Saturday, September 30, 2017

September 2017 EOM Wrap Up

I have read 4 books this month (not including children's books). *These qualify for the 2017 Series Enders Reading Challenge.
Love, Life, and the List by Kasie West
The Lost Letter by Mimi Matthews
*An Inconvenient Beauty (Hawthorne House, # 4) by Kristi Ann Hunter
A Different Blue by Amy Harmon

I have reviewed 7 books this month. *These qualify for the 2017 Series Enders Reading Challenge.
Lettering With Purpose by Brittany Luiz
Anatomy of an Affair by Dave Carder
The Lost Letter by Mimi Matthews
*An Inconvenient Beauty (Hawthorne House, # 4) by Kristi Ann Hunter
One Dark Throne (Three Dark Crowns, # 2) by Kendare Blake
The Sound of Light by Claire Wallis (DNF @ 44%)
A Court of Thorns and Roses (A Court of Thorns and Roses, # 1) by Sarah J Maas

Other Posts:
Sunday Post & Stacking the Shelves - 9/3/17
Sunday Post & Stacking the Shelves - 9/10/17
Sunday Post - 9/17/17
Sunday Post - 9/24/17
Top Ten Books I Struggled to Get Into But Ended Up Loving
Top Ten Throwbacks
Top Ten Fall 2017 TBR List
Can't Wait for Starry Eyes by Jenn Bennett
Can't Wait for Stormcaster (Shattered Realms, # 3) by Cinda Williams Chima
Can't Wait for Iron Gold (Red Rising, # 4) by Pierce Brown
Can't Wait for Turtles All the Way Down by John Green
2017 Series Enders Reading Challenge - September Wrap Up

Goals:
I'm like 10 days behind on my Bible reading plan. - Still behind, but catching up.
I've read 56 out of 52 books.
I've read 8 out of 10-12 series enders.

Thursday, September 28, 2017

A Court of Thorns and Roses - Review

A Court of Thorns and Roses (A Court of Thorns and Roses, # 1)

By: Sarah J Maas

Published: May 5th 2015 by Bloomsbury USA Childrens

421 pages

Genre: New Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal, Fae, Faeries

Source: Borrowed from Holly

( 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--Feyre's survival rests upon her ability to hunt and kill – the forest where she lives is a cold, bleak place in the long winter months. So when she spots a deer in the forest being pursued by a wolf, she cannot resist fighting it for the flesh. But to do so, she must kill the predator and killing something so precious comes at a price ...

Dragged to a magical kingdom for the murder of a faerie, Feyre discovers that her captor, his face obscured by a jewelled mask, is hiding far more than his piercing green eyes would suggest. Feyre's presence at the court is closely guarded, and as she begins to learn why, her feelings for him turn from hostility to passion and the faerie lands become an even more dangerous place. Feyre must fight to break an ancient curse, or she will lose him forever.

After loving the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J Maas, I knew I'd want to check out this series as well. My friend Lacy read all three books really quickly, and with each passing book she kept telling me and Holly how good it was and that we needed to pick it up immediately. I had a few review books that I had to read first, but Holly and I both ended up reading A Court of Thorns and Roses at the same time. Overall, I'd say that my experience was similar to Throne of Glass in that I enjoyed the book, but I can't say that I loved it. However, I see potential for the plot and story to grow over the series. And if Sarah J Maas does this series with the same quality as she has Throne of Glass then the best is definitely yet to come.

Lacy warned me that the beginning of A Court of Thorns and Roses was slow for her and it wasn't until the later half of the book that she felt things begin to pick up. Knowing that, I was prepared for the pacing. Yet I didn't feel like things were too slow. Maybe the first 30% dragged a little, but after that I was hooked and didn't struggle with the speed of events. I did, however, struggle a little with Sarah J Maas's over-description at times. This was particularly so in the last 20% of the book when stakes were high. I wanted her to cut out telling me what things looked like and just get to the action already.

Even though both series are about faeries, I really felt like A Court of Thorns and Roses is more true to the faerie folklore that I'm familiar with (not that I have extensive knowledge)--not being able to tell a lie, tricksters who use specific wording to their advantage, dancing and drinking and spiked food and drink, etc.

