It’s Valentine’s week, and as we celebrate love in various forms, here are some new books you might fall in love with this week!
Books for Kids
The Babysitter from Another Planet – Promoted as “ET meets Mary Poppins.” A pair of kids get an out-of-this-world babysitter when their parents go out for the evening.
Chicks Rule! – Nerdy Chick has been looking forward to Rocket Club, but when she gets there, a sign says “No Chicks Allowed.” I can’t wait to read this girl-power picture book!
Dragons Get Colds Too – Help for anxious dragon owners with sick little dragons.
The Good Egg – A little egg starts to crack under the pressure he feels to be perfect.
I Am God’s Storyteller – Highlights examples of storytellers in the Bible.
Molly Mischief Saves the World AND My Perfect Pet – New picture book series from the author of the Little Men books starring a girl whose best ideas usually end with at least a little mischief.
Pencil: A Story with a Point (February 15) – How can Pencil compete with Jackson’s new Tablet?
Kids Who Are Changing the World (You Should Meet) – Each chapter of this 48-page Early Reader highlights a real-life kid who is changing the world for the better. I can’t wait to read this one!
Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults
The Carnival of Wishes and Dreams – From the author of the fabulous The Charming Life of Izzy Malone. Three girls living in a town that has suffered tremendous loss each receive a note to meet an anonymous person at the annual Carnival of Wishes.
Eventown – A struggling family moves to Eventown where the days are always sunny and everyone is always agreeable. But the tradeoff for this “easier” life feels too steep for Elodee. This is at the top of my list for this week!
How I Became a Spy: A Mystery of WWII London – When a young woman goes missing, leaving behind a coded notebook, three kids try to solve the mystery to keep a spy from helping the Nazis. Sounds like a great historical mystery!
Jasmine’s Quest for the Stardust Sapphire – An original Aladdin and Jasmine story that takes place after the original movie.
Right as Rain – A grieving family moves to New York hoping a change of scenery can help them in their loss, but Rain is convinced her brother’s death is her fault. While she holds her secrets close, a new friend may help her open up and shine the light of truth on what happened that night. This is on my list for this week as well.
The Simple Art of Flying – An African parrot in a pet store is committed to a reunion when he is separated from his sister when they are purchased by different people. I’ve heard great things about this one.
To Night Owl From Dogfish – Two girls who couldn’t be more different find themselves together at camp because their dads have fallen in love with one another. I have this one on hold from the library.
Too Many Toppings – Book 6 in the Sprinkle Sundays series. Sierra says yes to a job and yes to sports and now she is being asked to be the lead singer in a band. How much is too much?
From Idea to Disney AND Nike – This new nonfiction series for kids focuses on the origins of companies that are now household names.
The Black Coats – In this new book for teens, the Black Coats are a vigilante organization that right the wrongs for women who have been hurt by men. But where is the line between justice and revenge?
The Blood Spell – Book 4 in the Ravenspire series. A Cinderella retelling about an orphan girl and a prince who can’t stand each other, but need each other all the same. I haven’t read anything in this series before, but this book is definitely on my list for this week.
Comics Will Break Your Heart – Miriam’s grandfather was the co-creator of The TomorrowMen, but he sold his rights for practically nothing. Now Miriam’s family has just that – nothing. And things get even more complicated when a cute boy comes to town and he happens to be the grandson of the man who defrauded her grandfather. Yep, this is on my list for this week, too.
Kingdom Cold (February 14) – When her kingdom is attacked, Princess Charlotte must turn to the prince she betrayed for help.
Watch Us Rise – Two young women start a Women’s Rights club at their school. When the trolls show up and things start to escalate, the principal shuts the club down. Are the girls willing to risk everything to have their voices heard? Yes, this is also on my wishlist for this week.
Feminism Is… – A collection of history, questions and arguments on feminism.
Books for Adults
Felicity Carrol and the Perilous Pursuit (Hardcover) – An intelligent young woman with little interest in the things expected of a Victorian woman plunges into a murder investigation when her mentor is killed and his King Arthur manuscript is stolen. Sounds like the start to a great mystery! First in a new series.
The Inn at Holiday Bay: Letters in the Library (ebook) – Looks like this is the second book in a series. When Abby starts some remodeling at the inn, she finds a stack of letters from 1954 in the wall. Even though she said she was going to focus on her own work, Abby gets drawn into the mystery of the letters as well as a homicide case from the summer. I’d love to check out this new series. Sounds like it has an interesting cast of characters.
Motorhomes, Maps & Murder (ebook – February 11) – Book 5 in the Camper and Criminals Mystery series. It’s murder, motorhome theft and a prison break for campground manager Mae West in this new mystery. Sounds like a great story!
Murder at the Palace (Trade Paperback) – First in the Movie Palace Mystery series. A woman fleeing her broken marriage discovers other film buffs, a ghost, and a dead body at the Palace. I will be reading this one for sure!
Murders and Metaphors (Hardcover) – Book 3 in the fantastic Magical Bookstore series by Amanda Flower. This time there’s a murder at a book signing. I’ll be reviewing this one soon!
Past Due for Murder (Hardcover) – Book 3 in the Blue Ridge Library Mystery series by Victoria Gilbert. A hit and run, a missing woman, and rumors galore will keep Amy busy in this mystery. I’ll be reviewing this one later this week.
The Puppy Who Knew Too Much (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the Dog Club Mystery series. Lilly’s cranky neighbor accuses her dog of digging up his tulips, but what the dog really digs up is a dead body.
The Sisters Hemingway (Trade Paperback) – Three sisters return home harboring secrets as they try to determine what happened to their mother and their youngest sister.
An Edited Life: Simple Steps to Streamlining Life, at Work and at Home (Hardcover) – The author’s assertion is there is no one way to declutter your life. Instead it’s about “editing” your life. I am curious to see what this “editing” is all about.
Grateful American: A Journey from Self to Service (Hardcover) – Actor Gary Sinise shares this memoir of his life, focusing on how his role in Forrest Gump drew him into a life of service for those who serve our country in the military and first responders.
Parkland: Birth of a Movement (Hardcover) – The author was one of the first at Columbine 19 years ago, and now he is chronicling the events at Parkland last year and the survivors-turned-activists.
Under Pressure: Confronting the Epidemic of Stress and Anxiety in Girls (Hardcover) – While anxiety levels in teen boys has stayed static in the last decade or so, the anxiety levels for girls has skyrocketed. Dr. Damour looks at why and what we can do to help. Great resource for teachers, parents, pastors and counselors.