Tag: June New Releases

Here are some of the new books out this week:

Books for Kids

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Sophie Mouse: Lightning Bug Light Show – Book 21 in the darling Sophie Mouse chapter book series where Sophie helps a new friend.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

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Wander Lost – When their mom goes missing, a pair of brothers discover that their ancestor was once a board game character who escaped and came to life. And they have that same power where they can go into games!
Girls Like Her – A dead businessman. A teen in jail awaiting trial. And her state-appointed caseworker. Will anyone care enough to dig into what really happened?
Six of Sorrow – Six girls, born on the same day – good friends until they drift apart. But when one of them goes missing, they are drawn back together when it seems something more is going on.

Books for Adults

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An Art Lover’s Guide to Paris and Murder (Hardcover) – Book 7 in the Countess of Harleigh Mystery series. Frances and George are in Paris looking into a suspicious death for George’s aunt when she is murdered. I have loved this series from the start, and I can’t wait to dive into this one!
A Daughter of Fair Verona (Hardcover) – First in a new series described as “Knives Out meets Bridgerton.” The oldest of Romeo and Juliet’s children (yes, that Romeo and Juliet) is uninterested in marriage, so she tends to find new wives for all of her suitors. Except the latest isn’t someone she can redirect – he’s already buried three wives, under mysterious circumstances. When he is then found dead, Rosie goes looking for his killer. YES, PLEASE!
Finding Mr. Write (Trade Paperback) – Daphne posed as a male author when she started pitching her latest book and now there’s a bidding war, and she needs to make her fake persona real. YES, PLEASE!
A Novel Love Story (Trade Paperback) – Something new from Ashley Poston. Eileen needs her book club retreat this year more than ever, but on the way her car breaks down in a town that seems plucked entirely out of her favorite book series. YES, PLEASE! (How many times is too many times to say that in one release week?)
Romancing Miss Stone (Trade Paperback) – First in a new Belize Dreams series. Bo heads to Belize to get his ex back when she breaks things off, but the chemistry between him and his guide becomes undeniable.
Rules for Second Chances (Trade Paperback) – A woman who is tired of playing a background character in her own life decides an improv class is the way to help. And her almost-ex is determined to use the class to win her back. Yes, this sounds great!
Tangled Up in You (Trade Paperback) – Part of the Meant to Be series of re-imagined fairy tales. This one is a take on Tangled where a sheltered young woman tries to navigate the “real world” of college and meets a player trying to reinvent himself. And it’s by Christina Lauren?! YES, PLEASE!
Under Your Spell (Trade Paperback) – A woman down on her luck ends up working with the hottest rock star in the world for the summer.
You’ll Never Find Me (Mass Market Paperback) – First in a new Angelheart Investigations series (after the novella “Into the Fire”). A PI estranged from her family – and the family investigation business – finds herself in over her head and reaching out to the family she thought she left behind. I picked up the novella to give this series a try!
You’ve Got Male (Trade Paperback) – An overwhelmed single mom goes viral when her best friend posts a clip of her describing her perfect mate. So when men start descending to make their case for being just what she’s looking for, she convinces her neighbor to be her fake boyfriend to make them go away. Yep, that’s on the list for this week, too!

 

Here are some of the new books out this week:

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

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The Last Apple Tree – Feuding neighbors find common ground when they unearth a family secret.
All Roads Lead to Rome – Story agrees to fake date a Scottish heartthrob while he’s in Rome.
Poison in Their Hearts – The final book in the fantastic Castles in their Bones series. I will have to wait to read this until I can get a copy from the UK because I refuse to have my book cover styles not match. (First world problems!) And since I never got to do my book 2 re-read and tab, I will definitely be doing a series re-read before picking up this conclusion.

Books for Adults

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The Lonely Hearts Trivia Night (Hardcover) – Five strangers join a trivia team, the Red Hot Quizzy Peppers, where they start to become friends.
The Memo (Trade Paperback) – A young woman gets the chance to relive her life and make different choices. The set up for this sounds quirky and clever!
One-Star Romance (Trade Paperback) – The maid-of-honor discovers the best man is the same person who gave her new novel a very public one-star rating.
A Very Unshakespeare Romance (Trade Paperback) – A police officer pretends to be a single dad when his cousin goes on the run and leaves him with the kids.