Feyre (pronounced Fay-ruh) lives with her father and two sisters. Her mother charged Feyre on her deathbed to take care of her family and keep them together. And everything Feyre's done since has been to honor that vow. The biggest thing is that she's learned to hunt to provide food. But there are dangers in the woods--wolves, High Fae, and worse. Feyre kills a wolf not knowing whether he is a normal wolf or whether he might be a faerie in wolves' clothing. And it turns out that he was more than a normal wolf and the price for killing him is that she's taken captive to live out the rest of her life with Tamlin--the High Lord of the Spring Court.

Feyre endures a slow transition from being angry at her new life to feeling more at home in Prythian than she did with her family. She slowly learns to trust that Tamlin has her safety as a top priority, and things begin to build from there. I really, really, really cannot express the love that I have for slow building romances. And Tamlin and Feyre have a truly slow building relationship that is built on substance above the physical. Relationships of substance are also my favorite.

Yet one of my pet peeves is when everyone else knows the critical information but won't share it with her the main character. This was explained in a way that I couldn't hold it against them, but going through it without knowing the reason isn't always fun.

I can't say that I was entirely surprised with the twists or major plot points. And I do have some predictions for the future of the series that may or may not be right. Lacy and Holly know one of those predictions so we'll see if I'm reading too much into things or if they play out. Yet Sarah J Maas has blown me away with twists that I wasn't expecting in Throne of Glass so I have faith that she can do the same here as well.

I feel like I have much more to say about A Court of Thorn and Roses, but I think I've probably said enough. I loved the slow building relationship between Tamlin and Feyre. And the secondary characters, though I haven't discussed them at all here, were complex and layered. I'm looking forward to more to come with the series. (Although where the book ends, Feyre isn't in the best mental space, and I can't say that I'm looking forward to trudging through what she must go through in the next book even though it will be necessary.) A Court of Thorns and Roses gets 4 Stars from me. Have you read A Court of Thorns and Roses? What did you think? Let me know!

Wednesday, September 27, 2017

Can't Wait for Turtles All the Way Down

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

Turtles All the Way Down

By: John Green

Expected Publication: October 10th 2017 by Dutton Books for Young Readers

304 pages

Genre: Young 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--Sixteen-year-old Aza never intended to pursue the mystery of fugitive billionaire Russell Pickett, but there’s a hundred-thousand-dollar reward at stake and her Best and Most Fearless Friend, Daisy, is eager to investigate. So together, they navigate the short distance and broad divides that separate them from Russell Pickett’s son, Davis.

Aza is trying. She is trying to be a good daughter, a good friend, a good student, and maybe even a good detective, while also living within the ever-tightening spiral of her own thoughts.

In his long-awaited return, John Green, the acclaimed, award-winning author of Looking for Alaska and The Fault in Our Stars, shares Aza’s story with shattering, unflinching clarity in this brilliant novel of love, resilience, and the power of lifelong friendship.

While I absolutely adored The Fault in Our Stars, I didn't love Paper Towns. So I'm not ready to say that John Green is an auto-buy author for me, but I definitely want to check this one out. What are you guys waiting on this week? Let me know!

Monday, September 25, 2017

2017 Series Enders Reading Challenge - September Wrap Up

Time for our ninth Monthly Wrap Up for the 2017 Series Enders Reading Challenge hosted by Sandy @ Somewhere Only We Know and Holly @ Words Fueled by Love!

Since the August Wrap Up, Holly hasn't finished any series enders this month. Sandy finished An Inconvenient Beauty (Hawthorne House, # 4) by Kristi Ann Hunter.

Announcements/Reminders:

  1. Please make sure we have a valid email address or other means of contacting you if you choose to participate. Linking up to Goodreads is perfectly fine, but we have found that Goodreads is not a reliable source for contacting someone should you be selected as one of the monthly giveaway winners. This could be due to your Goodreads notification settings or Goodreads themselves could be at fault. We're not sure which. And since we want to make sure that everyone who is eligible for one of the giveaways will receive their prize should they win one month or the grand prize at the end of the year, it is up to you to ensure that we can contact you and that you respond within a reasonable amount of time (usually stated in the email notifying you of your winning).
  2. While the challenge and giveaways are open internationally, please make sure that you can receive e-gift cards via Amazon.com or BarnesandNoble.com. Again, we want to make sure everyone has an equal opportunity to participate and to receive the prizes. Please remember that Holly and I are funding the giveaways out of our own pockets as something that we want to do, and we would like to continue to do so.

