Calling All Recommendations: Contemporary

Hey guys, I'm in need of some help. I've found myself surrounded by fantasy books in my possession lately. While I love that genre, fantasy has recently bogged me down, and I find that I do best by varying up my genres periodically so that I don't get burned out of any one particular genre. That being said, I'm looking for some contemporary reads that are AWESOME.

A few guidelines if you don't mind:

1. Characters between the ages of 17 and 30ish.
2. Please no overly descriptive sexual scenes. The occasional scene doesn't bother me, but when it happens frequently or is described in a bit too much detail, I'm not a huge fan.
3. Please no LGBTQAI.
4. Can we try to avoid cheating? Love triangles are fine as long as there's no cheating.
5. No anti-God characters or themes please. I'm not necessarily looking for Christian reads (although, I'll take some of those suggestions as well), but just not characters that are completely opposed to God.
6. Also, please no political agendas.
7. Think authors like Colleen Hoover, Kasie West, Simone Elkeles, Amy Harmon, and Katie McGarry. (But you'd be wasting your time recommending anything by these guys because I've read them all.)

Hit me with your suggestions and favorite contemporary reads please!!! Thanks so much!

Can't Wait for The Becoming of Noah Shaw

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 Becoming of Noah Shaw (The Shaw Confessions, # 1)

By: Michelle Hodkin

Expected Publication: November 7th 2017 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

384 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal

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

Goodreads description--In the first book of the Shaw Confessions, the companion series to the New York Times bestselling Mara Dyer novels, old skeletons are laid bare and new promises prove deadly. This is what happens after happily ever after.

Everyone thinks seventeen-year-old Noah Shaw has the world on a string.

They’re wrong.

Mara Dyer is the only one he trusts with his secrets and his future.

He shouldn’t.

And both are scared that uncovering the truth about themselves will force them apart.

They’re right.

I enjoyed the Mara Dyer series, even though the last book was my least favorite and was a bit of a let down for an ending to me. And I'm a little worried about this description where it seems to indicate that Noah and Mara will end up apart. However, I need to at least check this out. What are you guys waiting on this week? Let me know!

Top Ten Book Dads

Top 10 Tuesday is a post hosted by The Broke and the Bookish and this week's topic is Top Ten Fathers in Books.

You guys, if I thought this subject was difficult and sad with Mother's it is even worse with fathers. They seem to be either dead, not present, completely disconnected, or an outright villain in the majority of books that I've read. And that's not just sad, it is really unacceptable. I realize that our family units have taken a big hit over the years, and it isn't unusual for a father to not be present, but this is just awful. We need some good parents in our YA books!

1. Bailey's Dad & Fern's Dad from Making Faces by Amy Harmon - Bailey's dad is a wrestling coach for the school and has been Bailey's biggest supporter. Fern's dad is a preacher and is there for her as well as many others in the community.
2. Samuel from The Captive Heart by Michelle Griep - Samuel has a two year old daughter. His wife was killed in a fire. And it is clear that Samuel adores his daughter.
3. Kiara's Dad from Rules of Attraction by Simone Elkeles - Kiara's dad takes in a troubled teen that needs his help. He even has Carlos's back in a very dangerous situation.
4. Brimstone from Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor - Although Brimstone isn't Karou's physical father, he's been a father to her in all the ways that count.
5. Mr. Garrett from My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick - This man is all about doing everything he can for his family.
6. Lara Jean's Dad from To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han - Lara Jean's dad has been doing the single parent thing for his three girls. He's a doctor (if I remember correctly). And he's really been there for his girls.
7. Charlie's Dad from On the Fence by Kasie West - Another single dad with a lot of kids.
8. Abe from Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead - Okay so Abe isn't what I'd typically look for in a "good dad" but he stepped it up for Rose there toward the end, and was always really there when she needed him. Plus he was hilarious.
9. Charlie from Twilight by Stephenie Meyer - Okay guys, this is debatable. Charlie was quite a bit oblivious when it comes to what was going on with Bella, but at least he was present, and he did care. That gives him significant advantage over 90% of the other dad's in the books I've read.

And that's seriously all I've got! If you guys know of some other great fathers in books, please let me know!

Shadowcaster - Review

Shadowcaster (Shattered Realms, # 2)

By: Cinda Chima Williams

Published: April 4th 2017 by HarperTeen

551 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

Source: Publisher via Edelweiss (Thank you!!)