Here are some of the new books out this week:

Books for Kids

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Taylor Swift (Little People Big Dreams) – A picture book biography.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

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The Cookie Crumbles – When best friends discover they are set to go to different high schools, one enters a bakeoff to go to a special boarding school where her friend could also attend for journalism. And when a mystery strikes the bakeoff alongside a huge storm, she might have her chance at a big story. This looks great!
Jupiter Nettle and the Seven Schools of Magic (Graphic Novel) – When Jupiter fails to get accepted into any of the Seven Schools of Magic, she gets a special invitation to attend anyway, but finds it harder than she expected. While doubting her abilities to make it at the Seven Schools, someone tries to attack them and Jupiter has a chance to show her stuff. This sounds great, too!
The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman (Older Middle Grade) – When his mom goes missing for longer than usual, Hank has to reach out to the stranger listed as their emergency contact – for his sake and for his little sister’s. But asking for help, while the right thing to do, has unexpected consequences. I enjoy stories like this, so this one is on my list for June.
You Are Not Alone: A Kid’s Guide to Overcoming Anxious Thoughts and Believing What’s True – An edition of Get Out of Your Head for kids.
Icon and Inferno – Book 2 in the Stars and Smoke series for teens. A global pop star and a young secret agent team up again for a new mission. I have book 1 on my TBR, so I need to catch up on this series, soon!
The Shadows Between Us – If you haven’t already read The Shadows Between Us (it’s AMAZING), now’s the time to pick it up with these gorgeous sprayed edges. And then you will be ready when the companion book, The Darkness Within Us, releases in July.
The Wilderness of Girls – When Rhi is placed in foster care and starts working at a wilderness preserve, she discovers four feral girls who say they are lost princesses from another land. Could that be true, or are the victims of something much darker? Fascinating!

 

Books for Adults

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Bigtime Series, Vol 2 (e-book) – Collects books 3-5 of the Bigtime series by Jennifer Estep into one volume.
Books and Broadswords (e-book) – Collects “Books and Broadswords” as well as “Rocks and Rapiers,” two fantasy stories by Jessie Mihalik, previously available online. I adored both, so of course I have already pre-ordered this collection.
Curvy Girl Summer (Trade Paperback) – Tired of her family’s insinuations that her big personality and/or her body are what is keeping her from finding a man, Aaliyah creates a fake boyfriend who loves her curves. Now, she just has to find such a man before a big family gathering where they are going to want to meet this “boyfriend.” Yes, please!
Natural Born Outlaws (e-book) – First in a new series by my friend Gini Koch, writing as A. E. Stanton. After watching her husband gunned down by people they thought were their friends, outlaw Belle Stark and her friends are looking for paybacks. I’m looking forward to picking this one up!
Not in Love (Hardcover) – A biotech engineer starts a steamy, secret relationship with the man trying to buy out her employer.
Rogue Sequence (Hardcover) – An incarcerated super soldier is given a chance at freedom if he will help the powers that be capture one of his former team members.
The Rom-commers (Hardcover) – An amateur screenwriter gets the chance to work on a romcom with her screenwriting idol, except he turns out to be a jerk who doesn’t believe in love and is only writing the script (which is horrible) as a means to an end. My husband and I have both enjoyed Katherine Center’s last couple books, and I’m looking forward to reading this one!
The Stars Too Fondly (Trade Paperback, LGBTQ+) – Four young adults exploring a space ship tied to the missing crew of the Providence find themselves on a space adventure.

 

Here are some of the new books out this week:

Books for Kids

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A Crocodile Should Never Skip Breakfast – A crocodile who ferries animals across the river has to miss breakfast and then his passengers start to look yummy. This sounds hilarious!
Gorgeously Me! – A celebration of self from Jonathan Van Ness.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

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Roswell Johnson Saves the World! – First in a new series by Chris Colfer. A boy named for Roswell, New Mexico is abducted by aliens and discovers Earth is in danger.
They Call Me No Sam! – A misunderstood dog tries to save his family.
The Breakup Artists – Best friends run a business breaking up bad relationships for their peers.
Storm: Dawn of a Goddess – An origin story from Tiffany D. Jackson.
Wish You Weren’t Here (LGBTQ+) – Lifelong rivals find themselves in a cabin together at summer camp.

