2019 Series Enders Reading Challenge - December Wrap Up

Time for our Monthly Wrap Up for the 2019 Series Enders Reading Challenge hosted by Sandy @ Somewhere Only We Know and Holly @ Words Fueled by Love!

Since our last monthly wrap up, neither Sandy nor Holly finished any series enders.

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 December giveaway runs from December 23rd - January 25th. On January 25th we will use random.org and the linky entries to pull a winner.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

The Curse of Tenth Grave - Review

The Curse of Tenth Grave (Charley Davidson, # 10)

By: Darynda Jones

Publication: June 28th 2016 by St. Martin's Griffin

352 pages

Genre: Adult, Fantasy, Humor, Mystery, Supernatural, Paranormal

Source: Borrowed from the e-library

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository )

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

Goodreads description--As a part-time PI and full-time grim reaper, Charley Davidson has asked a lot of questions throughout her life:
Why can I see dead people?
Who is the hot supernatural entity following me?
How do I get gum out of my sister’s hair before she wakes up?

But, “How do I trap not one malevolent god, but three?” was never among them. Until now. And since those gods are on earth to kill her daughter, she has little choice but to track them down, trap them, and cast them from this dimension.

There’s just one problem. One of the three stole her heart a very long time ago. Can the Razer, a god of absolute death and destruction, change his omniscient spots, or will his allegiances lie with his brothers?

Those are just a few of the questions Charley must answer, and quick. Add to that a homeless girl running for her life, an innocent man who’s been charged with murder, and a pendant made from god glass that has the entire supernatural world in an uproar, and Charley has her hands full. If she can manage to take care of the whole world-destroying-gods thing, we’re saved. If not, well…

I am so glad that we aren't dealing with Charley still having amnesia. However, I beginning to wonder how many books we are going to spend wondering if Reyes is going to turn out to be evil after all. At some point, it seems like we are going to have to deal with a suddenly evil Reyes. I don't know. At this point, I feel like that is too predictable, yet for it not to happen at all feels like a lot of senseless build up. Alas, such is the struggle of a series that is 13 books long.

I do like the fact that Darynda Jones has mastered the art of keeping Charley and Reyes's relationship feeling fresh. They constantly have conflict and struggles to overcome without making them feel redundant, too comfortable, or contrived.

Charley's clients and side cases always complete the story nicely without taking over. They neither feel like unnecessary filler while also not feeling like that portion is the main storyline.

Charley has also FINALLY started learning more about her abilities. And instead of feeling like she's left out of the vital information, she takes on a much more active role in taking action by herself with the information that mostly she only has in a way that makes her awesome yet also a tad reckless. Typical Charley.

The Curse of Tenth Grave was much more of the things that excited me about the series to start with than definitely the last book, but maybe even the last two or three. The Curse of Tenth Grave gets 4.5 Stars. Have you read The Curse of Tenth Grave? What did you think? Let me know!

Sunday Post & Stacking the Shelves - 12/22/19

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

I honestly can't remember much of what happened two weeks ago except that we drove to Anniston on Saturday for our annual Christmas family reunion for Husband's side of the family. We do a Dirty Santa Ornament swap there. Little Boy kept getting his ornaments stolen, but he didn't mind because that meant he was able to keep opening presents. This past week was PACKED. Little Girl got to wear her Christmas pajamas to school on Monday. Then Daddy took off work on Tuesday so we could go visit Santa. I was afraid that we'd waited too late to go, but it was perfect. There wasn't anyone in line after our kids and so Santa came over to play with the kids and chat. After that we went to get pizza. And then Little Girl and I dropped Daddy and Little Boy off at home so that we could go watch Frozen II. That was her first movie theater experience and she loved it. Wednesday was Little Girl's last day of school and Christmas party there. Thursday we had some errands to run and had to get groceries. Friday I took the kids to my mom's so they could decorate her Christmas cookies. And then Saturday we had my family's Christmas party at my parent's house.

