Sunday Post - 10/30/22

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.

Little Boy is in a phase of bad behavior, especially at school lately. I don't really know what's up, but it has been challenging to say the least. So Monday he was sent home with a note about behavior at school. Tuesday night, Baby Boy started saying "ears" when I was putting him to bed. So I knew with his runny nose and his history that he probably had another ear infection. Wednesday, Little Boy had his worst behavior at school yet. Husband and I discussed it and given his general behavior over the last month and even further back than that really, we were ready to cancel his birthday party. We told him it would depend on his behavior at school on Friday. Well, Thursday came and I took Baby Boy to the doctor. He does have another ear infection. This is his third since September. And somehow his eardrum was punctured this time. So we're doing antibiotics and drops, we go back in 3 weeks for another ear check to see how it's healing. I remembered Thursday night that Friday was pumpkin patch day for Little Boy's school so he lucked out on behavior since he wasn't in the classroom and I was able to be with him to better monitor his behavior and correct anything I saw versus his teacher. The pumpkin patch was fun but chaotic. Friday afternoon and evening I went into overdrive with trying to get things done. I actually had a mini-breakdown over something that I broke Friday afternoon. I just had input overload with Baby Boy being sick and whiny, Little Boy's bad behavior, Little Girl and Little Boy bickering, the thing I broke, and all the food prep and house cleaning that needed to be done. It was almost 1 am before I finally went to bed Friday night--which is not like me at all. Saturday was great though. The kids behaved so well. Since their birthdays are so close together we had a family lunch party for both kids, and then at 3 pm we had a friend party at the local trampoline park for Little Boy's 5th birthday. I was exhausted when we got home and barely even got this post prepped before bed. Today is Little Boy's actual birthday. I truly cannot believe he is 5 years old.

THE PAST WEEK:

Monday: All Things Halloween Review of Defender of Walls (Kingdom of Walls, # 1) by Tanya Bird (4 Stars)
Tuesday: 2022 Series Enders Reading Challenge - October Wrap Up

UPCOMING THIS WEEK:

Monday: October EOM Wrap Up?
Tuesday: Top Ten Tuesday?
Wednesday: Can't Wait for Wednesday
Thursday: Review of A Daughter's Courage (Brides of Laurent, # 3) by Misty M Beller

My annual "All Things Halloween" event is ending. 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.

Don’t forget to link up for the 2022 Series Enders Reading Challenge! You have until December 15th, 2022 to sign up. Each month there will be a giveaway for those participating with an end of the year giveaway too! Click on the picture below or the link above to find out more!

NEW BOOKS:

No new books this week.

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!

2022 Series Enders Reading Challenge - October Wrap Up

Time for our Monthly Wrap Up for the 2022 Series Enders Reading Challenge hosted by Sandy @ Somewhere Only We Know and Holly @ Words Fueled by Love!

Sandy finished In Honor's Defense (Hanger's Horsemen, # 3) by Karen Witemeyer & Reforming Lord Neil (Inglewood, # 5) by Sally Britton. 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 October giveaway runs from October 25th - November 25th. On November 25th we will use random.org and the linky entries to pull a grand prize winner.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

All Things Halloween Review - Defender of Walls

Defender of Walls (Kingdom of Walls, # 1)

By: Tanya Bird

Publication: February 20th 2021 by Tanya Bird

328 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Dystopian

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--Keep her inside. Keep her alive.

Blake Suttone has a stomach full of grief and no food. A decade of famine has taken its toll on the splintered kingdom, but it is the merchants who suffer most. A wall stands between the hungry and the food, and the kingdom’s defenders stand guard atop it. Desperate times lead to desperate acts, and Blake will do whatever is necessary to ensure her family survives. But a growing attachment to a certain commander was never part of the plan. Now the man protecting the walls seems determined to guard her too.

Commander Harlan Wright was raised on a diet of training and discipline. His mind is calloused and his heart closed. These are not faults in a defender but assets. Harlan’s path is clear, until he meets a merchant girl who pulls him in a dangerous new direction. Blake might be a fighter, but she is fighting a losing battle. As the walls continue to go up, Harlan must choose between head and heart, duty and love.

This is the first book in the medieval dystopian series Kingdom of Walls. If you enjoy high-emotion romance with plenty of action, then this dark star-crossed lovers tale is for you.

For some reason I thought there would be a little more supernatural elements to this book. I guess the world is fantasy. The religion is unique to this story. Maybe that's fantasy enough. There's no magic in the first book anyway. The description labels it as medieval dystopian.

