Homeschool Friday - Frank and Bean: The Stinky Feet Monster

Homeschool Friday is a feature here at Somewhere Only We Know that showcases books my family reads during homeschool and provides a mini-review for each.

Frank and Bean: The Stinky Feet Monster

By: Jamie Michalak

Illustrator: Bob Kolar

Publication: September 26, 2023 by Candlewick Press

48 pages

Genre: Children's, Humor, Early Readers

( Goodreads | Amazon )

*Note: The above link to Amazon is an affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--Frank takes the lead in tracking down a very smelly creature as our favorite culinary odd couple embark on their funniest adventure yet.

Frank has a book, a map, and a plan to find the Stinky Feet Monster. Bean has new boots, a new hat, and a drum, and is ready to rock—BOOM, BOOM, BOOM! He doesn’t believe in the Stinky Feet Monster, but as the two friends trek through the dark woods, they encounter strange noises, big footprints, and a very foul odor. Could that be the elusive monster? Will it make Frank and Bean its next meal? Get ready for a final twist as wry text, deadpan timing, a dash of suspense, and bright, comic illustrations lay out a feast for beginning readers and young listeners hungry for laughs.

My 6-year-old son is learning to read. Yet he pretty much hates it. He gets overwhelmed with a lot of reading at one time even though he's doing very well and is already working on first grade level work when he should still be in kindergarten. (One of the pros of homeschooling is that we can work at the pace of the child. And even while not loving to do it, he's still ahead.) That being said, I've been trying to find books that are his type of humor. And Frank and Bean: The Stinky Feet Monster was a close hit to his interest.

Frank is a hotdog, and Bean is...well...a bean. They're two friends who set out on a journey to find the Stinky Feet Monster. Bean doesn't believe he's real, and Frank is determined to show he is. There are three things Frank knows about the Stinky Feet Monster: his feet shake the ground, he's really stinky, and he says "me want to eat you." The pair do meet a monster they believe to be the Stinky Feet Monster, but there's a twist that I don't want to spoil for you.

In the end, this is a relatively easy phonics level for beginner readers. And the content will be right up the alley of little boys who like all things stinky and monster. Frank and Bean: The Stink Feet Monster gets 4 Stars. Have you read Frank and Bean: The Stink Feet Monster? What did you think? Let me know!

Can't Wait for The Courting of Bristol Keats

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 Courting of Bristol Keats (The Courting of Bristol Keats, # 1)

By: Mary E Pearson

Expected Publication: November 12, 2024 by Flatiron Books

560 pages

Genre: Adult, Fantasy, Fae

( Goodreads | Amazon )

*Note: The above link to Amazon is an affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--From NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author Mary E. Pearson comes a thrilling romantic fantasy full of dangerous fae, dark secrets, and addictive romance

After losing both their parents, Bristol Keats and her sisters struggle to stay afloat in their small, quiet town of Bowskeep. When Bristol begins to receive letters from an “aunt” she’s never heard of who promises she can help, she reluctantly agrees to meet—and discovers that everything she thought she knew about her family is a lie. Even her father might still be alive, not killed but kidnapped by terrifying creatures to a whole other realm—the one he is from.

Desperate to save her father and find the truth, Bristol journeys to a land of gods and fae and monsters. Pulled into a dangerous world of magic and intrigue, she makes a deadly bargain with the fae king, Tyghan. But what she doesn't know is that he's the one who drove her parents to live a life on the run. And he is just as determined as she is to find her father—dead or alive.

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

Lost Crows and Fallen Stars - Review

Lost Crows and Fallen Stars (Bonds of the Imnicus, # 1)

By: Abelia Sumpter

Publication: April 9, 2024 by Rose & Lavender Press, LLC

383 pages

Genre: New Adult, Science Fiction

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--For romantasy readers who want to dip their toe into sci-fi, this enemies-to-lovers thriller will enchant you before it breaks you.

Today I met my husband for the first time . . . again.

Milo Arris–the young ruler of two planets–is as cruel as he is handsome, and for some reason, he chose me to be his wife. He chose me to be the Columess–the girl he seems to hate more than the invaders who wiped my memories.

But I have bigger problems than Milo’s cold words. Servants in the palace are hiding strange burns on their bodies. A maid is murdered at the ball. Not to mention there’s the looming mystery of why my memories were wiped to begin with.

Danger lurks in the shadows, and with every strange occurrence, I fear someone aboard the Imnicus may be putting both our lives in jeopardy.

Lost Crows & Fallen Stars is a new-adult space romantasy. Please see the author’s website for a full list of content warnings.

