Happy February! There are TONS of great books releasing this month – in fact, there are so many, I split the Older Kids/Teens section into a younger band and an older band so it’s not too overwhelming. Let’s dive in and see what the first week of February has in store for happy readers.
Books for Kids
A Is for Awesome: 23 Iconic Women Who Changed the World (Board Book) – I love the latest trend in board book biographies. This one looks terrific! I can’t wait to see the illustrations in this one in person.
Bearnard’s Book – A bear discovers it’s okay to just be himself.
Fear the Bunny – A tiger who does not find bunnies very intimidating gets a big surprise in this new picture book. This looks adorable.
This Is NOT a Dragon Party – A girl’s birthday party turns into chaos, but when she chases the interlopers away, she misses them. This looks like silly fun!
Tooth Monsters – A girl who hates to brush her teeth and is afraid of the dentist meets a monster who explains the importance of tooth care – for monsters.
He Is Risen: Rocks Tell the Story of Easter – The story of Easter told by rock creations. I’ve seen a few of the pages, and they are fantastic.
Hedy Lamarr’s Double Life: Hollywood Legend and Brilliant Inventor – The biography of Hedy Lamarr, Hollywood legend and inventor who changed the course of World War II.
I Am Billie Jean King – The latest in the Ordinary People Change the World series
Little People Big Dreams – Muhammad Ali AND Stephen Hawking – More picture book biographies
Tiny Truths Illustrated Bible – An illustrated children’s Bible. There are several Bibles like this for kids, but I think the illustrations in this one sets it apart. Those pictures are darling!
Mighty Marvels – Captain Marvel and Ms Marvel join Spider-Man in the latest adventure in this early chapter book series.
Narwhal’s Otter Friend – A new adventure in this early graphic novel series. In this book, Jelly wonders if his friendship with Narwhal can survive the addition of a new friend, Otty.
Books for Older Kids/Teens
Best Babysitters Ever – Kicks off a new series about three girls who start a babysitting club.
Best Family Ever – Kingsbury’s Baxter family series branches out into children’s stories now, focusing on the Baxter children. I’m curious to see how this series works for kids. I’m not sure a lot of kids are familiar with the original series so the tie in may be more for adults who already read the series.
The Bridge Home – Four homeless kids make a family for themselves as they live near an abandoned bridge, but when illness strikes, will they continue to fend for themselves or will they have the strength to reach out for help?
Dragon Ghosts – Book 3 in the Unwanteds spin off series, Unwanteds Quests. I enjoyed the first book in the original series, but I haven’t been able to read through the whole collection, much less this spin off series. I have these on my library wish list.
Gogi’s Gambit – Book 2 in the Lost Rainforest series which combines animal stories with fantasy and magic.
Pay Attention Carter Jones – As Carter’s life is falling apart, a real life butler shows up on his doorstep to help out. I have requested this one from the library.
Song for a Whale – A deaf girl who is also a tech genius learns about a whale that can’t communicate with other whales, and she decides to find a way to “sing” to this whale. I am SO excited to read this! I have this on hold from the library already.
Starforce on the Rise – Before Carol Danvers was Captain Marvel, she was a Kree Starforce warrior named Vers. This is a story of a key Starforce adventure that will set readers up for the Captain Marvel movie that releases in March. I am eager to read this one, too.
Stick Dog Gets the Tacos – Book 9 in this fun series that has the look of Diary of a Wimpy Kid with funny animal antics.
Swap’d – Sequel to Click’d. Allie has learned from her mistakes and she is ready to develop another great app. And Swap’d is helping her friend raise money for a plane ticket, it’s getting Allie into conversations with her crush, and it’s her chance to beat her nemesis. What could go wrong? I loved Click’d and I can’t wait to read this one!
