June 2018 EOM Wrap Up

I have read 5 books (children's books not listed below). *These qualify for the 2018 Series Enders Reading Challenge.
When We Were Young by Anna Benoit
The Simple Wild by KA Tucker
*Hero at the Fall (Rebel of the Sands, # 3) by Alwyn Hamilton
*Ruins (Partials, # 3) by Dan Wells
That Night by Amy Giles

I have DNF'd 1 book.
Before I Let You Go by Kirsten Wreggit

I have reviewed 4 books. *These qualify for the 2018 Series Enders Reading Challenge.
A Defense of Honor (Haven Manor, # 1) by Kristi Ann Hunter
Crossing the Line by Simone Elkeles
Wild Blue Wonder by Carlie Sorosiak
One Small Thing by Erin Watt

Other Posts:
Sunday Post & Stacking the Shelves - 6/3/18
Sunday Post & Stacking the Shelves - 6/10/18
Sunday Post & Stacking the Shelves - 6/17/18
Sunday Post & Stacking the Shelves - 6/24/18
Top Ten Summer TBR List 2018
Can't Wait for Heart Land by Kimberly Stuart
Can't Wait for The Impossibility of Us by Katy Upperman
Can't Wait for Five Years Gone by Marie Force
Can't Wait for The Geography of Lost Things by Jessica Brody
2018 Series Enders Reading Challenge - June Wrap Up

Goals:
I'm 17 days ahead on my Bible-in-a-year plan.
I've read 33 out of 52 books.
I've read 4 out of 10-12 series enders.

One Small Thing - Review

One Small Thing

By: Erin Watt

Expected Publication: June 26th 2018 by Harlequin Teen

384 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary

Source: Publisher via Edelweiss (Thank you!!)

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository )

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

Goodreads description--Beth’s life hasn’t been the same since her sister died. Her parents try to lock her down, believing they can keep her safe by monitoring her every move. When Beth sneaks out to a party one night and meets the new guy in town, Chase, she’s thrilled to make a secret friend. It seems a small thing, just for her.

Only Beth doesn’t know how big her secret really is… <>Fresh out of juvie and determined to start his life over, Chase has demons to face and much to atone for, including his part in the night Beth’s sister died. Beth, who has more reason than anyone to despise him, is willing to give him a second chance. A forbidden romance is the last thing either of them planned for senior year, but the more time they spend together, the deeper their feelings get.

Now Beth has a choice to make—follow the rules, or risk tearing everything apart…again.

Perspective is a funny thing. While reading One Small Thing, I had to laugh a little because Beth's parents were very similar to mine. Where I hadn't lost a sibling, my parents just had strong rules about what was and was not acceptable behavior in their house. Sneaking out and going to parties would fall under the category of unacceptable. Where Beth acts like every teenager in the world has done this or should be given a pass for doing this, yeah my parents would have been on me just like hers were on her. My parents never took the door off my room, but it was certainly threatened at times. Yet I knew what behavior would prompt them to follow through and what wouldn't. One advantage that Beth's parents had over mine was technology. I didn't have a cell phone until my senior year of high school. It was pay-per-minute. And each text message would cost me a minute whether incoming or outgoing. Yet because it was pay-per-minute my parents didn't have access to my call or text history. And I wasn't dumb enough to leave my phone lying around where they could just pick it up and go through it. Of course, they could have asked and I wouldn't have had a choice but to show it to them. But I didn't give them a reason to do so. There was also not a thing such as GPS locating in my day. That would have changed things up a bit for me. All of this to say that Beth's parents both did and didn't seem extreme to me. They jumped the gun a few times on things that I didn't think Beth did that were too bad, but their punishments weren't unfamiliar or unrealistic in my opinion.

Of course, all of what Beth was going through had to be so that she could relate in whatever small way to Chase. Rightly so, Chase puts her in her place about her attitude in dealing with her parents. I liked Chase a lot. He was both sorrowful and repentant over his past actions. He does every single thing in his power to be at peace with those around him. Which isn't easy to do when everyone seems to be against him. I do know that there can be quite the mob mentality when it comes to situations like his. People judge without facts. They can be cruel. But just read the comments on Facebook over any news article just about and you'll see that there are people always on both sides of the fence. No matter what topic it may be concerning.

One Small Thing did have some language that just seemed thrown in and unnecessary. For me this is always a pet peeve. Especially when the language seems forced.

