Sunday Post - 04/19/26

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 can barely remember the week before this last one. I missed prepping my Sunday Post for last week because we were getting ready to go out of town. We left Saturday morning the 11th. We arrived in Gatlinburg, TN Saturday afternoon. We pretty much got settled into the room and grabbed some dinner. Sunday, we slept in a little. Then we went to lunch. We went by a lady that makes balloon animals that my parents have met on previous trips to Gatlinburg. My mom and I split off to go get groceries for the week. And Husband took the kids to the waterpark at the resort. Monday, we went horseback riding at Jayell Ranch. We had a good time, and we all got a laugh out of our various horse experiences. We also did the zip lines at Jayell Ranch. They are long enough and high enough to feel daring without being a high and long as some places like Ober. After that we grabbed lunch at JT Hannah. After an afternoon nap, we did Hillbilly Golf. Tuesday, we went to Lazer Port to do go carts, lazer tag, and glow in the dark mini golf. Then we went to Mama's Farmhouse Kitchen. We went back to Hillbilly Golf after dinner in the room because they have a half price deal if you return within three days. Wednesday, we spent the main part of the day at the waterpark at the resort. That night we went to the Hatfield and McCoy's Dinner Fued show. Thursday, we went to Ober and did the bobsled (what we used to call the alpine slide), mountain coaster, ice skating, and various activities there. We were pretty exhausted by the time we got home that night. Friday was our last full day in TN so we drove through Cade's Cove. We saw several turkeys and deer, and we saw one bear in the distance. The bear activity seemed to be quite frequent as there were signs everywhere about various trails closed due to bear activity. We had lunch at Mel's Diner. And then we took the kids to play in the creek. After that it was mostly packing to head home. We got up early for a Saturday and hit Sawyer's for breakfast on the way home. We got home around 3:30 in the afternoon. It was passed time to be able to pick Scout up from boarding so we'll get him today. We all miss him like crazy. But it was nice to get the house back in order and unpack. This coming week will be busy with ball games. The kids mananged to all three have games on Monday and Thursday. The boys are participating in a midseason tournament which means if either of them win one or both games this week they will likely play Friday and/or Saturday as well. So we jump right back into things. But we only have about 4 weeks of school left until summer break which is kind of crazy to think about.

THE PAST TWO WEEKS

Monday 4/6: Review of Bloodsinger (Fire That Binds, # 2) by Juliette Cross (3.5 Stars)
Wednesday 4/8: Can't Wait for Storm Breaker (Storm Breaker, # 1) by Nisha J Tuli
Monday 4/13: Review of A Deal with a Debutante (London's Most Eligble, # 1) by Chelsea Bobulski (3.5 Stars)

UPCOMING THIS WEEK:

Monday: Reivew of Brimstone (Fae & Alchemy, # 2) by Callie Hart
Tuesday: Top Ten Tuesday?
Wednesday: Can't Wait for Wednesday
Friday: Homeschool Friday - Lucky Goes to School

NEW BOOKS:

Sunrise on the Reaping (The Hunger Games, # 0.5)

By: Suzanne Collins

Publication: March 18, 2025 by Scholastic Press

400 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Dystopian, Fantasy, Science Fiction

Source: Borrowed from the e-library

( Goodreads | Amazon )

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

Goodreads description--When you've been set up to lose everything you love, what is there left to fight for?

As the day dawns on the fiftieth annual Hunger Games, fear grips the districts of Panem. This year, in honor of the Quarter Quell, twice as many tributes will be taken from their homes.

Back in District 12, Haymitch Abernathy is trying not to think too hard about his chances. All he cares about is making it through the day and being with the girl he loves.

When Haymitch's name is called, he can feel all his dreams break. He's torn from his family and his love, shuttled to the Capitol with the three other District 12 tributes: a young friend who's nearly a sister to him, a compulsive oddsmaker, and the most stuck-up girl in town.

As the Games begin, Haymitch understands he's been set up to fail. But there's something in him that wants to fight . . . and have that fight reverberate far beyond the deadly arena.

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!

A Deal with a Debutante - Review

A Deal with a Debutante (London's Most Eligible, # 1)

By: Chelsea Bobulski

Publication: April 7, 2026 by Haven

304 pages

Genre: Adult, Historical Fiction

( Goodreads | Amazon )

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

Goodreads description--She’s running from London’s marriage mart. He’s running out of time to save his estate. Neither planned on falling in love—but their hearts have other plans.

American heiress Calliope Hart is thrust into London’s high society against her will, all because her mother is determined to marry her off to an aristocrat. Despite being named “the debutante of the season” back in New York, Calliope wants nothing more than to avoid becoming another pawn in the social game.

