I find myself missing spring – we never really had one. Right now it is hotter than blazes, and I just want to curl up under a ceiling fan with a book and pray that fall doesn’t skip us too. If you want that too, here are some books releasing this week to keep you company while you wait out the heat wave.
Books for Kids
Pass Go and Collect $200: The Real Story of How Monopoly Was Invented – This picture book detailing the history of the popular board game Monopoly looks fantastic!
Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults
Electric Boogerloo – Book 2 in the I Am Fartacus series is about a group of misfits trying to track down a missing school mascot. I love both the MAX and MIX series from Aladdin for middle grade readers. They are great stories.
The Game Masters of Garden Place – A group of kids playing an RPG (role playing game, like Dungeons and Dragons) find their characters have come to life. This was SO fun! I’ll be reviewing this one tomorrow.
Star Wars Adventures Vol 3: Endangered (Graphic Novel) – This story includes a story about Rose Tico from Star Wars The Last Jedi as well as a young Anakin Skywalker and Ezra Bridger from Star Wars Rebels.
My Family Divided: One Girl’s Journey of Home, Loss and Hope – If you have been tracking the immigration crisis at the border and you have wondered how to talk about it with kids, check out this book. I haven’t read it – or the original book for adults – yet, but this is on my list. This is the true story of the author who was separated from her parents who were undocumented immigrants.
Like Never and Always – After four teens are in a car accident, one wakes up in the body of one of the others, discovering some dark secrets about the girl’s life. This sounds fascinating!
Books for Adults
Bad Girls (Graphic Novel) – Three women have 12 hours to get out of Cuba with six million dollars in 1958. Sounds like a thrilling edge-of-your-seat story. (Hardcover*)
Heart Land – After trying to make it in the fashion industry in New York, a young woman has to move back home to Iowa until she can scrape enough money together to go back. When she redesigns a vintage dress from a flea market and sells it for $200, she has her ticket back to the Big Apple. But her heart may be getting attached to Iowa. This sounds lovely. (Trade paperback*)
Kill the Farm Boy: The Tales of Pell – An unlikely farm boy is off to rescue the princess in a Monty Python-esque story. Of course I am reading this one! I’ll be diving into it this week so I can review it next week. Be sure to come back and check out the review. (Hardcover*)
Maze Master – Two students are trying to find their missing brilliant professor who might the be only one who can stop a pandemic level virus. This sounds like the sort of thriller that will be hard to put down once you start reading. (Hardcover*)
Rescued – Book 17 in the fantastic Andy Carpenter series finds Andy and the team trying to defend a guy accused of murder who says it was self-defense. But there’s no sign of another weapon. The whole case may hinge on the smallest of clues. I loved this one and will be reviewing it in August. (Hardcover*)
Am I Enough? Embracing the Truth of Who You Are – A new book for Christian readers about finding your identity in Christ. I love books like this! (Trade paperback*)
Set Phasers to Teach! Star Trek in Research and Teaching (July 21) – This new book looks at the influence of the Star Trek universe on everyday technology and a wide variety of disciplines. I would love to read this one! (Academic Title*)
*I’ve noticed that publishers have shifted some of their new mystery series to Trade paperback (full size paperback with a sale price around $15 or $16) or hardcover (with a sale price around $25) instead of Mass Market paperback which runs around $8. When I think of it, I’ll try to note the format so readers can plan their book budgets – and trips to the library – accordingly.