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 September giveaway runs from September 25th - October 25th. On October 25th we will use random.org and the linky entries to pull a winner.

Sunday, September 24, 2017

Sunday Post - 266

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

Monday Husband was off work again to get his DL renewed since he wasn't able to do that last week. I was in super organizing mode since we had the baby shower for Baby Boy last Sunday. I'm dying to get his room finished. I can't believe I'm only 5 weeks away from his due date and I'm not finished with it yet. Soon I hope. Little Girl only had one potty accident. I had been hoping we'd make two perfect days in a row. Tuesday we had two accidents, but one she was trying to get to the potty and just didn't quite make it in time. I also listed some more books on ebay. You guys should check them out if you're interested. Here's the link to what I have for sale. Wednesday we had a doctor's appointment for Baby Boy. Little Girl went with me and used the big potty at the doctor's office twice while we were there. It was another potty perfect day. I couldn't have been more proud of her. We also scheduled a date for my c-section for Little Boy. We hung out at my mom's house for the rest of the day. Thursday and Friday, we didn't have much going on besides me working on Baby Boy's room some more, organizing, and cleaning. Saturday, Little Girl, my mom, and I went to Mobile to visit my Nanny. I'm being extremely selective on books that I acquire the closer we get to delivery date as I know my reading time is going to drop dramatically and I only want to be reading books that I'm pretty certain I'm going to enjoy.

THIS PAST WEEK:

Monday: Review of One Dark Throne (Three Dark Crowns, # 2) by Kendare Blake (3 Stars)
Tuesday: Top Ten Fall 2017 TBR List
Wednesday: Can't Wait for Iron Gold (Red Rising, # 4) by Pierce Brown
Thursday: DNF Review of The Sound of Light by Claire Wallis

UPCOMING THIS WEEK:

Monday: 2017 Series Enders Reading Challenge - September Wrap Up
Tuesday: Top Ten Tuesday
Wednesday: Can't Wait for Wednesday
Thursday: Review of A Court of Thorns and Roses (A Court of Thorns and Roses, # 1) by Sarah J Maas

Don’t forget to sign up for the 2017 Series Enders Reading Challenge! You have until December 15, 2017 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, September 21, 2017

The Sound of Light - DNF Review

The Sound of Light

By: Claire Wallis

Published: July 17, 2017 by Claire Wallis

320 pages

Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Suspense

( Goodreads | Amazon | Kobo )

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

Goodreads description--My littlest girl has always been a bit peculiar. It was nothing I could ever put a finger on, but I always knew there was something inside her that made her a different kind of special. A deeper kind.

K'acy's got a light around her, one that'll just about knock you over, especially if you don't see her coming. She's got music in her soul, too. Deep, resonating music that echoes and hums, just like the notes that come from the bass guitar she's had attached to her hip since the day she turned thirteen years old.

She's got a hell of a secret, yes, but she does what she's got to do to make it one worth having. She takes care of people. She changes their stories. I spent my life telling both of my girls that you always gotta do what's right, even when it hurts, and it makes me proud to know she was listening.

I saw the way she looked at that boy on the day they met, and I knew right then that things were going to change. Two different people from two different worlds is nothing but a recipe for heartbreak, and when the lies pile higher and higher, it can change a person into something they're not.

It took me dying all those years ago to finally figure out just exactly how special my K'acy really is, and even though I'm not with her anymore, I don't want that boy and his family to change her. I want her to keep doing what's right, even when it hurts.

Because that's who she is inside. That's her deeper kind of special.

**This stand-alone novel from Claire Wallis is intended for readers age 17 and up.**

DNF @ 44% - Warning...I might get a little "preachy" on this one.

