Tuesday, March 31, 2020

March 2020 EOM Wrap Up

I have read 7 books (not including children's books). *These qualify for the 2020 Series Enders Reading Challenge.
The House at the End of the Moor by Michelle Griep
The Marriage Game by Sara Desai
*Hidden Knights (Knights of the Realm, # 3) by Jennifer Anne Davis
Making a Play (The Field Party, # 5) by Abbi Glines
The Perfect Escape (The Perfect Escape, # 1) by Suzanne Park
*Selah (The Sugar Baron's Daughter, # 3) by Lisa T Bergren
Today Tonight Tomorrow by Rachel Lynn Solomon

I have reviewed 6 books. *These qualify for the 2019 Series Enders Reading Challenge.
The Runaway Bride (The Bride Ships, # 2) by Jody Hedlund
Bone Crier's Moon (Bone Grace, # 1) by Kathryn Purdie
Regretting You by Colleen Hoover
Shadow Knights (Knights of the Realm, # 2) by Jennifer Anne Davis
A Bad Day for Sunshine (Sunshine Vicram, # 1) by Darynda Jones (with Giveaway)

Other Posts:
Sunday Post & Stacking the Shelves - 03/01/20
Sunday Post & Stacking the Shelves - 03/08/20
Sunday Post & Stacking the Shelves - 03/15/20
Sunday Post & Stacking the Shelves - 03/22/20
Sunday Post & Stacking the Shelves - 03/29/20
Five-Star One-Word-Title Books
Top Ten Spring 2020 TBR List
Can't Wait for Hidden Knights (Knights of the Realm, # 3) by Jennifer Anne Davis
Can't Wait for The Raven and the Dove (The Raven and the Dove, # 1) by Kaitlyn Davis
Can't Wait for If I Never Met You by Mhairi McFarlane
Can't Wait for A Cuban Girl's Guide to Tea and Tomorrow by Laura Taylor Namey
Can't Wait for A Proper Charade by Esther Hatch
2020 Series Enders Reading Challenge - March Wrap Up
February 2020 EOM Wrap Up
Happy 9th Blogoversary Giveaway

Goals:
I am 17 days ahead on of schedule my Bible-in-a-year plan.
I've read 23 out of 52 books (including children's books).
I've read 4 out of 5-10 series enders.

Monday, March 30, 2020

A Bad Day for Sunshine - Review & Giveaway

A Bad Day for Sunshine (Sunshine Vicram, # 1)

By: Darynda Jones

Expected Publication: April 7th 2020 by St. Martin's Press

400 pages

Genre: Adult, Mystery

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--New York Times bestselling author Darynda Jones is back with the brand-new snarky, sassy, wickedly fun Sunshine Vicram series!

Sheriff Sunshine Vicram finds her cup o’ joe more than half full when the small village of Del Sol, New Mexico, becomes the center of national attention for a kidnapper on the loose.

Del Sol, New Mexico is known for three things: its fry-an-egg-on-the-cement summers, its strong cups of coffee—and a nationwide manhunt? Del Sol native Sunshine Vicram has returned to town as the elected sheriff--an election her adorably meddlesome parents entered her in--and she expects her biggest crime wave to involve an elderly flasher named Doug. But a teenage girl is missing, a kidnapper is on the loose, and all of it's reminding Sunny why she left Del Sol in the first place. Add to that trouble at her daughter’s new school and a kidnapped prized rooster named Puff Daddy, and Sunshine has her hands full.

Enter sexy almost-old-flame Levi Ravinder and a hunky US Marshall, both elevens on a scale of one to blazing inferno, and the normally savvy sheriff is quickly in over her head. Now it’s up to Sunshine to juggle a few good hunky men, a not-so-nice kidnapping miscreant, and Doug the ever-pesky flasher. And they said coming home would be drama-free.

I was worried how much I would enjoy the Sunshine Vicram series because chances were slim that it could live up to how much I enjoyed the Charley Davidson series. But you guys, Darynda Jones started the Sunshine Vicram series off with a bang. Darynda Jones has written these characters and this story in a similar enough way to the Charley Davidson series to follow it's success yet distinct enough to be able to stand on its own.

