Tag: January New Releases

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.

There are a TON of new books out this week – something for everyone! In fact, there are so many transitional chapter books out this week, I gave them their own category.

Books for Kids

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Friends Don’t Eat Friends – Shark has eaten his friend Bob, but now he won’t even admit to it! This is one I have to check out in person!
Carter Reads the Newspaper (Feb 1) – Picture book biography of Carter G. Woodson, a man born to two former slaves who read to his father and then to the men working the coal mines who could not read for themselves. This is a MUST read for me.
Just Right: Searching for the Goldilocks Planet – A celebration and exploration of space and astronomy. This looks terrific.
The Night Fury and the Light Fury – I am so looking forward to this movie!

Transitional Chapter Books (7-10 year olds)

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All Tangled Up (GN) – Book 5 in the Bird & Squirrel graphic novel series. I have loved all of the previous books in this series. Looking forward to this one!
Cuddles – Puppy Place, book 52.
DC Origin Stories: Catwoman AND The Joker AND Lex Luthor (February 1) – The cover art is really what grabbed my attention on these. It’s glorious! (This is the third line of these the publisher, Stone Arch Books, has produced. There’s a superhero line, a super pet line and now these villain books.)  I have these on my wish list for this week. (Not pictured: Bizarro)
Disaster on the Titanic – Book 9 in this series that is like Magic Tree House with a dog.
Everybody Needs a Buddy AND Worst Mascot Ever – The Big Idea Gang is a new series from the author of the Jigsaw Jones mysteries that we LOVED when my son was starting to explore chapter books.
Fairy in Waiting – Book 2 in the Fairy Mom and Me series about a young “Fairy in Waiting” eager to grow up and get her wings.
I Survived the Battle of D-Day – Book 18 in this terrific historical fiction series!
Mighty Meg and the Magical Ring AND Mighty Meg and the Melting Menace – The first two books in a new series about a girl and a magic ring that gives her super powers.
Ready for Action – Book 2 in the Toy Academy series. Toy Academy is where toys learn to play. This time Grumbolt discovers he is the sidekick to the school bully.
The Shadowlands – Book 5 in the Last Firehawk series from Branches
The Soccer Secret – Book 4 in the Zach and Zoe Mystery series about eight-year-old twins.
Yay for Vaycay – Book 2 in the Pug Pals series

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

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Breaking Boundaries (GN) – Continuing stories of Anna and Elsa.
Fangs for Everything – Book 4 in this fun series about a kid who thinks his dog might be a vampire.
Frenemies – Book 2 in the Ask Emma series about a middle school blogger. This time, Emma is trying to prove that she can be neutral and keep her opinions to herself for once, but that is causing a lot of trouble. I’d like to try this series out – it sounds great.
Girls Survive: Ann AND Emmi AND Noelle – A new survival series kicks off this week with stories about the Underground Railroad, the Great Chicago Fire, and the Titanic.
HiLo: Then Everything Went Wrong (GN) – Book 5 in this fantastic graphic novel series. I love this one! This time, HiLo and his friends go back to HiLo’s world to find out what set HiLo on this adventure in the first place. I’m ready for a series re-read and then to check out this new story!
One-Third Nerd – A family story about three kids (the youngest has Down Syndrome) with different gifts and challenges, trying to help their pup who’s been peeing in the house. If they can’t make enough money to get the dog to the vet, their parents might have to find Cupcake a new home. I am really excited to try this new series!
The Test of Time – Geronimo Stilton Journey Through Time #6. This time a variety of historical figures are brought into present-day New Mouse City.
Two Dogs in a Trench Coat Start a Club By Accident – Book 2 in this funny series. I’m curious to see what sort of club the dogs start and what hilarious things happen after that.
Come Find Me – This new teen thriller focuses on two teens who have been through family tragedies and discover some mysterious signals from space. This is on my library list.
A Curse So Dark and Lonely – The latest from one of my favorite authors for books for teens, Brigid Kemmerer. In this book, a girl from our world is sucked into an enchanted land in a story that brings to mind Beauty and the Beast. This is a must-read for me!
The Dead Queens Club – A new girl discovers that she is one in a long line of girlfriends for the school’s homecoming king. And two of the previous “queens” are dead. Yep, this is on my list, too!
Death Prefers Blondes – A teen socialite leads a double life as a cat burglar with a crew of drag queens. It’s such a bizarre premise, I have to read it to see what it’s all about!
King of Scars – First book in a new fantasy duology that takes place in the Grishaverse of the author, Leigh Bardugo (Six of Crows, Shadow and Bone)
The Lonely Dead – A teen with the power to communicate with the dead finds herself the prime suspect in the death of her ex best friend. Now, with the help of her friend’s ghost, she is trying to find out what truly happened and keep herself from becoming the next victim.