I really loved Claire Wallis's PUSH series. And so when she contacted me about reading and reviewing The Sound of Light I jumped at the chance even though the description was a bit vague for my normal tastes. Well Holly got a chance to pick it up and start reading The Sound of Light before I did so I asked her how she was enjoying it and her response was that it was a little slow and she wasn't hooked into it yet. And then a week or so passed and I noticed that she'd not marked it as finished on Goodreads yet so I asked her again about it and she said she was still struggling to connect to the romance and some other issues. So I was a bit discouraged and put off picking up The Sound of Light for even longer than I intended. The main reason is that I just don't have the time to read that I would like and so when I hear the word "slow" associated with a book I really have to evaluate whether it is worth me looking into or not. I finally picked it up. And yeah I found myself struggling as well.

The very first issue I had (which Holly had also warned me about) was the swapping narrators. This isn't always an issue for me. Typically if there are only two narrators who follow the same story in the same chronology then I'm fine. But that's not the case here. K'acy is the main narrator, but occasionally there are chapters from her dad's POV as well as chapters written from the POV of different deceased characters who used to live at the nursing home where K'acy works. I really find that books that jump around chronologically aren't my favorite so this was the first thing that bothered me about The Sound of Light.

Also, I found myself battling my feelings for K'acy in general as character. She plays bass guitar--which I don't care much for except for how it fits within the whole of a great band--for a funk band--which I don't have any connection to as I don't listen to this type of music. I could appreciate the uniqueness that these two facts bring to her character, but it made no connection with me on a personal level. K'acy also comes from a split family. Her mother left when she was young for a "preacher" of what sounds very much like a cult. Because K'acy's mother was religious, K'acy seems to have taken a negative view toward God. Her attitude was much like "how could God allow His children to suffer and die." Or something to that extent. So I couldn't connect to her in this way either considering my Christian background. I'll discuss this more in detail later. K'acy also subscribes to the philosophy that all people "deserve the best life." Despite their actions and how they've lived their lives apparently. And this is yet another philosophy that I personally can't agree with. Again...I'll discuss this in more detail in a bit. And then there's one final kicker that's a huge spoiler that I'll discuss in a hidden paragraph that K'acy also believes in that I couldn't support.

K'acy's struggle with God is not a unique one. Many people wonder how God could allow His creation to suffer. Yet what people don't understand is that this world wasn't created as it is. This world was perfect. God gave us free choice because of His love for us. But that free choice allows us to choose against Him. And that's how and where sin entered into the picture. Because God allows us to choose what isn't good for us bad things happen. And we chose and continue to choose against Him time and time again. And yet we want to shake our fists and blame Him for dealing with the consequences of our own choices. Sure there are things that happen in life that we didn't necessarily choose--like a loved one getting cancer or a car accident--but ultimately all the bad boils down to is our path away from God. God even loved us to the point of sending His own Son to die for us so that He could redeem us back to Himself. So He could buy us back from our sin. But we still reject Him. We still blame Him. We still want to accuse Him of being unloving. So I really struggled with K'acy's attitude toward God. Especially because when it boils down to it, God didn't make K'acy's mom leave her family. He didn't "tell" her to do it. Yet that's really what she's mad at Him about.

In a similar vein, K'acy keeps talking about how her dad taught her that everyone "deserves the best life." And I'm sorry but that's bull. There's nothing I've done in my life that could possibly earn me a free pass from all the bad things. There's nothing that I've done that could earn me a pass from death or suffering. I sure haven't been so good that I earned it. I've messed up. I've lied. I've cheated. I've stolen. I've not been what I should be. I don't deserve any good thing. What is good that I have is a blessing and a gift from God because of His great love for me and because of His grace and mercy. One of the deceased patients that narrates basically explains how he raped his secretary to show her that he was dominant over her--that women were less than. And yet he discusses how K'acy was there for him in the end and how she treated him like she cared. And who knows...maybe K'acy's "gift" doesn't allow her to see a person's past or what that person truly is deep inside, but I found myself completely annoyed that K'acy could offer him grace, compassion, and forgiveness that she can't extend to God--despite God not really needing those things from her. God hasn't wronged any of us. Yet this man was a rapist. And she can find it in herself to give him what she cannot give God? I don't buy it. And at the very least, her thought process is flawed.

