Tag: March New Releases

Here are some of the new books releasing this week!

Books for Kids

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Kiyoshi’s Walk – A boy and his grandfather go on a walk to discover where poems come from.
Sophie Johnson, Unicorn Expert, Is a Sports Superstar – The hilarious, oblivious Sophie Johnson is back, excited by a fun run. But she’s so caught up in her planning, she doesn’t think she has time to listen to any of the advice people try to give her. I get such a kick out of this series.
I Am Frida Kahlo – The latest picture book biography in the Ordinary People Change the World series.
Little People, Big Dreams: Malala Yousafzai – A picture book biography of Malala.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

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City Spies: Golden Gate – Book 2 in the fantastic City Spies series. (You can read my review of book 1 here.) Australian spy, Sydney, is excited for her undercover mission, but it doesn’t go at all to plan. Then the team investigates a death in San Francisco as well as a potential mole in their organization. I adored the first book in this series, so this is definitely on my list for this week.
Starfish (Older Middle Grade) – Ellie has been living by the Fat Girl Rules since she was five. But now she’s ready to live her life unapologetically. This has been getting rave reviews, so it’s on my list for this week. I have a hold on this one from the library.
What Was the Age of Exploration? – A look at the explorers who helped lead us to an understanding of the geography of the world.
Who Was Levi Strauss? – A biography of the inventor of blue jeans.
It’s Kind of a Cheesy Love Story – A girl born in the bathroom of a pizza joint enjoys free pizza for life – and a job as soon as she turns 16. While she’d rather be with her friends, and her crush, Beck starts to feel at home at the pizzeria. Then disaster strikes. I have this one on my library list, too.
Perfect on Paper (LGBTQ+) – When Darcy’s secret advice service is discovered, she’s blackmailed by one of the hottest guys in school – one she can’t stand – into helping him get back together with his ex. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
Sing Me Forgotten – Even though the townspeople tried to drown Isda at birth for being able to magically manipulate memories with song, she was saved by the owner of the opera house. There’s a fine line between “protected” and “imprisoned,” though, and Isda longs to escape. And a charming new singer might just be her chance.
When We Were Infinite – When Beth and her friends witness an act of violence in her friend (and crush) Jason’s home, they vow to protect Jason at any cost. But Jason’s choices could push their loyalty to the breaking point.

Books for Adults

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Act Your Age, Eve Brown (Trade Paperback) – Book 3 in the Brown Sisters series. Where Eve goes, chaos follows. So when she applies to be the chef for Jacob’s B&B, the control-freak can’t say no fast enough. But before he even knows what’s happened, he has a broken arm, and Eve is determined to help out at the B&B anyway. I am fascinated by this premise, so this one is on my list for this week.
Black Panther: Tales of Wakanda (Hardcover) – A collection of Wakanda stories starring T’Challa, Shuri, Killmonger, Storm, and Monica Rambeau among others. This book is over 500 pages!
Deadly Chapter (Hardcover) – Book 3 in the Castle Bookshop Mystery series. If it’s not bad enough that Shelby has found two bodies on Blye Island, home of the Castle Bookshop, this time she finds a body right outside her houseboat door. The man had been to the bookstore twice looking for information, so when his daughter comes to town seeking answers, Shelby agrees to help.
Fatal Fried Rice (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 7 in the Noodle Shop Mystery series. Lana might run her family’s Chinese restaurant, but everyone knows she’s an awful cook. When she signs up for cooking classes, Lana gets more than she bargained for – including a dead body.
The Girls Are All So Nice Here (Hardcover) – Ambrosia’s 10 year college reunion invitation comes with a menacing note about something Ambrosia and her former friend, Sloane, did freshman year.
Little French Bridal Shop (Hardcover) – Larisa is an emotional wreck when she walks past the Little French Bridal Shop so she randomly tries on the beautiful dress in the window. Before she knows what’s happened, the entire town is caught up in Larisa’s wedding plans. Too bad she has no idea who the groom is.
Spellmaker (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the Spellbreaker series. Elsie has been trying to keep her illegal spell breaking power a secret. But when she refuses to team up with an assassin, they expose her secret, and she is thrown in jail. Her only option is a fake marriage as a path to legitimacy – and a path to finding the villain. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
The Windsor Knot (Hardcover) – First in a new series, Her Majesty the Queen Investigates. A guest is found dead in one of the bedrooms as the Castle prepares for the celebration of the Queen’s 90th birthday (2016). But when MI5’s investigation points in the wrong direction, the Queen starts her own investigation. I cannot wait to read this!!!
#ChurchToo: How Purity Culture Upholds Abuse and How to Find Healing (Trade Paperback) – While sexual assault and abuse in halls of power have been getting more attention in the last few years, the abuses found in the Christian Church have some unique root causes that need to be addressed. The author has walked her own journey of abuse and recovery and shares her story and what she has learned here.
Enneagram Empowerment: Discover Your Personality Type and Unlock Your Potential (Hardcover) – A new Enneagram resource. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
The Nones: Where They Came From, Who They Are, and Where They Are Going (Trade Paperback) – An examination of the growing number of Americans who don’t identify with any sort of religious affiliation.

Happy March! I hope 2021 is treating you well. It’s hard to believe we are two full months into the new year already. Here are some of the new books releasing this week:

Books for Kids – Picture Books

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Chicks Rock! – The follow up to the delightful Chicks Rule! (♥♥♥♥) When Rocker Chick struggles with stage fright, her friends are there to lend a wing.
A New Day – Brad Meltzer (Xavier Riddle, Ordinary People Change the World series) teams up with Dan Santat in this picture book about what happens when Sunday decides to quit the calendar and the other days audition replacements. This looks delightful!
Bird Show – This book is on the list because the bird on the cover – the African Crowned Crane – is one of my all time favorite birds. I have no idea what is in the book, but I’d pick this up just because of the cover.
Classified: The Secret Career of Mary Golda Ross, Cherokee Aerospace Engineer – A picture book biography of the first female engineer at Lockheed.
Code Breaker, Spy Hunter: How Elizebeth Friedman Changed the Course of Two World Wars – A picture book biography about the woman who created the CIA’s first cryptology unit.
Michelle’s Garden: How the First Lady Planted Seeds of Change – The story of First Lady Michelle Obama’s White House garden.

 

Books for Kids – Early Chapter Books

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The Boxcar Children: The Secret of Bigfoot Valley – First in the new Boxcar Children Creatures of Legend series. The Aldens help a scientist investigate strange events at summer camp. A second book in the series, Mystery of the Hidden Elves, also releases this week.
Dragon Masters: Heat of the Lava Dragon – Book 18 in the Dragon Masters series. With Drake’s friends trapped in stone by an evil wizard, he and Ana set out in search of the Lava Dragon.
The Infamous Ratsos: Ratty Tattletale – Book 5 in the Infamous Ratsos series. When bullies start trouble for Ralphie, he has to decide which is the better strategy – telling an adult or dishing their behavior back at them.
Magic Tree House: Camp Time in California – Book 35 in the Magic Tree House (re-numbered) series. Jack and Annie are sent to Yosemite in 1903 for the most important camp out ever.
The Puppy Place: Biggie – Book 60 in the Puppy Place series. The family is fostering a new yorkie.
Unicorn and Yeti: Fair and Square – Book 5 in this Scholastic ACORN series with three new friendship stories.
The Wish Library: Snow Day in May AND Principal for a Day – The first two books in a new series about a school with a wish library – but the wishes don’t always go as planned.
She Persisted: Sally Ride – An early chapter book biography of Sally Ride.

