Wednesday, October 31, 2018

Can't Wait for King of Scars

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.

King of Scars (King of Scars, # 1)

By: Leigh Bardugo

Expected Publication:January 29th 2019 by Imprint

528 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--Nikolai Lantsov has always had a gift for the impossible. No one knows what he endured in his country’s bloody civil war—and he intends to keep it that way. Now, as enemies gather at his weakened borders, the young king must find a way to refill Ravka’s coffers, forge new alliances, and stop a rising threat to the once-great Grisha Army.

Yet with every day a dark magic within him grows stronger, threatening to destroy all he has built. With the help of a young monk and a legendary Grisha Squaller, Nikolai will journey to the places in Ravka where the deepest magic survives to vanquish the terrible legacy inside him. He will risk everything to save his country and himself. But some secrets aren’t meant to stay buried—and some wounds aren’t meant to heal.

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

Monday, October 29, 2018

All Things Halloween Review - The Beauty of Darkness

The Beauty of Darkness (The Remnant Chronicles, # 3)

By: Mary E Pearson

Publication: August 2nd 2016 by Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)

688 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

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--Lia has survived Venda—but so has a great evil bent on the destruction of Morrighan. And only Lia can stop it.

With war on the horizon, Lia has no choice but to assume her role as First Daughter, as soldier—as leader. While she struggles to reach Morrighan and warn them, she finds herself at cross-purposes with Rafe and suspicious of Kaden, who has hunted her down.

In this conclusion to the Remnant Chronicles trilogy, traitors must be rooted out, sacrifices must be made, and impossible odds must be overcome as the future of every kingdom hangs in the balance.

Ok guys, so I literally just moments ago finished The Beauty of Darkness. Usually I wait a day at least before writing my review simply because of time. But I had to get some thoughts down about this book before going to bed.

But first let me backtrack. My MIL bought this series ender for me the Christmas after it released. Unfortunately she bought me the hardback copy whereas the prior two books I'd read on my Kindle. (Don't you hate when that happens?) Being a new mom at the time reading a hardback book is almost impossible. You need two hands for that. I can barely remember a time when I had both hands free for something like that. This coupled with the fact that this book is almost 700 pages long had me putting it off. Husband actually bought me the Kindle edition later and with the upcoming release of Dance of Thieves, I finally decided to finish this series.

The epicness of book 1, The Kiss of Deception, has been difficult for the remaining books in the series to live up to. It is easily in my list of favorite books. The Heart of Betrayal was good, but just not as good. But it did leave the characters in a place of precariousness. The Beauty of Darkness picks up immediately where The Heart of Betrayal left off.

I struggled with a few areas. 1) The history which plays into Lia's role in this book and her destiny. I really never get the full benefits of fictional texts being quoted within another fictional book. It usually confuses me. Gaudrel, Venda, Morrighan... Who they were as people in the past and what their books say about history and their story. Ugh... I'm not a fan of this in books. It requires too much effort to figure out what the author wants me to get from these quotes.

2) Even though I'm a big fan of Mary E Pearson's writing and especially considering the way she wrote The Kiss of Deception, I'm surprised that this is a complaint of mine but here we are nonetheless. I got confused at narrator switches on multiple occasions. I can only lie fault with the character voices not being distinct enough. The writing was completely the same no matter who was narrating.

3) I told my husband that even though I was enjoying this book and it was written in such a way that made me want to keep reading and had me thinking about the book constantly even when I wasn't reading, there was something about the writing that made me uninterested in re-reading it in the future. I wondered why and I think my issues stem from the characters' lack of hope. I can't go into too much detail because I don't want to spoil anything. But there's a way to write a book that has me devouring pages to know what's going to happen while providing me hope of a positive outcome, and then there's writing a book in negative way that gives you no hope but you pray that you and the characters are wrong and things end up differently than it appears. Both have you hooked to know what's going to happen, but one isn't exactly the most pleasant experience and doesn't leave me wanting to re-read. When I tried to explain this to my husband he didn't understand what I was saying until I added specifics so I hope you guys can just get what I'm saying without needing that. Because of the way conflict was handled even though I got an ending I was satisfied with, the process to get there in ways wasn't exactly satisfying.