Edward Chase, the Earl of Hayward, is on the brink of financial ruin. To save his estate, he must marry, and Calliope Hart is his last hope. When he boldly declares his intentions, she swiftly rejects him, making it clear she has no interest in marrying for convenience. Undeterred, Edward offers a deal: He will escort Calliope to all the best sights of London that she’s been dying to see if she agrees to visit his estate and consider what they could accomplish together.

What begins as a business arrangement soon sparks something much more complicated—an undeniable chemistry neither can ignore. But as their hearts begin to soften, both must confront their fears: Can Calliope trust Edward with her heart, and can Edward truly win her love when she’s convinced he only wants her fortune?

Calliope is an American debutante from a "new rich" family. Her family has everything they need to move around the social structure of New York. Except that Calliope's mother wants to be invited into the Knickerbocker's club, and Calliope needs to hail from a well-known family or marry into one. Thus, her mother's desire for Calliope to marry an English aristocrat. Calliope, for her part, wants nothing more than to return to New York, where she can resume time spent with her friends as well as the work of writing articles she hopes to later compile into a book about historical sites. Calliope loved New York, but unlike another book I recently DNF'd where the character acted like every other place in the world could never compare with New York and therefore ridiculed those places, I appreciated that Calliope had a love for her home while also being able to see the beauty and history of other places.

Edward hoped that by being direct with Calliope on what he had to offer and what he hoped to gain in return, she would appreciate him. Unfortunately, he sounded a little too much like those who had mocked her and the other American debutantes who were in the marriage mart in England to snag titled husbands. Edward had to work to backtrack and prove himself. He made a deal to take Calliope to tour historical locations in London as well as show her his home estate, which needed her dowry to sustain it and the families dependant upon it for survival.

Calliope and Edward spend a lot of time together, but how can she ever trust the feelings building between them when he needs her for something? Those questions were exacerbated by a long-time friend who travels to England to ask Calliope for her hand in marriage, which offers her a chance to return to New York and her friends and family, as well as her work.

I will say that I don't usually love this period in history when it comes to novels. I can't remember seeing a specific date included, but the inclusion of the motorcar leads me to believe it's Edwardian. The rules of society are closely related to the Regency and Victorian, but more modern. I am no expert, but The Gilded Age is one I tend to steer clear of for various reasons. That being said, I wasn't too put off by the period, and I would consider reading other books in this series should there be more published.

I read A Deal with a Debutante quickly. It was easy to root for the characters, but I found myself skimming some passages of description that didn't always suit my reading preferences. I want to be so immersed in the story that I'm neither looking to skip ahead nor wanting to slow things down. I didn't quite feel like the pacing of A Deal with a Debutante was exactly right. Or maybe some extra stuff could have been trimmed a little. I'm giving A Deal with a Debutante 3.5 Stars. Have you read A Deal with a Debutante? What did you think? Let me know!

Can't Wait for Storm Breaker

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.

Storm Breaker (Storm Breaker, # 1)

By: Nisha J Tuli

Expected Publication: May 5, 2026 by Mayhem Books

416 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Dystopian, Fantasy, Romantasy

( 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 the publisher who brought you Fourth Wing comes your next romantasy obsession...

For nineteen-year-old Poet Graves, New Manhattan has always promised safety―if she obeys. Raised within the ruling Houses and betrothed to a powerful heir, she enters Amery Academy knowing her future has already been decided.

But Amery is nothing like she imagined. Its trials are brutal, its loyalties conditional, and its rules designed to expose weakness. As Poet struggles to survive, she must hide the truth that could get her executed: the storms don’t fear her―they answer back.

When a dangerous outsider from beyond the city walls enters the academy, Poet is drawn to him despite everything she’s been taught to believe. He threatens the life she’s been promised. And choosing him could cost her not just her future, but her freedom.

A gripping dystopian romance filled with forbidden power, ruthless challenges, and a heroine who refuses to burn quietly―perfect for fans of Divergent and The Hunger Games.

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

Bloodsinger - Review

Bloodsinger (The Fire That Binds, # 2)

By: Juliette Cross

Narrated By: Blair Dade; Kale Williams

Publication: April 7, 2026 by Macmillan Audio

400 pages

Genre: Adult, Fantasy, Magic, Dragons

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--A spellbinding gift...

A plea answered by the gods...

An unforgiving world where dragons rule Rome.

Lela Bihari’s village was invaded on her wedding night, her betrothed murdered right in front of her. While her sisters were either dragged away or escaped, Lela was sold to Valerius, a consul of Rome.

When she tried to kill Valerius her first night as his slave, her bloodsinger gift manifested… and she was punished for it. Now she’s paraded in front of the other senators for their amusement.