Harlan's family lives in the merchant borough of this fantasy kingdom. They run a dress shop, but from what I can tell they don't do much business. I suppose one doesn't need fancy clothes when they can't afford to buy food. From what I gathered it seems like it rains in this fantasy kingdom more often than not. I guess the constant rain is what's driving the famine. Anyway, food is scarce at the very beginning of this story and it only gets worse as the story progresses. Blake's father passed not that long ago from a heart attack (or it was said that his heart failed him). The book begins with her brother dying in a collapsed illegal tunnel. This is where Blake meets Harlan--the commander of the borough.

Harlan can see the grief pouring off of Blake at their first meeting. And well, Harlan isn't unaccustomed with grief since his mother committed suicide. He sees something in Blake that stirs his pity and compassion. And the more opportunities these two have bumping into each other the more feelings begin to develop. But a relationship between a Defender and a Merchant will not end well. These aren't just class lines being crossed. Defenders are used by the king to enforce the rules and punishments. And Blake has a family to think of. It seems the girls are hoping to marry well and by marry well that means perhaps marry a farmer, but I don't know how that would happen when the boroughs never mix or cross over to the other.

I really enjoyed the building of the relationship between Harlan and Blake. They did not have an easy path. As a matter of fact, there was one point where even I was beginning to lose hope for Blake and for their relationship. Tanya Bird did a good job building up the drama and the mountain that needed to be overcome for these two to come together. I did find a few aspects of the overall story to be shallow or not fleshed out completely. It's possible Tanya Bird would know the answer to all of my questions, but as the reader, I was left wondering about a few things I think should have been explained. At the same time, I feel like she ultimately did focus on the parts of the story that mattered the most.

Favorite quotes:

-"I just think any man who makes you see yourself as the rest of us do is a hero."

-"You don't have to stand tall and strong when I'm around. I've got you."

I wanted to keep reading Defender of Walls any time that I had to put it down. Sometimes this isn't the best thing for my family because I find myself getting crabby because all I want to do is read and I actually have wife, mother, etc. responsibilities to see to. Defender of Walls gets 4 Stars. I am looking forward to reading the next book. Have you read Defender of Walls? What did you think? Let me know!

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

Sunday Post - 10/23/22

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 temperatures dropped here this past week. We still walked almost every day, but sheesh the wind was biting. We were supposed to get family pictures made on Tuesday, but we rescheduled due to the weather. I can't say it'll be warmer when we scheduled them for, but at least it gave me time to finish getting outfits together. I wasn't happy with what I'd picked to wear so I'm breathing a sigh of relief to have a little extra time. Although Baby Boy and Little Boy both have runny noses. I'm praying it's just the weather fluctuations that have messed with them. We do not need to be in the throws of sickness during family pictures. Little Girl turned 7 years old on Thursday. Honestly, she had the best week this week. Everything just seemed to be going right for her. Little Boy has had a rough couple of days with his behavior. He does seem to be jealous that it wasn't his birthday, but sheesh he only has 10 days from her birthday to wait. He has gotten in trouble 3 days in a row for lying though. So we're trying to nip that in the bud as quickly as possible. Saturday afternoon I took the big kids to the birthday party for a little girl from our church. They had fun, but a bigger kid was being a little rough. Husband has been working on staining the desks for his office. I'm excited for that to get pulled together. This coming week starts the stressful week for me prepping and cleaning house for the double birthday parties we have on Saturday.

THE PAST WEEK:

Thursday: All Things Halloween Review of Sword of Rage (Reigning Kingdoms, # 1) by Jennifer Anne Davis (3 Stars)

UPCOMING THIS WEEK:

Monday: All Things Halloween Review of Defender of Walls (Kingdom of Walls, # 1) by Tanya Bird
Tuesday: Top Ten Tuesday
Wednesday: Can't Wait for Wednesday

My annual "All Things Halloween" event is starting. 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.

Don’t forget to link up for the 2022 Series Enders Reading Challenge! You have until December 15th, 2022 to sign up. Each month there will be a giveaway for those participating with an end of the year giveaway too! Click on the picture below or the link above to find out more!

