Category: Book News

BOOK NEWS: October 11, 2022

BOOK NEWS: October 11, 2022

Posted on by Jaymie

Here are some of the new books releasing this week that I have on my radar:

 

Books for Kids

Star Trek: Trek the Halls – A holiday Star Trek picture book. Yes, please!

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

Playing Through the Turnaround – When a beloved teacher leaves because of budget cuts, his students band together to speak up for changes at their school. I love stories like this!
The Search for Sasquatch – First in a new nonfiction series. I’ll be reviewing this one soon!
Twelfth Grade Night (Graphic Novel) – First in a new series. At her new school where she can dress how she wants, Vi falls for Orsino, but he is in love with Olivia and asks Vi to help him get her attention, assuming Vi isn’t into guys. I have requested this from the library – sounds like a fun Twelfth Night retelling!

Books for Adults

A Christmas Candy Killing (Hardcover) – First in a new Killer Chocolate Mystery series. Twin sisters who own a mystery bookstore with themed chocolates become murder suspects when a friend dies and their chocolates are found nearby. I love trying out new mystery series – especially book-themed ones! Can’t wait to give this a try.
Dashing Through the Snowbirds (Hardcover) – Book 32 in the fabulous Meg Langslow mystery series. When Meg plays Christmas host to some Canadian programmers working on a project with her brother’s company, she ends up playing investigator too when the programmers’ boss is murdered. I’ll be reviewing this one soon!
Dinosaur Philosophy (Hardcover gift book) – A new @DinosAndComics collection!
The Plot and the Pendulum (Hardcover) – Book 13 in the Library Lovers Mystery series by Jenn McKinlay. When Lindsey and the Crafternooners discover a skeleton that might be linked to a 30-year-old missing persons case, they start looking for a killer. I have this one on hold already at the library!
Santa’s Little Yelpers (Hardcover) – Book 26 in the delightful Andy Carpenter mystery series by David Rosenfelt. When a new Tara Foundation employee asks Andy to represent him in court because he found out a witness who once testified against him was lying, Andy agrees to take on the case. But when the witness is murdered and his client is arrested, Andy’s found more work than he bargained for. I’ll be reviewing this one soon!
Secret Lives (Trade Paperback) – A former FBI agent-turned-landlady finds herself investigating a murder when one of her boarders is killed. I pre-ordered this months ago – I can’t wait to read it!
The Socialite’s Guide to Murder (Hardcover) – First in a new Pinnacle Hotel Mystery series. Because of her agoraphobia, Evelyn hasn’t left her father’s hotel in over a year. But when a killer strikes and her best friend is twisted up in the case, Evelyn and her crush from the hotel staff team up to find the truth. Sounds awesome!
The Spare Man (Trade Paperback) – Inventor, heiress, and sleuth, Tesla must investigate a murder on the space liner where she was enjoying her honeymoon because Security has arrested her husband for the crime. Sounds fantastic!

BOOK NEWS: October 4, 2022

BOOK NEWS: October 4, 2022

Posted on by Jaymie

We’re back! I am feeling refreshed and ready to dive back in to regular blog content, starting with some of the books releasing this week! Let’s take a look.

 

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

Bhai For Now – Twins separated at birth meet up at school and decide to swap places to get to know the parent they’ve missed out on all their lives. This sounds fantastic! I love The Parent Trap.
How to Heal a Gryphon – When her older brother is kidnapped by witches while her parents are away, Giada has to find a way to rescue him.
In Myrtle Peril (Older Middle Grade) – Book 4 in the Myrtle Hardcastle Mystery series. Myrtle’s latest case has her father in the cross hairs. Hospitalized in the middle of a case himself, Myrtle’s father witnesses a murder. Now Myrtle has to solve it before her father becomes another victim. I have thoroughly enjoyed this series, and I can’t wait to read this new story.
Sisterhood of Sleuths – When a box of vintage Nancy Drew mysteries is left at her mom’s thrift shop, Maizy discovers a picture in the box of her grandmother as a girl, along with two other young women. When her grandmother insists the photo is NOT of her, Maizy starts investigating. Yes, please! I love middle grade mysteries, and this one sounds fantastic.
By the Time You Read This I’ll Be Gone (Murder She Wrote) – First in a new series for teens. When Beatrice Fletcher’s best friend goes missing, she decides to solve the mystery herself just like her great-aunt Jessica, the mystery writer. I’d give this a shot just to see how it’s put together – sounds interesting!
The Christmas Clash – A new holiday romance from Suzanne Park. The children of rival restaurant owners team up to try to save the mall where they work in order to save both businesses.
Prince of Song & Sea – First in a new series of books focused on the princes in Disney’s classic tales. Have you ever wondered what Eric’s story was before he encountered the Little Mermaid? Now is your chance to find out!
Scions – A prequel to the Starcrossed trilogy. A daughter of Zeus and a son of Apollo are drawn together into a cycle of destruction that has already engulfed their ancestors.

