Category: Book News

It’s the final week of October – Happy Halloween this Thursday, and happy release day tomorrow. Here are some of the books out this week.

Books for Kids

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Chapter Two Is Missing! – A narrator discovers that chapter two of his book is missing. This looks fantastic!
The Muppet Christmas Carol – An illustrated book of The Muppet Christmas Carol movie. The illustrations look great!
Play It! Christmas Songs, Level 1 – Play Christmas songs on your piano or keyboard!

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

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Black Canary Ignite (Graphic Novel) – From Meg Cabot. Dinah Lance is focused on the band she is building with her friends and solving crime like her dad through the Junior Police Academy. But when someone threatens her friends and family it will send Dinah on a search through her mother’s things for secrets and answers. Looking forward to this one!
Super Sons: The Foxglove Mission – Book 2 in the Super Sons series about the sons of Clark Kent and Bruce Wayne and their friend Candace. After the events of book one, the kids are on their own without the super parents to help them out, including Lois Lane who is suffering the effects of a mysterious virus.
Tangled in Time 2: The Burning Queen – Book 2 in this middle grade time travel series. After serving Princess Elizabeth of sixteenth-century England, Rose is going to be stuck serving Princess Mary after her coronation unless she returns home to our time. But she finds our time no less daunting as she befriends a young immigrant facing both mean girls at school as well as the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency.
Full Disclosure – An HIV-positive teen is just trying to live her life when someone threatens to take her secret public if she doesn’t back off from the guy she’s started dating.
Ironheart: Riri Williams (Graphic Novel) – A graphic novel about the teen successor to Iron Man.
A River of Royal Blood – A princess with a heritage of magic that in the past lead to massacre prepares to fight her older sister for the right to sit on the throne and rule their people. But an assassin shows the teen there are others besides her sister who want her dead.

 

Books for Adults

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Apple Cider Slaying (Mass Market Paperback) – First in a new series. While trying to save the family business with a Christmas at the Orchard event, someone finds a body, and Granny is the number one suspect. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
Blue Moon (Hardcover) – Book 24 in the Jack Reacher series. Reacher’s effort to help someone in need turns around and bites him, leaving him in the middle of a turf war.
The Bookworm Crush (Trade Paperback) – A spinoff of The Replacement Crush. A shy bookworm has the chance to interview her favorite author. And to build her confidence she hires a coach, the local surfing celebrity and her big crush.
Can’t Judge a Book by Its Murder (Mass Market Paperback) – First in the new Main Street Book Club Mystery series. The guest of honor at a major book signing event at Arlo’s book store is found murdered, and the elderly ladies from the store book club decide to investigate. I’ll be reviewing this later this week.
A Catered New Year’s Eve (Hardcover) – Book 15 in the Mystery with Recipes series. An estranged family member asks the sisters to cater a New Year’s Eve event where she is going to read from an old diary and try to expose a killer.
Christmas in Silver Springs (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 6 in the Silver Springs series. A woman and her daughters flee to Silver Springs when her rock star husband dumps her. A local with a rocky past would love  a chance to see if something could develop between them, but he’s afraid of what she will do if she finds out about his past.
The Christmas Keeper (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 2 in the Happily Ever After series. A woman looking for revenge on the boss who got her fired isn’t in the mood for Christmas and isn’t paying attention to the rancher who would love nothing more than to romance her into staying in North Carolina. This one is a must read for me – I loved the first book in the series!
Christmas Sweets (Trade Paperback) – Three Christmas stories from popular authors. Includes The Twelve Desserts of Christmas, Nightmare on Elf Street, and The Christmas Thief. All three have been previously released in other collections.
Coached to Death (Hardcover) – First in a new series. After a painful divorce and selling off her marketing firm, Cat Cooper is trying to start over as a life coach, but a nasty neighbor wants to bully her out of town. When the neighbor ends up dead, Cat is suspected of the murder.
Hounds of the Basket Stitch (Hardcover) – Book 3 in the Black Sheep & Co. Mystery series. When the Black Sheep Knitters try to help out a pair of sisters who live on the edge of town with some simple knitting lessons, they are drawn even further into their lives when one is attacked and the other is found unconscious in a fire.
Murder Can Mess Up Your Masterpiece (Mass Market Paperback) – First in the new Haunted Craft Fair Mystery series. When a customer returns a painting saying it’s haunted, the artist discovers she has psychic abilities that are being reflected in her art. Could her paranormal skills help her find out who killed the manager of the craft fair?
Murder Cuts the Mustard (Hardcover) – Book 3 in the Beryl and Edwina Mystery series. Edwina’s elderly gardener is accused of murdering his brother-in-law, but by the state of her garden, she and Beryl doubt he would have the energy or gumption to murder anyone.
Nogged Off (e-book) – Previously published in a collection called Egg Nog Murder. Julia invites a down-on-her-luck acquaintance home for the holidays and then finds the woman’s ex in the back of their rental truck – dead.
Shot Through the Hearth (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 7 in the Fixer Upper Mystery series. A retired tech billionaire trying to launch a humanitarian foundation is accused of murder when his former business partner is found dead.
Silent Knit, Deadly Knit (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 4 in the Knit & Nibble Mystery series. Pamela is sleuthing again when a local craft store owner is found dead.
A Snowy Little Christmas (Mass Market Paperback) – Collection of three holiday stories. From what I can tell, these have not previously been published elsewhere.
Star Trek: The Q Conflict (Paperback Graphic Novel) – The crews of the four main Star Trek series encounter each other in an effort to halt a dispute that threatens the entire galaxy. I can not WAIT to read this one! Collects comics 1-6.
Stamped Out! (e-book) – First in a new Mail Carrier Cozy series. A widowed mail carrier starts sleuthing when her best friend – a local property developer – is accused of murder. This is available right now for free to Kindle Unlimited subscribers.
Three Widows and a Corpse (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 3 in the Food Blogger Mystery series. When Hope stumbles across a body during the annual town scavenger hunt, not one, not two, but THREE women see the body and exclaim that their husband is dead. I haven’t read the earlier books in this series, but that premise could get me to jump in mid-series to check this one out.
‘Tis the Season Murder (Trade Paperback) – Collection of two previously published Lucy Stone books, New Year’s Eve Murder and Christmas Carol Murder.
A Very Mummy Holiday (e-book) – A Tourist Trap mystery. On a Thanksgiving trip, Jill and Greg and their friends discover a body and a whole slew of trouble.
Batman: The Definitive History of the Dark Knight in Comics, Film and Beyond – A 400-page collection of the history of Batman, including full-color illustrations.

