Category: Book News

BOOK NEWS: March 15, 2022

BOOK NEWS: March 15, 2022

Posted on by Jaymie

Some fun new releases out this week – let’s take a look!

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

 

Area 51 Interns: Alien Summer – Four kids spend their summer looking for aliens escaped from Area 51. I’ve requested this one from the library – sounds so fun!
Worser – An introverted word-lover finds his world turned upside down when his mom has a stroke and his aunt moves it. But he finds a sanctuary with some like-minded kids. Yes, please! This is already on pre-order.

Books for Adults

Citizen K-9 (Hardcover)- Book 3 in the excellent K Team series by David Rosenfelt. Laurie and the K Team take on cold cases for the Patterson PD – and their first is the case of two missing persons from Laurie’s 10th high school reunion ten years ago. I have already requested our library pick this one up – I can’t wait to read it!
Dating Dr. Dil (Trade Paperback) – A reimagined Taming of the Shrew starring a woman with her mother’s legacy on the line and a cardiologist who raises her hackles. This sounds fun!
The Do-Over (Trade Paperback) – The latest novel from Bethany Turner. Why is it you always run into your high school rival – who now looks amazing and has had every success imaginable – when your life has completely fallen apart?
Eve of Destruction (Mass Market Paperback) – First in a new series. When members of a League of Assassins start falling, Jinx suspects an insider, so he needs an outsider to help him find the traitor. I’ve already got this pre-ordered!
The League of Gentlewomen Witches (Trade Paperback) – Sequel to the delightful and quirky The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels. The future leader of the League of Gentlewomen Witches has to team up with a pirate to steal a powerful talisman. I am SO excited to read this! This is on my review list for this month.
Under Lock and Skeleton Key (Hardcover) – First in a new series. Tempest heads home to lick her wounds, hoping she can find something else to do so she doesn’t have to join her father’s business – Secret Staircase Construction. (They build secret rooms and sliding bookcases into their clients’ homes.) But when her former stage double is found dead inside a wall that was supposed to be sealed for more than 100 years, Tempest has to wonder if she was the intended victim. Eeek! That sounds so amazing! This one is also on my review list.

BOOK NEWS: March 8, 2022

BOOK NEWS: March 8, 2022

Posted on by Jaymie

More new books out this week – some fun ones to add to my list!

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

Green Arrow: Stranded (Graphic Novel) – Teen Oliver Queen is alone and stranded on a desert island.
Those Kids from Fawn Creek – A new girl in a small town shakes things up at the middle school
Great or Nothing – A reimagined Little Women where each sister, including the late Beth, tells her own story.
One for All – A re-imagined Three Musketeers. After her father’s death, Tania goes to finishing school only to discover it is a secret training school for female Musketeers. This is on my review list!

Books for Adults

If You Ask Me (Trade Paperback) – When a sweet advice columnist discovers her husband’s cheating, she takes her frustration to her column in a brutally honest way that leads her to go viral. I’ve pre-ordered this one!
The Suite Spot (Trade Paperback) – When a single mom is fired for something she didn’t do, she takes the first opportunity she finds – helping a grouch build a hotel while she rebuilds her life.

BOOK NEWS: March 1, 2022

BOOK NEWS: March 1, 2022

Posted on by Jaymie

Tomorrow begins the month of March! There are, of course, tons of books releasing this week. Here are the ones that really grabbed my attention.

Books for Kids

Owl Diaries: Get Well, Eva – Book 19 in this darling series. When Eva’s wing is in a sling and she can’t write in her diary, her friends and family help out.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

Anne of West Philly – A graphic novel adaptation of Anne of Green Gables, set in contemporary Philadelphia. I love the idea of a fresh take on a classic.
Drew LeClair Gets a Clue – When a cyberbully starts posting people’s secrets online, Drew uses her detective skills to try and track the bully – before they expose Drew’s own secret. I am a sucker for a middle grade detective.
Max & the Midknights: The Tower of Time – Book 3 in this delightful series. I can’t wait to see what happens now with Max’s twin! I already have this one on hold at the library.
The School for Whatnots – The summer after 5th grade, Max’s best friend, Josie, disappeared. So when he finds a note from her, Max is determined to find out the truth. This is my first March pre-order. Cannot wait to read this one!

