Thursday, February 27, 2020

The Opposite of Falling Apart - Review

The Opposite of Falling Apart

By: Micah Good

Publication: February 25th 2020 by Wattpad Books

352 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary

Source: Publisher via NetGalley (Thank you!!)

( Goodreads | Book Depository )

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

Goodreads description--After losing his leg in a terrible car accident, Jonas Avery can’t wait to start over and go to college. Brennan Davis would like nothing more than to stay home and go to school, so she can keep her anxiety in check. When the two accidentally meet the summer before they move away, they’ll push each other to come to terms with what’s holding them back, even as they’re pulled closer to taking the biggest leap of all—falling in love. The Opposite of Falling Apart has more than 2.1 million reads on Wattpad.

I will be the first to admit that I do not understand anxiety. I would venture to say that a lot of people who struggle with anxiety also do not understand it because anxiety is often not logical. I have briefly struggled with feelings of anxiety while I was on a medication that wasn't right for me. But what I experienced was nothing like what Brennan experienced. I hesitate to even discuss this part in too much detail because the author briefly touches on her own anxiety issues within the acknowledgments. And I wouldn't want anything I say about Brennan to feel like a reflection upon her and her own struggles--much less anyone else who might read this review that also struggles with anxiety. It was helpful to me to be in Brennan's head and see how much of an internal battle she has going on trying to fight against her instincts, her inner dialogue, and her anxiety itself. In a lot of ways, the things that Brennan thinks to herself or worries about felt to me like things EVERYONE thinks about or wonders about. I certainly don't enjoy new situations where I don't know what to expect. Who might be there? How they might respond to me. What's expected of me. If it's a new location, where I will park. Or being able to find the place I actually need to be. I think all of that is normal. But Brennan is crippled by these thoughts and fears. She even admits that more than anything she cares entirely too much about what other people think of her. And I think that's something I've taken for granted in my own life and confidence. I think I learned early on in life that I might be a friend to many but simply not close to a ton of people because I realized that I think differently and value different things in myself and in others than a lot of the people I was growing up with did. I didn't always feel confident that others liked me, but I liked myself. And to me, that was more important. Brennan doesn't like herself (her anxiety more specifically) and that causes her to be suspicious that anyone else could or would possibly like her as well. She's constantly seeking validation, approval, and affection from others while holding herself as much at bay from them as she can. I think in other circumstances I would have flat out disliked her character because strong, confident female leads are something that I value highly in both books and in real life. I have particularly struggled with "needy" people in real life. But I feel like The Opposite of Falling Apart gave me a little bit of a new perspective on what "needy" people might be dealing within their own minds. Perhaps I will be a little more compassionate in the future. And there's not much more you can hope for from a book than for it to make you want to be a better person after reading it.

I can't say I really struggled with connecting to Jonas, but I also didn't hold him up to the same level of adoration that I often find myself feeling towards leading male characters. I think that's because Jonas is both good and flawed. Most of his flaws relate to himself and how he feels about himself since his accident and losing half of his left leg. He has a lot of anger and bitterness and sometimes that causes him to lash out at those who love him and try to help him. But honestly, I do the same. I lash out at those I love when I'm worn down, angry, or bitter too. Even though I don't mean to. Yet, I loved how he was with Brennan. He truly saw her. Beyond her anxiety. And he was the only one who seemed to really walk through it with her rather than just telling her she shouldn't be anxious. I am quite certain I'd be the one who was like "well just get over it." Or "just tell yourself XYZ instead". Like my sympathy with Brennan, I learned that amputees can have pain beyond the phantom limb pain that I think most people are familiar with. At times I would think "it's been 2 years already and you're still not walking without your crutches Jonas," but like most things, there's so much more beyond the surface level that someone who hasn't experienced a similar situation would have no way of knowing.