Books for Adults

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Coffee Club Mysteries (Kindle/Paperback – February 1) – Six mysteries in small-town Kansas.
Crazy Cupid Love (Mass Market Paperback) – Described as Percy Jackson for romance fans, this book focuses on a descendant of Eros whose matchmaking work starts to go awry. I’m eager to try this one out.
Dead as a Door Knocker (Mass Market Paperback) – First in a new house flipper mystery series. A body in a flower bed could ruin the main character’s investment – and could cost her her life.
Death by Chocolate Malted Milkshake (Hardcover) – Book 2 in the Death by Chocolate mystery series. When murder ruins the wedding of the season, the ladies a the Chocolate Moose are on the case.
Death by Committee (Mass Market Paperback) – First in a new series about a young woman who inherits property with a body buried in the back yard. This one sounds fun!
Decades: Marvel in the 40s (Paperback Graphic Novel) – A new series from Marvel covering a decade at a time of their history. This book covers their earliest years.
A Dog Called Jack (Hardcover) – An abandoned dog finds a home with the residents of Christmas Street.
The Forgiving Jar (Paperback – February 1) – Book 2 in the Prayer Jars series. When Sara discovers her estranged grandparents are Amish and goes to visit them, she finds someone has been pretending to be her for awhile (Book 1, The Hope Jar). I have book one on my TBR shelves. I need to bump it up on my list so I can get to this one as soon as I finish.
Grand Slam Murders (Paperback) – Book 1 in the Bridge to Death Mystery series. Four bridge players are murdered, and a wannabe member of their exclusive group starts to investigate. This is on my list for this week, too!
The Gun Also Rises (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 6 in the Garage Sale Mystery series. When a wealthy widow asks Sarah to sell off her collection of mysteries, she discovers a priceless set of stolen books.
Hot Fudge Murder (Hardcover) – Book 2 in the Lickety Splits Mystery series. The ice cream shoppe owner is tasked to providing treats for the swankiest party of the year, but the host is found murdered.
Murder, She Meowed (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 7 of the Pawsitively Organic Mystery series. The owner of the organic pet treat business finds a body at her own bachelorette party.
No Escape Claws (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 6 in the Second Chance Cat mystery series centered around a secondhand store.
Pruning the Dead (Mass Market Paperback) – First in a new Garden Squad Mystery series about a woman who causes trouble at a garden party for the protagonist – and then is found dead a few days later.
ESV Scripture Journal – Isaiah (Paperback) – The ESV Scripture Journal is a book containing all the text of a particular book of the Bible, in this case Isaiah, on one side of the page while the other side is blank for journaling. I received several of the New Testament books for Christmas. Now the Old Testament books are available. A great study resource!
Team of Vipers: My 500 Extraordinary Days in the Trump White House (Hardcover) – Touted as the “first honest account” of life in the Trump White House. I personally have not read any of the political books about the current climate. It’s hard to know who to believe in this era of saying whatever panders to the voters you are courting. It remains to be seen how “honest” this account will be.

Lots of fun books out this week!

Books for Kids

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Hello Robots! – A new board book about robots and sequencing. Cute!
Dress Like a Girl – Set at a slumber party where girls talk about fashion rules and the careers open to women today (all of them). This looks fun.
Under My Hijab – A girl notices how different women wear their hijab and contemplates how she might display her own unique personality through her hijab. This is not a cultural piece I am familiar with so I am excited to read this and learn something!
The Great Louweezie AND Lost and Found – A new transitional chapter book series kicks off this week starring a big black bear and a small chipmunk.
Marvel Super Hero Adventures: Captain Marvel – The latest in this fun Marvel line of stories for kids. I’m really looking forward to reading this one.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

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Where Is Antarctica? AND Where Is Hollywood? – The latest in this nonfiction line.
Circle of Shadows – Two young people, training as magical warriors in a kingdom that has been at peace for ages, discover a mysterious band of soldiers and decide to infiltrate them to protect their home. I have this one on my list.
Unnatural Disasters – In a dark future, a teen tries to survive an attack by an unknown group of terrorists. Yep, this is on my list, too.
The Vanishing Stair – The sequel to the twisty Truly Devious.
Parkland Speaks – A collection of essays from the survivors of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas school shooting in 2018. I received an early copy of this one and will be reviewing it soon.

