Sunday Post - 03/23/25

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 a busy and challenging week. It was the first week in quarter four of our homeschool. Baseball and softball games started this week. And it was the week before spring break for us. So Monday was a pretty normal day. Tuesday, I kept a friend's daughter for the day. We met up at the park. The kids played for a while, and then I ran to pick up groceries. We did have to squeeze in some school, and then I took her to meet her mom. The boys both had first games. Neither team won. Big Boy's team was doing really well. They had 3 double plays that game, but they ended up having two bad innings. They couldn't recovery enough to bring back the win after that. Little Boy is only playing t-ball, and it's so chaotically funny. Wednesday was another normal day. Thursday, we didn't have co-op because they were having a geography and art fair that evening. I oringially planned to participate in that, but then there was a conflict with ball games. We went to a friend's birthday party at a local trampoline park. And then Big Girl had a double header for her first two games. The temperature in our area dropped on Thursday, and we froze our tails off at the games. Bless them. 10U Softball is not all that fun to watch. One girl on the other team literally got a homerun off a dropped 3rd strike and bad throws. Big Girl walked each game and played outfield even though she practiced at first base all practices. It makes no sense to me when a coach practices a kid in one position only to move them somewhere entirely different when games start. But she's only 9 so she has to earn her dues. Friday was tough. I had planned on a lighter school day in hopes of finishing school by lunchtime so I could spend the afternoon packing. But Big Boy didn't finish his school work until 3 pm. We had plans to celebrate Little Boy's birthday (which was two months ago), my sister-in-law's birthday (last month), and my mother-in-law's birthday which was Friday. We did presents and ate an early dinner, and then we had to get back to the ball fields for the boys to have games. They didn't keep score on Little Boy's game so I have no idea if they won or lost. Big Boy's game was pretty frustrating. The dugout mom and coaches messed up the batting order on accident of course and skipped Big Boy and the other team made a big fuss and he was called out without getting to bat at all. I know that is the rules, but there's a difference between being so focused on winning that you take it out on the kids. He's only 7. He's not in charge of the batting lineup. And maybe I wouldn't have been so upset if I didn't constantly feel like he was getting overlooked. He hasn't hit his stride with batting this year yet so he might not have gotten on base anyway. He's had some hits but they've been caught in the air or thrown out at first before he's gotten on base so far. Oh well. The big kids left Saturday morning with my parents. They went to Gatlinburg, TN. Saturday morning, I met up with my two nieces that have kids at the park and let the kiddos play. We stayed there about an hour. And then we spent the rest of the day at my mother-in-law's letting the boys play. They played so adorably well together all afternoon. There was zero fussing or arguing and zero fighting. I was having such a great time watching them just enjoy being with each other.

THE PAST WEEK

Monday: Review of Midnights with You by Clare Osongco (4 Stars)
Tuesday: Top Ten Spring 2025 TBR List
Wednesday: Can't Wait for Winterset by Tiffany Odekirk

UPCOMING THIS WEEK:

Monday: Review of Blood of the Old Kings (The Bleeding Empire, # 1) by Sung-Il Kim
Tuesday: Top Ten Tuesday?
Wednesday: Can't Wait Wednesday?
Friday: Homeschool Friday - Watch Me Throw the Ball

NEW BOOKS:

A Scar in the Bone (A Fire in the Sky, # 2)

By: Sophie Jordan

Expected Publication: October 14, 2025 by Avon

352 pages

Genre: Adult, Fantasy, Dragons

( Goodreads | Amazon )

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

Goodreads description--MAGIC AWAKENS.

DARKNESS SWELLS.

AND A HERO RISES.

It’s been a year since Tamsyn transformed from the enemy in Fell’s bed to the wife he sacrificed himself to save. From an ordinary girl to Penterra’s best hope to keep magic from disappearing forever.

With Fell torn from her side in the dangerous swirling mists of the Crags, Tamsyn is alone among the dragon pride. An outsider learning to survive in her new home, she trains until her muscles burn and her blood spills. And slowly, a warrior emerges.

But is Fell truly beyond Tamsyn’s reach? Their bond pulls at her, as does the fierce drive to protect both humans and dragonkind from a relentless enemy determined to destroy her – and all magic.

Magic stirs in the darkness, strengthening all who believe in it. But will it be enough to save the pride, the kingdom, and a love fated to endure for centuries?

In this explosive sequel to the Sunday Times bestselling A Fire in the Sky, the fate of magic rests on one warrior’s shoulders – but it could cost her everything …

🔥Fated mates

🔥Magic, dragons, and witches

🔥Spice

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!

Can't Wait for Winterset

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.

Winterset

By: Tiffany Odekirk

Expected Publication: October 7, 2025 by Shadow Mountain

272 pages

Genre: Adult, Historical Fiction, Regency

( 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 hidden past. A house with secrets. And one chance for two wounded hearts to find love together.