Books for Adults

All I Want for Christmas (Trade Paperback) – When two singers on a TV competition make sparks on duet week, the powers that be insist on them keeping up the ruse that they are a couple in real life. Unfortunately, they can’t stand each other!
A Cat Café Christmas (Trade Paperback) – A veterinarian has to set aside her reservations and trust the marketing guru who wants to help her save her cat café.
Extra Witchy (Trade Paperback) – Book 3 in the Fix-It Witches series. Leanne decides to run for city council, but it looks like she needs the right husband if she wants to launch a successful political career. But Trevor hardly seems like the right choice considering his long list of failures. I have book one for this series on my TBR.
Out of Love (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in The Switch. When a farmer and a businessman discover they are twins, they decide to switch lives (Strictly Business). But when the farmer tries posing as the businessman, he discovers a plot to take down his brother’s company. I have this series on my TBR list, too.
Station Eternity (Trade Paperback) – First in the Midsolar Murders series. An amateur detective has fled Earth for an alien space station where she thinks she can avoid the murder cases that seemed to find her on Earth. But once she’s on the space station, visitors start dying. I can’t wait to dig into this one! It sounds right up my alley – scifi AND mystery!
When Life Gives You Vampires (Trade Paperback) – When a simple date leaves her with vampire fangs, Lily has to team up with Tristan to save them both. I already bought this one – I am fascinated by some of the personal aspects of this story.
You’re a Mean One, Matthew Prince (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the Boy Meets Boy series. Spoiled Matthew Prince discovers the limits of his parents’ good will when his latest PR disaster means they ship him off to stay with his grandparents for the holidays. He agrees to help coordinate a charity gala in the hopes of an “early parole” from his exile. This sounds delightful – and Hallmark movie-ish!
The God Shot: 100 Snapshots of God’s Character in Scripture (Nonfiction) – A 100-day devotional focused on passages from the New Testament that reveal God’s character.

 

BOOK NEWS: September 27, 2022

BOOK NEWS: September 27, 2022

Posted on by Jaymie

It’s the last week of September – the year is zooming by! Here are some of the books releasing this week.

 

Books for Kids

I Am Batman AND I Am Superman – The folks behind the Ordinary People Change the World books have launched a new line of Stories that Change the World. This week the first two books release with a focus on two iconic DC heroes. I can’t wait to read these!
The Big Adventures of Babymouse: Once Upon a Messy Whisker – Babymouse is getting a new series in full color. In the first book, Babymouse is feeling self-conscious about her messy whiskers and that shows in all of her imaginings. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
A Very Mercy Christmas – A holiday picture book starring Mercy Watson. Stella Endicott would love to go caroling for Christmas, but she struggles to find people who want to go with her.

Books for Teens/Young Adults

Foul Lady Fortune – Two spies – including one who has become immortal – pose as a married couple to find the culprits behind a series of murders.
How to Succeed in Witchcraft – A teen witch vying for a scholarship might have to rely on her nemesis for help when the head of the scholarship committee starts acting inappropriately.
Mere Mortals – Two expelled vampires making the best of their new mortal life – in high school – have a chance to regain their immortality, but only at the expense of their new friends.
Well, That Was Unexpected – A YA debut from Jesse Q. Sutanto. Sharlot and George’s parents pretend to be them online in an effort to match-make the two teens who are not living up to their parents’ expectations.