NEW BOOKS:

The Love Match

By: Priyanka Taslim

Expected Publication: January 3rd 2023 by Salaam Reads / Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers

400 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--To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before meets Pride and Prejudice in this delightful and heartfelt rom-com about a Bangladeshi American teen whose meddling mother arranges a match to secure their family’s financial security—just as she’s falling in love with someone else. Zahra Khan is basically Bangladeshi royalty, but being a princess doesn’t pay the bills in Paterson, New Jersey. While Zahra’s plans for financial security this summer involve working long hours at Chai Ho and saving up for college writing courses, Amma is convinced that all Zahra needs is a “good match,” Jane Austen style. Enter Harun Emon, who’s wealthy, devastatingly handsome, and…aloof. As soon as Zahra meets him, she knows it’s a bad match. It’s nothing like the connection she has with Nayim Aktar, the new dishwasher at the tea shop, who just gets Zahra in a way no one has before. So, when Zahra finds out that Harun is just as uninterested in this match as she is, they decide to slowly sabotage their parents’ plans. And for once in Zahra’s life, she can have her rossomalai and eat it too: “dating” Harun and keeping Amma happy while catching real feelings for Nayim. But life—and boys—can be more complicated than Zahra realizes. With her feelings all mixed up, Zahra discovers that sometimes being a good Bengali kid can be a royal pain.

Book Lovers

By: Emily Henry

Publication: May 3rd 2022 by Berkley

384 pages

Genre: Adult, Contemporary

Source: eLibrary

( 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 summer. Two rivals. A plot twist they didn’t see coming…

Nora Stephens’ life is books—she’s read them all—and she is not that type of heroine. Not the plucky one, not the laidback dream girl, and especially not the sweetheart. In fact, the only people Nora is a heroine for are her clients, for whom she lands enormous deals as a cutthroat literary agent, and her beloved little sister Libby.

Which is why she agrees to go to Sunshine Falls, North Carolina for the month of August when Libby begs her for a sisters’ trip away—with visions of a small town transformation for Nora, who she’s convinced needs to become the heroine in her own story. But instead of picnics in meadows, or run-ins with a handsome country doctor or bulging-forearmed bartender, Nora keeps bumping into Charlie Lastra, a bookish brooding editor from back in the city. It would be a meet-cute if not for the fact that they’ve met many times and it’s never been cute.

If Nora knows she’s not an ideal heroine, Charlie knows he’s nobody’s hero, but as they are thrown together again and again—in a series of coincidences no editor worth their salt would allow—what they discover might just unravel the carefully crafted stories they’ve written about themselves.

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!

All Things Halloween Review - Sword of Rage

Sword of Rage (Reigning Kingdoms, # 1)

By: Jennifer Anne Davis

Publication: March 16th 2021 by Reign Publishing

299 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

Source: Personal Kindle Library

( Goodreads | Amazon )

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

Goodreads description--Harley has three goals—stay alive, avenge her brother’s death, and overthrow the traitorous king.

When Harley receives an invitation to the royal castle for her cousin’s birthday, she’s elated at the offer. As the queen’s niece, she’s expected to make an appearance, but this will also be her first time attending a formal function as a married woman. However, what starts as an elegant party quickly turns into a nightmare. One that flips Harley’s world upside down.

Ackley’s mission should have been simple—arrive in Melenia, submerse himself in battle, and retake the kingdom for his sister’s newly betrothed, the rightful king. Instead, he finds the land ravaged and a young woman who could be the key to his undoing. When forced to choose between family, honor, and love, he realizes all of his years training to be an assassin, knight, and prince never prepared him for this. Ackley always thought he’d die by the sword. But what he never realized was love could be the most dangerous weapon of all.

This is the first book in a new series by Jennifer Anne Davis. Filled with romance, battles, and espionage, this book will immerse you into the world of her previous books like you’ve never before imagined!

I've been looking forward to Ackley's story or Idina's story since 2020 when I finished the Knights of the Realm series. I purposefully didn't re-read the description before I picked up Sword of Rage because sometimes book descriptions can give too much away. But if I'd re-read the description, I wouldn't have started this book so confused. I didn't remember Harley being Ackley's sister's name, but that's who I thought I was supposed to be reading about. So I was really confused when her family started getting slaughtered but they're all people I'd never heard of before.

I'm not sure Harley is the type of character that I imagined Ackley falling for. I didn't have anything against Harley exactly. In fact, my biggest issue was with the big mystery. How Harley couldn't put together who might have taken over the throne and been in league with those who slaughtered her family was beyond me. It was the easiest "mystery" I've been able to figure out that I don't even know if Jennifer Anne Davis was trying to hide it from the reader. But when something is so obvious to the reader it can be hard not to lose some respect for the characters when they don't also figure things out.

Ultimately, I find that I don't have much to say about Sword of Rage. It was good. I read it quickly. I want to keep reading and see what happens next. But I had some issues with the characters being obtuse when it came to the big mystery. Sword of Rage gets 3 Stars. Have you read Sword of Rage? What did you think? Let me know!

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

Sunday Post - 10/16/22

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.

