All Things Halloween Review - Sunrise on the Reaping

Sunrise on the Reaping (The Hunger Games, # 0.5)

By: Suzanne Collins

Publication: March 18, 2025 by Scholastic Press

400 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Dystopian, Fantasy, Science Fiction

Source: Borrowed from the e-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--When you've been set up to lose everything you love, what is there left to fight for?

As the day dawns on the fiftieth annual Hunger Games, fear grips the districts of Panem. This year, in honor of the Quarter Quell, twice as many tributes will be taken from their homes.

Back in District 12, Haymitch Abernathy is trying not to think too hard about his chances. All he cares about is making it through the day and being with the girl he loves.

When Haymitch's name is called, he can feel all his dreams break. He's torn from his family and his love, shuttled to the Capitol with the three other District 12 tributes: a young friend who's nearly a sister to him, a compulsive oddsmaker, and the most stuck-up girl in town.

As the Games begin, Haymitch understands he's been set up to fail. But there's something in him that wants to fight . . . and have that fight reverberate far beyond the deadly arena.

I don't often return to series that I feel has been complete when additional books are written over time. Especially if a large amount of time has passed, and even more especially if the new book is a prequel. The Hunger Games already had a prequel that I wasn't the least bit interested in. I tried to force myself to get it and read it just to complete the series, but I was never interested in President Snow's story, so I never finished The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, but Haymitch was a much more interesting character from the original books in my opinion, and I heard good things about it from my nephew. So I decided to check it out. And I actually listened to this almost non-stop on our trip to Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge, TN in April.

Because this is a prequel, you already know how Haymitch's story ends. He wins his year of the hunger games. He is District 12's only winner. And he lives alone in the winner's village, drinking himself into a stupor more times than not. And yeah, so that's exactly where Sunrise on the Reaping ends. What the reader doesn't fully know or understand is the journey to get there.

I want to discuss some topics in detail, but I don't want to spoil anything for the reader since we already know so much about how this story ends; spoiling anything else would make the book pointless. I won't say that Sunrise on the Reaping is necessary to enjoy the series, but it does make an already interesting character more understandable and interesting.

The narrator, Jefferson White, did a great job. I can't tell you the last time I listened to a book entirely narrated by a male, but I enjoyed this one. Sometimes the female voices were a bit much, but it didn't bother me too much.

Sunrise on the Reaping was better than I thought it was going to be. At one point, I was hoping for an ending that was different from what I knew to be the actual ending. So to get me invested enough to hope against what I know to be true felt like a feat well accomplished. Sunrise on the Reaping gets 4 Stars. Have you read or listened to Sunrise on the Reaping? 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.

All Things Halloween Review - Divine Rivals

Divine Rivals (Letters of Enchantment, # 1)

By: Rebecca Ross

Publication: April 4, 2023 by Wednesday Books

368 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance

Source: Borrowed from the e-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--After centuries of sleep, the gods are warring again…

All eighteen-year-old Iris Winnow wants to do is hold her family together. With a brother on the frontline forced to fight on behalf of the Gods now missing from the frontline and a mother drowning her sorrows, Iris’s best bet is winning the columnist promotion at the Oath Gazette.

But when Iris’s letters to her brother fall into the wrong hands – that of the handsome but cold Roman Kitt, her rival at the paper – an unlikely magical connection forms.

Expelled into the middle of a mystical war, magical typewriters in tow, can their bond withstand the fight for the fate of mankind and, most importantly, love?

An epic enemies-to-lovers fantasy novel filled with hope and heartbreak, and the unparalleled power of love.

Divine Rivals is a YA fantasy where the world the characters live in is at war. This a war between two gods that were once asleep. We don't really understand the war yet, but we have gotten a little mythology surrounding the gods in the story, so I imagine we will learn more as the story progresses.

Iris's brother has gone to fight in the war. She dropped out of school and has joined a newspaper in hopes of becoming a columnist. But she's in competion for the role. And her mother has become an alcoholic. Iris has also been writing letters to her brother but he hasn't written her back.

Roman is in competition with Iris for the columnist role. And we learn pretty quickly that he's been receiving letters written by Iris to her brother magically. He decides to take a risk and write her back without telling her who he is. Roman's father is attempting to control his life. He is setting up an arranged marriage. And the columnist position is what his father wants for him.

Eventually both characters end up writing for a rival newspaper as war correspondents. As they grow closer together in both real life and through their magical letters, we begin to wonder how Iris will respond when she finds out the truth. And what has happened to Iris's brother that has kept him from responding to her letters.

Divine Rivals was a sweet book that hooked me so quickly. I listened to the audiobook and finished in in less than 24 hours. It helped that I was able to listen during a large stretch of a day we had off school. The dual narrators (Rebecca Norfolk & Alex Wingflield) did a great job. Rebecca Norfolk did get to narrating quickly at times that had me hearing "Raymon" instead of "Roman" at times. I wondered if I was hearing her incorrectly, or if she was messing up. Either way, I am giving Divine Rivals 4 Stars. Have you read or listened to Divine Rivals? 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.

All Things Halloween Review - Ruby Red

Ruby Red (Ruby Red Trilogy, # 1)

By: Kerstin Gier

Published: May 10th 2011 by Henry Holt (first published January 6th 2009)

330 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Science Fiction

Source: Christmas gift from my friend Paula

( 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--Gwyneth Shepherd's sophisticated, beautiful cousin Charlotte has been prepared her entire life for traveling through time. But unexpectedly, it is Gwyneth, who in the middle of class takes a sudden spin to a different era!

Gwyneth must now unearth the mystery of why her mother would lie about her birth date to ward off suspicion about her ability, brush up on her history, and work with Gideon--the time traveler from a similarly gifted family that passes the gene through its male line, and whose presence becomes, in time, less insufferable and more essential. Together, Gwyneth and Gideon journey through time to discover who, in the 18th century and in contemporary London, they can trust.

My friend Paula actually gifted me Ruby Red more than ten years ago back before I was a mom and still worked at the same office as her. She read the series and enjoyed it. But to be honest, time travel books are ones that I often struggle with. As a matter of fact, I never seek them out. Even when some of my favorite authors go that route, I end up not reading those books. But Paula and I usually end up liking the same books, so I finally decided to see if the e-library had a copy of the audiobook, and they did.

Gweneth is a sixteen year old girl that has always known that the time traveling gene runs in her family, but it was supposed to come to her cousin Charlotte, not her. Yet Gweneth ends up with the gene and not Charlotte afterall. Charlotte has spent her entire life preparing for this, and Gweneth has not. It doesn't help that Gweneth is being paired up with Gideon who she has a little crush on, but he has some kind of relationship with Charlotte.

