BOOK NEWS: February 28, 2023

It’s the final release week of February – let’s take a look at some of the books releasing his week.

Books for Kids


The Recess Genius – A book-loving girl becomes the playground fixer, but it doesn’t leave her much time for reading. This is from the author of the delightful Help Wanted: Must Love Books, so I will definitely be picking this one up!

Books for Older Kids


Finally Seen – A girl left behind in China with her grandmother while her parents and younger sister moved to the US is finally reunited with them after five years. But her transition is much harder than she imagined. And her hurt feelings compound things. So when a book at school that makes her feel seen comes under attack, she will have to decide if she is willing to fight for herself in this new land where she feels like such an outsider. This is on my list, too!
Hilo: Gina and the Last City on Earth (Graphic Novel) – Book 9 in the fantastic Hilo series. Gina and her friends are back to try to save the world! This is going to be fantastic!
The House Swap – Two girls find common ground when their families do a house swap. This looks awesome!
A First Time for Everything (Upper Middle Grade – nonfiction graphic novel) – Coming of age memoir from Dan Santat.

Books for Adults


The Neighbor Favor (Trade Paperback) – A woman looking to exert some control of her life, starting with securing a date for her sister’s wedding, reaches out to her sexy new neighbor for help.  But she has no idea he’s the reclusive author she was emailing for months, growing closer, until he ghosted her. I am all in on this one!

BOOK NEWS: February 21, 2023

Here are some of the new books out this week!

Books for Older Kids


Lasagna Means I Love You – A girl new to foster care finds a handmade cookbook with family stories so she starts to collect other recipes and stories, hoping to find some family stories for herself. I am so excited to read this one!

Books for Adults


Best Served Hot – When the online battle between two restaurant critics starts to get attention, they agree to do some joint events for additional publicity.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds: The High Country – The crew of the Enterprise are scattered on a strange world after a mysterious shuttle malfunction.

BOOK NEWS: February 14, 2023

Happy Valentine’s Week! Here are some new books you might love!

Books for Kids


Super Pancake (Chapter Book Graphic Novel) – A struggling young pancake develops superpowers and wants to use them to help her town.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults


On Air with Zoe Washington – A sequel to From the Desk of Zoe Washington. Now that her birth father is out of prison, Zoe wants to help him achieve his dream of opening a restaurant.
When You Wish Upon a Lantern – Liya has to team up with her former best friend to help save her family’s wishing-lantern store.

Books for Adults


End of Story – Susie’s unhappy to discover that the contractor for the house she inherited is her ex’s best friend. But even more surprising is the divorce certificate he finds in the house – dated 10 years in the future and with THEIR names on it.
The Last Orphan – Book 8 in the Orphan X series. Evan’s been able to stay one step ahead of the US government for years, but that advantage is now gone, and the President offers him a deal – if he eliminates someone she says is too dangerous to live, she will leave Evan alone. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
Ruby Spencer’s Whisky Year – A writer living in Scotland for a year to write a cookbook starts to see reasons to make her stay more permanent.
The Lives We Actually Have: 100 Blessings for Imperfect Days – Faith-based blessings for the lives we actually live. I have this on my wishlist.

BOOK NEWS: February 7, 2023

It’s the first release week of February. Let’s take a look at what is releasing this week.

Books for Kids


The Library Fish Learns to Read (Picture Book) – The fish on the librarian’s desk decides she wants to learn to read.
Bigfoot and Nessie and the Art of Getting Noticed (Chapter Book Graphic Novel) – First in a new series. Bigfoot’s family is disappointed in his inability to be photographed while Nessie gets more attention than she wants.

 

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults


City Spies: City of the Dead – Book 4 in the City Spies series. The young spies work to thwart a series of cyberattacks.
Nat for Nothing (Graphic Novel) – Book 4 in the Nat Enough series. Nat experiences friend issues while also trying to figure out what her “thing” is when all of the students at her school have to join a club.
Daughters of Oduma – In a world where young girls compete in fights for their futures, a retired fighter has to step back into battle to save her found family.
The Severed Thread – Sequel to The Bone Spindle, a gender-flipped Sleeping Beauty tale. I have both books on my wish list!
Stardust in Their Veins – Sequel to Castles in Their Bones, from the author of The Ash Princess. Three princesses trained by their mother to be her ticket to world conquest have found clarity thanks to distance from their mother, but they are still reeling from the events of book 1. I am gearing up for a re-read of book one so I am ready to dive into this one immediately!!