Despite my issues, I did devour this book as quickly as I could considering it was again almost 700 pages long. I loved the inclusion of Pauline narrating as well as the original Lia, Rafe, and Kaden. The side cast was diverse and most of them easily loveable.

The main conflict was built up over 90% of the book, but only took 4ish% to resolve. For me this is also a bit of a negative because it means that things wrapped up too quickly for having been strung out for so long.

I know my review might seem like I didn't enjoy The Beauty of Darkness, but I did. I am so glad to have finally finished this series ender and know how it all ends. The Beauty of Darkness gets 4 Stars. Have you read The Beauty of Darkness? What did you think? Let me know!

This review is part of my All Things Halloween event--a month of paranormal, supernatural, mystery/thriller, etc reviews and books.

Sunday, October 28, 2018

Sunday Post & Stacking the Shelves - 10/28/18

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 has been a fun week. Husband took off work this whole week. The kids have adored having him home. We've played outside. We've gone for walks. We went to the pumpkin patch and out to eat. We got milkshakes. It has been so nice having him here. I wish it could be like this all of the time. And that's despite the fact that we're all battling colds again. The weather has been lovely and finally feeling like fall. We were supposed to have family pictures done on Friday but we got rained out and plan to do them this week. I have actually gotten some reading done this week. Seems I've been getting a ton of non-fiction/self-help type books lately. I enjoy these, but I don't read them as quickly as fiction. I probably need to cut back on my requests for review for a bit until I get caught up.

My annual "All Things Halloween" event is ending in a few days. This is my month-long event where I feature reviews from Halloween-y genres (fantasy, paranormal, supernatural, sci-fi, horror, mystery, thriller, and suspense). Over the last few years I've had mostly fantasy books as I just haven't been in the mood for much horror, but still...these are books that can get you in the mood for Halloween.

THIS PAST WEEK:

Monday: All Things Halloween Review of Hero at the Fall (Rebel of the Sands, # 3) by Alwyn Hamilton (4 Stars)
Tuesday: Top Ten Villains
Wednesday: Can't Wait for The Sword and the Dagger by Robert Cochran
Thursday: 2018 Series Enders Reading Challenge - October Wrap Up

UPCOMING THIS WEEK:

Monday: All Things Halloween Review of The Beauty of Darkness (The Remnant Chronicles, # 3) by Mary E Pearson
Tuesday: Top Ten Tuesday?
Wednesday: Can't Wait for Wednesday
Thursday: October 2018 EOM Wrap Up

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.

Talk to Me: How to Ask Better Questions, Get Better Answers, and Interview Anyone Like a Pro

By: Dean Nelson

Publication: February 12th 2019 by Harper Perennial

432 pages

Genre: Non-fiction, Self-Help

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--From respected journalist, professor, and founder of the Writer's Symposium by the Sea, a book that demystifies the art and science of interviewing, in the vein of On Writing Well or How to Read Literature Like a Professor.

“Dean Nelson is one of the best interviewers around.”—Anne Lamott

Interviewing is the single most important way journalists (and doctors, lawyers, social workers, teachers, human resources staff, and, really, all of us) get information. Yet to many, the perfect interview feels more like luck than skill—a rare confluence of rapport, topic, and timing. But the thing is, great interviews aren’t the result of serendipity and intuition, but rather the result of careful planning and good journalistic habits. And Dean Nelson is here to show you how to nail the perfect interview every time.

Drawing on forty-years of award-winning journalism and his experience as the founder and host of the Writer’s Symposium by the Sea, Nelson walks readers through each step of the journey from deciding whom to interview and structuring questions, to the nitty gritty of how to use a recording device and effective note-taking strategies, to the ethical dilemmas of interviewing people you love (and loathe). He also includes case studies of famous interviews to show readers how these principles play out in real time.

Chalk full of comprehensive, time-tested, gold-standard advice, Talk to Me is an indispensable guide to the subtle art of the interview guaranteed to afford readers with the skills and confidence they need the next time they say, “talk to me.”

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, October 25, 2018

2018 Series Enders Reading Challenge - October Wrap Up

Time for our tenth 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 September Wrap Up, neither Sandy nor Holly finished any 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 September giveaway runs from October 25th - November 25th. On November 25th we will use random.org and the linky entries to pull a winner.