But Trajan Tiberius, the newly elected tribune to the senate, is different. He has no love for the brutality around him. When he frees Lela from enslavement and hides her, Lela is set on a path of vengeance, and using her gift puts her in more danger than ever before.

Now trapped inside the walls of Rome while deathriders circle the skies, how can she possibly trust a Roman dragon? Especially when it is clear Trajan has ulterior schemes of his own? As her powers grow stronger, danger draws closer, and Lela realizes it isn't just her life at stake, but also her heart.

Bloodsinger is a fantasy with some dark themes, including elements of master/slave relationship, attempted sexual assault, and dubious consent—none of which is between the MCs. There is also a scene with self-injury. Listeners who may be sensitive to these elements, please take note.

I listened to the audio version of Bloodsinger which means that spelling or names and places is hard to get right. Also, I don't have any quotes to share or notes to refer back to. I enjoyed the dual narrators. They both did a good job and most of all enhanced the story and didn't take away from it at all.

Lela is Malina's sister that we met in Firebird. She was on the cusp of her wedding when her village was attacked, and her betrothed was killed in front of her. As the description states, she was sold as a slave to Valerius who tortured and abused her and made her wear a muzzle after her attempt to kill him with her bloodsinger gift. With one taste of anyone's blood she can command them to do what she wishes. But she has been abused and mistreated to the point of not having much faith in herself.

Trajan is invivted to Valerius's house often. After Julian's betrayal, Trajan has to stay close to the leaders to prove himself even though doubt is immediately thrust upon him simply because he used to be under Julian's command. And it's true, he has been plotting with Julian to take down Inniculus and the other vile dragon shifters that would take his place. He does everything he can to help Lela escape. Although, he knows Malina, he has no idea that Lela is her sister.

Trajan was sweet and took his time building his relationship with Lela given everything she's been through. Of course, there is on-page action which I usually skim over. And there's cursing which I also prefer to skip. It's more annoying to me in audiobooks because my eyes can jump over it while reading, but hearing it aloud is harder to ignore. Another frustration is that the endearments I complained about in the first book are the same used in this book even though the characters are different. Sure endearments can be cultural, but this is one of my pet peeves and an easy way to distinguish unique voices from character to character.

Bloodsinger was good. I listened to it quickly, and I did hate to have to put it down. I felt slightly less connection to the characters as well as the frustrations I mentioned above with the endearments having the lead characters sounding too simular to the characters from the previous book. I am excited about the sneak peek given into the next book in the series, and I look forward to continuing to unravel this world. Bloodsinger gets 3.5 Stars. Have you read or listened to Bloodsinger? If so, what did you think? Let me know!

Sunday Post - 04/05/26

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

Monday night, Little Boy had a ball game, and I had to work the concession stand for Big Boy's team. They lost 4 to 8. Big Girl and Little Boy spent the night with my parent's. Tuesday was a super busy day. Big Boy had some testing to do in the morning. We went to my parents' house after that. I picked up groceries before heading home. I still had to do school with Big Boy when we got home. The Big Kids had martial arts belt testing Tuesday evening. They are testing for their senior blue belt. We barely made it to ball games for them to play. Big Boy's team won 19 to 11. Big Girl's team lost 8-9. Wednesday was a normal day, and Big Girl had pitching practice. Thursday was another busy day. The Big Kids had their homeschool nature class. Little Boy and I did some school. Then he had some chores that I had to help him with. Then I did some baking. I made sourdough bread, sourdough discard cheddar garlic biscuits, cornbread, cream of chicken soup, and southern cornbread dressing. Then Little Boy had a game that night. They won 17-4. Friday, Little Boy didn't have school, and Husband was off work. We did a slightly easier day with homeschool. And then Big Boy had a game. They won 19 to 7. Husband's family came in from out of town, and we did our family Easter celebrations on Saturday. We dyed Easter eggs, did an egg hunt, and had a big lunch. The crazy kiddos have been swimming already, several times. So they did that while their cousins were here too. Happy Easter to everyone! Jesus is risen indeed! Praise God!

THE PAST WEEK

Monday: Review of Empire of Flame and Thorns (Flame and Thorns, # 1) by Marion Blackwood (4 Stars)
Tuesday: March 2026 EOM Wrap Up
Wednesday: Can't Wait for North Country by KA Tucker

UPCOMING THIS WEEK:

Monday: Reivew of Bloodsinger (Fire that Binds, # 2) by Juliette Cross
Tuesday: Top Ten Tuesday?
Wednesday: Can't Wait for Wednesday
Friday: Homeschool Friday -

NEW BOOKS:

No new books this week, but I did receive a signed copy of a book I've already read as a thank you for my review.

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!