Week 4 in October is a bit smaller than previous weeks, but there are still some great books to watch for.

Books for Kids

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Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story – A celebration of the modern Native American family centered around this yummy cultural staple.
Star Wars: The Ultimate Guide to the Galaxy Pop-up – One of the most expensive “kids books” I have probably ever posted. This is listed here because it is a pop-up Book, but at a $60-85 price tag, it’s one you want to keep away from the kiddos. An elaborate celebration of all 11 movies.
The Missing Tooth Fairy – Book 15 in the darling Sophie Mouse early chapter book series. When the tooth fairy doesn’t come to collect Sophie’s first lost tooth, she wonders what she did wrong – or if the Tooth Fairy is missing!

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

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Cats vs. Robots: Now with Fleas – Book 2 in the series. Cats and Robots are on the verge of war – and they’ll fight it out on Earth if the Wengrod family can’t save the day.
The Dragon Thief – Book 2 in the Dragons in a Bag series. When Jaxon goes to return the three baby dragons to the realm of magic he discovers his best friend’s sister has taken one of them for her very own.
The Message of Destiny – Book 2 in the Knights Club “Comic Book You Can Play” series. You can see my review of book one here.
The Quest for the Golden Fleas – Book one in the new Zeus the Mighty series. A pet store owner gives all the pets names from the Greek gods and goddesses, but Zeus’ name may have gone to his head.
Restricted Access – Book 3 in the Tom Swift Inventor’s Academy series. Tom and his friends are locked in quarantine when a lock-in turns into a lock down.
Revenge of the Red Club (Older Middle Grade) – The Red Club is a group of girls who support each other through their monthly periods. When the school shuts the club down, the girls protest and a tween reporter uses her writing to push for change.
Star Wars: Return of the Jedi Graphic Novel – While you can get these in a hardcover volume for each trilogy, you can also just get them movie by movie. I adore the artwork by Alessandro Ferrari for these.
A Storm of Wishes – Book 2 in the Collector’s series. After discovering that wishes can come true – and almost dying twice for it, Van and his mom move to a quiet community to get a break, but their new community is home to a powerful Wish Eater whose wishes can cause major disaster.
Tales from a Not-So-Best-Friend-Forever – Book 14 in the Dork Diaries series. Nikki gets stuck with her nemesis as her roommate on her band’s summer tour.
Track series box set (Older Middle Grade) – Collects Ghost, Patina, Sunny and Lu by Jason Reynolds in one collection
The Escape of Light – A teen scarred by burns and dealing with the loss of his father gets a fresh start at a new school. But he’s holding a secret and a plan to fix his disfigurement, and they may cost him more than he can imagine.
I Hope You Get This Message – A distant planet is sending messages to Earth, and if we are interpreting them correctly, they say our planet will be destroyed in 7 days. Three teens respond to that news in different ways, including two who wonder if they have enough time to reconcile events from their pasts.
Light It Up – A follow up to How It Went Down. A black teen, tall for her age, hurrying home bundled in her hooded, winter coat and shielded from the outside world with headphones in her ears is gunned down by police, and a community unravels.

Books for Adults

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DC Women of Action (Hardcover) – A celebration of the women of DC.
Deadly Ride (Trade Paperback)   – Book 3 in the Britton Bay mystery series. Molly investigates a death at a classic car show.
Frugal Lissa Digs Up a Body (e-book – October 26) – Book 2 in the Frugal Lissa series. A murder at a community fundraising event draws Lissa into sleuthing again. I have book 1 on my Kindle. I can’t wait to get caught up on this series.
Glass Slippers, Ever After and Me (Trade Paperback) – A woman trying to make a writing career with re-imagined fairy tales watches her crush and her dreams slipping away. So she shifts gears and writes about women living authentically. But when her book is picked up, the publisher wants to carefully curate her life to help with sales, and it might cost her everything she tried to salvage by changing her writing.
Meant to Be Yours (Mass Market Paperback)   –  A man and a woman determined that they are too broken or too uninterested in a real relationship  to ever marry engage in a “fling” that could change their views on marriage and forever. By Susan Mallery.
Not Sparking Joy (Paperback comic collection) – The latest collection of Zits cartoons.
Pooches, Pumpkins, And Poison (e-book) – First in the Pooch Party Cozy Mystery series. The local animal shelter’s adoption manager figures it would be great for the dogs to be part of the Halloween celebration in town. And the celebration would have been great – if she hadn’t stumbled over a dead body. Available for free for Kindle Unlimited subscribers.
Secrets of the Chocolate House (Hardcover) – Book 2 in the Found Things series after The Little Shop of Found Things. While shopping for items for her antique shop, Xanthe hears the song of a copper chocolate pot and has a disturbing vision of the man she left in the past who is now in great danger.
Twice in a Blue Moon (Trade Paperback) – A rising star, Tate Jones steps onto the set of her new, big project and comes face to face with her first love – the man who betrayed her years ago. I’ll be reviewing this one later this week.
The Wholesome Yum Easy Keto Cookbook: 100 Simple Low-Carb Recipes with 10 Ingredients or Less (Hardcover) – If you have tried following a Keto or low-carb or no grain diet, you are probably familiar with the website The Wholesome Yum. This is the author’s first book. I have this one on my wish list for this week.
Yes We Did: Photos and Behind-the-Scenes Stories Celebrating Our First African-American President (Hardcover) – A celebration of the Obama years in the White House.

Here are some of the books releasing this week!