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

Goodreads description--Alyssa ana'Raisa is the reluctant princess heir to the Gray Wolf throne of Fells, a queendom embroiled in a seemingly endless war. Hardened by too many losses, Lyss is more comfortable striking with a sword than maneuvering at court. After a brush with death, she goes on the offensive, meaning to end the war that has raged her whole life. If her gamble doesn't pay off, she could lose her queendom before she even ascends to the throne.

Across enemy lines in Arden, young rising star Captain Halston Matelon has been fighting for his king since he was a lýtling. Lately, though, he finds himself sent on ever more dangerous assignments. Between the terrifying rumors of witches and wolfish warriors to the north and his cruel king at home, Hal is caught in an impossible game of life and death.

Set in the world of the acclaimed Seven Realms series, this is a thrilling story of the unfathomable costs of war, the allure of dark magic, and two principled and conflicted characters, drawn together despite everything they stand to lose.

I enjoyed Flamecaster, but it wasn't without a few issues for me. So I was excited when I saw Shadowcaster for review. I put off reading it until closer to the publication date, yet as the date approached, I fell into a reading slump. The slump had me uninterested in most things fantasy related. I wasn't opposed to fantasy itself, but just that sometimes the genre focuses so little on character relationships due to world building and such. It's funny because I actually forced myself to read two very slow, and very un-character driven fantasy books before picking up Shadowcaster. I definitely wasn't in the mood for more fantasy after those books, yet I knew that I really needed to get this book read and reviewed since I was already past the publication date. Thankfully, Shadowcaster was a much more interesting and character read than the previous two books I read.

One thing I wasn't expecting (but should have been due to the book description) was that Ash wouldn't be a narrator at all in Shadowcaster. As a matter of fact, Shadowcaster goes back in time from where Flamecaster ended so there is an overlapping of time between these two books. As the description states, Shadowcaster primarily follows Lyss and Hal. Lyss is Ash's younger sister and now in line for the throne as Princess Heir. She's only 15 years old which feels very young to me, but I appreciate how Cinda Williams Chima treated her age is relative. What Lyss has experienced in her 15 years is very different from what teenagers face in our culture. Hal is a Captain in the army for the enemy, Arden. But his father has recently been on the outs with King Gerard, and Hal is taking the punishment for that in that King Gerard seems to be trying to have him killed by placing him in impossible situations. Hal is eventually captured as a prisoner of war and over an extended period of time is exposed to Lyss not knowing that she is Princess Heir of the Fells.

Lyss and Hal aren't the only narrators. Jenna from Flamecaster does play a role and she does narrate a few chapters. She's the biggest tie in that we have to the previous book. There's also a narrator named Breon who seems to be from the same place as Jenna originally. These two have a path that appears to be tied to each other although they've yet to meet. And there may even have been another narrator or two, but I can't remember. These four are the key players though. If you read my review of Flamecaster, you'll remember that I said this type of narration style isn't really my favorite. Typically, I don't mind dual narratives as long as the characters a following the same general part of the story, but when we begin to add on more and more narrators whose pieces of the puzzle are seemingly unrelated I tend to struggle, or at the very least I find it much easier to put the book down when a narration swap occurs. Having finished two books in this series, I see why Cinda Williams Chima chooses to narrate in this manner, but that doesn't mean I always enjoy it as much as I could. Especially early on in the book when the pieces of the puzzle feel so far away from each other.

I will say that this might be a coincidence, but I saw a lot of naming similarities between Shadowcaster and the A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R R Martin. I don't know if this was perhaps done on purpose as a nod to ASoIaF, or if this was an accident where the author's subconscious took over, or maybe it is just a coincidence. There was a Littlefield (Littlefinger), Breon (Brienne), Alyssa (Lysa), I can't remember the character's name in SC but it reminded me of Tommen, and I remember telling my husband of a place mentioned in SC that had a similar name too, but I didn't write them down at the time so I don't remember. This isn't a huge thing. Just something I noted.

Favorite quotes:

-We are a land of orphans, Lyss thought, doing the work of dead parents.

-"I always think that if I tell the truth, people can't help but agree. When they don't, I lose my temper and everything goes south from there."

-"...we need to let go of what we have been doing and take a chance. If we do what we've always done, we'll get what we've always gotten..."

-A civil war has no winners, only losers, and is to be avoided at all costs.

