The Sunday Post [34]

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly at the Caffeinated Reviewer! It's an opportunity to share news, post a recap for the previous week, showcase books, and highlight what's planned for the week ahead.

News:

Happy winter solstice! (I'm writing this late Saturday night, so it counts.) We've never done Santa with our kids (insert your outrage here) because we dislike the idea of lying to them. "Be nice to your brother, or Santa isn't going to bring you anything!" I want my kiddos to be nice to each other because it's the right thing to do, not because a bearded man is watching them from the sky. I remember being so, so angry at my parents when I discovered Santa wasn't real, and that was after I defended his existence to a classroom full of non-believers. I was humiliated, angry, and swore I would never make my children feel that way. This is not an attack on parents who choose to Santify their children's childhoods, but an explanation of why we don't. I actually have very fond memories of Santa from my childhood, like a note my dad wrote with shaky letters (Santa was cold, obvs). 

However, we do still celebrate with our extended families and exchange gifts of our own. Our monsters opened all of their presents this morning, so we've had an awesome day of toy-assembling and battery-finding. 😉 It's really been a fun-filled day with the kiddos (Battleship, Old Maid, LEGO building), and I'm so happy my husband's deployment ended before the holidays! It wouldn't have been the same without him.

I spent most of yesterday getting small tattoos to fill in the gaps on my arm! I liked how the larger tattoos looked on their own, but I'm happy with how the smaller ones compliment the spaces around them. It might look like a chaotic mess to most people, but the images are meaningful to me. I love how they tell their own story, and highlight some of my favorite things in life. I've posted some pictures on my Instagram, and will post more once these have healed. 

Previous week on the blog:

Sunday: The Sunday Post [33]

Monday: The Bone Witch (The Bone Witch, #1) by Rin Chupeco ⋆⋆⋆

Tuesday: NA

Wednesday: Read the Alphabet Challenge 2020

Thursday: My Weekly Pull [101] & Can't Wait Wednesday [71]

Friday: Opposite of Always by Justin A. Reynolds

Saturday: NA

What I'm currently reading:

Love Lettering by Kate Clayborn

Lost Girl: A Shelby Day Novel by Holly Kammier

Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson

What I plan on reading next: 

Nameless Queen by Rebecca McLaughlin

Jane Anonymous by Laurie Faria Stolarz

Wolf Gone Wild (Stay A Spell, #1) by Juliette Cross

What I'm watching: 

The kids and I snuggled together on the couch this morning and watched The Grinch (the original) after opening presents and navigating the initial insanity of new toys. We still haven't seen the newest animation, although I've heard it's pretty good. I think it's on Netflix? My husband and I spent some time this afternoon watching the season finale of The Masked Singer, because trying to avoid spoilers for this show is hard. The Rottweiler totally threw me! 

Challenge updates: 

Audiobook Challenge: 43 / 30+
Beat the Backlist Challenge: 96 / 100
Discussion Challenge: 5 / 11-20
Goodreads Challenge: 440 / 500

Don't forget to check the list of giveaways in the sidebar! Most of them are ending soon!

This year I am partnering with the lovely ladies from Novels and Notions, and we're doing a little something called: Read the Alphabet Challenge. What? Another challenge? Yes! Why not? We all love challenging ourselves, and this one has very unique limitations. Starting in January, you will be challenged to read books that start with specific letters, and obviously some months will be harder than others (what books start with Q, X & Z??). If this sounds like your cup of tea, check out the original post here. It's more detailed, and there's already a form for those of you wanting to join.

Opposite of Always by Justin A. Reynolds

Synopsis (via Goodreads): Jack Ellison King. King of Almost.

He almost made valedictorian.

He almost made varsity.

He almost got the girl . . .

When Jack and Kate meet at a party, bonding until sunrise over their mutual love of Froot Loops and their favorite flicks, Jack knows he’s falling—hard. Soon she’s meeting his best friends, Jillian and Franny, and Kate wins them over as easily as she did Jack. Jack’s curse of almost is finally over.