Books for Kids

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Buck Denver’s Big BIG Bubble: A Lesson in Courage – Buck tries to keep himself safe by living in a big bubble, but his friends have to rescue him and talk with him about courage when the bubble starts bouncing out of control.
The Crayons’ Christmas – Duncan and the crayons celebrate Christmas with this interactive Christmas book with letters to open, a game, a poster, and more.
Parker Looks Up: An Extraordinary Moment – Based on the viral photograph of young Parker mesmerized by the portrait of Michelle Obama. The illustrations on the sample pages I have seen are stellar. I can’t wait to read this one!
Pete the Cat’s Super Cool Science Fair – Book with stickers about Pete and his friends enjoying the science fair.
Sulwe – From actress Lupita Nyong’o (Black Panther’s Nakia). A young Black girl feels like her skin is too dark – darker than her family members, darker than the kids at school, dark enough to keep kids from wanting to be her friend. I’ve only seen a few sample pages, but they left me in tears. This is a hard but honest, beautiful story. I can’t wait to read the whole thing!
This Is Not That Kind of Book – New picture book from the author of the fantastic Hero’s Guide series! Just when you think you are reading one kind of story, this wild book turns in another direction. I can’t wait to read this one.
The Upper Case: Trouble in Capital City – So many good picture books out this week! This is the sequel to the terrific 7 Ate 9.  Private I is on another case when all the capital letters go missing. This is on my list, too!
All the Fun Winter Things – Book 4 in the Arnold and Louise early chapter book series. While Arnold is ready to hibernate, Louise doesn’t want him to miss all the winter fun. Darling!
DC Super Hero Girls at Metropolis High (Graphic Novel) – Launches a new look at the DC Super Hero Girls. This time the girls are getting in trouble at school for always being late (fighting criminals is rarely an after-school only activity), and they have to join a club to show some school spirit. I’m not sure how a joining a club helps with an attendance problem, but the sample pages I saw of this were great, and I am eager to dig into the whole book.
Superhero Playbook – Real life lessons for kids from their favorite fictional superheroes.
Pizza, Peanut Butter, and Pickles – The latest Fast Facts book from the world of My Weird School, this time with facts about food.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

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Allies – From the author of such books as Refugee and Ban this Book comes this new novel about D-Day.
Charlie Brown: All Tied Up – Comics collection
Dog Diaries: Happy Howlidays! – Book 2 in the Dog Diaries series. Junior the dog shares his story of the holidays.
The Dragon Warrior – Based on Chinese mythology. A girl and her brother go on an adventure to defeat demons and discover her destiny. Looks like this would be a good fit for Rick Riordan fans.
Give and Take – From the author of Finding Perfect and Smart Cookie (♥♥♥♥). A girl struggling with the death of her grandmother and other changes in her family starts hoarding.
Hope: Project Middle School – From actress Alyssa Milano. A bright, optimistic girl tackles middle school head on, but discovers things don’t go exactly as she planned.
The King Is Born – Book 7 in the Secret of the Hidden Scrolls series focuses on the birth of Jesus.
Knock Three Times – Book 3 in the Wizards of Once series from the author of the How to Train Your Dragon series.
The Memory Keeper – A girl with a stellar memory tries to help her aging grandmother by finding the past trauma that must be the cause of her fading memory.
Naked Mole Rat Saves the World – Sometimes without warning kit (with a small k) turns into a naked mole rat. It started when her best friend was hurt in an acrobatic performance – in fact, both girls changed that day, inside and out. I am curious about this one!
The Perfect Star – The kids from the Perfect Score series by Rob Buyea (Because of Mr. Terupt) are back for their 8th grade year. I’ll be reviewing this one later this week.
Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky – First in a new series from the imprint Rick Riordan Presents. This one focuses on African-American folk heroes and West African mythology. A boy who lost his best friend in a bus accident is not looking forward to “recovering” at his grandparents’ house in Alabama. But when a weird creature steals the only thing he has from his best friend, he chases after it and finds himself in a fight to save the world.
Wings of Fire: The Hidden Kingdom Graphic Novel – The graphic novel version of the third book in the original Wings of Fire series. I have enjoyed both of the books in this graphic novel series so far.
What Is the Story of Doctor Who? AND What Is the Story of The Wizard of Oz? – Read about the stories behind the Doctor Who franchise and The Wizard of Oz.
Fireborne – Book one in a new series about two orphans who are on the path to becoming dragon riders when the enemies of their world rise up to drag the world back to the old ways. As lines are drawn and one of the teens is drawn back toward the family he lost, they will have to decide if the family they have forged together will be more important than what they left in the past. This sounds great! My library has already bought this one for the collection.
Jackpot – From the author of Dear Martin (♥♥♥♥). A teen who sold the winning lottery ticket at her gas station job tries to track down the winner who hasn’t cashed in his/her prize.
The Never Tilting World – After generations of twin rulers, a rift splits a pair of sisters so that one ends up ruling the dark half of their planet while the other rules in perpetual sunlight. Each has a daughter who is sent out on a quest that might be just what the world needs to be united again. I’ve requested this one from the library.
Our Wayward Fate – A Taiwanese girl who hides behind a bland existence to blend in and avoid harassment finds a kindred spirit in the new boy at school who is also Taiwanese. But when the two start dating, the girl’s mother tells her to end the relationship. As the girl digs into her mother’s past to find out why, she uncovers family secrets. Sounds great!
War Girls – In a future war-torn Nigeria, two sisters dream of a life beyond the existence that’s been handed to them. Our library has already bought this one, too!
Girls Who Run the World: 31 CEOs who Mean Business – Highlights the women CEOs of companies like Spanx, 23andMe, Soul Cycle and more. I bet this book will be inspiring! I’ve requested this one from the library.

