Sunday Post - 02/15/26

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.

Whelp...ball season has officially started, and we are crazy busy for a while. Monday we had a regular school day. Big Girl had pitching practice. We had to leave early from that to go home and get Little Boy. Husband took Big Boy to martial arts. Then Little Boy and Big Girl went to the ball fields with me. Little Boy had evaluations and then Big Girl had a practice. Husband brought Big Boy to the fields and I left Big Girl's practice early with the boys and drove them to my parent's house. They spent the night there because Big Girl had a dentist appointment on Tuesday morning. So we go there earlish. She had to have 4 teeth pulled because the permanent teeth were coming in below her baby teeth but she hadn't gotten the baby teeth out yet. We were worried if we left them longer the permanent teeth might start to get cavities from food being trapped between them and her unable to get in there with her toothbrush. We then spent the day with my parents. I got groceries and then had to do school with Big Boy after that. Tuesday, Big Girl went off to martial arts with Daddy and the boys went to the fields for Big Boy to have evaluations. Wednesday was a normal school day, and Big Boy cashed in his reward for a mommy/son date for reaching his reading goal. We went to get frozen yogurt. Thursday, we met at the park with some friends. We haven't been to the park since November. We've just been too busy. The kids decided they wanted to spend allowance money on Chickfila for lunch so we grabbed that. Thursday evening the big kids had martial arts and then Big Boy had baseball practice. Friday, Little Boy had a Valentine's Day party at school. Big Girl had a ball practice. And it was a rough day with behavior for Big Boy. Thankfully, he and I ended up having a good conversation which I think it going to benefit us going forward. Saturday, Little Boy had a ball practice, but the field got double booked so we just spent the time in the batting cages and having a coach roll some grounders to them. Husband's sister and family were in town to celebrate Little Boy and my sister-in-law's birthdays. We had a great day.

THE PAST WEEK

Monday: Review of The Last Wish of Bristol Keats (The Courting of Bristol Keats, # 2) by Mary E Pearson (4.5 Stars)
Wednesday: Can't Wait for A Bewildered Bachelor (The Gentlemen's Gamble, # ?) by Holli Jo Monroe
Friday: Homeschool Friday - The God Contest by Carl Laferton

UPCOMING THIS WEEK:

Monday: Reivew of The Wicked and the Damned (Dark Inheritance Trilogy, # 2) by Rebecca Robinson
Tuesday: Top Ten Tuesday?
Wednesday: Can't Wait for Wednesday
Friday: Homeschool Friday - Caspian Crashes the Party

NEW BOOKS:

Divine Rivals (Letters of Enchantment, # 1)

By: Rebecca Ross

Publication: April 4, 2023 by Wednesday Books

368 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance

( 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 centuries of sleep, the gods are warring again…

All eighteen-year-old Iris Winnow wants to do is hold her family together. With a brother on the frontline forced to fight on behalf of the Gods now missing from the frontline and a mother drowning her sorrows, Iris’s best bet is winning the columnist promotion at the Oath Gazette.

But when Iris’s letters to her brother fall into the wrong hands – that of the handsome but cold Roman Kitt, her rival at the paper – an unlikely magical connection forms.

Expelled into the middle of a mystical war, magical typewriters in tow, can their bond withstand the fight for the fate of mankind and, most importantly, love?

An epic enemies-to-lovers fantasy novel filled with hope and heartbreak, and the unparalleled power of love.

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 - The God Contest

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 God Contest (Tales that Tell the Truth)

By: Carl Laferton

Illustrated By: Catalina Echeverri

Publication: January 1, 2021 by The Good Book Company

32 pages

Genre: Children's, Picture Books, Christian, Non-fiction

Source: Personal 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--Teach children about two extraordinary events in history when the God of the Bible proved himself to be the one true God.

Kids today are faced with a huge range of different views on who God is (or isn’t). How can they be sure who’s got it right?

This beautifully illustrated hardback storybook for children aged 3-6 is written by the team behind The Garden, the Curtain and the Cross. It retells two extraordinary events in history when the God of the Bible proved himself to be the one true God.

First it takes children back to Elijah’s time and the gripping “God contest” between the God of the Bible, Yahweh, and the false god Baal. Then it fast-forwards to a different mountain and another “God contest” at an empty tomb.

Once the evidence is examined, it invites kids, in a world of so many options, to decide with confidence to join Team Jesus.

The God Contest tells the story of 1 Kings 18:16-40, where Elijah challenged the priests of Baal to a "God contest" on Mount Carmel. It starts in a way that kids can relate to by showing various kinds of contests someone might participate in. Then we have a little backstory about Ahab and Jezebel who worshiped Baal. And then in contrast we have Elijah who knew that Yahweh was the real God. Then it goes into the details of the God Contest that Elijah set up.