Gweneth's mother has kept her true date of birth a secret because she was hoping to spare Gweneth the time traveling world. Her mother seems to think that there's something to be afraid of. Not to mention that one of Gweneth's ancestors has defected from the group and stolen a major artifact needed in the time traveling process. Gweneth doesn't know the truth about any of it. Why did Lucy steal the cronograph? What does St. Germain really want? What happens with the cronograph is sealed with the blood of all twelve time travelors. What is being hidden from her? And who are the real bad guys?

Ruby Red is a book that I'm definitely glad I listened to on audio. The romance is slow burn and barely there at this point. You know it's building from what is hinted at, but if you're looking for action or a romance driven plot you will be disappointed. I know my friend, Paula, read the whole series, so I do plan to continue with the series, but at this point, I don't have any free holds with the elibrary, and I've got 6 weeks until my next hold is up. Plus I'd rather snag the 2nd book in the Divine Rivals series as my next hold. But I have been holding onto this series for over 10 years as it is. It isn't going anywhere. I'm giving Ruby Red 3 Stars. Have you read or listened to Ruby Red? 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.

All Things Halloween Review - Rebel Witch

Rebel Witch (Crimson Moth, # 2)

By: Kristen Ciccarelli

Publication: February 18, 2025 by Wednesday Books

464 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Magic

Source: Borrowed from the e-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--A WITCH...
Rune Winters is on the run. Ever since the boy she loved, Gideon Sharpe, revealed who she was and delivered her into enemy hands, everyone wants her dead. If Rune hopes to survive, she must ally herself with the cruel and dangerous Cressida Roseblood, who’s planning to take back the Republic and reinstate a Reign of Witches—something Cressida needs Rune to accomplish.

A WITCH HUNTER...
Apparently it wasn’t enough for Rune to deceive Gideon; she’s now betrayed him by joining forces with the witch who made his life a living hell. Gideon won’t allow the Republic to fall to the witches and be plunged back into the nightmares of the past. In order to protect this new world he fought for, every last witch must die—especially Rune Winters.

AN IMPOSSIBLE CHOICE...
When Rune makes Gideon an offer he can’t refuse, the two must pair up to accomplish dangerous goals. The more they’re forced into each other’s company, the more Gideon realizes the feelings he had for Rune aren’t as dead and buried as he thought. Now he’s faced with a terrible choice: sacrifice the girl he loves to stop a monster taking back power, or let Rune live and watch the world he fought so hard for burn.

In Kristen Ciccarelli's Rebel Witch, the exciting conclusion to The Crimson Moth duology, love has never been so deadly.

I listened to Rebel Witch on audio. It is the second book in the Crimson Moth series and is a true enemies-to-lovers book. Rune is a witch during a time when witches are hunted. More specifically, hunted by Gideon. He was hurt by a witch who trapped and tortured him. He has been searching for the Crimson Moth, whom he suspected to be Rune. He pretended to court her in hopes of unmasking her. Yet he began to develop feelings for her. Rune knew Gideon was trying to find the Crimson Moth. So she knew he likely wouldn't actually want to be with her if he learned the truth of who she is. Yet, she has always had a crush on Gideon. And getting to know him better didn't help that at all. In the end, Gideon and Rune are both betrayed by the other by the time we start this second book.

Cressida was one of the queens of the previous regime before witches began to be hunted. She is supposed to be dead. But she is the one who trapped and tortured Gideon, and she wants him back. Yet she was posing as Rune's best friend and ultimately saved Rune's life. Rune is now trapped and indebted to her. Cressida is using Rune in a marriage alliance with another kingdom in order to get an army to take back her own, with plans to resurrect her sisters. Rune has got to get free of Cressida and this marriage alliance. Despite saving dozens of witches, Rune is ready to find somewhere she can simply survive. She takes a chance on Gideon not being able to kill her and ties her fate to his. Gideon must redeem himself. He was fooled by Rune once before, and he can't let himself be fooled again.

Rune and Gideon have to depend on each other to survive. Both are traitors. Both are being pursued by others. And both have betrayed the other. How can they trust each other? Will feelings win out, or will one or both of them realize they simply cannot trust the other? Rebel Witch was a great conclusion to this duology. It answered all of my questions. I wanted to keep listening when I was forced to put it down. Even still, I managed to finish it in two days before we started back to school after Christmas break.

Rebel Witch was a thrilling ride. I enjoyed the stakes and the hills and valleys. I might have even teared up once. I can't remember specifically. I didn't highlight any quotes since I listened to this one. But I rooted for Rune and Gideon the entire way, and I wasn't disappointed. Rebel Witch gets 4 Stars. Have you read or listened to Rebel Witch? 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.

All Things Halloween Review - Heartless Hunter

Heartless Hunter (Crimson Moth, # 1)

By: Kristen Ciccarelli

Publication: February 20, 2024 by Wednesday Books

406 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Witches

Source: Borrowed from the elibrary

( Goodreads | Amazon )

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

Goodreads description--On the night Rune’s life changed forever, blood ran in the streets. Now, in the aftermath of a devastating revolution, witches have been diminished from powerful rulers to outcasts ruthlessly hunted due to their waning magic, and Rune must hide what she is.

Spending her days pretending to be nothing more than a vapid young socialite, Rune spends her nights as the Crimson Moth, a witch vigilante who rescues her kind from being purged. When a rescue goes wrong, she decides to throw the witch hunters off her scent and gain the intel she desperately needs by courting the handsome Gideon Sharpe – a notorious and unforgiving witch hunter loyal to the revolution – who she can't help but find herself falling for.

Gideon loathes the decadence and superficiality Rune represents, but when he learns the Crimson Moth has been using Rune’s merchant ships to smuggle renegade witches out of the republic, he inserts himself into her social circles by pretending to court her right back. He soon realizes that beneath her beauty and shallow façade, is someone fiercely intelligent and tender who feels like his perfect match. Except, what if she’s the very villain he’s been hunting?

Kristen Ciccarelli’s The Crimson Moth is the thrilling start to a romantic fantasy duology where the only thing more treacherous than being a witch… is falling in love.

Historically, I don't have a good record with books that feature witches. Something about this subgenre of the fantasy realm I just find unappealing. In this case, I didn't mind it too much.

Rune is the witch in question. And this world requires blood to complete spells. Most witches use their own blood to work magic. But dark magic is done by those who take blood from others not freely given. The worst is if someone is killed so their blood can be used in some kind of spellwork. This kingdom used to be ruled by witches. But they turned dark and now witches are hunted down. It's a case of one bad apple (or three) spoils the whole bunch. Rune has been working in secret to get other witches to safety. But she was unable to do so for her grandmother. Her grandmother was exposed as a witch and Rune had to turn her in to the authorities in order to turn suspicion away from herself. It broke her heart to do so, and ever since, she's had to play a role to keep up appearances.