Northern England, Late Fall, 1820

Katherine Lockwood is hiding for her life in the most unlikely of places: the forgotten priest holes in the abandoned Winterset Grange manor house. When Kate learns that Winterset’s long-absent owner, Mr. Oliver Jennings, is about to return, she is desperate to find a way to make him leave, even if it means “haunting” him from behind her protective walls.

After a grand tour of the Continent, Oliver returns home to England determined to make the most of his inheritance. But from the moment he arrives, nothing is as he expected. His manor is in disrepair, the steward hired to care for his estate is a thief, and to top it all off, Winterset is haunted. Undeterred, Oliver resolves to reclaim his life, piece by piece.

When Oliver discovers the hidden rooms, he’s shocked and pleased that his “ghost” is actually a beautiful young woman. Captivated by Kate and her story, he invites her to stay at Winterset under his protection.

Yet, danger persists as the man who threatens Kate’s safety learns of her ruse and attempts to exact his revenge. Kate and Oliver find themselves ensnared in a perilous game of cat and mouse against a powerful opponent while also trying to untangle their blossoming feelings in this enthralling gothic Regency romance.

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

Top Ten Spring 2025 TBR List

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. This week's topic is Top Ten Spring 2025 TBR List

1. Ex Marks the Spot by Gloria Chao
2. Tale of the Heart Queen (Artefacts of Ouranos, # 4) by Nisha J Tuli
3. The Folklore of Forever (Moonville, # 2) by Sarah Hogle
4. A Kingdom to Claim by Sian Ann Bessey
5. Rules for Ruin (The Crinoline Academy, # 1) by Mimi Matthews
6. I Want to Trust You But I Don't by Lysa TerKuerst
7. A Touch of Shadows (The Lost Queen, # 1) by Jessica Thorne
8. The Perfect Rom-Com by Melissa Ferguson
9. Nothing Like the Movies (Better Than the Movies, # 1) by Lynn Painter
10. Til Heist Do Us Part (Simi Chopra, # 2) by Sara Desai

Which books are on your spring TBR list? Let me know!

Midnights with You - Review

Midnights With You

By: Clare Osongco

Publication: November 12, 2024 by Disney-Hyperion

368 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary

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--“Where were you thinking of going?”
“Nowhere.”
“Great,” he says lightly, putting the car in gear. “Then we’ll go there.”

Seventeen-year-old Deedee’s life is full of family ghosts and questions she can’t ask. She longs for an escape, but guilt holds her back—that, and the fact that her strict Filipino single mom won’t let her learn to drive. But one sleepless night leads Deedee down a road she never thought possible: secret driving lessons with the new boy next door, Jay, whose turbulent family life also keeps him up until sunrise.

As midnights stretch into days, Jay helps Deedee begin to unravel her past, and as shared secrets blossom into love, Deedee starts to imagine a life where happiness is possible. But the deeper she digs into the trauma that has shaped her, the more that trauma threatens to tear Deedee and Jay apart. Together, these two must decide if the pain they’ve both inherited has the power to choose their fate, or if they have the power to choose for themselves.

Man oh man! What do I say about Midnights with You? I needed a genre change after reading several fantasy books in a row. But I also wanted something that would hook my attention quickly. I've picked up and put down so many books lately. They're all ones I want to read, but I just haven't felt hooked on any characters quickly. And to be honest, Midnights with You didn't hook me too quickly either. The book starts with Deedee's mom berating her. And I wasn't sure I was in the head-space for this kind of book. And really, Midnights with You ended up being an incredibly complex book. 

Deedee's mom has anger issues. And she talks to Deedee so horribly. I mean it's abusive really. The things that she says have affected Deedee deeply. She's begun to think that she's broken, flawed, toxic, unlovable. Her mother refuses to talk about her extended family. And Deedee's dad died several years ago. Since then, Deedee has pretty much no one. She does have one friend at school, bless Suzy's heart. But Deedee doesn't know how to share with Suzy how bad things are at home. And her mom always puts on a front. Deedee is mostly just incredibly sad. All the time. She gets the itch to find out what her mother is hiding. Her extended family. Why she doesn't allow Deedee to do anything because she's scared of her getting hurt, yet her mother's words are often what hurts her the most. And she also begins to feel a little bit rebellious. That leads her to the desire to learn to drive. 

Jay is the boy next door, and his family is struggling also. His parents have divorced, and they moved. His older sister is away at college. And he's working to help fill in financially and fill the fatherly role for his younger sister as much as possible. His mom depends on him a lot. And while she's not quite as mean constantly as Deedee's mom, Jay's mom can say some pretty hurtful things to him as well. Deedee runs into Jay late at night and they go for a drive. In the end, she asks him if he'll teach her how to drive. But then she backs out. They end up making a deal where she will tutor him in English and history (two subjects he's not doing so hot in) if he will teach her how to drive. 

Of course, Deedee and Jay develop feelings for each other. And this is where the rollercoaster ride begins. Deedee and Jay are both screwed up mentally. And that doesn't make for the healthiest relationship. These two were so hot and cold, on and off, fast and slow. This book was a trainwreck in the best possible way. I couldn't look away. I ended up reading until 1 am one night and forced myself to put this book down at 80% knowing it would take me at least another hour to finish it. Even then I couldn't go to sleep. And I don't normally enjoy "coming of age" stories.