Books for Adults

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Murder Wears a Little Black Dress – A woman trying to take over her grandmother’s consignment shop stumbles over a murder. I’ll be reviewing this one later this week.
Secrets at Cedar Cabin – The latest by Colleen Coble – Book 3 in the Lavender Tides series – focuses on a woman on the run after her mother’s murder.
The Color of Compromise: The Truth about the American Church’s Complicity in Racism – I imagine this will be a difficult read, but I also feel it is a necessary one. This is on my list for this week, too.
Taste and See: Discovering God Among Butchers, Bakers and Fresh Food Makers – I am a big Margaret Feinberg fan! Her latest book looks at God’s perspective on food. I’m eager to see this one in person.

It’s a small release week for me, but there are plenty of fun things for kids to get excited about.

Books for Kids

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Chicken Talk – In this new book, illustrated by Jarrett J. Krosoczka, the chickens are leaving messages scratched out all around the farm.
Sleepover at the Museum – A birthday celebration takes place at the natural history museum. This looks terrific!
Planting Stories: The Life of Librarian and Storyteller Pura Belpré – Picture book biography of New York City’s first Puerto Rican librarian who advocated for bilingual literature.
The Cat Who Ruled the Town – Part of the Tails of History series, this one about a cat who was elected mayor.
A Spring to Remember – The fourth and final book in the Orchard chapter book series about a group of friends who live and work at a New England apple orchard.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

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The Fastest Finish – Book 2 in the Junior Ninja Champion series about a group of kids competing in a reality TV obstacle competition.
Famous in a Small Town – When a town’s marching band has the opportunity to perform in the Rose Parade, one of the teens tries to convince a local-turned-country-singer to perform for their fundraiser. I have this on my wish list for the library.
Genesis Begins Again – A teen keeps a list of all the things she hates about herself – she’s up to 96 things on the list. While I find the premise of this so sad, I absolutely have to believe that in the end she finds something positive to hang onto. I’ve requested this one from the library.
Pretty in Punxsutawney – Described as “Groundhog Day meets Pretty in Pink.” Yep, I’ve requested this one, too!
Stain – A mute princess is cast out of her kingdom and rescued by someone who steals her memories and raises her as a boy.  Her betrothed is dying and can only be saved by marrying her. An imposter princess is trying to steal the prince and her crown. I’m intrigued by this one.
A Life of Lovely: The Young Woman’s Guide to Collecting The Moments that Matter – A teen version of Looking for Lovely by Annie F. Downs. There’s a companion journal that releases this week as well.

It’s the final week of January already! Here are some of the new books releasing this week:

Books for Kids

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Apatosaurus Would Not Make a Good Spy (Feb 1) – Artie the Apatosaurus wants to be a secret agent. I am so excited to see this book in person!
The Word Collector – The latest from Peter H. Reynolds, The Word Collector is a celebration of words. I am looking forward to this one, too!
Chill of the Ice Dragon – Book 9 in the Dragon Masters series from Branches
D-Day: Battle on the Beach – Ranger in Time book 7. I describe this series as Magic Tree House with a dog. This is a great series!
Super Rabbit Boy vs Super Rabbit Boss – Book 4 in the Press Start series from Branches
Two’s a Crowd – Book one in the new Pug Pals series. In this book it’s two pugs but one toy. This looks like a sweet sibling story.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

