Sunday, September 29, 2024

Sunday Post - 09/29/24

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.

Two Monday's ago, Big Girl had a softball game and Big Boy martial arts practice. Tuesday they had belt testing and both kids had games immediately after belt testing. That Thursday, we had a field trip with our homeschool co-op to the Blue Bell creamery in Sylacauga, Alabama. That was fun. The ice cream was delicious of course. Big Boy had a baseball game Thursday night, and Big Girl had batting practice. Finally, Friday night was free. Then Saturday, we went to Athen's Alabama for my nephew's wedding. That was a lot of fun, but made for a late night for us. We didn't get home until about 11:15 pm. Sunday after church, I took the kids to the local trampoline park. We'd gotten tickets on sale over the summer, and they were about to expire. I didn't realize their hours would change when school started back so that made it harder for us to go. This past Monday night Big Boy had a baseball game and Big Girl had practice. Tuesday, Big Boy went to belt ceremony. He passed and is now an Orange belt. Big Girl had a softball game so she didn't get to go to belt ceremony. We'll have to take her to a class this week to get her new belt. After that we're taking a break from martial arts again for a month. Wednesday we started getting rain from the hurricane. Thankfully, we were on the west side of the hurricane so rain and some gusts up to 20-30 mph was all that we got. Thursday, it poured as we went to co-op. All activities were cancelled for Thursday night, but we all appreciated the break. We did take my car in for an oil change and some needed repairs. Friday was a normal day. We did finish school early, and the weather was beautiful for us. We do pray for everyone affected by the hurricane and the flooding going on all over the southeast. Saturday, we had a birthday party to go to for a kid from church. I'm pooped, but we won't be slowing down until a brief reprieve in the month of November before we ramp back up for the holidays.

THE PAST TWO WEEKS

Monday 9/16: Review of To Charm a Lady (The Cartwells, # 2) by Joanna Barker (4 Stars)
Wednesday 9/18: Can't Wait for Adam and Evie's Matchmaking Tour by Nora Nguyen
Friday 9/20: Homeschool Friday - Julia Rothman's Farm Anatomy Activity Book
Monday 9/23: Review of So True a Love by Joanna Barker (4.5 Stars)
Tuesday 9/24: Top Ten Fall 2024 TBR List
Wednesday 9/25: Can't Wait for Fear the Flames by Olivia Rose Darling & 2024 Series Enders Reading Challenge - September Wrap Up
Friday 9/27: Review of Tree. Table. Book. by Lois Lowry

UPCOMING THIS WEEK:

Monday: September 2024 EOM Wrap Up
Tuesday: Top Ten Tuesday?
Wednesday: Can't Wait for Wednesday?
Thursday: Review of Iron Flame (The Empyrean, # 2) by Rebecca Yarros
Friday: Homeschool Friday - Review of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl

Don’t forget to link up for the 2024 Series Enders Reading Challenge! You have until December 15th, 2024 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:

Better Than Revenge

By: Kasie West

Expected Publication: December 31, 2024 by Delacorte Romance

320 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary

( Goodreads | Amazon )

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

Goodreads description--A swoony new romance from the author of Sunkissed! When her football-player boyfriend and now ex lands the podcast job she’s been dreaming of, a girl takes matters into her own hands by enlisting the help of his nemesis to get revenge.

Seventeen-year-old Finley has only ever had one to become a famous podcaster. This includes coming up with the perfect pitch to land her on her school's podcast team. But when her football-obsessed boyfriend, Jensen, decides to also try out—and uses her idea—she's left confused and betrayed.

Determined to get back at him, Finley and her friends try to find the perfect revenge scheme, but quickly discover that Jensen is almost-impossible to best. Keyword, almost.

By chance, Finley discovers a knack for kicking and decides to take Jensen's spot on the football team. To help her train, she recruits Jensen's cute but conceited nemeses, Theo. Soon the two discover that their connection runs deeper than football. But Finley can't let herself get distracted, and Theo has secrets of his own. Is true love really better than the perfect revenge?

Ex Marks the Spot

By: Gloria Chao

Expected Publication: December 31, 2024 by Viking Books for Young Readers

384 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary

( Goodreads | Amazon )

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

Goodreads description--A swoony rivals-to-lovers romance . . .

Family secrets that can't stay buried . . .

A globe-spanning treasure hunt with puzzles to solve . . .

This latest YA novel by acclaimed writer Gloria Chao takes readers on a soaring adventure through love, loss, and the lively streets of Taiwan.