Books for Older Kids/Teens

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Allergic (Graphic Novel) – A girl looking for connection in her busy family thinks a dog is the solution to her problems, but it turns out she’s allergic.
Ben Yokoyama and the Cookie of Doom AND Ben Yokoyama and the Cookie of Endless Waiting – The first two books in a new series about a kid who takes his fortune cookies very seriously. I’ll be reviewing book 2 soon.
Charlie Thorne and the Lost City (Older Middle Grade) – Book 2 in the Charlie Thorne series. This time Charlie is tasked with breaking a 200 year old code from Charles Darwin in order to track down a lost treasure. You can read my review of book one here.
Endling: The Only – The third and final book in the Endling trilogy.
Houdini and Me – From the author of the Genius Files, Baseball Card Adventures, and My Weird School series comes this new book about a Harry Houdini fan who gets texts from someone saying they are Houdini and offering him a chance to go back in time to experience the escape artist in person.
Rescue – A new historical fiction story from Jennifer Nielsen (The False Prince, The Scourge, A Night Divided).  A girl agrees to help move a German family across Nazi-occupied France to Spain in exchange for her father’s freedom from the Nazis.
Revenge of Magic: The Chosen One – The fifth and final book in the series. Damian is convinced he is the Chosen One, so he plans to summon the villains and destroy them once and for all. But Fort is pretty sure Damian is wrong and could be setting the world up for magical destruction.
Stella – While Stella was being trained to sniff out explosives, a mistake leaves her retired, anxious, and wondering about her purpose. Stella has another chance to prove her worth when she notices a chemical in her new owner’s body just before she has a seizure. But how can Stella warn her new family without them thinking she’s just having an anxiety attack from her previous experience?
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (Graphic Novel) – The graphic novel adaptation of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.
Winterborne Home for Mayhem and Mystery – The sequel to the amazing Winterborne Home for Vengeance and Valor. April and her friends are keeping Gabriel Winterborne’s secret, but when a masked stranger breaks into their home, the kids have a new mystery to solve in order to hold onto the life and family they have carved out for themselves. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
Wings of Fire: The Dangerous Gift – Book 14 in the Wings of Fire series, book 4 in the most recent story arc from the lost continent of Pantala. Snowfall, the new Icewing Queen faces a unique challenge when a group of unfamiliar dragons comes to her territory looking for asylum.
Becoming: Adapted for Young Readers (Older Middle Grade) – A young readers’ edition of First Lady Michelle Obama’s autobiography Becoming.
Escape at 10,000 Feet: D. B. Cooper and the Missing Money (Graphic Novel) – First in the Unsolved Case Files series, this book focuses on the D. B. Cooper mystery.
National Parks Maps – Illustrated maps of the National Parks of the United States.

Books for Teens/Young Adults

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The Castle School for Troubled Girls – A girl grieving the loss of her best friend is sent to an all-girls boarding school, but when she sneaks out, she discovers there’s a Castle School for boys as well. And she’s pretty sure the administration of both schools is hiding something.
Follow Your Arrow (LGBTQ+) – Cece and her girlfriend are social media influencers with a huge following that Cece is afraid of losing when her girlfriend breaks off their relationship. When Cece starts to fall for someone new, she’s afraid her online fame will ruin this new chance at love.
Infinity Reaper (LGBTQ+) – Sequel to Infinity Son. Brighton’s quest for powers has left him poisoned, and Emil will do anything to find the cure. But when he goes looking for solutions, he discovers he might be fighting against the wrong enemy.
Once Upon a Quinceañera – Carmen is stuck performing as a party princess in a ball gown, and that’s only the first problem in what is becoming a summer of disaster.
The Queen’s Secret – Book 2 in the Queen’s Secret series. Lilac’s ascent to the throne has separated her from her one true love, which means they are separated in their fight against dark forces.
Red Tigress – Book 2 in the Blood Heir series. Ana, the only surviving member of the royal family, must team up again with a crime lord in order to have any chance of regaining her throne, or even surviving.
The Secret Life of Kitty Granger – An autistic heroine joins a spy organization in 1960s London where her “peculiarities” become assets both to Kitty and to the organization she is serving.
The Stolen Kingdom – A vinter’s daughter discovers her magic is proof of a secret royal bloodline. But the current power-hungry rulers will do anything to maintain their hold on the throne.

Books for Adults – Fiction

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Accidentally Engaged (Trade Paperback) – No matter how perfect Nadim seems, Reena refuses to even consider a relationship with him since he works for her meddling father. But when she has a chance at a couple’s cooking contest with the prize of her dreams, she will consider a fake engagement. I *adore* the fake relationship trope, so this is absolutely on my list for this week.
Caught Off Guard (e-book, March 5) – Book 4 in the Samantha True Mystery series. When Samantha’s boss is accused of killing a football star, she starts sleuthing. I have book 1 from this series in my TBR.
The Conductors (Trade Paperback) – Book 1 in the Murder and Magic series. A husband and wife team who used magic in their role as conductors on the Underground Railroad now find themselves solving mysteries white authorities ignore, including the murder of an old friend. This sounds fascinating! I’ve already requested this one from my local library.
Death at First Night (e-book, March 4) – Book 3 in the Deadly Paradise Mystery series. Mallory’s ex is in town because he says he wants her back. She is so not interested. But when he becomes the prime suspect for a murder, Mallory agrees to help track a killer.
A Desolation Called Peace (Hardcover) – Book 2 in the Teixcalaan series after A Memory Called Empire. The inability to communicate with an alien armada means it’s time to call Mahit in for some diplomatic finesse. If she fails, millions could die. If she succeeds, it might not be much better. I’ve requested book 1 from my local library.
Float Plan (Trade Paperback) – Determined to still take the sailing trip she had planned with her fiancé, Anna hires Keane, a professional sailor who is also struggling with a future that looks nothing like he planned.
A Game of Cones (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the Ice Cream Parlor Mystery series after A Deadly Inside Scoop. Win is fighting battles on two fronts – the aunt who wants to take over the family ice cream shop and the friend who is accused of murder. This sounds like a fun series.
Haunted Hibiscus (Hardcover) – Book 22 in the Tea Shop Mystery series. The spooky Halloween vibe is all too real when an author signing at a literary haunted house leads to murder and Theo’s boyfriend is shot while investigating.
Heart Smart (e-book, March 4) – Book 2 in the Work For It series after Street Smart (also releasing today). A scientist with an off-putting demeanor needs the help of a communications professional when he is up for a prestigious award.
Maybe One Day (Trade Paperback) – This is the US debut of a book about a woman who believed her one true love abandoned her – and their child – at the most vulnerable moment in her life. But she finds a stack of cards and letters hidden in her mother’s attic that tell a different story.
The Postscript Murders (Hardcover) – The elderly woman’s death seems typical at first, but when a series of novels are found with a curious postscript, and then someone tries to steal one and another person is killed, Detective Kaur has to take a second look. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
Purled & Poisoned (e-book, March 5) – Tessa is juggling her craft store, her crazy family, and a couple of love interests when she stumbles across a dead body. Now she’s trying to sniff out a baby daddy and find a killer. I have the first book in this series in my TBR.
The Restoration of Celia Fairchild (Trade Paperback) – Celia feels this potential adoption is her last chance at the life she always dreamed of. But now that she has lost her job, her only chance to get it is to sell the home she inherited from her aunt, but calling it “a disaster” is actually an understatement. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
Star Wars Alpha Squadron: Victory’s Price (Hardcover) – The third and final book in the Alphabet Squadron series.
Trusting Taylor (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the Silverstone series. A woman with face blindness is dismissed by police when she witnesses a car crash. The tow-truck driver, a secret government assassin, is intrigued by her. But neither of them can see the danger that is pursuing them both.
An Unexpected Peril (Hardcover) – Book 6 in the Veronica Speedwell Mystery series. Veronica is posing as a missing princess for the sake of a crucial peace treaty while she and Stoker also try to uncover a murderer.
Unknown Threat (Trade Paperback) – First in a new Defend and Protect series about a secret service agent and an FBI agent who team up to discover who is killing members of the secret service.
Vanished into Plein Air (e-book, March 5) – Book 2 in the Fine Art Mystery series. Amanda is called upon to help a famous artist find his missing wife.

Books for Adults – Nonfiction

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60-Day Enneagram Devotional: The Perfectionist AND The Guardian AND The Enthusiast – Three new devotionals based on Enneagram type. I have heard good things about this series, although I haven’t tried the book for my type yet. Books for 3s, 5s, and 8s will release later this year.
Dusk Night Dawn: On Revival and Courage – Anne Lamott’s latest about walking through dark times.

