Category: Book News

It’s the last week of January – how did we get here so quickly?! Here are some of the books releasing this week:

Books for Kids

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Hard Work, But It’s Worth It: The Life of Jimmy Carter – Picture book biography of the 39th President.
Ready to Fly: How Sylvia Townsend Became the Bookmobile Ballerina – The true story of Sylvia Townsend who fell in love with the ballet when she saw Swan Lake on TV. There weren’t dance schools that would take her in the 1950s, but a local librarian on the bookmobile helped her find books where she could teach herself the basics. This sounds amazing!
Saving the Countryside: The Story of Beatrix Potter and Peter Rabbit – The story of how Beatrix Potter used the money from her writing to protect the countryside that inspired her books.
Minnie Tales – Five Level 1 stories starring Minnie Mouse.
Sea Sheep – Pre-Level 1 reader about some silly swimming sheep.
The Amazing Adventures of Batman: The Terrible Twos! (February 1) – Batman and his cousin Batwoman team up against Two-Face.
DC Super Hero Adventures: Batman and the Ultimate Riddle, Justice League and the False Destiny,  Superman and the Apokolips Attack, AND Wonder Woman and the Pandora Plot (February 1) – Various DC Comics hero stories in early chapter book format.
Zach & Zoe Mysteries: The Hall of Fame Heist – Book 7 in the Zach and Zoe Mystery series. Something goes missing from the Baseball Hall of Fame while the kids are there for a field trip.
You Can Do It Yasmin! – Four stories starring Yasmin.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

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Confessions of a Dork Lord – The son of the Dark Lord is stuck in remedial classes in Middle Ages School where the bullies call him “dork lord.”
Slamdown Town – The two sons of a wrestling legend long to follow in their mother’s footsteps. But the younger son is built more like his dad, and his dreams of winning wrestling glory for his mom’s sake seem out of reach. But when his big brother forces him to chew the gum of an old wrestler, Ollie discovers it will transform him into a brawny wrestler. This sound so fun!
Starfell: Willow Moss and the Lost Day – While Willow’s magic has always seemed small and insignificant in her family, she’s the one the most feared witch in Starfell seeks out. Willow finds lost things – and last Tuesday is missing. This sounds amazing!
The Story Seeker: A New York Public Library Book – Book 2 in the Story Collector series. A twelve-year-old girl who lives in the New York Public Library and dreams of being a reporter wants to enter a writing contest. But a case of writer’s block and several distracting issues at the library threaten to derail her.
That’s What Friends Do – A friend dynamic changes dramatically when a comfortable pair pick up a third. While the new kid’s behavior towards Samantha makes her uncomfortable, David only sees it as confident flirting which makes him want to make his own move since he has developed feelings for Sammie. Soon things go wrong, and the kids are left trying to figure out where to go from here. There’s an emphasis here on consent and boundaries that make me wonder if this is something along the lines of Maybe He Just Likes You. Important conversations for kids these days!
When You Trap a Tiger – When a Korean girl’s grandmother falls sick, a magical tiger approaches her with a deal – return what her grandmother took from the tiger in exchange for her grandmother’s health. But deals with tigers are rarely what they seem to be on the surface.
Blood Countess – YA horror story about a girl who starts out as a maid, but is elevated to a paid position for the Blood Countess. While she falls under the Countess’s influence, she doesn’t notice that she has become a prisoner. When people start to die, she has to wonder if she might be next.
A Castle in the Clouds – A hotel intern finds herself in the middle of a mystery when the aging hotel where she works plays host to a New Year’s Eve ball.
Don’t Read the Comments – Two teens meet through the game Reclaiming the Sun. Divya is a rising star who goes by the name D1V. She uses her sponsorships to pay for everyday living expenses for her and her mom. Aaron is already writing games for a local developer even though his mom would rather he become a doctor like her. When trolls start to invade Reclaiming the Sun, and then take their trouble to the real world, doxxing and threatening gamers, Divya decides she is not going down without a fight.
Hostile Territory – Four teen campers are stranded in the Alaskan wilderness when an earth quake destroys their base camp. As they take inventory of their supplies and options, there are signs that this natural disaster has maybe launched a political one. The America they are trying to return to may not be the same one they left.
How to Build a Heart – After years of frequent moves and losses, Izzy’s family has a real chance to find some permanence. They have qualified for a Habitat for Humanity home in their new community. While Izzy has kept her scholarship status a secret from the kids at school and her boyfriend, those secrets are about to come out and unravel everything that was finally coming together for her family.
Almost American Girl (Graphic Novel Memoir) – A Korean girl finds herself in a life she never expected when a vacation to Alabama becomes a permanent move as her mother gets married. Struggling in a foreign culture where she doesn’t know her new “family” or the language, a comics drawing class could be the one thing that redeems all the struggles she has been facing.