If you aren't familiar with the story, Elijah set up an equal opportunity contest where the followers of Baal could chop some wood and build an altar to Baal. And he would do the same but for Yahweh. Then they would call on their God and see which one could set the altar on fire. Team Baal went first with 450 people shouting and crying out to Baal. They danced, and yet nothing happened. Elijah made jokes like "Maybe he's on the toilet." (My kids thought that was particularly funny.) "Maybe he's asleep." Nothing happened.

Then it was Elijah's turn. And he dug a trench and had water poured on the altar until the altar, the wood, and the trench were filled with water, and everything was wet. Then Elijah prayed to Yahweh and asked Him to make the answer clear to all the people that He is the only real God. And fire came down from heaven and consumed the bull, the wood, and the water. Yahweh had won the contest.

King Ahab and Queen Jezebel didn't like that and decided to keep on following Baal anyway. For hundreds of years, not many people followed Yahweh. And now the authors of The God Contest point out that it was time for another God contest. This time God did something even more amazing. He didn't send fire. He sent a human. Jesus. And they go on to show how Jesus claimed to be Yahweh. He showed he was Yahweh through His miracles. And yet people weren't sure. So Jesus explained the rules of a new God contest. He will come back to life after He has died. And so Jesus let people kill Him, bury Him, and for three days...nothing. But then Jesus rose back to life. The God contest was over. Now lots of people know Jesus as the real God, the only God. And everyone has to make up their minds. Will you join Team Jesus?

I absolutely love the way the authors break these stories into easy to understand concepts for kids. And more than anything, I love the connection back to Jesus, because it is all about Him anyway. I love the comparison and contrast between God answering Elijah with the fire and with Jesus's life. Those two pages were great. I love the note added in on page 4 about the name Yahweh. I love the Tales that Tell the Truth note at the end of the book that tells about where the facts of this story come from. So many wins for this book and this series. I can give The God Contest no less than 5 Stars. Have you or your child read The God Contest? What did you think? Let me know!

Can't Wait for A Bewildered Bachelor

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.

A Bewildered Bachelor (The Gentlemen's Gamble, # ?)

By: Holli Jo Monroe

Expected Publication: March 19, 2026 by Brillig Press

? 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--The bet was simple. The plan was perfect. The result was bewildering.

Meticulous Ambrose Hartley had every step of his courtship mapped out—until the outspoken, utterly unpredictable Susanna Fenton returned to his life.

It turns out the one thing he didn't plan for was love.

Seven Gentlemen. One Reckless Wager. A Fortune in Play—and Their Hearts on the Line.

***The Gentlemen's Gamble is a series about seven men racing to the altar in order to avoid losing a wager. Starting January, the books will release in an unannounced order to keep the loser of the wager a surprise.

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

The Last Wish of Bristol Keats - Review

The Last Wish of Bristol Keats (The Courting of Bristol Keats, # 2)

By: Mary E Pearson

Publication: November 13, 2025 by Tor

480 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--Everyone needs something to hold onto, even if it’s a lie.

After Bristol Keats nearly loses her beloved King Tyghan to the monsters her mother had unleashed, their love deepens to a whole new level. Together, Bristol and Tyghan work to understand and reconcile their differences, moving forward with their common goal of saving Elphame. But when a daring rescue attempt turns into a disaster, and a beloved knight dies, Bristol is forced to confront the fact that her mother is more powerful than she could have ever imagined—and more dangerous. Meanwhile, Tyghan’s heart is laid bare when he encounters his former best friend and betrayer again, Bristol's own father, and must wrestle with a new secret that throws everything he thought he knew about his past into question.

Bristol is Elphame’s last chance for survival, but where do her loyalties truly lie? If she fully embraces the magic that has always been her birthright, she could become a different kind of monster from her mother. Is she willing to risk losing the people she loves most, if it means keeping them safe?

Brimming with dark secrets, lush world-building, and addictive romance, The Last Wish of Bristol Keats is the unforgettable conclusion to New York Times bestselling author Mary E. Pearson's first adult series.

The Courting of Bristol Keats was such an enjoyable book for me in 2024. I feel like it has been overlooked because I don't remember hearing anything about it when it released or at all this past year. But Mary E Pearson has written some really great books, in my opinion. I knew I would want to continue the series.

Bristol has been through a lot. In the previous book, almost everyone in her life has lied to her and betrayed her. Her parents have kept so many secrets from her. For one, her mother is fae. And considered evil among the fae. Her father betrayed his best friend for his wife. They escaped to the mortal world and have been bouncing around in hiding ever since, constantly looking over their shoulders. Bristol's mother and father both returned to the fae world separately. I can't remember exactly why she did, probably got caught somehow by the bad guy who has been using her. And Bristol's father left to search for her. The girls, Bristol and her sisters, thought he was dead. Bristol is apparently half fae. Why the other two sisters aren't also is beyond me. I guess they didn't inherit any power, even if they are technically half fae. Bristol goes to the fae world searching for her father, but meets Tyghan and his kingdom. She falls in love with Tyghan, but he's been keeping some secrets from her, too. He needs her help to close a portal, oh, and he's the best friend that her father betrayed. Side note, the guy she was sleeping with/dating back in the mortal world who also kind of ghosted her is a bad dude trying to take over the fae world, also controlling her mother, and also probably has or did sleep with her mother. Gross!