How is it that we are already at the end of March?! Here are some of the new books out this week:

Books for Kids

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Your Nose! – The latest board book from Sandra Boynton.
Hound Won’t Go (April 1) – In the middle of a walk, in the middle of an intersection, Hound decides he’s done.
Peanut Goes for the Gold – Picture book from Jonathan Van Ness (Queer Eye) about a gender nonbinary guinea pig with flair.
The Princess and the Petri Dish (April 1) – A princess who prefers petri dishes to curtsies gets a bright idea.
Rover Throws a Party: Inspired by NASA’s Curiosity on Mars – A lonely Mars rover plans a birthday party.
Pete the Cat’s Family Road Trip – Pete’s family explores America in this early reader.
Prance Like No One’s Watching: A Guided Journal for Exploding Unicorns – A funny activity book for kids from humor writer James Breakwell.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

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Dog Diaries: Mission ImPAWsible – Book 3 in the Dog Diaries series from James Patterson. Junior’s family goes on vacation and leaves him behind where he has his own adventure.
Fins (Sharks Inc.) – Book 1 in the Sharks Incorporated series. Three kids help Doc Ford protect sharks from poachers by tagging them for research. But their work puts them in danger where they will have to learn to work together.
The Great Upending (Older Middle Grade) – A struggling family plays host to a famous writer. While the kids are supposed to leave “The Mister” alone, Sara figures if they steal the ending of his series finale, maybe his publisher will pay them the money she needs for a life saving surgery. I’ve already requested this one at the library!
How to Make Friends with the Sea – A boy living in the Philippines with his zoologist mother has collected a slew of fears and anxieties as they have moved around over the years. When his mother takes in an orphan with a cleft lip, the boy finds that his fears fade when he focuses on helping the girl. I have requested this one, too.
Twilight Hauntings – First in the new Enchanter’s Child series by the author of the Septimus Heap series (Magyk, etc,) A girl with magic powers is betrayed by her foster sister because magic is forbidden. While the girl is able to escape the city, she finds that she is the target of creatures hunting for Enchanters and their children.
What Stars Are Made Of (Older Middle Grade) – A girl makes a bargain with the universe – she will enter a contest and if she wins and gives the money to her pregnant sister and her husband, that means their baby will be born healthy.
Wink – A boy with cancer longs to blend in, but that is no longer an option that is going to work out for him. Illustrated novel based on the author’s life.
We Are the Wildcats – The girls on a field hockey team on the evening before their first game host their usual initiation ceremony, but their coach takes things in a new direction.

Books for Adults

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Before I Called You Mine (Trade Paperback) – A first grade teacher committed to international adoption has agreed to stay single through the whole adoption process. But as her match with a child becomes a real possibility, a new man drops unexpectedly into her life and could make her commitment to staying single waver.
Daughter of Cana (Trade Paperback) – Book 1 in the Jerusalem Road series by Angela Hunt. Twins working a wedding in Cana are amazed when a wedding guest turns rainwater into wine. When the brother decides to follow the teacher, his sister teams up with Jesus’ younger brother to trail the group until she can bring her brother home.
Dead in the Doorway (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 2 in the House-Flipper Mystery series. A Nashville house-flipper finds the perfect property for her next project. Too bad there’s that dead body blocking the entrance.
A Fatal Yarn (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 5 in the Knit and Nibble Mystery series. I love these just for the darling covers. I really need to read them soon. Someone is covering trees with yarn to hide the fact that the mayor has marked them for removal. When the mayor is murdered, one of the Knit and Nibble knitters is the prime suspect.
Gone With the Whisker (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 8 in the Bookmobile CAT Mystery series by Laurie Cass, not to be confused with the Bookmobile Mystery series by Nora Page. When Minnie’s visiting niece discovers a body at the Fourth of July fireworks, Minnie realizes it is a bookmobile regular. She and her cat Eddie are on the case!
Lily Barlow: The Mystery in the Mangroves (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the Lily Barlow series. Back in Virginia to help her dad after a heart attack (and solve a murder), Lily is wrestling with whether she should stay there when she is drawn into another mystery. After reading the full description of this book, it seems best if readers start with the first book (The Mystery of Jane Dough) to get a handle on all the goings on here!
The Sunday Potluck Club (Trade Paperback) – Book 1 in a new series. A pair of grieving women who connected at an Anchorage hospital cancer ward start meeting on Sundays for a pitch in and inviting other grieving women to join them.
The Traitor’s Pawn (Trade Paperback) – An FBI agent tracking down a person selling government secrets is drawn into a kidnapping case when he realizes he knows the victim.
Colossians: A Biblical Study (Hardcover) – A Bible study by Joyce Meyer.
Midnight Mom Devotional: 365 Prayers to Put Your Momma Heart to Rest (Hardcover) – A devotional for moms. Great gift idea for Mother’s Day.

Happy Spring! It’s finally official, no matter what our weather might look like from day to day. I don’t know about you, but I am ready to celebrate SPRING! How about a new book or two to help us ring in the new season? Here are some of the books releasing this week:

Books for Kids

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Bad Brows – A boy wakes up to discover his eyebrows have gone rogue.
Home Base: A Mother-Daughter Story – Mother’s and daughter’s stories are told side by side as the girl steps onto the pitcher’s mound and the mom pursues a new project as a brick layer.
When the Babies Came to Stay – A librarian takes home the four babies who arrived at the island, raising them around the library and turning them into a family. This looks lovely!

Books for Older Kids/Teens

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The Derby Daredevils: Kenzie Kickstarts a Team (LGBTQ+) – Two girls who love roller derby have a chance to play in the junior league if they can convince three others to join them.
Disney Princess: Friends, Family, Fantastic – A collection of princess stories in comics format. The art work for these three stories looks fantastic!
The Only Living Girl: Beneath the Unseen City – Book 2 in the Only Living Girl graphic novel series starring one of the last human survivors of a cosmic disaster. In this book, Zee and her friends are looking for answers and a cure when people in the city are poisoned.
Tyrannosaurus Wrecks – Book 6 in the FunJungle/Teddy Fitzroy series. Teddy is drawn into a series of mysteries including a missing T-Rex skull from a secret excavation site and a black market on reptiles.
The Next President: The Unexpected Beginnings and Unwritten Future of America’s Presidents – Just think – there are at least 10 future Presidents of the United States alive today! What might they be doing? Some might be kids like you. I’ll say it again – you can’t go wrong with a book by Kate Messner!

Books for Adults

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Bag of Bones (e-book, March 28) – Book 5 in the Press Pass Mysteries series, starring a secondary character from the first four books and her teenage daughter. When sixteen-year-old Maisey is taking down the Christmas decorations at her mall job, she discovers a bag of human bones. In order to keep her job – and help her mom keep hers as Media Relations Director for the mall – the two start investigating. This sound like a fun series.
The Honey Don’t List (Trade Paperback) – The latest from Christina Lauren. Melissa and Rusty Tripp are America’s home remodeling and design gurus. They’re about to go on a book tour together, but behind the scenes they can’t stand each other. Two assistants in the Tripp’s empire are tasked with going on the book tour with the couple to keep things on the rails. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
If I Never Met You (Trade Paperback) – Two co-workers stuck in an elevator hatch a plan for a fake relationship that will give the office something else to gossip about (besides her ex and his newly pregnant girlfriend) and give him a “respectable” relationship to impress the bosses. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
The K-Team (Hardcover) – A spin-off from the fantastic Andy Carpenter series! Andy’s wife, Laurie, and her investigation partner Marcus, team up with some characters from Dachshund Through the Snow to form an investigative team. Their first case is to help a judge who is being blackmailed. I’ll be reviewing this later this week.
Sunsets, Sabbatical and Scandal (e-book) – Book 10 in the Campers and Criminals Cozy Mystery series. This one focuses on a murder at a local diner.
The Enneagram and You: Understand Your Personality Type and How It Can Transform Your Relationships (Hardcover) – If you’ve spent any time around here in the last couple years you have probably seen me review other books on the Enneagram. I love learning more about it, and I’ll be reviewing this new resource soon.
The Everyday Life – Psalms and Proverbs (Leather) – Psalms and Proverbs with commentary from Joyce Meyer.