I need to spend a little time breaking down the similarities and differences between these two series so far and then I'll circle back to some general thoughts about this book alone.

Sunshine has snark and wit but in a different way than Charley. She's a sheriff, so she's in law enforcement and solves crimes, which is similar to Charley. But Charley wasn't limited to the red tape as a PI. And she also had that advantage of being able to see and talk to the dead to help her. Sunshine simply has to follow the evidence.

Auri is similar to Amber. She's a little older. And she's more involved. She's a problem solver and almost seems like she can't help discovering secrets and putting pieces together that others would keep from her. At times, I liked Auri's story and pieces better than Sunshine's. (But not always.) And unlike Amber, Auri is also a narrator whereas we only had Charley's POV in the other series.

Quincy would be Sunshine's Cookie. Best friend extraordinaire. Partner in crime-solving. Unlike Cookie and Charley, Sunshine and Quincy go back to elementary school. Quincy also envelopes some Garrett-like qualities. I pretty much loved everything about him.

Levi would be the equivalent of Reyes in this story. Reyes started out not only in prison but also in a coma. Levi is very much awake, moving around, and involved in this installment, but the reader isn't supposed to feel 100% sure where he stands. Is he good or bad? Savior or attacker? Very similar to the Reyes set up, but his character is still different even if there are many similarities.

And again, similar to the Charley Davidson series Sunshine has multiple mysteries to solve within one book. Some take a bigger role than others. Some are only hinted at in an attempt to set up for the future of the series. And her multitasking was on point with Charley's.

And now that I've utterly compared the two series, I have to say that my desire for a Beep spin-off is so strong that I was trying my hardest to twist this series into that. I was searching each clue, in the beginning, to find out if this would end up being just that or if the two series would cross at any point. And I'm happy to report that there was definitely a nod to Charley at one point which means that the two series potentially exist within the same world. And if this is true, then I NEED Charley to make a cameo at some point within the future books of this series.

Now other bits...

Sunshine has an intense history and I feel like we were exposed to a good portion of it within this first book. I feel like I know her quite well already which says a lot about Darynda Jones' writing skills. Past, present, and future potential were all addressed. I'm so excited about the potential of the books in this series. (Does anyone know how many there will be?)

Auri and Cruz filled the biggest romantic relationship of this book even though there's both history and future potential with Sunshine and Levi. I just love Cruz (maybe more than sweet Quinton of Charley Davidson). He can handle himself. He doesn't scare easily or flinch at the things going on in Auri's life. At times, Auri was a bit much for me both in her emotions and in her involvement in the actual case that Sunshine was working. However, I'm stretching to complain about this.

My one legit complaint is that at times the information was coming at me too quickly that I felt like information was missing or not spelled out enough. I had moments (multiple but each quickly resolved) where I thought "wait, what just happened?" Or "did I skip a page?" Maybe I was so caught up in what was happening that I misread but when I re-read each time I didn't miss anything, I just had to keep reading and put the context clues together. The narration switch was also something that I kept having to back up and figure out if we'd swapped narrators because the switch wasn't always obvious. Granted, maybe this is on purpose since the narration does merge in one small part.

Ultimately, I absolutely loved the first installment of the Sunshine Vicram series. Because of my history reading Darynda Jones'other work, I feel confident in the excitement for the upcoming books, whereas someone who might be new to Darynda Jones might need more (future books in the series) to be able to feel the same level of excitement. Either way, I'm dying for the next book, and I am so thankful that I was able to binge the Charley Davidson series. I hope this series will be longer than 3 books but not quite 13 books long. Darynda Jones took all of the successful parts of the Charley Davidson series and used them in a similar but different enough way to feel like a unique entity as it should. A Bad Day for Sunshine gets 4.5 Stars. Have you read A Bad Day for Sunshine? What did you think? Let me know!

I actually won a copy of A Bad Day for Sunshine from Goodreads at the same time I received my approval for my review request. I will be giving away the paperback copy that Goodreads sent me. Just enter the giveaway form below to participate.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sunday, March 29, 2020

Sunday Post & Stacking the Shelves - 03/29/20

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.