Books for Adults

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The Adventure of the Peculiar Protocols: Adapted from the Journals of John H. Watson, M. D. (Hardcover) – Holmes and Watson board the Orient Express to investigate the death of a British Secret Service agent who had proof of a secret society determined to take over the world.
The Art of Theft (Trade Paperback) – Book 4 in the Lady Sherlock series. Charlotte Holmes finds herself at a Yuletide Ball trying to secure the secrets posted behind a work of art that is about to be sold. This sounds terrific – an unusual premise!
Better Watch Out (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the Merry & Bright Handcrafted Mystery series. A Christmas parade participant who is determined to publicly share her own “Santa’s Naughty List” is found dead, and Merry is sleuthing for a killer.
Christmas Angels (Trade Paperback) – A woman longs to return her grandparents’ inn to its former glory, and her neighbor – who had a huge crush on her when they were kids – is eager to help, but an accident leaves the woman wondering if she has made a huge mistake.
Christmas Shopaholic (Hardcover) – The Shopaholic is stuck hosting Christmas when things take a turn towards disaster.
The Devil’s Own Game (Trade Paperback) – Book 3 in the Somebody’s Bound to Wind Up Dead mystery series. After winning the lottery and falling in love, Tom and Allie have started a detective agency. And it’s becoming obvious that someone is still bitter about the couple’s good fortune. I haven’t read book 2 yet, but I am eager to get caught up on this series. I got such a kick out of the first book!
Finding Christmas (Hardcover/Trade Paperback) – Trying to help her boyfriend out of his Scrooge-ish slump, Emmie plans a Christmas scavenger hunt that will lead him to Christmas Point where she has planned a romantic weekend. But the wrong guy has been picking up her clues! This is at the top of my list for this week.
The Guardians (Hardcover) – The latest from John Grisham. A man convicted of a murder he didn’t commit has been languishing in jail for 22 years when he reaches out to the Guardians, a nonprofit that takes on a few innocence cases a year. But there are powerful people committed to keeping their secrets and keeping this man in jail for the rest of his life. I haven’t cared for the recent Grisham books, but this one sounds like one I might have to try.
Murder in Black Tie (e-book) – Book 4 in the High Society Lady Detective series where murder at a black tie event puts Olive on the case to protect her cousin Peter. These look fun!
Owl Be Home for Christmas (Hardcover) – Book 26 in the delightful Meg Langslow Mystery series! A Christmas-time conference on owls ends in a snow storm – and murder. I can’t wait to read this one! I have read every book in this series, including the 5 previous Christmas books. I love this series!
Read and Buried (Hardcover) – Book 6 in the Lighthouse Library series. When repair work to the library digs up a Civil-War era diary and a coded map, people just can’t stay away from the library or the artifact. When murder follows, Lucy is drawn into sleuthing again.
Be More RGB: Speak Truth and Dissent with Supreme Style (Hardcover gift book) – Includes quotes and inspirational stories about Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
Be the Bridge: Pursuing God’s Heart for Racial Reconciliation (Trade Paperback) – A guide to help Christians pursue racial reconciliation and be leaders of the process for their communities.
Creative Cookie Decorating: Buttercream Frosting Designs and Tips for Every Occasion (Hardcover) – ‘Tis the season for holiday baking! Includes detailed instructions, instrument lists, and pictures.
Double Blessing: How to Get it, How to Give It (Hardcover) – The latest from Mark Batterson is based on the idea that the first blessing is what God gives to us and the “double” is what we give back to God.
Hello, Cookie Dough: 110 Doughlicious Confections to Eat, Bake & Share (Hardcover) – Safe to eat cookie dough as well as recipes to bake. This looks like a fantastic resource – lots of clear instructions, photos, etc.
Live in Grace, Walk in Love: A 365-Day Journey (Hardcover devotional) – The latest from Bob Goff (Love Does)
Rachel Ray 50: Memories and Meals from a Sweet and Savory Life: A Cookbook (Hardcover) – Memoir and cookbook combined.
Surviving the Great Indoors: A Baby Blues Collection (Paperback Comics Collection) – Comics collection.
To Hell with the Hustle: Reclaiming Your Life in an Overworked, Overspent and Overconnected World (Trade Paperback) – Embrace the slow, relaxed pace of Jesus.
Whole 30 Friends & Family: 150 Recipes for Every Social Occasion (Hardcover) – Entertaining on Whole 30.
Whole in One: Complete, Healthy Meals in a Single Pot, Sheet Pan or Skillet (Hardcover) – One pot/skillet meals.

Here’s a look at some of the books releasing this week!

Books for Kids

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Cats Are a Liquid – Teaches about qualities of a liquid – and qualities of cats who can sometimes behave like a liquid. Includes instructions for making oobleck.
The Favorite Book – How do your favorite things become your favorites? I have fallen in love with this book just from the sample pages I have seen. I’ll be hunting this one down this week to see it all in person.
Jon Klassen’s Hat Box – All three Hat books (I Want My Hat Back, This Is Not My Hat, We Found a Hat) in one box set. If you have enjoyed the books but never purchased them for yourself, this is a great way to get all three.
Stretchy McHandsome – An orange stray leaves his large family to go on an adventure where he discovers something he’s been missing. This looks darling! – orange cats are my favorite.
Queen of Physics: How Wu Chien Shiung Helped Unlock the Secrets of the Atom – Part of the People Who Shaped Our World series. A Chinese woman, born in an era when Chinese girls usually didn’t get to go to school, who went on to be called the “Queen of Physics.”
Frank and Bean – A hotdog named Frank is enjoying some alone time to experience nature and write. Then he meets the outgoing – and noisy – Bean.
Geeky F@b 5: DOGgone CATastrophe (Graphic Novel) – Volume 3 in the Geeky F@b 5 collection. The girls band together to help local animals when the shelter is damaged in a tornado.
Grumplets and Pests – Book 7 in the Zoey and Sassafras series. When Zoey notices that all of their magical friends are grumpy day after day, she decides to discover why.
Micah’s Super Vlog: To Sketch a Thief AND Just Chill – Books 3 and 4 in this series based on an animated web show. In one story, the kids are tempted to turn on one another when many of their possessions come up missing. In the other, a new kid at school seems to be hiding something.
Ra the Mighty: The Great Tomb Robbery – Book 2 in the Ra the Mighty series. Ra the cat and Khepri the dung beetle are sleuthing again when a tomb is robbed and a friend looks guilty. I got a HUGE kick out of the first book. You can read my review here.
Undersea Mystery Club: Problem at the Playground – First in a new series starring a mermaid and a narwhal who are out to solve the mystery of some broken equipment at the new playground.
Suffragette: The Battle for Equality – A nonfiction chapter book on the Suffrage movement.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