I will say that I would get a little frustrated with Brennan because she was all about pushing Jonas to move past his hurdles and not always respecting his own anxiety. I would have expected given her troubles that she would have been a little more understanding of his own. She pushed him beyond his comfort level more than once, and even though this is ultimately a good thing to help him grow, she shut down or retreated physically and emotionally if he ever attempted to do the same. I also got frustrated with Brennan because it seemed like so many times she could have saved herself much worry and pain by just communicating with those who love her--her parents, Jonas, and even Ambreen. And lastly, I wish that we'd been able to see a little bit more concrete steps that Brennan took to conquer her anxiety. Did she finally start taking her medication regularly? And if not that medication then another? Did she go to therapy or find a doctor that she could finally open up to about to extent of the feelings and thoughts she was dealing with?

Favorite quotes:

-"What scares you, Brennan?" Being out of control. Being known. Not being enough. Being known, and having people find out she wasn't enough, wasn't what they thought she was. Letting herself be known. and still ending up alone, with no friends, no one to love her. No one.

This quote reminds me Tauren Wells has a song called Known. The song was inspired by Timothy Kelly's statement: "To be loved and not known is comforting but superficial; to be known but not loved is our greatest fear. But to be fully known and fully loved is a lot like being loved by God."(Reference)

-Every best friend I made always had a better best friend, or always left me in the end.

I've felt like this too except for my husband who is now my best friend.

The Opposite of Falling Apart was a good book that has caused me to think more than anything. I enjoyed the reading process but it wasn't a peppy or typical cloud-nine-new-love type of book. Even though I enjoyed the reading process, it was heavier than you would expect from a book about falling in love. Of course, heavy doesn't equal bad. And it wasn't bad. It was good. I'd definitely recommend it. Yet at the same time, this might be the type of book that is good for a specific mood or a specific reader. I'm not sure. Regardless, I'm giving The Opposite of Falling Apart 4 Stars. Have you read The Opposite of Falling Apart? What did you think? Let me know!

Wednesday, February 26, 2020

Can't Wait for The Notorious Virtues

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 Notorious Virtues (The Notorious Virtues, # 1)

By: Alwyn Hamilton

Expected Publication: May 5th 2020 by Faber & Faber

368 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--Bestselling Rebel of the Sands author Alwyn Hamilton is back with a glittering thriller about a glamorous media darling, a surprise heiress, and the magical competition of a lifetime.

At sixteen, Honora “Nora” Holtzfall is the daughter of the most powerful heiress in all of Walstad. Her family controls all the money–and all the magic–in the entire country. But despite being the center of attention, Nora has always felt like an outsider. When her mother is found dead in an alley, the family throne and fortune are suddenly up for grabs, and Nora will be pitted against her cousins in the Veritaz, the ultimate magical competition for power that determines the one family heir.

But there’s a surprise contestant this time: Lotte, the illegitimate daughter of Nora’s aunt. When Lotte’s absent mother retrieves her from the rural convent she’d abandoned her to, Lotte goes from being an orphan to surrounded by family. Unfortunately, most of them want her dead.

And soon, Nora discovers that her mother’s death wasn’t random–it was murder. And the only person she can trust to uncover the truth of what happened is a rakish young reporter who despises everything Nora and her family stand for.

With everyone against her, Lotte’s last hope is hunting for the identity of her father. But the dangerous competition–and her feelings for Theo, one of the Holtzfalls’ sworn protectors–turns her world upside down.

Incredible tests, impossible choices and deadly odds await both girls. But there can only be one winner.

What are you guys waiting on this week? Let me know! (*There's conflicting release date information. I think May is for the US and August is for the UK. But I could be wrong.)

Tuesday, February 25, 2020

2020 Series Enders Reading Challenge - February Wrap Up

Time for our Monthly Wrap Up for the 2020 Series Enders Reading Challenge hosted by Sandy @ Somewhere Only We Know and Holly @ Words Fueled by Love!

Neither Sandy nor Holly finished any series enders this month.