Gideon is a witch hunter. He has been burned (literally) by a witch who lost herself to dark magic. And so he takes the stance of all witches being evil. He's suspicious of Rune, but everything seems to be working in her favor and not against her as he originally suspected.

Rune takes on the idea of courting Gideon as a means of getting his suspicion off of her. And Gideon takes on the task of courting her to get close enough to see if she is a witch or not. But you can guess that the relationship between these two end up getting complicated.

There was a twist that wasn't really a twist if you ask me. But that's okay.

Listening to this on audiobook was a fast listen. I listened while I was working on painting a sign for my daughter's 10th birthday. The sign took longer than I expected, but I didn't mind at all since I was able to keep listening. The narrators did a great job. Because it was an audiobook, I don't have any quotes to share.

Heartless Hunter gets 4 Stars. This might be my favorite witch book to date. I just don't usually enjoy this subgenre. I want to see what's going to happen next. Have you read or listened to Heartless Hunter? 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.

Trust Fall - Review

Trust Fall

By: Lynn Painter

Publication: September 29, 2026 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

416 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary

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--From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Better Than the Movies, Lynn Painter, comes a rags-to-riches rom-com about a small-town girl whose family inherits a fortune and moves to New York City, where she meets a big-city boy hiding an explosive secret.

Julia is just a small-town girl from Nebraska who loves her peaceful life. But when her elderly next-door neighbor—who just happens to be a secret multi-millionaire—leaves everything to Julia and her family after his passing, Julia is swept away to live in a historic brownstone in New York City and attend an elite private school for the super-rich.

It should be a dream come true. Wrong. Julia doesn’t fit in at her new school; worse, she’s failing. Enter Damion, the mysterious and handsome tutor who will get Julia back on track. Except Damion has a secret. He is the great-nephew of the man who left everything to Julia’s family. Damion doesn’t buy for a second that the person who was like a father to him would leave his home to strangers. And he’s determined to prove it.

To uncover the truth, Damion schemes to earn Julia’s trust. Not an easy task with Julia unsure about this rich boy with a rebellious personality. But the more time Damion spends with Julia, the more his plan begins to backfire. Because he is falling for the enemy—and the enemy is falling for him.

As Damion and Julia figure out where they belong, can they see past their differences and act on their feelings, or will the trust Damion has worked so hard to gain fall apart?

I've had an up-and-down relationship with Lynn Painter's writing. I've really enjoyed some of her books, but the language seems to get worse and worse with each one. This book has the f-word 137 times. I just find that super discouraging. I can skim over language, but when it is this excessive, I feel like I need to comment on it. Trust Fall does contain innuendo even if no spicy scenes. Amazon has this listed for 14 years old and up, but I probably wouldn't feel great about my 14-year-old reading it.

The idea of a millionaire elderly man who moved to Nebraska, leaving his fortune to a family who has been nice to him when he has family, seems a little far-fetched. Yet I don't usually like to nitpick unless things are really out there. I can get on board with this given that Damion's parents really need no extra money, and they have terrible attitudes. 

I didn't love the stereotyping in this book. Rich people being mean, judgemental, too much cologne; the poorer people being farmers with mall haircuts. I didn't like the names of the cliques in the "Chilton-esque" school either. The Skins, the Toms. So weird. Maybe I'm getting too old for young adult fiction. 

Favorite quote:

-The brown-eyed recipient of my future.

Julia has social anxiety, and fitting into a new school in a new tax bracket is challenging to the extreme for her. But these days, I think almost everyone has social anxiety. Probably due to social media and parasocial relationships. I really got annoyed with the small-town anti-farm hate. Who do you think feeds the cities? Why does it matter? It was expected and cliche that the mean rich girls would make fun the poor, country girl. Yet Julia's twin brother doesn't have a hard time fitting in at all. Obviously, he wasn't written with social anxiety, but it frustrated me nonetheless.

Another pet peeve is in that a character is quoted "saying a prayer of thanks." To who? 

Trust Fall wasn't terrible, although I find that I have more negative to say than positive. I did like Damion. He wasn't a perfect character, but he was genuinely a good guy. I felt bad for Julia, but it felt expected at the same time. I did read this pretty quickly which always affects my enjoyment of a book positively. Trust Fall gets 3.5 Stars. Have you read Trust Fall? What did you think? Let me know!

Can't Wait for The Mirror of Infinite Endings

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings to spotlight and talk about the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they're books that have yet to be released as well. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous Jill at Breaking the Spine. Find out more here.

The Mirror of Infinite Endings (Once Upon a Broken Heart, # 3.5)

By: Stephanie Garber

Expected Publication: September 22, 2026 by Flatiron Books

256 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy,

( Goodreads | Amazon )

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

Goodreads description--The #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING Once Upon a Broken Heart series continues… Return to the Magnificent North and the BREATHTAKING LOVE STORY that has captivated readers all over the world!

Jacks and Evangeline Fox have finally found their happily ever after.

Everything here in the Hollow is wonderful and perfect.

Nothing is going to go wrong.

No one is keeping a secret . . . except for maybe one.

But don’t worry, it’s not going to rewrite reality or alter history or change the ending of Jacks and Evangeline’s story.

Definitely not.

Featuring cameos from fan-favorite characters and twenty full-page illustrations by Lotusbubble, the newest installment in the Once Upon a Broken Heart universe will immerse readers once again in this beloved, #1 New York Times bestselling series. Because every story has the potential for infinite endings.

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

Can't Wait for Light Up My Life

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.

Light Up My Life

By: Kasie West

Expected Publication: October 20, 2026 by Scholastic Press

336 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Christmas, 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--Beloved YA romance author Kasie West (P.S. I Like You) returns with a charming, hilarious modern-day Romeo & Juliet story about two rival families, one Christmas house decorating competition, and a blossoming forbidden relationship. Perfect for fans of Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice and the forthcoming Mint To Be!

Sixteen-year-old Jasmine Costas is a sensitive, shy artist who has spent her entire life going out of her way to avoid the bane of her existence, Ryan Moreno. On top of being an arrogant jerk, Ryan hails from the Moreno family, the Costas's next-door neighboors and longtime enemies. But this is Jasmine's older brother's last year of high school, so she's determined to make it the Best Christmas Ever. When it's announced that their town is holding an actual contest for Best Decorated House, Jasmine and her family are ready to wage an all-out war to claim the trophy. Until Jasmine and Ryan are accidentally locked in a pantry together during a holiday party, and she's forced to wonder if there's actually more to Ryan Moreno than meets the eye. And unfortunately, their chemistry is undeniable.A secret relationship blooms that threatens to completely upend the lives of their families as the Christmas decoration schemes and rivalries get wilder and more chaotic.