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The Best At It – A middle school boy who is struggling with anxiety and bullying gets advice to find one thing and become the best at it. He’s not sure what his one thing should be, but he’s willing to give it a try. If you are looking for middle grade fiction starring LGBTQ+ characters, check this one out.
The Class (Older Middle Grade) – One story told from the perspective of the 20 kids in the class. I’ll be reviewing this one later this week.
Friend or Fiction (Older Middle Grade) – When her dad gets sick, Jade starts writing stories in a notebook about herself and a perfect new best friend named Zoe. But after a classmate gets a hold of her notebook and does an experiment with it, fictional Zoe becomes Jade’s real-life neighbor and friend. I’ll be reviewing this later this week, too.
The Hadley Academy for the Improbably Gifted – From Christian publisher Thomas Nelson.  A regular kid prophesied to end an ancient war is swept away to the secret Hadley Academy even though he seems to have no extraordinary gifts.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Illustrated – The illustrated version of the fourth Harry Potter book has a whopping 464 pages – over 100 more than the last book.
Hazel’s Theory of Evolution – A teen who is struggling with questions about how her 8th grade year at school will go and who is worried about one of her mom’s pregnancy after two miscarriages finds her usual move of finding answers in old encyclopedias not sufficient for these kinds of questions.
How to Rob a Bank (Older Middle Grade) – When a boy trying to impress a girl ends up burning down her house instead, he thinks only the grandest gestures can make up for it – like robbing a bank to help pay for a new house. This sounds bizarre, which means it’s going to be a must read.
Klawde: Evil Alien Warlord Cat: The Spacedog Cometh – Book 3 in the Klawde: Evil Alien Warlord Cat series. While Klawde is dealing with a space dog that’s come to Earth to bring him to justice, Klawde’s human friend Raj is dealing with his own out of town guest whose plans may lead to endless embarrassment.
Lily’s Story – Book 7 in the Puppy Tale series. The runt of a litter – and the only girl – might find her size is an advantage in discovering her purpose.
Look Both Ways (Older Middle Grade) – The latest from the great Jason Reynolds.  A story told in ten blocks on the trip home from school. The format for this sounds fascinating – I can’t wait to see it in person.
Marvel Rising: Heroes of the Round Table (Graphic Novel) – Collects the first five comics in the Marvel Rising line.
Rescue on the River – Book 24 in the Imagination Station series that’s like Magic Tree House with a faith-spin, from Focus on the Family.  This is the final book in an arc about Civil War America.
Revenge of Magic: The Last Dragon – Book 2 in the series. An ancient evil is looking for the last dragon, and Fort and his mysterious new roommate are having dreams about it. I have book one on my TBR shelves.
The Unicorn Whisperer (Comics collection) – Book 10 in the fun Phoebe and her Unicorn series. The sample pages I have seen are a hoot!
Black Women in Science – History of Black women in science. This is available for free with a Kindle Unlimited subscription right now.
Harry Potter: Exploring Hogwarts: An Illustrated Guide – An illustrated guide to Hogwarts with movie photos and details from the movies.
Raina’s Mini Posters AND My Smile Diary – Two gift books from Raina Telgemeier, author of Smile and her latest graphic novel, Guts. Trust me, if you know a 10-12 year old girl (and many who are younger and older), she likely is very familiar with these books. The mini posters include things from the graphic novels that can be hung at home or in a locker (material from Guts is not included). The diary includes blank and bordered pages with a dot-grid for writing space.
The Who Was History of the World – A timeline of the world, referencing the various figures highlighted in the Who Was series.
The Athena Protocol – The Athena Protocol is an elite spy organization enacting justice around the world. When an operative is dismissed for going too far she starts investigating a trafficking ring on her own with no backup, while trying to avoid her former teammates who have been told to take her down. I already have this on hold at the library.
The Grace Year – A Lord of the Flies-like tale of teen girls released into the wild for their 16th year to rid them of the “magic” that drives men and boys to lust. Each of the girls know she is to be married at the end of the year – if she survives. A dark but interesting plot.
I Know You Remember – When Ruthie returns after three years away she discovers her best friend, Zahra, disappeared a few days before her return. Ruthie digs into Zahra’s life and all the ways she has changed over the last three years in search of clues to what happened.
In the Hall with the Knife – Book one in a new series based on the board game, Clue. A storm leaves a group of students and their headmaster trapped at their elite prep school. When the headmaster is killed, everyone there had a motive for the crime. Love the premise of this.
The Library of Lost Things – A teen hides from the realities of her life – like her mother’s compulsive shopping and hoarding – in books. But a new property manager for their apartment and a new boy she meets through her book store job could shake up her precariously perched life.
Rogue Heart – Book 2 in the Rebel Seoul series. In 2201 a telepath waitress/lounge singer stays under the radar just the way she likes it. But when she has the chance to expose those who experiment on others like what happened to her, she finds herself using her powers to aid a rebellion. This seems to center on different characters than in book one.
Enough Is Enough: How Students Can Join the Fight for Gun Safety – A young activists handbook. Includes look at the history of the Second Amendment, the NRA and guns in America.
Harry Potter Film Vault: Volume 3 Horcruxes and the Deathy Hallows AND Volume 4 Hogwarts Students – A collection of books about the Harry Potter films. CAUTION – Some readers have noted that this material has been released before in other Harry Potter Vault books. This may be more re-packaging than actual new content.