Which series enders did you finish? Link the up below. Don't forget to include the title, your name, & your blog name (Ex: Requiem - Sandy @ Somewhere Only We Know) Also, the February giveaway runs from February 25th - March 25th. On March 25th we will use random.org and the linky entries to pull a winner.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Monday, February 24, 2020

The Work of Art - Review

The Work of Art

By: Mimi Matthews

Publication: July 23rd 2019 by Perfectly Proper Press

356 pages

Genre: Adult, Historical Fiction

Source: Personal Kindle Library

( Goodreads | Amazon )

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

Goodreads description--An Uncommon Beauty...

Hidden away in rural Devonshire, Phyllida Satterthwaite has always been considered more odd than beautiful. But in London, her oddity has made her a sensation. Far worse, it's caught the eye of the sinister Duke of Moreland--a notorious art collector obsessed with acquiring one-of-a-kind treasures. To escape the duke's clutches, she's going to need a little help.

An Unlikely Hero...

Captain Arthur Heywood's days of heroism are long past. Grievously injured in the Peninsular War, he can no longer walk unaided, let alone shoot a pistol. What use can he possibly be to a damsel in distress? He has nothing left to offer except his good name.

Can a marriage of convenience save Philly from the vengeful duke? Or will life with Arthur put her--and her heart--in more danger than ever?

Mimi Matthews does it again. And I have to be honest that I was a little worried about how much I would enjoy this book. While I love creating my own art, I'm not big into collecting and books that I've read about collectors can come off as pretentious. But let's face it, there's not much that is actually about art in this book.

Philly gets nicknamed as "the work of art" by London society gossip due to her mismatched eyes. She's one of a kind. Which is exactly what the Duke of Moreland likes to collect. Rumors abound about the Duke. If he's not able to collect the things he sets his sights on, those things seem to meet an unfortunate end. And his sights have been set on Philly. Yet she gets the coldest vibes from the Duke of Moreland. She must escape the marriage arrangement that her uncle is set upon making for her as a means of padding his own pockets.

Enter Captain Heywood. I loved everything about these two. I love how they created a genuine connection of friendship before Philly's need for him to interfere. I loved how their relationship built. ***Spoiler: I actually appreciated that these two had a true marriage from day 1 in the physical sense because I believe that to be realistic. Even couples who married for convenience still had physical marriages. Our culture wants to ensure doubly that both parties are 100% consenting to the physical deed. And while I think that's great, it isn't always realistic given the culture of all societies throughout history. ***End spoiler.***

I wasn't sure if there was going to be a lot of build-up for the conflict with the Duke of Moreland only for there to be nothing. But I was okay with how everything fell into place--even if I did spot a few pieces earlier than they were revealed.

The Work of Art wasn't anything that I was expecting it to be. But I devoured it. I enjoyed every word. I appreciated the realistic aspects that sometimes get left out of other books from this same period or similar situations. I loved the characters and their stories. Mimi Matthews has quickly become one of my favorite authors. The Work of Art gets 4.5 Stars. Have you read The Work of Art? What did you think? Let me know!

Sunday, February 23, 2020

Sunday Post & Stacking the Shelves - 02/23/20

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.

The rain. Oh my goodness, we're floating away guys. Although, many others have it worse than us because our house isn't flooded and we can still drive on the roads. Little Girl was out of school Monday for President's Day. Thursday, I had an early dentist appointment. My mom kept the kids and we hung out at her house most of the day. We did have to quickly run by the pediatrician for m son to have a urinalysis. Little Girl was running a fever Thursday night so I didn't send her to school Friday even though she was feeling better. We did go outside for a little bit. Friday was my grandmother's birthday, so Saturday we traveled to Mobile to visit her. We had a small family celebration. I love seeing how much my kids love her. She's 88 years old now.

THE PAST WEEK:

Monday: Review of The Upside of Falling by Alex Light (4 Stars)
Tuesday: My Last Ten Book Hangovers
Wednesday: Can't Wait for Wild at Heart (Wild, # 2) by KA Tucker

UPCOMING THIS WEEK:

Monday: Review of The Work of Art by Mimi Matthews
Tuesday: Top Ten Tuesday?
Wednesday: Can't Wait for Wednesday
Thursday: Review The Opposite of Falling Apart by Micah Good

Don’t forget to link up for the 2020 Series Enders Reading Challenge! You have until December 15th, 2020 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.

