vibe that it gave off. Plus it really felt like the only reason that chapter was included was to make the title make sense. Oh and while I'm thinking about it...I've kind of felt like the whole football/sports theme has been promoted by the book covers much heavier than it is actually present within the books. While I don't want football to dominate the book, it feels like it's missing a bit considering how they're titled and covered. Also there was something that should have extremely bothered me based on my current life situation but the tears just didn't flow. It was sad, but I would have expected to be blubbering like a baby.

All things considered, Under the Lights gets 3.5 Stars from me. I appreciated the lack of physical scenes than Abbi Glines usually includes. The family dynamics were quite soap opera-ish. But I blew through this book and kept wanting to come by to it if I had to put it down for any reason. Have you read Under the Lights? What did you think? Let me know!

Sunday Post - 210 & Stacking the Shelves - 151

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. Baby Girl and I got out walking about three times this week. It wasn't scorching but it wasn't quite "nice" either. I'm so looking forward to fall. Baby Girl and I went to my old work for a baby shower for my sister. Since most of my family still works there plus all of the friends I had while I worked there, we had quite a lot of people to stop by and see. Saturday night we went out to eat to celebrate my sister's birthday. That's pretty much all that happened this week. The book that I received this week is a bit outside my normal, but something about it called to me.

THIS PAST WEEK:

Monday: Review of Racing Savannah (Hundred Oaks, # 4) by Miranda Kenneally (4 Stars)
Tuesday: Ten Books That Have Been on My TBR Since Before Blogging
Wednesday: Waiting on Replica by Lauren Oliver
Thursday: 2016 Series Enders Reading Challenge - August Wrap Up

UPCOMING THIS WEEK:

Monday: Review of Under the Lights (The Field Party, # 2) by Abbi Glines
Tuesday: Top Ten Tuesday
Wednesday: Waiting on Wednesday
Thursday: August EOM Wrap Up

Don’t forget to sign up for the 2016 Series Enders Reading Challenge! You have until December 15, 2016 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.

The Captive Heart

By: Michelle Griep

Expected Publication: October 1st 2016 by Shiloh Run Press

320 pages

Genre: Adult, Historical Fiction, Suspense

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--Proper English governess Eleanor Morgan flees to the colonies to escape the wrath of a an angry duke. When the Charles Town family she’s to work for never arrives to collect her from the dock, she is forced to settle for the only reputable choice remaining to her—marriage to a man she’s never met. Trapper and tracker Samuel Heath is a hardened survivor used to getting his own way by brain or by brawn, and he’s determined to find a mother for his young daughter. But finding a wife proves to be impossible. No upstanding woman wants to marry a murderer.

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!

2016 Series Enders Reading Challenge - August Wrap Up

Time for our eighth Monthly Wrap Up for the 2016 Series Enders Reading Challenge hosted by Sandy @ Somewhere Only We Know and Holly @ Words Fueled by Love!

Since the July Wrap Up, I have finished one series ender this month: Winter (Lunar Chronicles, # 4) by Marissa Meyer. 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 - August 25th. On September 25th we will use random.org and the linky entries to pull a winner.

Waiting on Replica

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

Replica (Replica, # 1)

By: Lauren Oliver

Expected Publication: October 4th 2016 by HarperCollins

544 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Science 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--Gemma has been in and out of hospitals since she was born. 'A sickly child', her lonely life to date has revolved around her home, school and one best friend, Alice. But when she discovers her father's connection to the top secret Haven research facility, currently hitting the headlines and under siege by religious fanatics, Gemma decides to leave the sanctuary she's always known to find the institute and determine what is going on there and why her father's name seems inextricably linked to it.

Amidst the frenzy outside the institute's walls, Lyra - or number 24 as she is known as at Haven - and a fellow experimental subject known only as 72, manage to escape. Encountering a world they never knew existed outside the walls of their secluded upbringing , they meet Gemma and, as they try to understand Haven's purpose together, they uncover some earth-shattering secrets that will change the lives of both girls forever...

Truth be told, I'm a little worried about this book. I loved Lauren Oliver's Delirium. And I really enjoyed the rest of the series plus Before I Fall, but Panic left me disappointed and Vanishing Girls ended up being a DNF for me. So that being said, I feel like this could go either way. I could love it or...well...not so much. What are you waiting on this week? Let me know!

Ten Books That Have Been on My TBR Since Before Blogging

Top 10 Tuesday is a post hosted by The Broke and the Bookish and this week's topic is Top Ten Books That Have Been on My TBR Since Before Blogging.

This is really hard for me to say for sure because I didn't really keep up with them before blogging, and I certainly had never heard of Goodreads either. So I'll just do the best that I can. Also, I'm avoiding the business books that I have on my TBR list from when I was in college. I still hope to read many of those but for the purpose of this post, I'll skip them.