Books for Adults

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Book of Candlelight (Hardcover) – Book 3 in the Secret, Book, and Scone Society mystery series. When a local Cherokee artisan is found dead, Nora and the sheriff don’t think it was accidental. So the Secret, Book, and Scone Society start investigating.
Buried to the Brim (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 6 in Jenn McKinlay’s Hat Shop Mystery series. When murder strikes at the annual dog show, Scarlett and Vivian go “undercover” to investigate and protect a friend who is the prime suspect. I have been itching to start this series for awhile now!
Claw Enforcement (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 7 in the Second Chance Cat Mystery series. Sarah and her friends are investigating again when someone dies at an event to celebrate a redevelopment project at the harbor.
Death Comes to the Nursery (Hardcover) – Book 7 in the Kurland St Mary Mystery series. Lucy is looking to expand her nursery staff when she discovers she is pregnant again. She agrees to hire her current nurse’s cousin, Polly. But Polly’s presence provokes a slew of trouble, including her eventual death. Lucy and Robert suspect foul play.
Field Guide to Homicide (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 6 in the Cat Latimer Mystery series. On a writer’s retreat hike, Cat’s retreat group stumbles across a body. Her boyfriend Seth recognizes the man, but he thought the man had already died.
A Girls’ Guide to the Outback (Trade Paperback) – A struggling youth pastor leaves ministry and returns home to Australia to help his sister with her dairy farm. When his ministry nemesis tries to coax him back, he makes her a deal – she comes out to Australia to apply her start-up expertise to the farm and he will reconsider his future with the church.
Headliners (Mass Market Paperback) – Two rival TV hosts are thrown together to lead a failing morning show. As if their interpersonal issues weren’t problematic enough, someone is trying to sabotage the show.
Highfire (Hardcover) – Vern, the last dragon alive, is hiding out in the swamps of Louisiana, drowning his sorrows in vodka. A kid called Squib sees a crooked cop kill his boss. He’s about to be eliminated himself when Vern rescues him. So the two strike a deal – Vern protects Squib from the guy who wants to kill him and Squib will be his runner and interface with the human world. But the cop is determined to silence Squib permanently. This sounds AMAZING!
Journaled to Death (Hardcover) – First in a new series. A woman and her teenage daughter who create journaling content on their social media channels hear a noise in the house and find their renter dead. Now they are the prime suspects for his murder.
Lipstick and Lies (e-book) – Book 2 in the Murder in Style series. When her neighbor – an attractive firefighter – is found standing over the dead body of his ex, Jenna can’t help but start investigating when it seems obvious he’s been set up. At the time of this writing, this is available to read for free to Kindle Unlimited subscribers.
Marriage, Merlot & Murder (e-book) – Book 4 in the Wine and Dine Mysteries series. Emmy is thrilled to be hosting the first wedding at her family’s vineyard. But when the groom is killed moments before the ceremony, all of her perfect plans disappear as her business becomes a crime scene. This series sounds terrific!
Marriage on Madison Avenue (Trade Paperback) – Book 3 in the fantastic Central Park Pact series. Audrey and Clarke have been best friends since childhood. And best friends will generally do anything for one another – even agree to a fake engagement to keep Clarke’s matchmaking mother off his back. But their fake relationship starts to heat up in very real ways as the fake wedding date approaches. I have been waiting for this book for months! It’s the top book for my wish list this month.
Mortal Music (Trade Paperback) – Book 7 in the Silver Rush Mysteries series. Inez agrees to be an accompanist for opera diva Theia Drake as a way to help out her struggling music store, but it quickly becomes apparent that someone wants Theia dead.
Parable of the Sower Graphic Novel Adaptation (Hardcover) – Octavia Butler’s famous Parable of the Sower is now in graphic novel format.
Playing the Devil (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the Bridge to Death Mystery series. Investigative reporter and bridge player Wendy Winchester is investigating a murder once again when the husband of one of her new bridge club members is found dead.
The Romeo Effect (e-book) – Cupids, book 3. (This sounds like the movie Hitch.) Seth Harding engineers meet-cutes for a living, helping people find love. But when a failed match brings out some sparks between Seth and the matchee, can they find true love when he specializes in fake starts?
Shall We Dance (Trade Paperback) – A cop loses a bet with his buddies and has to take dance lessons. Then he meets the beautiful studio owner who just discovered she has two sisters and invited them into her home and into her life. Could two people with plenty of life changes and obstacles to overcome find love?
Statue of Limitations (Mass Market Paperback) – First in a new series by Kate Collins – the Goddess of Greene St. Mystery series. A woman moves home after her divorce to raise her son and help her family out at their garden center. But there’s a dispute over a valuable statue her grandfather picked up at an estate sale – and a powerful family connected to the statue wants to bulldoze the whole area around the garden center to build condos. I love that Kate Collins has a new series launching, and that it is launching in mass market paperback format. This will be a definite purchase for me.
Then, Now, Always (Mass Market Paperback) – When her teenage daughter Samantha runs into legal trouble for something she didn’t do, Maya can’t think of anyone else to go to but her ex, Samantha’s father. Only, he doesn’t know he has a daughter. I will be picking this one up too! I love stories like this.
View to a Kilt (Hardcover) – Book 13 in the Liss MacCrimmon Mystery series. As the snow thaws, Liss’ husband finds a body on their property. Not only has the man been murdered, but he turns out to be Liss’ uncle – a man everyone thought died in Vietnam.
A Century of Votes for Women: American Elections Since Suffrage (Paperback – January 30) – A look at women voters in American politics over the last 100 years.
From Lost to Found: Giving Up What You Think You Want for What Will Set You Free (Trade Paperback) – The author shares her personal journey while also helping readers identify what they fear losing and how to find the freedom God wants to provide for them.
Get Out of Your Head: Stopping the Spiral of Toxic Thoughts (Hardcover) – The latest book from IF: Gathering founder Jennie Allen is an exploration and solution for toxic thinking. There will be a Bible study of Philippians to go with this which releases this spring. I am so excited to attend her tour for this book later this year. It’s going to be amazing.
Harry Potter Knitting Magic (Hardcover) – Includes official patterns for 25 items including house scarves and Mrs. Weasley’s Christmas sweaters.
Me and White Supremacy (Hardcover) – A 28-day workbook for self-examination to discover and root out white supremacy. I will be reviewing this later this week – I got to read an early copy – and I’ll be spending February (Black History month) doing the daily reading and writing work.
The Smoke Shop’s Backyard BBQ: Eat, Drink and Party like a Pitmaster (Hardcover) – January isn’t a great time to talk about grilling, at least not in the parts of the world experiencing winter, but the recipes in here sound amazing, and I’m sure there are suggestions and dishes you can enjoy year round.