Books for Adults

All the Queen’s Men (Hardcover) – Book 2 in the Her Majesty the Queen Investigates. In the midst of all that 2016 holds for the world, a death in the palace and missing painting have the Queen detecting again. I am giddy at the idea of this series. I have both books on my wish list with the library.
By Any Other Name (Trade Paperback) – A successful romance editor gets the chance to work with her biggest inspiration, but she’s in for a huge surprise. This is on my library list, too.
Hook, Line, and Sinker (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the It Happened One Summer series. It’s friends to lovers as best friends become roommates and then potentially more.
Mr. Wrong Number (Trade Paperback) – There are hints of You’ve Got Mail in this new book where a sexy text from a wrong number turns into something more. This is on my review list.

BOOK NEWS: February 22, 2022

BOOK NEWS: February 22, 2022

Posted on by Jaymie

Here are some of the books releasing during this last week of February 2022.

 

Books for Kids

That’s Betty! The Story of Betty White – A picture book biography of Betty White.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

The Forgotten Five: Map of Flames – First in a new series from the author of The Unwanteds, described as “X-Men meets Oceans 11.” Eight supernatural criminals fled to an island where, over time, seven of them disappeared. The eighth has recently died. Now the criminals’ children, each with powers of their own, have been left to fend for themselves. But when one of them finds a map and a note to find her mother, they’ll venture out into a world where, thanks to their parents, being supernatural is a crime. I couldn’t hit the pre-order button on this one fast enough!
Lunch Lady 2-for-1 Special: The First Helping AND Second Helpings – This stellar graphic novel series is getting a full color re-release as well as audio books. This is great news for series fans as well as new readers who get to discover it now for the first time!
Full Flight – New from the author of the amazing Amelia Unabridged. A young couple begin to fall for each other while their families want to keep them apart. This is on my review list for this month.

Books for Adults

Antique Auctions Are Murder (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 7 in the Poppy McAllister Mystery series. Poppy and Aunt Ginny are caught up in another murder when a dead man falls out of an item they are bidding on at an auction. I’m a book behind in this fun series, and I’m eager to get caught up.
A Deadly Bone to Pick (Hardcover) – A former cop and PI becomes a murder suspect when the dog she is training digs up a severed hand.
Death of a Knit Wit (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 8 in the Knit & Nibble Mystery series. Pamela and the Knit and Nibble ladies are investigating again when someone is murdered during a fiber arts and crafts conference.
Murder Faux Paws (Trade Paperback) – Book 5 in the Nick and Nora Mystery series. Nick and Nora are sleuthing again when first one and then a second PI are murdered.

BOOK NEWS: February 15, 2022

BOOK NEWS: February 15, 2022

Posted on by Jaymie

Happy Valentine’s Day for those who care – Happy Monday for the rest! Here are some great books to check out this week.

 

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

Dear Student (Older Middle Grade, 10+) – A girl is caught in the middle as the advice columnist of her school paper when her two new friends are on different sides of an issue.
Hilo: Gina and the Big Secret – Book 8 in the Hilo series, and a follow up to the outstanding Gina: The Girl Who Broke the World. Gina has a huge problem on her hands when she finds herself on a world filled with monsters. I pre-ordered this one, so I should be able to read it soon!
All the Right Reasons – Cara and her single mom become contestants on a new reality show where her mom gets to meet a lot of single dads while she looks for love.
Bright Ruined Things – A young woman hopes that the celebration of First Night will help her best friend and her crush – both members of the powerful Prosper family – truly see her, but instead the island’s spirits start dying and the Prosper heir might hold the answers to why. It’s a hard, twisty plot to summarize when I haven’t read the book, but I am intrigued by the whole thing and have this on my list of books to check out.
The Chandler Legacies – Five teens at an elite boarding school come together in the Circle, a coveted writing group at the school. They are supposed to write their truths, but the truth might not be enough to change the culture at Chandler. I have this one on my review list for this month.