There's no October winner as the only entry was from one of our hosts, and we're not eligible for prizes.

Wednesday, October 24, 2018

Can't Wait for The Sword and the Dagger

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 Sword and the Dagger

By: Robert Cochran

Expected Publication: April 9th 2019 by Tor Teen

384 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Historical 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--When empires clash, a Princess, a Knight, and an Assassin embark on the quest of a lifetime.

During the time of the Crusades, an unlikely trio--a Christian princess, her affianced prince, and a Muslim assassin--embarks on a quest to the court of the most fearsome warrior the world has ever known, Genghis Khan.

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

Tuesday, October 23, 2018

Top Ten Villains

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 Villains.

  1. Various Characters from A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R R Martin - I'm not sure there is anyone who does villains that are more complex that GRRM.
  2. Voldemort from Harry Potter series by JK Rowling
  3. King of Hybern from A Court of Thorns and Roses series by Sarah J Maas
  4. Levana from Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer
  5. Various Characters from Red Rising by Pierce Brown (to name them would lead to spoilers)
  6. President Snow from The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
  7. Warren from Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi - Because he's not a villain at all but he plays one oh so well.
  8. Strigoi from Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
  9. David from Push by Claire Wallis - Because you can't help but root for him.
  10. The Dent Family Jasper Dent by Barry Lyga - Because those folks are CRAZY!

Who are your favorite villains? Let me know!

Monday, October 22, 2018

All Things Halloween Review - Hero at the Fall

Hero at the Fall (Rebel of the Sands, # 3)

By: Alwyn Hamilton

Publication: March 6th 2018 by Viking Books for Young Readers

464 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--When gunslinging Amani Al'Hiza escaped her dead-end town, she never imagined she'd join a revolution, let alone lead one. But after the bloodthirsty Sultan of Miraji imprisoned the Rebel Prince Ahmed in the mythical city of Eremot, she doesn't have a choice. Armed with only her revolver, her wits, and her untameable Demdji powers, Amani must rally her skeleton crew of rebels for a rescue mission through the unforgiving desert to a place that, according to maps, doesn't exist. As she watches those she loves most lay their lives on the line against ghouls and enemy soldiers, Amani questions whether she can be the leader they need or if she is leading them all to their deaths.

Ugh you guys, I got Hero at the Fall from the elibrary. Well my loan expired when I was 40% finished with reading it, and when I went to go check it out again, I was 7th!!!! in line. So I had to put it down for quite a while before getting to finish it. I will say that the first 40% was really slow for me which is why it took me 14 days to read just that much of it. Yet the last 60% went by fairly quickly.

One of my frustrations with this book and even this series is that I felt like things heated up quickly between Jin and Amani, and then they just kind of stalled if not even went a little cold. The two were very slow about moving forward and through the series they were apart for large portions. Thankfully they weren't apart for too long during Hero at the Fall, but even when they were together the romance didn't exactly drive the story forward...at least until the very end.

Where Amani and Jin might have been together for the majority of the book, we were missing some very major characters instead--Ahmed & Shazad namely. I was actually okay with this because at times Ahmed could slightly annoy me, and Shazad's absence forced Amani to step up into a leadership position she never would have done otherwise. I really appreciated at the end seeing the difficulties Ahmed faces as a leader. There are always hard questions leaders face and they will never make everyone happy. We would do well to remember that in our culture today.

At first I thought Hero at the Fall was going to end up disappointing me. I worried everything was going to be predictable. And even though I won't say there were any twists I didn't see coming, I can say that I was ultimately satisfied with the ending.

Favorite quote:

-"All that I am I give to you."

Hero at the Fall was a slow start for me. It didn't help that my library copy ran out of time and there were 7 people ahead of me before I could finish it. I worried that I would be disappointed with this series ender given the beginning, but I ended up being satisfied with the ending even if not blown away. Hero at the Fall gets 4 Stars. Have you read Hero at the Fall ? What did you think? Let me know!

This review is part of my All Things Halloween event--a month of paranormal, supernatural, mystery/thriller, etc reviews and books.