 

Books for Adults

The Duke Not Taken (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 2 in the Royal Match series. A reluctant princess is whisked off to a matchmaker before she does something to embarrass the Crown, but the only sparks she seems to find with anyone she meets are ones of irritation and annoyance with the Duke next door.
A Ghost in Shining Armor (Trade Paperback) – A ghost is given a second chance at life if he helps a woman find her long-lost sister. But falling for the woman is against the rules. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
Gone for Gouda (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 2 in the Cheese Shop Mystery series. When a visiting vegan chef is unveiled as a liar – and a carnivore – and then murdered, one of Willa’s friends is the prime suspect.
Mrs. Claus and the Evil Elves (Trade Paperback) – Book 3 in the Mrs. Claus Mystery series. April’s friend is visiting the North Pole, and April wants to make a good impression, but striking reindeer, missing elves, and murder are going to make that difficult. I have gotten such a kick out of the first two books in this series! I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
Seams Like Murder (Hardcover) – First in a new Sewing Studio Mystery series. A newcomer to Hideaway Grove becomes a suspect in the hit-and-run death of the local librarian. While she waits to be cleared of the crime, Abbey takes up a new hobby and tries to find the real killer.
Witchful Thinking (Trade Paperback) – First in a new Elemental Love series. A woman in a magical community, wishing for “more” from her life accidentally casts a spell that leaves her helping her high school crush/neighbor unjinx his house so he can leave town – just when she’s finally gotten to know him.

 

BOOK NEWS: September 20, 2022

BOOK NEWS: September 20, 2022

Posted on by Jaymie

Here are some of the books releasing this week.

Books for Kids

Books Aren’t For Eating – A bookstore owner tries to find a book his new customer – a goat – won’t eat.
Standing in the Need of Prayer – A picture book based on the spiritual. I have been hearing rave reviews about this one!

 

Books for Teens/Young Adults

The 99 Boyfriends of Micah Summers – Something new from Adam Sass. A boy too shy to ask someone out has instead crafted a social media account around (imaginary) meet cutes. But after 99 imaginary interactions, Micah is ready for #100 to be real, but the first prospect disappears before he can get his number. But the guy leaves a jacket behind, so Micah and his friends use clues they find in the coat to try to track down the boy from the train. I’ve already pre-ordered this one!

Books for Adults

The Kiss Curse (Trade Paperback) – A sequel to The Ex Hex. Magical rivals have to team up to discover why Gwyn’s powers are fading when a new group of witches comes to town.
A Merry Little Meet Cute (Hardcover) – An adult film star is cast in a family-friendly Christmas movie. Keeping her alter ego a secret is almost as tricky as keeping her hands off her co-star, an ex-boy band member who is supposed to be cleaning up his image. I hope to review this one once my sabbatical is over.
The Road to Christmas (Trade Paperback) – A young woman invites her family to her new home for Christmas – her parents, who are secretly contemplating divorce; her grandparents, possibly driving farther than they should for the weather conditions; and her sisters who get stranded at a ranch on the way. I’ve asked for the library to pick this one up – it sounds so fun!
Something in the Heir (Trade Paperback) – A fun spin on the fake relationship trope! William and Emmeline are comfortable in their marriage of convenience (even if William wished it were something more), but he has no idea she has told her family they have two children in order to meet some inheritance requirements. So they take in two orphans to pretend to be their children for Emmeline’s family. I can not wait to read this! I plan to review it after my sabbatical.
Top Notch (e-book) – The sequel to Double Twist. Mia is back, this time trying to defend another new friend from a murder rap. I can not wait to read this one!
When in Rome (Trade Paperback) – A fresh take on the movie Roman Holiday (a frustrating movie with an unsatisfying ending). A burned out pop star runs away to Rome, Kentucky to get lost for a bit. But when her car breaks down, she’s taken in by an overwhelmed guy with no time for pop-princess problems. While the two warm up to one another, they both know it’s only a matter of time until she has to go back to her real life. I have my fingers crossed for a more satisfying ending to the book, so I have this one on hold at the library.