Books for Adults

#FollowMe for Murder (e-book) – First in a new Trending Topic Mystery series. When Coco launches her social media consulting firm, she had no idea her first clients would lead her into investigating a murder. I pre-ordered this one the first moment I read about it. Sounds amazing!
An Impossible Impostor (Hardcover) – Book 7 in the Veronica Speedwell Mystery series. A man with amnesia arrives at Hathaway Hall, appearing to be the heir, thought to be deceased. So Veronica and her boyfriend agree to investigate the man to see if he is an imposter. I haven’t read this series before, but the story in this one really grabs my attention. I have it on my library list.
Meet Me in the Margins (Trade Paperback) – A woman secretly writing a romance novel at a publishing house that looks down on the genre has to hide her manuscript before she is found out. When she goes to retrieve it from her hiding place, she finds that someone has been reading it – and giving her editing notes. I saw a meme recently about pre-ordering books so you have these delightful surprises in the mail as the books release. I totally took that advice this month, and this is one of the books that will be showing up in my mailbox any day now.

BOOK NEWS: February 8, 2022

BOOK NEWS: February 8, 2022

Posted on by Jaymie

Here are some of the new books releasing this week that I can’t wait to check out!

Books for Kids

The Story of Lin-Manuel Miranda – A chapter book biography of the creator behind Hamilton and Encanto.

 

Books for Teens/Young Adults

Mirror Girls – Charlie is a Black organizer for the Civil Rights movement. White-passing Magnolia is the heiress to a cotton plantation. Neither knows they are twins, separated and raised apart after the lynching of their parents, an interracial couple. When the truth comes out, Magnolia suffers from a curse where her reflection disappears from mirrors, and the two girls must overcome their upbringing to break the curse and put the horrors of the past to rest.
You Truly Assumed – Sabriya finds an outlet in her blog You Truly Assumed where she writes about being Muslim in a world where “Muslim” seems to only be associated with “terrorist.” As the blog goes viral and she finds a couple friends to help her with the upkeep, the push back grows and one of the teens is threatened. As they try to find the culprit they have to wonder if it’s a sign they should quit or stand firm.

 

Books for Adults

Dark Horse (Hardcover) – Book 7 in the Orphan X series. The Nowhere Man is back, called to help find a kidnapped girl, but the person asking for help is usually the type of guy Evan works AGAINST rather than for. I’ll be reviewing this one later this week.
A Dash of Death (Hardcover) – First in a new Cocktails and Catering Mystery series. Samantha agrees to fill in as a bartender on a home tour to distract herself from her cancelled wedding, but instead the event leaves her a suspect in a murder. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
Live, Local, and Dead (Hardcover) – First in a new Vermont Radio Mystery series. Jaye thought life as a small town radio DJ would be quieter than her life in New York. But instead she’s had to fire a raving talk show host who is now dead – and everyone is convinced she killed him. This one is on my review list, too.
Not the Witch You Wed (Trade Paperback) – First in a new series. A magic-less witch and a wolf shifter agree to fake date when both are pressured by Supernatural Law to find their mates. Magic plus fake dating equals I pre-ordered this one awhile ago. I should have this in hand soon!
Keep the Memories, Lose the Stuff: Declutter, Downsize, and Move Forward with Your Life (Hardcover) – Since I seem to always be on the quest to declutter and downside, this book’s title appeals to me.

BOOK NEWS: February 1, 2022

BOOK NEWS: February 1, 2022

Posted on by Jaymie

It’s the first week of February – starting tomorrow – and here are some of the books releasing that I am excited about!

Books for Kids

I Am Malala Yousafzai – Picture book biography
The Princess in Black and the Mermaid Princess – Book 9 in the Princess in Black series. The Princess in Black and her friends help a mermaid princess discover the power of using her voice in the face of trouble.
Unicorn Diaries: Storm on Snowbelle Mountain – Book 6 in this darling early chapter book starring Bo the Unicorn who is on the hunt for yetis in this new story.
Little People Big Dreams: Amanda Gorman – Early reader biography of the 2021 inaugural poet.
She Persisted: Wangari Maathai – Early reader biography of the founder of the Green Belt Movement.