The Unspeakable Unknown – Sequel to A Problematic Paradox. Described as Guardians of the Galaxy meets The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy for older middle grade readers (ages 10+). Nikola is still looking for her kidnapped father, but she’s at risk of being abducted by aliens herself. I have to check out the first book so I can learn more about these interesting characters!
Lies Girls Believe: And the Truth that Sets Them Free – A kid-friendly layout with puzzles and quizzes and graphics along with solid teaching on the truths girls need to know for a life with God. There’s a mom’s guide to go along with this one.
Who Is Michael Jordan?
Teens/Young Adults
The Antidote – A girl decides to use her secret magic to help her best friend the Crown Prince, but her magic attracts the wrong sort of attention. This sounds fascinating!
Between Before and After – A story told in two timelines explores family secrets and the complicated relationships between mothers and daughters.
Dark of the West – A young man’s mother is killed, and his father is convinced it was ordered by his old rival, the queen of a distant kingdom. So the young man is sent to spy on the queen’s children and gain information to help his father avenge his mother’s death. He doesn’t expect to fall for the queen’s daughter.
The Deceivers – A girl is recruited to a school for con artists, and she jumps at the opportunity to go after corrupt politicians. But it seems the headmaster of the school has a personal vendetta he is chasing, and his students may get caught in the crossfire. I have already requested this one, too.
Enchantée – Magical fantasy meets the French Revolution in this story of an orphan trying to keep her family together and infiltrating life at the Palace of Versailles. This sounds magnificent!
Fame, Fate and the First Kiss – A young woman tries to salvage her acting career on the set of a movie, but someone there is trying to sabotage her, and her tutor may become too distracting for her own good. I just read one of the author’s previous teen romances and really enjoyed it. I have this one on my wish list, too.
Higher, Further, Faster – This story for teens focuses on Carol Danvers in her life as an Air Force pilot in the 1980s. I have this on my list, too.
Lady Smoke – Sequel to the AMAZING Ash Princess. Theodosia’s adventures continue as she seeks to secure freedom for her people while she wonders who she can trust. If you haven’t read Ash Princess, you need to rectify that right away so you can dive into Lady Smoke as soon as possible. I already have this one on hold at the library!
Look Closer -A girl grieving the loss of her father discovers letters circled on her cereal box. Those lead her to people who are in trouble which sends her on a quest to try to save them. I’ve requested this one from the library.
No One Here Is Lonely – A girl who loses her best friend and her crush around the same time discovers a virtual version of her crush online. As she spends more and more time with virtual Will, will she lose track of the real-life opportunities all around her? This sounds great!
On the Come Up – New from the author of The Hate U Give. A girl who longs to be a rapper pours all of her angst and frustration into her first song and it goes viral, but for all the wrong reasons. This novel is going to be HUGE. Be sure to check it out.
Roam – A girl whose family is living on the streets and facing a Minnesota winter wonders if she can trust her friends at her new school when she needs help most. This is on my wish list, too.
We Told Six Lies – Lies. Police, Suspects. A missing girl. Yep, this is on my list, too.
Marvel Powers of a Girl – An exploration of the lives of the women of Marvel. Yep, I’ll be buying this one!
Renegade Women in Film & TV – An exploration of the lives of 50 women in film and TV.
Show Up For Your Life: What the Girl You’ll Be Tomorrow Wants You to Know Today – Encouragement for young women to see their lives as unique and of high value. Would be great for small group study or mother-daughter study.
Books for Adults
The Amish Candymaker (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the Amish of Mackinac County series. Two individuals trying to find their way through difficult family situations in an Amish community may find what they need in one another. This story sounds terrific.
Brunch at Bittersweet Cafe (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the Supper Club series. A pastry chef is disappointed in the turns her life has taken lately. And even the fascinating man she recently met is planning to leave town soon. When new opportunities come her way, will she pursue them or give them up for love? This sounds like an interesting series.