I was in a serious reading slump most of September. Thankfully this past week I managed to read 2 and a half books. And that's especially good considering how busy our Octobers are. Monday was Husband's birthday. We did a birthday breakfast and opened his presents. Then we all went to the park because the kids were on fall break. Tuesday, I took all the kids and went to have Little Girl's ears pierced for her birthday coming up. The place we went only had weekday appointments and since she has school fall break was the only opportunity we would have had. It felt wonderful outside when we got home so we spent much of the day outside playing. Wednesday it rained ALL DAY. But the big kids were back in school so it was just me entertaining Baby Boy. Oh and I didn't really mention it but Husband had this week off of work. He had high hopes of projects to get done around the house, but one of his deliveries was delayed and then the rain messed him up. He did work on the garage most of the day Wednesday since it was raining and Thursday too. I can't seem to remember my Thursday except I remember being extremely busy. Friday after I dropped the big kids off at school, Baby Boy and I went to Walmart to get some things for a Halloween party that night. However, I needed safety pins for a consignment sale coming up and Walmart was completely out. So I had to load up and go to Hobby Lobby after that. Hobby Lobby had them but they were much more expensive than I was expecting. I got home and put the groceries up and had a little less than 30 minutes after that until I needed to go get Little Boy from school. So Baby Boy and I went for a short walk. After lunch the boys played and entertained each other and I started on consignment tagging. I also had to prepare my food to take to the party. The costume party went well. Husband was Bob Ross and I was his painting. Instead of buying a costume we put it together ourselves. Husband painted an entire Bob Ross inspired painting in 3 hours on Friday and it looks magnificent. I'm so impressed with him. I've always known him to be an artist, but he rarely has time to be creative. We wanted Baby Boy to be a Happy Little Squirrel but the internet didn't have a squirrel costume in his size. Little Boy was an army man. He only wanted it because it came with a thousand extra pieces and weapons. Little Girl was Princess Peach from Super Mario. Saturday, I had grocery pickup. Then we went to our local pumpkin patch. The kids had a blast until right before we left they started having a meltdown. We know they were overtired from the late night the night before, overstimulated, and hungry. Husband went to mow grass at his mom's house after lunch and took the two big kids with him. And I was able to finish my consigment tagging.

THE PAST WEEK:

Monday: All Things Halloween Review of A Curse of Blood and Stone (Fate & Flame, # 2) by KA Tucker (4.5 Stars)

UPCOMING THIS WEEK:

Monday: All Things Halloween Review of Sword of Rage (Reigning Kingdoms, # 1) by Jennifer Anne Davis
Tuesday: Top Ten Tuesday
Wednesday: Can't Wait for Wednesday

My annual "All Things Halloween" event is starting. 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.

Don’t forget to link up for the 2022 Series Enders Reading Challenge! You have until December 15th, 2022 to sign up. Each month there will be a giveaway for those participating with an end of the year giveaway too! Click on the picture below or the link above to find out more!

NEW BOOKS:

Forgiving What You Can't Forget: Discover How to Move On, Make Peace with Painful Memories, and Create a Life That's Beautiful Again

By: Lysa TerKeurst

Expected Publication: November 17th 2020 by Thomas Nelson

288 pages

Genre: Non-fiction, Self-Help, Christian

Source: eLibrary

( 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--*#1 New York Times Bestseller*

You deserve to stop suffering because of what other people have done to you.

Have you ever felt stuck in a cycle of unresolved pain, playing offenses over and over in your mind? You know you can't go on like this, but you don't know what to do next. Lysa TerKeurst has wrestled through this journey. But in surprising ways, she's discovered how to let go of bound-up resentment and overcome the resistance to forgiving people who aren't willing to make things right.

With deep empathy, therapeutic insight, and rich Bible teaching coming out of more than 1,000 hours of theological study, Lysa will help you:

Learn how to move on when the other person refuses to change and never says they're sorry.
Walk through a step-by-step process to free yourself from the hurt of your past and feel less offended today.
Discover what the Bible really says about forgiveness and the peace that comes from living it out right now.
Identify what's stealing trust and vulnerability from your relationships so you can believe there is still good ahead.
Disempower the triggers hijacking your emotions by embracing the two necessary parts of forgiveness.

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!

All Things Halloween Review of A Curse of Blood and Stone

A Curse of Blood and Stone (Fate & Flame, # 2)

By: KA Tucker

Publication: July 12th 2022 by K.A. Tucker

485 pages

Genre: New Adult, Fantasy

Source: Personal Kindle Libraryhttp://sandyfarmer.blogspot.com/2021/04/from-blood-and-ash-review.html

( 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 do not know how to love you and be a good king to my people.”