But this love story is . . . complicated. It is an almost happily ever after. Because Kate dies. And their story should end there. Yet Kate’s death sends Jack back to the beginning, the moment they first meet, and Kate’s there again. Beautiful, radiant Kate. Healthy, happy, and charming as ever. Jack isn’t sure if he’s losing his mind. Still, if he has a chance to prevent Kate’s death, he’ll take it. Even if that means believing in time travel. However, Jack will learn that his actions are not without consequences. And when one choice turns deadly for someone else close to him, he has to figure out what he’s willing to do—and let go—to save the people he loves.

𑁋𑁋𑁋

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Any quotes I use are from an unpublished copy and may not reflect the finished product.

I really liked the beginning of Opposite of Always, but it got progressively worse as the story went on. Jack went from being an adorable teenager in love, to someone obsessed with a girl he barely knew. Jack's first life -- how everything originally unfolded -- was my favorite. It happened authentically, and he wasn't a terrible friend/son/boyfriend. As his life resets, he becomes more and more unlikable. His sole focus is Kate, and he ignores the people that have been in his life for years.

I'm also not sure how I feel about the "time travel" aspect and how realistic it was. Does Jack hit his head and replay these moments over and over again without truly impacting the present? Is he really going back in time? If he is, why? What caused this crack in the universe? It's never really explained, and you're left with whatever your imagination can come up with. Initially, I thought he sustained a brain injury, but that doesn't explain the ending. You'll definitely have to suspend your disbelief for this one.

My biggest issue was Jack himself. He barely knows Kate. Yes, he got to know her again and again when his life would reset, but she was always meeting him for the first time. Their relationship could only go so far, because she was only willing to share pieces of herself once she was comfortable with him. By the time that happened, time would reset, and Jack would have to start all over again. I just didn't understand why he was so obsessed with a person he barely knew. Love at first sight? He was willing to sacrifice all of his other relationships for more time with her, and risk his life for a chance to save hers. I couldn't get on board with his actions, because I didn't understand them.

You'd think Jack would make better choices once time reset itself, but he seemed to make increasingly bad decisions that negatively impacted everyone except Kate. Even when he's trying to "do the right thing," it's at the expense of someone else. He was just so... unlikable. I need a character I can root for, and Jack wasn't it.

Franny was an amazing secondary character, and Jack's parents were hilarious. Franny has been by Jack's side since childhood, and I hated how easily Jack through away their friendship. Jack's parents are still very much in love, and they aren't afraid to show their affection for one another. They also really care about their son and his friends. Basically, I liked everyone except for the main character. Even Kate was interesting, although she made equally questionable decisions. She kept secrets from Jack (even though he already knew what they were, so it was rather pointless), she went back to her old boyfriend once, and seemed very fickle when it came to her emotions and how she felt about Jack in general. Sometimes she was all about Jack, and other times she kept him at a distance.

It was interesting to see how Jack's actions altered the lives of everyone else, and we see how one person's choices matter more than we think they do. The narrator was energetic and conveyed a teenager's personality, but it wasn't enough to make me like Jack or understand his obsession.

Opposite of Always had an interesting concept, but it's really hard for me to enjoy a book when I dislike the main character. If Jack had been more likable, or even tried to care about someone other than himself (and Kate occasionally), I might have enjoyed this one more. Yes, he eventually realizes how his behavior has impacted his friends and family, but he doesn't make too many adjustments.

My Weekly Pull [101] & Can't Wait Wednesday [71]

My Weekly Pull is something I do every Wednesday to show which comics I had pulled for me that week! If you're into comics, or you're looking to start, please join me! If you decide to do your own post, there's a link-up at the bottom. I would love to stop by and check it out!

