Review: Somewhere Out There

Somewhere Out There

By Amy Hatvany

Published: March 1, 2016

Natalie Clark knew never to ask her sensitive adoptive mother questions about her past. She doesn’t even know her birth mother’s name—only that the young woman signed parental rights over to the state when Natalie was a baby. Now Natalie’s own daughter must complete a family tree project for school, and Natalie is determined to unearth the truth about her roots.

Brooke Walker doesn’t have a family. At least, that’s what she tells herself after being separated from her mother and her little sister at age four. Having grown up in a state facility and countless foster homes, Brooke survives the only way she knows how, by relying on herself. So when she discovers she’s pregnant, Brooke faces a heart-wrenching decision: give up her baby or raise the child completely on her own. Scared and confused, she feels lost until a surprise encounter gives her hope for the future.

How do our early experiences—the subtle and the traumatic—define us as adults? How do we build relationships when we’ve been deprived of real connection? Critically acclaimed author Amy Hatvany considers controversial and complicated questions about childhood through the lens of her finely crafted characters in this astute novel about mending wounds by diving into the truth of what first tore us apart.

My review:

Natalie and Brooke had very different childhoods. After their birth mom Jennifer got in trouble with the law and gave them up for adoption, Natalie was adopted right away but Brooke had a turbulent life in foster care and group homes. The novel looks at who they are as women now and how their childhood affected them. It also explores the new relationship between Brooke and Natalie and Brooke's fears about becoming a mother. Jennifer's perspective is also included. She wasn't a good mom to her daughters but she did love them and it tore her apart to let them go. She had some rough years and now has moved past her mistakes.

Natalie was fortunate as a baby to be adopted into a nurturing family and her own family life is pretty happy though not without its challenges. Brooke on the other hand had a much more hardscrabble childhood and she has trouble trusting people and letting them into her life. Although it was Brooke I really felt for (and Natalie to a lesser degree), I was surprised to feel sympathy for Jennifer too. The author shows how Jennifer struggles to change her life and find peace. 

I think all three characters are well developed and given depth. There are no easy answers here and I think that makes the novel much more realistic. Somewhere Out There would be a fantastic novel for book discussion groups. It is the first book by Amy Hatvany that I've read and I definitely plan to read more. 

Note: I received an ARC for review purposes courtesy of the publisher and Edelweiss

Waiting on Wednesday (178)

"Waiting on" Wednesday is a weekly meme to discuss upcoming books we can't wait to get our hands on. Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

This week I'm waiting on:

Outrun the Moon by Stacey Lee

Release date: May 24, 2016

From the author of the critically acclaimed Under a Painted Sky, an unforgettable story of determination set against a backdrop of devastating tragedy. Perfect for fans of Code Name Verity.
 
San Francisco, 1906: Fifteen-year-old Mercy Wong is determined to break from the poverty in Chinatown, and an education at St. Clare’s School for Girls is her best hope. Although St. Clare’s is off-limits to all but the wealthiest white girls, Mercy gains admittance through a mix of cunning and a little bribery, only to discover that getting in was the easiest part. Not to be undone by a bunch of spoiled heiresses, Mercy stands strong—until disaster strikes.

On April 18, an historic earthquake rocks San Francisco, destroying Mercy’s home and school. With martial law in effect, she is forced to wait with her classmates for their families in a temporary park encampment. Mercy can't sit by while they wait for the Army to bring help. Fires might rage, and the city may be in shambles, yet Mercy still has the 'bossy' cheeks that mark her as someone who gets things done. But what can one teenaged girl do to heal so many suffering in her broken city?

Breakout author Stacey Lee masterfully crafts another remarkable novel set against a unique historical backdrop. Strong-willed Mercy Wong leads a cast of diverse characters in this extraordinary tale of survival.

I think this sounds pretty good. I love historical fiction and Mercy sounds like an interesting character.

