BOOK NEWS: February 18, 2025

Here are some of the books releasing this week.

Books for Kids


I Am Sally Ride – The latest picture book biography in the Ordinary People Change the World series.
Where Did TJ Go? – Writer and speaker Annie F. Downs brings kids and families this book on grief and loss, specifically infant loss. While the full description of the book will bring tears to your eyes, this could be a valuable resource for families experiencing loss.
The Woofmore On Thin Ice – Book 3 in the Woofmore early chapter book series. The Woofmore is counting on a positive review from a famous figure skater to bring more business to the hotel.

Books for Older Kids/ Teens/Young Adults


Racing the Clouds (Older Middle Grade, 10-14 year olds) – Sage hopes a summer vacation spent with the grandparents she’s never met will help mend the rifts between her and her dad after what happened last year.
Truth Cursed – An orphaned young woman is trained by a rebel spy ring and sent to infiltrate the royal court.

Books for Adults


A Geek Girl’s Guide to Murder (e-book reissue) – This completed series from Julie Anne Lindsey is being REISSUED, and I am here for it. I loved the whole series! Book 1 is out this week.
Never Planned on You (Trade Paperback) – Ali encounters the man she once drunkenly got tattoos with in England, but now he’s the groom in the wedding she’s supposed to be planning.
An Overdue Match (Trade Paperback) – Book one in the new Checking Out Love series. The new librarian in town teams up with a tattoo artist to matchmake her patrons.
To Sicily with Love (Trade Paperback) – Book 4 in the Meet Me in Italy series. A woman who recently lost her parents discovers through a DNA test that she has family in Sicily and travels there to see if she can find herself once again.
Wooing the Witch Queen (Trade Paperback) – Book 1 in the Queens of Villainy series by Stephanie Burgis. A sorceress queen takes on an assistant to help her organize her magical library so she can concentrate on protecting her kingdom, not realizing that he is hiding things about himself. I’m looking forward to this one!
You Between the Lines (Trade Paperback) – A woman in an MFA program struggling with imposter syndrome encounters her high school nemesis in the program.

BOOK NEWS: February 11, 2025

Here are some of the books releasing this week.

Books for Older Kids/ Teens/Young Adults


Bat and the Business of Ferrets – Book 4 in the Bat series. As Bat tries to adjust to the changes that come with a new grade, new classroom, and new teacher, he hopes to convince his teacher – and a classmate – that a class Ferret would be a good idea.
HiLo: The Great Space Iguana (Graphic Novel) – HiLo and his friends try to help a giant space iguana get home.
Montgomery Bonbon: Death at the Lighthouse AND Murder at the Museum – A young sleuth pretending to be a famous detective solves mysteries including a murder at a museum (Book 1) and one at a lighthouse (Book 2).
Unicorn Book Club (Graphic Novel) – Book 21 in the delightful Phoebe and her Unicorn series. Marigold and Phoebe create a book club. Yes, please!
Wicked Darlings – An aspiring journalist investigates her sister’s death

Books for Adults


Celebrity Crush (Trade Paperback) – An author suggests a fake dating scheme to the actor staring in the adaptation of her book to give them both some important positive PR.
Change of Heart (Trade Paperback) – A cynical lawyer is transported to a Hallmark channel-esque small town where she has to complete three tasks in order to get back to her real life.
Death at the Shipshape Bookshop (Trade Paperback) – An Alaskan bookstore owner becomes a part time sleuth after her bookshop is ransacked and someone is murdered in her back room.
Get Lost With You (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the Rock Bottom Love series. A single mom takes a second chance at love.
A Girl Like Us (Hardcover) – A party girl turned heiress investigates the family she married into looking for answers to questions that have already left someone dead.
The Last Hamilton (Trade Paperback) – When the last heir of Alexander Hamilton dies, her best friend and her husband team up to find out what happened. This sounds excellent!
The Launch Date (Trade Paperback) – Two rivals must team up to create first date scenarios as they compete for the same job at their dating app company.
The Perfect Rom-Com (Trade Paperback) – An aspiring writer becomes a ghostwriter in a trade off as she tries to sell her own novel. Yes, please!
Queens of Crime (Hardcover) – The five greatest women crime writers team up to solve a real life murder in 1930. This sounds so amazing.
A Victim at Valentine’s (ebook) – Book 5 in the Secret Bookcase Mystery series from Ellie Alexander. A bookshop owner tries to help local law enforcement solve a murder connected her her shop.
You Are Fatally Invited (Hardcover) – Mila is an aspiring writer hired by thriller master J.R. Alastor to help him host a thriller writer’s retreat which gives her an opportunity to plan a murder of her own. But then someone else is murdered and she’s drawn into solving the case. Another fantastic sounding story!
The Fearless Christian University (Trade Paperback, February 13) – A form professor and administrator in Christian Higher Ed explores the state of Christian Higher Ed and strategies to survive into the future.