I was sucked into the story of Lost Crows and Fallen Stars pretty quickly. Amnesia stories bring intrigue from the questions immediately thrust upon the character and the reader. Margot wakes up from what appears to have been an attack where she was tortured for information. She doesn't know who she is, but her lady's maid is brought to the hospital to help her figure out who she is. We learn that she's the Colum's wife (Colum = King). 

Let's pause here and discuss this world. This is a science fiction story. The Colum, Milo, is the ruler over two plants, Lavenai & Ashtanabo. His home is on a space station, type of ship, or something that hovers near both planets. His father was Colum before him and conquered Lavenai. From what he shares with Margot, it seems like Lavenai just wants its independence back and is causing problems for Milo and his rule. He paints the picture that he's just trying to help Lavenai get back on its feet after the war, but they are rejecting all his attempts to aid them.

Milo has a group of special, military type of soldiers that he keeps close called proditors. They have superhuman abilities that deal with the mind when they touch other people. I got the impression that each one has a little uniqueness to their abilities, but only one was discussed in detail as to what that proditor could do. These people are stronger than the Colum but are his most trusted warriors, I guess. I'm struggling to find the right description for aspects of this book. There are five of these proditors that live on the Imnicus (the ship/space station where the Colum lives) that are the strongest and closest to Milo. I'll come back to them in a bit.

There was so much about this book that didn't make sense to me or didn't feel fully fleshed out. Margot wakes up from her amnesia and only remembers her first name. She gets immediately annoyed when she learns she's married and her husband hasn't come to visit her. It felt like she wrote him off immediately based on that. The two have a combative beginning. She's told they fell in love, but she's annoyed by the smallest things that he does. At one point, he even tells her that he hated her even before the amnesia. So how did they have this whirlwind love affair that resulted in their marriage while simultaneously hating each other? Aside from that, Margot makes several assumptions about life and other people in a way that doesn't seem to make sense given her amnesia. Granted, I don't fully understand how amnesia works, but I felt she was too opinionated over things she didn't know anything about.

Margot takes down a proditor that snuck up on her. They explain that her body has this muscle memory that her brain might not realize is associated with past memories. She's told she was a soldier who quickly worked up the ranks to become a spy. Apparently, she was extremely good at this. Later, we find out that Margot wasn't all that athletic when it came to physical fights, so how she had the muscle memory to take down a proditor doesn't make sense. The muscle memory thing is not over yet as far as not making sense. She opens a locked tablet with a passcode that her brain doesn't remember, but her fingers apparently do. She's ultimately sent on a spy mission for Milo. Before the mission, no one is particularly concerned about her amnesia because "don't worry, her muscle memory will take over." I feel confident that spies probably use their brains and training just as much as any muscle memory. The goal of a good spy would be to never need to be in a combat situation, right? Anyway, the only opportunity the reader has to see Margot spying is that she once follows Milo around for a week, trying to sneak up on him. He tells her almost immediately that he knew she was following him. And then we learn he even knew where she was so she didn't catch him off guard. This could be explained away with some spoilers, but I don't think the explanation makes any more sense than anything else about this book. Not to mention that we do learn that Margot wasn't all that capable of a spy in the first place.

Margot and Milo supposedly fall in love. I say "supposedly" because there are no events that happen that should create any deep connection between these two. Sure, they have several surface-level interactions. But there's no depth of feeling involved. There's no analysis of the other person's character that inspires any emotion. It's just like we're told they fall in love, and so we're supposed to believe it. Perhaps this is a telling versus showing problem. If anything, I believe there was some attraction and lust, but I didn't experience anything that would lead me to believe these two were in love at all.

Back to the proditors. The term crows is used about the proditors and their abilities. Someone's crows are sick. Someone else's aren't powerful enough to give them full proditor abilities. These guys are so confusing. There are 5 of them on the Imnicus. Two Margot has an immediate liking to. They feel like old friends in a way. One of them, she doesn't meet until her spy mission, and then he is only mentioned in passing. This HAS to be set up for some piece in the future of the series because otherwise, he was entirely unnecessary. One appears to hate her for no reason she can determine. One keeps getting her drunk and seems like he just wants to hang out with her. How their abilities work, how they work for Milo, nearly everything about them is just confusing. What in the world do crows have anything to do with anything? How many crows are there?

There's a giant twist that should make things make more sense. In some ways, the twist does, but in other ways, I just ended up with more questions. 