I read this book really quickly--especially given my reading pace for the year overall. I enjoyed it. Beth's battle against her parents had me chuckling to remember my own youth. I rooted for the romance and for the characters themselves. I don't know that I would say Chase and Beth had an epic romance, but theirs has been a favorite of the books I've read this year. The ending wasn't a huge surprise to me, but I really disliked Beth's best friend (I can't remember her name at the moment. I'd blame that on mommy brain, but the truth is I rarely remember main character names either. Thankfully those are usually listed in the description so I don't have to look them up.). Overall, I really enjoyed One Small Thing and it gets 4 Stars. Have you read One Small Thing? What did you think? Let me know!

Can't Wait for The Geography of Lost Things

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.

The Geography of Lost Things

By: Jessica Brody

Expected Publication: October 2nd 2018 by Simon Pulse

320 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--In this romantic road trip story perfect for fans of Sarah Dessen and Morgan Matson, a teen girl discovers the value of ordinary objects while learning to forgive her absent father.

After Ali’s father passes away, he leaves his one and only prized possession—a 1968 Firebird convertible—to his daughter. But Ali doesn’t plan on keeping it. Not when it reminds her too much of all her father’s unfulfilled promises. So when she finds a buyer three hundred miles up the Pacific coast willing to pay enough money for the car to save her childhood home, Ali can’t wait to get going. Except Ali has no idea how to drive a stick shift. But guess who does?

Ali’s ex-boyfriend, Nico. And Nico has other plans.

He persuades Ali that instead of selling the car, they should “trade up” the items they collect on their trip to eventually reach the monetary amount Ali needs. Agreeing with Nico’s crazy plan, Ali sets off on a unique adventure that is unlike anything she ever could have expected.

And it’s through Ali’s travels, through the strangers she meets and the things that they value—and why they value them—that Ali eventually comes to understand her father and how his life may not have been as easy and carefree as she previously thought. Because just like the seemingly insignificant objects Ali collects, not everything is exactly as it appears.

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

2018 Series Enders Reading Challenge - June Wrap Up

Time for our sixth Monthly Wrap Up for the 2018 Series Enders Reading Challenge hosted by Sandy @ Somewhere Only We Know and Holly @ Words Fueled by Love!

Since the May Wrap Up, Sandy finished Ruins (Partials, # 3) by Dan Wells and Hero at the Fall (Rebel of the Sands, # 3) by Alwyn Hamilton. Holly hasn't finished any new series enders.

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

With no entries for this month, there is no winner for June 2018.

Sunday Post & Stacking the Shelves - 06/24/18

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 and Tuesday were pretty normal days around here. Wednesday, Holly and her mom took me and the kids out to eat lunch for my birthday. We went to a local Japanese restaurant. Delicious. Thursday was my actual birthday. That was a fairly normal day too. Husband gave me my presents before leaving for work (two books and a new vacuum cleaner). Then the kids and I went for a walk like normal. Husband also picked up takeout for dinner so I didn't have to cook. The rest of the week was low key as well. Nothing really going on. I have gotten a few books finished this week which is awesome. Two of them have been in the works for a long time, and both of those are also series enders so I get to count them towards my challenge too!

THIS PAST WEEK:

Monday: Review of Wild Blue Wonder by Carlie Sorosiak (3.5 Stars)
Tuesday: Top Ten Summer 2018 TBR List
Wednesday: Can't Wait for Five Years Gone by Marie Force

UPCOMING THIS WEEK:

Monday: Review of One Small Thing by Erin Watt
Tuesday: Top Ten Tuesday?
Wednesday: Can't Wait for Wednesday

Don’t forget to link up for the 2018 Series Enders Reading Challenge! You have until December 15th, 2018 to sing 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.

Say You'll Remember Me

By: Katie McGarry

Expected Publication: January 30th 2018 by Harlequin Teen

400 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary

Source: Personal Kindle Library (Birthday present from Husband)

( 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 Drix was convicted of a crime--one he didn't commit--he thought his life was over. But opportunity came with the new Second Chance Program, the governor's newest pet project to get delinquents off the streets, rehabilitated and back into society. Drix knows this is his chance to get his life back on track, even if it means being paraded in front of reporters for a while.

Elle knows she lives a life of privilege. As the governor's daughter, she can open doors with her name alone. But the expectations and pressure to be someone she isn't may be too much to handle. She wants to follow her own path, whatever that means.