 

BOOK NEWS: September 13, 2022

BOOK NEWS: September 13, 2022

Posted on by Jaymie

Here are some of the new books releasing this week!

Books for Kids

Moo, Baa, Fa La La La La! (Board Book) – A Christmas board book – complete with “Deck the halls with cows and holly.”
I’m a Unicorn – A one-horned calf thinks they are a unicorn. This is too adorable not to pick up and read! This is from the author of the absolutely delightful Off-Limits; I’m a huge fan!
The Hunger Heroes: Snack Cabinet Sabotage – Book 2 in the Hunger Heroes series by one of my favorite social media follows, Jarrett Lerner, following the exceptional Missed Meal Mayhem. (I bought the first book for a young family member last year, and it was a HUGE hit! I pre-ordered this one weeks ago to check in out for a possible follow up purchase.) The Hunger Heroes come to the rescue of a babysitter on the verge of “hangry.”

Books for Teens/Young Adults

Your New Playlist – Author and speaker Jon Acuff teamed up with his teen daughters to produce a young person’s edition of his book Soundtracks. Both books talk about mindsets and habitual thoughts that lead to behavior – and how to build more positive and productive mindsets. I have Soundtracks on my TBR, but I’d love to pick this one up, too.

Books for Adults

A Death in Door County (Hardcover) – First in a new Monster Hunter Mystery series. A Wisconsin bookstore owner and cryptozoologist (person who studies creatures like Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster) is called upon to help Door County police investigate mysterious deaths near Lake Michigan.
The Make-Up Test (Trade Paperback) – Exes end up in the same PhD program in literature, and competing for the same spot on a research team. Couldn’t hit the pre-order button fast enough on this one!
Murder Out of Character (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the Peach Coast Library Mystery series. Marvey comes across a mysterious list of four names – one is that of a person who has already died under mysterious circumstances – including one of her new friends. I have book one on my TBR; I need to catch up!
Star Trek Picard: Second Self (Hardcover) – Raffi receives a message from a Romulan spy in need of help and Elnor accompanies her on the mission. This takes place between the events of season 1 and 2 of Star Trek Picard.
Typecast (Trade Paperback) – Just as Callie is feeling settled in her life she discovers her ex has used their real-life break up as fodder for his new screenplay. Her feelings about it leave her wondering if she has truly moved on or not.
15 New Testament Words of Life (Trade Paperback) – Explore the 15 “most important” words in the New Testament as the author seeks to make them fresh again and remind Christians of our charge from Christ. I met the author of this book, Dr. Nijay Gupta, last year at an event where I work, and I thoroughly enjoyed his presentations.

 

BOOK NEWS: September 6, 2022

BOOK NEWS: September 6, 2022

Posted on by Jaymie

Happy Labor Day and happy September and Sabbatical month.

Last summer, I took a month off from my blog, and it was such a good investment in myself, that I decided to do it again. I’ll be pre-posting things for September and taking the next few weeks to take a bit of a break. I hope you will find some great things to read this month, and I’ll see you all in October.

Books for Kids

Star Trek: My First Book of Colors (Board Book) – A color book with Trek references for the youngest fans of the franchise (and their parents).
Little Red and the Big Bad Editor – The Big Bad Wolf keeps getting distracted by Red’s thank you note errors that he misses the chance to eat her. This sounds fantastic!
The Most Magnificent Idea – A sequel to the outstanding The Most Magnificent Thing (♥♥♥♥♥) by the always fabulous Ashley Spires. The star of The Most Magnificent Thing struggles when her ideas run out and her brain begins to fill with sadness instead of ideas. This is a must read for me!

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

Attack of the Black Rectangles – Mac and his friends go looking for answers when they discover certain words are being blacked out of their books at school. Yes, please!
Aces Wild: A Heist – A teen and his asexual support group team up to help him infiltrate a high-stakes gambling club so he can find out what an unscrupulous casino owner has over his mom that’s put her in jail.
Enola Holmes and the Elegant Escapade – A new Enola Holmes adventure. Lady Cecily is in need of Enola’s help once again, but after Enola rescues her from home, she goes missing. Enola is one of only a few people who know Lady Cecily has multiple personalities. She must find her before one of them gets her into trouble. You can read my full review here.
Monsters Born and Made – The daughter of an indentured family must sneak into the Glory Race – a chariot tournament with life and death stakes – for a chance to save her family.