Daredevil #15 by Chip Zdarsky, Francesco Mobili, Marco Checchetto, Julian Totino Tedesco

Family Tree #2 by Jeff Lemire, Phil Hester

Shades of Magic: The Steel Prince: Rebel Army #2 by V.E. Schwab, Andrea Olimpieri, Enrica Eren Angiolini

Folklords #1 by Matt Kindt, Matt Smith, Duncan Fegredo

Folklords #2 by Matt Kindt, Matt Smith

Gwenpool Strikes Back #5 by Leah Williams, David Baldeon

Jim Henson's The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance #4 by Nicole Andelfinger, Matias Balsa, Kelly & Nichole Matthews

Marauders #4 by Gerry Duggan, Matteo Lolli

Firefly #12 by Greg Pak, Dan McDaid, Lee Garbett

Once & Future #5 by Kieron Gillen, Dan Mora

Spider-Man #3 by J.J. Abrams, Henry Abrams, Sara Pichelli, Olivier Coipel

Jacob's comics for the week!

2099 Omega One Shot by Nick Spencer, Gerardo Sandoval, Patrick Gleason

Amazing Spider-Man #36 by Nick Spencer, Patrick Gleason, Declan Shalvey

Project X-Mas #1 by Mark Millar (everything else is a secret)

Guardians of the Galaxy #12 by Donny Cates, Cory Smith, Declan Shalvey

History of the Marvel Universe #6 by Mark Waid, Javier Rodriguez, Steve McNiven

Scream Curse of Carnage #2 by Clay McLeod Chapman, Chris Mooneyham, Garry Brown, Mark Bagley

I'm sorry this wasn't posted yesterday! I was busy working on my Read the Alphabet Challenge 2020 post with Jen from Novels and Notions. If you're interested in trying a new challenge next year, check it out! Also, my 2019 End of the Year Giveaway is ending soon! You can enter for a chance to win a copy of A Heart So Fierce and Broken. 💔

Comics! There are quite a few this week... where to start? Daredevil is struggling with his identity, but that's nothing new. Chip Zdarsky's writing, however, is. I'm really enjoying his spin on Matt Murdock, and the illustrations have been fantastic. Matt is hot. Seriously, this series will provide you with great material for your Spank Bank. Additionally, an old friend has made a reappearance, and I'm curious how their partnership will work out! A new love interest? Maybe? After everything that happened with Mindy, I'm cautiously optimistic.

The first issue of Family Tree was trippy! I honestly have no idea where this story is going. Shades of Magic is always an interesting read, and I like that Schwab is still continuing the series (it was supposed to end after six issues, I think). Gwenpool is... ugh. I'm not a fan of realistic covers, but they didn't offer any variants for this issue. Not cool, Marvel. I'm also not sure what they mean by "going home". Are they kicking her out of the MU forever, or are we going to see some weird parallel universe that shows Gwen pre-comic book??

Folklords is one Jacob mentioned last month, but wasn't appealing to me at the time. However, people cannot stop talking about it, so I got the first and second issues this week. We'll see if all of the fuss is deserved! Marauders is still up in the air for me. I'm enjoying it, but not loving it. I think the X-Men comics are trying too hard right now.

The Dark Crystal, Firefly, Once & Future, and Spider-Man are all comics I really look forward to reading every month, because they're fantastic. J.J. Abrams may have broken my heart with his first issue of Spider-Man, but I really like what's happening right now and hope resolutions can be made. Once & Future... if you're not reading it, you need to make better life choices. 😉

Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, that highlights upcoming releases that we're anticipating and excited to read. It's a spinoff of the feature Waiting on Wednesday that was hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Wolf Gone Wild (Stay A Spell, #1) 

by Juliette Cross

Expected publication: January 14th 2020

Synopsis (via Goodreads): What's the worst thing that can happen to a werewolf? Unable to shift for three months, Mateo Cruz knows all too well. His wolf has taken up residence in his head, taunting him night and day with vividly violent and carnal thoughts. Convinced he's cursed, he needs the help of a powerful witch before he literally goes insane.