Chasing Lucky

By: Jenn Bennett

Expected Publication: May 5th 2020 by Simon Pulse

416 pages

Genre: Young 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--In this coming-of-age romance perfect for fans of Jenny Han and Sarah Dessen, scandal and romance collide when an ambitious teen returns to her hometown only to have her plans interrupted after falling for the town’s “bad boy”—a.k.a. her childhood best friend.

Sometimes to find the good, you have to embrace the bad.

Budding photographer Josie Saint-Martin has spent half her life with her single mother, moving from city to city. When they return to her historical New England hometown years later to run the family bookstore, Josie knows it’s not forever. Her dreams are on the opposite coast, and she has a plan to get there.

What she doesn’t plan for is a run-in with the town bad boy, Lucky Karras. Outsider, rebel…and her former childhood best friend. Lucky makes it clear he wants nothing to do with the newly returned Josie. But everything changes after a disastrous pool party, and a poorly executed act of revenge lands Josie in some big-time trouble—with Lucky unexpectedly taking the blame.

Determined to understand why Lucky was so quick to cover for her, Josie discovers that both of them have changed, and that the good boy she once knew now has a dark sense of humor and a smile that makes her heart race. And maybe, just maybe, he’s not quite the brooding bad boy everyone thinks he is… (

Maybe This Time

By: Kasie West

Publication: July 9th 2019 by Point

368 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary

Source: Personal Kindle Library (on sale $1.99)

( 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--One year. Nine events. Nine chances to . . . fall in love?

Weddings. Funerals. Barbecues. New Year's Eve parties. Name the occasion, and Sophie Evans will be there. Well, she has to be there. Sophie works for the local florist, so she can be found at every big event in her small hometown, arranging bouquets and managing family dramas.

Enter Andrew Hart. The son of the fancy new chef in town, Andrew is suddenly required to attend all the same events as Sophie. Entitled, arrogant, preppy Andrew. Sophie just wants to get her job done and finish up her sketches so she can apply to design school. But every time she turns around, there is Andrew, getting in her way and making her life more complicated. Until one day she wonders if maybe complicated isn't so bad after all . . .

Told over the course of one year and following Sophie from event to event, this delightful novel from master of romantic comedy Kasie West shows how love can blossom in unexpected places.

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, February 19, 2020

Can't Wait for Wild at Heart

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.

Wild at Heart (Wild, # 2)

By: KA Tucker

Expected Publication: March 3rd 2020 by K.A. Tucker

400 pages

Genre: Adult, Contemporary

( Goodreads | Amazon )

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

Goodreads description--From the internationally best-selling author of The Simple Wild comes the continuation of a woman’s journey to Alaska and a life she never imagined for herself.

Calla Fletcher returns to Toronto a different person, struggling to find direction and still very much in love with the rugged bush pilot she left behind. When Jonah arrives on her doorstep with a proposition she can’t dismiss, she takes the leap and rushes back to Alaska to begin their exciting future together.

But Calla soon learns that even the best intentions can lead to broken promises, and that compromise comes with a hefty price—a log cabin in interior rural Alaska that feels as isolating as the western tundra.

With Jonah gone more than he’s home, one neighbor who insists on transforming her into a true Alaskan, and another who seems more likely to shoot her than come to her aid, Calla grapples with forging her own path. In a world with roaming wildlife that has her constantly watching over her shoulder and harsh conditions that stretch far beyond the cold, dark, winter months, just stepping outside her front door can be daunting.

This is not the future Calla had in mind, leaving her to fear that perhaps she is doomed to follow in her mother’s fleeing footsteps after all.

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

Edited to add: This one actually released yesterday.

Tuesday, February 18, 2020

My Last Ten Book Hangovers

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 Most Frequent Book Hangovers.

Ok so this was kind of hard because I don't always mention book hangovers in my reviews. I often mention them in my Sunday Posts for the weekly wrap up, but it's hard to determine what I was reading prior to that week sometimes. A few of these I specifically stated in my reviews that they caused book hangovers, and a few others I'm just going off how I remember feeling after reading them.

