Sunday Post - 03/29/26

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 week was our public school's spring break. I originally planned for us to take this week off school, but we had the flu a couple of weeks ago and didn't get much done, and we're going on a trip next month that will have us gone for a week. So I decided that we would push through and do school this week. It was still a slightly lighter week for us because we didn't have any baseball or softball games. So Monday was a normal day. Tuesday, the kids had hair appointments. I rarely take all three at one time to get cuts, but that's just how it worked out this week. Then we went to my parents' house. We got groceries on the way home. Tuesday night the Big Kids had martial arts. Belt testing is coming up this week so I'm looking forward to pausing for a month to just focus on baseball and softball. Wednesday was another normal day. Big Girl did have pitching lessons. Those were a little emotional. It's hard to explain why even when she throws a strike she might still get corrections on her form. It's necessary, and that's what lessons are for. Thursday, I had a hair appointment so the kids went to my mother-in-law's house. Then we had a friend's birthday party and Easter egg hunt we went to. And then the Big Kids had martial arts again. Friday, Big Boy had a doctor's appointment to have a wart frozen off his toe. He hasn't been handling the over the counter medicine well. Having it frozen off was more painful, but hopefully it is a one time thing versus daily treatments. I grabbed Chickfila on the way home for lunch. Saturday, I spent the day cleaning the pool again. I got all the leaves out from the winter last week, but the oak blooms have been falling now, and cleaning the pool is a weakly event when our robot cleaner isn't working.

THE PAST WEEK

Monday: Review of Firebird (The Fire that Binds, # 1) by Juliette Cross (4 Stars)
Tuesday: Top Ten Spring 2026 TBR List
Wednesday: Can't Wait for No Match Found by Martha Keyes
Friday: Homeschool Friday - Lucky Goes to School

UPCOMING THIS WEEK:

Monday: Reivew of Firebird (Fire that Binds, # 1) by Juliette Cross
Tuesday: Top Ten Tuesday?
Wednesday: Can't Wait for Wednesday
Friday: Homeschool Friday - Lucky Goes to School

NEW BOOKS:

Soulgazer (The Magpie and the Wolf Duology, # 1)

By: Maggie Rapier

Publication: July 8, 2025 by Ace

451 pages

Genre: Adult, Fantasy, Pirates

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--Every legend has a beginning.

With their freedom on the line, a young woman and a rakish pirate take their fate into their own hands as they attempt to find a lost mythical isle with the power to save their entire world.

Saoirse yearns to be powerless. Cursed from childhood with a volatile magic, she's managed to imprison it within, living under constant terror that one day it will break free. And it does, changing everything.

Horrified at her loss of control, Saoirse’s parents offer her hand to the cold and ruthless Stone King. Knowing she'll never survive such a cruel man, Saoirse realizes there is only one path forward…she must break her curse.

On the eve of her wedding, Saoirse seeks out the legendary Wolf of the Wild—Faolan, a feral, silver-tongued pirate. He swears to help rid her of the deadly magic, if she’ll use it to locate a lost mythical isle first. Crafted by the slaughtered gods, it’s the only land that could absorb her power.

But Saoirse knows better than to trust a pirate’s word. With the wrath of her disgraced father and scorned betrothed chasing them, Saoirse adds one last condition to protect if Faolan wants her on his ship, he'll have to marry her first.

Wolftamer (The Magpie and the Wolf Duology, # 2)

By: Maggie Rapier

Expected Publication: August 25, 2026 by Ace

448 pages

Genre: Adult, Fantasy, Pirates

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--Legends don't die.

Saoirse and Foalan's quest for freedom turns into a battle for the fate of their entire world, in this aching and lush conclusion to the Magpie and the Wolf duology.

Faolan has escaped death. Twice.

After a lifetime chasing freedom and legends, he was finally on the brink of becoming one himself when it all went up in flames. Stranded on the Isle of Lost Souls, bound by an oath he did not make, Faolan is plagued by dreams of drowning and a past he swore never to revisit. The pirate in him wants nothing more than to raise hell and run away—but with no ship, and no way to untether his wife, Saoirse, from the land she’s pledged herself to, Faolan is trapped.