A Gentlewoman’s Guide to Murder (Trade Paperback – Feb 8) – First in a new series. Not long before a knight’s death, Miss Emmeline was threatening him as she was rescuing a maid from his clutches. Now she needs to find out who killed him before she hangs for the crime. This is on my list!
The Good Ones (Mass Market Paperback) – I am a huge fan of Jenn McKinlay’s Bluff Point romance series. This is the first book in her new Happily Ever After series, and it is terrific! I’ll be reviewing this one later this week.
Good Riddance (Hardcover) – A young woman inherits an old annotated yearbook from her mother, which she later discards in a fit of decluttering. When a filmmaker finds the yearbook, all of it’s secrets and stories take on new urgency. This is such an unusual premise, I have to read this and find out what happens!
I Owe You One (Hardcover) – The latest from Sophie Kinsella. A young woman who has set aside any of her own dreams to care for her father’s store helps out a stranger in a coffee shop, and he gives her an IOU. True to type, she doesn’t use the IOU for herself, but for her crush. This leads to a series of IOUs between the woman and the “stranger.” Yep, I have to read this, too!
The Murder Book (Trade Paperback – Feb 8) – Book 2 in the Cold Case Investigation series. I’ll be reviewing this one later this week as well.
Polaris Rising (Trade Paperback) – A princess flees an arranged marriage in this book that kicks off a new space opera series. After evading capture for two years, Ada is found and flung into a prison cell with a notorious criminal. But when her jilted ex tries to capture her, Ada may have to trust the criminal to help her escape. Yep, sounds right up my alley.
The Ruin of Kings (Hardcover) – First in a new series. A thief raised in the slums is claimed as the long-lost son of a traitorous prince, but he discovers that the life of a long lost prince is nothing like the storybooks promised. Yep, I have this on my list, too!
Sisters of the Fire (Hardcover) – Book 2 after Daughters of the Storm. In the first book, 5 sisters team up against their step-brother in order to save their kingdom. Now, the relationships between the sisters are fractured and each is in her own space dealing with the fall out from her choices or hiding from her secrets or her fate. I have both of these books on my TBR list right now!
The Truffle with Weddings (ebook) – Book 12 in the Annabelle Archer Wedding Planner Mystery series. A colleague is poisoned and a friend is the prime suspect in this wedding related mystery. Looks fun!
The Brave Learner: Finding Everyday Magic in Homeschool, Learning and Life (Trade Paperback) – Encouragement and information for homeschooling families.
Brave, Not Perfect: Fear Less, Fail More, and Live Bolder (Hardcover) – This book on empowerment for women and girls is based on a popular TED talk. The line in the description that caught my attention was “What if, in every decision you faced, you took the bolder path?” I’m eager to read this one!
I Think You’re Wrong (But I’m Listening): A Guide to Grace-Filled Political Conversations (Hardcover) – A timely book for our current political climate. Two moms from opposite political view points show how we can maintain our relationships and listen to those who have different thoughts and opinions.
Made for This: 40 Days to Living Your Purpose (Hardcover) – A 40-day journey for women to discover their identity in God – their gifts, their passions, and their purpose. This is sitting in my Amazon cart right now.
Minor Prophets 1 (Lifechange) (Trade Paperback) – I love this line of Bible studies from Navigators.
A Mom’s Guide to Lies Girls Believe: And the Truth That Sets Them Free (Trade Paperback) – The Mom’s Guide for the book Lies Girls Believe
Praying Circles Around Your Marriage (Hardcover) – Based on the original book by Marc Batterson, this version focuses on prayers for your marriage.
Q&A a Day for the Soul: 365 Questions, 5 Years, 1825 Answers (Hardcover Diary) – I am a fan of these 3- or 5-year journals. There are blank ones where you can record whatever you want, and then ones like this with questions for you to answer – the same question over 5 years. A brilliant idea!
Ready or Knot: 12 Conversations Every Couple Needs to Have Before Marriage (Trade Paperback) – Christian resource for couples preparing for marriage.