Books for Adults

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Birding with Benefits (Trade Paperback) – An almost-empty nester agrees to pose as the girlfriend for a birder who needs a partner for a birdwatching contest. I love the uniqueness of the context for this story!
Cole and Laila Are Just Friends (Trade Paperback) – The latest from Bethany Turner. Best friends toy with the idea of becoming something more when they spend a week in New York while he decides if he’s going to leave their small town after a life-changing betrayal and she wonders if she wants to live across the country from her best friend.
Dead Tired (Hardcover) – Book 2 in the Expectant Detectives series. Alice and her mom-friends participate in an eco-protest as an effort to get some rest from their infants, but in the morning one of the other protesters is dead. I’m looking forward to digging into this one!
Isabel and the Rogue (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the Luna Sisters series. Two covert agents wonder if love is even possible for them when their work puts them at odds.
Lady Eve’s Last Con (Trade Paperback, LGBTQ+) – A small-time con woman meets her match when her plans to take down the man who broke her sister’s heart catch the attention of the man’s irresistible sister.
Leather & Lark (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the Ruinous Love Trilogy. A contract killer and an indie singer/songwriter team up in a fake marriage so he can track a killer for her and she can secure him freedom for a life he hates.
Love Signals (June 6, e-book) – A woman trying to beat her rotten ex on a work project gets pulled off the project to mentor some Hollywood A-lister for a new role.
Match Me If You Can (Trade Paperback) – A woman playing matchmaker to secure a new job finds her own maybe-happily ever after in jeopardy.
My Royal Showmance (e-book) – A woman working on a royalty dating reality show becomes a contestant.
Nice Work Nora November (Trade Paperback) – A woman brought back from an accident that made her clinically dead works through a reverse bucket list of things she wants to do with her new lease on life.
Pardon My Frenchie (Trade Paperback) – Ashanti’s doggie daycare is in jeopardy when a social media favorite poodle – and Duchess’s best doggie-friend – is taken out by Puddin’s owner’s grandson who doesn’t like dogs. So Ashanti – and Duchess – need to make nice. This could be fun!
Summer Romance (Trade Paperback) – A professional organizer with a personal life that’s a mess toys with the idea of a summer fling.
Unwedding (Hardcover) – Ellery thought it was unsettling enough to be taking her 20th anniversary trip to the Resort at Broken Point alone, but that’s nothing to how unsettled she feels after finding a dead body.
We Could Be Heroes (Trade Paperback, LGBTQ+) – An actor in a superhero movie starts an unexpected friendship with a bookseller/part-time drag queen while each wonders if their friendship could become something more.
The Wren in the Holly Library – First in a new series. In a post-war world where monsters are real, a thief sneaks into the Holly Library and finding a monster with a proposition.

It’s the last release week of June – here’s a quick look at some of the books out this week!

Books for Kids

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Molly’s Tuxedo – Molly’s had enough experiences with uncomfortable dresses (with no pockets!) that she knows she can’t wear one for picture day. She wants to wear her brother’s tux instead – but her mother isn’t quite on board with that plan. Published in partnership with GLAAD.

 

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

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Manslaughter Park – Book 3 in the Jane Austen Murder Mystery series after Pride and Premeditation and Sense and Second-Degree Murder (♥♥♥♥). A queer retelling of Mansfield Park. When Fanny’s uncle dies in an accident, she finds evidence that it might have been murder.
Plus One – A matchmaker gets pushed into find a match for herself to spite her cousin.
The Quiet Part Out Loud – High school sweethearts watch their plans to be together at college blow up and they go their separate ways. Five months later they cross paths, but before they can really deal with their feelings about their past, an earthquake hits. Fascinating set up for this one!