SPOILER (highlight to view): The deal breaker for me was that I was starting to piece together some clues about K'acy and what exactly she was using her "gift" for. And so I texted Holly and asked if K'acy was killing the people she sees are going to die. Normally I don't ask questions like this. And normally Holly wouldn't answer so she asked "are you sure you want to know?" And I was like "yes, I really want to know." And she replied that yes essentially K'acy is killing the patients that ask her for help. And I'm sorry, but I can't agree with assisted suicide. I just can't. And so I asked myself if I wanted to continue to read a book where the character obviously fully believed in her philosophy, and the answer was a resounding NO. I don't care to read a character continue to try to justify this. I realize that this might not be such a black and white topic for some, but I have a firm stance on this subject. End spoiler.

All of these factors but especially the one in the spoiler left me with the undeniable decision to put down The Sound of Light. The narration and chronology jumps. The bass guitar for a funk band. The contempt toward God yet utter blind forgiveness for flawed man. The spoiler I can't support. It just told me that this isn't the book for me. And IF I had continued reading and not much changed, I'd be looking at a 1 or 2 Star rating at best. I truly hate that I felt this way because I've enjoyed Claire Wallis's writing in the past, and even the writing itself was at times beautiful in The Sound of Light, but I just don't have the time or the inclination to continue to read something that I'm not enjoying anymore. Have you read The Sound of Light? What did you think? Let me know!

Wednesday, September 20, 2017

Can't Wait for Iron Gold

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

Iron Gold (Red Rising, # 4)

By: Pierce Brown

Expected Publication: January 16th 2018 by Del Rey Books

480 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction, Fantasy

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository )

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

Goodreads description--Honor and betrayal fuel a caste-shattering revolution in the action-packed new novel from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Red Rising Trilogy. Ten years after the events of Morning Star, Darrow and the Rising are battling the remaining Gold loyalist forces and are closer than ever to abolishing the color-coded caste system of Society for good. But new foes will emerge from the shadows to threaten the imperfect victory Darrow and his friends have earned. Pierce Brown expands the size and scope of his impressive Red Rising universe with new characters, enemies, and conflicts among the stars.

Red Rising has been one of my all-time favorite series that I've read to date. I can't wait to see more from Pierce Brown...especially because we're not branching from the world he created that I fell in love with. What are you guys waiting on this week? Let me know!

Tuesday, September 19, 2017

Top Ten Fall 2017 TBR List

Top 10 Tuesday is a post hosted by The Broke and the Bookish and this week's topic is Top Ten Fall 2017 TBR List.

  1. The Sound of Light by Claire Wallis
  2. Nyxia (The Nyxia Triad, # 1) by Scott Reintgen
  3. Before She Ignites (Fallen Isles Trilogy, # 1) by Jodi Meadows
  4. Tower of Dawn (Throne of Glass, # 6) by Sarah J Maas
  5. Cage of Darkness (Reign of Secrets, # 2) by Jennifer Anne Davis
  6. Into the Bright Unknown (The Gold Seer Trilogy, # 3) by Rae Carson
  7. The Beauty of Darkness (The Remnant Chronicles, # 3) by Mary E Pearson
  8. The Last Star (The 5th Wave, # 3) by Rick Yancey
  9. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (Harry Potter, # 8) by JK Rowling, Jack Thorne, and John Tiffany
  10. Everything Everything by Nicole Yoon

Some of these are review books that I'm behind on. Some of these I've had and just haven't picked up yet. And at least one is an upcoming release. Which books are on your fall TBR list? Let me know!

Monday, September 18, 2017

One Dark Throne - Review

One Dark Throne (Three Dark Crowns, # 2)

By: Kendare Blake

Expected Publication: September 19th 2017 by Harper Teen

448 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 battle for the Crown has begun, but which of the three sisters will prevail?