​Evie Savoie has always obeyed the house rules of her coven--no werewolves. They're known for being moody and volatile. So, when a distempered, dangerous werewolf strolls into the bar and almost strangles one of her late-night customers, she's ready to bounce him through the door. But the desperation in his eyes when he begs her to help him softens her heart and convinces her to bend the rules.

​What Evie doesn't know is that Mateo's wolf has a mind of his own. And now that she's in his sights, he wants only one thing. Her.

*Share your My Weekly Pull post! Please leave the direct link to your My Weekly Pull post and not just your blog's URL. Thank you for participating and happy reading!

Read the Alphabet Challenge 2020

This year I am partnering with the lovely ladies from Novels and Notions, and we're doing a little something called: Read the Alphabet Challenge. What? Another challenge? Yes! Why not? We all love challenging ourselves, and this one has very unique limitations. Starting in January, you will be challenged to read books that start with specific letters, and obviously some months will be harder than others (what books start with Q, X & Z??).

The months will be organized like so:

JANUARY: AB

FEBRUARY: CD

MARCH: EF 

APRIL: GH

MAY: IJ
JUNE: KL
JULY: MN
AUGUST: OP
SEPTEMBER: QR
OCTOBER: ST
NOVEMBER: UVW
DECEMBER: XYZ

Guidelines: 

1. This challenge will run from January 1, 2020 through December 31, 2020 (your local time). You can sign up now or in June -- it doesn't matter! The form will remain open all year (on this post and the corresponding post at Novels and Notions).
2. The goal is to read books that start with a certain letter, and each month will present a new challenge. 
3. The books can be in any format (audio, ebook, physical -- whatever floats your boat). 
4. Any and all genres count -- whoop. 
5. Re-reads are also allowed! If you read the book this year -- and it starts with the right letter -- it counts.
6. You do not have to be a book blogger to participate! You just need a way to track your progress (Goodreads, Instagram, LibraryThing, YouTube, etc.).
7. Create a post somewhere that states your intention to participate. If you're a book blogger, you can just grab the button from the top of the page (please give credit and list the blogs hosting this challenge), and do a quick post letting everyone know that you've accepted the RTA challenge. Sharing is caring! Competition is fun!
8. We will do an update and a giveaway every quarter (that's once every three months: March, June, September, December), and there will be a Google form that you can fill out all year! Read a book. Add a book. There is no limit to the number of books you can read for this challenge! 
9. You have to review the book in some capacity (on any platform). It can be a tweet, an IG post, a vlog -- whatever makes you happy. You'll need to leave a link for each review that you want an entry for.
10. Have fun! Re-read some old favorites, challenge yourself to read a title you've never heard of, or dig deep and only read books with specific letters every month. It's entirely up to you!

Books that start with the can be used during October, or you can choose to go with the next word in the book's title. We're not going to be picky about this, just play honestly!

Don't forget to SHARE your updates on social media! Official Challenge Tags: #ReadTheAlphabet2020 #ReadTheAlphabetChallenge2020 #RTA2020 #RTAC2020

SIGN UP HERE:

Fill out this form starting in January! You should be able to use it as frequently as you like. Anything submitted before January 1, 2020 will be deleted. 

The Bone Witch (The Bone Witch #1) by Rin Chupeco

Narrated by Emily Woo Zeller & Will Damron

Synopsis (via Goodreads): In the captivating start to a new, darkly lyrical fantasy series, Tea can raise the dead, but resurrection comes at a price. When Tea accidentally resurrects her brother from the dead, she learns she is different from the other witches in her family. Her gift for necromancy means that she's a bone witch, a title that makes her feared and ostracized by her community. 

But Tea finds solace and guidance with an older, wiser bone witch, who takes Tea and her brother to another land for training. In her new home, Tea puts all her energy into becoming an asha-one who can wield elemental magic. But dark forces are approaching quickly, and in the face of danger, Tea will have to overcome her obstacles and make a powerful choice.