Sunday, October 21, 2018

Sunday Post & Stacking the Shelves - 10/21/18

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 extremely busy. I've been cleaning house for a very special party we had at our house on Saturday. Little Girl has turned THREE years old. We did a joint party with Baby Boy who will be turning 1 in 9 days. After his birthday, he will be referred to as Little Boy. Hopefully now that this party is behind me I'll be able to get a little more reading done.

My annual "All Things Halloween" event is going on. This is my month-long event where I feature reviews from Halloween-y genres (fantasy, paranormal, supernatural, sci-fi, horror, mystery, thriller, and suspense). Over the last few years I've had mostly fantasy books as I just haven't been in the mood for much horror, but still...these are books that can get you in the mood for Halloween.

THIS PAST WEEK:

Monday: All Things Halloween Review of Harry Potter & the Cursed Child (Harry Potter, # 8) by JK Rowling, Jack Thorne, & John Tiffany (4 Stars)
Wednesday: Can't Wait for The Binding by Bridget Collins

UPCOMING THIS WEEK:

Monday: All Things Halloween Review of Hero at the Fall (Rebel of the Sands, # 3) by Alwyn Hamilton
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.

A Mom's Guide to Lies Girls Believe: And the Truth that Sets Them Free

By: Dannah Gresh

Publication: February 5th 2019 by Moody Publishers

224 pages

Genre: Non-fiction, Self-Help

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--You can’t change the world, but you can prepare her for it.

Your daughter is facing challenges you never dealt with at her age! From skyrocketing anxiety rates to bullying on social media, the Enemy’s lies are everywhere. How do you help the girl you love walk in freedom?

Mom’s Guide to Lies Girls Believe, the companion book to Lies Girls Believe is your tool to come alongside your daughter in the fight against the lies the world is telling her. Based on in-depth research and focus groups led by Dannah Gresh, author of Secret Keeper Girl and Lies Young Women Believe (Coauthored with Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth,) Lies Girls Believe teaches your daughter the Truth she will need to navigate the challenges she is facing. The Mom’s Guide provides research, cultural trends, and case studies about the problems tween girls face, but also offers encouragement and biblical insight to empower you to talk with your daughter about God’s truth.

Together, these books give you the tools you need to start important conversations at an age-appropriate pace. Topics include:

Lies about God
Lies about Friendship
Lies about the Future
Lies about Myself
Lies about Boys

The One You Fight For (The Ones Who Got Away, # 3)

By: Roni Loren

Publication: January 1st 2019 by Sourcebooks Casablanca

416 pages

Genre: New 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--How hard would you fight for the one you love? Taryn Landry was there that awful night fourteen years ago when Long Acre changed from the name of a town to the title of a national tragedy. Everyone knows she lost her younger sister. No one knows it was her fault. Since then, psychology professor Taryn has dedicated her life's work to preventing something like that from ever happening again. Falling in love was never part of the plan...

Shaw Miller has spent more than a decade dealing with the fallout of his brother's horrific actions. After losing everything―his chance at Olympic gold, his family, almost his sanity―he's changed his name, his look, and he's finally starting a new life. As long as he keeps a low profile and his identity secret, everything will be okay, right?

When the world and everyone you know defines you by one catastrophic tragedy...
How do you find your happy ending?

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!

Wednesday, October 17, 2018

Can't Wait for The Binding

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 Binding

By: Bridget Collins

Expected Publication: April 16th 2019 by William Morrow

448 pages

Genre: Adult, Fantasy, Historical 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--In the tradition of Sarah Waters, Helene Wecker, and Jessie Burton, an atmospheric and mystery-laden historical novel set within a magical world where books are not stories but the repository of individual lives.

Imagine you could erase grief.
Imagine you could remove pain.
Imagine you could hide the darkest, most horrifying secret.
Forever.

Young Emmett Farmer is working in the fields when a strange letter arrives summoning him away from his family. He is to begin an apprenticeship as a Bookbinder—a vocation that arouses fear, superstition, and prejudice amongst their small community, but one neither he nor his parents can afford to refuse.