Today in America we are honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr for his work in the area of Civil Rights. We still have so far to go, but I am grateful for the ground gained in the last 60 years.

Here are some of the books releasing this week.

Books for Kids

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Grow, Candace, Grow – A second picture book from Hallmark movie star Candace Cameron Bure, this one about a little girl who wants a garden to grow faster.
Lawrence, the Bunny Who Wanted to Be Naked – Lawrence’s mother always dresses him in interesting clothes, but he would rather run naked like other bunnies.
Swim Swim Sink – What are ducklings to do when the last one in the line sinks when she should swim? I can’t wait to see this one in person.
Althea Gibson: The Story of Tennis’ Fleet-of-Foot Girl – Picture Book biography
Earth Hour: A Lights-Out Event for Our Planet – Describes a world-wide event where everyone turns off non-essential electricity for one hour.
Bug Dipping, Bug Sipping – Explore the world of bugs.
The Adventures of Allie and Amy: The Best Friend Plan – First in a new series. The girls make plans together for their summer before finding out one of them is going to be going away to camp.
Little Goddess Girls: Aphrodite and the Gold Apple – Book 3 in the series. Aphrodite hopes Zeus will give her the gift of likability so she can be a better friend, but at the same time she finds a magical gold apple and keeps it a secret from the other girls.
Mack Rhino, Private Eye: The Big Race Lace Case – Mack is about to investigate his 100th case!
Pet Rescue Adventures: The Loneliest Kitten AND The Puppy Who Couldn’t Sleep – New additions to the Pet Rescue Adventures series.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

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Catherine’s War – Inspired by a true story. A girl records her life with a camera while everything changes – her name, her home, her future – because of the Nazi occupation of France.
Green Lantern: Legacy – A new DC graphic novel. When a teen inherits his grandmother’s jade ring he discovers the Green Lantern Corps.
The Mystwick School of Musicraft – When a girl bombs her audition to get in to a music school that teaches magic, they offer her a second chance, but only on a trial basis. She is determined to stay, even if it means pretending to be someone she isn’t. But it might just be that as herself she is exactly what the school needs.
The Runaway Princess (Graphic Novel) – A bored princess leaves her home in search of adventure.
Sunnyside Plaza – A woman with developmental disabilities living in a group home/community center decides to help investigate some suspicious deaths at the home. This is an unusual premise for a middle grade story. I’m curious about this one!
The Hand on the Wall – The third and final book in the Truly Devious series. Stevie has solved the mystery of Truly Devious, but three people are already dead. Missing and dead folks, both in the past and the present, mean there are plenty of questions and puzzles for Stevie to investigate. But when a massive storm approaches and the Academy is evacuated, Stevie stays behind to confront a murderer and settle things once and for all.
Layoverland – After the worst day ever, where she betrayed her beloved little sister, Beatrice wakes up in purgatory after a fatal accident. In order to get to heaven she will have to help 5,000 other people figure out what is keeping them from moving into eternity. This is so quirky I have to check it out!
Not So Pure and Simple – A teen who spots his first opportunity to connect with his longtime crush inadvertently signs on to a purity pledge at their church. His friend thinks he’s crazy, but he’s determined to make his move and somehow get the girl.
Rogue Princess – “A gender-swapped sci-fi retelling of Cinderella.” Yes, please! A princess determined to find love steals a spaceship to flee an arranged marriage and discovers a handsome stowaway inside.
Spell Hacker – While this was supposed to be their last magic heist, Diz and her friends discover not only a new strain of magic more powerful than anyone has ever seen but also a conspiracy about what led their world into the situation they are in. This sounds fascinating! (LGBTQ+)
Tweet Cute – Daughter of the family that runs a huge fast food chain – Big League Burger – manages their immensely popular Twitter account. The son of the family that runs the local deli feels like Big League Burger has stolen a family recipe used in their store. When he takes to Twitter to get justice, his Twitter feud goes viral. The teens have no idea, though, who they are battling on Twitter or that they are also communicating on an anonymous chat app – and falling for each other. I can not WAIT to read this one!
Wardens of Eternity – The last descendant of Egyptian royalty must learn to harness her magic, leverage her relationship with the Egyptian gods, and fight Hitler’s Nazis who want her power for themselves. Amazing!
What I Carry – A girl about to age out of foster care has learned to keep her distance from anything she might not be able to take with her due to the transitory nature of her life – that especially includes people. But in her last year before “freedom” she meets some people who could change her thinking about relationships and keeping to herself. I  asked the library for this one weeks ago!