  1. Beach Read by Emily Henry (review coming soon)
  2. A Bad Day for Sunshine (Sunshine Vicram, # 1) by Darynda Jones (review coming soon)
  3. Shadow Knights (Knights of the Realm, # 2) by Jennifer Anne Davis (review coming soon)
  4. All Your Perfects by Colleen Hoover
  5. Well Met by Jen DeLuca
  6. Tweet Cute by Emma Lord
  7. Push by Claire Wallis
  8. Mortal Heart (His Fair Assassin, # 3) by Robin LaFevers
  9. The Law of Moses (The Law of Moses, # 1) by Amy Harmon
  10. Alex, Approximately by Jenn Bennett

Which books have caused your book hangovers? Let me know!

Monday, February 17, 2020

The Upside of Falling - Review

The Upside of Falling

By: Alex Light

Expected Publication: February 18th 2020 by HarperTeen

416 pages

Genre: Young 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--It’s been years since seventeen-year-old Becca Hart believed in true love. But when her former best friend teases her for not having a boyfriend, Becca impulsively pretends she’s been secretly seeing someone.

Brett Wells has it all. Being captain of the football team and one of the most popular guys in school, he should have no problem finding someone to date, but he’s always been more focused on his future than who to bring to prom. When he overhears Becca’s lie, Brett decides to step in and be her mystery guy. It’s the perfect solution: he gets people off his back for not dating and she can keep up the ruse.

Acting like the perfect couple isn’t easy though, especially when you barely know the other person. But with Becca still picking up the pieces from when her world was blown apart years ago and Brett just barely holding his together now, they begin to realize they have more in common than they ever could have imagined. When the line between real and pretend begins to blur, they are forced to answer the question: is this fake romance the realest thing in either of their lives?

When I started The Upside of Falling, things set off in a completely cliche direction. The bookworm and the quarterback fall in love. But it didn't take long to get hooked into the story and characters.

After Becca's parents divorced, she lost her belief in love. She still enjoys reading romance novels as it's okay for love to exist in fiction. It is fiction after all. But in real life...everyone leaves. And what's worse, Becca has no explanation for why her family fell apart. Her parents never argued. Just one day her Dad left and never came back. Yet she's been watching his house on occasion and knows he's living his life and moving on even though he's not a part of her life anymore. At the same time, Becca's ex-best friend just up and decided a couple of years ago that popularity was more important than Becca. And she never really got an explanation there either.

For Brett, his family has it all. His parents are in love. They're well off. He's captain and quarterback of the football team with intentions to play college ball. Yet even though we might each find ourselves on the hilltop, we will all at some time find ourselves in the valley. And Brett's world is starting to implode.

There were many mirroring situations. Becca's parents' relationship was a mirror of Brett's. And Becca's ability to reconcile with Jenny was a mirror of her inability to reconcile with her father.

On a personal level, reading about the challenges that Brett's parents go through was really difficult and emotional for me. I've discussed before that my family has been touched by infidelity, and so reading through this brought back a lot of old memories and emotions that I truly prefer not to relive. I did feel like there were some pieces of their story that didn't make sense to me. But these things revolved around information that Brett didn't have and therefore the reader also wouldn't have. Those pieces weren't part of the purpose of this book, but I couldn't help but latch onto them.

On the other hand, I was impressed with how well of a job The Upside of Falling did in showing the negative effects of divorce on a child. In today's society, divorce is rampant. And because of that, it is often played off like it's normal and that children are unaffected by, or even happy with, their parents' divorce. But Becca's spent six years struggling with her feelings and questions she doesn't (and never will) have an answer for. Brett feels like his entire world is falling apart and school just isn't quite important in the wake of his family problems.