This week has been better than last. My kids seem to be rolling with the flow on our self-quarantine. They did wonder why I did a grocery pick up order instead of going into the store, but they don't usually go grocery shopping with me anyway. We've been able to get outside and play every day. The weather has been wonderful. Signs of Spring are everywhere we look. Some bulbs we planted are really blooming. The bees and mosquitoes are out in full force. The grass is growing and trees are full of green leaves again. Pollen is in the air and on every surface outside. But truth be told, none of that is complaints. We have much to be thankful for. Even in the midst of this huge shut down (world wide just about), we are still fed. My family is still healthy (although I know that isn't the case for many). And we are working to strengthen our family connections all around. I do have a giveaway coming up for a book I received a duplicate of, but I also have two that publishers sent me unrequested that I've decided to giveaway. I originally thought I might read them eventually, but both are in the middle of a series and just aren't at the top of my priority list. So I hope to bless someone else with them during this time of quarantine. Be on the look out for those giveaways coming soon.

THE PAST WEEK:

Monday: Review of Shadow Knights (Knights of the Realm, # 2) by Jennifer Anne Davis (4.5 Stars)
Wednesday: Can't Wait for A Proper Charade by Esther Hatch & 2020 Series Enders Reading Challenge - March Wrap Up

UPCOMING THIS WEEK:

Monday: Review & Giveaway of A Bad Day for Sunshine (Sunshine Vicram, # 1) by Darynda Jones
Tuesday: Top Ten Tuesday?
Wednesday: Can't Wait for Wednesday & March EOM Wrap Up
Thursday: Review of Selah (The Sugar Baron's Daughters, # 3) by Lisa T Bergren

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.

At Love's Command (Hanger's Horsemen, # 1)

By: Karen Witemeyer

Expected Publication: June 2nd 2020 by Bethany House Publishers

384 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--Haunted by the horrors of war, ex-cavalry officer Matthew Hanger leads a band of mercenaries known as Hanger's Horsemen who have become legends in 1890s Texas. They defend the innocent and obtain justice for the oppressed. But when a rustler's bullet leaves one of them at death's door, they're the ones in need of saving.

Dr. Josephine Burkett is used to men taking one look at her skirts and discounting her medical skills. What she's not used to is having a man change his mind in a heartbeat and offer to assist her in surgery. Matthew Hanger's dedication to his friend during recovery earns Josephine's respect, and when she hears of her brother's abduction, he becomes her only hope for rescue.

Matt has stared down ruthless outlaws, betrayal, and injury, but when a bossy lady doctor crawls under his skin, his heart is tempted to surrender. And when she is caught in the crossfire, he may have to sacrifice everything--even his team--to save her.

A Gilded Lady (Hope and Glory, # 2)

By: Elizabeth Camden

Expected Publication: June 2nd 2020 by Bethany House Publishers

352 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--Secretary to the first lady of the United States, Caroline Delacroix is at the pinnacle of high society--but is hiding a terrible secret. Immediately suspicious of Caroline, but also attracted to her, secret service agent Nathaniel Trask must battle his growing love for her as the threat to the president rises and they face adventure, heartbreak, and danger.

A Single Spark

By: Judith McCoy Miller

Expected Publication: June 2nd 2020 by Bethany House Publishers

384 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--Wanting to do her part in the Civil War effort, Clara McBride goes to work in the cartridge room at the Washington Arsenal. Her supervisor, Lieutenant Joseph Brady, is drawn to Clara but must focus on preventing explosions in the factory. When multiple shipments of cartridges fail to fire and everyone is suspect, can the spark of love between them survive?

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, March 25, 2020

2020 Series Enders Reading Challenge - March 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!

Sandy finished Hidden Knights (Knights of the Realm, # 3) by Jennifer Anne Davis. Holly hasn't 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 March giveaway runs from March 25th - April 25th. On April 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

Jessica wins this month's giveaway by default.

Can't Wait for A Proper Charade

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.