1. A Voice in the Wind (Mark of the Lion, # 1) by Francine Rivers
2. Paranormalcy (Paranormalcy, # 1) by Kiersten White
3. Nightshade (Nightshade, # 1) by Andrea Cremer
4. A Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks
5. The Girl of Fire and Thorns (Fire and Thorns, # 1) by Rae Carson
6. My Soul to Take (Soul Screamers, # 1) Rachel Vincent
7. Born at Midnight (Shadow Falls, # 1) by CC Hunter
8. Rapture (Fallen, # 4) by Lauren Kate
9. Finale (Hush Hush, # 4) by Becca Fitzpatrick
10. Significance (Significance, # 1) by Shelly Crane

I know, I know! Some of these are so old. But I just can't seem to remove them from my TBR list. I actually have a couple of these in my possession. Which books have been on your TBR list the longest? Let me know!

Racing Savannah - Review

Racing Savannah (Hundred Oaks, # 4)

By: Miranda Kenneally

Published: December 3rd 2013 by Sourcebooks Fire

304 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Sports

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--They’re from two different worlds.

He lives in the estate house, and she spends most of her time in the stables helping her father train horses. In fact, Savannah has always been much more comfortable around horses than boys. Especially boys like Jack Goodwin—cocky, popular and completely out of her league. She knows the rules: no mixing between the staff and the Goodwin family. But Jack has no such boundaries.

With her dream of becoming a horse jockey, Savannah isn’t exactly one to follow the rules either. She’s not going to let someone tell her a girl isn’t tough enough to race. Sure, it’s dangerous. Then again, so is dating Jack…

I think you guys know by now that I've had a rocky relationship with Miranda Kenneally's books. But I'm not going to focus on that, I'm just going to focus on Racing Savannah.

Savannah's mother passed away a few years back and her medical bills have really been tough on Savannah's father. He has been struggling to make ends meet and on top of that, his newish girlfriend is pregnant. But things are looking up as he's gotten a job as the head groom on the Goodwin's farm. And Savannah knows that she needs to try to get a job there as well to help with the bills and for herself. Yet she's never thought much about the future or what she wants.

Jack is trying so hard to prove himself to his father. His father's given him the run of the farm for the year. All decisions are Jack's, but it's a great opportunity for his father to help mentor him. While there's a lot of pressure on Jack, he manages pretty well. And he's not quite what everyone seems to think he is.

So that's the surface level stuff. But here's where we go deeper. I really liked both Savannah and Jack. Like really liked them. Savannah takes on burdens and responsibilities that shouldn't be hers. Instead of whining and moping all of the time, she takes on a huge part of her families problems. I respect Savannah mostly because of the level of respect that she had for herself. When Jack wasn't ready to go public with their relationship, Savannah doesn't stand for it. She's not fine being stuffed into the closet physically or metaphorically. Jack literally runs his father's farm. He's making big time decisions. He's helping his mother with a cookbook. His sister seems to adore him. I was just mostly impressed all around with these two.

That's not to say that Savannah and Jack didn't have their issues. Jack is sometimes more interested in his father's approval and appearances. Whereas Savannah had some insta-crushing going on. I also think these two were hasty in the physical department, but I felt like that is fairly realistic for teens these days. I enjoyed the side characters, particularly Rory and Vanessa even though they moved even quicker than Savannah and Jack.

Racing Savannah is not perfect, but the characters were some of the more respectable ones in YA literature despite their quick physical progress. I enjoyed the cameos from prior series characters. And I liked the story. Racing Savannah gets 4 Stars. Have you read Racing Savannah? What did you think? Let me know!

Sunday Post - 209 & Stacking the Shelves - 150

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 has been fast and good. Tuesday, I ran to Hobby Lobby to spend a gift card that I'd gotten for my birthday (back in June). It's been really nice to get out more with Baby Girl. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday we got out for a walk. Monday it was nice and overcast and breezy, but Wednesday it was scorching. I'm definitely looking forward to cooler weather and fall. Saturday, Baby Girl, my brother, my niece, and I traveled south to Mobile to visit with my Nanny. That was a good trip. It was nice to see her and it was also good to spend some time with my brother and niece. Not to mention that Baby Girl turned 10 months old on Saturday too. I can't believe her birthday is creeping up on us so quickly. I culled through my TBR list on Goodreads Friday night to delete a bunch of books that I just truly think I'll never get around to. I didn't delete many, but I do this periodically to keep my shelf from reaching epic proportions. I know there's no way I'll ever read them all so doing this from time to time helps me breathe a little better.

THIS PAST WEEK:

Monday: Review of It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover (5 Stars)
Tuesday: Top Ten Books Set at the Beach
Wednesday: Waiting on Paris Lights (Heart of the City, # 1) by CJ Duggan

UPCOMING THIS WEEK:

Monday: Review of Racing Savannah (Hundred Oaks, # 4) by Miranda Kenneally
Tuesday: Top Ten Tuesday
Wednesday: Waiting on Wednesday

Don’t forget to sign up for the 2016 Series Enders Reading Challenge! You have until December 15, 2016 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.