When Drix and Elle meet, their connection is immediate, but so are their problems. Drix is not the type of boy Elle's parents have in mind for her, and Elle is not the kind of girl who can understand Drix's messy life.

But sometimes love can breach all barriers.

Fighting against a society that can't imagine them together, Drix and Elle must push themselves--Drix to confront the truth of the robbery, and Elle to assert her independence--and each other to finally get what they deserve.

Ten Ways to Destroy the Imagination of Your Child

By: Anthony M Esolen

Expected Publication: November 5th 2010 by Intercollegiate Studies Institute

256 pages

Genre: Nonfiction, Parenting

Source: Personal Kindle Library (Birthday present from Husband)

( 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--Esolen shows how imagination is snuffed out at practically every turn, and then he confronts contemporary trends in parenting and schooling by reclaiming lost traditions. This practical, insightful book is essential reading for any parent.

A Stranger at Fellsworth (Treasures of Surrey, # 3)

By: Sarah E Ladd

Expected Publication: May 16th 2017 by Thomas Nelson

336 pages

Genre: Adult, Historical Fiction, Christian Fiction, Regency

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--Could losing everything be the best thing to happen to Annabelle Thorley?

In the fallout of her deceased father’s financial ruin, Annabelle’s prospects are looking bleak. Her fiancé has called off their betrothal, and now she remains at the mercy of her controlling and often cruel brother. Annabelle soon faces the fact that her only hope for a better life is to do the unthinkable and run away to Fellsworth, the home of her long-estranged aunt and uncle, where a teaching position awaits her. Working for a wage for the first time in her life forces Annabelle to adapt to often unpleasant situations as friendships and roles she’s taken for granted are called into question.

Owen Locke is unswerving in his commitments. As a widower and father, he is fiercely protective of his only daughter. As an industrious gamekeeper, he is intent on keeping poachers at bay even though his ambition has always been to eventually purchase land that he can call his own. When a chance encounter introduces him to the lovely Annabelle Thorley, his steady life is shaken. For the first time since his wife’s tragic death, Owen begins to dream of a second chance at love.

As Owen and Annabelle grow closer, ominous forces threaten the peace they thought they’d found. Poachers, mysterious strangers, and murderers converge at Fellsworth, forcing Annabelle and Owen to a test of fortitude and bravery to stop the shadow of the past from ruining their hopes for the future.

Dance of Thieves (Dance of Thieves, # 1)

By: Mary E Pearson

Expected Publication: August 7th 2018 by Henry Holt & Company

384 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

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--A new novel in the New York Times–bestselling Remnant Chronicles universe, in which a reformed thief and the young leader of an outlaw dynasty lock wits in a battle that may cost them their lives—and their hearts.

When the patriarch of the Ballenger empire dies, his son, Jase, becomes its new leader. Even nearby kingdoms bow to the strength of this outlaw family, who have always governed by their own rules. But a new era looms on the horizon, set in motion by a young queen, which makes her the target of the dynasty's resentment and anger.

At the same time, Kazi, a legendary former street thief, is sent by the queen to investigate transgressions against the new settlements. When Kazi arrives in the forbidding land of the Ballengers, she learns that there is more to Jase than she thought. As unexpected events spiral out of their control, bringing them intimately together, they continue to play a cat and mouse game of false moves and motives in order to fulfill their own secret missions.

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!

Can't Wait for Five Years Gone

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.

Five Years Gone

By: Marie Force

Expected Publication: October 9th 2018 by HTJB, Inc.

400 pages

Genre: 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--The most brazen terrorist attack in history. A country bent on revenge. A love affair cut short. A heart that never truly heals.

I knew on the day of the attack that our lives were changed forever. What I didn’t know then was that I’d never see John again after he deployed. One day he was living with me, sleeping next to me, making plans with me. The next day he was gone.

That was five years ago. The world has moved on from that awful day, but I’m stuck in my own personal hell, waiting for a man who may be dead for all I know. At my sister’s wedding, I meet Eric, the brother of the groom, and my heart comes alive once again.

The world is riveted by the capture of the terrorist mastermind, brought down by U.S. Special Forces in a daring raid. Now I am trapped between hoping I’ll hear from John and fearing what’ll become of my new life with Eric if I do.

From a New York Times bestselling author, Five Years Gone, a standalone contemporary, is an epic story of love, honor, duty, unbearable choices and impossible dilemmas.