BOOK NEWS: February 4, 2025

Happy February! Here are some of the books releasing this week.

Books for Kids


Cranky Chicken: The Cranky-verse – Three new stories starring Cranky Chicken and Speedy.

Books for Older Kids/ Teens/Young Adults


The Secret of Moonrise Manor – Raven and her friends investigate a mummy found in a haunted hotel to see if it can answer her questions about her late mother’s death.
What Is the Story of Cinderella? – Explore the history of the story of Cinderella.
All Better Now – A new YA novel from the author of Scythe. A world-wide virus leaves survivors living with unprecedented contentment – and there are those who see their careers and livelihood at risk if they can’t capitalize on the old ways of anger and jealousy. I can’t wait to check this out!
The Liar’s Club – First in a new YA series about taking on the “king of campus.”

Books for Adults


The Bones Beneath My Skin (Hardcover) – A standalone novel from the author of the Cerulean Chronicles and the Green Creek series. A man who has lost everything heads to his family’s summer cabin to reassess his life and finds people living there. And one is a very special little girl – and someone’s out to find her.
Deep End (Trade Paperback) – A new standalone novel from the author of Bride. A diver and a champion swimmer who should have nothing in common but the water start a fling that threatens to upend their lives.
Dream Girl Drama (Trade Paperback) – A hockey player falls for a woman after an unexpected encounter, but then he discovers she’s his soon-to-be step-sister.
Eleven Numbers (e-book short story, February 1) – From the author of the Jack Reacher series. A math professor is summoned to the White House to help with cryptic Russian equations.

BOOK NEWS: January 28, 2025

Here are some of the books releasing this week.

Books for Adults


Beast of the North Woods (Hardcover) – Book 3 in the Monster Hunter Mystery series. Morgan investigates the death of an ice fisherman when his death is blamed on the Hodag. I loved book one, but haven’t read book 2 yet because the opening chapter was super violent. My husband read it and said the whole book isn’t that way, so I need to pick it up soon because I MUST read this Hodag story!
Here Beside the Rising Tide (Trade Paperback) – A writer and her family go back to the island she visited as a kid where her missing childhood friend seems to come out of the water, still 10 years old, telling her he’s trying to save the world.
If Tomorrow Never Comes (Trade Paperback) – A sick young woman waiting for a stem cell transplant and uncertain about her future throws caution to the wind and has a romantic moment with a stranger. A year later, when she’s healthy and connecting with her stem cell donor she discovers the woman’s boyfriend is the stranger she kissed a year ago.
A Lady Would Know Better (Trade Paperback) – An English Lord finds a woman on his property, freezing in the snow, with no memory of her name or her life.
Out of the Woods (Trade Paperback) – A couple facing a crisis-point 17 years into their marriage decide to go on an intense couples hiking trip to see if they can save their relationship.
The Outcast Mage (Trade Paperback) – First in the new Shattered Lands series about a mage who is trying to learn to use her magic before it destroys her.
Wedding Dashers (Trade Paperback) – Two travelers stranded in London while on the way to Ireland discover they are trying to get to the same wedding and face a series of travel disasters.
Enneagram in Real Life: Find Your Type, Understand Who You Are, and Take Steps Toward Growth (Hardcover) – A new Enneagram resource.
The Fix: How the Twelve Steps Offer a Surprising Path of Transformation for the Well-Adjusted, the Down-and-Out, and Everyone in Between (Hardcover) – Therapist and Enneagram practitioner Ian Morgan Cron brings this book – and a workbook – about the Twelve Steps to everyone to show how anyone can benefit from following the Steps.

BOOK NEWS: January 21, 2025

Here are some of the books releasing this week.

Books for Older Kids/ Teens/Young Adults


Very Bad at Math (Graphic Novel) – A capable and super involved teen struggling in math discovers she has dyscalculia.
Love on Paper – Two teen writers with parents in the publishing business – who happen to be long-term rivals – attend a writing retreat.
The Rival – A new romance from Emma Lord. High school rivals become college rivals when Seb gets pulled off the waitlist and he and Sadie start vying for a spot writing for the school zine. Lord’s books are must reads for me.
The Wilde Trials – Exes participating in a set of dangerous pre-graduation trials at their school team up to help her find her blackmailer and find out why his brother died in the last Trials.