Here are some of the books releasing this week:

Books for Kids

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A Ben of All Trades: The Most Inventive Boyhood of Benjamin Franklin – A picture book biography of Ben Franklin
Write! Write! Write! – Poetry collection
Swim, Mo, Swim! – Book 5 in this early reader series starring Mo, who is at summer camp in this book.
Hattie in the Spotlight – Book 16 in the Adventures of Sophie Mouse series. Hattie auditions for a play. This series is DARLING!
Lily to the Rescue AND Lily to the Rescue: Two Little Piggies – The first two books in this new early chapter book series from the author of the Dog’s Purpose series. Lily the rescue dog helps her person, Maggie Rose, and her mom rescue other animals.
Vera Vance, Comics Star – Book 2 in the After-School Superstars series. Vera loves all things comics, so she signs up for comics camp at school. But Vera’s mom doesn’t think comics are academically rigorous enough. I would like to read this one and see how it all works out.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

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DC Super Hero Girls: Powerless – The second graphic novel based on the Cartoon Network DC series. The power is out at Metropolis High which impacts the various heroes in different ways.
Ronan Boyle and the Swamp of Certain Death – Book 2 in the Ronan Boyle series about a teen who helps the Irish police deal with magical creatures.
Stand Up, Yumi Chung! – A girl who longs to be a comedian stumbles into a comedy camp, and lets everyone believe she is someone else.
Wondrous Rex – Grace’s Aunt Lily is a writer who is struggling. When Lily advertises for a writer’s assistant, Rex  the dog arrives for the position.
What Are the Paralympic Games? AND What Was the Bombing of Hiroshima?
All the Pretty Things – When Ivy’s friend Morgan finds the body of one of their amusement park coworkers and is taken into the psych ward at the hospital, Ivy starts looking into what happened to the dead teen.
All Your Twisted Secrets – Six teens invited to a scholarship dinner find themselves trapped in a room where they are told they have to kill off one of the group for the rest to survive. WOW!
Frozen Beauty – The Malloy sisters are the subject of town gossip as one of the sisters is killed and no one knows exactly what happened that night.
Girls with Razor Hearts – Book 2 in the Girls With Sharp Sticks series. The girls have escaped Innovations Academy and the twisted experimentation they endured there. But now they only have each other as they seek a way to take down the corporation responsible for what they went through. This series sounds amazing.
Super Adjacent – Two “regular” teens connected to the superheroes of Warrior Nation have enough going on in their own lives to keep them plenty busy, but when the heroes all go missing, these two are left to save the day. I have this on my list for this week!
Dragon Hoops (Graphic Novel Memoir) – A non-sporty teacher teaching at a school having a stellar basketball year gains a new perspective as he gets to know the guys on the team.

Books for Adults

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Bound to Execute (e-book) – Book 3 in the St. Marin’s Cozy Mystery series. The bookshop-owning star of the series stumbles across the body of a much-despised bank manager.
Cross Her Heart (Trade Paperback) – First in the new Bree Taggert series. A homicide detective who survived her parents’ murder-suicide find herself investigating a similar crime when her sister is killed and her brother-in-law goes missing.
Crush the King (Trade Paperback) – Book three in the fantastic Crown of Shards series (Book one is Kill the Queen – my favorite book of 2018). Queen Everleigh has survived many assassination attempts, but she’s done playing defense. As all of the area kings and queens gather for an event, she’s determined to eliminate the King of Morta for all he has done to her and to her family. I will be reviewing this one later this week. It’s fantastic!!
The Earl Not Taken (Trade Paperback) – First in the new Wallflowers of West Lane series. Four young women make a pact to protect one another from disreputable matches, so Poppy teams up with her nemesis, the Earl of Marsden, to investigate a duke intent on marrying her friend who has never met him before.
In Bed with the Earl (Trade Paperback) – Book one in the new Lost Lords of London series. Reporter Verity Lovelace discovers a lost heir in the sewers of London and exposes him to the world. When he becomes the focus of attention for all manner of matchmakers, it seems only fair that the woman who caused all this trouble pretend to be his wife until he can get a handle on this new life.
Jerusalem Assassin (Hardcover) – Book 3 in the Marcus Ryker series. Former Secret Service Agent Marcus Ryker is called upon to investigate violent deaths surrounding the President’s peace efforts in the Middle East. In the course of his investigation, Marcus discovers a plot to assassinate the American President.
Father, Friend and Judge: Three Dimensions of Prayer that Receive Answers from Heaven (Hardcover) – Discover Biblical strategies for prayer based on the identities of God as Father, Friend, and Judge
How to Be Fine: What We Learned from Living by the Rules of 50 Self-Help Books (Hardcover) – The two authors share what they discovered when they followed various pieces of self-help advice including getting off your device, downsizing, and meditation.

Here are some of the books releasing this week!

Books for Kids

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Goodnight, Veggies – A bedtime story starring vegetables
All the Way to the Top: How One Girl’s Fight for Americans with Disabilities Changed Everything – A picture book biography of Jennifer Keelan regarding the fight for accommodations for those with disabilities.
The Voice that Won the Vote: How One Woman’s Words Made History – The fight for women’s suffrage hinged on a vote in Tennessee. And the deciding vote was cast because of a mother’s letter urging her son to vote for suffrage.
Beatrice Zinker: Upside Down Thinker – Sabotage – Book 3 in the Beatrice Zinker series. Someone mimics Beatrice and her friends’ Upside Award, but they can’t figure out who did it.
Creature Campers: Surprise Under the Stars – Creature Campers, Book 2. The Creature Campers are working to pass their map and compass skills test.
Houndsley and Catina at the Library – Houndsley and Catina find out the library will close if the town can’t find someone to replace the retiring librarian.
Time Dogs: Barry and the Great Mountain Rescue – Book 3 in the Time Dogs series. A group of older dogs is transported back in time and become puppies again.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

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The Blackbird Girls – Historical fiction set around the Chernobyl disaster
City Spies – First in a new series from the fantastic James Ponti. Five kids from around the world join forces as spies in a secret MI6 agency. This is at the top of my wish list for this week.
The Copycat – A girl in a new home and new school discovers a family magic that allows her to transform into a copy of any living creature.
Thunder Girls: Skade and the Enchanted Snow – Book 4 in the Thunder Girls series. The goddess of skiing is chosen by Odin to be an alternate on the team, rather than a starter, when some giants challenge the Asgardians to a skiing contest.
Worse Than Weird – Mac participates in a food truck scavenger hunt to win the money she needs to go to coding camp.
What Is the Story of Batman? AND What Is the Story of Looney Tunes? – Readers can learn the stories of popular characters like Batman and the Looney Tunes.
Hidden Knights (e-book) – The third and final book in the Knights of the Realm series. After the events of Shadow Knights (♥♥♥♥½), Reid may be the only one who has any chance of saving the people of Marsden. I have loved this series from the start! This will be at the top of my reading list for the week.
Most Likely – Four teens negotiate their senior year, not realizing that some day one of them will be president.
A Phoenix First Must Burn: Sixteen Stories of Black Girl Magic, Resistance, and Hope – A collection of science fiction and fantasy stories starring Black girls.
The Small Crimes of Tiffany Templeton – A tough teen, back from reform school, tries to negotiate the whispers around town, the changes she is trying to make in her life, and the secret she’s never shared.
Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You – An adaptation of Stamped From the Beginning for teens.