Books for Adults

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Careless Whiskers (Hardcover) – Book 12 in the Cat in the Stacks mystery series. Diesel and Charlie are sleuthing again when Charlie’s daughter is the prime suspect in a murder.
A Case for the Winemaker (Trade Paperback) – First in the new Ainsley McGregor series. Ainsley has put everything into her new business venture, an artisan market. Everything is going well – until she finds the dead body. Her best friend is a suspect and her brother the sheriff doesn’t want her help. But Ainsley is determined to find out who done it.
Entitled to Kill (e-book) – Book 2 of the St Marin’s Cozy Mystery series. A bookstore owner stumbles across a body at the local farm-to-table shop.
Loki: The God Who Fell to Earth (Graphic Novel) – A comics collection starring a resurrected Loki, sent to Midgard to be “Earth’s Mightiest Hero.” When he seeks out Tony Stark for some advice, he finds that Tony hasn’t forgotten all the problems Loki caused in the past. This sounds fun!
The Protective One (Trade Paperback) – Book 3 in the Walnut Creek series. A young Mennonite woman breaks off her engagement, riling her family. But her decision means she is open to true love and a purpose she might not have found otherwise. This sounds fantastic!
A Queen in Hiding (Trade Paperback) – First in the new Nine Realms series, with new books releasing monthly. An orphaned princess in exile must learn to master her magic, inspire an army of rebels, and wrest her throne back from the corrupt aristocracy that stole it from her.
Fight of the Century: Writers Reflect on 100 Years of Landmark ACLU Cases (Hardcover) – Original pieces inspired by ACLU cases.
Jesus, Friend of My Soul: Reflections for the Lenten Journey (Trade Paperback) – A book of reflections/meditations for Lent.
Jesus: The God Who Knows Your Name (Hardcover) – The latest from Max Lucado focuses on the life of Jesus, his interactions with others, and the rhythm of his earthly life.

 

I hope the new year is treating you well! Here are some of the new books releasing this week:

Books for Kids

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This Little Dreamer (Board Book) – A celebration of historical figures who dreamed about making the world a better place.
Almost Time – A father and son story of waiting, both for a loose tooth to fall out and for maple syrup.
Boxitects – When two talented – and competitive – makers have to team up, can they work through their differences to create something amazing?
I Am Anna AND I Am Elsa – Little Golden Books about the stars of Disney’s Frozen and Frozen 2.
Little Joe Chickapig – A young chickapig dreams of adventure. Based on the board game.
Bread for Words: A Frederick Douglass Story (January 15) – How Frederick Douglass learned to read and write.
Fred’s Big Feelings: The Life and Legacy of Mister Rogers – Picture book biography.
Making Their Voices Heard: The Inspiring Friendship of Ella Fitzgerald and Marilyn Monroe – The true story of how these two iconic personalities became friends and helped one another.
The Power of Her Pen: The Story of Groundbreaking Journalist Ethel L Payne – A picture book biography of the “First Lady of the Black Press.”
The Secret Garden of George Washington Carver – A picture book biography of George Washington Carver, including information about the secret garden where he learned about nature and life cycles.
Finding Tinker Bell: The Last Journey – Book 6 in the Finding Tinker Bell portion of the Disney Never Girls series. The girls have found Tinker Bell, but they aren’t sure they will be able to get off Shadow Island and get back home.
Mindy Kim and the Yummy Seaweed Business AND the Lunar New Year Parade – Books 1 and 2 in the Mindy Kim series of early chapter books focusing on an Asian-American girl and her culture. These look terrific!
Princess Pulverizer: Yo Ho, Yo NO! – Book 8 in this series about a princess on a series of quests to help her become a knight. Princess Pulverizer puts her Quest for Kindness at risk in order to save a mermaid captured by a pirate.
Stella Diaz Never Gives Up – Book 2 in the Stella Diaz series. A girl on vacation in Mexico learns about the environment and wants to save the ocean.