A Proper Charade

By: Esther Hatch

Expected Publication: May 1st 2020 by Covenant Communications

224 pages

Genre: Historical Fiction, Adult

( Goodreads | Amazon )

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

Goodreads description--Lady Patience Kendrick was born to a life of privilege, and with the London Season looming, she finds herself facing unprecedented pressure to adhere to the rules of society. Unfortunately, the free-spirited young woman is anything but proper. Patience's elder brother, a former military man, bemoans his sister's antics - but when he accuses her of incurable frivolity, it is simply more than she can bear. Determined to prove her brother wrong, Patience undertakes a drastic experiment: she will disguise herself as a maid and demonstrate her ability to work as hard as anyone.

Taken on as household staff by her brother's former general, Patience soon learns that willingness and ability are two very different things. While her plan sounded promising in theory, the reality is that she is out of her depth - and the irresistibly charming son of the house isn't helping matters. Patience soon finds herself embroiled in a charade far more complicated that she imagined. With both her pride and her heart at stake, she is determined to prove her brother wrong - even as her plans spiral delightfully out of control.

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

Monday, March 23, 2020

Shadow Knights - Review

Shadow Knights (Knights of the Realm, # 2)

By: Jennifer Anne Davis

Publication: December 10th 2019 by Reign Publishing

302 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy,

Source: Personal Kindle Library (Christmas gift)

( 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--As a member of the Knights of the Realm, Reid swore an oath to protect her king only to discover he harbors a traitorous agenda.

Being a woman raised in a man’s world, Reid thought becoming a Knight would give her purpose and strength. So far, it has done nothing but give her trouble. The king ordered her to spy on the Axian royal family while she prepares for her marriage—a marriage neither she nor Price Dexter wants. Once in Axian, Reid realizes she’s being used as a pawn in a decades-old political match. With the king and Knights seemingly at odds, Reid’s allegiances are torn, especially when she finds friendship in the unlikeliest of places.

As the kingdom of Marsden teeters on the brink of civil war, Reid must decide whose side she’s on—even if that means betraying her king in order to save the kingdom.

I was so excited when I read the end of Realm of Knights and saw that we were moving from a forbidden romance to a hate-to-love possibility. I couldn't quite put my finger on my issue with Gordon, but I was immediately excited about the possibility of Dexter.

Reid was excited about moving to Axian because of their views on women's equality. So different from Marsden where she had to be raised as a boy. She's happy to be able to live as she feels. But that's not what she arrives to find waiting for her in Axian. She has a role to play and it isn't being herself completely. However, the good thing for Reid is that she's being put into a position where her voice can be heard where it can make an impact...as long as she and Dexter can find a way to work together.

Dexter has a heart for his people. For doing the right thing. I wasn't always sure that his ideas or plans were what is best... but time will really tell how things play out in the future.

I enjoyed every single sentence of the journey between Reid and Dexter's journey thus far. They have to find a way to trust each other which involves shared experiences and shared love for certain people--those closest to them as well as the general public.

I feel like there is much to say about this book and story, but I don't want to spoil anything.

I really enjoyed Colbert, Gytha, Henrick, and Nara. I worry a little about Colbert and some things that I see as a possibility for the future. Gytha...I hated initially, but I grew to appreciate her and felt bad for her through the story as well. Even though, Gytha is perfectly capable in the physical realm. Henrick is one of those people who sees the best in others to a fault. He won't listen to sound counsel because he is so sure in his faith in others. Nara is just likable all around. I want to be her when I grow up.

If Hidden Knights was already published I would have bought it immediately upon finishing Shadow Knights. I got sucked in and read this story in less than 24 hours... even staying up late at night to read (which is truly rare since having kids). Shadow Knights gets 4.5 Stars. Have you read Shadow Knights? What did you think? Let me know!

Sunday, March 22, 2020

Sunday Post & Stacking the Shelves - 03/22/20

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.

This week has sucked. That is all. Hope you all have had better ones and are staying safe.

THE PAST WEEK:

Monday: Review of Regretting You by Colleen Hoover (4 Stars)
Tuesday: Top Ten Spring 2020 TBR List
Wednesday: Can't Wait for If I Never Met You by Mhairi McFarlane & Can't Wait for A Cuban Girl's Guide to Tea and Tomorrow by Laura Taylor Namey

UPCOMING THIS WEEK:

Monday: Review of Shadow Knights (Knights of the Realm, # 2) by Jennifer Anne Davis
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.