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

Top Ten Summer 2018 TBR List

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. This week's topic is Top Ten Summer 2018 TBR List.

1. Hero at the Fall (Rebel of the Sands, #3) by Alwyn Hamilton
2. The Astonishing Color of After by Emily XR Pan
3. Heart of Thorns (Heart of Thorns, #1) by Bree Barton
4. Iron Gold (Red Rising Saga, #4) by Pierce Brown
5. Meet the Sky by McCall Hoyle
6. The Opposite of Innocent by Sonya Sones
7. Damsel by Elana K Arnold
8. The Curiosity Keeper (Treasures of Surrey, #1) by Sarah E Ladd
9. The Brave Art of Motherhood: Fight Fear, Gain Confidence, and Find Yourself Again by Rachel Marie Martin
10. Listen to Your Heart by Kasie West

Which books are on your summer TBR list? Let me know!

Wild Blue Wonder - Review

Wild Blue Wonder

By: Carlie Sorosiak

Expected Publication: June 26th 2018 by HarperTeen

368 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary

Source: Publisher via Edelweiss (Thank you!!)

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository )

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

Goodreads description--There are two monsters in this story. One of them is me.

Ask anyone in Winship, Maine, and they’ll tell you the summer camp Quinn’s family owns is a magical place. Paper wishes hang from the ceiling. Blueberries grow in the dead of winter. According to local legend, a sea monster even lurks off the coast. Mostly, there’s just a feeling that something extraordinary could happen there.

Like Quinn falling in love with her best friend, Dylan.

After the accident, the magic drained from Quinn’s life. Now Dylan is gone, the camp is a lonely place, and Quinn knows it’s her fault.

But the new boy in town, Alexander, doesn’t see her as the monster she believes herself to be. As Quinn lets herself open up again, she begins to understand the truth about love, loss, and monsters—real and imagined.

I'm sure if you're a regular reader of my reviews you are aware that I struggle with books that bounce around chronologically. I realize that there is a strategic storytelling purpose behind choosing to write this way most of the time. And frequently I find that the switching makes sense by the end of the story even if it never becomes my favorite part of any book. Yet any time I start a book and I come to a chapter break then realize we've jumped forward or backwards in time I have to fight the urge to put the book down. In the case of Wild Blue Wonder, I actually did end up putting it down for about two months because of this.

Despite the timeline jumps I enjoyed the overall story. Probably the best thing about presenting this particular story in this way for me was that Quinn's guilt over Dylan's death wasn't annoying to me. Of course these emotions are understandable given the circumstances. Survivors guilt is a real thing. Unfortunately this is also predictable. But because we don't know the actual details of how Dylan died until close to the end of the book the amount of Quinn's actual contribution to his death was unknown. This allowed the balance of knowledge to be in Quinn's favor instead of me feeling like I knew something Quinn didn't.

The process Quinn goes through to heal was surprisingly what drove the book for me. Usually the romance is the driving factor but not this time. The contrast between where her family was before Dylan died versus where they are now was brilliant. Carlie Sorosiak did a great job showing how grief in events like this affect so many more people than you imagine and in ways you don't expect because not everyone handles it the same way.

Speaking of the romance... this just wasn't my favorite part. I liked Quinn. I liked Alexander. I liked how he helped her move on. I even liked how different Quinn's relationship and feelings were with him from her relationship and feelings for Dylan. Each relationship is different and Quinn isn't the same person that she once was. That being said...I didn't really get the warm and fuzzies from Quinn and Alexander. He was actually a little hard for me to picture. His heritage was so prominent through the story and dialogue, yet I had a hard time picturing him or hearing his (what should have been) adorable British accent.

Now...one frustration for me was that Wild Blue Wonder checks nearly every politically correct box possible (mostly for diversity's sake which I'm not a fan of--diversity for the sake of diversity, not diversity itself). Gay characters? Check. Feminism? Check. Vegans? Check. Hippies? Check. This story truly reminded me of a meme I've seen before. I'll insert it here:

Usually the PC issues I mentioned would have been a huge annoyance to me. For some reason they only slightly annoyed me. However the combination of the jumping around chronologically with the PC pieces plus my lack of enthusiasm for the romance make Wild Blue Wonder a 3.5 Star read for me. I still enjoyed it overall, but I didn't love it. Have you read Wild Blue Wonder? What did you think? Let me know!