Books for Older Kids/Teens

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Brina the Cat: The Gang of the Feline Sun – First in a new graphic novel series about a domestic cat who meets some strays on vacation and has to decide if she is going to stay with the strays or return to her family.
From the Desk of Zoe Washington – A girl preparing for a baking challenge is secretly investigating the crime that put her father in prison – the one he says he didn’t commit. I’ve asked for this one at the library – sounds great!
Go With the Flow (Older Middle Grade – Graphic Novel) – A group of high school sophomores start a “menstruation revolution” at their high school. This sounds like an older version of Revenge of the Red Club (♥♥♥♥♥). I have this on my list.
Nancy Drew Diaries: Hidden Pictures – Book 19 in the series. Nancy and her friends stumble onto a mystery around some old photographs and missing tourists.
Nessie Quest – A girl forced to spend her summer in Scotland teams up with a local kid to investigate the Loch Ness Monster. This sounds cute!
Pixie Pushes On (Older Middle Grade) – A novel set in the 1940s about a girl growing up on a farm, missing her sister who is in quarantine because of polio, and who learns to soften her rough edges by raising a runt baby lamb.
Race to the Sun – New from Rick Riordan’s imprint for mythology tales, this one focused on Native American culture. Nizhoni, her brother and a friend are drawn into a battle with monsters when her father disappears, leaving behind a note that only says, “Run!”
The Thief Knot: A Greenglass House Story – A group of kid detectives work together to solve a kidnapping.
The Unicorn Rescue Society: The Chupacabras of the Rio Grande – Book 4 in this fantasy series. This time the team is looking for a chupacabra.
Trailblazers: Albert Einstein: The Greatest Mind in Physics – Middle grade biography.

Books for Teens/Young Adults

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Dark and Deepest Red – When a pair of shoes seal to a girl’s feet and make her dance uncontrollably, she is drawn to a young man whose family has a history with those same shoes. This sounds fascinating!
Finding Mr. Better-Than-You – When a senior’s perfect plan falls apart, starting with her admission to college and her “perfect” boyfriend breaking up with her, the teen teams up with her best friends to salvage her senior year and her future.
Infinity Son – First in a new series. Two brothers, growing up in a magical world. One longs for the power to join the vigilantes working to put down magic-stealers; the other only wants the fighting to stop. When the peacemaker is the brother to manifest powers, it puts the siblings at odds while he is in the greatest danger of his life. This sounds amazing!
The King’s Questioner – A young man with the power to unlock secrets and memories from the minds of the king’s enemies uses his power – at the King’s request – to save the prince. But while he is in the prince’s mind, he discovers a secret that could destroy the kingdom. That sounds amazing, too.
Lucky Caller – A teen taking radio broadcasting her senior year finds herself in over her head as her “team” is a disaster, they have dueling fandoms gunning for them, and the one person she wanted to avoid for the rest of her life is right in the middle of it with her.
Spartan Destiny – Book 3 in the Mythos Academy spin off series about a girl, hated by her peers because of her parents’ choices. But she may be the only one with the power to save the world from the trouble that is coming. I have this fantasy series – and the original – on my TBR list.
Strange Exit – A teen who is part of a virtual reality simulation must convince the others she finds that they are in this sim in order to wake them up from it so they can get off the ship where they are in stasis. She convinces another teen, but he becomes convinced that they should figure out who should be saved and who should be sacrificed for the greater good. Soon the two are working against one another to get to the heart of the sim where they will find salvation – or destruction. This sounds amazing!!
What Are Friends For? – In a “harmless” kissing game, a girl ends up kissing her best friend – and it’s amazing. She convinces him that he was kissing someone else because she doesn’t want to ruin their friendship. But now she can’t stop thinking about that kiss.

Books for Adults

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A Beginning at the End (Hardcover) – A handful of people work together in the aftermath of a pandemic that wiped out much of the world’s population. And they will need one another desperately when rumors of another outbreak start to spread
Archangel Rising (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the Archangel One series. This book is currently free for Kindle Unlimited subscribers as is book one. Archangel Squadron has been instructed to “go rogue” and infiltrate the Empire so humanity can have every chance of surviving the inevitable coming war. Both books sound amazing!
The Better Liar (Hardcover) – A woman hides the death of her sister in order to get both shares of an inheritance because her father set things up so that they inherit together or not at all. So she finds someone to pose as her sister in order to get the money, but both women are keeping secrets and it’s not clear which of them is the more dangerous. A twisty thriller!
Chaos in California (e-book) – Book 3 in the Accidentally Undercover mystery series. The two friends are still on the run, but they stumble into another mystery, this time on a cannabis farm.
The Court of Mortals (Trade Paperback) – Book 3 in the Stariel series about a magical land in need of a leader, the black sheep of the royal family, and the dangerous fae, returning to the land of mortals. This series is supposed to be a mix of fantasy and mystery and romance, and I am here for it. Sounds terrific! The first two books in this series are currently available to read for free with a Kindle Unlimited subscription.
The Innkeeper’s Bride(Trade Paperback) – Book 3 in the Amish Brides of Birch Creek series. A young man whose family has opened an inn is happy to have Selah working there, but he isn’t interested in being matchmade – or reminded of his past.
The Last Sister (Trade Paperback) – First in the Columbia River series. This book is available to read for free with a Kindle Unlimited subscription. When their father was murdered, it tore their family apart. Their mother killed herself and the oldest of the three sisters disappeared. Now, 20 years later, the FBI is investigating a similar crime. Is it possible that the remaining two sisters – or the missing oldest one – know more than they’re telling? Or are they truly victims in the whole thing? This sounds fantastic, too!
A Longer Fall (Hardcover) – The sequel to An Easy Death (♥♥♥½) by Charlaine Harris, an alternate history-western. This time, Gunnie Rose is hired to protect a crate on a journey across the country, but what was supposed to be a simple task ends in massacre. Gunnie goes undercover to retrieve the stolen crate.
Love Her or Lose Her (Trade Paperback) – Sequel to Fix Her Up (♥♥♥♥) in the Hot & Hammered series. When her husband returns from the service, Rosie is afraid their marriage will never again be like it was before. She never expected him to agree to “marriage book camp,” but it might be just what their relationship needs. Sensitive readers should be aware that the content of the first book was quite explicit – even moreso than I’ve come to expect in romance books these days.
Much Ado About Nutmeg (Trade Paperback) – Book 6 in the Pancake House mystery series. When an unpopular sports reporter comes to town, stirring up trouble during the Golden Oldies Games, no one is really surprised when she ends up dead.
The St. Francis Society of Wayward Pets (Trade Paperback) – After a string of bad luck, a woman jumps at the chance for a fresh start when her birth mother leaves her a home in a new town. This sound excellent!
Year-Round Trouble (e-book) – 14 original cozy mysteries tied to holidays throughout the year.
From Freezer to Cooker: Delicious Whole-Food Meals for the Slow Cooker, Pressure Cooker, and Instant Pot (Paperback Cookbook) – How to prepare and freeze food that can be cooked later in a slow cooker, pressure cooker or Instant pot.
Your New Name: Saying Goodbye to the Labels That Limit (Trade Paperback) – Discover your identity in God rather than in the labels the world might place on you.