For Gemma's whole life, it has always been her and her mom against the world. As far as she knew, all her grandparents—and thus her ties to Taiwanese culture—were dead. Until one day when a mysterious man shows up at her door with two shocking the news that her grandfather has just recently passed, and the first clue to a treasure hunt that Gemma hopes will lead to her inheritance.

There's just one major to complete the hunt, she has to go to her grandfather's home in Taiwan. And the only way she can get there is by asking her ex and biggest high-school rival, Xander, for help. But after swallowing her pride, Gemma finds herself halfway across the world, ready to unearth her life-changing prize. Soon Gemma discovers that the treasure hunt is about much more than money—it's about finally learning about her family, her cultural roots, and maybe even finding true love.

Filled with ingenious puzzles, a vibrant Taipei setting, and a delicious romance, Ex Marks the Spot is an exciting adventure by award-winning writer Gloria Chao, perfect for fans of Loveboat Taipei, The Inheritance Games, and Thirteen Little Blue Envelopes.

The Folklore of Forever (Moonville, # 2)

By: Sarah Hogle

Expected Publication: April 8, 2025 by G.P. Putnam's Sons

400 pages

Genre: Adult, Fantasy, Contemporary

( Goodreads | Amazon )

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

Goodreads description--From the acclaimed author of Old Flames and New Fortunes comes a steamy enemies-to-lovers romantasy about a paranormal skeptic who is roped into a ghost hunting romp by the charming boy next door . . . who might just show her what real fantasies are made of.

Paranormal skeptic Zelda Tempest is hoping for a much-needed creativity boost for a new paranormal mystery novel. But despite the alleged magic of her hometown, Moonville, Ohio, she’s as stuck as ever.

With two witch sisters, not believing in magic is strange for a Tempest, but no one is more disappointed than Morgan Angelopoulos, the charming man next door. So, to cure her of her writer's block and her disbelief in magic, Morgan ropes her into a ghost-hunting romp, only for Zelda to discover something else bizarre, never-before-seen creatures that appear as ordinary pets to everyone else.

Curious about what else might be lurking in Moonville's woods, Zelda and Morgan embark on a quest to uncover the true magic that lies in their midsts . . . and perhaps, just maybe, they will find that the magic they're searching for has been with them all along.

The Perfect Rom-Com

By: Melissa Ferguson

Expected Publication: February 11, 2025 by Thomas Nelson

336 pages

Genre: Adult, Contemporary

( Goodreads | Amazon )

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

Goodreads description--She's written dozens of smash hit novels as a ghostwriter. Too bad no one knows it.

Aspiring author Bryony Page attends her first writers conference bursting with optimism and ready to sell her manuscript with long-shot dreams of raising awareness for The Bridge, her grandmother's financially-struggling organization where she teaches ESL full-time. But after a disastrous pitching session, she stumbles into correcting another author's work in a last-ditch attempt to make a good impression with the agent. And she, as it turns out, is spot on.

No one is more surprised than Bryony when the agent offers her the opportunity to be a ghostwriter for Amelia Benedict, popular rom-com novelist. Bryony agrees on one she'll write books for this vain, demanding woman just as long as Jack Sterling, literary agent of the legendary Foundry Literary Agency, works to sell her own book too.

What nobody predicted, however, was that Bryony's books would turn Amelia Benedict into the Amelia Benedict, household name and bestselling author with millions of copies sold around the world.

And just like that, the Foundry Agency can't let her go.

But on a personal note, Jack is realizing he can't either.

The Death King (Death, # 1)

By: Penelope Barsetti

Expected Publication: August 29, 2024 by Hartwick Publishing

341 pages

Genre: Adult, Fantasy, Dragons, Abuse

( Goodreads | Amazon )

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

Goodreads description--I was fifteen when the Death King came for us.

With a mighty black dragon and the ability to command the dead, he raised an army of our fallen soldiers to fight for him—and conquered us in the night. My father, King Laurier of Scorpion Valley, couldn’t stop him. I tried to flee but came face to face with the man in black armor, the man who looked more like a god than a human. Instead of killing me, he chose to show me mercy…but it didn’t feel like mercy.

Not when the next ten years of my life are spent as a slave in the Arid Sands, digging for Black Diamonds from sunrise to sunset. I'm also the personal slave of General Titan—a man who has grown obsessed with me. The work under the hot sun is unbearable—but I prefer it to his company any day. I’ve never tried to escape because there’s nowhere to run in the desert, but all of that changes when I hear the news—that the Death King is coming.