Sunday Post & Stacking the Shelves - 06/17/18

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 pretty normal. Wednesday and Thursday we had an electrician come to the house to fix where the power lines are connected to our house. That's been a pain to schedule, and we still aren't finished with this project. The rest of the week I spent cleaning house. We had the family over on Saturday to celebrate my birthday (Thursday), my brother's birthday (Tuesday) and Father's Day. The first book I'm featuring below I actually got several weeks ago, but I apparently forgot to feature it the week I received it.

THIS PAST WEEK:

Monday: Review of Crossing the Line by Simone Elkeles (3 Stars)
Wednesday: Can't Wait for The Impossibility of Us by Katy Upperman

UPCOMING THIS WEEK:

Monday: Review of Wild Blue Wonder by Carlie Sorosiak
Tuesday: Top Ten Tuesday?
Wednesday: Can't Wait for Wednesday

Don’t forget to link up for the 2018 Series Enders Reading Challenge! You have until December 15th, 2018 to sing 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.

Damsel

By: Elana K Arnold

Publication: October 2nd 2018 by Balzer + Bray

320 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 rite has existed for as long as anyone can remember: when the prince-who-will-be-king comes of age, he must venture out into the gray lands, slay a fierce dragon, and rescue a damsel to be his bride. This is the way things have always been.

When Ama wakes in the arms of Prince Emory, however, she knows none of this. She has no memory of what came before she was captured by the dragon, or what horrors she has faced in its lair. She knows only this handsome prince, the story he tells of her rescue, and her destiny to sit on the throne beside him. Ama comes with Emory back to the kingdom of Harding, hailed as the new princess, welcomed to the court.

However, as soon as her first night falls, she begins to realize that not all is as it seems, that there is more to the legends of the dragons and the damsels than anyone knows–and that the greatest threats to her life may not be behind her, but here, in front of her.

Mirage (Mirage, # 1)

By: Somaiya Daud

Expected Publication: August 28th 2018 by Flatiron Books

320 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Science 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--In a star system dominated by the brutal Vathek empire, eighteen-year-old Amani is a dreamer. She dreams of what life was like before the occupation; she dreams of writing poetry like the old-world poems she adores; she dreams of receiving a sign from Dihya that one day, she, too, will have adventure, and travel beyond her isolated moon.

But when adventure comes for Amani, it is not what she expects: she is kidnapped by the regime and taken in secret to the royal palace, where she discovers that she is nearly identical to the cruel half-Vathek Princess Maram. The princess is so hated by her conquered people that she requires a body double, someone to appear in public as Maram, ready to die in her place.

As Amani is forced into her new role, she can’t help but enjoy the palace’s beauty—and her time with the princess’ fiancé, Idris. But the glitter of the royal court belies a world of violence and fear. If Amani ever wishes to see her family again, she must play the princess to perfection...because one wrong move could lead to her death.

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!

Can't Wait for The Impossibility of Us

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.

The Impossibility of Us

By: Katy Upperman

Expected Publication: July 31st 2018 by Swoon Reads

320 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--The last thing Elise wants is to start her senior year in a new town. But after her brother’s death in Afghanistan, she and her mother move from San Francisco to a sleepy coastal village.

When Elise meets Mati, they quickly discover how much they have in common. Mati is new to town too, visiting the U.S. with his family. Over the course of the summer, their relationship begins to blossom, and what starts out as a friendship becomes so much more.

But as Elise and Mati grow closer, her family becomes more and more uncomfortable with their relationship, and their concerns all center on one fact—Mati is Afghan.

Beautifully written, utterly compelling, and ultimately hopeful, THE IMPOSSIBILITY OF US asks—how brave can you be when your relationship is questioned by everyone you love?

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

Crossing the Line - Review

Crossing the Line

By: Simone Elkeles

Expected Publication: June 12th 2018 by HarperTeen

352 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary

Source: Publisher via Edelweiss (Thank you!!)

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository )

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

Goodreads description--A high-stakes story of star-crossed lovers from Simone Elkeles, the New York Times bestselling author of the Perfect Chemistry series

To escape his abusive stepdad, bad boy Ryan Hess runs from his tiny Texas border town to Mexico. But his plans to keep his head down and stay out of trouble are shattered the minute he meets the beautiful and totally out of his league Dalila Sandoval.