 

Books for Adults


A Good Day to Pie – Sequel to Magic, Lies, and Deadly Pies, my most favorite read of 2022. This time Daisy is participating in a baking competition, but also delivering some of her super secret magical pies. But when one of her targets turns out to be a judge at the competition – and then dies before she delivers his murder pie – she’s pulled into a mystery again.
Just My Type – Two journalists – who happen to be high school exes – are pitted against each other by their boss to write relationship articles against type. She’s been in many long term relationships, so she has to write about being single and staying single while he has to stop being a player and write about being good boyfriend material.
Not Your Ex’s Hexes – Book two in the Supernatural Singles series. Rose is no longer the next Prima for her supernatural community, so she is trying to find a new path. When an animal rescue mission goes awry, Rose ends up having to serve community service hours with a grumpy vet – the one she hooked up with a few weeks earlier and can’t get out of her mind. Book 1 in this series  was one of my top 10 favorite reads from 2022. I reviewed this one last week – you can read my review here.
Of Manners and Murder – First in the Dear Miss Hermione Mystery series. Violet’s first Agony Aunt letter leads her to a murdered woman and a mystery to solve.
Secretly Yours – An uptight professor on sabbatical hoping to write a novel clashes with a bubbly landscaper from his past who is working at his family’s vineyard.
Curveball: When Your Faith Takes Turns You Never Saw Coming (Or How I Stumbled and Tripped My Way to Finding a Bigger God) – From the author of  How the Bible Actually Works and The Bible Tells Me So. Dealing with life’s “curveballs” without losing faith.

BOOK NEWS: January 31, 2023

It’s the last release week of January – let’s see what new reading treasures we can find this week!

 

Books for Kids


This Book Is My Best Friend – Two kids consider the same book from the library their best friend.
Worm and Caterpillar Are Friends – A new leveled graphic novel. Worm assumes they are friends because they are so much alike, but Caterpillar thinks there are big changes coming.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults


Simon Sort of Says – The only boy in his class to have survived a school shooting moves to a community where the internet is banned – somewhere he might be able to be known for something else.
Where the Black Flowers Bloom – An orphan goes on a quest to find out what killed her caretaker.
The Davenports – The Davenports are a wealthy Black family in the early 1900s, and this story centers around four women in and around the family.
Going Dark – An influencer goes missing – just like another girl two years ago – and a hacker starts looking for the truth.
Promise Boys – When a prep school principal is murdered, three boys at the school become murder suspects.
Reggie and Delilah’s Year of Falling – Starting on New Year’s, Reggie and Delilah keep running into each other on holidays throughout a year – and they grow closer over time.

Books for Adults


Dear Henry, Love Edith (Trade Paperback) – A widow and a grump share a living space for a little while. He assumes she’s an old woman, and she assumes he’s a grumpy old man. The exchange notes in their shared space, but at the same time they keep running into each other around town – and they have no idea the other person is their house-mate. This is on my list for this week!
Dodged a Bullet (e-book, February 3) – Book 6 in the Samantha True series. Samantha is working with a woman dodging a stalker – and the stalker doesn’t care who gets in his way in his pursuit of his target. I can’t want to dig into this series!
Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun (Hardcover) – Book 3 in the fantastic Finlay Donovan series! Finlay finds herself in debt to the Russian mob, and they want Finlay to help them find a contract killer.
Sorry, Bro (Trade Paperback) – An Armenian woman’s mother is trying to set her up with men all over town, but it’s a woman who catches her eye.

BOOK NEWS: January 24, 2023

There are some fun looking books out this week – let’s check them out!