Books for Adults

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Baking Me Crazy (Trade Paperback) – Book 1 in the Donner Bakery series. A nice guy who takes on the best friend role for a woman he loves because that’s what she needed at the time watches his chance at love start to slip away when she starts dating a new guy.
The Bodies in the Library (Hardcover) – First in the new First Edition Library Mystery series. A young woman lands the job as curator of Lady Georgiana Fowling’s First Edition Library  in Bath, England. And one of her first events there – an Agatha Christie fan fiction writer’s group – ends in murder.
The Books of the Dead (Hardcover) – Book 2 in the Death in Paris mystery series. Two Americans are called in to sleuth again after one of them finds a body at the French national library.
Faker (Trade Paperback) – A sweet, easy-going woman has to fake being tough as nails to survive in her job at a power-tool company staffed mostly by men. When she has to do a charity project with one of the worst co-workers – a grouchy, hostile man – the two start to see each other in a new light.
How Rory Thorne Destroyed the Multiverse (Hardcover) – Book one in the new Thorne Chronicles science fiction series. A princess who expects to take her father’s throne some day finds her world turned upside down when her mother has a son at last, her father is assassinated, and she is betrothed to a prince from another world.  This is described as “The Princess Bride meets Princess Leia” and I am here for it! I will be reviewing this one later this month.
Sharpest Sting (Trade Paperback) – Book 18 in the Elemental Assassin series. Gin, aka “the Spider,” is looking forward to her friend’s wedding when she learns an old enemy is back in town, and she is set on a quest that will leave her stung by betrayal. I read the first book in the series this summer and found it captivating. The author for this series writes the Crown of Shard series including my top book of 2018, Kill the Queen.
Star Trek: TNG – Collateral Damage (Trade Paperback) – The past returns to haunt Captain Jean-Luc Picard and he is called to earth to face charges of treason. With Worf left to command the Enterprise, he and the crew are drawn into a hunt for “pirates” whose motives may not be as evil as they have been led to believe. I have this on my list for this week.
The Widow of Rose House (Trade Paperback) – A woman who fled her abusive husband – and took harassment from the press for it – is now free to return to New York because the man is dead. She’s going to restore an old mansion, but rumors of ghosts and hauntings are not helping her quest for a new start. When a professor offers to help her dig into the secrets of the house, she is reluctant, but truly needs his help.
Wish List (How to Be the Best Da** Faery Godmother in the World (Or Die Trying)) (e-book) – Book 2 in the series, sequel to Wishful Thinking. Saffron is put in charge of a task force to bring down the trolls, and she sees it as a chance to make a name for herself. Available for free to Kindle Unlimited subscribers.
Diagnosis Female: How Medical Bias Endangers Women’s Health (Hardcover) – Examines flaws in the medical field around serving women, including cases where symptoms are determined to be “all in her head” when causes cannot be quickly ascertained. Includes suggestions for women of how to get their needs met and also for the medical community to correct their biases.
Miracles and Other Reasonable Things (Hardcover) – The latest from Sarah Bessey, author of Jesus Feminist, which is on my TBR pile. A memoir of her faith journey before and after a devastating car accident that changed everything.

I think publishers load a lot of new releases into September and October so there’s a nice selection for the holidays, because we have another HUGE week of releases to look at. Here you go:

Books for Kids – Board Books

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Frozen II: Forever Friends (October 4) – A die-cut board book with flaps starring the characters from Frozen and Frozen II.
Marvel Flying Super Heroes – Interactive die-cut board book with spinning characters.

Books for Kids – Picture Books

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Anna, Elsa and the Secret River (October 4) – An original picture book that ties into the story of Frozen II.
Frozen II (Little Golden Book – October 4) – Tells the story of the November 2019 film.
The Most Wonderful Gift in the World (October 3) – A bear and a girl find a Christmas present under the tree, but it’s not for either of them. So they go in search of the recipient.
Star Wars: Creatures Big and Small – Picture book of the creatures in the Star Wars universe.
Star Wars: We Are the Resistance (Little Golden Book – October 4) – A look at the resistance fighters from the most recent Star Wars movies.
The Tooth Fairy vs. Santa – A wanna-be tooth fairy shows up for his final test to pick up a tooth on Christmas Eve, but Santa doesn’t want to share the holiday.
Vegetables in Holiday Underwear – Pea is excited that December is finally time for holiday-activity underwear.

Books for Kids – Leveled Readers and Chapter Books

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Elsa’s Epic Journey (October 4) – This leveled reader with stickers ties into the Frozen II movie out this November.
Fly Guy Presents Monster Trucks – A non-fiction leveled reader about monster trucks.
Journey to Star Wars: Age of Skywalker Resistance Heroes (October 4) – A leveled reader introducing kids to the heroes of Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker.
Who Is the Mystery Reader? – The latest from Mo Willems and book 2 in the Unlimited Squirrels series.
Friends Rock – Book 3 in the Unicorn and Yeti series from ACORN. This includes stories about sharing.
Frozen II: The Enchanted Forest (October 4) – An early chapter book based on the new movie.
Gotta Warn the Unicorns – Book 7 in the Princess Pulverizer series. The next step in the Princess’ quest is to unite the unicorns.
Pug Blasts Off – First in a new series from BRANCHES. Bub the Pug accidentally destroys his human’s project for the Inventor’s Challenge.
The Secret of Shadow Lake – Book 1 in a new early chapter book series called Creature Campers about a human boy, a bigfoot, a jackalope, and a fairy at summer camp. This looks darling!
Tabby Takes the Crown – Book 4 in the Kitten Kingdom series where Tabby is trying once again to save her kingdom.
Dog Man Guide to Creating Comics in 3-D – An activity book that includes step-by-step instructions for drawing Dog Man characters and making your own comic characters.