Shadowcaster was better than I was expecting due to the mood I've been in and the previous two books that I'd read immediately prior in the same genre. Lyss and Hal's storyline was the most interesting to me and kept me coming back for more. I truly hope that we get more of them in the next book, but I'm afraid that might not be the case if book 3 follows an entirely new set of main characters. I had a few small issues like the narration style making it easier for me to put this book down and the similarities to A Song of Ice and Fire names and locations. In the end, Shadowcaster gets 4 Stars. Have you read Shadowcaster? What did you think? Let me know!

Sunday Post - 251 & Stacking the Shelves - 189

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 my sister-in-law and one niece and two nephews came over to swim. It wasn't necessarily the best day for swimming as it did rain off and on while we were in the pool. Thankfully there was no thunder or lightening so we kept at it. The rest of the week was pretty lazy. After my crazy cleaning frenzy for our party last Saturday I took it easy this week.

THIS PAST WEEK:

Monday: Review of The Captain's Daughter (London Beginnings, # 1) by Jennifer Delamere (4 Stars)
Wednesday: Can't Wait for Whichwood by Tahereh Mafi

UPCOMING THIS WEEK:

Monday: Review of Shadowcaster (Shattered Realms, # 2) by Cinda Williams Chima
Tuesday: Top Ten Tuesday
Wednesday: Can't Wait for Wednesday

Don’t forget to sign up for the 2017 Series Enders Reading Challenge! You have until December 15, 2017 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!

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews.

After the Game (The Field Party, # 3)

By: Abbi Glines

Expected Publication: August 22nd 2017 by Simon Pulse

320 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Sports

Source: Publisher via Edelweiss (Thank you!!)

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository )

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

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

Two years ago, Riley Young fled from Lawton, Alabama. After accusing the oldest Lawton son, Rhett, of rape, everyone called her a liar and she had no option but to leave. Now she’s back, but she’s not at Lawton High finishing up her senior year. She’s at home raising the little girl that no one believed was Rhett’s.

Rhett is off at college living the life he was afraid he’d lose with Riley’s accusation, so Riley agrees to move back to Lawton so she and her parents could take care of her grandmother, who is suffering from Alzheimer’s. But the town still hasn’t forgotten their hate for her, and she hasn’t forgotten the way they turned on her when she needed them most.

When town golden boy Brady Higgens finds Riley and her daughter, Bryony, stranded on the side of the road in a storm, he pulls over and gives them a ride. Not because he cares about Riley, of course, but because of the kid.

But after the simple car ride, he begins to question everything he thought he knew. Could Brady believe Riley and risk losing everything?

Anatomy of an Affair: How Affairs, Attractions, and Addictions Develop, and How to Guard Your Marriage Against Them

By: Dave Carder

Expected Publication: September 5th 2017 by Moody Publishers

224 pages

Genre: Non-fiction, Christian

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--When it comes to adultery, never say, “It won’t happen to me.”

Just when you think your marriage is safe from adultery is when you may be the most vulnerable.

With eye-opening stories, clinical insights, and up-to-date data, Dave Carder reveals what adulterers learned the hard way—and what they want the rest of us to know to save us the pain.

Dave Carder, counselor and author of the bestselling Torn Asunder (100,000 in print), is a sought-after expert on issues of adultery. Here he helps you make your marriage adultery-proof by showing you:

How attractions can lead to affairs Ways you may be vulnerable to affairs The common ingredients of adultery How to restore intimacy to your marriage How to make wise, protective decisions Marriage is too sacred to be taken casually. Affairs are a very real threat, and they can destroy lives and families. For this reason, Anatomy of an Affair should be on every church leader’s and marriage counselor’s required reading list, and in the home of every married couple.

Includes charts and assessments to understand and guard against affairs.

A Court of Mist and Fury (A Court of Thorns and Roses, # 2)

By: Sarah J Maas

Published: May 3rd 2016 by Bloomsbury USA Childrens

626 pages

Genre: New Adult, Fantasy, Fae, Faeries

Source:

( 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--Feyre survived Amarantha's clutches to return to the Spring Court—but at a steep cost. Though she now has the powers of the High Fae, her heart remains human, and it can't forget the terrible deeds she performed to save Tamlin's people.

Nor has Feyre forgotten her bargain with Rhysand, High Lord of the feared Night Court. As Feyre navigates its dark web of politics, passion, and dazzling power, a greater evil looms—and she might be key to stopping it. But only if she can harness her harrowing gifts, heal her fractured soul, and decide how she wishes to shape her future—and the future of a world cleaved in two.

With more than a million copies sold of her beloved Throne of Glass series, Sarah J. Maas's masterful storytelling brings this second book in her seductive and action-packed series to new heights.

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!