 

Books for Adults

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Charlotte Illes Is Not a Detective (Trade Paperback) – Charlotte hung up her blue landline phone – and stashed it in her mother’s garage – after middle school when she stopped being a kid detective. Now as a young woman, the blue phone has rung again and she’s back on the case. I’m so excited about this one! I found it free for Kindle a couple weeks ago, and I snapped that up!
Murder Is a Piece of Cake (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the Baker Street Mystery series. A rival bakery is coming to New Bison, and when the owner is found dead Maddy is the prime suspect. I loved the first book in this series – can’t wait to read this one!
A Newlywed’s Guide to Fortune and Murder (Hardcover) – Book 6 in the Countess of Harleigh Mystery series.  George and Frances join forces when Frances thinks someone might be trying to kill her latest “client” who asked for Frances’ help preparing her niece to meet the queen. I adore this series and can’t wait to read this one.
Playing for Keeps (Trade Paperback) – An amusing coffee house meet-cute leads to a gaming contest between a woman with a big personality that hides her lack of self-confidence and an overworked businessman. I’ve already pre-ordered this one!
Road to Roswell (Hardcover) – While in Roswell for a UFO-themed wedding, a skeptic is abducted by aliens. She ultimately believes she needs to  help the alien with something, but she’s not quite sure what. I have this on my list for this week!
Role Playing (Trade Paperback, July 1) – A grumpy-sunshine story starring two gamers who only know each other online and who have made some faulty assumptions about one another. Amazon offered this is a free read for June, and I snapped it up!
The Seven Year Slip (Trade Paperback) – A young woman in search of love – and afraid to let herself find it – starts to fall for a man she meets in her apartment. A man who lives seven years in her past. This is the next paranormal/science fiction romance from the amazing Ashely Poston, and I can’t wait to read it!
Will They Or Won’t They (Trade Paperback) – Two actors who have despised each other for years after a secret fling reunite on their hit show for the final season where their characters are supposed to (finally) get together. Sounds amazing!
You’ve Been Served (Trade Paperback) – Simone is finding that law school is not all the romantic comedies would have led her to believe. But she’s determined to finish, despite the professor who wants her to fail and the gorgeous suck- up in her class who infuriates her.
Freaks, Gleeks & Dawson’s Creek (Hardcover) – The behind-the-scenes stories of shows like Glee, Freaks and Geeks, Dawson’s Creek, Fresh Prince, and Friday Night Lights and their impact on television.

 

 

Let’s take a look at some of the books out this week!

Books for Kids

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The Pumpernickel-Daffodil – Chili may come from two lines of extraordinary show dogs, but he and his new owner aren’t sure that’s where they belong. I can’t wait to see this one in person!

 

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

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Ginny Off the Map – When Ginny’s life gets a huge shake up – dad deployed, geography camp cancelled, moving to a new town – she decides to make her own way by creating a camp for the kids on the street.
Ham Helsing: Raising the Stakes – Book 3 in the Ham Helsing series. Ham and his friends are snowed in at Helsing Manor.
We Ship It – A girl with her life planned out doesn’t want to spend the summer before senior year on a cruise with her broken family, still grieving the loss of her oldest brother. This sounds like a story that’s just right for me.

 

Books for Adults

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Capture the Sun (Trade Paperback) – The third and final book in the Starlight’s Shadow series by Jessie Mihalik. When Lexi’s friends go missing in Valovian space, she will have to  trust Nilo and set aside their history if they are going to have any chance of finding them.  I have had this preordered since last August – I am SO excited for this one!
Dedicated to the One I Love (Trade Paperback) – Two writers in need of help are assigned to work together only to discover they are already online friends. I pre-ordered this weeks ago – it sounds perfect!
How the Murder Crumbles (Hardcover) – First in a new Cookie Shop Mystery series. Mallory is already having a tough time in life, despite her beloved cookie shop, but the murder victim found in the shop kitchen really complicates things.
Piece of Cake (Trade Paperback) – A disgraced society girl tries to save the bridal magazine she works for by running a series on the over-the-top society weddings of the South. This sounds fantastic!
Play for Me (Trade Paperback) – A professional athletic trainer is demoted to a position at an arts-focused boarding school where she has three male roommates, including one complete grump.

 

Here are some of the books releasing this week!