Wanderlost by Jen Malone

Release date: May 31, 2016

Not all those who wander are lost, but Aubree Sadler most definitely is on this novel’s whirlwind trip through Europe. A romantic and charming YA debut perfect for fans of Stephanie Perkins and Jenny Han.

Aubree can’t think of a better place to be than in perfectly boring Ohio, and she’s ready for a relaxing summer. But when her older sister, Elizabeth, gets into real trouble, Aubree is talked into taking over Elizabeth’s summer job, leading a group of senior citizens on a bus tour through Europe.

Aubree doesn’t even make it to the first stop in Amsterdam before their perfect plan unravels, leaving her with no phone, no carefully prepared binder full of helpful facts, and an unexpected guest: the tour company owner’s son, Sam. Considering she’s pretending to be Elizabeth, she absolutely shouldn’t fall for him, but she can’t help it, especially with the most romantic European cities as the backdrop for their love story.

But her relationship with Sam is threatening to ruin her relationship with her sister, and she feels like she’s letting both of them down. Aubree knows this trip may show her who she really is—she just hopes she likes where she ends up.

I think this sounds like such a fun book for summer reading. I would love to leave perfectly boring Ohio this summer and travel to Europe! Since that isn't a possibility I will enjoy reading this one and armchair traveling instead :)

Sunday Post (46) / It's Monday, What Are You Reading

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It’s a post to recap the past week, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead. It's Monday, What Are You Reading is a fun weekly meme now hosted by Kathryn at Book Date, where we share what we've read and reviewed over the past week and what we plan to read next.

Happy first week of April! Here we have snow on the ground though it hopefully won't last long. It was a crazy day yesterday. It started off with sunshine then in the afternoon it rained and then in the early evening the rain mixed with snow and then by the night time there was snow on the ground. I didn't expect that! I spent the day running errands and going to another library's DIY festival. They had a 3-D printer there from the local university. It was really cool to see how 3-D printing worked. I'm hoping to have the presenter come to our library later this year or next year. I know some libraries own 3-D printers for the public to use but that is still outside our price range (though the 3-D pen might not be).

Last week I visited my parents for Easter and we received some good news about my mom. She does not have cancer and her latest lab results were really good so it looks like her bone marrow is producing blood cells again like it should. She has to get blood tests every two weeks to monitor it but that is really fantastic news!

This week I have my evening book group and I work on Saturday but other than that it will be pretty quiet. Next week is our edible book festival and so far the response has not been promising. Aside from library staff only two people have turned in entry forms. Next year I have decided to scrap the edible book festival (way too stressful) and try a Peeps diorama contest instead. I am using Peeps to make my entry for the edible book festival. Today I will be practicing turning a Twinkie into a car to go with Go, Dog. Go! by P.D. Eastman (my entry will be called Go, Peeps. Go!). 

#FitReaders Weekly Check In

#FitReaders is hosted by Felicia at The Geeky Blogger and Jen at That's What I'm Talking About

I have decided to allow myself one day off a week from exercising and meeting my step goal (likely Sundays) but this past week I accidentally overslept on Wednesday so I didn't have time to work out. I also wasn't feeling that great so I sat a lot at work. I hope to do better this week! 

Sunday--5,015 steps
Monday--11,464 steps
Tuesday--10,753 steps
Wednesday--4,748 steps
Thursday--11,362 steps
Friday--11,334 steps
Saturday--11,215 steps

Last week on my blog:

Top Ten Five Star Reads (post)

The Shadow Queen by C.J. Redwine (review)

Books read:

A Window Opens by Elisabeth Egan

I liked this book more than I thought I would. The main character is a 30-something woman who loves her part time job at a magazine (it allows her to spend more time with the kids) but when her husband unexpectedly leaves his job to start his own law firm, she takes a full time job at Scroll, a trendy Amazon like company. The book looks at careers, the family/work balance, friendships and marriage relationships among other things.