Jasmine and Ryan want to be together. Can they convince their families to patch things up and embrace the holiday spirit? This charming story from the master of romantic-comedy, beloved author Kasie West, is a spirited exploration of the chaos of change, and the enduring magic of Christmas.

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

Can't Wait for Spirit Lands

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.

Spirit Lands (The Spice Road Trilogy #3

By: Maiya Ibrahim

Expected Publication: June 9, 2026 by Reign Publishing

448 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Mythology

( Goodreads | Amazon )

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

Goodreads description--In this shocking finale to the instant Sunday Times bestseller Spice Road, Imani, Taha, and Qayn are forced to face lingering ghosts as they venture into the nightmarish landscape of the monster’s realm to protect their land once and for all. A daring fantasy adventure for fans of Children of Blood and Bone and An Ember in the Ashes.

New monsters have appeared outside the kingdom of Qalia, roaming the desert and spreading into the Sahir, ruthless and hungry in their attacks. No matter how much Imani and Qayn battle the monsters outside the city walls, it has become clear that combat will not be enough to stop the onslaught taking over their land.

To Imani’s surprise, Qayn determines that there is only one way for them to find a they must venture to the home of the monsters themselves.

Voyaging into the realm of the monsters might be Imani’s most dangerous undertaking yet, but she would never let Qayn go in alone. As Imani, Taha, and their group navigate the nightmarish path before them, Imani must come to terms with the shocking reality of her world and confront a dangerously tempting power that could destroy them all.

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

Can't Wait for Trust Fall

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.

Trust Fall

By: Lynn Painter

Expected Publication: September 29, 2026 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

416 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--From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Better Than the Movies, Lynn Painter, comes a rags-to-riches rom-com about a small-town girl whose family inherits a fortune and moves to New York City, where she meets a big-city boy hiding an explosive secret.

Julia is just a small-town girl from Nebraska who loves her peaceful life. But when her elderly next-door neighbor—who just happens to be a secret multi-millionaire—leaves everything to Julia and her family after his passing, Julia is swept away to live in a historic brownstone in New York City and attend an elite private school for the super-rich.

It should be a dream come true. Wrong. Julia doesn’t fit in at her new school; worse, she’s failing. Enter Damion, the mysterious and handsome tutor who will get Julia back on track. Except Damion has a secret. He is the great-nephew of the man who left everything to Julia’s family. Damion doesn’t buy for a second that the person who was like a father to him would leave his home to strangers. And he’s determined to prove it.

To uncover the truth, Damion schemes to earn Julia’s trust. Not an easy task with Julia unsure about this rich boy with a rebellious personality. But the more time Damion spends with Julia, the more his plan begins to backfire. Because he is falling for the enemy—and the enemy is falling for him.

As Damion and Julia figure out where they belong, can they see past their differences and act on their feelings, or will the trust Damion has worked so hard to gain fall apart?

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

Fallen City - Review

Fallen City (Fallen City Duology, # 1)

By: Adrienne Young

Publication: November 4, 2025 by Saturday Books

416 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Mythology

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--In the great walled city of Isara, political turmoil ignites a rebellion one hundred years in the making. But when a legionnaire falls in love with a Magistrate's daughter, their love will threaten the fate of the city and the will of the gods.

Luca Matius has one purpose—to carry on the family name, maintaining its presence in the Forum once his powerful and cruel uncle dies. But his noviceship with the city's Philosopher places him in the middle of a catastrophe that will alter the destiny of his people.

Maris Casoeria was raised amidst the strategic maneuvers of the Citadel's inner workings, and she knows what her future holds—a lifetime of service to a corrupt city. But her years of serving as a novice to the last Priestess who possesses the stolen magic of the Old War has made her envision a different kind of future for the city. When she meets Luca, a fated chain of events is set into motion that will divinely entangle their lives.

As a secret comes to light and throws the city into chaos, Luca and Maris hatch a plot to create a calculated alliance that could tip the scales of power. But when an execution forces Luca to become the symbol of rebellion, he and Maris are thrown onto opposite sides of a holy war. As their fates diverge, they learn they are at the center of a story the gods are writing. And even if they can find their way back to each other, there may be nothing left.

Fallen City took a little longer for me to get hooked into the story than I wanted. The back and forth in chronology with "Then" and "Now" chapters is one of my least favorite ways to experience a book. I do recognize that there are pros to telling a story this way, but I hate being pulled out of what is happening in either time to be thrust back and forth into the other period.

At the beginning of Fallen City the depth of the relationship between the FMC and MMC is really unknown. Obviously, that is for a reason. But if these two had the debth of the relationship that is described as the story continues, it would make sense that the reader might pick up on some of that beyond this seemingly random boy or girl that the other is concerned about. It felt to me like they had this connection with the other but that it wasn't all that deep. Obviously, the reader is supposed to discover that over the course of the book, but again, this is one of my least favorite methods of storytelling.

All of that being said, once I did get invested in Fallen City, I wanted to keep reading. I am never as fully invested in the political manuevering of any particular fictional world as I am the romantic storylines. And I won't say that the politics took over, but I was always looking for more interaction between the main characters.

Fallen City does end in a slight ciffhanger and there is planned a second book, Chosen Son, that releases in fall 2026. That being said, I will probably read book 2, but I can't say that I'm dying to get my hands on it either. Fallen City gets 3.5 Stars. Have you read Fallen City? What did you think? Let me know!

Can't Wait for Storm Breaker

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.

Storm Breaker (Storm Breaker, # 1)

By: Nisha J Tuli

Expected Publication: May 5, 2026 by Mayhem Books

416 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Dystopian, Fantasy, Romantasy

( 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 publisher who brought you Fourth Wing comes your next romantasy obsession...

For nineteen-year-old Poet Graves, New Manhattan has always promised safety―if she obeys. Raised within the ruling Houses and betrothed to a powerful heir, she enters Amery Academy knowing her future has already been decided.

But Amery is nothing like she imagined. Its trials are brutal, its loyalties conditional, and its rules designed to expose weakness. As Poet struggles to survive, she must hide the truth that could get her executed: the storms don’t fear her―they answer back.

When a dangerous outsider from beyond the city walls enters the academy, Poet is drawn to him despite everything she’s been taught to believe. He threatens the life she’s been promised. And choosing him could cost her not just her future, but her freedom.

A gripping dystopian romance filled with forbidden power, ruthless challenges, and a heroine who refuses to burn quietly―perfect for fans of Divergent and The Hunger Games.