Dalila Sandoval shouldn’t even know someone like Ryan Hess. The daughter of one of the wealthiest lawyers in Mexico, Dalila is focused on studying and planning for her bright future. Ryan is only a distraction from her dreams, but she’s never felt more alive than when she’s by his side.

Ryan and Dalila are wrong for each other in every way. And yet they can’t resist the sparks that fly when they’re together. But their love is like a flame burning too close to the fuse.

Something is going to explode. Will their love be strong enough to survive? Or will it burn them both?

I'm a fan of Simone Elkeles. Even though my first book by her wasn't a huge hit for me, every one of her other books were really enjoyable for me so when I saw Crossing the Line I was really excited. However, Crossing the Line was a little bit of a let down for me.

My biggest issue with Crossing the Line was the moments that seemed to stretch the imagination. And Crossing the Line had many of those moments. I mean does anyone use really personal information like a nickname as their password here in 2018? Ok maybe some people do, but a powerful attorney? One who would have potentially highly classified information from clients past and present in their possession? Yeah? Probably not. How about when you're trying to avoid being seen or caught by potential bad guys and your truck breaks down? You just decide to sleep in the BED of the truck that night? Oh but that's not all. You do the deed? REALLY? Because that's what you should really be doing in the back of a truck, at night, when you're trying to keep a low profile. The relationship between Ryan and Dalila went from zero to one-hundred pretty quickly. One minute they're still denying to have any connection and the next minute they're talking about their futures together. It was jarring for me how quickly that change came about which left it feeling a bit unrealistic. Do four-star hotels take check-ins without a credit card? In my experience they don't. That's because if you want anything like room service, pay per view, or the mini bar they can charge those things to the room which will charge your card. And when you've stumbled upon a brutal murder what's the first thing you should do? TOUCH THE BODY. Clean the face of the deceased and then decide to BURY THEM? Because the authorities won't need to do any investigating, right? Oh goodness. I'm sorry guys. Some of these things were just minor things and some were used to advance the story even though they're not realistic, but each of these incidences took me out of the story and caused me to roll my eyes big time. And some of these things were so brutally stupid that I wonder how they made it past editing.

Ryan and Dalila were both decent characters. Each were fairly fleshed out with backgrounds, motivations, and fears. Although, I felt that Ryan was a bit more developed than Dalila. I was fine rooting for the relationship. I specifically liked the flirting between the two before things were more concrete between them. But I also felt like things moved too fast. I didn't feel like the two knew each other well enough to have moved into the level of feelings they claimed to have or the physical level they reached.

My second biggest issue with Crossing the Line was how emotion driven it was. This is an odd thing for me to complain about because usually I love and devour books driven by emotion. But I guess my struggle was that the emotions didn't feel mature or healthy exactly. Ryan has the self-deprication thing down thinking he's unworthy of Dalila. This isn't surprising given his background. But it also isn't exactly healthy. The whole "made me feel" thing...while sure we certainly feel emotions as a result and reaction to other people, I've been struggling with the idea that no one else can make us feel anything. We are in charge of our own emotions and to advertise differently is to weaken the power within each one of us. At one point Dalila asks Ryan what he's thinking about and when he doesn't go into a soliloqy about his love for her she's disappointed. I loathe the "it feels so right that it can't be wrong" mantra because that's nothing short of what drug addicts or alcoholics must think. And to let our emotions rule us beyond reason is no better than either of these addictions. Dalila also asks Ryan to be open with her while immediately thinking that she doesn't intend to be open with him. Talk about hypocrisy. Not exactly the best foundation for a relationship. Not to mention the repeated lies Dalila tells him. So I guess while normally I love relationships where the love between two characters drives the story, the relationship between these two didn't exactly give me the warm and fuzzies due to the immaturity and unhealthy nature of some of the statements mentioned above.

In relation to the major plot line of the mystery behind who the bad guys are, every single thing that I predicted came true. I was starting to wonder if I was wrong in my guesses, but nope. Turned out right. I don't say this to brag that I figured it out, but to point out that I don't enjoy predicting every twist. I actually enjoy being surprised. Yet that didn't happen for me in Crossing the Line. And actually, similarly to my frustration with how quickly Ryan and Dalila jumped in their relationship from zero to together, I felt the same way with how quickly things wrapped up, all of the bad guys were revealed and their motives as well. It all felt too rushed to me.