And everyone knows who tamed the Wolf.

When their sinister rival King Maccus unveils an ancient godly relic—one with the power to unbalance their entire world—Faolan knows the game has changed. There’s only one person who can hunt down the missing relics before Maccus can, and the Wolf of the Wild will do anything to protect his wife.

Even if that means leaving her behind.

The Matchmaker's Cottage

By: Kat Sloane

Expected Publication: August 11, 2026 by Berkley

400 pages

Genre: Adult, Contemporary

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 cozy fall romance wrapped in small-town charm reunites the owner of a bed-and-breakfast with her childhood sweetheart for a celebrity matchmaking scheme which has them both seeing stars.

Julia Schaeffer might run the most romantic little bed-and-breakfast in Upstate New York, but as far as that infuriating Ethan Duchamp is concerned, this older, wiser Julia has a strict “no vacancy” policy. Sure, she’s teetering on the edge of a financial cliff, and his half-baked plan to pair up his celebrity clients at her inn will undoubtedly be good for business…but how much forced proximity with the man who abandoned her is she supposed to take?

Ethan needs this to work. The dreamy, autumnal—and blissfully secluded—cottage from his childhood summers is the ideal setting for playing matchmaker to Hollywood’s next power couple. It’s the only way to save his PR career from the tabloid toilet. He knew that the inn and Julia’s warm, comforting homemade touch would inspire real feelings—he just didn’t expect them to be his. Again.

But as old wounds reopen, and their connection rekindles, Julia and Ethan are forced to confront the truths they’ve both tried to bury. In a town where nothing stays hidden for long, they’ll have to decide if they can rebuild what was lost—or if their second chance will be derailed by scars that have yet to heal.

Wild Reverence

By: Rebecca Ross

Publication: September 2, 2025 by Saturday Books

527 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

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--Dear Matilda, I wrote.
I let the words flow for her.
And when the ink dried,
I gave my very heart
to the fire.

Born in the firelit domain of the under realm, Matilda is the youngest goddess of her clan, blessed with humble messenger magic she uses to carry words and letters through the realms. But the gods will kill for power, and Matilda holds a secret she must hide from even her dearest allies.

And there is a mortal who dreams of her, though they have never met in the waking world. Ten years ago, Vincent of Beckett wrote to Matilda on the darkest night of his life—begging the goddess he befriended in dreams to help him. His request went unanswered, and Vincent became a hardened, irreverent lord of the river who has long forgotten Matilda . . . until she comes tumbling into his bedroom window with a letter for him.

Matilda and Vincent were fated to find each other beyond dreams. But to rewrite the blood-soaked ways of the gods, Matilda will have to face something she fears even more than losing her magic: finally allowing herself to be loved.

Lost and Found

By: Tarah DeWitt

Publication: July 14, 2026 by St. Martin's Griffin

336 pages

Genre: Adult, Contemporary

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 stunning novel of romance and redemption set in the Spunes, OR world, filled with heartbreak and hope from "master of emotion" (Rachel Lynn Solomon) USA Today bestselling author Tarah DeWitt.

Bea always wanted to be a mom. But she never expected she’d have to lose her best friend to do it. Armed with nothing but her best friend’s eggs and a bucket list to complete, Bea’s world is a sea of changes.

When she needs a place to stay, her longtime friend Silas steps in to help. A firefighter grappling with the aftermath of an accident, Silas has his own challenges to work through that have left him cautious and vulnerable.

At first, they expect nothing. But as these two former sunshines knit together in a love that has been unfulfilled until now, a new beginning comes out of the ashes of the past—one that will lead to a love that can withstand all the slings and arrows, joys and triumphs, that life can throw.

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 - Lucky Goes to School

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.

Lucky Goes to School

By: Gail Herman

Illustrated By: Norman Gorbaty

Publication: July 9, 2001 by Penguin Young Readers

32 pages

Genre: Children's, Picture Books, Level-2

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--When Lucky's owner goes to school, where will Lucky go? Who will he meet? Find out in this fun-filled Level 2 reader.