For as long as he can recall, Emmett has been drawn to books, even though they are strictly forbidden. Bookbinding is a sacred calling, Seredith informs her new apprentice, and he is a binder born. Under the old woman’s watchful eye, Emmett learns to hand-craft the elegant leather-bound volumes. Within each one they will capture something unique and extraordinary: a memory. If there’s something you want to forget, a binder can help. If there’s something you need to erase, they can assist. Within the pages of the books they create, secrets are concealed and the past is locked away. In a vault under his mentor’s workshop rows upon rows of books are meticulously stored.

But while Seredith is an artisan, there are others of their kind, avaricious and amoral tradesman who use their talents for dark ends—and just as Emmett begins to settle into his new circumstances, he makes an astonishing discovery: one of the books has his name on it. Soon, everything he thought he understood about his life will be dramatically rewritten.

An unforgettable novel of enchantment, mystery, memory, and forbidden love, The Binding is a beautiful homage to the allure and life-changing power of books—and a reminder to us all that knowledge can be its own kind of magic.

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

Monday, October 15, 2018

All Things Halloween Review - Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (Harry Potter, # 8)

By: JK Rowling, Jack Thorne, John Tiffany

Publication: July 31st 2016 by Little, Brown

343 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Magic

Source: Own/Personal 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--Based on an original new story by J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne and John Tiffany, a new play by Jack Thorne, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is the eighth story in the Harry Potter series and the first official Harry Potter story to be presented on stage. The play will receive its world premiere in London’s West End on July 30, 2016.

It was always difficult being Harry Potter and it isn’t much easier now that he is an overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic, a husband and father of three school-age children.

While Harry grapples with a past that refuses to stay where it belongs, his youngest son Albus must struggle with the weight of a family legacy he never wanted. As past and present fuse ominously, both father and son learn the uncomfortable truth: sometimes, darkness comes from unexpected places.

Husband bought me Harry Potter and the Cursed Child when it published. However he bought me the hardback copy (which I would have told him is the version I wanted had he asked, but he surprised me). Yet reading a physical copy of a book is just about impossible for me right now. What reading I do is mostly done on my phone a page here and there throughout my day, 15 minutes here while nursing the baby, and another 15 there before bed. And that's why I put off reading this book for so long. I actually ended up borrowing this from the elibrary just so that I could read it on my phone. And it feels good to have finally read this finale.

I didn't have high expectations for this continuation. That's mostly because I always worry that a series that has ended doesn't always need to be revisited (even the ones I loved the most). Sometimes the original ending is where things need to stay and let our imaginations fill in the rest. So I just went in with low expectations and that being said I really ended up enjoying Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.

The old gang was much more involved in the story than I originally expected. While I assumed they would be present in the parental nature, I didn't expect the roles to be as prominent as they were. The story is as much about Harry's relationship with his son Albus as it is anything else. I enjoyed the fan service included throughout. I was pleasantly surprised with Draco's role and how much his character has changed since we last saw him. While I did enjoy this change if I'm being honest it is hard for me to imagine him this far changed from who we're used to seeing. In the same way I was surprised with how much of a role the old gang had in the story, I was also surprised with how little of a role Harry's other kids (James and Lily) and even Ron and Hermione's kids had.

Albus and Scorpius form the other main section of story. It isn't easy being the son of Harry Potter. Nor the son of Draco Malfoy. These two bond over their lack of other friends. I was quite concerned that the writers were going to turn the friendship between these two boys into more but I'm so glad that wasn't the case. They do have a bit of a David and Johnathan kind of closeness between them which I really appreciated seeing. I love stories about deep friendship.

I was also unsure about the villian of this story. Because this is a single story, the writers didn't have time to build up an evil to rival Voldemort who was complex and slowly revealed over the course of seven books. I didn't want old V to be the villian of this story also considering everything our characters did to defeat him in the original 7 books. I was happy with how things worked out even if they weren't completely unpredictable.

The most important part ofHarry Potter and the Cursed Child was the father/son relationship between Harry and Albus for me. There were parts that had me concerned about the direction of this story and the characters but in the end I was happy with how all the pieces played out. Throughout the majority of the book I was thinking I'd probably only give this 3 Stars, but the ending brought it up to 4 Stars for me. Have you read Harry Potter and the Cursed Child? What did you think? Let me know!

This review is part of my All Things Halloween event--a month of paranormal, supernatural, mystery/thriller, etc reviews and books.