Books for Adults

Angelika Frankenstein Makes Her Match (Trade Paperback) – Victor Frankenstein’s younger sister toys with creating the love of her life when she thinks she is running out of options. This sounds quirky!
The Decoy Girlfriend (Trade Paperback) – A writer with writer’s block decides to use her look-alike status with a famous actress for a little distraction. But the distraction becomes all too real when the media think she’s the real deal. So Freya agrees to pretend to be the actress for a month, living with her on- and off-screen boyfriend, pretending they are in love in order to squash the rumors she inadvertently started. Hijinks! Sounds delightful.
The Holiday Trap (Trade Paperback) – Greta needs a break from her small-town life and her friend Truman needs space to cope with the news that his ex-boyfriend had a secret husband and daughter. So they decide to swap houses for the holidays.
Killers of a Certain Age (Hardcover) – Four  female assassins think they are being sent on a vacation to celebrate their retirement after 40 years in the business, but instead it seems their agency wants to retire them in the PERMANENT sense. Yes, please!! I already have this on hold at the library!
The Most Likely Club (Trade Paperback) – Four high school friends meet up at their 25 year reunion only to discover that their high school superlatives (“Most likely to…”) have not remotely come true. So they make a pact to make their old dreams come true. I am a sucker for a reunion story, so I have to read this one!

 

 

BOOK NEWS: August 30, 2022

BOOK NEWS: August 30, 2022

Posted on by Jaymie

It’s the final release week of August. Here are some of the new books releasing this week.

 

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

The Midnight Children – The latest from Dan Gemeinhart (The Honest Truth – ♥♥♥♥♥, Scar Island – ♥♥♥♥, Good Dog – ♥♥♥♥). When Ravani witnesses a group of kids arrive in town and move into an abandoned home across the street, he has tons of questions including “Where are their adults?” I’ll be reviewing this soon.
A Taste of Magic – Before Kyana can really enjoy the news that she is a witch who gets to learn to use magic, her magical school loses funding and is in danger of closing. Kyana is certain she can save it if she can win a big baking competition, but soon the pressure of regular school, magic school, the competition, and keeping her secrets becomes too much. This sounds awesome!
The Final Gambit – The third and final book in the Inheritance Games series by my all time favorite, Jennifer Lynn Barnes. Weeks before Avery is scheduled to inherit billions, an unexpected visitor arrives setting Avery and the Hawthorne brothers on a dangerous path. I have had this pre-ordered for most of this year – my wait is almost over!
The Liar’s Crown – A secret, hidden twin gets kidnapped when she steps in – as she is supposed to – for her sister, the queen. EEK! This sounds so amazing! I’ve already pre-ordered this one.
Nothing More to Tell – The latest from the author of One of Us Is Lying (♥♥♥♥), Karen McManus. Brynn left St Ambrose four years ago after the death of her favorite teacher, but now that she has an internship with a true crime show, she’s going back to find out the truth of what happened. I have this one on hold at the library!

 

Books for Adults

Holiday Heroine (Trade Paperback) – Book 6 in the Heroine Complex series (Heroine Complex – ♥♥♥♥). During a fight with other-worldly forces, Bea is transported to a romcom-version of her holiday and she’ll have to figure out what happened – and fight the temptation to go to the dark side – so she can get back to her real life. I’d love to get caught up on this series – it’s quirky and sassy and fun!
Two Parks Sugar, One Part Murder (Trade Paperback) – When Maddy’s fiancé leaves her at the altar, an inheritance and the chance to start over is too tempting to refuse. But when Maddy is accused of murder in her new town, she’s going to have to figure out who really did it to save her future. I’ll be reviewing this one soon!
The Commonsense Guide to Your Classroom Library (September 1) – Colby Sharp and Donalyn Miller team up to help teachers build a classroom library. I can’t wait to read this one!

 

BOOK NEWS: August 23, 2022

BOOK NEWS: August 23, 2022

Posted on by Jaymie

Here are some of the new books releasing this week!