I sneak out in the middle of the night to steal his dragon, but that backfires in my face—because you can’t steal a dragon. Khazmuda is no mindless beast. He can speak directly into my mind and hear my thoughts in return. The Death King is about to kill me, but Khazmuda changes his mind—because I have the gift.

The ability to speak with dragons.

The Death King spares my life once again and takes me back to his castle. He has no idea who I am, has no idea what he did to my family ten years ago. He asks me to fight for his cause—but he won’t tell me exactly what that cause is. And then he tells me he wants more from me…desires me more than any other because, like him, I have the gift.

I can’t deny he’s the most handsome man I’ve ever seen, with eyes black like midnight, a jawline as sharp as his dragon’s talons, the height of a mountain, and shoulders as broad as a stream. But no amount of attraction will ever change the fact that he destroyed my life. The answer is no—and it’ll always be no.

But the Death King doesn’t accept that answer.

Trigger Contains dark themes including rape and suicide.

A Dawn of Gods and Fury (Fate and Flame, # 4)

By: KA Tucker

Publication: September 3, 2024 by Penguin

528 pages

Genre: Adult, Fantasy, Fae

Source: Personal Kindle Library

( Goodreads | Amazon )

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

Goodreads description--"Prophecy always finds a way."

The will of the fates has come to pass. Monsters swarm from the depths, while dragons soar overhead. And the throne of Islor lies vacant… but not for long.

Fleeing the merciless sirens, Tyree and Annika find themselves stranded on a distant shore. Forced together to survive, they find old magics and terrifying new enemies.

For Romeria and Zander, the long-held secrets of the casters’ magic reveal a chance to finally master the power that has held all their lives in the balance for too long. But with power comes betrayal. And sacrifices must be made.

The final book in the captivating Fate & Flame series.

Beyond the Crescent Sky (The Balkans, # 2)

By: AL Sowards

Expected Publication: January 7, 2025 by Shadow Mountain

368 pages

Genre: Adult, Historical Fiction

( Goodreads | Amazon )

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

Goodreads description--Helena is a healer. Ivan is her prisoner. Caught in the crossfire of war, they must choose: loyalty, or love.

The Balkans, 1383

A sudden conflict between Serbs and Greeks has forced Ivan to join his brother and fight with the Serbian army. On the battlefield, Ivan is wounded and captured by the hostile Greeks, becoming a hostage in a deadly bid for power.

Helena, a Greek midwife, is tasked to care for Ivan, a request that will not only test her healing abilities but also her loyalty. Though war has made her reluctant patient an enemy, she can’t help but forge a connection with him, yet falling in love with him could turn her world upside down and brand her a traitor.

As the Ottoman Empire extends its grip into the Balkans, events beyond their control force Ivan and Helena to choose between loyalty to their families and people or following the longings of their hearts.

Award-winning historical novelist A. L. Sowards creates an engaging world of overlords and spies, rebellions and battlefields, and forbidden love.

The Serpent and the Wolf

By: Rebecca Robinson

Expected Publication: November 19, 2024 by S&S/Saga Press

352 pages

Genre: New Adult, Fantasy, Magic

Source: Publisher via NetGalley (Thank you!!)

( Goodreads | Amazon )

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

Goodreads description--Perfect for fans of Raven Kennedy and Thea Guanzon, Rebecca Robinson’s thrilling romantasy debut combines high-stakes political intrigue and a steamy, slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers romance.

All her life, Vaasa Kozár has been sharpened into a blade.

After losing her mother—her only remaining parent—to a mysterious dark magic that has since awakened within her, Vaasa is certain death looms. So is her merciless brother, who aims to eliminate Vaasa as a threat to his crown. In one last political scheme, he marries her off to Reid of Mireh, a ruthless foreign ruler, in hopes that he can use her death as a rallying cry to finally invade Reid’s nation. All Vaasa has to do is die.

But she is desperate to live. Vaasa enters her new marriage with every intent to escape it, wielding the hard-won political prowess and combat abilities her late father instilled in her. But to her surprise, Reid offers her a deal: help him win the votes to rise in power, and she can walk free. In exchange, he will share his knowledge about the dark magic running through her veins—and help keep it at bay.

This proposal may be too good to refuse, yet Vaasa and Reid’s undeniable attraction threatens to break the rules of their arrangement. As her brother’s lethal machinations take form, everything is at stake: Vaasa must learn to trust her new husband, but how can she, especially when their perfect political marriage begins to feel like the real thing?

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!

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