So to say that Bristol isn't in the best place is an understatement. Especially because she recovers fairly well in this book. She and Tyghan decide that what they have is worth fighting for. And they decide to put in the work. I really appreciated their relationship because it showed that, on one hand, relationships take a lot to make them work, forgiveness being key, but on the other hand, it showed that sometimes we just have to decide that we're going to stay and work it out with the one we love.

Bristol has even more going on. Her parents placed a magical parasite on her to dampen her powers when she was very young. And it's kept her powers in check, but it's been there for so long that removing it might kill her. Yet she will never be able to close the portal she needs to do with it still there.

There were many side stories woven together perfectly. Mary E Pearson did a wonderful job tying all the loose ends up nicely. I had a few questions about things and a few pieces I didn't absolutely love about the ending, but in the end, I was happy with how everything worked out.

I listened to The Last Wish of Bristol Keats on audio so that means I don't have any quotes saved to share with you. The narrator, Brittany Pressley, did a wonderful job. I never got pulled out of the story due to narration, and that's huge for me.

The Last Wish of Bristol Keats was very well done, and I hope to see it on more lists and recommendations through the upcoming year. I'll be giving it 4.5 Stars. Have you read or listened to The Last Wish of Bristol Keats? What did you think? Let me know!

PS, I wouldn't mind a spin off since I enjoyed this world so much and many of the side characters would make delicious options to delve more into.

Sunday Post - 02/08/26

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 was a pretty normal day. I ended up keeping Little Boy home from school to just give him a little extra time to get well. Monday evening, Big Girl had pitching practice, and then both big kids went to martial arts. Tuesday, we went to my parents. I had a dentist appointment. All went well there. After my parents, I did my grocery pickup. Tuesday evening, Big Girl had softball evaluations for rec league. Wednesday, Little Boy was back to school. Wednesday afternoon, one of the coaches from evaluations called and asked us if we'd be interested in Big Girl joining a travel ball team. We are not currently interested in travel ball, but it was an honor to be asked. Thursday, the big kids had their first homeschool class with their new group. That went great. They both had a really good time, and it was exciting to see other kids from both our co-op last year and from martial arts. Thursday after lunch we had several errands. We dropped by my parents' house to give my mom her birthday present that finally arrived. Then we went by Five Below. I had to buy a hoola hoop for Big Girl to use for a pitching drill. The kids wanted to spend some allowance money so we ended up stopping by Target. Then we came home. Thursday evening the big kids had martial arts. Friday was a pretty normal day. We didn't have any errands or extra curriculars. Saturday, Big Girl had a softball camp at the local high school. And I worked on mopping and cleaning the house. We even moved the couches and pulled the rug up to clean under there. This week will be even busier than normal. We are hoping to get a belt testing date soon for martial arts. Overlapping sports is always A LOT! But, sometimes we have to choose overlapping a couple of week or taking a couple of month entirely off. Neither is wrong. I have been reading a good bit, and I've already been blowing through some audiobook this year. But man, I am so far behind on writing book reviews which has become normal over the past several years.

THE PAST WEEK

Monday: Review of If You'll Have Me by Esther Hatch (4 Stars)
Wednesday: Can't Wait for An Honorable Love (The Gentlemen's Gamble, # ?) by Audra Wells
Friday: Homeschool Friday - A Tiger in the Tall Grass (Animal Adventures) by Heather Horn

UPCOMING THIS WEEK:

Monday: Reivew of The Last Wish of Bristol Keats (The Courting of Bristol Keats, # 2) by Mary E Pearson
Tuesday: Top Ten Tuesday?
Wednesday: Can't Wait for Wednesday
Friday: Homeschool Friday - The Friend Who Forgives

NEW BOOKS:

A Foolish Proposal (The Gentlemen's Gamble, # ?)

By: Kasey Stockton

Publication: February 5, 2026 by Golden Owl Press

256 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--One careless remark. One outrageous proposal. One Season to discover love where they least expect it.

Caroline Whitby needs a husband. Unfortunately, her charmingly infuriating neighbor Tristan Shepherd just ruined her best prospect—and then had the audacity to propose himself. If only she didn’t despise him and his insufferably flirtatious grin.

***The Gentlemen's Gamble is a series about seven men racing to the altar in order to avoid losing a wager. Starting January, the books will release in surprise order so as not to give away who the final bachelor and loser of the wager is.

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

By: Chelsea Bobulski

Expected 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?

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!