I know that after reading this review one could conclude that I really disliked Crossing the Line? But that wasn't the case. I did enjoy it. Minus these issues. The things I took issue with were just easy to point out. Despite my frustrations Crossing the Line gets 3 Stars. Have you read Crossing the Line ? What did you think? Let me know!

Sunday Post & Stacking the Shelves - 6/10/18

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 was pretty normal. I did some cleaning because my sister-in-law and her mom came to spend the day with us Tuesday. Tuesday was the first time Baby Boy and I got in the pool this year. Little Girl has been in several times already with Daddy. We really enjoyed spending the day with them. Wednesday I had a hair appointment so Grammy came over to watch the kids. That was long overdue. I haven't gotten color done since September 2017 because there hasn't been time. It was also my first time being away from Baby Boy during a feeding time. He didn't quite do that well with a bottle and only took 2 ounces, but honestly I wasn't all that surprised. Thursday and Friday were normal days except Little Girl went to spend the weekend with my parents. Husband and I took advantage of only having one kid and did chores around the house that we've been putting off because next weekend we're having the family over.

THIS PAST WEEK:

Monday: Review of A Defense of Honor (Haven Manor, # 1) by Kristi Ann Hunters (4 Stars)
Wednesday: Can't Wait for Heart Land by Kimberly Stuart

UPCOMING THIS WEEK:

Monday: Review of Crossing the Line by Simone Elkeles
Tuesday: Top Ten Tuesday?
Wednesday: Can't Wait for Wednesday

Don’t forget to link up for the 2018 Series Enders Reading Challenge! You have until December 15th, 2018 to sing 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.

If I'd Known (Cursed, # 1)

By: Rebecca Donovan

Publication: December 14th 2017 by Wood Street Publishing

111 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Mystery

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--"We're all cursed—every single one of us."

Lana Peri isn't afraid of telling anyone exactly what she thinks, even if it gets her into trouble—which it usually does. But the thing is, she can't lie. Her unfiltered honesty doesn’t exactly make her many friends, although it does get her kicked out of class regularly. Lana knows the truth will eventually be her undoing. If only she’d known it would begin today.

It’s meant to be a night Lana and her best friends will never forget. And it is... for all the wrong reasons. Lana witnesses not just one, but two violent crimes committed by the same person. Except she can't say a word. Not if she wants to protect her friends.

Lana’s silence will implicate her and inadvertently cover for him. But it’s not like she has a choice. He is powerful. Connected. Untouchable. And a friend of Joey Harrison—the guy Lana is uncharacteristically drawn to the moment they meet. Joey’s also the only one who is told the truth.

His lies will ruin her. Her silence will keep them safe. The truth won’t save any of them.

The Simple Wild: A Novel

By: KA Tucker

Expected Publication: August 7th 2018 by Atria Books

320 pages

Genre: Adult, Contemporary

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--City girl Calla Fletcher attempts to reconnect with her estranged father, and unwittingly finds herself torn between her desire to return to the bustle of Toronto and a budding relationship with a rugged Alaskan pilot in this masterful new romance from acclaimed author K.A. Tucker.

Calla Fletcher was two when her mother took her and fled the Alaskan wild, unable to handle the isolation of the extreme, rural lifestyle, leaving behind Calla’s father, Wren Fletcher, in the process. Calla never looked back, and at twenty-six, a busy life in Toronto is all she knows. But when her father reaches out to inform her that his days are numbered, Calla knows that it’s time to make the long trip back to the remote frontier town where she was born.

She braves the roaming wildlife, the odd daylight hours, the exorbitant prices, and even the occasional—dear God—outhouse, all for the chance to connect with her father: a man who, despite his many faults, she can’t help but care for. While she struggles to adjust to this new subarctic environment, Jonah—the quiet, brooding, and proud Alaskan pilot who keeps her father’s charter plane company operational—can’t imagine calling anywhere else home. And he’s clearly waiting with one hand on the throttle to fly this city girl back to where she belongs, convinced that she’s too pampered to handle the wild.

Jonah is probably right, but Calla is determined to prove him wrong. As time passes, she unexpectedly finds herself forming a bond with the burly pilot. As his undercurrent of disapproval dwindles, it’s replaced by friendship—or perhaps something deeper? But Calla is not in Alaska to stay and Jonah will never leave. It would be foolish of her to kindle a romance, to take the same path her parents tried—and failed at—years ago.

It’s a simple truth that turns out to be not so simple after all.

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!