 

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

Cameron Battle and the Hidden Kingdoms – When Cameron’s parents disappeared, his grandmother locked away The Book of Chidani, stories of a fabled kingdom. But when Cameron and his friends open the book, they are transported to Chidani, a kingdom in need of saving.
City Spies: Forbidden City – Book 3 in the City Spies series by James Ponti. The City Spies are trailing two kids who are entrenched in their parents’ dangerous work. I’m a book behind in this series, but I’d love to get caught up!
When the World Turned Upside Down – A group of friends and neighbors cope while the coronavirus spreads, their schools close down, and they see how the pandemic is impacting their families. Not many books have tackled our present reality, so I am curious to see how this one does it.
Castles in Their Bones – First in a new series from the author of Ash Princess. Three princesses trained to be perfect brides – and spies – for their ruthless mother, the Queen, venture forth to marry their princes. I pre-ordered this one so I should have it in hand soon!
We Were Kings – Twenty years ago a teen was convicted of murdering her best friend. Now, thanks to a new law, she has 30 days left before her execution. But a member of the victim’s family believes the woman is innocent, so she puts everything on the line to prove it. Sounds twisty!!

 

 

Books for Adults

Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead (Hardcover) – Book 2 in the fantastic Finlay Donovan series. I reviewed this one last week. You can read my full review here.
Hunt the Stars (Trade Paperback) – A new series launch from Jessie Mihalik, author of the outstanding Consortium Rebellion series. You might also remember me talking about this one in my Best of 2021 post because I read it last year and loved it. A bounty hunter reluctantly teams up with her enemy, risking her life to help him find something that was stolen. I loved this so much I immediately ordered my own copy as well as pre-ordering book two, Eclipse the Moon. You can read my full review of this, the first book in the Starlight’s Shadow series, later this week.
Marion Lane and the Deadly Rose (Hardcover) – Book 2 in the Marion Lane series about an Inquirer and a 1959 murder. I have both books in this series on my list at the library.
Totally Pawstruck (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 9 in the Second Chance Cat mystery series. Stella and her group of senior citizen detectives work a case for a friend suspected of murder. I have yet to read any book in this series, so in my new Book News system, I likely wouldn’t even bring this one up. But the story sounds too good not to mention.

BOOK NEWS: January 25, 2022

BOOK NEWS: January 25, 2022

Posted on by Jaymie

Here are the books releasing during the final week of January that are on my radar – it’s a much smaller list than I expected. But take a look!

Exchange Students – The Teen Titans Go! team meets up with the DC Super Hero Girls when the Titans pose as exchange students at Metropolis where all of the heroes have secret identities. This sounds so fun – I can’t wait to read it!
Her Hidden Genius (Hardcover) – A female scientist cracks the mysteries of DNA, but her male colleagues will try to grab the credit. This sounds fascinating!
Light Years from Home (Hardcover) – On a family camping trip, Evie  and Kass’s father and brother disappeared. Later, their father is found, and he has stories of alien abduction. Their brother, on the other hand, seems truly gone. The sisters’ relationship fractures. And when their brother Jakob returns with stories of an invading alien armada, their broken relationship might be the easiest thing to fix. Yes please!!
Up to No Gouda (Mass Market Paperback) – Usually I would have a large number of cozies on my list this week, but this – the launch for a new Grilled Cheese Mystery series – was the only one I was really eager to read. A widow lives her dream by opening her grilled cheese restaurant, but the town bully has just bought up her building and wants her out. When he’s found dead, one of her employees is the prime suspect, so the widow starts sleuthing. I love reading the first mystery in a new series, so this one is absolutely on my list for this week. From the author of Escape Claws.

BOOK NEWS: January 18, 2022

BOOK NEWS: January 18, 2022

Posted on by Jaymie

Here are some of the new books releasing this week!

