Can't Wait for Miss Beresford and the Beast

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.

Miss Beresford and the Beast (Daughters of Somerset, # 1)

By: Mimi Matthews

Expected Publication: August 4, 2026 by Perfectly Proper Press

? pages

Genre: Adult, Historical Fiction, Retelling

( 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 spirited Victorian beauty with a fondness for fairytales unwittingly falls under the power of a beastly, scandal-plagued nobleman in the first book in USA Today bestselling author Mimi Matthews’s new Daughters of Somerset series.

Charlotte Beresford has spent far too long under the iron rule of strict governesses and unflinching finishing school teachers. When she’s offered a brief window of freedom—an invitation to spend the summer with a recent acquaintance in a remote corner of Yorkshire, far from societal expectations—she jumps at the chance. Never mind that her new friend is odd, their chaperone questionable, and the village rumored to be cursed. Charlotte knows how to look after herself. All she must do is show a friendly face, keep her wits about her, and—above all—avoid the derelict manor house that stands on the edge of the moors…

Battle-scarred and bad tempered, Magnus Sterling never intended to return to England, let alone Yorkshire. But now he’s inherited the title, it’s his responsibility to settle his late father’s affairs. It should be simple enough to do without riling up the superstitious locals. Indeed, they don’t even need to know that the infamous son of the equally infamous Earl of Eversleigh is back on British soil. Magnus will keep to himself, and to the crumbling manor house, and for once in his miserable life avoid any cloud of scandal. A straightforward enough plan, or so he believes, until he catches sight of the bold, auburn-haired intruder infiltrating the grounds of his estate…

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

Seek the Traitor's Son - Review

Seek the Traitor's Son (The Burning Empire, # 1)

By: Veronica Roth

Narrated By: Imani Jade Powers; Max Meyers; Rebecca Soler; Steve West

Expected Publication: May 12, 2026 by Tor Books

432 pages

Genre: Adult, Dystopian, Fantasy, 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--A new epic romantic, dystopian fantasy begins in Seek the Traitor's Son, from #1 New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth

Elegy Ahn did not ask for destiny to find her.

She is happy with her life as a soldier, defending her small country from the Talusar, a powerful nation who worships a deadly Fever. A fever that blesses half of its victims with mysterious gifts.

But then she’s summoned to hear a prophecy–her, and the most ruthless of Talusar generals, Rava Vidar. Brought face to face, they learn that one of them will lead their people to victory over the other…but they don’t know which. And at the center of both of their fates: a man. A man that, Elegy is told, she will fall in love with.

In just one day, Elegy’s old life–her job, her purpose, and her future–is over. She and Rava are destined to collide, with the fate of their nations hanging in the balance. And when they do, only one will be left standing.

Elegy intends to make sure it’s her.

Seek the Traitor's Son had a slow start for me. I liked the idea of two people receiving the same prophecy. The prophecy isn't set in stone on which woman will come out as the "winner," but both will be the rise or fall of their people. Both will fall in love with a man. Man, I'm butchering this. Check out the description to see the details about the prophecy.

Elegy has always been the spare daughter. Her mother has served a prominent role in her nation, and her sister will be the heir to receive the role after their mother passes. Elegy doesn't even know her real father, but her adoptive father is basically the one who raised her. Elegy has an entire life. And not to spoil things, but the reader would know quickly upon the start of the book that Elegy is married at the beginning. So to hear this prophecy that she (or Rava Vidar) will be the one to conquer the other for their nations, and Elegy will fall in love with a man, she knows that it isn't her husband. Elegy rejects the idea of being the Hope of Cedrae. The reader has to know that Elegy's husband is either destined to die or they will get divorced. The reader just doesn't know which.

I am thankful that I had Seek the Traitor's Son on audiobook. This is definitely a book that would have been put off for months or years if I were actually reading it. The narrators did well. I was kind of sick of hearing the whole name Rava Vidar by the end of the book. I guess I would have likely felt that way whether listening or reading. But the emphasis that was put on this name was a little annoying. It kind of added to her character build-up that I didn't think was deserved.

Theron was up and down for me. He didn't have any more choice in his destiny than Elegy did. He was thrust into a position that he wasn't fully prepared for. He was once a coward, and then had to go through extensive difficulty to come out a different person. Theron's relationship with the guy who hated him felt forced to me. I can't remember his name, and due to having the audiobook copy, I can't exactly go hunting for it. This didn't feel realistic to me at all. I honestly chose to block it from my memory until the time to write this review. Had I known that this content was present within the book, I probably would have taken a pass on it.