THE PAST TWO WEEKS:

Monday 12/9: Review of Only a Breath Apart by Katie McGarry (3.5 Stars)
Tuesday 12/10: Ten Books I Still Need to Read By Favorite Authors
Wednesday 12/11: Can't Wait for Vying for the Viscount (Hearts on the Heath, # 1) by Kristi Ann Hunter
Thursday 12/12: Review of Maybe Now (Maybe, # 2) by Colleen Hoover (4.5 Stars)
Monday 12/16: Review of Starry Eyes by Jenn Bennett (3 Stars)
Tuesday 12/17: Top Ten Winter 2019 TBR List
Wednesday 12/18: Can't Wait for You Deserve Each Other by Sarah Hogle
Thursday 12/19: Review of Losing the Field (The Field Party, # 4) by Abbi Glines (4 Stars)

UPCOMING THIS WEEK:

Monday: Review of The Curse on Tenth Grave (Charley Davidson, # 10) by Darynda Jones
Tuesday: Top Ten Tuesday?
Wednesday: Merry Christmas! (no blog posts)
Thursday: Review of Eleventh Grave in Moonlight (Charley Davidson, # 11) by Darynda Jones
Friday: Review of The Trouble with Twelfth Grave (Charley Davidson, # 12) by Darynda Jones

Don’t forget to link up for the 2019 Series Enders Reading Challenge! You have until December 15th, 2019 to sing 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.

The Start of Me and You (The Start of Me and You, # 1)

By: Emery Lord

Publication: March 31st 2015 by Bloomsbury

376 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary

Source: Personal Kindle Library (Christmas gift)

( 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--It’s been a year since it happened—when Paige Hancock’s first boyfriend died in an accident. After shutting out the world for two years, Paige is finally ready for a second chance at high school . . . and she has a plan. First: Get her old crush, Ryan Chase, to date her—the perfect way to convince everyone she’s back to normal. Next: Join a club—simple, it’s high school after all. But when Ryan’s sweet, nerdy cousin, Max, moves to town and recruits Paige for the Quiz Bowl team (of all things!) her perfect plan is thrown for a serious loop. Will Paige be able to face her fears and finally open herself up to the life she was meant to live?

Regretting You

By: Colleen Hoover

Publication: December 10th 2019 by Montlake Romance

365 pages

Genre: Contemporary

Source: Personal Kindle Library (Christmas gift)

( 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--From #1 New York Times bestselling author of It Ends with Us comes a poignant novel about family, first love, grief, and betrayal that will touch the hearts of both mothers and daughters.

Morgan Grant and her sixteen-year-old daughter, Clara, would like nothing more than to be nothing alike.

Morgan is determined to prevent her daughter from making the same mistakes she did. By getting pregnant and married way too young, Morgan put her own dreams on hold. Clara doesn’t want to follow in her mother’s footsteps. Her predictable mother doesn’t have a spontaneous bone in her body.

With warring personalities and conflicting goals, Morgan and Clara find it increasingly difficult to coexist. The only person who can bring peace to the household is Chris—Morgan’s husband, Clara’s father, and the family anchor. But that peace is shattered when Chris is involved in a tragic and questionable accident. The heartbreaking and long-lasting consequences will reach far beyond just Morgan and Clara.

While struggling to rebuild everything that crashed around them, Morgan finds comfort in the last person she expects to, and Clara turns to the one boy she’s been forbidden to see. With each passing day, new secrets, resentment, and misunderstandings make mother and daughter fall further apart. So far apart, it might be impossible for them to ever fall back together.

A Convenient Fiction (Parish Orphans of Dover, # 1)

By: Mimi Matthews

Publication: October 22nd 2019 by Perfectly Proper Press

pages

Genre: Adult, Historical Fiction

Source: Personal Kindle Library (Christmas Gift)

( Goodreads | Amazon )

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

Goodreads description--She Needed a Husband...

It’s been three years since Laura’s father died, leaving her and her invalid brother to subsist on the income from the family’s failing perfume business. But time is swiftly running out. What she needs is a husband, and fast. A noble gentleman who can rescue them all from penury. When a mysterious stranger arrives in the village, he seems a perfect candidate. But Alex Archer is no hero. In fact, he just might be the opposite.

He Wanted a Fortune...

Alex has no tolerance for sentiment. He’s returned to England for one reason only: to find a wealthy wife. A country-bred heiress in Surrey seems the perfect target. But somewhere between the village railway station and the manor house his mercenary plan begins to unravel. And it’s all the fault of Laura Hayes—a lady as unsuitable as she is enchanting.