The Breathtaker by Alice Blanchard

This is our evening book discussion book and I thought I'd like it but I really didn't. It features a killer who plots his gruesome murders around when tornadoes will strike. It was gritty and very detailed both in describing crime scenes and tornado chasing. I figured out who the killer was the moment he was introduced and I didn't really care for the characters. I am curious to see how the other group members felt about it.

Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld

I have mixed feelings about this book. I did think it was kind of fun to read a modern day version of Pride and Prejudice and I liked some of the new twists the author used. My issue was with the main Liz and Darcy romance which didn't quite work for me. I also thought some of the characters were less likable in this version and the story lacked the charm of the original. 

Books listened to:

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling (reread)

Currently reading:

The Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkien (reread)

Frodo and Sam are now following Gollum on safe paths through the marshes...

Currently listening to:

Emma by Jane Austen (reread)

I am listening to the version read by Juliet Stevenson (does not go with this paperback cover). Juliet Stevenson played the annoying Mrs. Elton in the Gwyneth Paltrow version of Emma from the 90s and I am enjoying her narration so far.

On my TBR pile:

Girl in the Blue Coat by Monica Hesse

I am planning to start this book today. My sister read an advance copy of it too and she loved it. The story is set in The Netherlands during WWII. The main character is a teen who helps her family by selling items on the black market. She is asked by one of her customers to look for a Jewish girl the customer had been hiding and through this she becomes involved with the resistance. Sounds good doesn't it?

Love, Lies and Spies by Cindy Anstey

This is a YA Regency historical romance with spies. It sounds like fun!

New books received:

The Winemakers by Jan Moran (for review)

Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly (for review)

Glory Over Everything by Kathleen Grissom (for review)

Before We Visit the Goddess by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni (for review)

Forever and Forever by Josi S. Kilpack (for review)

A Fall of Marigolds by Susan Meissner (library book)

Review: The Shadow Queen

The Shadow Queen

By C.J. Redwine

Published: February 16, 2016

Lorelai Diederich, crown princess and fugitive at large, has one mission: kill the wicked queen who took both the Ravenspire throne and the life of her father. To do that, Lorelai needs to use the one weapon she and Queen Irina have in common—magic. She’ll have to be stronger, faster, and more powerful than Irina, the most dangerous sorceress Ravenspire has ever seen.

In the neighboring kingdom of Eldr, when Prince Kol’s father and older brother are killed by an invading army of magic-wielding ogres, the second-born prince is suddenly given the responsibility of saving his kingdom. To do that, Kol needs magic—and the only way to get it is to make a deal with the queen of Ravenspire, promise to become her personal huntsman…and bring her Lorelai’s heart.

But Lorelai is nothing like Kol expected—beautiful, fierce, and unstoppable—and despite dark magic, Lorelai is drawn in by the passionate and troubled king. Fighting to stay one step ahead of the dragon huntsman—who she likes far more than she should—Lorelai does everything in her power to ruin the wicked queen. But Irina isn’t going down without a fight, and her final move may cost the princess the one thing she still has left to lose.

My review:

Lorelai's father was the king of Ravenspire and when the queen died, he married her older sister Irina. Like Lorelai and her mother, Irina practices magic and is a powerful mardushka. Lorelai and Irina share a close relationship with Irina teaching Lorelai about her magical abilities but Lorelai starts to notice strange things going on in the kingdom and how Irina seems to have control over everyone. Lorelai tries to save her kingdom from Irina but everything goes wrong and her father loses his life. 

Now years later, she and her little brother Leo are hiding and Irina believes they are dead. Irina's magic is destroying the land and the people are suffering. Lorelai and Leo have been stealing from Irina and getting supplies to the villages but it is not enough. They must move up their plans to overthrow Irina. Unfortunately it will be even harder than they anticipate as she now has the help of a dragon king. After the sudden deaths of his father, mother and brother Kol is not really prepared to be king but he is prepared to do what he must to save his people. He agrees to hunt down a traitor to the crown, not knowing the truth until it is too late. 