From jewelry thief to interloper to queen-in-waiting, Romeria flees Cirilea a traitor to all. But the yawning distance between her and Zander troubles her more than any king’s bounty on her head. While Zander may have escaped by her side, he seeks to regain his throne, and no immortal will ever welcome her as Islor’s queen. She fears it won’t be long before Zander abandons her as everyone else she’s ever loved has.

Zander sacrificed his crown to save Romeria’s life, yet he dreads what her existence means for the future of his realm. As Ybaris’s plan to destroy Islor unfurls, a more insidious threat, orchestrated by rival fates, lurks beneath the surface. He can offer his allies no honest explanation for why he protects the Ybarisan princess and takes counsel from Queen Neilina’s caster, leading those closest to doubt his wisdom—and his allegiance.

As their company aims for the Venhorn Mountains, steered by prophecy, Romeria is desperate to wield her newfound abilities to undo Princess Romeria’s treachery before the kingdom tears itself apart. But with the mortal rebellion swelling, bolstered by the gift of Ybaris’s poison, it may already be too late. From internationally bestselling author K.A. Tucker comes the second novel in her Fate and Flame series, an adult fantasy story that should be read in series order.

When I finished A Fate of Wrath & Flame I wanted to wait to pick up A Curse of Blood & Stone because 1) I'm cheap and didn't want to spend the money for it and 2) because I was behind on writing book reviews and wanted to write my review for book 1 so the stories didn't merge into each other too much. But in the end I did neither. I didn't write my review for A Fate of Wrath & Flame before starting this book, and I also ended up spending the money to purchase this one out of pocket. I was just so curious what was going to happen next. A Fate of Wrath & Flame ended with Zander and Romy on the run and officially broken up. See what I mean? How can you just stop there?

Romy is coming to terms with being a key caster which means she's extremely powerful. She's just not ever purposely done anything with her power to know how to use it. She has a journey to go on to learning about herself and that power. I said in my review for A Fate of Wrath & Flame that this series reminds me of Jennifer L Armentrout's Blood and Ash series and this book reminded me of it even more. Romy doesn't intentionally work to win over the mortals of Islor but her actions towards them wherever she goes wins over their hearts and in the end a lot of their loyalty. But she has to keep her power a secret from even those in her traveling party.

Zander is faced with the reality that his father (and himself) didn't do what they should have for the mortals of Islor. Since the elven are dependent upon the mortals to survive you would think they would treat them better, but that hasn't been the case. Fear often provokes people to behavior that wouldn't otherwise be considered and KA Tucker plays up the fear and how it turns into mob mentality in this book and series.

I've struggled with the feminist movement in so many ways. I am all for women's empowerment but does it have to be at the expense of men? I enjoy reading books about female characters that are strong and not victims but I'm seeing a trend of books where the female characters start out subject and under the power of a king and grow to be a queen that surpasses the kings they were under. I'm thinking of the Blood and Ash series I already mentioned but then there's also Throne of Glass series by Sarah J Maas and I'm sure many others. Maybe this is just an enthralling character arc to read about, but I was kind of looking forward to reading a story where the female character elevates the already strong male character. Like the sum of the parts are greater than the whole. And I suppose the two aren't completely separate. We haven't finished the series so I don't know how things will end. Zander is still the true king of Islor so maybe the partnership will be the true end result of the series, but I can't say I want to see every strong male become subservient to every strong female character. It's just a trend I'm noticing.

That being said, I did actually tear up over Romy's relationship with Zander when she says "Don't worry, I'm used to being a pawn." My heart just broke for her because she has truly been used over and over again for what she can do for others and not because she was wanted for who she was. Anyone would hurt over that. And it's true that in chess the queen is the most powerful piece and the king is the weakest. So maybe that's the angle KA Tucker was trying to take.

Favorite quotes:

-“I have the people of Islor to think of, and I must do what’s best for them, no matter the cost.” “And what exactly is this costing you?” His chuckle is derisive. “What hasn’t it cost me?”

-“Trust is easy enough to lose even after it is gained."

-"We’re sitting here in a room full of truths, and you’re still using me.”

-“These people see only what surrounds them in this tiny town in this mountain range. It’s all that matters. It is their whole world. They cannot see the cascading effect of their actions toward the cataclysmic ruin of Islor.”

Besides the relationship between Zander and Romy, I was most excited about Romy and Jarek. They have a ribbing banter and start out as enemies. I appreciated the slow build to their friendship. Even platonic relationships can have a enemies to friends path that makes them so enjoyable to read about.