I also wanted to briefly discuss how frequently books attack sympathy. I feel like I need to do a Mountains Out of Molehills post about this. But briefly, I'll just say that sympathy is not a negative thing. Someone telling you that they're sorry that you're going through a difficult time is not wrong. It's not bad. It's not pity. No, it might not be that person's fault that you're experiencing a difficult situation, but that doesn't mean that they can't be genuinely sad that you're dealing with something difficult. We need more sympathy and empathy and caring among each other, and I really wish authors would stop perpetuating negative thoughts surrounding someone offering sympathy to another human being.

I also struggled with Becca's reaction to her books at the end of the story. She does realize that she'd overreacted. But it almost felt like an attack against book readers which isn't really the right message to send considering your target market (other readers).

There was also another Mountains Out of Molehills moment when Jenny mentions that the entire school assumes she's straight. She goes on to say that she's not sure. But aside from this being completely unnecessary to include given that it furthers the story in no way whatsoever, why would the characters not assume that Jenny was straight given that she's dated guys extensively according to previous information given in the book.

The Upside of Falling ended up being better than I expected it to be. I teared up one time and had to put it down long enough to pull myself together a little. I wish I'd have known that cheating would be a prominent conflict point so I could have prepared myself accordingly--although I likely wouldn't have picked this up had I known this ahead of time. I did have a few Mountains Out of Molehills issues. But overall, I loved the story between Brett and Becca. I'm a sucker for fake relationships that turn real. The Upside of Falling gets 4 Stars. Have you read The Upside of Falling? What did you think? Let me know!

Sunday, February 16, 2020

Sunday Post & Stacking the Shelves - 02/16/20

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.

The full moon had my kids acting like lunatics this week. Did anyone else experience any craziness? Sunday night we took my mother-in-law out to dinner. That was nice. Monday through Wednesday were normal days. We did get to walk as it wasn't raining during our normal walking time, but it was way too wet to play outside. Thursday my mom came to spend the day with us. She's retired now so I expect we'll be seeing her a lot more. We also had the HVAC people come to do our routine maintenance. Friday, Little Girl had a Valentine's Day party at school. So cute. I said last week that I'd had a stretch of "blah" books, but when I looked back at what I've been reading this year, I think they've been better than I was feeling last week. And that's actually the problem. It's not that I've been reading "blah" books, but I've been battling a book hangover from a really good book is more the problem. Although there is 100% one blah book in there, and I've DNF'd one this week though so that was a bummer.

THE PAST WEEK:

Monday: Review of The Number of Love (The Codebreakers, # 1) by Roseanna M White (4 Stars)
Tuesday: Favorite Hate to Love Relationships
Wednesday: Can't Wait for Where to Lost Wander by Amy Harmon
Thursday: Review of On Wings of Devotion (The Codebreakers, # 2) by Roseanna M White (4 Stars)

UPCOMING THIS WEEK:

Monday: Review of The Upside of Falling by Alex Light
Tuesday: Top Ten Tuesday?
Wednesday: Can't Wait for Wednesday

Don’t forget to link up for the 2020 Series Enders Reading Challenge! You have until December 15th, 2020 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.

The Opposite of Falling Apart

By: Micah Good

Expected Publication: February 25th 2020 by Wattpad Books

352 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary

Source: Publisher via NetGalley (Thank you!!)

( Goodreads | Book Depository )

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

Goodreads description--After losing his leg in a terrible car accident, Jonas Avery can’t wait to start over and go to college. Brennan Davis would like nothing more than to stay home and go to school, so she can keep her anxiety in check. When the two accidentally meet the summer before they move away, they’ll push each other to come to terms with what’s holding them back, even as they’re pulled closer to taking the biggest leap of all—falling in love. The Opposite of Falling Apart has more than 2.1 million reads on Wattpad.

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, February 13, 2020

On Wings of Devotion - Review

On Wings of Devotion (Codebreakers, # 2)

By: Roseanna M White

Publication: January 7th 2020 by Bethany House Publishers

400 pages

Genre: Historical Fiction, Christian Fiction, Adult

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--All of England thinks Phillip Camden a monster--a man who deliberately caused the deaths of his squadron. But as nurse Arabelle Denler watches the so-dubbed "Black Heart" every day, she sees something far different: a hurting man desperate for mercy. And when their paths twist together and he declares himself her new protector, she realizes she has her own role to play in his healing.