Happy 2020! Here are some of the books releasing during this first week of the new year.

Books for Kids – Board Books and Picture Books

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Hello, World! Construction Site (Board Book) – Board book about a construction site.
Black Widow – A Little Golden Book about Black Widow and her friends and foes.
Cuddle Monkey – A monkey goes looking for the perfect cuddle when his parents are busy with his new baby brother. This looks DARLING!
Emergency Kittens – Kittens to the rescue in this adorable-looking picture book.
Snakes on the Job – A group of construction snakes are building a sss-surprise.
Lizzie Demands a Seat!: Elizabeth Jennings Fights for Streetcar Rights – The story of a school teacher who started the fight for equal rights on streetcars in New York in 1854.
Martin Luther King Jr (Little People Big Dreams) – Biography of MLK, Jr.
The Oldest Student: How Mary Walker Learned to Read – Born into slavery in 1848, Mary Walker learned to read when she was 116 years old. I can’t wait to read this one!
Overground Railroad – Illustrated poetry about a train journey from North Carolina to New York City during the Great Migration.
Patricia’s Vision: The Doctor Who Saved Sight – The story of the African American ophthalmologist who pioneered laser eye surgery.
A Ride to Remember: A Civil Rights Story – The story of the desegregation of a Maryland amusement park in the 1960s. One of the authors was the first African American child to ride the carousel at that amusement park.
A Voice Named Aretha – Picture book biography of Aretha Franklin.

Books for Kids – Early Readers and Early Chapter Books

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Crane Song (Molly of Denali) – New leveled reader starring Molly of Denali, this one focused on baby cranes.
John Cena’s Elbow Grease: Get Out and Play AND My Monster Truck Family – Leveled readers starring the monster truck Elbow Grease and his friends.
Pinkalicious and the Merminnies – A leveled reader about friendship.
Vote for Minnie – Leveled Reader. Minnie is running for president of the Adventure Club.
Bad Kitty Joins the Team – When Kitty’s owner hears her wheezing after the slightest activity, it’s time for Kitty to get some exercise.
Mulan’s Secret Plan – Part of the Disney Before the Story series. In this book, before Mulan saves China, she’s a girl who longs to learn.
Narwhal on a Sunny Night – Book 33 (in the revised numbering system) in the Magic Tree House series. Jack and Annie meet Leif Erikson and save a narwhal.
Snoopy: A Beagle of Mars (Graphic Novel) – An original Snoopy graphic novel.
We’re Red, Weird, and Blue! What Can We Do? – The My Weird School kids star in this special edition all about the U. S. Presidents.
Narwhals and Other Whales – The nonfiction companion book to Narwhal on a Sunny Night.

 