A Curse of Blood & Stone sucked me in and spit me out. I read it so quickly and was annoyed when I had to put it down. I needed answers so badly it defied both my cheapskateness and my desire to review book 1 before starting this book so I could know what was going to happen next. If I had book 3 I would have finished it already. A Curse of Blood & Stone gets 4.5 Stars. Have you read A Curse of Blood & Stone? What did you think? Let me know!

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

Sunday Post - 10/09/22

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

Monday, the boys had hair appointments. So we grabbed Chick-fil-a for lunch and then heaaded over to the salon. Monday was also my dad's birthday. Tuesday, my dad had a biopsy on a lesion. Praise God it turned out to be non-cancerous! The kids and I did a Halloween craft Tuesday afternoon after school. I also raked a bunch of leaves in the backyard and worked in the garage some. Little Boy had a terrible night with disobedience. He was quite ugly to me in particular. Wednesday, he was like a different child. Thursday, I had to take Baby Boy back to the doctor. He has another ear infection. We'll be doing a follow-up visit in 4 weeks to see if his ears have cleared or to make sure he doesn't have another infection. He's had them so frequently that we might have to look at getting tubes put in. Thursday, afternoon Little Girl's school had a Harvest Festival fundraiser. The kids had a blast, and Little Girl said it was the best day ever. Friday, Little Boy had a pizza party at school. I ran two boxes of donations over to Goodwill. And then my parents picked the kids up to spend the weekend. Husband and I went out to eat and to Home Depot and Hobby Lobby. Saturday, we worked on the house and then had a wedding to go to in the afternoon. I'm taking the big kids shopping today for Husband's birthday which is tomorrow.

THE PAST WEEK:

Monday: All Things Halloween Review of A Fate of Wrath and Flame (Fate & Flame, # 1) by KA Tucker
Wednesday: Can't Wait for These Infinite Threads (This Woven Kingdom, # 2) by Tahereh Mafi

UPCOMING THIS WEEK:

Monday: All Things Halloween Review of A Curse of Blood and Stone (Fate & Flame, # 2) by KA Tucker
Tuesday: Top Ten Tuesday
Wednesday: Can't Wait for Wednesday

My annual "All Things Halloween" event is starting. 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.

Don’t forget to link up for the 2022 Series Enders Reading Challenge! You have until December 15th, 2022 to sign up. Each month there will be a giveaway for those participating with an end of the year giveaway too! Click on the picture below or the link above to find out more!

NEW BOOKS:

Begin Again

By: Emma Lord

Expected Publication: January 24, 2023

352 pages

Genre: YA/NA, 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--As usual, Andie Rose has a plan: Transfer from community college to the hyper competitive Blue Ridge State, major in psychology, and maintain her lifelong goal of becoming an iconic self-help figure despite the nerves that have recently thrown her for a loop. All it will take is ruthless organization, hard work, and her trademark unrelenting enthusiasm to pull it all together.

But the moment Andie arrives, the rest of her plans go off the rails. Her rocky relationship with her boyfriend Connor only gets more complicated when she discovers he transferred out of Blue Ridge to her community college. Her roommate Shay needs a major, and despite Andie’s impressive track record of being The Fixer, she’s stumped on how to help. And Milo, her coffee-guzzling grump of an R.A. with seafoam green eyes, is somehow disrupting all her ideas about love and relationships one sleep-deprived wisecrack at a time.

sometimes, when all your plans are in rubble at your feet, you find out what you’re made of. And when Andie starts to find the power of her voice as the anonymous Squire on the school’s legendary pirate radio station–the same one her mom founded, years before she passed away–Andie learns that not all the best laid plans are necessarily the right ones.

Filled with a friend group that feels like family, an empowering journey of finding your own way, and a Just Kiss Already! romance, Begin Again is an unforgettable novel of love and starting again.

A Hard Day for a Hangover (Sunshine Vicram, # 3)

By: Darynda Jones

Expected Publication: December 6, 2022

352 pages

Genre: Adult, Mystery, Humor

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--Some people greet the day with open arms. Sheriff Sunshine Vicram would rather give it a hearty shove and get back into bed, because there’s just too much going on right now. There’s a series of women going missing, and Sunny feels powerless to stop it. There’s her persistent and awesomely-rebellious daughter Auri, who’s out to singlehandedly become Del Sol’s youngest and fiercest investigator. And then there’s drama with Levi Ravinder—the guy she’s loved and lusted after for years. The guy who might just be her one and only. The guy who comes from a family of disingenuous vipers looking to oust him—and Sunshine—for good.

Like we said, the new day can take a hike.

That's it for my shelves and recaps of my past and upcoming week. What did you add to your shelves this week? Any bookish news you want to talk about? Let me know!