Books for Kids

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I Have Seven Dogs – Zoe can’t have a dog at home, but she knows all of the dogs in her neighborhood. This looks darling!
Spider-Man: Animals Assemble – When the Avengers get called into action, Spider-Man gets called in… to pet-sit. This looks adorable, too! I love Mike Maihack’s artwork so I am looking forward to seeing this one in person.
The Girl in the Tree – A girl raised by squirrels tries to make human friends. This sounds hilarious!

 

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

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The Hunt for the Hollower – Following in the footsteps of their ancestor, Merlin, Percy and Merlynda practice magic as well – although Merlynda’s is often a little off track. But when they cast a spell to help her, Percy is sucked into portal, directly to the magic-stealing Hollower.
Borrow My Heart – Something new from Kasie West. A girl steps into a fake relationship when she pretends to be an online crush for a guy who is getting catfished. I hope to review this one soon.
Fat Witch Summer – A young woman discovers she’s a witch, but her mother will get to choose her type of magic – and her mother wants to choose something to change how her daughter looks. So three young witches team up to steal their own gifts by traveling across the magical Thirteen States of America. I have to know what happens here – this is at the top of my list for this week.
Going Bicoastal (LGBTQ+) – Since Natalya can’t decide if she wants to spend the summer with her dad or her mom, both options play out over the course of the book. This sounds fascinating!
Part of Your World (Graphic Novel) – The Twisted Tale series is getting the graphic novel treatment – and the artwork here is stunning!

 

Books for Adults

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A Degree to Die For (Trade Paperback – LGBTQ+) – Book 2 in the University Police series. A classics professor and a campus police officer team up when departmental changes seem to lead to murder.
The Happy Life of Isadora Bentley (Trade Paperback) – A university researcher puts her skills to work on a magazine list of “Ways to Be Happy.” This looks fun!
A Little Ray of Sunshine (Trade Paperback) – Two families lives are upended when an 18 year old finds his birth mother. I love stories like this!
A Love Catastrophe (Trade Paperback) – Instead of a meet-cute, the Kitty Whisperer and her newest client have a meet-disaster. Yes, please!
Love, Theoretically (Trade Paperback) – A theoretical physicist waiting on a tenured position pads her bank account by working as a fake girlfriend. I haven’t read an Ali Hazelwood book yet, but this seems like the perfect place to start!
The Sweetheart List (Trade Paperback) – A woman reinvents herself by ditching anything that doesn’t spark joy, starting with her job, and starts over in the last place where she was happy. Yes, please! This is on my list, too.
The Body Revelation: Physical and Spiritual Practices to Metabolize Pain, Banish Shame, and Connect to God with Your Whole Self (Hardcover) – A new resource from the founder of Revelation Wellness, Alisa Keeton. This is on my list for the week as well.

 

Welcome to the first release week of June 2023 – here are some of the books I’m excited about that are out this week!

Books for Kids

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Burt the Beetle Lives Here! – A sequel to Burt the Beetle Doesn’t Bite. Burt learns about insect habitats as he tries to find what is “home” for him.

 

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

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Fann Club: Batman Squad – A young Batman fan creates his own crime-fighting team who then stumbles across an actual bank robbery.
The Kingdom Over the Sea – Before she died, Yara’s mother left her instructions for finding a magical land called Zehaira. But the Zehaira Yara finds is very different from what her mother always described as the Sultan has outlawed magic.
A Spark in the Cinders (LGBTQ+) – The new queen’s step-sister joins forces with a lady knight to look for pieces of a broken artifact that is prophesied to save the kingdom.

 