With the unforgettable events of the Quickening behind them and the Ascension Year underway, all bets are off. Katharine, once the weak and feeble sister, is stronger than ever before. Arsinoe, after discovering the truth about her powers, must figure out how to make her secret talent work in her favor without anyone finding out. And Mirabella, once thought to be the strongest sister of all and the certain Queen Crowned, faces attacks like never before—ones that put those around her in danger she can’t seem to prevent.

In this enthralling sequel to Kendare Blake’s New York Times bestselling Three Dark Crowns, Fennbirn’s deadliest queens must face the one thing standing in their way of the crown: each other.

Three Dark Crowns was a slow read for me, yet it ended in a bit of a cliffhanger where we find out that Arsinoe is actually a poisoner and not a naturalist at all. I actually guessed this in some ways. What I predicted was that Arsinoe was actually the poisoner and Katharine was the naturalist. Katharine still hasn't been confirmed as a naturalist, but there was specific mention of these two being "switched" and "sabotaged." Even still Katharine was never specifically named as a naturalist, and other than her original snake, Sweetheart, from Three Dark Crowns she's never shown a particular ability with animals either. The real cliffhanger of Three Dark Crowns is that Katharine survived being thrown into the Breccia Domain. But she's returned...different.

All throughout reading One Dark Throne I kept thinking that based off the events of the story this would be the conclusion of the series. But apparently that's not the case. And I have to say that I was a bit disappointed that there will be more. I think that's in large part due to the pacing of the books. Both books were extremely slow reads for me. As a matter of fact, together they took up the majority of my reading time for the entire month of May. Plus even though there are pieces of the story that could definitely be explored further, I had enough closure with how things ended for One Dark Throne.

This might seem contradictory to the paragraph above, but I suppose I do have some conflicting thoughts about this book/series. The description pulled me in with the unique concept of three sisters with different abilities fighting to the death to see which one survives to be awarded the crown. Totally unique, right? And my first thought was that I don't want this to be one of those books where the author cops out and somehow all three sisters find a way to survive as well as potentially find their happily ever afters. Yet, that leaves me rooting for someone to be killed right? It isn't so much that I want anyone to die as much as I want this genre to step up. Not everything has a pretty ending where everyone survives. Especially when you sell a concept like three sisters fighting to the death over a crown.

Another thing I struggled with conflicting emotions over were the romances. Pietyr threw Katharine into the Breccia Domain at the end of Three Dark Crowns so I found it hard to root for him. Nicolas was pretty much a sociopath so there's no backing him. Joseph cheated on Jules with Mirabella. One thing I don't abide is a cheater. While I can respect Jules's ability and willingness to forgive Joseph, I was left with a bad taste in my mouth over the couple. I almost wanted to root for him and Mirabella despite the cheating because there seemed to be some sort of supernatural force between the two, but that petered out. Billy and Arsinoe were the closest to being able to cheer for a happy ending, but these two were a bit dramatic for my tastes. And since romance is usually one of the biggest driving forces behind my desire to read a book, this aspect just really fell flat for me.

Speaking of supernatural forces, I felt like the explanation given for the low magic which didn't really work to connect Arsinoe with her fake familiar bear, Braddock, now suddenly working wasn't enough. And this kind of thing happened a couple of times.

I know that this review has been focused on the things that I struggled with or had conflicting emotions over, but it was a decent book. I can't say that I loved it at all, but it was "good". I did feel some closure with how One Dark Throne ended, but knowing that there's more to come, I can't stop before I've seen what's going to happen next. One Dark Throne gets 3 Stars. Have you read One Dark Throne? What did you think? Let me know!

Sunday, September 17, 2017

Sunday Post - 265

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

Monday Irma came through our area. Thankfully it was downgraded to a Tropical Storm by this point and didn't cause near the damage for us that was predicted. I'm keeping those who did receive the damage promised in my prayers. Husband was off work to get his driver's license renewed yet of course the office for that was closed. But we took that opportunity to do some impromptu potty training for Little Girl. We'd had some early success with that when she was right at a year old but then regressed so we backed off. We continued with the training the rest of the week so we hung around the house mostly. Seemed like we'd have one good day and then one not so good day. But we're sticking with it. Little Girl and I are feeling much better. Husband's struggling with a cold now. Saturday we celebrated my niece's first birthday. Time is flying I tell you. She's such a happy and content child. I look forward to watching her continue to grow. Today we're having a baby shower for Baby Boy.