Can't Wait for These Infinite Threads

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.

These Infinite Threads (This Woven Kingdom, # 2)

By: Tahereh Mafi

Expected Publication: February 7, 2023

416 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository )

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

Goodreads description--The second book in an epic, romantic fantasy trilogy based on Persian folklore, which #1 New York Times bestselling author Cassandra Clare called “exquisitely crafted,” by bestselling and National Book Award–nominated author Tahereh Mafi.

Alizeh is the heir to the Jinn throne and fulfills a long-foretold prophecy of a Jinn sovereign destined to free her people from the half-lives they’ve been forced to live under the rule of humans.

Kamran is the heir to the human throne, and he’s being pressured to marry before he becomes king. When he falls in love with Alizeh and subsequently learns her true identity, he must question everything he’s been taught about Jinn and their future in his kingdom.

These Infinite Threads picks up at the explosive cliff-hanger ending of the New York Times bestselling novel This Woven Kingdom, and is perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo, Tomi Adeyemi, and Sabaa Tahir.

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

All Things Halloween Review - A Fate of Wrath & Flame

A Fate of Wrath & Flame (Fate & Flame, # 1)

By: K.A. Tucker

Publication: May 25th 2021 by K.A. Tucker

533 pages

Genre:New Adult, Fantasy

Source: Personal Kindle Library (birthday present)

( 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--She would know the world of vengeful gods and monsters, and the lengths one would go for love. And nothing would ever be the same for her again.

Gifted thief Romeria has flourished from her days as a street kid pilfering wallets to survive. Now she thrives, stealing jewels from the rich under the involuntary employ of New York City’s most notorious crime boss. But when an enigmatic woman secures her services at swordpoint, Romeria is plunged into a startling realm of opposing thrones, warring elven, and elemental magic she cannot begin to fathom.

Her quest is straightforward: Steal a stone from Islor’s sacred garden without anyone discovering her true identity, which would earn her certain death. But the identity she has inexplicably assumed is that of the captured Ybarisan princess—an enemy to Islor after she poisoned their beloved king and queen on the day she was to marry the prince.

Her betrothed, the newly crowned King Zander, detests her with every grain of his handsome being. Fortunately for Romeria, she is more valuable to him alive than dead. Zander gives her a choice: life in a cell, or an acquittal of all charges in exchange for her help in exposing the growing plot against him.

Romeria sees no other option and embraces the tricky role of smitten queen-to-be until she can escape, a ruse that brings her far closer to the king than she anticipated and threatens more than her safety. As she digs deeper into this sacred garden and the ancient feud between Ybaris and Islor, she discovers monstrous truths that could spell ruin for all.

I have been a fan of KA Tucker for a while. When I saw she wrote a fantasy series, I knew I wanted to read it. However, I've been in a historical fiction mood for a couple of years. I still read fantasy but just not as frequently. I'm glad I finally picked up A Fate of Wrath & Flame because I devoured it.

The beginning was slow for me. Necessary, but slow. The reader needs to understand Romy's life before getting pulled into this fantasy world. But that made me struggle a little because I want to get hooked into a story quickly. Almost as soon as Remy wakes up in the fantasy world, I was hooked like I wanted to be.

A Fate of Wrath & Flame reminded me of Jennifer L Armentrout's Blood and Ash series. The two don't mimic storylines, but you have a twist on typical vampires. They both feel medieval with castles and castes systems, courts and royalty. There's magic because, well, it's fantasy. And there's a lowly girl who finds out that she's not who she's always thought she was. A prince...in one story, the prince is about to be king, and in the other story, the prince becomes king right before we meet him. There are several similarities and a similar feel. Plus an enemy to lover romance in both.

I felt sorry for Romy because she is slammed into this world that she knows nothing about. And she has to pretend to be someone quite hated by pretty much everyone around her. She does come up with an excuse, amnesia, that helps others begin to see that she truly has no recollection of facts she should know if she were lying about amnesia. And she finds a few allies even though those are tenuous at best.

Zander was easy to feel bad for as well. His parents were murdered on the day he was supposed to marry the woman he was in love with...by that very same woman. He is angry and hurt. And he learns that much is not what it appeared to have been nor what appears to be coming. Some of his closest advisors don't understand his choice to keep Romeria alive or close to his side. They believe he's under some sort of spell which makes him a king to be questioned. Most of all, he wants to figure out the plot against his kingdom because he's not the only one in danger.

I ended A Fate of Wrath and Flame and immediately jumped into the second book. I told myself I wouldn't forget where one stopped and the second began, but I was lying to myself to think that I could separate the two books completely when it came time to write my reviews. I get so frustrated with myself when this happens. I remember that Zander and Romy weren't in a good place when book 1 ended and book 2 began. So you've got that conflict spurring you on to keep reading.