Books for Adults

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Death on the Page (Hardcover) – Book 2 in the Castle Bookshop Mystery series. Bayside Books has hosted true-crime writer Savannah Page for two signings, but now that she’s been found dead in a secret passage in the castle, Shelby is sleuthing again to find a killer.
Girl Can’t Help It (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the Krista Larson series. When the band Hot Rod and the Pistons reunite for their induction into the Iowa Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame, two of the band members wind up dead. While both deaths are deemed suicide, Police Chief Krista Larson is keeping a close eye on the rest of the band, as well as their replacement players, because she thinks the deaths might be murders. This book, as well as book one, Girl Most Likely, are both available to read for free for Kindle Unlimited subscribers at the time of this writing.
In Five Years (Hardcover) – A woman who answers the “Where do you see yourself in five years?” question in the most important job interview of her life has a vision of a very different life in 2025. While she tries to put the vision behind her as she doesn’t really believe in such things, she encounters the man she saw herself with in the vision.
Mimi Lee Gets a Clue (Trade Paperback) – First in the new Sassy Cat Mystery series. Mimi Lee’s pet grooming shop, Hollywoof, leads her to an encounter with a talking cat. Using the cat’s inside scoop, Mimi confronts an unethical breeder who is later killed. Mimi’s public argument with him makes her the prime suspect. This sounds so fun!
Mint Chip and Murder (e-book) – Book 4 in the Cambria Clyne Mystery series. When Cambria is up for a new job as a building manager, it is essential for her to stay out of trouble. A dead body in the attic of her current building is all kinds of trouble. To keep the discovery from ruining her new opportunity, Cambria is going to have to track down what happened so the trouble will go away.
Murderous Relation (Hardcover) – Book 5 in the Veronica Speedwell Mystery series. Veronica and Stoker go undercover at a high class brothel to protect the royal family from Prince Albert’s indiscretions, except their task is compounded by a murder.
Star Trek TOS: The Higher Frontier (Trade Paperback) – Captain Kirk teams up with a powerful telepath and a mysterious race to help the crew battle seemingly unstoppable killers.
The Starr Sting Scale (Trade Paperback) – First in the new Candace Starr series. A former hitwoman, recently released from prison, is contacted about a new target who happens to be a teenage boy. That’s a line Candace won’t cross, but the boy ends up dead anyway. So Starr teams up with a police detective to find out what really happened to the kid.
Undercover Bromance (Trade Paperback) – Book two after The Bromance Book Club (♥♥♥♥♥). When Liv is fired and blackballed after confronting her boss for harassment of another employee, Braden and the rest of the Bromance Book Club try to help her take her life back.I’ll be reviewing this later this week.
Yours in Scandal (Trade Paperback) – Book 1 in the new Man of the Year series from Lauren Layne. An up and coming politician asks the wild-child daughter of his rival to plan the party of the season.
The Firsts: The Inside Story of the Women Reshaping Congress (Hardcover) – A closer look at the women who joined the House of Representatives in 2018.
Untamed (Hardcover) – The latest from Glennon Doyle (Love Warrior) is a message of liberation for women.
The XX Brain: The Groundbreaking Science Empowering Women  to Maximize Cognitive Health and Prevent Alzheimer’s Disease (Hardcover) – The first book to address women’s brain health and Alzheimer’s prevention.

How is it March already?! The year is speeding by, but in some ways I don’t mind. I am ready to leave winter behind and enjoy some spring sunshine and temperatures. Here are some books to help you pass the time as winter shifts to spring.

Picture Books for Kids

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Be You! – The latest from Peter H. Reynolds, the author of The Dot and So Few of Me. Great message to be your own work of art because there’s only one you.
I Found a Kitty! – The latest from Troy Cummings, the author of More Bears. A sequel to Can I Be Your Dog? (♥♥♥♥♥) Arfy the dog writes persuasive letters to townspeople trying to find a home for a homeless kitten. Great for animal lovers and for classroom teachers working on letter writing and persuasive writing.
The Legend of King Arthuratops – A re-imagined Camelot story starring dinosaurs. This looks darling!
Monster’s Trucks – Monster loves his trucks, but he doesn’t like it if anyone else touches them – and that is just what the reader is going to do!
Violet Shrink – When an introverted girl finds out her family reunion is coming up, she talks to her dad about her anxious feelings at large family parties. I am looking forward to reading this one!
When My Brother Gets Home – A little sister imagines the adventures that await when her older brother gets home from school.
Bringing Back the Wolves: How a Predator Restored an Ecosystem – A government sponsored hunt in the late 1800s decimated the wolf population at Yellowstone National Park, negatively impacting the entire ecosystem. In the 1990s, the government reintroduced wolves to the area which in time restored the ecosystem. I am fascinated by this story and can’t wait to read this book. Terrific nonfiction addition for homes and schools.
This Book Is Literally Just Pictures of Snoozy Animals That Will Make You Sleep Better – Beautiful photographs of sleepy, yawning, and snoozing animals.

Early Chapter Books for Kids

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Arise and Shine – Amelia Bedelia and Friends, book 3. Amelia and her friends are studying the Middle Ages at school and learning about chivalrous behavior. This sounds cute.
Bo and the Dragon-Pup – Book 2 in the Unicorn Diaries series from Scholastic BRANCHES. Bo the Unicorn and the rest of the unicorns at school discover the dragon caves. I enjoyed the first book so much (Bo’s Magical New Friend – ♥♥♥♥). I’m looking forward to reading this one, too.
The Dead Sea Squirrels: Tree-Mendous Trouble AND Whirly Squirrelies – Books 5 and 6 in this silly series from Veggie Tales co-creator Mike Nawrocki. These two stories focus on kindness and self-control.
Disney Before the Story: Anna Finds a Friend AND Elsa’s Icy Rescue – Childhood stories of Anna and Elsa.
Fierce Competition! – A sports competition with the school villains gets out of hand.
The Future of the Time Dragon – Book 15 in the Dragon Masters series from Scholastic BRANCHES. The kids must find the time dragon to save a friend.
I Can Build It! – The darling Princess Truly, with her magic hair, is back for her third adventure from Scholastic ACORN. Princess Truly uses her inventing skills to help with a problem at the animal shelter.
Space Shuttle Scam – Book 12 in the A to Z Mystery Super Editions. The kids try to find a sneaky thief at a Space Museum in Florida.

Books for Older Kids/Teens

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Aster and the Accidental Magic – A bored girl in a new place wishes for the power to communicate with her new dog and ends up only able to speak in dog language.
Awesome Dog 5000 vs Mayor Bossypants – The robot dog Awesome Dog 5000 teams up with three kids when the Mayor decides he wants to get rid of Awesome Dog for good.
Batman Overdrive (Graphic Novel) – Bruce Wayne is itching to turn 16, fix up his dad’s old car, and track down some thieves stealing cars in Gotham. I loved this one. I’ll be reviewing it here tomorrow.
Black Brother Black Brother – A Black student at a mostly white prep school struggles to fit in and face injustice unlike his lighter-skinned brother. This sounds like a fascinating story.
The Chaos Curse – Book 3 in the Kiranmala and the Kingdom Beyond series about a girl struggling with the forces of evil.
Coo – Ten years ago, a flock of pigeons took in an abandoned baby and raised her. Now, when her most favorite pigeon is injured by a hawk, Coo must venture down into the world of people to find help. I’ve already requested this one from the library!
The Dragon Egg Princess – A boy who comes from a long line of rangers who protected a magical forest full of supernatural creatures wants no part of the woods that claimed his father. But there are forces trying to take over the woods and an evil stirring within them – and he might be the only one able to save the world.
Dragonslayer – The second Wings of Fire Legends story (after Darkstalker – ♥♥♥♥♥). Three human kids negotiate the dangers of Pyrrhia. This is at the top of my list for this week!
Fly Back Agnes (Older Middle Grade) – A struggling girl invents a new identity for herself when she visits her dad for the summer, but her lies start to pile up and cause problems with people she wants to befriend.
The Future King – Book 3 in the Revenge of Magic series. Six magic students from the UK return from being lost in time with stories of a dire future and a coming war. I have this series on my wish list.
The Lonely Heart of Maybelle Lane – A girl longing for the father she’s never known finds out he will be judging a singing contest in Nashville, and she’s determined to perform for him and finally meet him face to face. I’ll be reviewing this one later this month.
The Lost Lands – Rise of the Dragons, book 2. This is a multi-author series like The 39 Clues series. Dragons used to roam the Earth, but they were banished.  But now, the kids are friends with a dragon that can open the portal between the worlds – and there are some who would use that power to invade Earth again. I have the first book in the series from the library right now. I love dragon stories!
Mananaland – The latest book from Pam Muños Ryan (Echo, Esperanza Rising). A boy longing to know more about the mother who disappeared when he was a baby sets out on an adventure to find answers for his questions.
Marvel Action: Captain Marvel: Cosmic CAT-tastrophe – First in a new series. Manhattan is overrun by Flerkens, and Captain Marvel is on the case. I’m eager to see this one in person.
The Oracle Code (Graphic Novel – Older Middle Grade) – Barbara Gordon is living in the Arkham Center for Independence after being shot and losing the use of her legs. But her investigative instincts are still sharp as she looks into stories of missing patients. I’ll be reviewing this one later this month.
Show Me a Sign – An Own Voices story of a Deaf community on Martha’s Vineyard in the early 19th century and a girl caught in a cruel experiment as a scientist tries to discover why so many residents of the area are Deaf.
Things You Can’t Say – A boy still grieving the loss of his dad faces other losses – a best friend who pulls away; someone taking over his sacred, safe space; and his usual routines at home when a stranger moves in. I’ll be reviewing this one later this month, too.
Winterborne Home for Vengeance and Valor (Older Middle Grade) – The fabulous Ally Carter publishes her first middle grade novel this month, and I can’t wait to read it! A group of orphans look for clues to several mysteries in the old mansion which has become their unusual home.