There was something so relatable to me about this story. All of the characters. Even as scary as it sounds, the terrible mother and the partially terrible one. Since becoming a mother, I find it much easier to relate to the mothers in books. And even though, I can say that I don't treat my kids like Deedee's mom, I know I've slipped up and said hurtful things to my kids. I've behaved in ways that I've had to apologize for. All of this story was heartbreaking.

Favorite quotes:

-She's given me a good life, and I'm grateful. And the way she treats me hurts, too. Both things are true.

-"You know how they say, your trauma isn't your fault, but it's your responsibility?"

-You did a bad thing and you can learn from it. You can know why you did it. You can work on it. You can be different. You can change, because you want to change.

-"Maybe if you change the way you think about the past," I say, voice hard-edged, "you'll be able to make some different decisions. Today, tomorrow, the day after. Maybe if you could tell yourself you didn't deserve it, you would see I don't deserve this, either."

-"Some of the things you do make more sense to me now," I swallow hard as she picks up the letter and slowly opens it with trembling hands. "But some of the things you do aren't okay."

"Coming of age" really is the best description for Midnights with You. It's about growing up, first love, generational curses, depression, anger, and so much more. I didn't quite cry while reading this, and I didn't always "like" this book, but sheesh, it gave me so much to contemplate. It was incredibly complex and well done overall. Midnights with You gets 4 Stars. Have you read Midnights with You? What did you think? Let me know!

Sunday Post - 03/16/25

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 slipped up and didn't post last week. It was just too busy. I didn't post for my blogaversary this year, but I did celebrate my 14th year of blogging. We took a few days to adjust to the time change last week. Monday night, Big Girl was recognized at the local high school's varsity softball game for participating in their annual softball camp. We stayed to watch the game. It's become something that I look forward to doing with her every year. Big Boy had a double header scrimmage game on Wednesday night. He played catcher which is a new position for him, but he enjoyed it. The scoreboard wasn't working, but since we were playing a travel ball team I'm pretty sure we got crushed. Thursday was co-op day, of course. Friday, my mom came to get Little Boy for a spend the weekend with them. My parents will be taking my big kids to Gatlinburg for spring break the week after next so they wanted to focus on him this weekend. I ended up taking Big Girl to do a little clothes shopping Friday afternoon. And then both big kids had practice Friday evening. Saturday, my kids spent most of the day at my mother-in-law's house. We had a threat of bad weather (along with so many others), but thankfully things didn't get bad in our area beyond a lot of wind and lightning. Many many others had damage and even loss of life in the storms that ravaged the US yesterday.

THE PAST TWO WEEKS

Monday 3/3: Review of A Lady of Conscience (Somerset Stories, # 5) by Mimi Matthews (3.5 Stars)
Monday 3/10: Review of A Fire in the Sky (A Fire in the Sky, # 1) by Sophie Jordan (3.5 Stars)
Wednesday 3/12: Can't Wait for A Bachelor's Lessons in Love by Sally Britton
Friday: Homeschool Friday - Today I Will Fly

UPCOMING THIS WEEK:

Monday: Review of Midnights with You by Clare Osongco
Tuesday: Top Ten Tuesday?
Wednesday: Can't Wait Wednesday?
Friday: Homeschool Friday - Watch Me Throw the Ball

NEW BOOKS:

Iron & Embers (The Ashes of Thezmarr, # 1)

By: Helen Scheuerer

Publication: January 28, 2025 by Alchemy

614 pages

Genre: Adult, Fantasy

Source: Personal Kindle 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--“I’ve made no secret of what I want... You. It’s always been you.”

Wren Embervale, alchemist-turned-assassin, finds solace in only one thing: seeking vengeance for the death of her friends. The wars of the past may be over, but her thirst for revenge is far from quenched.

For years, she has been content with her poisons and potions for company, but when an unknown form of alchemy is used to attack a king of the midrealms, Wren’s time in the shadows comes to an end.

She’s offered a place at the ancient alchemy academy of Drevenor to find a cure to the dark magic threatening the kingdoms. To win her spot, she must conquer the Gauntlet, a grueling series of deadly trials that could cost her sanity, or her life.

More is at play than sabotage from fellow competitors. Magic wielders are being targeted and Wren becomes tangled in a dangerous web of deception and bloodshed that puts the entire realm at risk.

But the biggest threat of all might come from the man assigned to protect her—Torj Elderbrock, the silver-haired war hero who has hated her since she assassinated his last charge.

Their shared history ignites a simmering tension that threatens to consume them both.

Peace is fragile, trust is scarce and enemies lurk around every corner… Will love heal all wounds—or will it be the most lethal poison of all?

Iron & Embers is the breathtaking first installment in the epic fantasy romance series, The Ashes of Thezmarr. With its lush world-building, sizzling chemistry, and heart-pounding action it’s perfect for fans of Fourth Wing, From Blood & Ash, and The Bridge Kingdom.

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!