Phillip Camden would have preferred to die that day with his squadron rather than be recruited to the Admiralty's codebreaking division. The threats he receives daily are no great surprise and, in his opinion, well deserved. What comes as a shock is the reborn desire to truly live that Arabelle inspires in him.

But when an old acquaintance shows up and seems set on using him in a plot that has the codebreakers of Room 40 in a frenzy, new affections are put to the test.

I enjoyed The Number of Love, but it was a little slow to get going for me. The romance was atypical due to a main female character that is so mathematical and logic-focused. So even though I liked it, I wasn't sure I was going to continue the series, but the opportunity to get Camden's story pulled me in. And I'm so glad that I did.

Normally I find myself connecting to the male characters in books a little easier than the female characters. Or maybe the better way to say that is that I find myself more critical of the female characters. Sometimes that's simply the difference of the female typically being the narrator. Regardless, I absolutely loved Ara. She is the exact type of character I love to root for. While I couldn't fathom her agreement to marry without love, I understood her motivation to create a stable family so she wouldn't be alone. What I loved most about her was her continued choice to do the right and good thing despite how it might affect her personally. I appreciated the personal struggles that she worked to overcome. Like Margot, Ara has a strong relationship with God, and she follows the inclinations that He gives her.

Oh Camden. So much that he had to work through. I almost feel like I need to re-read this book now that I know his story. He came from such a dark place. Ara is sure that God is working on Camden--wearing him down and calling him back to Himself. I don't want to say too much because his story is so essential to the twists and turns which would be spoilers to reveal.

Unlike Das Gespenst from The Number of Love, Denzille's story was more interesting. I appreciated that her pieces weren't completely hidden from the reader. It's frustrating enough to jump from the main characters to a side story so at least it was easier to see how she fit into the overall story.

Favorite quotes:

-If you want to be healed, He’d whispered into her heart when she was around Cassandra’s age, then heal others.

-“I don’t think God has much to do with this particular situation.” Jeremy wasn’t fazed. He just turned to watch for whatever auto might appear through the bare-limbed trees lining their drive. “Your ignorance is showing, brother. God has much to do with everything.”

-“Avoid Him as you may, I daresay even you have heard the story in the Gospels of the rich young ruler and how difficult it is for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”“Always found it absurd. If everyone goes about giving away all they have—”“He does not ask everyone to give all they have. But if He does, are we willing? Truly willing?” She shook her head. “Whatever He asks of us, whether it be a fortune or a pittance or our time or our devotion, we can be sure it will be painful. Cutting out what stands between us and God always is. But we can also trust that in the giving, we’ll gain something far more precious.”

-“You know it’s true. You know you need Him.” Blast, but he could drown in those eyes. “I need you.” She shook her head. “Don’t put that responsibility on me. I’ll fail you— people cannot help but fail. Not to mention . . .” She narrowed those eternal eyes at him. “How exactly can you claim you care nothing for matters of faith if they’re part of what you stand here claiming to love about me?”

-“Perhaps you should instead praise Him for using the cruelest of circumstances to achieve the brightest of miracles.”

On Wings of Devotion was more enjoyable in every way than I expected. I found myself wanting to seek out other books written by Roseanna M White which is one of the best compliments I can give On Wings of Devotion. I'm giving this 4 Stars, and I'm excited about the final book in the series to come. Have you read On Wings of Devotion? What did you think? Let me know!

Wednesday, February 12, 2020

Can't Wait for Where the Lost Wander

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.

Where the Lost Wander

By: Amy Harmon

Expected Publication: April 28th 2020 by Lake Union Publishing

348 pages

Genre: New Adult, 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 this epic and haunting love story set on the Oregon Trail, a family and their unlikely protector find their way through peril, uncertainty, and loss.

The Overland Trail, 1853: Naomi May never expected to be widowed at twenty. Eager to leave her grief behind, she sets off with her family for a life out West. On the trail, she forms an instant connection with John Lowry, a half-Pawnee man straddling two worlds and a stranger in both.