𑁋𑁋𑁋

I really struggled with the pacing of this book. The story was very, very slow, and the author was insanely descriptive. Rin Chupeco elaborated on everything, whether it was what they were wearing, eating, or the dance they were performing. The nuances were exquisitely written, although a slow pace is always my downfall with a book. I appreciate the beauty of The Bone Witch, and it's obvious the author is building something solid for their characters, but I prefer more fighting and adventure.

We watch Tea as she inadvertently raises her brother from the dead, and her journey to becomming an asha. It's not a easy life, and hers is made more challenging because of what she is. Some people fear what she can do, while others celebrate all that she will be able to accomplish. It's a hard line to walk, and her mentors really push her to be the best she can be. It's a lot of pressure for a child, and I'm surprised Tea didn't crack from the strain. There were people that cared about her, but it was done with very little sympathy or concern for what she wanted.

I really loved her relationship with her brother, and enjoyed watching them grow together and separately. Fox is a corpse, so of course that impacts the way he sees the world. He doesn't bleed or feel pain the way he used to, and his mind is always connected to Tea's. He's fiercely protective of his sister, both as her brother and her familiar, but he never tried to tell her what to do. He let Tea make her own choices, despite being the elder sibling, and he supported her decisions. Yes, they traded thoughts and ideas, but ultimately he let her decide what she wanted to do with her life.

The secondary characters were also extremely fleshed out and well-written. They all added to the story in subtle ways that occasionally had a larger impact later on. We don't know everything about them, but I felt like they were all an integral part of the story. From the shop owners to the Heart Forger, they all played a role in Tea's life and helped shape the person we see at the very end.

I liked the flashbacks, too. We see brief glimpses of Tea as she is now, without knowing how she found herself so isolated and alone. The story itself is told from the Bard's perspective, but he's telling the story to us as Tea tells it to him, so we still read it through Tea's experiences and with her voice. (I hope that wasn't confusing!)

The necromancy aspect was interesting, and I enjoyed learning about the various creatures that exist in their world. They seem monstrous and terrifying, but we also see that some of them just want to live peacefully and alone. There are also unknown Faceless out there, and they are altering the story in their own way. We learn a little about them and what they're capable of, but only vaguely. I'm sure they'll play a larger role in the following books.

I did give this book three stars, but again I understand what the author was trying to accomplish. I think this book is wonderfully written, and it tells a fantastic story, but the pacing really bogged down the reading experience for me. That's me. I hope it doesn't deter you too much, because I still plan on reading the next book in this series. The narrator was lovely and realistically portrayed the various characters. The ending does leave you on the edge of your seat, but doesn't feel like too much of a cliffhanger. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next!

The Sunday Post [33]

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly at the Caffeinated Reviewer! It's an opportunity to share news, post a recap for the previous week, showcase books, and highlight what's planned for the week ahead.

News: 

December has been a busy month! I didn't realize how many activities my son would be involved in once he started school (end-of-the-year and holiday). His first school play was last week (ohmygod so fun!), and I'm so happy most of our family was able to attend. This week he has a piano recital, pajama day at school, a class party, and one service day (where they sing carols and pass cards out at nursing homes). I feel like I'm forgetting something... it's exhausting just thinking about what this week will entail. However, he'll be on his winter break soon and I cannot wait for that reprieve!

My husband should know more about his next duty station this week, and we've already started looking at houses in the area. That also means finding a new school, which greatly impacts our housing options. I'm also worried about how my son will take leaving his friends behind to start over somewhere new. I know children are resilient, but I'm still sad that he has to leave a place where he's comfortable and happy. I'm not looking forward to packing everything we own into boxes, but I love unboxing after a move and finding a new place for everything! I also love exploring new towns!