Books for Teens/Young Adults

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Every Reason We Shouldn’t – The daughter of Olympians tries to settle into a new life now that her own Olympic dreams have ended, but the arrival of a new Olympic hopeful at her parents’ ice rink adds an unexpected wrinkle to her new normal.
The June Boys – The Gemini Thief has been kidnapping boys for years – three boys, held for 13 months and then released, every time. Except one teen believes an extra boy has been taken this year. And she’s starting to wonder if the kidnapper is closer to home than she ever imagined. This sounds amazing.
The Kingdom of Back – The latest from Marie Lu (Legend, Warcross, Young Elites) focuses on Mozart’s older sister, equally brilliant and talented, but limited by her gender and her family’s expectations until a mysterious stranger offers her everything she dreams of.
Moment of Truth – A girl who is sure she has her life figured out finds everything upended by a masked man dressed like action hero Heath Hall. This sounds so fun!
Only Mostly Devastated (LGBTQ+) – A m/m take on Grease. A summer fling ends abruptly for Ollie, and he thinks he’ll never see Will again. But when his family moves across the country, there is Will, at Ollie’s new school. But the Will here is NOTHING like the Will Ollie spent the summer with.
Salty, Bitter, Sweet – A new Own Voices romance from Blink. Isa is living in France with her father and step-mother after losing her abuela and watching her parents’ marriage implode. The only bright spot is the chance to compete for an apprenticeship with Chef Grattard, but the arrival of an attractive young man might unravel what stability she has left.
The Warrior’s Curse – The Traitor’s Game, Book 3, from the fabulous Jennifer A. Nielsen (The False Prince – ♥♥♥♥♥+, A Night Divided – ♥♥♥♥). Simon and Kestra are still trying to defeat the evil Lord Endrick, but their paths have diverged and it’s not clear if they will ever be able to work their way back to one another again. This series is on my TBR list.
Wicked as You Wish – A Hundred Names for Magic, book 1. The prince of a magical land, now frozen in ice, is stuck in Arizona where no magic works at all. But the appearance of a magical creature means there might be a chance for him to return to his home and defeat the Snow Queen. This sounds amazing!
Find Your Voice – From the author of The Hate U Give comes this guided journal for teens about writing your story and your truth.

Books for Adults

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The Crow’s Call (Trade Paperback) – First in the new Amish Greenhouse Mystery series from Wanda Brunstetter. Three women are forced to provide for their families when father, son and son-in-law are all killed in an accident. But someone is trying to put the family greenhouse out of business.
Eight Perfect Murders (Hardcover) – Book 1 in the Malcolm Kershaw series. Bookseller and mystery lover Malcolm Kershaw once put together a list of eight perfect literary murder mysteries. But that was years ago. Now, though, the FBI is knocking at his door about a series of unsolved murders that look suspiciously like his old list.
From Alaska With Love (Mass Market Paperback) – After exchanging letters during his tour of duty in Iraq, a soldier and the woman whose letters sustained him meet in Alaska. He’s not sure why she is there – she turned down his initial request to meet in person, but he’s convinced her to stay for 6 weeks and get to know one another. But she’s afraid if he finds out the truth about her, he won’t want her there any more. I’ll be reviewing this one later this month.
The Happy Camper (Trade Paperback) – A woman fleeing her disappointing life decides to head home to help her grandfather on his small farm, but her mother has beaten her there and taken over her old room, leaving Dillon in her grandfather’s old camp trailer. While she works with a neighbor to renovate the trailer and  start putting her life together again, her old life shows up – with roses and a ring.
Lavender Blue Murder (Hardcover) – Book 21 in the Tea Shop Mystery series. A bird hunt turns deadly and Theodosia is asked to stick around and help the widow figure out who killed her husband and tried to burn down their home.
My Fair Latte (Trade Paperback) – Book 1 in the Café Cinema Mystery series. An unemployed barista inherits an old theater, a bunch of family secrets and a nemesis. This looks fun!
A Novel Way to Die (March 5 – Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the Cozy Mystery Bookshop series. Sawyer is hosting her first author event when the author’s husband is found dead in her best friend’s shop. Sawyer knows her friend is being framed, so she teams up with her book club members to track a killer. This is currently available for free to Kindle Unlimited subscribers as is book 1, Plotting for Murder.
One Little Lie (Trade Paperback) – Book 1 in the new Pelican Harbor series from Colleen Coble. Jane Hardy is the new interim sheriff in Pelican Harbor, but before she can even settle into her new assignment, her father is arrested for theft and suspected of murder, possibly tied to the cult they fled 15 years ago.
The Panda of Death (Trade Paperback) – Book 6 in the Gunn Zoo series. Teddy’s new husband discovers he fathered a son he never knew about. But when the young man comes to town to meet his family, he’s arrested for murder.
Star Trek: Kirk Fu Manual: A Guide to Star Fleet’s Most Feared Martial Art (Hardcover) – An illustrated book celebrating the fighting style of Captain James T. Kirk.
Star of Persia (Trade Paperback) – A new novel looks at the story of Queen Esther from the Bible.
The Two Lives of Lydia Bird (Hardcover) – A couple’s love is shattered when he is killed in a car accident and she has to try to find a way to go on living, But then an unexpected event gives her a chance to get their life together back and soon she is living both scenarios – one life where Freddie died and another where he lived.
Better Stretching: 9 Minutes a Day to Greater Flexibility, Less Pain and Enhanced Performance the JoeTherapy Way (Hardcover) – Tips and techniques to improve mobility, strength, and flexibility.
Don’t Overthink It: Make Easier Decisions, Stop Second-Guessing, and Bring More Joy to Your Life (Trade Paperback) – The latest from Anne Bogel focuses on overthinking and negative thoughts. This seems like it will address similar things to Jennie Allen’s new book Get Out of Your Head. The books might pair up well together.
Galatians: A Biblical Study (Hardcover) – A new Bible study from Joyce Meyer. Includes study material and reflection questions.

It’s our final release week of March. Here are some of the books out this week!

Books for Kids

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Baby Lit Storybooks: Little Women AND The Wizard of Oz (Board books) – Classic literature for babies.
Little Poet – William Shakespeare: I Love You AND Emily Dickinson: In Emily’s Garden (Board books) – Snippets of classic poems set to lovely illustrations.
The Book Hog – A book loving pig who can’t read is invited to story time. This is at the top of my list for this week.
Dragons Eat Noodles on Tuesdays – Two monsters argue about a dragon story they are making up while a real dragon lingers close behind, listening. Yep, this is on my list, too.
Felipe and Claudette – Felipe, a grumpy cat, and Claudette, a wild dog, have been waiting a long time to be adopted from the pet shop. (Felipe is certain it is Claudette’s fault.) But when one is adopted and the other is left behind it impacts both of them more than they expected. I’m eager to read this one, too.
Raise Your Hand – The daughter of CNN’s Jake Tapper  noticed in her classroom that girls were less likely to participate in class than the boys. So she put together this book to encourage girls to be more confident in school. Sounds terrific!
Sweety – A quirky naked mole rat comes to appreciate how special she is. I can’t wait to read the whole story on this one!
Monkey and Cake: What Is Inside THIS Box? AND This Is MY Fort – This unusual pair star in a set of friendship stories that address issues that will feel familiar to kids everywhere. From the author of The Day the Crayons Quit.
Peg+Cat: Math in the Bath – A leveled reader starring Peg and Cat.
BAT and the End of Everything – The third book in this sweet series about a boy on the autism spectrum and his friend Thor, a young skunk. When the end of the school year approaches, Bixby/”Bat” feels anxious about all the changes coming. This would be a great read-aloud for lower elementary classrooms (1st/2nd through 4th grade).
Into the Game – First in a new series based on Minecraft where five players are transported into the game.
Mermaids to the Rescue: Nixie Makes Waves AND Lana Swims North – The first books in a new series about a rescue crew of mermaids.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