 

Books for Kids

My Pet Feet – When the letter R goes missing, a town gets turned upside down. This looks hilarious! I can’t wait to read it.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

Enola Holmes: Mycroft’s Dangerous Game (Graphic Novel) – First in a new graphic novel series based on the Netflix series (which is based on a book series) starring Enola Holmes. This is an original story which is said to “bridge” the gap from the first movie to the next. When Mycroft goes missing, Enola teams up with Lord Tewkesbury to find him.
Homebound – A sequel to Stowaway by John David Anderson. Separated from his brother, Leo considers how he can fulfill his father’s mission as he travels with space pirates.
Four for the Road – A teen in a grief group invites some of the other group members to join him on a road trip where he’s secretly hoping to get revenge on the drunk driver who killed his mother and got off on a technicality. I’ve asked my local library to pick this one up.

 

Books for Adults

Heartbreaker (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 2 in the Hell’s Belles series. A wallflower who is secretly a Matchbreaker and a Duke with secrets to hide team up to break up a wedding. I’ve already got this one on hold at the library.
Kit McBride Gets a Wife (Trade Paperback) – A young woman puts out an ad for mail-order brides for her older brothers. As an employee for an eccentric widow, Maddy is along for the ride when her employer decides to answer the ad, but when her employer disappears, Maddy is left to assume the woman’s name and circumstances. This could be fun!
Love on the Brain (Trade Paperback) – A scientist is forced to work with her nemesis which is only the first problem to befall her in the lab. This looks cute!
Not Your Basic Love Story (e-book) – Opposites attract when a couple hit it off on vacation, but when they return to their real lives, they aren’t sure how to make the differences work.
Six Feet Deep Dish (Mass Market Paperback) – First in a new Deep Dish mystery series. On the verge of the life she dreamed of, Delilah loses her fiancé (and his trust fund) and then her grandmother is accused of murder. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.

 

BOOK NEWS: August 16, 2022

BOOK NEWS: August 16, 2022

Posted on by Jaymie

Here are some of the new books releasing this week.

 

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

What Do We Know About Bigfoot? – The folks who launched the Who Was series kick off a new branch of their hugely popular nonfiction line – the What Do We Know About line. Early titles include this one about Bigfoot as well as crop circles (also releasing this week), Atlantis and the Loch Ness Monster (November 2022), and Roswell (March 2023).
Ashfall Prophecy – From the author of I Am Number Four. Syd barely remembers his alien father, but as a child of both a human and a Denzan, he has been prophesied to be a “world killer.” But when Syd discovers the secrets his father died to protect, he is determined to create his own destiny in the universe-impacting events to come. This sounds fantastic. I already have this one on hold at the library.
The Year Without a Summer – When a volcanic eruption leads to snow in June, one teen thinks it’s amazing and wonders what it would have been like to live through the “year without a summer” in 1815 when something similar occurred. Another teen sees it, and other evidence of climate change, as a crisis for the planet leading to frequent clashes between the two.

 

Books for Adults

Love in the Time of Serial Killers (Trade Paperback) – A PhD candidate obsessed with serial killers is trying to finish her dissertation while dealing with the fallout of the death of her father. But she starts to wonder what her new neighbor his up to. Is he a serial killer like the others she’s read about, or is he just a genuinely nice guy – and which of those options scares her more? This one is on my library wish list.

 

BOOK NEWS: August 9, 2022

BOOK NEWS: August 9, 2022

Posted on by Jaymie

It’s a small release week for me, but both books could be a lot of fun!

Books for Older Kids/Teens

The Daredevils – A stand-alone book from the author of the Mr. Terupt series and the Perfect Score series. During the last summer before middle school, twins Loretta and Waylon and a new friend make a discovery in the woods near their houses.

 

Books for Adults

A Killing in Costumes (Hardcover) – First in a new Hollywood Treasures Mystery series. Former soap opera stars who once were married to keep their sexual orientations a secret are now friends and business partners when they open a movie memorabilia shop. In an effort to keep their shop afloat, they go head to head with the owner of an auction house over an immense collection. But when he’s later murdered, Jay and Cindy are the prime suspects.