Books for Older Kids/Teens

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Alien Superstar – First in a new series from the authors of Hank Zipzer. A real alien strolling around a Universal lot gets cast in a TV show and becomes an overnight sensation.
The Bootlace Magician – Sequel to Circus Mirandus with the magical circus, Micah, and his guardian, the Lightbender.
A Christmas Carol (Geronimo Stilton) – A retelling of the classic holiday story.
The Dark Lord Clementine – The sole heir of the Dark Lord Elithor, Clementine finds herself having to take on her father’s responsibilities when he is cursed and to find a way to break the curse. And through it all, she starts to wonder if she really agrees with her father’s ideas of “good” and “evil.”
Dear Sweet Pea – From the author of Dumplin’. A girl recovering from her parents’ life changing divorce agrees to help her neighbor who is on vacation. While Sweet Pea is supposed to be forwarding the neighbor’s advice column letters, she recognizes the writing on one of them. Sweet Pea’s choices about that letter set off a chain reaction.
Ember and the Ice Dragons – Ember used to be a dragon, but her accident-prone adoptive father magically changed her into a girl. Her dragon-like behaviors – like bursting into flames – gets her sent to Antarctica where she learns about a contest to hunt ice dragons. So Ember decides to join the hunt and disrupt it from within. This sounds terrific!
Field Trip Disaster – Book 5 in the DC Secret Hero Society series. This time, Wonder Woman gets to narrate the action as the trio is transported to the 31st century.
Frozen II: Forest of Shadows – An original novel spanning the time between the first Frozen movie and the second.
Geeks and the Holy Grail – Book 2 in the Camelot Code series. This time the kids are called in to help when Merlin’s apprentice turns the Holy Grail into a dragon. I posted my full review of this last week.
The Great Brain Robbery (Older Middle Grade) – Book 2 in the Train to Impossible Places series. Suzy is back on the Impossible Postal Express to delivery packages and investigate a series of tremors in Trollville.
The Math Kids: An Unusual Pattern – Book 3 in the series. This time the kids will use their math skills on a cryptic poem written by a dying bank robber.
Maybe He Just Likes You – A middle school girl struggles to speak up about the behavior of the boys around her, especially when her friends tell her she is over reacting or should be flattered. This was OUTSTANDING. I’ll be reviewing this later this week.
Outlaws – Book 2 in the Royal Academy Rebels series, after Misfits. Devin and her friends are kicked out of school and labeled “outlaws,” but she’s determined to expose the truth about the headmistress and save the other kids at the Academy. I’m looking forward to reading this one!
Roll With It (Older Middle Grade) –  A girl with cerebral palsy who longs to be a baker adjusts to a new home and a new school.
Sam Saves the Night – Book 1 in the SleepWakers series. A girl fighting exhaustion thanks to nightly sleepwalking where she actually leaves her house and wanders around town goes to a sketchy sleep specialist and wakes up with new powers. She wakes up outside her sleeping body and discovers there are others who can do this too. Some use their powers to learn new things for school while others use theirs to torment other kids. This sounds fascinating!!
Sunny Rolls the Dice – Book 3 in the graphic novel series about Sunny. Sunny is in middle school now and negotiating the changing interests of her friends. While her best friend wants to talk about boys and fashion, Sunny would rather play Dungeons and Dragons with her new friends.
Spark of the Resistance (Journey to Star Wars The Rise of Skywalker – October 4) – Rey, Poe and Rose answer a distress call and fight a weapon that could change the course of the war.
A Tale of Magic – Kicks off a new series set in the Land of Stories universe. Thanks to a book, a girl discovers she is a fairy capable of magic, but magic and women reading are both outlawed in the Southern Kingdom, so she is arrested. A mysterious woman rescues her and sends her to an academy for magic, but then the woman disappears. This sounds fun.
A Time Traveler’s Theory of Relativity (Older Middle Grade) – A boy who lost his sister and whose mother disappeared fights his feelings of abandonment with the concrete facts in his physics books. But his grandmother tells him the women in his family are time travelers, and his mother has left him a portal so he can rescue her.
The Tornado (Older Middle Grade) – A fantastic bullying story from Jake Burt that asks what responsibility the formerly-bullied have when their bully chooses a new target. I’ll be reviewing this one later this week.
Weird Little Robots – An illustrated middle grade novel about a girl in a new town, looking for new friends, who makes robots who might be coming to life.
White Bird: A Wonder Story (Graphic Novel) – Grandmère, a character in Palacio’s Auggie & Me, gets to tell her story of being a Jewish girl in hiding in Nazi-occupied France.
Wings of Fire: Jade Mountain Prophecy set – The second story arc for Wings of Fire, the Jade Mountain Prophecy books, are now available in one book set. This includes books 6 through 10 in the larger series. Now that Christmas is coming, I am seeing more book sets on sale. They make great gifts.
Words on Fire – The latest from Jennifer A. Nielsen. In Lithuania in 1893 Audra’s parents tell her to flee and take a secret package with her when the Cossack soldiers arrive at their door.
Awesome Minds: Comic Book Creators – This nonfiction book introduces kids to the people who originally created the comic book heroes who are such an every day staple today.
Survivors of the Holocaust: True Stories of Six Extraordinary Children (Older Middle Grade – Graphic Novel) – A graphic novel about 6 young people who survived the Holocaust.
Trailblazers: Neil Armstrong, First Man on the Moon – Biography of Neil Armstrong
Who Was Mister Rogers?

Books for Teens/Young Adults

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10 Blind Dates – A fantastic romantic comedy about a teen who breaks up with her boyfriend and her extended family set her up on 10 blind dates over Christmas break. I’ll be posting a full review next week.
Batman Nightwalker GN – The graphic novel based on the DC Icons book Batman Nightwalker. You can read my review of the original book here.
Conceal, Don’t Feel – The latest in the Twisted Tales collection asks what would happen if Princess Elsa (Frozen) didn’t have Anna as a little sister. I have this on the top of my wishlist for this week.
Cursed – A new series coming to Netflix. A twist on the legend of King Arthur where Nimue the druid – the Lady of the Lake – is the hero.
The End and Other Beginnings – A collection of science fiction novellas from the author of Divergent.
The Good Luck Girls – Five girls sold to a “welcome house” in a dystopian world have a chance to escape the life that’s been chosen for them when one of them accidentally kills a man giving them a chance for freedom. A fantasy Western adventure. I have already requested this one from the library.
The Memory Thief – A teen desperate to save her mother from a corrupt ruler who wants to sell off her mother’s memories before she is killed joins a band of rebels she once swore off and agrees to steal a map for a prison called The Maze.
Now Entering Addamsville – A teen wrongfully accused of arson and murder tries to weed through the rumors and the ghost stories that surround her town in order to find the true culprit.
Rebel – Book 4 in the Legend series. The grand finale of the Legend series.
Scars Like Wings – A girl who lost everything in a fire and bears the physical scars returns to school a year after the tragedy, afraid she will always be alone because no one wants to be friends with “the Burned Girl.”
The Depression Workbook for Teens: Tools to Improve Your Mood, Build Self-Esteem and Stay Motivated – Contains information about depression, worksheets, and exercises for teens. This is currently free through the Kindle Unlimited program.
Spies: The Secret Showdown Between America and Russia – An historical account of Cold War spies.