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

Nothing Like the Movies - Review

Nothing Like the Movies (Better Than the Movies, # 2)

By: Lynn Painter

Publication: September 24, 2024 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

448 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary

Source: Publisher via Edelweiss (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--In this highly anticipated sequel to the New York Times bestselling Better than the Movies, Wes and Liz struggle to balance their feelings for each other with the growing pains of being a college student.

For a few beautiful months, Wes had his dream girl: strong-willed girl-next-door Liz. But right as the two were about to set off to UCLA to start their freshman year together, tragedy struck. Wes was left dealing with the fallout, which ultimately meant losing Liz in the process.

Flash forward months and months later and Wes and Liz find themselves in college, together. In a healthier place now, Wes knows he broke Liz’s heart when he ended things, but he is determined to make her fall back in love with him.

Wes knows Liz better than anyone, and he has a foolproof plan to win her back with the rom-com worthy big gestures she loves. Only…Liz will have none of it. Wes has to scheme like a rom-com hero to figure out how to see her. Even worse, Liz has a new friend…a guy friend.

Still, Wes won’t give up, adapting his clever plans and going hard to get Liz’s attention and win back her affection. But after his best efforts get him nowhere, Wes is left wondering if their relationship is really over for good.

I requested Nothing Like the Movies for review without really realizing that it was the second book in a series. It took me way too long to get my hands on the first book, but I finally got it read and reviewed (Better Than the Movies). So I finally got around to reading Nothing Like the Movies.

Wes and Liz actually start Nothing Like the Movies broken up. The reader doesn't really know what happened between them. Honestly, Liz doesn't even know why Wes broke up with her. But it's been about two years since they first came to college together. We do know that Wes's dad died, and he returned home to help out for a while. But lo and behold he shows back up at UCLA and a party that Liz's roommates are hosting. Liz panics and tells him that she's dating Clark, her current best friend. Clark goes along with Liz because he has her back.

Not only is Liz still majorly into music, but she's also developed a love of photography and, more specifically, sports photography. She currently has an internship with a great mentor who has her working closely with the baseball team, for which Wes is a pitcher. This puts them in close proximity. Not to mention that Wes is determined to win Liz back, even though he likes Clark. He just doesn't see them as having chemistry, and he knows that Liz is the one for him.

Personally, I thought there was a little unnecessary drama in this book. It fits the typical book patterns that I'm used to. There's a conflict, one character decides to self-sacrifice to save the other character, but only ends up hurting themselves and the other character worse. The truth ends up coming out. I appreciated that Liz didn't just let this slide, and I liked her real-world response in wondering if this behavior would repeat itself should another conflict arise in the future. Yet, I also think that people just aren't this self-sacrificing in real life. We very often don't break up with someone else for their good. A breakup might ultimately benefit the other person, but there has to be a benefit to us as well to actually end a relationship. At least, that's been my experience in observing human nature.

Believe it or not, I didn't highlight hardly anything. This might be due to the fact that I kept switching back and forth between reading this book and listening to it on audio. Both are equally good. I will say that I was negatively impressed with the amount of cursing in Nothing Like the Movies. I don't remember there being as much of this in Better Than the Movies. Maybe that is because the characters are supposed to be older, or maybe I blocked it out in my reading of the first book. Either way, it stood out negatively to me in this book. I tend to skim over language unless it's excessive.

Nothing Like the Movies was a decent wrap-up to Wes and Liz's story. I felt like some of the conflict was forced. I mean, if there was going to be a second book, there would have to be additional conflict. But I didn't exactly find all of it to be plausible, even if I devoured the book. In the end, I'm giving Nothing Like the Movies 3.5 Stars. Have you read Nothing Like the Movies? What did you think? Let me know!

Room to Breathe - Review

Room to Breathe

By: Kasie West

Expected Publication: January 6, 2026 by Delacorte Romance

272 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary

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--From the critically acclaimed author of Sunkissed comes a new swoony YA romance. Indy and Beau’s friendship is shattered, but getting accidentally locked in a bathroom together just might be what's needed to reconnect.

When the walls close in, the truth comes out.

When Indy’s life came crashing down, she made a no one could know. To the world, she’s still the same Indy—cool, calm, unshaken. But behind the scenes? It’s chaos.

Her tight-knit crew—Beau, Caroline, and Ava—were once her everything. Now they’re strangers she can’t seem to reach—especially Beau. And the only person she talks to these days is Cody, a skater-boy she used to think was so not her type. Funny how everything changes when your world flips upside down.

And then, as if things couldn’t get weirder, Indy finds herself literally stuck in a school bathroom with Beau. After months of silence, and there’s no escape. If they want out, they’ll have to face the messy truth about what happened between them and find a way back to what they once had. Or maybe even more . . .

Kasie West is an auto-read author for me. I've read nearly all, if not all, of her published books, and I find her to be a consistent author which is nothing to sneeze at. Most of her books are YA with clean romance. That's what genre Room to Breathe is categorized as well.

Room to Breathe is told by a then/now method. I don't always love books written in this method. Although, I do understand why they are done. I didn't love or hate it in Room to Breathe. You might find that you enjoy it more than I did if this isn't something that typically bothers you.

Here's the crux...Indy has had a falling out with her friends. And she find herself locked in a teacher's bathroom at school one afternoon. And she just happens to have gotten locked in with her ex-best friend, Beau. Slight spoilers, but Indy's dad was being investigated when his job noticed some iffy things. I can't remember if Kasie West spells it out for us, but I think it's embezzlement. Because he is being investigated in a criminal case, her parents and the officers have stressed that this isn't something that Indy is allowed to talk about with her friends. No one can know what's going on until the investigation is complete. It even gets to the point where Indy begins to question her own father and stress is building in her household between her parents and generally, everything. This is a lot on a kid. I remember two specific instances where my parents instructed me as a kid to keep quiet about two different situations. And I ended up feeling like I was going to burst. In one instance, I did talk to an acquaintance. We weren't fairly close but she knew my family, and it ended up okay, but apparently she did talk to her dad who then ran into my dad and it was made known that I blabbed. The other instance, I ended up talking to a teacher, and as far as I know it didn't go any further. But secrets like that are hard for anyone to keep. And if it was causing the stress that it was on their family, of course, that stress would leak out to her friends.

Indy wasn't allowed to talk to her friends about what was going on with her. She did begin to make some questionable decisions which didn't help matters. But her friends could have put some weight into their history and given her the benefit of the doubt as well.

As I said, Kasie West is a consistent author. And one thing I find is that while I enjoy her stories, I never put too much weight into them. Like I don't overanalyze them or deconstruct them. I don't say this to put them down because I really enjoy them. But I enjoy them as they are for me, which is almost like a palate cleanser. I love reading them in between heavier books. They are usually light books that you know will have a happily ever after.

