Top Ten Automatic Book Turnoffs

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. This week's topic is Top Ten Automatic Book No-Gos.

1. Time travel - I just can't get behind it. I have yet to read a time travel book that I liked. I struggle enough with "then" and "now" books. If I even see a hint of time travel in the description of a book, I'm out.
2. Middle Grade - For my personal reading preferences, I will not even consider middle grade books. Since I'm reading more and more books to my kids I will be exploring the genre more so this might change over time, but right now, I am firmly against middle grade books.
3. Mermaids - I've tried. I have wanted to like mermaid novels. I don't really understand why fantasy is one of my favorite genres, but mermaids defy logistical sense to me. I can't make them make sense enough to get behind them. Maybe a completely underwater species would be doable, but if they come on land or have any kind of relationship with a human, I can't buy it. I usually skip mermaid books.
4. Erotica - My tolerance level is much lower than most I assume. I don't enjoy descriptive physical scenes. For me, the build up and tension leading up to a kiss can be way hotter and better written than descriptive sexual scenes. In my opinion, they are unnecessary. And if I know to expect them in a book I will usually steer clear.
5. Anti-God or Anti-Christianity - God can handle us questioning Him, but I have no interest in reading books that portray God in a false light or that use the characters to implant lies concerning God into the reader's minds. Some authors seem to have a personal mission of trying to make God look bad. It backfires in my opinion. And I'm not interested in these types of books or authors.
6. Explict Language - Again, to me, this is unnecessary. I know plenty of people claim the f-bomb as their favorite word. And arguments can be made over words just being word. I don't avoid books for an occasional drop here or there, but if the language pulls me out of the story then that's a problem.
7. Political - Any time a book, character, or author tries to push a political agenda then I'm out. Not interested. There's a difference in a character experiencing an event that might lead them to think or feel a certain way, but usually it's obvious whether this feels organic to the story or a political agenda push.
8. Psychological Thrillers or True Crime - For the most part, I don't want to read about the worst of mankind. If I spend my time dwelling upon the worst mankind has to offer, I become a jaded, anxious, depressed, paranoid person. I don't want to be naive to the dangers around me, but I don't want to spend my free time focused on crimes of this nature.
9. Absence of a Love Story - While other books might be amazing, I just don't have the time if the story isn't mostly driven by romance.
10. Bucket Lists - I've also found that characters that make lists of things they want to experience often feel forced and contrived in my opinion. I end up not enjoying these usually.

What are your auto no-gos when it comes to books? Let me know!

An Uncharted Devotion - Review

An Uncharted Devotion

By: Amanda Taylor

Expected Publication: June 5, 2023

216 pages

Genre: Adult, Historical Fiction

Source: Publisher via NetGalley (Thank you!!)

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository )

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

Goodreads description--Lady Sarah Whitfield becomes the newest member of English nobility when her husband, Lord James Whitfield, inherits the family estate and title. It would seem her life is one of comfort and ease, but things are not always how they appear.

After a five-year post in the navy, James has returned from war a very different man: cold, stoic, and tortured by an unresolved past. How can he carry on with a life of wedded bliss when his oldest friend in the world is starving in a French prison?

Heartbroken by the changes in her husband, who seems to have lost both his love for life and for her, Sarah leaves for London. James, haunted by the war and the loss of his wife, cannot make sense of his pain and regret. He knows one thing, however: he cannot let the woman he loves slip through his fingers. But when he receives news of his friend, he is forced to decide whether he can face the horrors of his past to save his friend and reclaim a future with Sarah or whether he must sacrifice one for the other.

An Uncharted Devotion is unique among books. I haven't read many books where the relationship between the two main characters has already been established, and they are in love. And the books that I have read where this might be the case have ended up where the initial relationship breaks down, and one or both move on to other relationships that suit them better. That wasn't the case with An Uncharted Devotion, and I liked it all the more for the difference.

The book starts off at James and Sarah's wedding. The two are desperately in love with each other. James is in the Navy and has two weeks with Sarah before being shipped out. The story picks up five years later. Sarah lives with James's mother and sister-in-law, and his older brother Peter has just passed away. Alice is now a widow and deeply in the throws of grief. James has inherited his brother's title and has been commissioned to return home. Despite her best efforts, Sarah has never been able to form much of a friendship with Alice. She has found friends over the last five years, but she has been very lonely. She misses James. And even his letters have nearly stopped altogether by the time Peter has passed.

James fully intends to remain in the Navy for the next five to ten years. The navy, his war experiences, as well as his promotion to Captain have all worked to change him into a hardened and aloof man. In the span of a very short time, James's friend gets captured by the French, his brother dies, he inherits a title he never expected to have, and he loses his career in the navy. He isn't a happy man when he arrives back home.

Oh my heart ached for Sarah. She wants so badly to restore the relationship she once had with James. They used to be so in love and connected. But now that he is home, he is either indifferent or harsh with her. Most of the time he tries to avoid her altogether. She can't make heads or tails of his feelings. And he won't open up to her. Because my own marriage has been going through one of the more challenging times lately, I found myself near tears and even had a few tears roll down my cheeks a time or two during the first half of this book.

I loved all of the side characters. Alice with her heartbreak and even her aloofness. James's mother was exactly what she needed to be. Sarah's friends, the Wilkeses, and especially Lord and Lady Ramsay. Shoot, even Patrick who had such a small piece of the story was fleshed out enough to feel real. I would love a spin-off from any of these characters.