From the beaches of Margate to the lavender fields of Provence, a grudging friendship slowly blossoms into something more. But when scandal threatens, can a man who has spent his entire life playing the villain, finally become a hero? Or will the lure of easy riches once again outweigh the demands of his heart?

The Perfect Escape (The Perfect Escape, # 1)

By: Suzanne Park

Publication: April 7th 2020 by Sourcebooks Fire

336 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary

Source: Personal Kindle Library (Christmas gift)

( 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--Love is a battlefield in this hysterically funny rom-com debut, perfect for fans of Jenny Han.

"Pure fun! A hilarious rom-com that head-fakes you into tumbling headlong into a techno-zombie survival thriller propelled by banter and plenty of heart."―DAVID YOON, New York Times bestselling author of Frankly in Love

Nate Jae-Woo Kim wants to be rich. When one of his classmates offers Nate a ridiculous amount of money to commit grade fraud, he knows that taking the windfall would help support his prideful Korean family, but is compromising his integrity worth it?

Kate Anderson wants a fresh start, away from her controlling father. She fantasizes about escaping to New York, where she can pursue her dreams. But how can Kate get there when she can't even buy dinner without his approval?

Worlds collide when Nate and Kate meet at the zombie-themed escape room where they both work. As sparks fly, fate steps in: a local tech company is hosting a weekend-long survivalist competition with a huge cash prize that could solve all their problems. The real challenge? Making it through the weekend with their hearts intact...

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!

Losing the Field - Review

Losing the Field (Field Party, # 4)

By: Abbi Glines

Publication: August 21st 2018 by Simon Pulse

336 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary

Source: Borrowed from the e-Library

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository)

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

Goodreads description--Losing his dream, his ultimate plan, and his future- Nash Lee never expected to be facing a life without football. One wrong move and it had all changed. Going back to school for his senior year no longer appealed to him. He’d rather not leave his house. Walking back into Lawton High School, seeing pity in everyone’s eyes was just another reality in his nightmare.

Revenge wasn’t a pretty thing. Tallulah Liddell had found it was rather controlling. The way you looked at life changed completely when you clung to the ugly notion. But she’d done it anyway. From the last day of her junior year when Ryker Lee had made a fat joke about her and Nash laughed with him, she’d been driven by pain. It wasn’t like no one had made fun of her weight before. She was used to that. What had hurt so deeply was Nash’s laughter. He’d always been the one person to notice her, include her, not treat her differently. But that one moment had changed it all. From the time she walked out of the school building to the moment she returned for her senior year Tallulah had been determined to lose weight and finally be the size her peers considered acceptable.

What she wasn’t expecting on her return was to find a broken Nash Lee who no longer smiled, rarely spoke, and didn’t care about anything or anyone around him. He was just existing. But the pain in his eyes she understood all too well. He was alone. He no longer fit into the perfect package.

Losing the Field is one of those books that I think needs to be read by so many these days. Oh man, this is going to be one of those books that stick with me I think.

I've not read all of Abbi Glines books, but I have read a significant portion of them. I enjoy her work--some books more than others. Mostly I find that I generally rate her books as 3ish Stars. I get sucked in quickly. I devour them. But I almost always have some issues with one aspect or another. Sometimes the books are too descriptive for my preferences. Sometimes the plot is predictable. Sometimes her characters aren't exactly likable for me. But I really think Abbi Glines got it right with Losing the Field. And I might even go out on a limb to say that this might be my favorite of her books that I've read to date.

Tallulah was overweight. She was used to being picked on. She was used to being a loner. I won't say that she liked it that way, but she did what she could to blend into the background. Yet Nash was always nice to her. He saw her when others didn't. When others made fun of her, he took up for her. Yet one day Nash's cousin Ryker makes a fat joke about Tallulah and Nash laughs. Tallulah is majorly hurt, and she makes the changes she needs to in order to lose the weight. I really appreciated how Abbi Glines dealt with this entire aspect of the storyline. Tallulah knows that her weight loss was started for the wrong reasons. She knows she made the changes she did out of revenge and pain and hatred rather than doing something good for herself. She also struggles with combining who she was before the weight loss with who she is now. She doesn't always recognize herself in the mirror, but on the inside, she's pretty much the same girl. She does have a bit more confidence than she once did, and she's willing to stand up for herself.