Lucky Goes to School is one of our Level-2 readers. This one was given to us and not one that I bought. Lucky wakes up one morning, and his boy has to go off to school. Lucky is worried he will be bored all day without his boy. He walks his boy to school and meets many other dogs. They go to the park and play together, doing various doggie things. And then it's time to go back and pick up Lucky's boy. Then they go home happy because tomorrow is another day of school.

Sometimes as a homeschool mom, I'm sad when books build up typical school. Of course, these books are written for the kids that are going to traditional school rather than homeschooled kids. I think it can make my children feel like they're missing out. But that's life. Someone is always missing out on an experience. Traditionally schooled kids are missing out on the homeschool experience. It's opportunity costs. But I've dived off into the weeds on this one.

My son read this book just fine. I don't think there were any words he struggled with. He didn't dread reading it, but he wasn't excited about it either. There wasn't a specific moral for him to take away, either. Lucky Goes to School! gets 3 Stars. Have you or your child read Lucky Goes to School? What did you think? Let me know!

Can't Wait for No Match Found

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.

No Match Found

By: Martha Keyes

Expected Publication: June 3, 2026

? pages

Genre: 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--She built the perfect algorithm for love, but it didn’t predict him.

Vivian Hale has spent her adult life proving that love isn’t luck—it’s data. As the CEO of Matchify, the world’s most advanced matchmaking app, she’s built an empire on the science of compatibility. Love isn’t about fate; it’s about probability.

Grant Wilder doesn’t believe in perfect matches. The investigative journalist has spent his career exposing scams, and Matchify is next on his list. People want to believe love can be calculated, but he knows better. His instincts have never failed him—except, maybe, when it comes to Vivian.

She trusts the numbers. He trusts his gut. And the more they clash, the more undeniable their chemistry becomes. But according to Matchify’s algorithm, they’re completely incompatible. And numbers don’t lie… right?

No Match Found is a closed-door romantic comedy full of wit, office antics, and toe-curling romance.

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

Top Ten Spring 2026 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 2026 TBR List

1. The Folklore of Forever (Moonville, # 2) by Sarah Hogle
2. Save Me (Maxton Hall, # 1) by Mona Kasten
3. The Magician of Tiger Castle by Louis Sachar
4. The Ever Queen (The Ever Seas, # 2) by LJ Andrews
5. Her Hidden Fire (Her Hidden Fire, # 1) by Cliodhna O'Sullivan
6. A Carol for Mrs. Dickens by Rebecca Connolly
7. The Mist Thief (The Ever Seas, # 3) by LJ Andrews
8. Fallen City (Fallen City Duology, # 1) by Adrienne Young
9. Gilded in Vengence by Lyssa Mia Smith
10. First and Forever by Lynn Painter

This is getting embarrassing! Eight out of these ten books were on my Fall 2025 & Winter 2025 TBR list. Which books are you hoping to read this spring? Does anyone else use these seasonal top ten lists more for the books you should be reading and less for the books you will actually read during this season? Let me know!

Firebird - Review

Firebird (The Fire That Binds, # 1)

By: Juliette Cross

Publication: April 8, 2025 by Bramble

400 pages

Genre: Adult, Fantasy, Magic, Dragons

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--A conqueror captivated…
A witch prophesied to save them all…
An unforgiving world where dragons rule Rome.

Julian Dakkia, Roman general and nephew to the emperor, has played his role as conqueror well. Yet, the moment he laid eyes on Malina, he was enthralled by the Dacian dancer. Years later, the fierce beauty stands before him, a captive on a scarred battlefield, her life in danger. He instinctively shifts into his fierce dragon form to save her, an action that may mean his head on the imperial gate.

The rules of their world dictate that he is the conqueror and she is the captured. But he and his dragon know one thing: their bond has nothing to do with the laws of mighty Rome. She belongs to them. And they belong to her.