Books for Older Kids/Teens

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Agatha Oddly: Murder at the Museum (Older Middle Grade) – For readers 11 and up. Book 2 in the Agatha Oddly series. This time Agatha is solving a murder at the British Museum. This series looks great! I have book one on my Kindle to read soon.
Clean Getaway – From the author of Dear Martin (♥♥♥♥) comes this middle grade road trip story about a kid who goes on an unexpected adventure with his grandmother.
Diana: Princess of the Amazons (Graphic Novel) – From Shannon Hale, the author of the Princess in Black series as well as the Squirrel Girl books and other terrific stories comes this graphic novel about a young Wonder Woman. I’ll be reviewing this one tomorrow!
Drew and Jot: Dueling Doodles (Graphic Novel) – Middle school friends are writing a comic book together, but a younger sibling gets a hold of their sketch book and changes their creation. I LOVE this idea of kids who trade a sketchbook back and forth while they work on an original story. I can’t wait to read this one!
Escape This Book!: Tombs of Egypt – Choose Your Own Adventure meets I Survived in this series where readers try to escape from danger with doodles and the choices presented in the book. This sounds brilliant!
Josie Bloom and the Emergency of Life – Josie discovers wads of money in strange places – like in a package of bologna – which comes in handy when she sees some overdue bills. But when one comes in that is too big for her to handle alone, she’ll have to figure out what to do to get more money while keeping her grandfather’s odd behavior a secret. I’ll be reviewing this one tomorrow, too.
Notorious – The latest from Gordon Korman. Two kids team up to investigate the possible murder of one of their pets, but they stumble onto a much bigger mystery than they planned. Friendship story + mystery + dogs. Sign me up.
Real Pigeons Fight Crime (Graphic Novel) – First in a new series about a secret squad of crime-fighting pigeons. This looks hilarious!
Rescue Dogs: Ember – First in a new series about rescue dogs. In this one, Ember, can’t find a forever home because she is “untrainable.” So the Sterling family takes her in to see if they can train her to be a rescue dog. Sounds fantastic.
50 Fearless Women Who Made History: An American History Book for Kids – Women who impacted American History. At the time of this writing, this is available to Kindle Unlimited subscribers to read for free.
Brave, Black, First: 50+ African American Women Who Changed the World – Published in cooperation with the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.
Cub (Graphic Novel/Memoir) – A middle schooler secures an internship with her local newspaper in the early 1970s, learning a lot from a female reporter at the paper who mentors her.
Spies, Code Breakers, and Secret Agents: A World War II Book for Kids – A WWII history book on spies.

Books for Teens/Young Adults

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All the Days Past, All the Days to Come – Wraps up the story of the Logan family started in Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. The whole series explores the Civil Rights movement in America.
Every Other Weekend – Two teens with difficult family situations get to know one another as they spend every other weekend at the same apartment complex. As their friendship develops and grows into something more, the differences between their situations becomes complicated. I’ll be reviewing this one later this week.
A Heart So Fierce and Broken – Sequel to A Curse So Dark and Lonely from the spectacular Brigid Kemmerer. This picks up after the events of Curse, and focuses more on Grey’s story. I’m planning a re-read of book one so I am ready to dive into book to the minute I have it in hand!
How to Speak Boy – Bitter debate rivals start exchanging anonymous notes and begin to fall for one another without knowing who the other person is. This sounds great!
A Love Hate Thing – A troubled teen recovering from a gunshot wound moves into a ritzy neighborhood with a polished family. Their daughter, who works so hard to cultivate the right image to get along in their community, is concerned his presence will ruin everything. But neither teen can deny the chemistry between them.
The Map from Here to There – The sequel to The Start of Me and You (♥♥♥♥). This book focuses on Paige and Max as they launch their relationship in the same city after a summer apart and focus on their futures with senior year speeding along. You can read my review here.
Nameless Queen – A peasant unexpectedly inherits the throne, and therefore inherits all of the trouble that goes with it – including those who want to take the throne from her by any means. Ill be reviewing this one soon.
One of Us Is Next – Sequel to the twisty One of Us Is Lying (♥♥♥♥) by the masterful Karen McManus. This time, instead of a gossip app, it’s a truth or dare game with high stakes. I’ll be re-reading book one asap so I am ready for this one!
Only Love Can Break Your Heart – This is the US debut of a UK hit about two teens who find each other while wishing their lives were less conflicted and complicated.
Plain Janes (Graphic Novel) – A graphic novel about art activists from Cecil Castellucci. When Jane moves to a new community, she finds a home at the outcast table with other girls who happen to be named Jane and who also are frustrated by the adults in their lives. Includes three stories – The Plain Janes, Janes in Love and Janes Attack Back. I’m eager to check this one out in person.
Scavenge the Stars – An act of mercy changes Amaya’s life, taking her from the debtor’s ship where she has lived for years to a new life with a new identity and new, dangerous opportunities.
Shadowshaper Legacy – The third and final book in the Shadowshaper Cipher series about a magic that can inhabit art, music and stories, and a girl who must decipher her family’s true history and stop those who would kill the magical shadowshapers. What a fascinating premise!
Three Things I Know Are True – An accidental shooting changes the lives of three teens and two families when Liv’s brother accidentally shoots himself with Clay’s father’s gun and needs round-the-clock care while Liv’s mom sues Clay’s family for the accident.
Throw Like a Girl – A moment of temper costs a softball player her scholarship, her boyfriend and her fancy private school. When she transfers to public school, she has to face the player she hit and her ex every single day. She struggles to convince the coaches to give her a chance to play softball for the school. The injured star quarterback offers her a deal – fill in for him while he is injured, and he will get her a spot on the softball team. I am intrigued by this one!
We Used to Be Friends – Half of this story of a fractured best-friendship moves forward while the other half works backward as readers get to dig into what happened between the two friends – including new romantic interests, college preparation, and an unexpected divorce. LGBTQ+ elements.
Wonder Woman: Warbringer (Graphic Novel) – A graphic novel adaptation of the DC book Wonder Woman: Warbringer . (♥♥♥♥) I’ll be reviewing this later this week.
The First Conspiracy – The Young Reader’s Edition of a book by Brad Meltzer about a conspiracy to  kill George Washington.
Flowers in the Gutter: The True Story of the Edelweiss Pirates, Teenagers Who Resisted the Nazis – Teens who grew up in Hitler’s Germany stand against the Nazi party at great risk.