I read Lost Crows and Fallen Stars really quickly. I was driven forward to keep reading because I wanted the answers to Margot's memories. Who was she before all of this happened to her? But so much of this world and the events of this story didn't make any logical sense. I had more questions after the book than I did to start with. And I can't fully say that I loved any of the characters. Margot was made out to be some top-level spy with an epic love story with her husband that she doesn't remember yet falls in love with again. Milo seemed like a good enough leader with perhaps a short temper, yet I couldn't find anything in his character to draw Margot to him. And I couldn't see why he came to love her either, except perhaps she showed a little spunk. There are plenty of spoilers I can't talk about, but I have to say that I'm not sure if I'll continue this series or not. I'm curious about what might happen next, but with so much not making sense logically and with characters that I don't really care about, I am not sure I'll find the desire to continue the series all that strong when the time comes. I'm giving Lost Crows and Fallen Stars 2.5 Stars. Have you read Lost Crows and Fallen Stars? What did you think? Let me know!

Sunday Post - 05/05/24

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.

Another good week. We all struggled with some kind of colds this week. The three kids had coughs. I had a runny/stopped up nose. Monday night we usually have games, but neither big kid had one that night so we had a nice day. It rained off and on Tuesday. We got groceries and hung at the house. Big Boy's team won their game 14-3. He hit two home runs. At this age, if the ball goes to the outfield there is at least some chance of it being a home run. Big Girl's team won their game barely. Like 10-9 I think. That allowed them to win the league as we only have two teams in her age range in our league and even though we still have to play them one more time we have won the majority. Wednesday night, Big Girl helped me cook dinner. She planned out the menu and did most of the cooking. I only chopped veggies and helped to manage the flow of the cooking. She did all the seasoning and stirring. We had shredded chicken tacos, nachos, and peach/tomato summer salad. It was all really yummy. Thursday, we ran to the grocery store to get a few things I forgot on Tuesday. The kids always love going in the store with me. It's a rare experience for them since I usually do grocery pickup. Thursday night her team had a game and we won that one also. I can't remember the score. It was close, but we still won by a couple of runs. She got a triple which has been her best hit so far. It wasn't from errors either, it was an earned triple. And since she'd been in a batting slump a few weeks ago I'm really proud of her. She also got an out at 2nd and an out at 1st. Friday night Big Boy's team played well but they didn't quite get the win. It was 13 to 17. He did get another home run his first at bat. He had quite a few bobbles at 2nd base, but considering he never played that position in practice, I think he's doing well there. I hate the season is almost over. He only has two games left this coming week. Saturday, Big Girl went to spend the day with a friend of hers. The boys and I went for a walk and then I let them swim. It's still too cold for me to get in, but I stuck my legs in. Honestly, it won't be long before we're all out there swimming every day. I let the boys hang at Grammy's house for a while, and I mopped the whole house and prepped blog posts. I used to be a month or so ahead, and I've got to get back to that. We only have three more weeks of school left. The summer is upon us.

THE PAST WEEK:

Monday: Review of Court of Claws (Blood of a Fae, # 2) by Briar Boleyn (3 Stars)
Tuesday: Top 9 Reasons I DNF Books (Or Lower a Rating)
Wednesday: Can't Wait for Shield of the Mighty (The King's Men, # 2) by Connilyn Cossette
Friday: Homeschool Friday - The Beginner's Bible Jesus and His Friends (4 Stars)

UPCOMING THIS WEEK:

Monday: Review of Lost Crows and Fallen Stars (Bonds of the Imnicus, # 1) by Abelia Sumpter
Tuesday: Top Ten Tuesday?
Wednesday: Can't Wait for Wednesday?
Friday: Homeschool Friday

Don’t forget to link up for the 2024 Series Enders Reading Challenge! You have until December 15th, 2024 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:

Beneath a Crescent Shadow (The Balkan Legends, # 1)

By: A.L. Sowards

Expected Publication: June 4, 2024 by Shadow Mountain

351 pages

Genre: Adult, Historical Fiction

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--After an arranged marriage, Konstantin and Suzana must find a way to meet the demands of a conquering Ottoman sultan amid a torrent of setbacks and dangers much closer to their Balkan home.

The Balkans, 1373

A devastating battle claimed the lives of Konstantin's father, uncle, and most of their Serb army, leaving him to rule as a vassal of the Ottoman sultan, a role he is wholly unprepared for. Between war, famine, and a persistent band of brigands, Konstantin is nearly bankrupt. He will need to find a wealthy bride to marry if he is to have any hope of saving his lands and securing his future.

A betrothal to Suzana, the daughter of a prosperous merchant, is soon arranged, and upon meeting her, Konstantin immediately feels hope that their marriage could someday grow into love. Yet, from the moment of Konstantin and Suzana's betrothal, enemies threaten their lives, outlaws prey on their lands, and the terrors of Suzana's abusive past haunt their fragile new relationship. As this onslaught of threats closes in, the two face challenges that will test their love, their faith, and their hope to save their people and win their freedom from the heavy weight of Ottoman oppression.