Favorite quote:

-But I also could no longer deny, without the distance we’d forced ourselves into over the past two months, that I missed him so much. More than I realized. But missing him wouldn’t fix anything. It was easier to be mad. Because the alternative was sad. And I was worried sad might destroy me. I’d been holding back that feeling for a long time. I’d been holding back a lot of feelings for a long time. The only one I had let flourish over the past several months was anger. And it had flourished. It had blossomed and bloomed and become beautiful.

Room to Breathe was another good book by Kasie West. I enjoyed it. I read it quickly. I can count on her to give me characters that I can like and root for, and Indy and Beau were just that. Room to Breathe gets 3.5 Stars. Have you read Room to Breathe? What did you think? Let me know!

The House Saphir - Review

The House Saphir

By: Marissa Meyer

Narrated by: Rebecca Soler

Publication: November 4, 2025 by Macmillan Young Listeners

Duration: 12 Hours, 15 Minutes, 3 Seconds

432 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Retelling

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--From the #1 New York Times bestselling "Queen of Fairytale Retellings" and author of Cinder and Heartless, this is the tale of Bluebeard as it's never been told before—a thrilling romantasy and murder mystery.

Mallory Fontaine is a fraud. Though she comes from a long line of witches, the only magic she possesses is the ability to see ghosts, which is rarely as useful as one would think. She and her sister have maintained the family business, eking out a paltry living by selling bogus spells to gullible buyers and conducting tours of the infamous mansion where the first of the Saphir murders took place.

Mallory is a self-proclaimed expert on Count Bastien Saphir—otherwise known as Monsieur Le Bleu—who brutally killed three of his wives more than a century ago. But she never expected to meet Bastien's great-great grandson and heir to the Saphir estate. Armand is handsome, wealthy, and convinced that the Fontaine Sisters are as talented as they claim. The perfect mark. When he offers Mallory a large sum of money to rid his ancestral home of Le Bleu's ghost, she can’t resist. A paid vacation at Armand’s country manor? It’s practically a dream come true, never mind the ghosts of murdered wives and the monsters that are as common as household pests.

But when murder again comes to the House Saphir, Mallory finds herself at the center of the investigation—and she is almost certain the killer is mortal. If she has any hope of cashing in on the payment she was promised, she’ll have to solve the murder and banish the ghost, all while upholding the illusion of witchcraft.

But that all sounds relatively easy compared to her biggest learning to trust her heart. Especially when the person her heart wants the most might be a murderer himself.

I have an up-and-down relationship with Marissa Meyer's books. I loved the Lunar Chronicle series. And I enjoyed the first book in the Gilded series. I never finished book 2. I wasn't sure about The House Saphir, but I decided to take a chance and check it out. And I am glad that I got the audiobook version so I could do that.

The House Saphir is about a girl who is pretending to be a witch in order to trick people into paying for haunted house tours, seances, trinkets, potions, and various other things. She and her sister are simply trying to survive by whatever means necessary. Specifically, she is using a local mansion in disrepair where the owner is known to have killed his four wives before he himself died.

Mallory is approached on one such tour by the descendant of Count Bastian Saphir who wants to use her services to expell the ghost of the count from the house. Mallory and her sister move into the house hoping to milk the experience for all the time and money they can. Only Mallory begins to develop feelings for Armand, the man who hired her. And things aren't quite as they seem all around.

I am so thankful that I listened to this book on audio. I have nearly zero experience with French. And many, many words would have been horribly butchered or skipped entirely had I been reading this book myself and not listening to it. The narrator did a wonderful job.

I can't say that anything about the story itself, plot wise, was a surprise. Things played out pretty expectedly. The creatures and the magic were fairly unique at least to my knowledge. Again, I'm not up on any French folklore if these beasts were inspired by anything or completely fictional created by Marissa Meyer.

There was enough of a romance to satisfy me. I don't usually enjoy reading if that's entirely missing. I don't remember much cursing. And there are no spicy scenes to worry about.

The House Saphir was better than I was expecting. Yet I wasn't expecting a lot given that I was on the fence about this book. I've liked Marissa Meyer in the past, but the description didn't seem entirely something that I would normally gravitate towards. Unless you're familiar with French, I do suggest listening to the audiobook. The House Saphir gets 3 Stars. Have you read or listened to The House Saphir? What did you think? Let me know!

Can't Wait for The Escape Game

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings to spotlight and talk about the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they're books that have yet to be released as well. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous Jill at Breaking the Spine. Find out more here.

The Escape Game

By: Marissa Meyer & Tamara Moss

Expected Publication: April 7, 2026 by G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers

416 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Mystery, Thriller

( Goodreads | Amazon )

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

Goodreads description--An unforgettable YA murder mystery set in an escape-room themed game show, by Marissa Meyer, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Lunar Chronicles, and Tamara Moss, rising star and acclaimed author of Lintang series.

It’s all fun and games until someone ends up dead.

Six months ago, season four of The Escape Game ended in horror when contestant Alicia Angelos was found murdered on set.

Now season five is underway, and new contestants are ready to put their skills to the test solving the show's trickiest escape rooms. There's Adi, the cryptographer; Carter, the math whiz; Beck, the wannabe game master, and . . . Sierra Angelos, the girl who got away with her sister’s murder. Or so everyone believes.

But Sierra’s not just here to win. She’s here for justice.

When the contestants begin uncovering clues that hint at the identity of Alicia’s true killer, it becomes clear that the stakes aren’t high in this competition, they’re deadly. If these teens want to win—and survive—the game, they must solve the biggest mystery of who killed Alicia Angelos?

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Marissa Meyer and rising star Tamara Moss comes a twisty thrill-ride, filled with sabotage, betrayal, and puzzles to die for.

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

Better Than the Movies - Review

Better Than the Movies (Better Than the Movies, # 1)

By: Lynn Painter

Publication: May 4, 2021 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

356 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary

Source: Borrowed from the e-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--In this rom-com about rom-coms, in the spirit of Kasie West and Jenn Bennett, a hopeless romantic teen attempts to secure a happily-ever-after moment with her forever crush, but finds herself reluctantly drawn to the boy next door.

Perpetual daydreamer Liz Buxbaum gave her heart to Michael a long time ago. But her cool, aloof forever crush never really saw her before he moved away. Now that he’s back in town, Liz will do whatever it takes to get on his radar - and maybe snag him as a prom date - even befriend Wes Bennet.