I mostly liked this retelling of Snow White especially because the heroine is not passive or perfect. Lorelai is unsure of herself and her magical ability. She feels a lot of guilt and responsibility over what happened with her father among other things. Lorelai has to learn to believe in herself and to develop her magical ability so she can defeat Irina. I thought the concept of the Eldr was interesting. We see only a little of their world but I liked what I did see. I was not a big fan of the romance however. I can't quite figure out why. I liked Kol but perhaps it was the whole "I want to kill you" thing even though those thoughts were not his own. The villain Irina is very reminiscent of Charlize Theron's character Ravenna in Snow White and the Huntsman. She is creepy and evil but doesn't have much depth beyond that. Perhaps I am just spoiled by Once Upon a Time which gives its villains such depth (especially since the TV show allows time for that kind of character development).

In spite of my issues with the book I still enjoyed the story and would probably read the next book which will be a companion novel set in the same world. I think readers who like twists on fairy tales and fans of Once Upon a Time or Snow White and the Huntsman would like this. I think the book may also appeal to readers who liked the Lunar Chronicles.

Note: I received an ARC for review purposes courtesy of the publisher and Edelweiss

Top Ten 5 Star Reads

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. There is a new subject each week and this week's theme is "Top Ten Recent 5 Star Reads".

I've only given one 5 star rating this year (not including favorite books I've reread like Pride and Prejudice) so these are mostly from 2015. Of all the books, The Nightingale is my absolute favorite. 

Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys

Winter by Marissa Meyer

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford

Ink and Bone by Rachel Caine

All the Rage by Courtney Summers

Inside the O'Briens by Lisa Genova

Still Alice by Lisa Genova

The Storyspinner by Becky Wallace

The Start of Me and You by Emery Lord

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

Sunday Post (45) / It's Monday, What Are You Reading

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It’s a post to recap the past week, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead. It's Monday, What Are You Reading is a fun weekly meme now hosted by Kathryn at Book Date, where we share what we've read and reviewed over the past week and what we plan to read next.

Happy first day of spring! It is ironic that the high is in the low 40s today and there is snow in the forecast but I guess that isn't too unusual for Ohio in March! 

This week I will be heading to my parents' house on Wednesday. I was already planning to go home this weekend to celebrate Easter and my dad's upcoming birthday but on Wednesday my mom will be getting the results of her bone marrow biopsy and I wanted to be there for that. The doctor believes she knows what the result will be so I've been doing some research to be prepared but I'm also praying that the doctor is wrong and we get good news. It wouldn't be the first time my mom has stumped science.

The library's Celtic music concert on Tuesday was a big success. There weren't enough chairs for all the people in attendance so I saw some folks standing up in the back. The music was fantastic. A local musician and instrument maker played the harp, various kinds of pipes, and even an accordion at one point. He played mostly Celtic music with a few movie songs that had a Celtic feel also included (In Dreams from The Lord of the Rings, Misty Mountains from The Hobbit and A Narnia Lullaby from The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe). Since my music programs are usually poorly attended I was thrilled. I definitely plan to invite him back for next year! 

#FitReaders Weekly Check In

#FitReaders is hosted by Felicia at The Geeky Blogger and Jen at That's What I'm Talking About

I did much better with my steps this week which made me really happy! I exercised on most days this week but what really helped me get my steps in was shopping! I needed some retail therapy and spending an afternoon in Barnes and Noble on Wednesday did wonders for me both mentally and physically :)

Unfortunately I did not eat a very healthy diet and Girl Scout cookies and chocolate were on the menu (though I did have a few healthy things like oatmeal, spinach and broccoli too). While I plan to try to eat healthier this week I have a feeling I won't succeed. I'm sure we'll have birthday cake for my dad and my parents usually ply me with chocolate every time I visit!