A Proper Facade (Proper Scandal, # 4)

By: Esther Hatch

Expected Publication: August 20, 2024 by Covenant Communications

248 pages

Genre: Adult, Historical Fiction

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--Mercy Rothschild has always been granted an unusually long tether by her parents, who have never pushed her to marry until she’s ready. She assumes that when the right man comes along, she will marry for love. However, even her long-suffering parents have their limits. As she embarks on her third Season, they begin to pressure her to find a match. And the Duke of Harrington is the perfect candidate.

Nicholas Kendrick, Duke of Harrington, follows the rules of the ton meticulously. When he determines that Mercy is the ideal candidate for a wife, he marches dutifully toward her along the courtship path. Desperate to extricate herself from Harrington’s advances, Mercy concludes that there is only one course of action: she must push her intended into the arms of another woman. But when Mercy becomes acquainted with the man behind the proper facade, her plans come crashing down as she realizes that stiff and proper Harrington might be the very man she’s been waiting for. If only she hadn’t been so successful in her plot to thwart her chances with him.

Highcliffe House

By: Megan Walker

Expected Publication: May 7, 2024 by Shadow Mountain

320 pages

Genre: Adult, Historical Fiction, Regency

Source: Publisher via Edelweiss (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--Love ignites when two rivals vie to secure a possible fortune at the seaside town of Brighton.

Brighton, England, 1813

When a romantic entanglement leaves her humiliated and reeling, Anna Lane wants nothing more than for her father to whisk her away from the gossip of the ton. Unfortunately, he has obligations elsewhere, leaving her stuck in London.

Graham Everett’s financial security depends on an investment with Mr. Lane, his long-time friend and business partner. He’ll do just about anything to secure it for his family, even if it means fighting spoiled, embittered Anna for her father’s attention.

Luckily, Mr. Lane concocts a plan that will give everyone what they wat, with one stipulation: Anna must accompany Graham to Brighton in her father’s stead and make a decision to invest—or not—based on a thorough report.

But it will take more than a day at the beach for these two headstrong hearts to admit that they’ve been wrong about each other. If they are willing to invest a little time working out their differences, they might have a chance at real love.

By: Nisha J Tuli

Expected Publication: June 4, 2024 by Forever

556 pages

Genre: Adult, Fantasy, Fae

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--The highly anticipated third installment of the steamy Artefacts of Ouranos series journeys deeper into the glittering fae world as Lor puts both her life and her heart on the line in this enemies-to-lovers fantasy romance.

With the Heart Crown now in her possession, Lor must navigate the dangers of being an heir on the run, knowing more than one power-hungry ruler is after her blood. When she returns to Aphelion to unlock her magic and recover her family's legacy, it becomes clearer than ever that all that’s gold doesn’t sparkle. No stranger to battles, she continues to fight her attraction to the Aurora Prince, understanding this might be the one she finally loses.

As the past mixes with the present, Lor uncovers the truth about the Artefacts and their role in shaping her destiny. Now, her future hangs in the balance, leaving her closer than ever to getting everything she's ever wanted... or losing it all forever.

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!

Homeschool Friday - Jesus and His Friends

Homeschool Friday is a feature here at Somewhere Only We Know that showcases books my family reads during homeschool and provides a mini-review for each.

The Beginner's Bible Jesus and His Friends

By: Kelly Pulley & Mission City Press Inc.

Publication: June 10, 2007 by Zonderkidz

32 pages

Genre: Children's, Bible, My First Readers

( Goodreads | Amazon )

*Note: The above link to Amazon is an affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--Jesus loves many people. He has lots of friends who love him, too. Jesus and his friends help people. They share their food. Best of all, Jesus and his friends tell people about God. This My First I Can Read! book, with basic language, word repetition, and great illustrations, is perfect for shared reading with a child. It aligns with guided reading level J and will be of interest to children Pre-K to 3 rd grade.

Jesus and His Friends was pretty good. It's written in a way that young children should be able to understand the gist of the story. This book covers who the twelve apostles were (by name only), and two of Jesus's miracles--the feeding of the five-thousand and healing the centurion's daughter. The healing is mentioned only in passing with little detail. The feeding of the five-thousand has a little more details.

I suppose since this is a "shared reader" level that means the parent is mostly reading to the child. I originally requested these books thinking that my son who is 6 and learning to read would be able to read this on his own. I didn't actually ask him to try, but there were words that I know he hasn't been exposed to either the phonics rules or the words themselves. That is no fault of the book. I just didn't pay close enough attention when I requested it. Overall, I give The Beginner's Bible Jesus and His Friends 4 Stars. Have you read this book? What did you think? Let me know!