THIS PAST WEEK:

Monday: Review of The Lost Letter by Mimi Matthews (4 Stars)
Tuesday: Top Ten Throwbacks
Wednesday: Can't Wait for Stormcaster (Shattered Realms, # 3) by Cinda Williams Chima
Thursday: Review of An Inconvenient Beauty (Hawthorne House, # 4) by Kristi Ann Hunter (4 Stars)

UPCOMING THIS WEEK:

Monday: Review of One Dark Throne (Three Dark Crowns, # 2) by Kendare Blake
Tuesday: Top Ten Tuesday
Wednesday: Can't Wait for Wednesday
Thursday: DNF Review of The Sound of Light by Claire Wallis

Don’t forget to sign up for the 2017 Series Enders Reading Challenge! You have until December 15, 2017 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, September 14, 2017

An Inconvenient Beauty - Review

An Inconvenient Beauty (Hawthorne House, # 4)

By: Kristi Ann Hunter

Published: September 5th 2017 by Bethany House Publishers

384 pages

Genre: Christian, Historical Fiction

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--Award-Winning Regency Romance Author on the Rise

Griffith, Duke of Riverton, likes order, logic, and control, and he naturally applies this rational approach to his search for a bride. He's certain Miss Frederica St. Claire is the perfect wife for him, but while Frederica is strangely elusive, he can't seem to stop running into her stunningly beautiful cousin, Miss Isabella Breckenridge.

Isabella should be enjoying her society debut, but with her family in difficult circumstances, her uncle will only help them if she'll use her beauty to assist him in his political aims. Already uncomfortable with this agreement, the more she comes to know Griffith, the more she wishes to be free of her unfortunate obligation.

Will Griffith and Isabella be able to set aside their pride and face their fears in time to find their own happily-ever-after?

You guys, I've been in a huge book slump. I only read two books last month total. One was a re-read and one wasn't fiction. However, I knew the release date was coming up for An Inconvenient Beauty, and I just had this feeling that this would be a perfect read to help me out of my slump. I ended up seeing this on NetGalley for review, but somehow I missed when it was initially uploaded so I was concerned that I might have missed my opportunity to request it. I was ultimately approved to read and review An Inconvenient Beauty and I started it immediately. And just like I suspected, I had no problems blowing through it.

I was excited to read Griffith's story as he's been a central figure in the previous books in the series. Griffith has been everyone's rock. He's the one everyone else comes to for advice. Normally I would have been kind of put off by Griffith's idea that he could approach finding a wife logically. His family has a tradition of marrying for love despite the customs of the time to marry for practicality. But Griffith thinks he can do both. Considering he watched Trent (his younger brother) go from resenting his own marriage and wife to being deeply in love in An Uncommon Courtship (which was actually the first book in this series that I read), it kind of made sense that he would think that much of his ability to love his future wife would be a conscious decision.

Griffith's in kind of a unique situation. Because he's a duke, most everyone he meets wants something from him. Men want him on their side for political maneuvers and favors. Mothers want to marry him off to their daughters. The daughters also want to secure his hand. And even though he loves his family immensely, he's trying to keep them from meddling and giving him a hard time through the process of finding a wife. This makes trusting others and their motivations a bit difficult. And Griffith takes his responsibilities as Duke of Riverton very seriously. To make this worse, Griffith's made a habit of not dancing at social events except with his family so to dance with anyone outside of his mother and sisters would be equivalent to announcing his engagement or at the very least announcing his intention to court a particular lady. So Griffith attempts to go about his courting in other ways.

I was a little confused in the beginning about what was going on with Isabella. What you need to know is that she's half Scottish. Her mother was English aristocracy but cut all ties when she fell in love with a Scottish sheep farmer. Unfortunately an accident has left her father unable to take care of the farm. Isabella's uncle sees an opportunity to take advantage of her beauty and her family's poor financial situation to exploit her for his purposes. Isabella is to attract as many suitors as possible in order to help her uncle promote his political agenda. Yet, the Duke of Riverton is the one person she's not supposed to attract as his attentions to her would scare away too many other suitors.