Books for Adults

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Bound for Murder (Hardcover) – Book 4 in the Blue Ridge Library Mystery series. When Amy’s friend, Sunny, runs for mayor, a skeleton is found on her grandparents’ organic farm which had been a commune in the 1960s.
Collateral Damage (Trade Paperback) – Book 1 in the new Danger Never Sleeps series from Christian publisher, Revell. Brooke, a  former military psychiatrist, is determined to leave the counseling of military folks to others so she can work on her own healing journey. She’s encouraged to make an exception for Asher James, but when he shows up for his first appointment, he finds a dead body in her office. Now they are working together to keep Brooke safe and find out who is trying to kill her. This sounds like a fascinating story.
End Game (Trade Paperback) – Book one in a new Capital Intrigue series from Christian publisher Bethany House. An FBI agent teams up with someone from NCIS to investigate a rash of military murders in Washington DC.
The Game Changer: A Parkwood Mystery from Hallmark Publishing (Trade Paperback) – Two podcasters who talk about murder try investigating a case of their own when there’s a hit and run in their small town. I’ll be reviewing this one next week.
Moral Compass (Hardcover) – The latest from Danielle Steele. An attack at a posh prep school ignites a firestorm when parents and administrators try to determine what happened and the student body closes ranks to protect their secrets.
A Mysterious Mix Up (Trade Paperback) – Book 3 in the Allie Cobb Mystery series. Literary agent Allie Cobb is investigating a mystery again when she finds her friend and mentor moments from death after being poisoned. I have the first book in this series on my wish list.
No, We Can’t Be Friends (e-book – January 10) – A woman thinks she has finally found “the One,” but he has a devastating secret. Crushed, she’s forced to do some self-examination and find out if there’s a way to love herself more than she loved “the One.” I have this one on my wish list, too.
On Wings of Devotion (Trade Paperback)  – Book 2 in the Codebreakers series. A disgraced military man and a nurse team up to clear his maligned name and protect her while foiling a plot that puts the codebreakers to the test. Historical fiction fans should check this series out. Sounds fascinating.
Secrets and Stilettos (Trade Paperback)  – Book 1 in the new Murder in Style series. A former stylist to the stars goes home to Minnesota to help her mom save her thrift shop. But while applying her stylist skills to a groomsman in a high profile wedding, she has to fend off his advances with her stiletto. When he’s later found dead, she’s the primary suspect. At the time of this writing, this is available for free to Kindle Unlimited subscribers. This one is on my list, too.
Silenced in Sequins (Trade Paperback) – Sequel to last year’s Murder Wears a Little Black Dress. Kelly is counting on Black Friday sales to help her struggling consignment shop, but a public cat fight and later a murder connected to a dress sold at her shop pushes Kelly into sleuthing again instead of focusing on her business. I find the covers for this series to be absolutely stunning! Of course I would pick one of these up to take a look.
There’s Murder Afoot (Hardcover)  – Book 5 in the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery series. Gemma and her friends go to London for a Sherlock convention, but get pulled into an old family conflict over art forgery.
Thistles and Thieves (Hardcover) – Book 3 in the Highland Bookshop Mystery series. The ladies at Yon Bonnie Books get pulled into investigating more than one murder that might have something to do with a mysterious box of first editions that were left for them on the doorstep of the store.
The Vanishing (Hardcover) – Book 1 in the new Fogg Lake series. Decades ago an explosion in the cave system left residents of Fogg Lake with unusual powers. Two young women who grew up there have become investigators in Seattle, but one is kidnapped because of something they witnessed years ago – a murder. I have requested this one from the library.
The Way of the Brave (Trade Paperback)  – Book 1 in the new Global Search and Rescue series from Christian publisher Revell. A former pararescue jumper living in Alaska and a former CIA profiler both have missions from their past that they would like to forget, and a connection neither expects. But when she is in need of rescue on a climb, and he’s part of the team that shows up, they’re going to have to deal with their pasts in order to survive.
Cauliflower Power: 75 Feel-Good, Gluten-Free Recipes Made with the World’s Most Versatile Vegetable (Hardcover) – 75 recipes built around the 5 ways to prepare cauliflower – whole, florets, steaks, riced, and meal.
Eat, Fast, Feast: Heal Your Body While Feeding Your Soul – A Christian Guide to Fasting (Trade Paperback) – Looks at intermittent fasting from a Christian perspective.
Keto Simple (Paperback Cookbook) -100 simple recipes for a Keto diet. I’ll be reviewing this one later this week.
Reckless Love: A 40-Day Journey into the Overwhelming, Never-ending, Reckless Love of God (Hardcover Devotional) – Songwriter Cory Asbury digs into the lyrics of his popular worship song and the principles explored there like God’s love, grace and kindness.