The Who Was? Trivia Book – Trivia fans will love this new resource from the folks who publish the Who Was series of nonfiction books for middle grade readers.
Bound by Firelight – Sequel to Cast in Firelight from the Wickery series. Adraa and Jatin are back to deal with the fall out from book one where Adraa is imprisoned and Jatin has to find a way to break her out and prove her innocence so they can find the ones scheming against their kingdoms. I can’t wait to spend time in this world again! I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
The Chosen Twelve (Trade Paperback) – Comedy and lifestyle writer James Breakwell releases his first fiction novel this week, a science fiction story that has been called “Hunger Games meets the Hitchhiker’s Guide.” There are 12 seats left on a colony ship, and those twelve are the last to join a colony to repopulate the species. But there are 22 candidates for those 12 seats. I’ve enjoyed Breakwell’s social media for so long, I am curious to see if his humor translates to this fictional story.
To Disguise the Truth (Trade Paperback) – Book 3 in the Bleeker Street Inquiry Agency series by Jen Turano. Eunice turns down Arthur’s request for help out of fear the case would expose her true identity. But the case she takes on instead leads her to more risks, not only to her secrets, but also to those she cares about most. I loved book 1 in this series, and have book 2 on my TBR. I’m looking forward to catching up on this series so I can pick this one up, too.
Fight: How Gen Z Is Channeling Their Fear and Passion to Save America (Hardcover) – Gen Z is defined as those born between 1996 and  roughly 2012 (dates vary based on sources). This book looks at how the cultural shifts of the last 20ish years have impacted those who are becoming adults in the age of Trump and Covid and such – and how they are using the hallmarks of their childhood to push them toward activism and change. I love books on generational identities and impacts, so this one is on my radar for this week.

BOOK NEWS: January 11, 2022

BOOK NEWS: January 11, 2022

Posted on by Jaymie

This new Book News format is still feeling weird to me. I’m used to long scrolls through cover after cover after cover. At the same time as I am missing the old way, though, I love looking at these books because they are the ones I am most eager to see and read and hold. So, here are the books catching my attention this week.

 

Books for Kids

When the Schools Shut Down: A Young Girl’s Story of Virginia’s “Lost Generation” and the Brown v Board of Education of Topeka Decision – An autobiographical picture book from someone who lived during the five year school shutdown of Farmville, Virginia. This is a story I don’t know, and I am eager to get the full scoop here.
Rocket Finds an Egg – A new leveled reader starring Rocket. I will read anything with this dog in it – I love Rocket’s books!

 

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

Who Was the Girl Warrior of France? – One of four graphic novels from the folks at Who Was releasing this week. This is the one, though, I am most eager to pick up. The illustrations look fantastic!
House of El: The Enemy Delusion – Book 2 in the House of El series from the folks at DC Entertainment. I really enjoyed the first book in this Superman-adjacent series, so I jumped at the chance to read a review copy of book two. My review of this one will post soon.
The Storyteller – A young woman longing to live life on her own terms discovers the journals of her late aunt who might have been the missing princess Anastasia. This sounds like it’s going to be a great exploration of identity for both the main character and the aunt, and I love books that look at questions of identity.

 

Books for Adults

The Amber Crown (Trade Paperback) – Three outcasts are the only ones who can help a kingdom overrun by a usurper king – but only by following orders from the dead king’s ghost. Oh yeah, I am going to be checking this one out! I already have it on pre-order.
Crimes and Covers (Hardcover) – Book 5 in the Magical Bookshop Mystery series. Violet’s wedding reception is disrupted by a dead body. And Violet recognizes the woman as someone who tried to sell her a rare copy of Walden. Thankfully she has her magical bookstore to help her as she tries to solve the crime. This is such a fun series; I’m excited to read a new story set in this world.
The Family You Make (Trade Paperback) – First in a new Sunrise Cove series. A guy who thinks he’s about to die in a snowstorm tells his parents he’s met “the One” and uses the stranger he’s with for his description. But when the two survive the storm, his family is eager to meet the woman he told them about. While she agrees to pretend for one family dinner, she starts to wonder if maybe this could become the life she’s always wanted. Yes, please!
Tailing Trouble (Hardcover) – Book 2 in the Furry Friends Mystery series. When the poodle she is boarding discovers a dead body, Ally and her grandfather get drawn into a mystery. This sounds so fun! I have book one on my review list (I am SO behind), and I would love to get caught up on both of these soon!