Books for Adults


Earl Crush (Trade Paperback) – An heiress corresponding with a single earl in financial trouble travels to him to offer up a marriage of convenience. Except the earl has no idea who she is, because his brother has been impersonating him to the woman.
Loose Lips (Hardcover) – Book 2 in the Ghostwriter Mystery series after The Busy Body. The ghostwriter attends a writing conference aboard a cruise ship. When one of the guests dies under mysterious circumstances, it’s investigation time again. Book 1 was excellent, so this is a must read for me!
Onyx Storm (Hardcover) – Book three in the Empyrean series after Fourth Wing and Iron Flame. I haven’t gotten to Fourth Wing yet – I need to catch up!
She Doesn’t Have a Clue (Trade Paperback) – A murder at a destination wedding draws a mystery writer into investigating. I can’t wait to read this one!

BOOK NEWS: January 14, 2025

Here are some of the books releasing this week.

Books for Kids


Make Your Mark: The Empowering True Story of the First Known Black Female Tattoo Artists – Picture book biography of Jacci Gresham.
Bad Kitty: Party Animal – It’s Puppy’s birthday, but Kitty keeps causing trouble.
Lila Greer and the Shrieking Shadow – Book 7 in the Questioneers series of chapter books based on the picture book series.

Books for Older Kids/ Teens/Young Adults


The Forgotten Magic of Zoey Turner (Older Middle Grade) – A grieving girl receives a pencil she uses to write stories that then come true.
Old School – A kid homeschooled at a retirement community is forced to go to a regular middle school. I adore Korman’s books and can’t wait to read this one!
PAWS: Hazel Has Her Hands Full (Graphic Novel) – Book 4 in the PAWS series. Hazel takes on a new summer pet sitting job – and the home is even wheelchair acceptable! But when her friends’ busy schedules mean she would be doing the job alone, she’s afraid her overprotective mom will balk.
Same Page (Older Middle Grade) – Something new from Elly Swartz. Two girls launch a project to get a book vending machine for their school, but one of their mom’s objects to some of the books that are supposed to be in the machine. I’m looking forward to this one!
Liar’s Kingdom – Tired of life with her step-family, Ell takes her shot at a different life by lying to a prince, saying she danced with him at a ball she never attended. What a fun twist on a familiar story!
The Queen’s Spade – Queen Victoria’s goddaughter, kidnapped from her African home and family, plots revenge. Inspired by a true story.

Books for Adults


Death in the Downline (Trade Paperback) – First in the new Multi-level Marketing Murder Mystery series. A reporter starting her life over and living at home gets pulled into the LuminUS MLM. When a LuminUS distributer is found dead, she starts investigating.
Extreme Romancing in Idaho (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the Clear Springs Romance series. A woman hoping to connect with a new guy lies and tells him she’s into extreme sports.
The In-Between Bookstore (Hardcover) – Darby finds himself in the bookstore he worked in as a teen when he moves back to his hometown. But he doesn’t expect to walk in and find himself back in 2009, face to face with his teenaged self.
Let’s Call a Truce (Trade Paperback) – Two work rivals are forced to work on a project together and find potential for a different kind of relationship.
Murder in the Dressing Room (Trade Paperback, LGBTQ+) – First in the Misty Divine Mystery series. When a drag queen is poisoned by a box of chocolates, the other drag performers are the top suspects. Crushed by the death of their “drag mother” and frustrated by police bias, Misty decides to solve the mystery.
Once Smitten Twice Shy (Trade Paperback) – Book 3 in the Wilmot Sisters series. Based on Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. Two people who feel like they will never find love decide to help each other “practice” romance.
Playing Flirty (Trade Paperback) – A woman and her gaming rival work together to launch her new board game design.
A Serial Killer’s Guide to Marriage (Hardcover) – Two married killers walked away from the life when they had a baby. But Hazel is finding the mom life dull – so she kills someone and doesn’t tell her husband. Then the police show up at their door. Quirky!
The Vanishing of Josephine Reynolds (Trade Paperback) – A new widow buys her family home to fix up. When she finds and replaces the original door, she is transported  100 years into the past. Her experiences there put her at risk of slipping out of existance.
Work in Progress (Trade Paperback) – A woman who lost both her career and her fiancé impulsively signs on for a UK literary bus tour that doesn’t go at all like she imagined.
Write Your Own Cake (e-book – essay) – “Book” 2 in this writing series by Jennifer Estep. This one is focused on writing a long series.
Brooke Shields Is Not Allowed to Get Old: Thoughts on Aging as a Woman (Hardcover) – A memoir from actress and model Brooke Shields about women enjoying the prime of their lives.
In Gad We Trust: A Tell-Some (Hardcover) – A memoir from actor Josh Gad.
This Changes Everything: A Surprisingly Funny Story About Race, Cancer, Faith and Other Things We Don’t Talk About (Hardcover) – A new memoir from the author of I Take My Coffee Black (♥♥♥♥).

 

BOOK NEWS: January 7, 2025

Happy 2025! Here’s to another great year of reading. Here are some of the books releasing this week.

Books for Kids


Unstoppable John: How John Lewis Got His Library Card and Helped Change History – The story of Congressman John Lewis in his quest for racial equality, starting with access to the library.