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A Girl Named Hillary AND A Girl Named Rosa – New biographies from the folks at American Girl.
Bitsy – Book 48 in this long-running animal series
Dark Wyng – Book 2 in the Erth Dragons series. I still haven’t gotten to book one, but it is on my list! I love a good dragon story.
The Journey of Little Charlie – A boy cuts a deal to cover his dead father’s debt, but it forces him to decide what actions his conscience can abide.
The Problim Children – First in a trilogy. Seven strange siblings move into their grandfather’s old mansion where the neighbors are trying to uncover secrets and treasures. The premise of this reminds me a little of the Sisters Eight series. I am eager to try this one out.
Smart Cookie – A girl posts a secret profile of her dad on a dating site, hoping to find him a wife so they can have the sort of family they did before her mom died. Twitter has been talking about this book for a year. This is on the top of my list for the week.
Upside Down Magic: Dragon Overnight – Book 4 in this fun fantasy series for kids. I will be reviewing this one tomorrow.
Marley Dias Gets It Done – Explores how kids can get involved in activism in their own communities
American Heart – In a world where America registers and detains Muslim-Americans, a southern teen who never questioned the way things are finds herself helping a Muslim fugitive trying to escape to Canada. Interesting premise.
Losing Brave – A teen haunted by the disappearance of her twin battles to unlock her memories of what happened. Sounds like a great suspense story.
Purple Hearts – The final book in the Front Lines alternate history series. I have this whole series on my TBR list.
Say You’ll Remember Me – A teen wrongly accused of a crime enters a rehab program which is the governor’s pet project so he can try to get his life back on track. The governor’s daughter longs for the freedom to chart her own course. Together maybe they can both find what they are looking for. This sounds great. Looking forward to reading this one.
S.T.A.G.S. – A weekend retreat at an exclusive school turns deadly. I’ll be reviewing this one later this week.
Winner Take All – Academic rivals want to win at all cost. Is their love real or just another game to win? This is on my TBR for this week.
Wires and Nerve: Gone Rogue – Book 2 in the graphic novel series set in the world of the Lunar Chronicles. I’d love to check this series out.

Books for Adults

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Arrow: Fatal Legacies – This original story is set between season 5 and 6 of this great show based on the DC Comics universe. This is the third Arrow novel in the series. Great for fans of the show.
Biscuits and Slashed Browns – Book 4 in the Country Store mystery series, this book focuses on a death at a breakfast-themed cook off. This sounds like a series I would enjoy.
Class Reunions Are Murder – Book 1 in the new Poppy McAllister mystery series centered around a class reunion. I can never pass up a class reunion story! This is on my list.
Curses, Boiled Again – Book 1 in the new Lobster Shack mystery series starring an injured dancer who comes home to help her aunt launch her business. I love checking out a new mystery series.
Death by Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake – First book in the Death by Chocolate Mystery series. That title is promising!
Murder Borrowed, Murder Blue – Book 3 in the Wedding Planner mystery series.
Survival of the Fritters – Book 1 in the Deputy Donut mystery series. This series stars a 911 operator and her retired police chief father-in-law. The premise sounds great!
The Art of Screen Time: How Your Family Can Balance Digital Media and Real Life – An issue on many parents’ hearts and minds. Includes research as well as advice of parents putting ideas into practice with their own kids.
No More Mean Girls: The Secret to Raising Strong, Confident, Compassionate Girls – Psychotherapist offers advice for combating “mean girl” behaviors, which are no longer primarily a high school phenomenon. I hear so many stories from friends with daughters about the social pressures and issues their girls face every day. A timely book.
Set Free to Choose Right: Equipping Today’s Kids to Make Right Moral Choices for Life – A guide for parents in helping kids see that God has standards and that “right” and “wrong” are not arbitrary distinctions.

It’s Monday again and that means it is time to look at some of the books that are releasing this week!

Books for Kids

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Alabama Spitfire: The Story of Harper Lee and To Kill a Mockingbird – Picture book biography of Harper Lee, author of To Kill a Mockingbird.
Between the Lines: How Ernie Barnes Went from the Football Field to the Art Gallery – Picture book biography of Ernie Barnes, athlete and artist.
Free as a Bird: The Story of Malala – Picture book biography of Malala Yousafzai focusing on Malala’s relationship with her father.
The Great Dictionary Caper – From the author of Wild About Books comes this tale of words escaping the dictionary and Noah Webster putting things right again.
Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four Black Women and the Race for Space – Picture book biography of the three women highlighted in the movie Hidden Figures as well as a fourth woman, Christine Darden.
Ordinary Extraordinary Jane Austen: The Story of Six Novels, Three Notebooks, a Writing Box, and One Clever Girl – Picture book biography of Jane Austen
Shaking Things Up: 14 Young Women Who Changed the World – Picture book collection of biographies of women such as Mary Anning, Ruby Bridges and Maya Lin. Of all the picture book biographies out this week, this one would be at the top of my list because it covers so many young women, several of whom I have not heard of before. Looking forward to this one.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