Books for Adults

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The Bookshop by the Bay (Trade Paperback) – Two women looking for second chances team up to run a beloved bookstore.
A Botanist’s Guide to Flowers and Fatality (Hardcover) – Book 2 in the Saffron Everleigh Mystery series. Saffron and Dr. Lee encounter a case of murder by floral arrangements. This series sounds fantastic!
Cassandra in Reverse (Hardcover) – After getting dumped and fired, Cassandra discovers she can go back in time and fix her life, bit by bit.
Charm City Rocks (Trade Paperback) – A teen worried his dad might be lonely cooks up a scheme to get a once-famous rock star to perform at the music shop underneath their apartment so the two adults can meet.
Marion Lane and the Raven’s Revenge (Trade Paperback) – Book 3 in the Marion Lane Mystery series. Marion is on the case when her best friend’s girlfriend goes missing and the Inquirers get a package containing a dead raven – just like what happened before Marion’s mother died.
Mortal Follies (Trade Paperback – LGBTQ+) – A young woman under a curse seeks out a dangerous enchantress for help.
Naming of the Queen (e-book) – Book 2 in the Return of the Ancestors series. The princess with no name is on the run, falsely accused of killing her betrothed’s family. She will have to figure out what schemes have led her to this place if she ever hopes to reunite with King Rowan and prove her innocence.
Unfortunately Yours (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the Vine Mess series. A marriage of convenience may be just what Natalie needs to get her trust fund and launch a fresh start while August desperately needs some help with the vineyard he’s trying to save. But the chemistry between them isn’t really “convenient” for either.
Gentle Writing Advice (Trade Paperback) – Chuck Wendig, author of novels like Wanderers and Star Wars: Aftermath, pens this book of “gentle” writing advice with a focus on discovering who YOU are and what methods will work for YOU rather than a one size fits all set of writing “rules.”
Unlock Your Menopause Type (Hardcover) – Personal recommendations based on quiz results for the reader’s particular type of menopause.

It’s the last release week of June – here are some of the new books on my list for this week.

Books for Kids

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Is This Your Class Pet? – Something new from Troy Cummings. Arfie the reading buddy finds a stowaway in his vest one day after he leaves school – a turtle!
Pets Rule!: My Kingdom of Darkness – First in a new series from BRANCHES. Ember the rescue Chihuahua thinks he is an evil overlord and tries to get the other family pets to help him take over the neighborhood.

 

Books for Adults

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The Accidental Newlywed Game (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 3 in the Boots and Bouquets series. A wedding planner at a convention in Vegas runs into her sister’s ex-fiancé – and after a drunken night she wakes up to find them married. This sounds fun and breezy – perfect for summer!
A Bride’s Guide to Marriage and Murder (Hardcover) – Frances and George have just gotten married when her brother is accused of murder. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
The Dead Romantics (Trade Paperback) – Something new from Ashley Poston. A ghostwriter afraid she’s going to lose her job when she gets a new editor finds herself in the town where she never wanted to return after the death of her father. But one more surprise is waiting for her at the family funeral home – the ghost of her new editor. Yes, please!! I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
For the Love of the Bard (Trade Paperback) – A writer longing for time to work on her latest YA novel instead gets roped into helping direct a local production of Twelfth Night while she’s also trying to dodge the local veterinarian who broke her heart as a teen.
His Amish Sweetheart (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 3 in the Petersheim Brothers series, originally titled Austin. Alfie and Benji just have to help their brother Austin find a girl so he will finally move out and they can move from the cellar back into the house, away from the spiders. I adore this series. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
Star Wars: Shadow of the Sith (Hardcover) – 20 years after Endor, Luke and Lando team up to investigate a growing Sith threat that’s involved in the kidnapping of Lando’s daughter. I am intrigued!
Two-Damage My Heart (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the Nerds of Happy Valley series. Rue once fell in love with her brother’s roommate who would send her letters of encouragement from across the country. And then he ghosted her and disappeared. Eight years later, he returns – and he doesn’t recognize her.  But she remembers it all too clearly and wants no part of his apparent interest.
Radical Love (Hardcover) – A memoir from Zachary Levi, star of Chuck and Shazam.

Here are some of the new books out this week that are on my radar!

Books for Adults

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Fake It Till You Bake It (Trade Paperback) – A pro-football player agrees to fake date his sometime nemesis when the kiss she plants on him goes viral. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
Killers of a Feather (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 2 in the Urban Tails Pet Shop Mystery series. A fortune-telling parrot predicts a murder, and almost everyone in town had a reason to want the guy dead.
A Thousand Miles (Trade Paperback) – Old high school friends reunite to dig up a time capsule they buried senior year before their friendship fell apart. Someone at my local library has the same taste I do because I keep finding these books on their “coming soon” list!