 

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults


6 Times We Almost Kissed – Bickering friends try to stay on their best behavior for the sake of their moms who are recovering from major surgeries. Living across the hall from each other while their moms recover leads them to re-examine several almost-kisses from their past.
Begin Again – Andie’s plans to transfer from her community college to a hyper-competitive state school don’t quite go like she imagined. I don’t think you can ever go wrong with an Emma Lord book, so this is definitely on my list!
Spice Road – First in a new series. Imani must track down her missing brother – who seems to be sharing their land’s spice magic with outsiders – so she can protect her home.

Books for Adults


 

Breaking All the Rules (Mass Market Paperback) – Beatrice has had enough and moved to a new community to live life on her own terms – and a cute local LEO might be just the guy to help with the romantic side of her new life.
Georgie, All Along (Trade Paperback) – After years of putting others first, Georgie has the chance to get in touch with herself through an old diary and an unexpected friend.
Make a Wish (Trade Paperback) – Book 3 in the Spark House series. Harley thinks she is over the mortification of trying to kiss the widowed man she worked for – it’s been years, and he moved away. But now he’s back – and he doesn’t seem to remember anything at all.
How to Human: Three Ways to Share Life Beyond What Distracts, Divides, and Disconnects Us (Trade Paperback, Nonfiction) – A look at how we can become the best versions of ourselves.
How We Relate: Understanding God, Yourself and Others Through the Enneagram (Hardcover, Nonfiction) – A new book on the Enneagram, so of course, I already ordered this one!
The Journey Home: A Biblical Guide to Using the Enneagram to Deepen Your Faith and Relationships (Trade Paperback, Nonfiction) – Another new Enneagram resource – I don’t have this one ordered yet, but it’s on my list

BOOK NEWS: January 17, 2023

Lots of great-sounding new books out this week – let’s take a look!

Books for Kids


I Am John Lewis – The latest in the Ordinary People Change the World series.
To Boldly Go: How Nichelle Nichols and Star Trek Helped Advance Civil Rights – Examines the impact of the character of Uhura – and the actress who originally played her – on the world.
Nat the Cat Takes a Nap – First in a new leveled reader series from the author of the Enginerds and the Hunger Heroes. As Nat the Cat tries to nap, the narrator is keeping him awake.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults


Figure It Out Henri Weldon – Henrietta is excited about getting to move to a mainstream school, but the changes start causing problems at home. This one looks fantastic!
The Infinite Questions of Dottie Bing – A girl who never seems to run out of questions gets some new ones when her grandfather moves in with them, still grieving the loss of his wife.
Lost Legends of Nothing (Graphic Novel) – Book two in this series. Nathan and his friends continue to work to save Nothing. I have book 1 on my wish list!
Star Trek Prodigy: A Dangerous Trade – An original story from the new Star Trek Prodigy series.
As You Walk on By – Theo hides in a bedroom when his promposal goes awry, but one by one he’s joined by other classmates also avoiding things outside the bedroom. This is on my list for this month!
Seven Percent of Ro Devereux – Ro’s remarkable app has gotten the attention of financial backers, but to show them her app is flawless she has to fake date her ex best friend.

Books for Adults


Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone (Hardcover) – The title of this alone would get me to pick this up! I can’t wait to read this family reunion mystery.
Murder at the Bookstore (e-book, January 19) – A mystery writer with writer’s block finds herself the suspect when a bookstore owner dies and she is named the heir. I have already pre-ordered this one!
The Reunion (Trade Paperback) – Former teen stars reunite at a cast reunion where they discover they still have chemistry together. This looks great!
Sweeter Than Chocolate (Trade Paperback) – A reporter and a baker team up to track the stories of customers who found love through the bakery’s special Cupid Chocolates.
Parenting: Getting It Right (Hardcover Nonfiction) – A parenting resource from pastor Andy Stanley and his wife.

BOOK NEWS: January 10, 2023

Here are some of the new books releasing this week that I have my eye on!