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A Problematic Paradox – Described as Guardians of the Galaxy meets The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, this is the story of a brilliant girl whose adventures in space kick off when her father is kidnapped by aliens. This one had me at “Hitchhiker’s Guide.”
The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle – The story of a boy with social and learning issues who is also grieving the loss of his best friend. Since the friend died on the Buttle property, Mason has been questioned about that day a lot. When Mason’s new friend goes missing, Mason is desperate to find out what has happened to his friends. The middle grade community online has been buzzing about this book for months. I’m looking forward to reading this one.
Where Is Machu Picchu?
Where Is Our Solar System?
Whiskerella – Book 5 in the fun Hamster Princess series. This book takes a twisted view of the Cinderella story. I love this whole series of fractured fairy tales. This is on my list for certain.

Books for Adults

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Scone Cold Killer – Book 1 in the All-Day Breakfast Cafe mystery series. I’ll be reviewing this one later this week.
View from Rainshadow Bay – The latest from Christian author, Colleen Coble, this story is the first in a new Lavender Tides series about a woman who loses her husband and then her business partner. She fears she is also in danger.
Dream of You: Let Go of Broken Identities and Live the Life You Were Made For – I have loved Jo Saxton’s work since I first saw her speak as part of an IF: Gathering experience. I’ve said before that identity is one of my favorite themes in books, both fiction and nonfiction. I have an early copy of this book  in my TBR pile already.
Still Evangelical?: Insiders Reconsider Political, Social and Theological Meaning – In the past couple years the word “evangelical” has taken on new meaning and connotations. And many of them are negative. I am curious to read what these authors have to say about the matter.

Today we celebrate and remember the work and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. One way to honor his work is by reading his words as well as those of others who have worked for or who are currently working for justice, civil rights, and freedom not only in the US but around the world.

Here are some of the new books releasing this week:

Books for Kids

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I Am Harriet Tubman – The latest picture book biography from Brad Meltzer. These are spectacular!
Love – A beautiful celebration of LOVE. I will not be surprised when this one wins a boatload of awards!
My Pillow Keeps Moving – Look at that cover! The cover alone would make me buy this book. This sounds like a sweet story – a dog tries to endear herself to the man who owns her by being everything he needs.
Princess Pulverizer Grilled Cheese and Dragons AND Worse, Worser and Wurst – Nancy Krulik is the author of the outstanding Magic Bone series which I loved sharing with my students who were branching out into chapter books. She has a new series out called Princess Pulverizer, and it looks fantastic! Princess Serena would rather be a knight than a princess. Check out this series for your fans of The Princess in Black.
Twin Trouble – Book 7 in the Ella and Owen series. Twin dragons, Ella and Owen, meet twin unicorns who do not get along.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

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Ellie, Engineer – Ellie’s plans for her best friend’s birthday get so big, she has to recruit rival groups in the neighborhood to help her. This looks like a fun story with STEAM features.
Sing Like Nobody’s Listening – Pitch Perfect for the middle grade set. Two friends compete against one another in an acapella competition. This is the latest book in the MIX line from Aladdin.
Waking the Monsters – Hilo Book 4. My students and I were crazy for this graphic novel series. I’m so glad it is still going strong. I highly recommend this series.
Knock Knock! Who Was There? – Joke book from the folks at the Who Was/What Was/Where Is nonfiction series.
Love, Hate and Other Filters – An American-born Muslim teen looks for balance between parental expectations and her own dreams while also facing backlash for being Muslim after a horrific event that happens in another part of the country. If you have a goal of reading more diverse books this year – either diversity in characters or diversity in authors, consider checking this book out. It is on my library list.
Truly Devious – A new student at an elite academy plans to solve a cold case attached to the school, but the past won’t stay in the past. I have already  requested this from the library, and the early reviews are positive.