I expected much more of the storyline to be focused on Tallulah's plan for revenge than it ended up being, and I think that was a good thing. Tallulah's message is that words matter. How you treat other people matters. Yet she's learned (and I very much appreciate this being included) that you can't give anyone else the power to define your worth. Our thoughts, our emotions are all under our control. We can react and feel a certain way, but it is within our power to change the thoughts or emotions we have at any given point. Don't give your power away to someone else. (Not included in the book, but my own personal thoughts: God is the only one who determines your worth. And He thought you important enough to send His Son from heaven to earth, to live a sinless life, and die at the hands of those He created so that He could conquer death and pay the ransom for your soul. Now tell me that you don't have any worth! No way.)

Nash has always loved football. It's been his dream to go on to college to play. Yet he gets injured, and he's been told he'll never play again. He's broken. This was his future that he'd dreamed of...lost. He's not in the best mental space. Certainly, Tallulah supported him through some tough moments--times when he needed to be there to support his former team and teammates. But I do wish that a little more of the book was focused on him working through the grief and pain in a bit more depth. He does make some forward progress in the way of finding a path to still be helpful and be part of the team. And maybe even a potential career path. But I think there was room for more in this area.

The pieces of the story that featured Coach Dace were impactful. I cringed. I gagged. I felt so bad for his wife. Yet I find that I don't have too much to say about it. It was worked into the story nicely. I wish Haegan had stayed just long enough to record Tallulah's reaction and then Nash had found or been given the recording as the catalyst for reconciling with her. Plus I feel like it would have worked Haegan into the story a bit better. As it was, he felt a little unessential to me. I mean his journey certainly affected Nash in a big way, but he just felt so sudden. He appeared suddenly. He left suddenly. That's probably my biggest complaint about the book.

I do feel like I need to mention it since Abbi Glines can sometimes exceed my descriptive preferences. There was essentially only one scene that even touched on this area, and it was really tame. I very much appreciate this although I'm sure some of her normal readers might not. This is one of her most YA books when it comes to this. (Which I almost expect means her next book will make up for it with double the scenes or something. HAHA!)

All in all, I was very impressed with Losing the Field. I read it in one day even staying up until almost midnight to finish it--which is something I simply do not normally do since having kids. I appreciated the toned down physical descriptions which felt totally appropriate for the story and the characters. The messages to the reader were powerful and needed for this generation of youths (and even some adults I'm sure). Yet I never felt like she was preaching. The messages only felt true to the characters and what they were experiencing. Losing the Field gets 4 Stars. I took a star off due to some confusion with Haegan's part of the story and wanting to delve a little deeper into Nash's emotional healing. Have you read Losing the Field? What did you think? Let me know!

Can't Wait for You Deserve Each Other

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.

You Deserve Each Other

By: Sarah Hogle

Expected Publication: April 7th 2020 by G.P. Putnam's Sons

368 pages

Genre: Adult, Contemporary

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--For fans of The Hating Game, a debut lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy about two unhappily engaged people each trying to force the other to end the relationship--and falling back in love in the process.

Naomi Westfield has an Instagram-perfect life, including the perfect fiancé: Nicholas Rose holds doors open for her, remembers her restaurant orders, and comes from the kind of upstanding society family every bride dreams of being a part of. They never fight, complain, or disagree. They're preparing for their lavish wedding that's three months away. And they are miserably and utterly sick of each other.

Tired of contorting herself to fit the ridiculous standards demanded by Nicholas's family, Naomi wants out of the relationship. But there's a catch: Whoever calls off the engagement will have to foot the enormous bill for the wedding. When Naomi finds out that Nicholas, too, has been feigning contentment, the two of them go head-to-head in a battle of wills to see who can annoy the other into surrendering through pranks, sabotage, and all-out emotional warfare.

But now that they have nothing to lose, they're finally being themselves. They're having so much fun getting on each other's nerves that it starts to feel like something else entirely. As Naomi discovers hidden feelings for Nicholas buried under three years of simmering resentment, she wonders if he feels the same way. Suddenly, the countdown to the wedding that may or may not come to pass feels more like a race to mutual destruction--and Naomi doesn't want to be left alone at the finish line.

I actually do have this one for review, but I haven't had a chance to get around to it yet. What are you guys waiting on this week? Let me know!