The annoyingly attractive next-door neighbor might seem like a prime candidate for romantic-comedy fantasies, but Wes has only been a pain in Liz’s butt since they were kids. Pranks involving frogs and decapitated lawn gnomes do not a potential boyfriend make. Yet, somehow, Wes and Michael are hitting it off, which means Wes is Liz’s in.

But as Liz and Wes scheme to get Liz noticed by Michael so she can have her magical prom moment, she’s shocked to discover that she likes being around Wes. And as they continue to grow closer, she must reexamine everything she thought she knew about love - and rethink her own ideas of what happily ever after should look like.

Liz's mother died when she was in thr 5th grade. Her mother loved rom-com and shared that love with Liz. Liz dresses in the same way her mother used to. She loves music, specifically she creates soundtracks in her head. She loves finding the perfect song to match what's happening in her life. She's been looking for "the one" but she's only in high school. And to make matters worse, she is grieving her mother's absence with all of the senior events of the year. To be honest, Liz was a struggle for me in the beginning of the book. I find it hard to believe in all her vast movie knowledge that she wouldn't be familiar with the idea that forcing the perfect man is unrealistic and likely not going to work out in her favor. But, she romanticizes Michael who used to live down the street but moved to TX and has recently returned even though she doesnt exactly know him well anymore.

Wes was easy to adore. He's been pulling pranks on Liz and fighting with her over the parking spot in front of their houses as they are neighbors. His pranks were pretty epic. Liz recruits him to help her have a chance with their mutual friend Michael. Wes will talk her up to Michael and Wes will get the parking spot. Through their agreement the two begin to interact more frequently. They go to some events together and talk on the phone, etc. Through these interactions Liz begins to see that Wes isn't the evil bully she always believed him to be.

The amount of interruptions these kids constantly faced was comical in an annoying way. Just about any action that was about to happen or the story was going to progress, someone was getting vomited on, smacked in the face with a basketball, or some random person like a waiter or stepmom was going to interrupt.

Liz is also terrible at communication. For one, she keeps way too much to herself. For two, she was lying constantly throughout the book to many different characters, and her lies weren't even good or well thought out. For three, she waited for everyone else to open up to her before she addressed any conflict or her own desires. Thankfully, Wes is pretty good at reading her. And thankfully Joss (her best friend) and Helena (her stepmom) were not content to avoid conflict or all of Liz's relationships would have gone down the drain.

All of that said, once I got passed my initial frustrations with Liz, I really got sucked into the story. I read until 1 am one night which is so rare. It isn't unheard of for me, and I did regret it after my son woke up at 2 am, and then my brain wouldn't shut off to be able to sleep. But I stopped right about the time of the plot climax. I knew there wasnt enough time for me to wrap up all of the conflicts and get enough sleep to not be a crazy person the next day. So I forced myself to put it down.

Favorite quotes:

-“And you think that plotting and planning and trickery is no big deal if it’s done to spark some sort of true love?”

I mean really. It amazes me how many people think they can build solid relationships upon a foundation of deceit.

-But there I was, scant feet away from Wes and his knuckles, and I almost found his habit to be… endearing? Like, he kind of looked adorable when he smiled and cracked?

I liked this because it's true. Things that might have been annoying in others or even in our partners can become cute and endearing when we are in love.

-I couldn’t take it anymore. Prom is painful. You can either stand around with your friends and talk while wearing uncomfortable tuxedos, or you can dance to [crappy] music while your friends talk about you and think they’re funny. And so much planning and money goes into this one night, but there is no way the joy derived equals the effort. Absolutely no way.”

I never went to prom. But I agree with the statement. It seems like such a waste of money for many people to only be let down by the experience. I'm sure a lot of people do have good memories of their prom experiences.

-"I fell in love with teasing you in the second grade, when I first discovered that I could turn your cheeks pink with just a word. Then I fell in love with you.”

Better Than the Movies is a young adult book so there were no spicy scenes. Only on page kissing. Language was present, but no f-words that I can remember.

I really enjoyed the story and the growth. Of course, the end result made the beginning frustrations worth it. I cant wait to dive into the next book in the series. Better Than the Movies gets 4 Stars. Have you read Better Than the Movies ? What did you think? Let me know!

All Things Halloween Review - One Dark Window

One Dark Window (The Shepherd King, # 1)

By: Rachel Gillig

Publication: September 27, 2022 by Orbit

432 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Magic, Gothic

Source: Borrowed from the e-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--Elspeth needs a monster. The monster might be her.

Elspeth Spindle needs more than luck to stay safe in the eerie, mist-locked kingdom of Blunder—she needs a monster. She calls him the Nightmare, an ancient, mercurial spirit trapped in her head. He protects her. He keeps her secrets.

But nothing comes for free, especially magic.

When Elspeth meets a mysterious highwayman on the forest road, her life takes a drastic turn. Thrust into a world of shadow and deception, she joins a dangerous quest to cure Blunder from the dark magic infecting it. And the highwayman? He just so happens to be the King’s nephew, Captain of the most dangerous men in Blunder…and guilty of high treason.

Together they must gather twelve Providence Cards—the keys to the cure. But as the stakes heighten and their undeniable attraction intensifies, Elspeth is forced to face her darkest secret yet: the Nightmare is slowly taking over her mind. And she might not be able to stop him.

I listened to One Dark Window on audio, so that means spellings are a struggle. Also, I don't have any quotes to guide me, refer back to, or share with you in my review.

This world was unique but not explored in depth. There are Providence Cards that reminded me of tarot cards in their description. Except, instead of fortune telling, the Providence Cards provides the possessor/user of the card with supernatural powers of various kinds. Each card has a specific power. Elspeth has a unique ability that we don't learn about until later, but that ability has basically allowed her to absorb a Monster into her mind.

The king's nephew that the description stated was the highwayman who attacked Elspeth is trying to collect all 12 providence cards. He believes that collecting all of them will cure the mist that is trapping the kingdom. However, very few Nightmare cards exists. And Elspeth is having to keep a few secrets in the process.

If I remember correctly, Ravyn is the nephew in question. There were other family members, and another name that was similar (Hawk maybe???, or did it start with an R also?) that causes confusion in my memory, and I don't have the paper book to refer back to. Ravyn is supposed to be the love interest, but I feel like I heard something spoilerish that has kept me from connecting to him. I think I would have connected to him without the unsolicited knowledge I stumbled upon. But I will have to continue the series to see how things play out.

I was a little frustrated with how predictable the plot was. Things that felt like they should have been plot twists were glaringly obviously. Maybe this was designed for the next book to have a bigger impact, assuming the spoilers I heard were real. But at this point in the story, I find myself mildly caring about the characters where they are right now because I know a good bit must change in order to get where we end up if the spoilers I heard are true. Even still, I found myself enjoying the journey. It wasn't until I stopped to analyze it that I realized some world building was missing.