Books for Adults – Fiction

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Aurora Blazing (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the Consortium Rebellion series, sequel to the fantastic Polaris Rising. This book focuses on Ada’s sister, Bianca, as she leaves the safety of home to find her missing brother, chased by her father’s head of security, a man who once broke her heart. I pre-ordered this months ago. I will drop everything and read this one when it arrives this week.
Beyond a Reasonable Stout (Hardcover) – Book 3 in the Sloan Krause mystery series. As a brewer of signature craft beers, Sloan’s business – and that of many of her friends – is in danger when a local politician starts pushing for the town to go “dry.”
Belinda Blake and the Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the Exotic Pet-Sitter mystery series. Belinda knows “pet-sitting” some wolves will be an unusual job, but she’s not ready for the dead body she discovers in the wolf enclosure.
The Christmas Boutique (Hardcover) – Book 21 in the Elm Creek Quilts series. When the church hall hosting the Christmas Boutique charity fundraiser is damaged by weather, Sylvia agrees to host it at Elm Creek Manor. Each of the Elm Creek Quilters helping with the event are facing personal struggles and looking for a Christmas miracle while they work to serve their community
The Christmas Wish List (e-book – October 3) – A woman who lost her job right before Christmas and has a huge decision to make about her future goes with a friend to celebrate Christmas. She makes a Christmas wish list of things she wants to do to try to find her Christmas spirit.
Cilka’s Journey (Hardcover) – From the author of The Tattooist of Auschwitz. A teen who is brought to Auschwitz in 1942 catches the eye of the commandant, and she does what she has to do in order to survive. When the camp is later liberated, she is not set free, but is held as a collaborator. When she is sent to a camp in Siberia, she will have to wrestle with her choices at Auschwitz as well as with what her future might hold.
Dachshund Through the Snow (Hardcover) – Book 20 in the fantastic Andy Carpenter mystery series. When Laurie starts her holiday charitable giving, she discovers a wishlist from a boy who wants his missing father to come home. When the father is arrested for a murder he says he didn’t commit, Andy is reluctantly on the case. The Christmas books in this series are my favorites, and this one is just as delightful as the rest. I’ll be reviewing this next week.
The Library of the Unwritten (Trade Paperback) – First in the Novel from Hell’s Library series. Books that go unfinished end up in the Library of the Unwritten in Hell. The Librarian is charged with finding any characters that try to break away from their unfinished stories. On one such hunt, though, the Librarian is accused of holding a powerful weapon in the battle between Heaven and Hell. I am intrigued by this one and will be checking it out.
A Merry Murder (Trade Paperback) – Book 10 in the Special Pennyfoot Hotel Mystery series. There’s been another murder at the Pennyfoot. Apparently their Christmas curse is in full swing. And this particular culprit may be craftier than most.
Mistaken Reality (Trade Paperback) – First her boyfriend invites her to a fancy hotel dinner, and then breaks up with her. Then an FBI agent busts into her pity party in the bathroom to tell her she has to evacuate the hotel. Then the hotel blows up. That should be plenty to fill her quota of disaster, but really, it’s only the beginning. I can not wait to read this one!!
Royal Holiday (Hardcover) – A woman tagging along on her daughter’s work trip to Britain doesn’t expect to enjoy a British fling with the Queen’s private secretary.
The Sinister Mystery of the Mesmerizing Girl (Hardcover) – Book 3 in the Extraordinary Adventures of the Athena Club series based on horror classics. In this book, Mary Jekyll and the Athena Club try to find one of their own who has been kidnapped – as has Sherlock Holmes. I have this series on my wish list.

Books for Adults – Nonfiction

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7 Days of Christmas: A Season of Generosity (Hardcover) – From the author of 7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess, Jen Hatmaker. This book uses the original for inspiration as readers are challenged to generosity and restraint during the holiday season.
Becoming Us: Using the Enneagram to Create a Thriving, Gospel-Centered Marriage (Trade Paperback) – I have been so impressed by Beth McCord’s work with the Enneagram. I can’t wait to dig into this new resource. (She is also releasing books for each of the types this December. I have already pre-ordered two of them!)
Bible and Breakfast: 31 Mornings with Jesus – Feeding Our Bodies and Souls Together (Hardcover) – Thirty-one devotions and 31 breakfast recipes. Includes both “snack” devotions and “feast” devotions depending on the time you have each day. Recipes are marked for which are freezer-friendly and which are gluten free, etc. I love the sample pages I have seen of this – it’s a clever layout and Bible study idea!
The Book of Gutsy Women: Favorite Stories of Courage and Resilience (Hardcover) – Gutsy women who inspire.
Discovering Jesus in the Old Testament (Paperback Workbook) – Book 3 in this Creative Devotional series. A twelve week Bible study with material for 5 days each week. Includes side-bars, small illustrations you can color, Bible study questions to answer, etc.
Eat Happy Too: 160+ New Gluten Free, Grain Free, Low Carb Recipes Made From Real Foods for a Joyful Life (Hardcover)  – Sequel to Eat Happy. I’ve read a few pages of the introductions to both books, and I like what I see. The recipes look a little fussy for the way we cook, but I’d still like to page through them in person.
Embrace Your Weird: Face Your Fears and Unleash Creativity (Trade Paperback) – Tips, tricks and exercises for unleashing creativity.
The Joy of Missing Out: Live More by Doing Less (Hardcover)  – Reject the pressure to do more and be more and instead focus on what is important to YOU.
The Marvel Book (Hardcover) – An overview of the full Marvel universe.
Rhythms of Renewal: Trading Stress and Anxiety for a Life of Peace and Purpose (Hardcover)  – Helping readers trade stress for peace.
She Prays: A 31-Day Journey to Confident Conversations with God (Trade Paperback) – Grow in your prayer life with God through this resource.
When Life Gives You Pears: The Healing Power of Family, Faith and Funny People (Hardcover) – Jeannie Gaffigan shares the story of her journey with a pear-shaped brain tumor. This is at the top of my list for this week, too.
Your Turn: Ways to Celebrate Life Through Storytelling (Trade Paperback) – Creative expression through writing. Includes a writing prompt with each chapter.