But life in a wagon train is fraught with hardship, fear, and death. Even as John and Naomi are drawn to each other, the trials of the journey and their disparate pasts work to keep them apart. John’s heritage gains them safe passage through hostile territory only to come between them as they seek to build a life together.

When a horrific tragedy strikes, decimating Naomi’s family and separating her from John, the promises they made are all they have left. Ripped apart, they can’t turn back, they can’t go on, and they can’t let go. Both will have to make terrible sacrifices to find each other, save each other, and eventually…make peace with who they are.

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

Tuesday, February 11, 2020

Favorite Hate to Love Relationships

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 Love Freebie. I chose Hate to Love Relationships.
  1. Katy & Daemon - Lux series by Jennifer L Armentrout
  2. Duval & Ismae - Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers
  3. Warner & Juliette - Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
  4. Jonah & Calla - The Simple Wild by KA Tucker
  5. Dexter & Reid - Shadow Knights (Knights of the Realm, # 2) by Jennifer Anne Davis - Wishful thinking because we haven't gotten to love yet.
  6. Aria & Perry - Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi
  7. Margaret & Gregory - Promised by Leah Garriott
  8. Sunshine & Levi - A Bad Day for Sunshine by Darynda Jones - Again wishful thinking here since we haven't gotten far enough to determine if there will be a love come from this hate relationship.
  9. Sidney & Asher - Meet Me at Midnight by Jessica Pennington
  10. Alex & Laura - A Convenient Fiction by Mimi Matthews
  11. Quinn & Grayson - How to Speak Boy by Tiana Smith
  12. Jack & Pepper - Tweet Cute by Emma Lord
  13. Emily & Simon - Well Met by Jen DeLuca
  14. Alex & Brittany - Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles
  15. Maggie & Caleb - Leaving Paradise by Simone Elkeles
  16. Noah & Echo - Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry
  17. Gus & January - Beach Read by Emily Henry

Which books are on your favorite hate to love relationship lists? Let me know!

Monday, February 10, 2020

The Number of Love - Review

The Number of Love (Codebreakers, # 1)

By: Roseanna M. White

Publication: June 4th 2019 by Bethany House Publishers

400 pages

Genre: Adult, Historical Fiction, Christian 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--Three years into the Great War, England’s greatest asset is their intelligence network—field agents risking their lives to gather information, and codebreakers able to crack every German telegram. Margot De Wilde thrives in the environment of the secretive Room 40, where she spends her days deciphering intercepted messages. But when her world is turned upside down by an unexpected loss, for the first time in her life numbers aren’t enough.

Drake Elton returns wounded from the field, followed by an enemy that just won’t give up. He’s smitten quickly by the too-intelligent Margot, but how to convince a girl who lives entirely in her mind that sometimes life’s answers lie in the heart?

Amidst biological warfare, encrypted letters, and a German spy who wants to destroy not just them, but others they love, Margot and Drake will have to work together to save them all from the very secrets that brought them together.

I requested The Number of Love on a whim. I liked the description, but I'm not typically big into spy books or this time period. But something about it drew me in. I ended up putting off reading it because of this. But I'm glad that I ended up reading it when I did.

Sometimes I struggle with characters and people who base so much of their beliefs on science. But I suppose I've never encountered a character that did the same with math. And you know what? I actually ended up liking Margot because of her relationship with math. I also appreciated her relationship with God which involved math as well. It's just how she thinks and processes information.

I loved Drake as well. His understanding of Margot and how her brain works was the most endearing trait. The side characters were bright and complex. I appreciated each one and what they each brought to the story.

I certainly didn't predict each piece of this story which is a good thing. The Number of Love does have a love story, but it took a while to get going and I often thought that piece wasn't the focus of the story. The Number of Love gets 4 Stars even if I don't feel like my review is showing off it's merits as well as I'd like. I enjoyed the romance and the unique way Margot sees the world. Have you read The Number of Love? What did you think? Let me know!