One Dark Window still gets 4 Stars. Have you read or listened to One Dark Window? 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.

All Things Halloween Review - Kingdom of the Wicked

Kingdom of the Wicked (Kingdom of the Wicked, # 1)

By: Kerri Maniscalco

Publication: October 27, 2020 by Jimmy Patterson Books

372 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Witches

Source: Borrowed from the e-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--Two sisters.
One brutal murder.
A quest for vengeance that will unleash Hell itself...
And an intoxicating romance.

Emilia and her twin sister Vittoria are streghe - witches who live secretly among humans, avoiding notice and persecution. One night, Vittoria misses dinner service at the family's renowned Sicilian restaurant. Emilia soon finds the body of her beloved twin...desecrated beyond belief. Devastated, Emilia sets out to find her sister's killer and to seek vengeance at any cost—even if it means using dark magic that's been long forbidden.

Then Emilia meets Wrath, one of the Wicked—princes of Hell she has been warned against in tales since she was a child. Wrath claims to be on Emilia's side, tasked by his master with solving the series of women's murders on the island. But when it comes to the Wicked, nothing is as it seems...

I'm going to start right off and say that I didn't like this book. I don't intend to read more of the series at this point. And I'm going to try to tell you why, but my thoughts are a bit jumbled.

Emelia and Vittoria are twins. They're witches. Supposedly good/light witches. To be honest, I haven't read many (any?) witch books that really worked for me. But I thought I would give it a try. Their grandmother has always told them stories about the princes of Hell in an attempt to warn them of their trickery and danger. But Emelia and Vittoria always thought their Nonna was telling them fairytales, fables, etc. Stories that wouldn't ever affect their lives. Until one day Vittoria is murdered. Emelia then seeks some dark methods in an attempt to discover who murdered her sister. She does a summoning spell for a demon that she found in Vittoria's hiding spot in their shared bedroom. Little did she know, she actually ended up binding the Prince of Wrath to her. They end up in an uneasy alliance as they both search for the murderer with different end goals.

As I said, I've never read a witch book that I actually ended up liking. The spells. The potions. The lore. All of it ends up bothering me. And there was a part of me that was just chilled when I started reading this book. I don't usually have problems with books that I can assign as completely fantasy, but when fantasy books use God or try to pull from real life religions I start to feel off about them. I don't even enjoy reading much Greek or Roman mythology based books. By the end of the book, I just felt like the author was trying to twist everything that might be expected to be good as bad and what might be expected to be bad is leading the reader and Emelia toward. It's hard to explain.

Perhaps my biggest frustration was Emelia as a character. She was so wishy washy. I pictured her running everywhere. Like a character on a video game. Like Link or Mario. They don't meander. When you play those characters, you make them run so you can get where you're going faster, but Emelia just seemed to be running everywhere. And she'd randomly change course in physical direction as well as emotional direction. It was jarring. And it felt like poor writing in my opinion. She'd be passionately pursuing one end goal and then randomly change course.

Also, Emelia was pretty blind. I like when authors can lead me to think I've figured out some secret plot point that I might actually be right about but also totally blindside me with something I didn't see coming. (I'm thinking about the Red Rising series by Pierce Brown.) But this didn't feel like that at all. The big plot twists weren't a surprise. I think one of them or both were supposed to be. But I just ended up feeling like the character was a dolt for not figuring out at least one of them, but both of the main twists were pretty obvious. It's hard to root for a character that isn't very smart.

The relationship building between Wrath and Emelia was also a little bit painful to watch considering where it was obvious the author wanted to go with this direction. I don't plan to read the other two books in this series, but I feel like I can already tell you point by point what I expect to happen with these two characters. Which is one of the main reasons why I won't be continuing the series. Sure, he had some moments where he wasn't a total DB, but that doesn't mean the two built any kind of true relationship or connection that was worth any weight.

And then another complaint I had is that Wrath has so much knowledge that Emelia doesn't have. She knows basically nothing. And so she spent the entire book asking questions and not getting any real answers or anything. He flat didn't even respond to many of her questions. I know that the pacing of revealing information to a character can be important for the story to progress in a specific manner, but Emelia spent the entire book not really knowing anything yet continually making assumptions and judgement calls and then she'd make some ridiculous stance on something knowing zero information. Of course, it's easy to play a character like that.

Language was minimal. I think the s-word was used twice and the d-word as well. That being said, there was also on-page kissing, but that was about it. No on-page spice or sexual content.

I don't have any quotes I care enough to share with you.

I kept read Kingdom of the Wicked hoping that it would redeem itself. And then I'd come far enough to want to see it through. I did consider DNFing it in the beginning, but after I moved past that point, I didn't really think about it again until maybe the 80% mark when I realized that things probably weren't going to turn around, but I stuck with it and finished it out. Kingdom of the Wicked gets 2.5 Stars. Have you read Kingdom of the Wicked? 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.

Can't Wait for The House Saphir

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings to spotlight and talk about the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they're books that have yet to be released as well. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous Jill at Breaking the Spine. Find out more here.

The House Saphir

By: Marissa Meyer

Expected Publication: November 4, 2025 by Feiwel & Friends

432 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Retelling

( 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 #1 New York Times bestselling "Queen of Fairytale Retellings" and author of Cinder and Heartless, this is the tale of Bluebeard as it's never been told before—a thrilling romantasy and murder mystery.

Mallory Fontaine is a fraud. Though she comes from a long line of witches, the only magic she possesses is the ability to see ghosts, which is rarely as useful as one would think. She and her sister have maintained the family business, eking out a paltry living by selling bogus spells to gullible buyers and conducting tours of the infamous mansion where the first of the Saphir murders took place.

Mallory is a self-proclaimed expert on Count Bastien Saphir—otherwise known as Monsieur Le Bleu—who brutally killed three of his wives more than a century ago. But she never expected to meet Bastien's great-great grandson and heir to the Saphir estate. Armand is handsome, wealthy, and convinced that the Fontaine Sisters are as talented as they claim. The perfect mark. When he offers Mallory a large sum of money to rid his ancestral home of Le Bleu's ghost, she can’t resist. A paid vacation at Armand’s country manor? It’s practically a dream come true, never mind the ghosts of murdered wives and the monsters that are as common as household pests.

But when murder again comes to the House Saphir, Mallory finds herself at the center of the investigation—and she is almost certain the killer is mortal. If she has any hope of cashing in on the payment she was promised, she’ll have to solve the murder and banish the ghost, all while upholding the illusion of witchcraft.

But that all sounds relatively easy compared to her biggest learning to trust her heart. Especially when the person her heart wants the most might be a murderer himself.

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