The book ended on a cliffhanger, and at the time, I definitely thought I would need to find out what was going to happen next. But now that I've had a little distance between finishing Seek the Traitor's Son and writing this review, I've already lost a lot of my interest in seeing what's going to happen next. I can definitely see myself not continuing this series. It was complex, but I kept feeling like the story was lagging. Overall, not my favorite book from Veronica Roth. Seek the Traitor's Son gets 3 Stars. Have you read or listened to Seek the Traitor's Son? What did you think? Let me know!

Sunday Post - 05/17/26

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.

This was our last week of homeschool. We are all so ready for a break. Monday night, Big Girl had pitching practice. Tuesday, we spent the day with my parents, got groceries, and then the Big Kids had martial arts. Wednesday was a normal school day, and then Wednesday night we tried out a new church for youth group type activities. We love our normal church and won't be leaving it, but there aren't many kids. We are looking to build more friendships with fellow Christians. Thursday, we went to the park with some friends. Big Girl fell at the park and has hurt her foot again. We haven't gone to the doctor yet, but if swelling isn't down by tomorrow we will probably go just to get it x-rayed. I'm praying she doesn't have another break. We didn't get to martial arts Thursday night because Husband and my dad have been building a ramp for a family in need. The mother needs back surgery, and the son (50) is in need of knee replacement surgery which has been scheduled. They will both need to get into their house without using stairs soon. Friday was our last day of school. It went well, and we are all excited for summer break. Saturday, I put an "end of the year" party together for the kids. I always cook a special breakfast and give them a few goodies including a Lego set and a new book to read over the summer. I also spent the day working on cleaning the pool and doing various house chores.

THE PAST WEEK

Monday: DNF Review of The Last Page by Katie Holt
Wednesday: Can't Wait for Igniting Lies by Rebecca Donovan
Friday: Homeschool Friday - Gus Loses His Grip

UPCOMING THIS WEEK:

Monday: Reivew of Seek the Traitor's Son by Veronica Roth
Tuesday: Top Ten Tuesday?
Wednesday: Can't Wait for Wednesday
Friday: Homeschool Friday - If You Give a Dog a Donut

NEW BOOKS:

Igniting Lies (Burning, # 1)

By: Rebecca Donovan

Expected Publication: June 16, 2026 by Rebecca Donovan

? pages

Genre: New Adult, Contemporary,

Source: Author (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--Sadie, Collin and Jonathan have been best friends since childhood. Sadie's the bleeding heart, always seeking a cause. Collin's the comedic peacemaker of the trio. And Jonathan's the protector of them all.

The summer before their senior year of high school, Sadie and Jonathan finally admit to having feelings for each other, putting their lifelong friendship at risk.

Jonathan’s notorious for getting into fights, a reputation Sadie’s chosen to ignore. Collin’s always been the one to smooth things over and de-escalate Jonathan’s rage.

After witnessing a dispute she wasn’t meant to see, Sadie suspects there’s more to the cuts and bruises than Jonathan's troublemaker reputation. Maybe she doesn’t know him as well as she thought. And this time, Collin’s words can’t twist what she saw with her own eyes.

All Jonathan wants is to be believed. To be known as something other than the monster he’s been labeled. There’s one person in his life who wants to see the truth, even his darker side. Except believing him may cost Sadie everyone she loves, including Jonathan.

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 - Gus Loses His Grip

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.

Gus Loses His Grip: When You Want Something Too Much (Good News for Little Hearts)

Edited By: David Powlison

Illustrated By: Joe Hox

Publication: October 5, 2019 by New Growth Press

32 pages

Genre: Children's, Picture Books, Christian, Manners

Source: Personal Library

( Goodreads | Amazon )

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

Goodreads description--Gus, a raccoon who loves all things sweet, learns what happens when you want something too much. After Gus gets caught taking candy from the store, Papa reminds him that temptation might be strong for us, but it’s not too strong for Jesus. Both Gus and Papa can ask Jesus for help when they want something too much. The last page contains information for parents on how God, in his Word, helps us turn to Jesus when we are tempted. Together children and parents will be guided into meaningful conversations about living by faith in the details of everyday life. Also included is a tear-out page of “Back Pocket Bible Verses” that will give children a practical way to remember God’s words when they want something too much. A new series of hardback, illustrated children’s books for three-to eight-year-olds—each centered on an animal family—bring gospel help and biblical counsel to families. The animal characters, colorful illustrations, and the real-life issues each animal family face will captivate children. The first three books address anxiety, anger, and failure, bringing biblical help and hope to issues every child faces.