Books for Older Kids/ Teens/Young Adults


Mack Moon and the P.E.T.S. (Graphic Novel) – Mack discovers his pets are from space and here on Earth to stop a ferret named Barbara from trying to take over the world.
The Princess Swap: Cinderella and the Beast – Ella and Belle find themselves in each other’s stories!
Stories of the Spirit of Justice – By Jamar Tisby. Short biographies of Civil Rights leaders.
Where Is Tornado Alley?
After Life – Seven years after her death, Amber appears to her family, alive once again but unchanged from the day she died. Now her family and friends have to figure out what her return means for each of them.
The Assassin’s Guide to Babysitting (LGBTQ+) – An orphan raised to be an assassin, Tru has hidden her abilities and her training from everyone. But on what is supposed to be a normal babysitting gig she finds herself hunted and on the run – with her one-year-old charge in tow. I cannot WAIT to read this!!
Bemused – From author Farrah Rochon. The Muses from the Disney movie about Hercules get to tell their own story. This sounds fun!
A Language of Dragons – Alternate history where a girl puts the tenuous peace between humans and dragons at risk.
The Last Bookstore on Earth (LGBTQ+) – Two girls taking shelter in a bookstore after an apocalyptic Storm start to fall for one another – and then they find out another Storm is on the way.
Mystery Royale – Mullory takes a chance at a game of Mystery Royale for an inheritance despite her mother’s last words warning her away from “the strange.”
Royal Heirs Academy – Four teens compete for the chance to inherit a kingdom.

Books for Adults


Beg, Borrow, or Steal (Trade Paperback) – Book 3 in the When in Rome series. Two feuding colleagues – and side-hustling writers – have to team up when Emily accidentally sends her latest manuscript to their principal and she needs help getting it back.
Four Ruined Realms (Hardcover) – The sequel to Five Broken Blades.
Holmes Is Missing (Hardcover) – Book 2 in the Homes, Margaret & Poe series. by James Patterson. The PIs are working on a series of child abductions, but Holmes goes missing.
Into the Woods (Trade Paperback) – Two camp counselors consider taking a chance on love.
The Lodge (Trade Paperback) – A writer gets the chance to work on a story about the band True North and their mysterious break up while enjoying time at a resort.
The Starlight Heir (Trade Paperback) – A bladesmith with magic finds herself on the run with a prince when rebels attack the palace.
Temple of Swoon (Trade Paperback) – An archaeologist trying to prove herself and a journalist trying to keep her from her goal find themselves in a spot of trouble when they realize they aren’t the only people trying to find the lost city.

BOOK NEWS: December 31, 2024

Here are some of the books releasing this week to wrap up 2024.

Books for Older Kids/ Teens/Young Adults


Dating and Dragons – Another fun YA D&D romance from Kristy Boyce. Quinn is at a new school looking for a fresh start when she meets a group of kids who play D&D. She especially hits it off with Logan, but the group has a strict no-dating rule.

Books for Adults


Happy After All (Trade Paperback) – A romance author who runs a motel gets a chance at love with a sexy but difficult guest.
The Rise and Fall of Miss Fannie’s Biscuits (Trade Paperback) – Fannie teams up with an old friend who is a private investigator to investigate contestants in a baking competition who start disappearing.

BOOK NEWS: December 24, 2024

Here are some of the books releasing this week.

Books for Older Kids/ Teens/Young Adults


Wings of Fire: Escaping Peril (Graphic Novel) – Book 8 in the graphic novel adaptations of the Wings of Fire series.
Who Was Shirley Chisholm? – Read the story of the first Black woman elected to Congress.

Books for Adults


The Matter of the Secret Bride (Hardcover) – Rosalind and Adam are investigating on behalf of the woman rumored to be secretly married to King George IV.
Stuck in the Country With You (Trade Paperback) – Genesis’ big romantic regret becomes her sexy neighbor when she inherits a farm she doesn’t know how to run.

BOOK NEWS: December 17, 2024

Here are some of the books releasing this week.

Books for Kids


Bigfoot’s Big Heart – Bigfoot likes writing to his cryptid friends because they all understand what it’s like to prefer a quiet life – even though that life can also be solitary and lonely.
Disney Frozen (Graphic Novel) – A graphic novel adaptation of both of the Frozen movies.

Books for Adults


Something Extraordinary (ebook, LGBTQ+) – Book 3 in the Something Fabulous series. Sir Comewithers recognizes the need to submit to a proper wedding even though he’s gay. So his bestfriend abducts him before he can go through with the sham wedding.
Batgirl and Beyond: The Dynamic History of the Heroines of Gotham City (Hardcover) – Explore the history of Batgirl, one of my favorite heroes from the DC Universe.