Half Bad (Half Bad Trilogy, # 1)

By: Sally Green

Published: March 4th 2014 by Viking Books for Young Readers

384 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal, Witches

Source: Personal Kindle Library (on sale for $1.99)

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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--Wanted by no one.
Hunted by everyone.

Sixteen-year-old Nathan lives in a cage: beaten, shackled, trained to kill. In a modern-day England where two warring factions of witches live amongst humans, Nathan is an abomination, the illegitimate son of the world's most terrifying and violent witch, Marcus. Nathan's only hope for survival is to escape his captors, track down Marcus, and receive the three gifts that will bring him into his own magical powers—before it's too late. But how can Nathan find his father when there is no one safe to trust, not even family, not even the girl he loves?

Half Bad is an international sensation and the start of a brilliant trilogy: a gripping tale of alienation and the indomitable will to survive.

November Rain (Bad Bloods, # 1)

By: Shannon A Thompson

Published: July 18th 2016 by Clean Teen Publishing

230 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, SciFi, Dystopian

Source: Author for review (Thank you!!) (also a freebie 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--Seventeen-year-old Serena isn’t human. She is a bad blood, and in the city of Vendona, bad bloods are executed. In the last moments before she faces imminent death, a prison guard aids her escape and sparks a revolt. Back on the streets determined to destroy her kind, Serena is spared by a fellow bad blood named Daniel. His past tragedies are as equally mysterious as her connection to them.

Unbeknownst to the two, this connection is the key to winning the election for bad bloods’ rights to be seen as human again. But Serena is the only one who can secure Vendona’s vote. Now, Daniel must unite with her before all hope is lost and bad bloods are eradicated, even if it means exposing secrets worse than death itself. United or not, a city will fight, rain will fall, and all will be threatened by star-crossed love and political corruption.

November Snow (Bad Bloods, # 2)

By: Shannon A Thompson

Published: September 19th 2016 by Clean Teen Publishing

275 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, SciFi, Dystopian

Source: Author for review (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 Daniel and Serena unite, their accidental relationship becomes the catalyst for a twelve-year war to continue. Exposing the twisted past of a corrupt city, Daniel, Serena, and everyone they know will come together to fight. But Serena has another battle.

After a political rumor threatens their lives, Serena must leave her family and join the political front against her will. To survive apart, Daniel has to separate his love from his hatred and join forces with his worst memory to secure Vendona’s war. But very few of them will survive to see the last day. Bad blood or human, a city will burn, snow will fall, and all will be united by catastrophic secrets and irrevocable tragedy.

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!

Waiting on Paris Lights

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

Paris Lights (Heart of the City, # 1)

By: CJ Duggan

Expected Publication: December 1st 2016

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--'You're breaking up with me!' He was silent. 'In Paris.' Eyes dropping. 'Under the Eiffel-[...]-Tower!' I screamed.

Twenty-five-year-old Claire Shorten had looked forward to spending a romantic weekend in Paris for as long as she could remember, and now it was here - three blissful days of strolling through cobbled streets arm-in-arm with her beloved, eating copious amounts of baked goods and soaking up the culture through each and every pore of her body. Well, at least, that was how she'd pictured it . . .

Even after her boyfriend dumps her rather unceremoniously in the most romantic place on earth, Claire is determined not to give up on her dream altogether - with or without a boyfriend. She finds herself a job in the kitchen of a small hotel; Michelin-starred it most certainly is not, but somehow Claire makes a place for herself amidst the dirty dishes and the foreign misfits who run the place.

When the restaurant attracts the attention of the enigmatic - if not slightly terrifying - tycoon Louis Delarue, and Claire manages to survive his high-powered business luncheon from hell, she knows that she can survive anything, surely. But all bets are off when Louis makes a game-changing decision: he's coming back for a second course . . .

I've really enjoyed CJ Duggan's books in the past, so I'm looking forward to this new series. What are you waiting on this week? Let me know!

Top Ten Books Set At the Beach

Top 10 Tuesday is a post hosted by The Broke and the Bookish and this week's topic is Top Ten Books Set At the Beach.

I haven't gotten to visit the beach in the last two years so this is wishful thinking on my part. But I'll have to admit, this was challenging. Either I haven't read many books set at the beach or the beach was just a small part of the setting that I couldn't remember enough to be sure to list the book. But I did finally come up with ten. Here they are.

1. That One Summer (Summer, # 3) by CJ Duggan
2. The Lies About Truth by Courtney C Stevens
3. Breathe (Sea Breeze, # 1) by Abbi Glines
4. Things We Know By Heart by Jessi Kirby
5. Out of Breath (Breathing, # 3) by Rebecca Donovan
6. We Were Liars by E Lockhart
7. Breakable (Contours of the Heart, # 2) by Tammara Webber
8. Through the Ever Night (Under the Never Sky, # 2) by Veronica Rossi
9. The Dead-Tossed Waves (The Forest of Hands and Teeth, # 2) by Carrie Ryan
10. The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

So obviously I need some good beach setting recommendations guys! Hit me! What are you favorite books set at the beach? Let me know!