Favorite quotes:

-Eventually, Sarah stopped trying to participate in the conversation because every response he gave, or lack thereof, felt like another rejection, over and over.

-"When we marriage, he was kind and attentive. I felt adored by him." More tears slid down her cheeks. "It is a cruel form of torture remembering, living with this hollow version of the main I love--the man I once loved."

-"You have always loved with all of your heart. But I want you to know you can choose to love yourself also. Love is a choice."

-Somehow, I have come to represent a cage to you. You have been searching for an escape since the very moment you returned. I have no wish to impede you further. I release you from any perceived confinement where I am concerned.

-"Never forget, son, real strength is born out of admitting weakness, not suppressing it."

Of course, the relationship between Sarah and James doesn't end where I've stopped discussing it so far. The two have much to work towards to resolving their issues and returning to a healthy state of marriage. But I don't want to spoil the process for any potential readers.

I don't know what my expectations were before starting this book. I'd never read anything by Amanda Taylor before. (I think this might be her first book.) But I was surprised to find that I connected with this book and with Sarah on a personal level. Perhaps the timing of my own real-life struggles was just so perfect that I would enjoy and relate to this story exactly as I did. I have to rate An Uncharted Devotion 4.5 Stars because I shed actual tears during this book. Have you read An Uncharted Devotion? What did you think? Let me know!

Sunday Post - 05/28/23

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

Monday was Little Girl's last day of school. Technically the school was supposed to be in for a half day on Tuesday, but come on, who is sending their kid to school for a half day on Tuesday. She actually wanted to go, but I kept her home. We did have to run up to the school to get her report card. Wednesday, we went to Walmart to get a birthday present for a party this weekend. And I grabbed groceries. Thursday and Friday I spent as much time as possible cleaning. Friday evening we finally took my mom out to eat for Mother's Day. She'd been sick so it kept getting put off. Husband's friend from Taiwan came to visit for the weekend. Saturday, my niece and her family came over to swim. Honestly, the water was only 74 degrees and too cold for me. Baby Boy jumped in and immediately started screaming. He ended up sitting on the side of the pool with me while the big kids went swimming. Saturday afternoon I took Little Girl to a birthday party. She hurt her finger while we were there, and I'm debating taking her to urgent care to get it x-rayed.

THE PAST WEEK:

Monday: Review of Gentleman Jim (Somerset Stories, # 2) by Mimi Matthews (4 Stars)
Wednesday: Can't Wait for Champion of Fate (Heromaker, # 1) by Kendare Blake
Thursday: 2023 Series Enders Reading Challenge - May Wrap Up

UPCOMING THIS WEEK:

Monday: Review of An Uncharted Devotion by Amanda Taylor
Tuesday: Top Ten Tuesday?
Wednesday: Can't Wait for Wednesday?

Don’t forget to link up for the 2023 Series Enders Reading Challenge! You have until December 15th, 2023 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:

Champion of Fate (Heromaker, # 1)

By: Kendare Blake

Expected Publication: September 19, 2023

480 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

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--Behind every great hero is an Aristene.

Aristene are mythical female warriors, part of a legendary order. Though heroes might be immortalized in stories, it’s the Aristene who guide them to victory. They are the Heromakers.

Ever since she was an orphan taken in by the order, Reed has wanted to be an Aristene. Now, as an initiate, just one challenge stands in her way: she must shepherd her first hero to glory on the battlefield. Succeed, and Reed will take her place beside her sisters. Fail, and she’ll be cast from the only home she’s ever known.

Nothing is going to stop Reed--until she meets her hero. Hestion is fiery and infuriating, but what begins as an alliance becomes more, and as secrets of the order come to light Reed begins to understand what becoming an Aristene may truly cost. Battle looming, she must choose: the order and the life she had planned, or Hestion, and the one she never expected.

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!

2023 Series Enders Reading Challenge - May Wrap Up

Time for our Monthly Wrap Up for the 2023 Series Enders Reading Challenge hosted by Sandy @ Somewhere Only We Know and Holly @ Words Fueled by Love!

Neither Sandy nor Holly finished any series enders this month.

Which series enders did you finish? Link the up below. Don't forget to include the title, your name, & your blog name (Ex: Requiem - Sandy @ Somewhere Only We Know) Also, the April giveaway runs from April 25th - May 25th. On May 25th we will use random.org and the linky entries to pull a grand prize winner.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Can't Wait for Champion of Fate

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.

Champion of Fate (Heromaker, # 1)

By: Kendare Blake

Expected Publication: September 19, 2023

480 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--Behind every great hero is an Aristene.

Aristene are mythical female warriors, part of a legendary order. Though heroes might be immortalized in stories, it’s the Aristene who guide them to victory. They are the Heromakers.

Ever since she was an orphan taken in by the order, Reed has wanted to be an Aristene. Now, as an initiate, just one challenge stands in her way: she must shepherd her first hero to glory on the battlefield. Succeed, and Reed will take her place beside her sisters. Fail, and she’ll be cast from the only home she’s ever known.

Nothing is going to stop Reed--until she meets her hero. Hestion is fiery and infuriating, but what begins as an alliance becomes more, and as secrets of the order come to light Reed begins to understand what becoming an Aristene may truly cost. Battle looming, she must choose: the order and the life she had planned, or Hestion, and the one she never expected.

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