Previous week on the blog:

Sunday: The Sunday Post [32]

Monday: A Heart So Fierce and Broken (Cursebreakers, #2) by Brigid Kemmerer ⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆

Tuesday: NA

Wednesday: My Weekly Pull [100] & Can't Wait Wednesday [70]

Thursday: Coral by Sara Ella ⋆⋆

Friday: Under the Love Umbrella by Davina Bell, Allison Colpoys (Illustrator)

Saturday: NA

What I'm currently reading:

Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson 

Opposite of Always by Justin A. Reynolds

Scars Like Wings by Erin Stewart

What I plan on reading next: 

Jane Anonymous by Laurie Faria Stolarz

Tweet Cute by Emma Lord
What I Carry by Jennifer Longo

What I'm watching: 

Jacob and I watched Little Monsters today (the "scary" zombie movie with Lupita Nyong'o (love her)). It was amusing, but probably not something I'd watch again. I liked how the story played out, but wish the plot had been more developed. I wanted to know why the government had zombies, and also how they were able to escape from a highly fortified facility. Someone had to open and close the gates, and the zombies themselves were too slow to do it, so how did they get out? There were small holes like this throughout the movie that caught my attention, but didn't really detract from my enjoyment. 

Challenge updates: 

Audiobook Challenge: 42 / 30+
Beat the Backlist Challenge: 96 / 100
Discussion Challenge: 5 / 11-20
Goodreads Challenge: 435 / 500

Don't forget to check the list of giveaways in the sidebar! Most of them are ending soon!

Under the Love Umbrella by Davina Bell, Allison Colpoys (Illlustrator)

Synopsis (via Goodreads): 

Whatever you fear, come close my dear
You’re tucked in safe for always here
And I will never not be near
Because of our love umbrella

From this award-winning creative duo comes a book about the wonder of ever-present love. A stunning celebration of the joy and comfort that is always with us, wherever we roam in the big, wild world.

Who’s under your Love Umbrella?

𑁋𑁋𑁋

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Any quotes I use are from an unpublished copy and may not reflect the finished product.

Under the Love Umbrella was a lovely book that all of my children enjoyed, although for different reasons. At the start of the book we're introduced to four children: Joe, Brian, Grace and Izzy. We're also issued a challenge of sorts: "There are lots of umbrellas inside this book. Can you help us find them all?" What child could resist? Even I was tempted to play along!

Initially, all three monsters tuned me out in order to look for the hidden umbrellas (some of their locations were very creative, and I was able to share my findings), but I like to think they heard some of what I said, if only subconsciously. My son is older, so I'm sure he heard more than he was letting on, but his main objective was finding more umbrellas than his sisters. After a few pages of this madness (I wanted them to look for the umbrellas and pay attention to the story), we started looking for them as a group before reading each page. (I highly recommend going this route, if you decide to read this with your kiddos!)

Once I started doing that, my son was noticeably more attentive to the actual story. I think he was able to relate to some of the circumstances the children found themselves in, like being alone in the dark, or when it talked about friends that wouldn't share. These are issues he's dealing with presently, so the correlation of these happenings with a love umbrella was creative and offered a different perspective. Yes, scary or unfair things may happen during the day or at night, but he'll always have a love umbrella waiting to encompass him. Feeling shy or left out, moving somewhere new, bad dreams, big dogs, broken toys, embarrassing accidents -- all of these (and more) are mentioned throughout the story.

I really liked that the author covered a wide range of situations that could make a child feel poorly, and them subtly reminded them that despite all of that, there's still a love umbrella. "My love for you goes on forever" was beautifully rendered by the illustrator (all of the pages popped with color and creativity), and I think this duo has gifted the world with something magical and lasting. I know it will be a book that we read again and again! I'm pretty sure there are even two moms on one page tucking their child into bed for the night, and I'm thrilled that this wasn't a book written solely for cookie cutter families. I truly believe everyone will find something to love within its pages.