Favorite quotes:

-"I am a king. For every enemy I face, there are ten I cannot name, but they are always there, waiting for an opening." "Which one do you focus on?" "The One that is most dangerous at that given moment."

-"Welcome to the throne. Threats come from every direction, and they do not wait in line for their turn."

-"Betrayal rarely approaches from a straight line."

-"I'm always testing you, Romeria." Quietly, he adds, "And you are always testing me."

-"Tonight did not satisfy your curiosity?" "No, actually. I've been left completely unsatisfied," I counter...

-...I'm used to being abandoned by those closest to me, and I'm not about to beg him to stay.

A Fate of Wrath & Flame was so good. The beginning was slow, but once I got hooked, I was in. I even jumped pretty quickly to purchase book 2 when I often wait because I had to know what was going to happen next. The intrigue about the state of Islor and the plots against the kingdom and against Zander had me trying to figure everything out. Romeria and Zander had a delicious hate to love relationship that, of course, wasn't in a good place at the end of book 1. I can't wait to dive deeper into the series. I've already read book 2, so I'm dying for book 3, which hasn't be released yet. If you enjoyed Jennifer L Armentrout's Blood and Ash series, I think you will like this as well because they are similar without being repeats of each other. And I hate that I waited so long to read this book, except that doing so allowed me to go straight into book 2. A Fate of Wrath & Flame gets 4.5 Stars. Have you read A Fate of Wrath & Flame? What did you think? Let me know!

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

Sunday Post - 10/02/22

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

Monday was pretty normal. Tuesday, we took the boys to Walmart. We had to pick up a birthday present for a party today. The boys were fun to have in the store since they don't go with me normally. Tuesday afternoon I had some fall crafts to do with the big kids. The weather has felt absolutely wonderful this week. Wednesday was also normal. Thursday, the big kids had dentist appointments. All went well there. The boys played so well together outside enjoying the weather. Friday afternoon the kids and I made an orange cream pie. Little Girl and I made a blueberry pie about two years ago. Ever since Little Boy has been asking for an orange pie. He wanted one like key lime or lemon meringue, but I couldn't find much. Anyway with living at my mom's last year, I didn't make doing so a priority. Saturday, we got together with my family to celebrate my dad and Husband's birthdays. October is our busiest month of the year, and so far our schedule is even more packed than normal. I do have a few fantasy reviews scheduled for my "All Things Halloween" annual event. Unfortunately, I'm pretty disappointed that I don't have a full month of reviews scheduled ahead. Maybe I'll squeeze out a couple more books before the end of the month in order to fill it out. But I'm not holding my breath.

THE PAST WEEK:

Sunday: 2022 Series Enders Reading Challenge - September Wrap Up
Saturday: September 2022 EOM Wrap Up

My annual "All Things Halloween" event is starting. 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.

UPCOMING THIS WEEK:

Monday: Review of A Fate of Wrath and Flame (Wrath & Flame, # 1) by KA Tucker
Tuesday: Top Ten Tuesday
Wednesday: Can't Wait for Wednesday

Don’t forget to link up for the 2022 Series Enders Reading Challenge! You have until December 15th, 2022 to sign up. Each month there will be a giveaway for those participating with an end of the year giveaway too! Click on the picture below or the link above to find out more!

NEW BOOKS:

No new books this week.

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!

September 2022 EOM Wrap Up

September has been the roughest reading and blogging month I've had this year. I read more than I remembered for the month, but we spent a large part of this month sick, and I ended up watching a lot of TV which I never do. I hope to get back on track in October, but October is our busiest month of the year. So I'm just going to do the best I can.

I read 3 book (not including children's books). *These qualify for the 2022 Series Enders Reading Challenge.
The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner
Miss Newbury's List by Megan Walker
*A Daughter's Courage (Brides of Laurent, # 3) by Misty M Beller

I have reviewed 1 book. *These qualify for the 2022 Series Enders Reading Challenge.
Miss Newbury's List by Megan Walker

Other Posts:
Sunday Post - 09/04/22
Sunday Post - 09/11/22
Sunday Post - 09/18/22
Can't Wait for Holding the Line (Love Along the Wires, # 3) by Jennifer Delamere
2022 Series Enders Reading Challenge - September Wrap Up
August 2022 EOM Wrap Up

Goals:
I'm ahead on my Bible-in-a-year plan.
I've read 36 out of 52 books (including children's books).
I've read potentially 3 out of 5-10 series enders.