Sunday, October 14, 2018

Sunday Post - 10/14/18

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.

Tuesday was fall break for Little Girl so I took her to the park. Wednesday was Husband's birthday so Little Girl and I made him cupcakes. It rained all day due to Hurricane Michael. We weren't close enough to be in any danger, but it did rain the entire day. Praying for all of those who suffered damage or injuries. I've spent all my free time this week (and next) cleaning house as we're having a party on Saturday.

My annual "All Things Halloween" event started Monday. This is my month-long event where I feature reviews from Halloween-y genres (fantasy, paranormal, supernatural, sci-fi, horror, mystery, thriller, and suspense). Over the last few years I've had mostly fantasy books as I just haven't been in the mood for much horror, but still...these are books that can get you in the mood for Halloween.

THIS PAST WEEK:

Monday: All Things Halloween Review of The Last Star (The 5th Wave, # 3) by Rick Yancey (3 Stars)
Tuesday: Top Ten Longest Books I've Read
Wednesday: Can't Wait for Crown of Feathers (Crown of Feathers, # 1) by Nicki Pau Preto

UPCOMING THIS WEEK:

Monday: All Things Halloween Review of Harry Potter & the Cursed Child (Harry Potter, # 8) by JK Rowling
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!

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!

Wednesday, October 10, 2018

Can't Wait for Crown of Feathers

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.

Crown of Feathers (Crown of Feathers, # 1)

By: Nicki Pau Preto

Expected Publication: February 12th 2019 by Simon Pulse

496 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--I had a sister, once…

In a world ruled by fierce warrior queens, a grand empire was built upon the backs of Phoenix Riders—legendary heroes who soared through the sky on wings of fire—until a war between two sisters ripped it all apart.

I promised her the throne would not come between us.

Sixteen years later, Veronyka is a war orphan who dreams of becoming a Phoenix Rider from the stories of old. After a shocking betrayal from her controlling sister, Veronyka strikes out alone to find the Riders—even if that means disguising herself as a boy to join their ranks.

But it is a fact of life that one must kill or be killed. Rule or be ruled.

Just as Veronyka finally feels like she belongs, her sister turns up and reveals a tangled web of lies between them that will change everything. And meanwhile, the new empire has learned of the Riders’ return and intends to destroy them once and for all.

Sometimes the title of queen is given. Sometimes it must be taken.

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

Tuesday, October 9, 2018

Ten Longest Books I've Read

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 Longest Books I've Read.

  1. The Holy Bible by God - I'm going on my 7th year in a row reading the Bible through. Depending on which version you choose, you're looking at 1500ish pages.
  2. A Storm of Swords (A Song of Ice and Fire, # 3) by George R R Martin - 1177 pages
  3. A Dance with Dragons (A Song of Ice and Fire, # 5) by George R R Martin - 1125 pages
  4. A Feast for Crows (A Song of Ice and Fire, # 4) by George R R Martin - 1061 pages
  5. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Harry Potter, # 5) by JK Rowling - 870 pages
  6. A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire, # 1) by George R R Martin - 848 pages
  7. Winter (The Lunar Chronicles, # 4) by Marissa Meyer - 827 pages
  8. A Clash of Kings (A Song of Ice and Fire, # 2) by George R R Martin -784 pages
  9. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Harry Potter, # 7) by JK Rowling - 759 pages
  10. Breaking Dawn (Twilight, # 4) by Stephenie Meyer - 756 pages

Which books are the longest that you've read? Let me know!

Monday, October 8, 2018

All Things Halloween Review - The Last Star

The Last Star (The 5th Wave, # 3)

By: Rick Yancey

Published: May 24th 2016 by G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers

338 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction, Post-Apocalyptic, Dystopian

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository )

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

Goodreads description--The enemy is Other. The enemy is us.

They’re down here, they’re up there, they’re nowhere. They want the Earth, they want us to have it. They came to wipe us out, they came to save us.

But beneath these riddles lies one truth: Cassie has been betrayed. So has Ringer. Zombie. Nugget. And all 7.5 billion people who used to live on our planet. Betrayed first by the Others, and now by ourselves.

In these last days, Earth’s remaining survivors will need to decide what’s more important: saving themselves…or saving what makes us human.