Igniting Darkness (Courting Darkness, # 2)

By: Robin LaFevers

Expected Publication: June 2nd 2020 by HMH Books for Young Readers

496 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Historical Fiction

Source: Publisher via NetGalley (Thank you!!)

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository )

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

Goodreads description--From New York Times best-selling author Robin LaFevers comes the follow up to “sharp and breathless” (Kirkus Reviews) historical fantasy Courting Darkness. Set in the world of the beloved His Fair Assassin series, this is perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo and Game of Thrones.

When you count Death as a friend, who can stand as your enemy?

Sybella, novitiate of the convent of Saint Mortain and Death’s vengeance on earth, is still reeling from her God’s own passing, and along with him a guiding hand in her bloody work. But with her sisters on the run from their evil brother and under the watchful eye of her one true friend (and love) at court, the soldier known as Beast, Sybella stands alone as the Duchess of Brittany’s protector.

After months of seeking her out, Sybella has finally made contact with a fellow novitiate of the convent, Genevieve, a mole in the French court. But when Genevieve mistakenly draws the attention of the French king to the convent of Saint Mortain and its deadly arts, she may do her sisters (and herself) more harm than good. Sybella, having already drawn the ire of the French regent, may not be able to depend on her sister and ally as much as she hoped. Still, Death always finds a way, even if it’s not what one expects.

No one can be trusted and the wolves are always waiting in this thrilling conclusion to the Courting Darkness duology, set in the world of Robin’s beloved His Fair Assassins trilogy.

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, March 18, 2020

Can't Wait for A Cuban Girl's Guide to Tea and Tomorrow

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.

A Cuban Girl's Guide to Tea and Tomorrow

By: Laura Taylor Namey

Expected Publication: October 6th 2020 by Atheneum

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--Love & Gelato meets Don’t Date Rosa Santos in this charming, heartfelt story following a Miami girl who unexpectedly finds love—and herself—in a small English town.

For Lila Reyes, a summer in England was never part of the plan. The plan was 1) take over her abuela’s role as head baker at their panadería, 2) move in with her best friend after graduation, and 3) live happily ever after with her boyfriend. But then the Trifecta happened, and everything—including Lila herself—fell apart.

Worried about Lila’s mental health, her parents make a new plan for her: Spend three months with family friends in Winchester, England, to relax and reset. But with the lack of sun, a grumpy inn cook, and a small town lacking Miami flavor (both in food and otherwise), what would be a dream trip for some feels more like a nightmare to Lila…until she meets Orion Maxwell.

A teashop clerk with troubles of his own, Orion is determined to help Lila out of her funk, and appoints himself as her personal tour guide. From Winchester’s drama-filled music scene to the sweeping English countryside, it isn’t long before Lila is not only charmed by Orion, but England itself. Soon a new future is beginning to form in Lila’s mind—one that would mean leaving everything she ever planned behind.

I enjoyed Laura Taylor Namey's prior book, The Library of Lost Things, so I definitely want to check this one out. What are you guys waiting on this week? Let me know!

Can't Wait for If I Never Met You

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.

If I Never Met You

By: Mhairi McFarlane

Expected Publication: March 24th 2020 by William Morrow Paperbacks

432 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--Bestselling author Mhairi McFarlane returns with another heartfelt romantic comedy perfect for fans of Josie Silver, Sophie Kinsella, or Sally Thorne.

If faking love is this easy... how do you know when it’s real?

When her partner of over a decade suddenly ends things, Laurie is left reeling—not only because they work at the same law firm and she has to see him every day. Her once perfect life is in shambles and the thought of dating again in the age of Tinder is nothing short of horrifying. When news of her ex’s pregnant girlfriend hits the office grapevine, taking the humiliation lying down is not an option. Then a chance encounter in a broken-down elevator with the office playboy opens up a new possibility.