 

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults


The Superteacher Project – Two students suspect something about their new homeroom teacher isn’t quite right.
What Happened to Rachel Riley? – A new girl starts a podcast to document her search into what happened to take Rachel Riley from the top of the social food chain to the very bottom at their middle school. I am fascinated by this one!
What Is the Story of Nancy Drew?
Friday I’m in Love – Mahalia starts planning a coming out party, but in her effort to have everything she wants – including the party, and a girlfriend – things start to get out of hand.
The Wicked Ones – First in a new line from Disney that explores some of the classic villains. In this case, readers get an inside look at Cinderella’s step-sisters.

Books for Adults


Spare (Harcover) – A memoir.

BOOK NEWS: January 3, 2023

Happy 2023! It’s a new year full of new reading opportunities – here are some of the new books releasing this week!

 

Books for Kids


Peekaboo Rex! (Board Book) – A T-Rex plays peekaboo.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults


Captain America: The Ghost Army (Graphic Novel) – Captain America and Bucky face a mysterious challenge – war dead are coming back to life.
The Librarian of Auschwitz (Graphic Novel) – A graphic novel adaptation of the original book.
Return to Atlantis – Book 2 in the Atlantis series by Kate O’Hearn. Riley is back home, ready to move on from her adventures, but the Atlanteans in the basement aren’t coping well so far from Atlantis.
The Unforgettable Logan Foster and the Shadow of Doubt – Book 2 in the Logan Foster series. When superheroes start going missing, Logan and his friends start investigating, wondering if the answers they are looking for might also lead to information about Logan’s birth parents. I really enjoyed the first book in the series – I think this will be a great sequel.
Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute – A new YA novel by romance author Talia Hibbert. Two ex best friends end up in a survivalist contest together where the togetherness might help heal old wounds – and spark something new.
They’re Watching You – A girl discovers a secret society at her school when her best friend goes missing. As long as she keeps winning their challenges, they will give her a clue as to what happened to her missing friend.
The Wrong Kind of Weird – Cameron’s summer fling with a person his social group despises has become a complicated secret for his senior year. But when a new girl catches his attention – and she’s someone he wouldn’t have to hide – it causes him to take a closer look at his choices.

 

Books for Adults


Back in a Spell (Trade Paperback) – Book 3 in the Witches of Thistle Grove series. A first date turns complicated when the couple discovers history between their two families. But when one starts to unexpectedly develop magic – while the other’s magic mysteriously starts surging – they will have to work together despite the history to get things sorted out. I have book one on my TBR. I’m eager to check out this series.
Loathe to Love You (Trade Paperback) – Three STEM-adjacent novellas from the author of The Love Hypothesis. (All three novellas have been released previously.)

BOOK NEWS: December 27, 2022

I hope you have enjoyed the holiday season – or at least had some restful reading moments! Here are some of the books releasing this week:

Books for Kids


Bad Kitty: Supercat – During a playdate, Kitty and Strange Kitty pretend to be superheroes.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults


Wings of Fire: Moon Rising (Graphic Novel) – A graphic novel adaptation of Moon Rising, the first book in the second Wings of Fire series. This is my favorite of the three story arcs in the Wings of Fire universe (so far). I have already pre-ordered this one.
What Was Reconstruction?  – Another great non-fiction book from the folks at WhoHQ.

Books for Adults


The Heretic Royal (Trade Paperback) – Book 3 in the Scarred Earth Saga, this one focused on Ainsley. I have adored the first two books in this series, and pre-ordered this almost a year ago. I have already read this one, so you will get a full review soon.
Honeymoons Can Be Hazardous (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 4 in the Amish Matchmaker Mystery series. Millie’s best friend becomes a murder suspect when her ex’s new wife is killed.
The Secret of the Lost Pearls (Hardcover) – Book 6 in the Rosalind Thorne Mystery series. Rosalind is asked to help a lady find a missing pearl necklace. Her husband believes it was stolen by her sister. But as Rosalind starts investigating she discovers secrets on top of secrets in this family. I’ll be reviewing this one soon!
Vinyl Resting Place (Mass Market Paperback) – First in a new Record Shop Mystery series. Three sisters open a coffee/record shop and find a dead body in their supply closet.