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Apocalypse Taco – A new graphic novel from the author of the Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales series. Three teens on a food run for the high school theater group cross into an alien parallel dimension.
The Astonishing Maybe – A sheltered boy with a relatively safe life sees things from a different perspective when his family moves and he meets the neighbor girl who takes him on great adventures, but who also is in need of help. This sounds great.
Because of the Rabbit – A girl starting public school for the first time is eager to make the right best friend. But while she and her partner on a project bond over a bunny she found, she’s afraid this impulsive boy could keep her from the friend she thinks she needs.
Bernice Buttman, Model Citizen – A tough, sassy girl who’s something of a bully decides to change her ways when she is stuck living with her aunt (who’s a real live nun) in a new town. Bernice sounds like an intriguing character!
Catwad – A collection of comics starring Catwad, a grumpy cat, and his optimistic friend, Blurmp.
Cilla Lee-Jenkins: The Epic Story – Book 3 in the series. I love the whole idea of this series starring a young author in training. This time, Cilla is writing an “epic” story.
Dragonfell – A new tale about a misfit boy, a brilliant scientist, and dragons. Sign me up!
Fallen Empires – Book 5 in the graphic novel series Cleopatra in Space. This volume includes a hunt for a spy, a mysterious death, and a big reveal about Cleo and the villainous dictator. I am all caught up on this fantastic series and I am ready to see what happens next!
Focused – A girl notices how often she gets distracted and how she has trouble staying focused. In fact, everyone is starting to notice, which leads to a diagnosis of ADHD. I’m curious to read this one. ADHD seems like such a common diagnosis these days, I’d like to see what the author does with this story.
Friendroid – Two boys bond over an online role play game and in each other find the friend they were both looking for. Neither of them knows, though, that one of them is an android. Sounds fascinating!
Jake the Fake Goes for Laughs – Book 2 in this series about a class clown who lets his success as a budding comedian go to his head.
Maybe a Mermaid – The author’s debut novel about a girl looking to make her first “true blue” friend in a new town where there are rumors of a mermaid. This sounds fun!
Over the Moon – In a town where boys get to toil in the mines and girls get to work as servants and everyone’s families count on those jobs to stay afloat, one girl gets the chance to change things by training flying horses. But in the process she stumbles across a mystery in her town that powerful people want to keep hidden. This is on my list for this week.
Revenge of the Sis – Star Wars Jedi Academy, book 7. This kicks off a new story arc starring Christina Starspeeder who has graduated from the Academy and now goes into advanced training. I have loved this series since the beginning, and I’m excited to see where it goes with this new story line.
Ruff vs Fluff – Queenie the cat and Arthur the dog love their lives at the Blackberry Hill Inn with their people, twins Harmony and Bro. But they can’t stand eachother. But when the twins’ cousin is framed for murder, the animals will team up to clear his name. This sounds adorable!
The Size of the Truth – When Sam was little, he spent 3 days trapped in the bottom of a well. Now as a bright eleven-year-old in eighth grade, Sam wants to leave his PTSD and his parents’ plans for his life behind and start working toward his own dream of being a chef. I am fascinated by the whole host of threads coming together in this story!
Star Wars: Forces of Destiny: May the Force Be With Us Cinestory Comic – The ladies of Star Wars star in three stories in this graphic novel.
Star Wars: Solo Graphic Novel Adaptation – Alessandro Ferrari is back with another graphic novel adaptation of a Star Wars movie. I love – and own – all of the previous books. The art work is spectacular. If you loved the Solo story, be sure to check this out.
Through the Untamed Sky – Book 2 in the Riders of the Realm series about pegasi and a people who have endeavored to tame the wild animals into war horses. I enjoyed the author’s previous Guardian Herd series, but I haven’t tried these yet.
The Tragical Tale of Birdie Bloom – In this new fractured fairy tale, a “Tragical” – a doomed orphan – and a Witch meet in what should be a disaster. But with the right opportunities they could become friends and write a new story for themselves. Yes, this is definitely on my list for this week.
The True History of Lyndie B. Hawkins – Lyndie’s grandmother is determined to shape Lyndie into a proper Southern girl and that starts with learning to keep family secrets secret, like the struggles Lyndie’s dad has had since returning from Vietnam. I’m curious to read this one.
In Another Life – A new YA thriller about an adopted girl who moves to a new town for her senior year and meets a boy who says she reminds him of the daughter of his foster parents who was kidnapped. This was a must read for me! I’ll be reviewing this one later this week.
Killing November – A girl in an elite hidden school for training assassins and spies must figure out where she fits before she is either accused of murder, or the next victim. Teen thrillers have been really popular in the last few years. I’ll be reviewing this one later this spring, but I can already tell you it was amazing!
The Last Voyage of Poe Blythe – From the author of the Matched trilogy comes a new story about the teen captain of a mining ship who is out for revenge against the raiders who took everything from her.
Sky Without Stars – First in a new series re-imagining the the story of Les Misérables set in space. Sounds amazing!
Unleaving – The survivor of an off-campus assault leaves town to heal and to avoid those who side with the athletes she accused. But when another victim contacts her, and Maggie pushes through her own struggles to respond, the other girl goes silent. This will be an emotional one, but an important and timely subject for teens to consider. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
Dear Ally: How Do You Write a Book? – Practical tips and helpful advice for aspiring writers from the author of The Gallagher Girls series, The Embassy Row series, and Not If I Save You First. I’ve already pre-ordered my copy.

Books for Adults

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Canyons, Caravans and Cadavers (ebook, March 25) – Book 6 in the Camper and Criminals series. Mae is invited to teach at the local high school which puts her in a perfect spot to do some sleuthing when a fellow teacher is murdered.
Decades: Marvel in the 60s – Spider-Man Meets the Marvel Universe (Paperback Graphic Novel) – This tour through Marvel history focuses on Spider-Man in his early interactions with other Marvel heroes such as the Fantastic Four, the Avengers and Doctor Strange.
Half Finished (Trade Paperback) – A group of crafters gathers with the purpose of encouraging one another to finish the projects they start. That theme carries over into life outside of their craft projects. This one is on my library list.
The Hidden Corpse (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 2 in the Food Blogger Mystery series.  When Hope’s neighbor dies in a fire, she feels a little guilty because her neighbor probably needed more help at home and shouldn’t have been living alone. But when another body is found in the house, things take a darker turn.
Leave No Scone Unturned (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 2 in the Chef-to-Go Mystery series. As Dani hopes the return of the college students will boost her business, a string of incidents on campus, including a murder, shake up the whole town.
The Library of Lost and Found (Hardcover) – When a librarian receives a gift of a book of fairy tales from her dead grandmother, it sets her on a course to uncover family secrets and maybe even get to the truth of what happened to her grandmother. I already have this one on hold from the library.
Murder in Tranquility Park (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 2 in the Ferrera Family Mystery series. Grandmother and granddaughter are sleuthing again when the Ferrera ladies find a hidden tree house – and a dead body. This sounds like a fun series. I have book one on my TBR shelves.
Murder Lo Mein (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 3 in the Noodle Shop Mystery series. A local food critic dies with his face in a bowl of noodles so everyone in the local noodle competition is a suspect. I have this series on my shelves, too.
Reading to Make a Difference (Professional – Paperback) – The latest instructional book for teachers from Lester Laminack (Professor Emeritus of Education, speaker, writer) on using books in the classroom as windows, mirrors and doors.

Here are some of the fabulous books releasing this week!