Books for Adults

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Carnegie’s Maid – A poor farmer’s daughter assumes the identity of a missing woman for a chance to serve as a maid to the Carnegie family.
Isaiah’s Daughter – Fictionalized story of the adopted daughter of the Biblical prophet, Isaiah, who captures the attention of Prince Hezekiah. I am doing a study of the book of Isaiah right now, and I am intrigued by this story.
Marvel Cinematic Universe Guidebook: It’s All Connected – I believe this is the third volume in this guidebook series exploring the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This book looks at Agent Carter and Agents of SHIELD and how they fit into the larger Marvel Universe.

I don’t know about where you live, but where I live it has been brutally cold. Perfect weather for staying in and reading. Here are some of the new books releasing this week:

Books for Kids

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Grandma’s Purse – Adorable-looking book celebrating the magic of grandmothers and the treasures they keep in their purses.
Klondike, Do not Eat Those Cupcakes – Klondike the seal can’t stop thinking about the cupcakes for his sister’s birthday party. No matter how hard the narrator tries to distract him, Klondike gives in to temptation. What will happen now that there are no cupcakes for the party? This also looks adorable! Covers like this get my attention every time.
Mae Among the Stars – Picture book biography of Mae Jemison, astronaut.
The New LiBEARian – Story time at the library takes a fun twist when there’s a bear at the librarian’s desk. This sounds terrific!
Write to Me: Letters from Japanese-American Children to the Librarian They Left Behind – Children sent to internment camps after Pearl Harbor send letters to their librarian while they are gone. This looks like a great way to introduce this part of American History to children. I’d love to read this one!
Abigail Adams, Pirate of the Caribbean – Book 2 in the Mixed-Up History series where historical characters take a break from their lives to try a new adventure. These sound fantastic! Targeted to readers in the lower elementary grades who are starting to explore chapter books.
Dog Diaries: Susan – Book 12 in this series looks at Queen Elizabeth II’s corgi, Susan. I haven’t read the books in this series, but this particular one sounds fascinating!

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

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All Three Stooges – The friendship between two comedy-loving boys is threatened when one loses his father and starts to withdraw.
The Case of the Perilous Palace – Book 4 in the Wollstonecraft Detective Agency series. I read the first book in this mystery/history/science fiction series and loved it. I would like to catch up on it some time. This final book in the series has the girls breaking into Kensington Palace to find the princess’ missing sketch book/diary. This one sounds terrific!
Harley Quinn at Super Hero High – Book 5 in the Super Hero High series, Harley investigates a carnival that comes to town where things aren’t quite what they seem. I’m looking forward to this addition to a fun middle grade series.
The Terrible Two Go Wild – Book 3 in this fantastic series about two pranksters. In this book, the boys are targeted by a group of bullies. My students and I thoroughly enjoyed the previous two books in the series. I’m eager to read this next installation.
Nice Try, Jane Sinner – A struggling girl who gets expelled from high school enrolls in a completion program at the local community college and goes on a student-run reality show so she can move out of her house. This has been getting a LOT of positive buzz already. I’ve already requested it from the library.
A Taxonomy of Love – This covers the ups and downs of friendship between a boy with Tourette’s and the girl who moves into the neighborhood and becomes his best friend. I’ll be reviewing this one later this week.
Unearthed – Two teens stow away to an ancient planet to pursue their own goals and discover alien secrets. Dystopian science fiction fans should check this one out. I know I will be!

Books for Adults

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Deadly Summer – Book 1 in the Darling Investigations series about a former TV child-star who tries to revive her career with a reality TV show where she tries to solve local crimes. When she stumbles across a very real murder, things change quickly. This sounds terrific!
A Meddle of Wizards – Book 1 in the Fledgling Magic series about a sick young woman who is whisked away to a mysterious land to fight a wizard. This sounds completely quirky – and right up my alley!
The Questionable Behavior of Dahlia Moss – Book 3 in the Dahlia Moss Mystery series. Talk about quirky! I’m not even sure how to summarize the stories in this geeky mystery series, but I do know that I have book one high on my library list! I hope to dig into this series soon.
Star Trek Boldly Go Vol 2 – I adore this comic book series. If you are a fan of Star Trek, especially the new cast, consider checking out this graphic novel series. I never miss an issue! This particular collection focuses on a diplomatic murder and a group of Starfleet cadets.
Girl Positive: How Girls Are Shaping a New World – Stories of young women making a difference! Both a celebration of what is happening today as well as advice and information for readers as they consider their own place in the world.
Trade Your Cares for Calm – The latest from Max Lucado in his series of materials about anxiety.