I've had The Last Star in my possession for about two years. Well...a year and a half at least. Regardless. I've put off reading it until just now because I'd seen ratings start to come in shortly after release date that were only mediocre. And this was so disheartening for me. I loved The 5th Wave and while The Infinite Sea had a slow start for me, I still really enjoyed it. Often when I see a book have mediocre ratings it lowers my expectations and then I end up enjoying it more than I expected to, but that's not always how things happen. Of course, sometimes the mediocre ratings lower my expectations and I only end up agreeing with everyone else. And unfortunately that's what happened with The Last Star for me.

A large part of my frustration with this book is my own fault. Due to the amount of time between when I read The Infinite Sea and when I read The Last Star, I'd forgotten so much of what happened that I felt utterly lost when I started this book. Unfortunately I never ended up feeling like I fully knew what was going on. I mean obviously by the end I knew but there were things that characters did or said where it was as if the reader should just know what they were talking about and I couldn't figure out if this was because I'd forgotten so much information from the previous book or if it was due to the author just not doing the best job fleshing everything out in a way that made the most sense.

I'd say the overall theme of The Last Star was self-sacrifice. I was initially hesitant to bring this up because I didn't want anyone to feel like I was ruining the ending of the book, but truly this theme runs from action to action throughout the entire book. While I love my happily-ever-afters, I don't immediately hate a book when a character goes self-sacrifice as long as it is legitimate and not self-sabotage. I mean I didn't rage against Allegiant because Tris died in the end. I hated that it had to happen, but to me, it actually made sense. And that's essentially how I felt with all of the self-sacrificing acts throughout The Last Star.

I didn't love how Cassie suddenly seemed to question Evan and his feelings for her despite everything that he's done for her in the past. Yet I almost feel like this was needed for all of those readers who were completely grossed out by the idea of Cassie and Evan considering he's an alien at all. And how that played out ended up feeling predictable to me.

I struggled a bit with Ringer and her story line as some things were just hard for me to comprehend. Sam got on my nerves. Probably mostly because I understand a 9 year old boy who has been through this level of trauma about as much I understand quantum physics. Ben was likable, but for some reason I felt a distance with him compared to how I've felt in the previous two books.

I'm not exactly sure what I would have wanted Rick Yancey to do differently in ending this story, but overall it just felt a bit anti-climatic to me. I'd read some sections quickly and be anxious to get back to them when I had to put them down and other sections felt as if they dragged on and had me trudging through.

In the end, I guess that's how I'd sum up The Last Star...anti-climatic. Again, I'm not sure if this was more my fault for forgetting so much of the previous story or because things felt too predictable to me. The characters felt a bit more flat than they have in the past, and even though I typically appreciate stories that delve into true self-sacrifice, I guess I wasn't connected enough to anyone or the story to care adequately about their sacrifices. The Last Star was a bit disappointing to me, and for that reason it gets 3 Stars. Have you read The Last Star? What did you think? Let me know!

This review is part of my All Things Halloween event--a month of paranormal, supernatural, mystery/thriller, etc reviews and books.

Sunday, October 7, 2018

Sunday Post - 10/7/18

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.

My kids seem to have caught colds again--mostly Baby Boy. Husband was off work on Wednesday so it was nice to have him home. Wednesday was also my dad's birthday. I'm still working on a side project that's cut into my reading time, but I have managed to read some this week.

My annual "All Things Halloween" event started Monday. This is my month-long event where I feature reviews from Halloween-y genres (fantasy, paranormal, supernatural, sci-fi, horror, mystery, thriller, and suspense). Over the last few years I've had mostly fantasy books as I just haven't been in the mood for much horror, but still...these are books that can get you in the mood for Halloween.

THIS PAST WEEK:

Monday: September 2018 EOM Wrap Up
Wednesday: Can't Wait for Last of Her Name by Jessica Khoury
Thursday: All Things Halloween Review of Traitor to the Throne (Rebel of the Sands, # 2) by Alwyn Hamilton (4 Stars)

UPCOMING THIS WEEK:

Monday: All Things Halloween Review of The Last Star (The 5th Wave, # 3) by Rick Yancey
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!

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!