Books for Kids

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Little Naturalists: The Adventures of John Muir AND John James Audubon Painted Birds (Board Book) – Board books celebrating naturalists.
Baby’s First Bank Heist – Baby Frank is planning a bank heist to get money for a fluffy pet. This looks hilarious!
Buck Denver’s Hammer of Strength: A Lesson in Loving Others – New from Phil Vischer (Veggie Tales). Buck wants everyone to know how strong he is but his friends encourage him to show his strength through kindness.
Bach to the Rescue – A colorful and “zany” story about the Goldberg Variations.
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood: The Poetry of Mr. Rogers – 75 songs by Fred Rogers collected in an illustrated book.
Didi Dodo Future Spy: Recipe for Disaster – Book 1 in this new early chapter book series from Tom Angleberger (The Origami Yoda series) focused on food-related mysteries.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

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Payback Time! – Big Nate, book 20. A new collection of Big Nate comic strips.
Star Wars: Choose Your Destiny An Obi-Wan & Anakin Adventure – The third Choose Your Destiny novel from the folks at Star Wars/Disney/Lucasfilm
Tangled in Time: The Portal – An orphan girl sent to live with a grandmother she’s never met before discovers a portal to the past in her grandmother’s green house.
The Wizenard Series: Training Camp – First in a new series by Kobe Bryant about the worst basketball team in the league and their magical new coach who could change everything for the players both on and off the court.
Girls With Sharp Sticks – First in a new series for teens about an all-girls school that promises to make the girls obedient and free of independent ideas or troublesome opinions. But the girls are learning to fight back. Sounds fascinating!
Internment – In a dystopian near-future USA, Muslim-Americans are kept in internment camps. The main character learns to find allies and seeks to fight for freedom. A timely story in a world where the news can leave me feeling  like I am living in a dystopian novel.
Sherwood – With Robin of Locksley dead and the Sheriff’s right-hand goon ready to step into his fortune and his betrothal, Maid Marian takes up the cape and mantel of Robin Hood.
To Best the Boys – In a world where girls are trained to become wives and boys are sent to university, two girls will pose as boys to enter a dangerous competition for the chance at a university scholarship in order to find a cure for a disease that is destroying their home. This sounds like a Hunger Games/Maze Runner mash up, and I am eager to try it out.

Books for Adults

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Can’t Escape Love (ebk – novella)- From the author of A Princess in Theory comes this novella addition to the Reluctant Royals series about a nerdy business woman and a livestreamer. I pre-ordered this one weeks ago. I really enjoyed A Princess in Theory and I have one of the other series novels on my TBR shelves.
Magnificent Nine (Hardcover) – The second original Firefly novel focuses on Jayne and an old flame who may be raising his daughter in the middle of a fight over water rights on a desert world. Fans of the series will gobble this one up!
Murder Once Removed (Hardcover) – First in the Ancestry Detective series about a genealogist who solves part of a 19th century murder which stirs up a contemporary political firestorm. Many years ago I read a different genealogist mystery series by Rhett MacPherson that I adored. I am so excited to dig into this new series! I’ll be reviewing this one in a few weeks.
One Potato, Two Potato, Dead (Trade Paperback) – Book 3 in the Farm-to-Fork mystery series about the death of a culinary professor. I have this series on my wish list.
Unpacking Fake News: An Educator’s Guide to Navigating the Media with Students (Professional – Paperback, March 22) – “Fake News” has become a phrase frequently thrown around to describe any story a person doesn’t care for. But in reality, fake news reported as real and factual has caused an untold number of problems in America in recent years. Teachers are at the front line in the effort to help the next generation become careful consumers of news and information and to check sources and facts before accepting a headline or report at face value. Covers information for K-12 educators.

There’s another crop of great books out this week. Let’s take a look at some of them!

Books for Kids

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Charlotte the Scientists Finds a Cure – Charlotte’s second book focuses on a mysterious forest malady and Charlotte’s efforts to help her friends. I loved the first book, and I’m eager to read this one.
A Little Chicken – A fearful little chicken takes a big risk to rescue her future sibling. This looks adorable.
Noah Builds an Ark – While a boy’s family prepares for a big storm, Noah tries to help the animals in their garden who will be impacted.
The Puddle – Peg and Cat use their math skills to figure out how deep the puddles are when they go puddle jumping. I love this series!
Saying Goodbye to Barkley – A girl grieves the lost of her best-pal/pet dog and tries to adjust to a new dog who just isn’t the same as Barkley.
Wolfie’s Secret – Wolfie isn’t quite the “big bad wolf” everyone thinks he is. He’d rather eat cakes he makes rather than eat little pigs. This looks fun.
A Computer Called Katherine: How Katharine Johnson Helped Put America on the Moon – A picture book biography of Katharine Johnson.
A Green Place to Be: The Creation of Central Park – The story of Central Park in New York City.
Just Like Rube Goldberg: The Incredible True Story of The Man Behind the Machines – A delightful-looking picture book biography of Rube Goldberg.
Marty Frye Private Eye: Case of the Busted Video Games – Book 3 in this early chapter book series where Marty Frye the poet detective solves three short mysteries. I’m eager to read one of these – sounds like a fun series!
Secret Agents Jack and Max Stalwart: The Fate of the Irish Treasure AND The Race for Gold Rush Treasure – Books 3 and 4 in the Jack and Max Stalwart series about brothers who are secret agents and travel around the world.
Discover How to Pray AND Discover How to Read the Bible – Two impressive books for kids. One talks about prayer and includes Bible stories and places for kids to write their own prayers. The other talks about the structure and content of the Bible and contains stories from 30 personalities found in its pages. These look like terrific resources! Both are 96 pages long, so these are meaty resources for kids and families.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

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A Good Kind of Trouble – A junior high student who just wants to get through 7th grade with her relationships intact gets involved in the Black Lives Matter movement and  sees what happens in her community when people start taking sides. This one has gotten a LOT of positive buzz!
Lucy, Speak Out! – A new Peanuts collection, focused on classic Lucy-centric strips.
Mostly the Honest Truth – When her dad goes back into rehab, Jane heads to a new foster home. I adore positive foster care stories. This is on my list for this week!
What is the Stanley Cup? AND What Was Stonewall?
Amy’s Diary: Space Alien… Almost? – A girl trying to find her place in the universe notices love springing up all around her, starting with her widowed mother. Graphic Novel
Meet Me in Outer Space – A college student with auditory processing disorder has managed her learning issues just fine so far, but her fourth semester of French, with an uncooperative professor, threatens to derail her. I’ll be reviewing this one later this week.
Shout – A poetry memoir from Laurie Halse Anderson, author of the ground-breaking book about sexual assault, Speak.

Books for Adults

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Me for You (Hardcover) – A widower starts working as the piano player in a Nordstrom and meets a potential love interest. When the police decide to take a second look at his role in his wife’s death all the positive things happening in his life are at risk. This sounds fascinating.
Something Read, Something Dead (March 13, Hardcover) – Book 5 in the Lighthouse Library Mystery series. A bride-to-be’s extended family descends en masse and threatens to derail the quiet, simple wedding she had planned. When one of the relatives dies, Lucy will dust off her sleuthing skills to keep her friend from being falsely arrested for murder. Sounds great! I have the first book in this series on my TBR shelves.
Trouble on the Books (March 13, Hardcover) – First in the Castle Bookshop series about a former book editor turned bookshop owner drawn into solving a murder. I’ll be reviewing this one later this week.
2-Ingredient Miracle Dough Cookbook: Easy Lower-Carb Recipes for Flatbreads, Bagels, Desserts and More (Paperback) – I am fascinated by the idea of a two-ingredient cookbook. I’m on the look for this one this week.
Girl, Stop Apologizing: A Shame-Free Plan for Embracing and Achieving Your Goals (Hardcover) – The latest from best-selling author Rachel Hollis (Girl, Wash Your Face) which encourages women to own who they are and go after what they want.
Holy Envy: Finding God in the Faith of Others (Hardcover) – The latest from Barbara Brown Taylor (An Altar in the World, Leaving Church) focuses on the evolution of her faith in God through her work with students and people of other faiths.
Spiritual Rhythms for the Enneagram: A Handbook for Harmony and Transformation (Trade Paperback) – For those who have started their journey with the Enneagram and are asking “What’s next?” I have this on my list for this week, too.