Fierce and powerful, twenty-one-year old Malina has survived the loss of her family and she is determined to fight until her dying breath. Still, she can’t believe that the centurion who had once bestowed a secret talisman on her is the Roman general of legendary brutality…and now holds her life in his hands. Nor can she deny how her soul has always seemed to answer his. Slowly she learns that Julian is caught in his mad uncle’s machinations for domination, and helps him plot the downfall of the empire itself.

As they navigate a world where flying deathriders conquer and burn, their love will ignite a firestorm that can only end in heartbreak or death. Or both.

Firebird is a fantasy with some dark themes, including elements of master/slave relationship, attempted sexual assault (not between MCs), and dubious consent (not between MCs). Readers who may be sensitive to these elements, please take note.

Malina has grown up with her grandmother telling her that she and her sisters will be powerful, magical. And that they will each be instrumental in saving many from the evils that befall them. Out of the four sisters, Malina is the one who first taps into her magical ability. She is an empath. She can feel the emotions of others. One day, as she and her sisters are performing a dance with their traveling troupe, she locks eyes with a dragon shifter, a Roman. He tosses her a coin and then follows her when she flees. They have a short conversation. Neither learn the other's name. But they definitely have some sort of instant connection. Later, Malina's village is attacked by Romans, and her father tells her to run. She does so, not knowing what happened to the rest of her family. She is sure that her father is killed because her tether to his emotions snaps. She finds a village of Celts that takes her in. And over the years, she uses her gift against the Romans to protect the Celts. Eventually, even that group was conquered by the Romans.

On the battlefield, word of soldiers under his command attempting to attack the captured witch, who is rumored to have helped the Celts thwart the Romans, comes to Julian. He goes to stop them and realizes the woman they are trying to attack is none other than the woman he once encountered who locked eyes with him during a dance with her sisters many years ago. His dragon takes over, and he carries her away to his home in Rome. Malina is wary of Julian. Despite still feeling their connection from the past, she doesn't want to be anyone's slave. Yet Julian, being nephew to the evil emperor Inniculus, cannot take a human as a wife. It doesn't help that Julian and a select group of others are slowly making plans to dethrone Inniculus. But they can't just cut the head off the snake, because many others would be willing to step into his absence and resume the Roman rule as it is. Julian needs to be ready to take out all of those major players who would be his uncle's allies at the same time.

Matters aren't helped at all, that Ciprian is determined to bring Julian down on his rise to the emperor's favored side. Julian has to earn Malina's trust, but seeing the other "slaves" in his household, spending many hours talking with him, and hearing of his plan for Rome, wins her over slowly. Of course, her empathic gift can easily tell her Julian's emotions which does help to boost her confidence in him.

Favorite quotes:

-"I have no reason to injure you." "You might do it all the same."

-"I care not what they say, for what I feel is all my own. Not forced or given to me by the fates or anyone else. It comes from my own soul."

I had some issues with Firebird. The first one was how it made any sense at all for Julian to take Maline to the warcamp with him. If he's worried about the rumors going around of his attachment to her, surely taking her with him when he's never taken a woman before makes no sense. Thankfully, this wasn't really used as a means of causing damage to their relationship. Only the opposite. But it still didn't make sense to me. Also, the spice was skippable. I don't read for that. I enjoy good plots that don't need spice. I don't skip a book because it is included a lot of times, because I can just skip over it. And you know if there's spice, there is cursing as well. Sometimes the endearments felt out of place given the context, culture, and history of the characters. I don't know. I just found that sometimes these things pulled me out of the story, which isn't a good thing.

Firebird did hook my attention, which was much needed as I kept starting and putting down books without making it very far. Malina and Julian's instant connection was a draw for me. Sometimes, mates and magical soulmates can be off-putting, but I enjoyed it this time. I was thinking the entire series would follow Malina and Julian, but book 2, Bloodsinger, follows Malina's sister, Lela. I can always do without spice and language, but it wasn't a big deal to skip those. Firebird gets 4 Stars. Have you read Firebird? What did you think? Let me know!