Since Griffith has set his eyes upon Isabella's cousin, Fredericka, and Isabella has been told not to encourage the duke, these two have an opportunity to get to know each other without actually wanting anything from the other. Griffith's decision to court Freddie throws Isabella and Griffith into each other's company frequently. Especially when Freddie seems to keep escaping Griffith's attempts.

Now that I've told you too much of the story itself...I really enjoyed this one. I'm not sure I can say that this was my favorite in the series, but it wasn't my least favorite either. I was hooked into seeing if these two could figure out how they really feel for each other and work around the obstacles in their path. There can often be conflicts that are so simple to overcome yet the couple splits over something simple. This wasn't really the case. Things weren't exactly simple and where in other books I get frustrated because the couple just won't communicate with each other, in An Inconvenient Beauty I could respect Isabella for not just going to Griffith to solve all of her problems.

Favorite quotes:

-Amazing how one decision could drive a person so far from where they thought they'd never stray.

-Sometimes truth hurt. And Isabella was glad Freddie was willing to tell her the truth even as she resented the uttering of it.

An Inconvenient Beauty was exactly what I needed. The Christian aspects in the background as well as the culture of the time period kept me from being annoyed with the things that have been bothering me with modern day literature. Both of those things also ensured the story would be clear of language and sex scenes. And Kristi Ann Hunter has proven to pull me in and hook me into the story and characters. An Inconvenient Beauty was no different. I also appreciated and enjoyed the historical aspects that were used in this story to actually further the plot and not just there for decoration. An Inconvenient Beauty gets 4 Stars. Have you read An Inconvenient Beauty? What did you think? Let me know!

Wednesday, September 13, 2017

Can't Wait for Stormcaster

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

Stormcaster (Shattered Realms, # 3)

By: Cinda Williams Chima

Expected Publication: April 3rd 2018 by HarperTeen

544 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository )

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

Goodreads description--The third book in the thrilling four-book Shattered Realms series from New York Times bestselling author Cinda Williams Chima

The empress in the east—the unspeakably cruel ruler whose power grew in Flamecaster and Shadowcaster—tightens her grip in this chilling third installment in the series.

Vagabond seafarer Evan Strangward can move the ocean and the wind, but his magical abilities seem paltry in comparison to Empress Celestine’s. As Celestine’s bloodsworn armies grow, Evan travels to the Fells to warn the queendom of her imminent invasion. If he can’t convince the Gray Wolf queen to take a stand, he knows that the Seven Realms will fall. Among the dead will be the one person Evan can’t stand to lose.

Meanwhile, the queen’s formidable daughter, Princess Alyssa ana’Raisa, is already a prisoner aboard the empress’s ship. Lyss may be the last remaining hope of bringing down the empress from within her own tightly controlled territory.

Multiple intricately interwoven storylines converge in this gripping novel about a brave, coordinated effort to undermine a horrific tyrant.

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

Tuesday, September 12, 2017

Top Ten Throwbacks

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

Some of these throwbacks are so old I never reviewed them on the blog because I read them before I started blogging. But all of these are ones that I've read in my adult life and not like books I read and loved in high school or elementary or anything like that.

  1. Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer - Twilight, New Moon
  2. Graceling Realms series by Kristin Cashore - Graceling, Fire, Bitterblue
  3. The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins - The Hunger Games, Catching Fire & Mockingjay
  4. Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead - Vampire Academy, Frostbite, Shadow Kiss, Blood Promise, Spirit Bound, Last Sacrifice
  5. Slammed series by Colleen Hoover - Slammed, Point of Retread, This Girl
  6. Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley
  7. Wolves of Mercy Falls series by Maggie Stiefvater - Linger, Forever, Sinner
  8. The Forest of Hands and Teeth series by Carrie Ryan - The Dead-Tossed Waves, The Dark and Hollow Places
  9. Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers
  10. The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay

(And of course Harry Potter.) Which books are your favorite throwbacks? Let me know!