Jamie Carter doesn’t believe in love, but he needs a respectable, steady girlfriend to impress their bosses. Laurie wants a hot new man to give the rumor mill something else to talk about. It’s the perfect proposition: a fauxmance played out on social media, with strategically staged photographs and a specific end date in mind. With the plan hatched, Laurie and Jamie begin to flaunt their new couple status, to the astonishment—and jealousy—of their friends and colleagues. But there’s a fine line between pretending to be in love and actually falling for your charming, handsome fake boyfriend...

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

Tuesday, March 17, 2020

Top Ten Spring 2020 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 Spring 2020 TBR List.
  1. Selah (The Sugar Baron's Daughter, # 3) by Lisa T Bergren
  2. A Castle in the Clouds by Kerstin Gier
  3. The Seventh Sun (The Age of the Seventh Sun, # 1) by Lani Forbes
  4. The Perfect Escape (Perfect Escape, # 1) by Suzanne Park
  5. You Deserve Each Other by Sarah Hogle
  6. Where the Lost Wander by Amy Harmon
  7. More than Maybe by Erin Hahn
  8. Chosen Ones (Chosen Ones, # 1) by Veronica Roth
  9. Fireborn (The Aurelian Cycle, # 1) by Rosaria Mundo
  10. Last of Her Name by Jessica Khoury

Which books are on your Spring 2020 to-be-read list? Let me know!

Monday, March 16, 2020

Regretting You - Review

Regretting You

By: Colleen Hoover

Publication: December 10th 2019 by Montlake Romance

365 pages

Genre: Contemporary, Adult, Young Adult

Source: Personal Kindle Library (Christmas gift)

( 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 #1 New York Times bestselling author of It Ends with Us comes a poignant novel about family, first love, grief, and betrayal that will touch the hearts of both mothers and daughters.

Morgan Grant and her sixteen-year-old daughter, Clara, would like nothing more than to be nothing alike.

Morgan is determined to prevent her daughter from making the same mistakes she did. By getting pregnant and married way too young, Morgan put her own dreams on hold. Clara doesn’t want to follow in her mother’s footsteps. Her predictable mother doesn’t have a spontaneous bone in her body.

With warring personalities and conflicting goals, Morgan and Clara find it increasingly difficult to coexist. The only person who can bring peace to the household is Chris—Morgan’s husband, Clara’s father, and the family anchor. But that peace is shattered when Chris is involved in a tragic and questionable accident. The heartbreaking and long-lasting consequences will reach far beyond just Morgan and Clara.

While struggling to rebuild everything that crashed around them, Morgan finds comfort in the last person she expects to, and Clara turns to the one boy she’s been forbidden to see. With each passing day, new secrets, resentment, and misunderstandings make mother and daughter fall further apart. So far apart, it might be impossible for them to ever fall back together.

Regretting You is proof that even favorite authors might go into your no-fly-reading zones. And even though I read Regretting You and can say that I enjoyed it, I wish I had known more about the subject matter upfront. That being said I feel like I need to warm others who might feel the same way that I do about the subject matter. So.... highlight for spoilers: Regretting You spends the majority of the book dealing with the after-effects of an affair. Cheating is something that has touched my family in the past and I don't enjoy reading books about this subject matter as it tends to force me to relive emotions that I'd rather leave in the past. So I wish I'd known upfront that Regretting You focused so heavily on this as I might have chosen not to read this book at all. End spoiler. That being said, I did read this and it was the parts involving Miller that saved it for me.

Morgan's side of the story hit me hard. Since becoming a mother I connect with the mothers in the stories just as much and as often as the main characters. I can't help but filter their experiences against how I think I would feel if facing the same issues or experiences. Especially watching my children experience various life events. Her story broke my heart. Yet she did such a great job of pressing on and doing the best she could. Of course, a lot of pain and drama could have been avoided with some honest communication, but that doesn't always make for an interesting story.

Clara...I went back and forth with my feelings. On the one hand, she's coping as best as she can with the information she has. Yet, she so frequently purposefully set out to hurt her mother. It broke my heart to watch. Thank goodness she finally figured things out for herself because goodness knows Morgan wasn't going to be honest with her. Yet I really enjoyed the parts of her story involving Miller...even when she didn't always treat him the way she should. It felt real even though it wasn't always pretty.