Gus Loses His Grip is not rated by Accelerated Reader, so I don't know what level it would be considered. I got this as part of my manners lessons for my kids in our homeschool. This is a book that I have read to my kids and not one that they have read independently. Yet anyway.

Gus Loses His Grip starts with Gus's family picking strawberries, and Gus goes a little crazy stuffing strawberries in his mouth. His mom reminds him to leave some for the rest of them. Gus also has a secret stash of candy. And he realizes one night that he's out of candy because he's already eaten it all. The next morning is Easter, and the family rule is no candy before breakfast, and no Easter basket until after Papa shares the Easter message with the family. Gus has a hard time waiting. After Easter, Mama take the kids to the market to take advantage of after Easter sales. They come upon a candy store where the owner is offering a free sample. While the grownups are distracted in conversation, Gus realizes that Lyle is sneaking more than one free sample. Lyle and Gus begin to stuff all the candy into their pockets. Eventually, Gus's parents realize what he's done, and Papa forces Gus to confess to the store owner that he stole from him. The store owner forgives Gus. Papa discusses the weight hiding his sin with Gus, and Gus admits that in the moment he loves the sweets, but after the moment passes, shame and guilt set in. Papa realizes that the whole family has been a little wrapped up in consumerism. But Papa teaches Gus that our sin isn't too strong for Jesus. He shares a Bible verse with Gus and keeps the same one in his own pocket.

I absolutely love this series of books (Good News for Little Hearts). The stories don't always go in the direction that I expect. I love that the sin was both obvious (Gus hiding candy and stealing extra samples) as well as not so obvious (Mama taking advantage of after Easter sales just because, and Papa buying fishing gear he doesn't need). I liked that Papa forced Gus to confess his sin to the store owner. Gus also asks for forgiveness, which is a step that people often leave out when apologizing to someone else. The store owner clearly offers his forgiveness. I appreciated the discussion that Papa had with Gus to make it clear that sin might feel good in the moment, but it doesn't stay that way. And the weight of sin is heavy indeed. I loved Jesus's sacrifice, death, and resurrection in the Easter message being shared clearly and concisely. And I love the idea of carrying a Bible verse in our pocket for something that we're struggling with to be able to pull out and read to remind us of what God says about this topic and to remind us that He fights for us as well. There's also a section at the end of the book that includes tips for helping your child if this is a particular area they struggle with. And there are perforated Bible verses that you could punch out and either carry yourself or give to your child to carry and read.

Good News for Little Hearts is always packed with such good messages. The stories are engaging and relatable. Gus Loses His Grip is no different. The messaging is on point, 100%, and the story is something that all kids can relate to at some point or other. And parents can even take a check-up on themselves to see if they're falling prey to consumerism or thinking that "things" will satisfy them. Gus Loses His Grip gets 5 Stars. Have you or your child read Gus Loses His Grip? What did you think? Let me know!

Can't Wait for Igniting Lies

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.

Igniting Lies (Burning, # 1)

By: Rebecca Donovan

Expected Publication: June 16, 2026 by Rebecca Donovan

? pages

Genre: New Adult, Contemporary,

( Goodreads | Amazon )

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

Goodreads description--Sadie, Collin and Jonathan have been best friends since childhood. Sadie's the bleeding heart, always seeking a cause. Collin's the comedic peacemaker of the trio. And Jonathan's the protector of them all.

The summer before their senior year of high school, Sadie and Jonathan finally admit to having feelings for each other, putting their lifelong friendship at risk.

Jonathan’s notorious for getting into fights, a reputation Sadie’s chosen to ignore. Collin’s always been the one to smooth things over and de-escalate Jonathan’s rage.

After witnessing a dispute she wasn’t meant to see, Sadie suspects there’s more to the cuts and bruises than Jonathan's troublemaker reputation. Maybe she doesn’t know him as well as she thought. And this time, Collin’s words can’t twist what she saw with her own eyes.

All Jonathan wants is to be believed. To be known as something other than the monster he’s been labeled. There’s one person in his life who wants to see the truth, even his darker side. Except believing him may cost Sadie everyone she loves, including Jonathan.

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