Sunday--6,398 steps
Monday--6,435 steps
Tuesday--10,511 steps
Wednesday--11,218 steps
Thursday--10,814 steps
Friday--12,092 steps
Saturday--12,069 steps

Last week on my blog:

Top Ten Books on My Spring TBR List (post)

Newt's Emerald by Garth Nix (review)

Books read:

The Dark Days Club by Alison Goodman

I liked this book though I preferred the historical fiction part to the paranormal fantasy stuff. That aspect reminded me a little bit of Cassandra Clare's books with the demon-like Deceivers. I definitely liked her YA fantasy novel Eon more than this one though I may read the sequel just to find out what happens.

Books listened to:

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (reread)

I enjoyed this audio book version of Pride and Prejudice. I thought the narration was well done and it was just fun to revisit a favorite novel. Now I want to watch the miniseries again. I may also check out some other Jane Austen novels on audio book. With my upcoming road trip I need to find something good to listen to!

Currently reading:

The Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkien (reread)

Not much progress made this week. I am at the part where Frodo and Sam discover that Gollum is still following them. Things are about to get interesting.

A Window Opens by Elisabeth Egan

I like this book so far. Something about the writing style reminds me a little of Liane Moriarty. The main character is in her late 30s and with her husband's sudden loss of job has to leave her beloved part time job as a magazine book reviewer to take a full time job, meaning less time to spend with the kids too.

On my TBR pile:

Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld

I am moving this contemporary retelling of Pride and Prejudice up on my TBR pile because I think it would be fun to read it so soon after rereading the original. I've never read anything by Curtis Sittenfeld but I hope I will enjoy this novel.

The Skylighter by Becky Wallace

I thought the first book in this series was fantastic (The Storyspinner) and it sort of ended on a cliffhanger so I am eager to read The Skylighter to find out what happens next.

My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry by Fredrik Backman

The Girl From Everywhere by Heidi Heilig

New books received:

See How They Run by Ally Carter (from the library)

The Weekenders by Mary Kay Andrews (for review)

Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld (for review)

Review: Newt's Emerald

Newt's Emerald

By Garth Nix

Published: October 13, 2015

After Lady Truthful's magical Newington Emerald is stolen from her she devises a simple plan: go to London to recover the missing jewel. She quickly learns, however, that a woman cannot wander the city streets alone without damaging her reputation, and she disguises herself as a mustache-wearing man. During Truthful's dangerous journey she discovers a crook, an unsuspecting ally, and an evil sorceress—but will she find the Emerald?

My review:

Lady Truthful Newington is supposed to inherit the Newington Emerald and on her 18th birthday, her father brings it out so she and her cousins can see it. When the emerald is stolen, Truthful decides to go to London to look for it herself. She stays with her aunt, a talented sorceress who is able to disguise Truthful as a man.  In the guise of a French gentleman and distant cousin, Truthful hopes to find out who took the emerald and retrieve it. Unfortunately she discovers that the thief was a powerful malignant sorceress who may be planning to use the emerald to free Napoleon from his prison. In the course of her search, Truthful also meets the handsome and infuriating Major Harnett who decides to help her find the emerald. 

This is a charming historical fantasy set during the Regency period. It is an homage to Georgette Heyer and Jane Austen but with magic. I enjoyed the story and the development of the romance. There is humor as well as a little bit of suspense and adventure. I think the author did a good job of blending the historical Regency romance with just a touch of fantasy. Truthful is a fun heroine. She is plucky and resourceful and I loved how she saved herself and Major Harnett from scrapes. 

I have never read Georgette Heyer (something I need to remedy) but I think readers who love Jane Austen would like this book as well as fans of Gail Carriger's Etiquette & Espionage series, Keeping the Castle by Patrice Kindl and A School for Unusual Girls by Kathleen Baldwin. I listened to the audio book version of the novel and I thought the narration was well done, particularly for Truthful's voice. I really enjoyed Newt's Emerald and I hope Garth Nix writes more novels like it.

Note: I received an ARC for review purposes courtesy of the publisher and Edelweiss but I ended up listening to the finished audio book instead