Other than the initial twist, there was nothing about Regretting You that surprised me. That initial twist though did sneak up on me.

I was talking to my sister after finishing and we both felt like we weren't quite sure why Colleen Hoover decided to tell this story in particular.

Regretting You was good. I particularly enjoyed the ending. All of the parts involving Miller. I can't discuss Jonah really without spoilers. But I will say that had I known the true subject matter of Regretting You I might have chosen not to read this book. Even still Regretting You gets 4 Stars. Have you read Regretting You? What did you think? Let me know!

Sunday, March 15, 2020

Sunday Post & Stacking the Shelves - 03/15/20

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.

My Happy 9th Blogoversary Giveaway is still going on. Be sure to head over to that post to enter for a chance to win a free e-book of your choice up to $10 (USD). Tuesday we went to visit a friend from our church family's house and spent a few hours playing and having fun. I got hit with an allergy attack that day and by that night Little Girl was coughing pretty regularly. By Wednesday, both kids were full on sick. Little Boy was running a fever and coughing. My mom came to visit Thursday because both kids seemed to be much better. I thought we were on the upswing until Friday after lunch Little Boy seemed to be having a relapse and ran fever around dinner time. Friday night was terrible. Little Boy was up every hour from 2 am until time to get up. As beautiful as the weather was Saturday, I didn't think it was wise for us to get out and play. But I know the world is kind of in a meltdown right now. I tend to try to err on the side of caution. The next few weeks should be interesting. Schools have closed at least for the duration of the month. Prayers for you all, wash your hands, stay inside, and read a book!

THE PAST WEEK:

Monday: Review of Bone Crier's Moon (Bone Grace, # 1) by Kathryn Purdie (3.5 Stars)
Wednesday: Can't Wait for The Raven and the Dove (The Raven and the Dove, # 1) by Kaitlyn Davis

UPCOMING THIS WEEK:

Monday: Review of Regretting You by Colleen Hoover
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.

Hidden Knights (Knights of the Realm, # 3)

By: Jennifer Anne Davis

Publication: March 10th 2020 by Reign Publishin

326 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--With Prince Henrick dead, a foreign army in league with the king, and the palace taken, Reid must find a way to right the wrongs for the people of Marsden.

Reid never expected to find love, friendship, or her mother in the kingdom of Axian. She also never expected to become a leader for her people. With the king threatening to overthrow the dukes and take complete control of the kingdom, Reid realizes she may be the only one in a position to stop him. With the ring her father gave her, the commanders of the army at her side, and a master schemer in league with her, Reid just might be able to pull off the greatest upset in Marsden history—all she has to do in step into the role she was born for.

To protect her kingdom, Reid must outsmart them all. Luckily, she’s spent the last eighteen year learning the art of manipulation, and she isn’t above putting those skills to the test.

Making a Play (The Field Party, # 5)

By: Abbi Glines

Publication: August 20th 2019 by Simon Pulse

320 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary

Source: Borrowed from the e-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--The fifth book in the #1 New York Times bestselling Field Party series—a southern soap opera with football, cute boys, and pick-up trucks—from USA TODAY bestselling author Abbi Glines.

Ryker Lee is finally enjoying his senior year—he has great friends, hangs out with hot girls, and is on track to get a football scholarship that will set him up for college. Despite this, a small part of him wonders if there’s more to life than parties and meaningless hookups—and if football even means as much to him as it does to his fellow teammates. And when he meets the new girl at school, his world totally changes…

Aurora McClay is new to Lawton. She’s grateful that her twin brother, Hunter, is star of the football team and can help her adjust to her new school, but she’s not grateful at how overprotective he is over every person she meets. Just because she is deaf does not mean people have to treat her differently. When she meets Ryker Lee, the two of them spark an instant and intense chemistry, one that proves to be controversial not only because of Ryker’s reputation as a player, but also because of Aurora and Hunter’s father’s bigoted views about who Aurora can and can’t date.

Aurora and Ryker know in their hearts that they are meant for each other. But can their relationship endure the turmoil of rumors and prejudice?

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!